A functional screen identifies lateral transfer of beta-glucuronidase (gus) from bacteria to fungi

Lateral gene transfer (LGT) from prokaryotes to microbial eukaryotes is usually detected by chance through genome-sequencing projects. Here, we explore a different, hypothesis-driven approach. We show that the fitness advantage associated with the transferred gene, typically invoked only in retrospect, can be used to design a functional screen capable of identifying postulated LGT cases. We hypothesized that beta-glucuronidase (gus) genes may be prone to LGT from bacteria to fungi (thought to lack gus) because this would enable fungi to utilize glucuronides in vertebrate urine as a carbon source. Using an enrichment procedure based on a glucose-releasing glucuronide analog (cellobiouronic acid), we isolated two gus(+) ascomycete fungi from soils (Penicillium canescens and Scopulariopsis sp.). A phylogenetic analysis suggested that their gus genes, as well as the gus genes identified in genomic sequences of the ascomycetes Aspergillus nidulans and Gibberella zeae, had been introgressed laterally from high-GC gram(+) bacteria. Two such bacteria (Arthrobacter spp.), isolated together with the gus(+) fungi, appeared to be the descendants of a bacterial donor organism from which gus had been transferred to fungi. This scenario was independently supported by similar substrate affinities of the encoded beta-glucuronidases, the absence of introns from fungal gus genes, and the similarity between the signal peptide-encoding 5' extensions of some fungal gus genes and the Arthrobacter sequences upstream of gus. Differences in the sequences of the fungal 5' extensions suggested at least two separate introgression events after the divergence of the two main Euascomycete classes. We suggest that deposition of glucuronides on soils as a result of the colonization of land by vertebrates may have favored LGT of gus from bacteria to fungi in soils.

抗氧化剂对大豆下胚轴GUS基因瞬时表达率的影响

大豆是我国最重要的油料作物之一，在我国的农业乃至幽民经济中占有重要地位。但是，由于我国人豆品质较差、产量较低，严重地影响着我国的大豆牛产及其在国际市场上的竞争力。农杆菌介导的转基因方法是大豆改良的最简便和最经济的方法之一，然而大豆基因转化效率低一直是大豆基因工程的主要限制因素。本研究以含有GUS报告基因和NPT II筛选基因的农杆菌1301侵染大豆子叶节和下胚轴，并用组织化学定位法测定GUS基因在叶节和下胚轴上瞬时表达，研究了抗氧化剂对提高大豆基因转化效率的影响，为建立大豆高效基因转化体系奠定基础。 以子叶节为外植体，用农杆菌侵染和共培养后进行GUS染色，观察其瞬时表达情况。在培养基中不含抗氧化剂的情况下，子叶节上未发现染色点，仅在下胚轴侧面有极少染色点。而在培养基巾含有抗氧化剂的情况下，外植体上产生了人量GUS染色点，其中大部分位于下胚轴处，子叶节部位几乎很少被染色。这说明下胚轴比f叶节更容易接受外源基因。本论文分别以子叶节和下胚轴为外植体进行研究。 以子叶节为外植体，在抗氧化剂作用下用农杆菌侵染，诱导丛生芽，在含有潮霉素的筛选培养基上培养，以筛选抗性苗。实验只得到一株抗性幼苗。 为了进一步研究抗氧化剂对GUS暴凶在下胚轴中瞬时表达的影响，我们特别以下胚轴为外植体，测定了多种条件下的瞬时表达率情况。 我们研究了共培养时间对大豆下胚轴基因瞬时表达率的影响，通过确定合适的共培养时间以获得最佳转化率。在共培养2天后，GUS基因的表达率是8%，但是在3天后，GUS基因瞬时表达率大幅度上升，达到23.4%。随后两天GUS基因瞬时表达率没有太大变化，因此，大豆下胚轴的GUS基因瞬时表达的最适共培养时间为3天。 农杆菌再悬浮液稀释浓度对大豆下胚轴GUS基因瞬时表达也有较大影响：再悬浮培养基与农杆菌菌液等体积时，GUS基因瞬时表达率最高，随稀释浓度提高，转化效率降低。这说明随农杆菌菌液浓度提高，侵染几率增加，从而提高了GUS基因的瞬时表达率。 很多研究表明大豆基因转化存在很大的品种问差异，我们选择了四种基因型差异较大的品种在上述最佳条件下分别测定了GUS基因瞬时表达率，但没有发现品种之间存在显著差异，说明抗氧化剂在大豆下胚轴基因转化中具有品种普遍适用性。 上述研究结果表明抗氧化剂能够大大促进GUS基因在下胚轴的瞬时表达，这对于今后开展大豆基因组研究和品质改良工作具有一定意义。

