Bifunctional enzyme FBPase/SBPase is essential for photoautotrophic growth in cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp PCC 6803

From a random insertion mutant library of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, a mutant defective in photoautotrophic growth was obtained. The interrupted gene was identified to be slr2094 (rbpl), which encodes the fructose-1,6-biphosphatase (FBPase)/sedoheptulose-1,7-biphosphatase (SBPase) bifunctional enzyme (F-I). Two other independently constructed slr2094 mutants showed an identical phenotype. The FBPase activity was found to be virtually lacking in an slr2094 mutant, which was sensitive to light under mixotrophic growth conditions. These results indicate that slr2094 is the only active FBPase-encoding gene in this cyanobacterium. Inactivation of photosystem II by interrupting psbB in slr2094 mutant alleviated the sensitiveness to light. This report provides the direct genetic evidence for the essential role of F-I in the photosynthesis of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. (c) 2007 National Natural Science Foundation of China and Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier Limited and Science in China Press. All rights reserved.

Identification of a gene, ccr-1 (sll1242), required for chill-light tolerance and growth at 15 degrees C in Synechocystis sp PCC 6803

Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 exposed to chill (5 degrees C)-light (100 mu mol photons m(-2) s(-1)) stress loses its ability to reinitiate growth. From a random insertion mutant library of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, a sll1242 mutant showing increased sensitivity to chill plus light was isolated. Mutant reconstruction and complementation with the wild-type gene confirmed the role of sll1242 in maintaining chill-light tolerance. At 15 degrees C, the autotrophic and mixotrophic growth of the mutant were both inhibited, paralleled by decreased photosynthetic activity. The expression of sll1242 was upregulated in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 after transfer from 30 to 15 degrees C at a photosynthetic photon flux density of 30 mu mol photons m(-2) S-1. sll1242, named ccr (cyanobacterial cold resistance gene)- 1, may be required for cold acclimation of cyanobacteria in light.

大蒜、绊根草中重金属抗性分子机制的研究

日益加剧的重金属污染已经危害到了全球的生态环境以及人类健康。在分子水平上阐明植物中的重金属抗性机制并应用于环境修复和绿色农业是植物科学和环境科学以及农业科学的交叉点和新的生长点。为了了解植物重金属抗性的分子机制，我们的研究主要是从重金属抗性植物材料大蒜(Allium sativumL．)和绊根草(Cynodon dactylon)中分离重金属抗性相关基因，并研究它们在重金属抗性机制中的功能。 在高等植物中有迹象表明，一种富含半胱氨酸的低分子量蛋白．类金属硫蛋白 (Metallothioneins Like，MTs Like)和一类具有Y-(Glu-Cys) n-Gly特殊结构的多肽一植物络合素(Phytochelatins，PCs)在重金属抗性机制中占有重要地位。然而人们对于同一种植物中这两种重金属结合肽作用的相互关系还缺乏了解，同时对于MT Like基因以及PCs合酶基因在同一种植物中的表达模式如金属离子专一性、时空表达特点等，还投有文献报道，因此本文将首先以这两个基因为切入点进行研究。 本研究采用RACE的方法，从大蒜中分离得到了类金属硫蛋白(MT-Like)的cDNA序列(GenBank Accession No.AY050510)，PCR和SoutheLrn Blot分析表明，大蒜基因组中不仅存在类金属硫蛋白基因，而且可能以基因家族的形式存在。对获得的MT Like cDNA进行的序列分析及同源性分析表明，大蒜MT Like cDNA含有一个完整的开放阅读框架，编码73个氨基酸，其中12个为半胱氨酸，占氨基酸总数的1 6.4%，并与其他植物如水稻、小麦、紫羊茅草中的类金属硫蛋白基因同源性较高，其中最高达89%。对该基因编码的氨基酸序列和结构分析表明在N-端、c-端结构域中分别含有3个典型的金属硫蛋白的结构模式Cys-Xaa-Cys，属于典型的Type-1类金属硫蛋白。这些Cys-Xaa-Cys特征结构表明大蒜MT Like基因编码的蛋白可以结合二价金属离子。重金属胁迫下大蒜根中MT Like基因在转录水平的表达检测表明，MT Like基因的表达受重金属离子Cu2+、Cd2+的诱导，暗示MT Like基因在大蒜对重金属的抗性中有重要作用。此外，用能谱电镜技术研究大蒜中重金属的积累与分布，以及用组织原位杂交技术分析MT Like基因的表达定位与重金属的积累、转运的关系已在进行之中。 植物络合素也是富含巯基的多肽化合物，在重金属抗性中起重要作用。由植物络合素结构中存在的Y一酰胺键或β-Ala可知PCs不是基因表达的直接产物，而是以GSH为前体的酶促反应产物。目前已知y一谷氨酰半胱氨酸二肽转肽酶(简称为PCs合酶，phytochelatin synthase，PCS)是PCs合成途径的关键酶，编码这一关键酶的基因目前已在小麦、拟南芥菜和裂殖酵母中克隆。由于这一基因在不同物种中的保守性较低，其克隆较困难。本研究通过设计植物络合素台酶基因简并引物，从大蒜中扩增得到了345bp的cDNA序列。序列分析和推测的氨基酸序列同源性比较表明，此序列的翻译产物与已知的植物络合素合酶同源性最高，此cDNA序列应为大蒜植物络合素合酶基因的部分cDNA序列(GenBank Accession No.AF384110)。目前大蒜植物络台素合酶基因的全长序列的扩增，以及这两种与重金属抗性有关的基因(MT Like，PCS)的表达模式仍在研究中。 本文还尝试了利用酵母重金属敏感突变株M379/8功能互补的方法从重金属抗性植物绊根革中分离新的重金属抗性相关基因。构建了用于转化的酵母质粒表达文库，探索了酵母转化体系建立的条件。曾尝试多种转化方法，并对其中的条件进行了优化改进。下一步的工作将集中在合适的酵母突变体的筛选或穿梭表达载体的选择标记基因替换上

小麦春化相关基因元件克隆分析与小麦矮化突变体的研究

一、 春化相关基因全长cDNA序列及其启动子的克隆与分析研究 通过建立小麦（Triticum aestivum. L. cv Jingdong No.1）胚芽春化cDNA文库，以春化相关基因VER2的3’端序列为探针，筛选获得全长1195 bp cDNA序列，它编码300个氨基酸。在VER2中存在植物疾病抗性反应蛋白和茉莉酸诱导凝集素两种蛋白的结构域。另外在VER2蛋白中存在核定位信号和多种磷酸酶的作用位点，VER2可能参与了多种调控途径。 以VER2基因的cDNA为探针，利用改进的池式PCR以及高密度膜杂交筛选的方法，从小麦TAC基因组文库中获得41,788 bp的基因组克隆，该序列含有11个基因，其中VER2基因位于第三个基因。VER2基因组序列含有3个内含子，4个外显子与cDNA序列100%同源。通过对转录起始点和转录终止点的分析，进一步证明从cDNA文库筛选得到的VER2基因为全长序列。 对VER2基因的上游启动子区域进行分析，发现基因上游启动子区存在三个小的重复序列，每个片段有482 bp，另有两个较大的重复序列，每个片段有2,161 bp。对上游2.8 kb启动子区（不含重复序列）的响应元件分析，其包括ABA响应元件（ABRE）、茉莉酸甲酯响应元件（Me-JARE）、胚乳特异性表达元件、参与淀粉酶合成的元件以及存在类似GA响应元件（ATAACAAAC）如ATAACATAC等等。根据VER2基因上游6 kb序列结构特点，将VER2启动子区域进行缺失突变形成10个片段，分别以GUS和GFP为报告基因构建成瞬间表达载体和植物表达载体等四类质粒。通过基因枪方法将最大片段（6 kb）驱动GFP报告基因的瞬间表达载体转入经春化处理或未春化处理的小麦幼叶中，结果发现GFP在春化处理的幼叶中表达，而在未春化处理的幼叶中不表达，说明VER2基因的启动子驱动基因转录受春化处理调控。 二、 小麦矮化突变体的研究 通过对小麦矮化突变体gaid遗传生理分析发现该突变体为半显性阻断GA信号途径，由此发现在赤霉素信号途径中，α-淀粉酶的诱导一定程度上通过某些与株高相关的基因控制。突变体gaid呈现对高浓度的脱落酸更敏感，当ABA浓度达到10-6M时，突变体的生长几乎完全受到了抑制，而野生型的生长需要ABA浓度达到10-5M时才能完全受到抑制。通过突变体gaid对乙烯等抑制型生长调节剂的响应实验研究，首次提出GA调控植物伸长生长存在两条信号途径，即GA基础水平信号途径（GA basal level signaling pathway）和GA正常水平信号途径（GA normal level signaling pathway），而乙烯以及高浓的GA合成抑制剂（如PAC）是通过第一条途径（GA基础水平信号途径）起作用。光形态建成中对植株生长的抑制作用存在独立于GA的信号途径。 突变体gaid的根系在强光照（63.5 Es-1m-2）和培养基内（低氧）的生长条件下，表现出弯曲、变短、加粗等异常性状，而随光照强度的减弱，这种根系异常生长的表型也减弱，在暗培养中则完全消失，但无论在哪种环境条件下，相对野生型对照而言，突变体的种子根短、侧根少。低浓度的ABA（10-8M）可以恢复突变体gaid根系在强光低氧条件下的正常生长发育。然而利用IAA及其极性运输的抑制剂（TIBA）、乙烯生物合成前提物（ACC）及合成抑制剂（AOA）处理突变体gaid，并没有发现突变体根系的生长发育得到恢复。 突变体gaid可能是一个新的属于小麦GA信号途径中的负调控基因（GAID）发生了突变或超表达，导致其负调控作用增强，呈现半显性的矮化突变。在与另一已知小麦GA信号途径中的负调控基因RHT的关系研究上发现，GAID可能对RHT蛋白磷酸化后的降解途径起抑制作用。通过双向电泳发现突变体gaid与野生型对照（京冬1号）在生长过程中存在差异蛋白，这将有助于对GA信号途径分子机理的深入研究。