应用GUS基因研究弗氏中华根瘤菌的结瘤及效果

应用GUS(葡萄糖苷酶 )基因标记技术将标记基因GUS导入受体菌S .fredii8855,标记菌株形成的根瘤可被GUS染色缓冲液染成蓝色 ,而土著菌形成的根瘤不能着色 .由此即可十分简便地确定土著菌的影响程度 .盆栽试验表明 ,S .fredii 8855的结瘤抗酸碱能力高于土著菌 ,能在土壤中较大范围内迁移 .当它的根瘤占有率不小于 43%时 ,接种能显著提高大豆产量 ,大豆产量与根瘤占有率呈正相关 (r=0 .98) ,而与总瘤数关系不大 (r=0 .1 3) .土壤N素显著抑制其结瘤 ,补加P能缓解这种抑制作用 .

The integrative expression of GUS gene driven by FCP promoter in the seaweed Laminaria japonica (Phaeophyta)

In this study, the background activity of beta-glucuronidase (GUS) was analyzed histochemically and fluorometrically in the negative control of Laminaria japonica (Phaeophyta) thalli, showing low level of activity. GUS gene transformation without selectable gene in L. japonica was performed using four different promoters, i.e., Cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter (CaMV35S) from cauliflower mosaic virus, ubiquitin promoter (UBI) from maize, adenine-methyl transfer enzyme gene promoter (AMT) from virus in green alga Chlorella, and fucoxanthin chlorophyll a/c-binding protein gene promoter (FCP) from diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. The GUS transient activity was determined fluorometrically after bombarding sliced parthenogenetic sporophytes explants, and it was found that the activity resulting from CaMV35S and FCP promoters (in 114.3 and 80.6 pmol MU min(-1) (mg protein)(-1), respectively) was higher than for the other two promoters. The female gametophytes were bombarded and regenerated parthenogenetic sporophytes. FCP was the only promoter that resulted in detectable GUS chimeric expression activity during histochemical staining and polymerase chain reaction. Results of Southern blot showed that GUS gene was integrated with the L. japonica genome.

GUS基因在优化海带表达系统中的应用

本文研究了如何应用GUS基因优化海带表达系统。首先研究了GUS在各种海带材料中的本底值，而后以GUS基因作为报告基因比较了几种基因工程常用启动子在海带中启动瞬间表达的效率。选择表达效率较高的真核藻类启动子与GUS基因融合，在海带中获得了稳定表达的结果。分别用组织化学染色法和荧光分析法对海带雌配子体、雄配子体、孤雌生殖海带幼孢子体和二倍体海带孢子体等四种不同的材料的GUS本底进行了检测到GUS本底。荧光分析法所得数据显示，这四种材料的GUS活性分别为3.4±0.3、5.2±0.8、14.4±1.8、12.5±1.4 (pmol MU mg~(-1) protein min~(-1))，与高等植物类似，说明GUS基因可作为报造基因用于海带基因工程研究。选用真核藻启动子FCP启动子、高等植物基因工程中常用的高效Ubi启动子和CaMV35S启动子，与GUS基因融合构建四种质粒，通过基因松的方法转化孤雌生殖海带幼孢子体，比较GUS基因在海带中的瞬间表达量。实验结果表明，与CaMV35S和FCP融合的GUS基因在海带中表达效率较高。采用基因松的方法用FCP启动子－GUS基因转化海带雌配子体，通过诱导孤雌生殖获得孤雌生殖海带幼孢子体，用组织染色法检测到了GUS活性，并从海带的总DNA扩增到了FCP启动子－GUS基因的特征条带，从而提示了FCP启动子能引导外源基因在海带中稳定表达。为了找寻高效筛选元件进行孤雌生殖海带对草丁膦的敏感性实验，用统计学的方法得出了草丁膦对不同长度孤雌海带的半致死剂量。研究发现海带全长0.5-1.6cm范围内，草丁膦的LD_(50)与海带长度不相关，同时发现浓度在2-5μg/ml狭小范围内的草丁膦对孤雌海带比高浓度具有更为明显的毒性反应。本文结果提示草丁膦抗性基因－bar基因有可能成为海带基因工程更为理想的选择标记，因为海带对草丁膦比对氯霉素和潮霉素更敏感，而后两者是目前采用的筛选压力。本文结果为海带表达系统的优化，提供了有效的报告基因、启动子和选择标记元件。

Totality of experience: sound, music and mythology in Gus Van Sant’s “Death Quartet”