Construction and characterization of bacterial artificial chromosome library of black-handed spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi)

The large-insert genomic DNA library is a critical resource for genome-wide genetic dissection of target species. We constructed a high-redundancy bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library of a New World monkey species, the black-handed spider monkey

Construction of a BAC library for Chinese amphioxus Branchiostoma belcheri and identification of clones containing Amphi-pax genes

Amphioxus is a crucial organism for the study of vertebrate evolution. Although a genomic BAC library of Branchiostoma floridae has been constructed, we report here another BAC library construction of its distant relative species Branchiostoma belcheri. The amphioxus BAC library established in present study consists of 45,312 clones arrayed in one hundred and eighteen 384-well plates. The average insert fragment size was 120 kb estimated by Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis of 318 randomly selected clones. The representation of the library is about 12 equivalent to the genome, allowing a 99.9995% probability of recovering any specific sequence of interest. We further screened the library with 4 single copied Amphi-Pax genes and identified total of 26 positive clones with average of 6.5 clones for each gene. The result indicates this library is well suited for many applications and should also serve as a useful complemental resource for the scientific community.

Construction, characterization and chromosomal mapping of bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library of Yunnan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti)

We constructed a high redundancy bacterial artificial chromosome library of a seriously endangered Old World Monkey, the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti) from China. This library contains a total of 136 320 BAC clones. The average insert size of BAC clones was estimated to be 148 kb. The percentage of small inserts (50-100 kb) is 2.74%, and only 2.67% non-recombinant clones were observed. Assuming a similar genome size with closely related primate species, the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey BAC library has at least six times the genome coverage. By end sequencing of randomly selected BAC clones, we generated 201 sequence tags for the library. A total of 139 end-sequenced BAC clones were mapped onto the chromosomes of Yunnan snub-nosed monkey by fluorescence in-situ hybridization, demonstrating a high degree of synteny conservation between humans and Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys. Blast search against human genome showed a good correlation between the number of hit clones and the size of the chromosomes, an indication of unbiased chromosomal distribution of the BAC library. This library and the mapped BAC clones will serve as a valuable resource in comparative genomics studies and large-scale genome sequencing of nonhuman primates. The DNA sequence data reported in this paper were deposited in GenBank and assigned the accession number CG891489-CG891703.