Reflecting on Gus Van Sant’s films Gerry (2003) Elephant (2004) and Last Days (2005), the director’s long-term sound-designer Leslie Shatz observed that “You have to get into the totality of the experience and not just the dialogue”. Shatz’s comment expresses something fundamental about the experimental approach to cinema and to soundscapes undertaken by Van Sant in these three films, unofficially known as the “Death Trilogy”. This thesis contends that Van Sant makes deliberate aesthetic choices which do indicate a distinctly “auteurist” leaning. However, I also argue that intertextual elements, prior knowledge, and audience participation in meaningmaking enhance the experience of, and reveal the nuances in, the soundtracks themselves. This thesis aims to contribute to a growing body of work within filmmusic scholarship concerned with resisting a traditional bias in the field: that film music should be understood as a means of characterisation and as emotional signifier. The films of the “Death Quartet”, which includes Paranoid Park (2007), I believe, offer fertile ground on which to explore these new approaches. It is my contention that these films deconstruct the traditional approach to soundtracking and the relationship between soundtrack and character, and that only an approach sensitive to the aesthetic and philosophical functions of music and sound can adequately acknowledge their unique cinematic qualities.

Letter - Gus Schmon to Eleanore Celeste Schmon

Eleanore Celeste's brother-in-law, Gus, is writing to her from Pennsylvania. He has work there and states "My work is interesting and a big chance to learn things out here." He also mentions that he travels to Philly most weeks. He mentions that the boys canoe, swim, and run dances. This letter is not dated.

Scepticisme du cinéma, scepticisme de Gus Van Sant : étude de la tétralogie de Gus Van Sant à partir de la philosophie de Stanley Cavell

Ce mémoire vise à explorer le lien étroit unissant le scepticisme philosophique, le dispositif cinématographique et la tétralogie de Gus Van Sant : Gerry, Elephant, Last days et Paranoid Park. À partir de la philosophie de Stanley Cavell, il sera d’abord question de développer le scepticisme comme condition d’existence et non plus comme doctrine philosophique. Stanley Cavell fait bifurquer le problème sceptique de la cognition vers l’éthique et nous verrons comment Gus Van Sant, en proposant un cinéma du désoeuvrement et de la mélancolie où l’individu est en rupture avec le monde, rejoint cette dimension éthique du scepticisme par le cinéma. Ensuite, il s’agira de voir comment le dispositif cinématographique est l’expression même du scepticisme cavellien et comment il permet de tendre vers le perfectionnisme moral en imposant la reconnaissance de son existence à travers la décision morale. Enfin, nous verrons comment Gus Van Sant, en réinventant le plan-séquence et le ralenti, répond singulièrement au problème posé par le scepticisme en réintégrant l’individu dans le monde à force de manipulations formelles qui sont autant de réponses au désoeuvrement contemporain comme condition existentielle. Ces réponses trouvées par Gus Van Sant ne sont pas des solutions, mais une exploration des dimensions d’un problème qu’il renouvèle : le scepticisme.

Kio y Gus.

Se trata de una de las novelas, de una serie de siete, que componen el currículum Filosofía para niños, diseñado para proporcionar a los niños y jóvenes un pensamiento crítico, reflexivo y solidario. El objetivo es la reflexión filosófica en el niño, que éste se a capaz de pensar por sí mismo de una forma crítica y creativa y capaces de razonar. Se trata de un material curricular acompañado del manual del profesor, asombrándose ante el mundo.

GUS expression in sweet oranges (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) driven by three different phloem-specific promoters

Huanglongbing (HLB) is associated with Candidatus Liberibacter spp., endogenous, sieve tube-restricted bacteria that are transmitted by citrus psyllid insect vectors. Transgenic expression in the phloem of specific genes that might affect Ca. Liberibacter spp. growth and development may be an adequate strategy to improve citrus resistance to HLB. To study specific phloem gene expression in citrus, we developed three different binary vector constructs with expression cassettes bearing the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene (uidA) under the control of one of the three different promoters: Citrus phloem protein 2 (CsPP2), Arabidopsis thaliana phloem protein 2 (AtPP2), and Arabidopsis thaliana sucrose transporter 2 (AtSUC2). Transgenic lines of 'Hamlin', 'Pera', and 'Valencia' sweet oranges [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck] were produced via Agrobacterium tumefaciens transformation. The epicotyl segments collected from in vitro germinated seedlings were used as explants. The gene nptII, which confers resistance to the antibiotic kanamycin, was used for selection. The transformation efficiency was expressed as the number of GUS-positive shoots over the total number of explants and varied from 1.54 to 6.08 % among the three cultivars and three constructs studied. Several lines of the three sweet orange cultivars analyzed using PCR and Southern blot analysis were genetically transformed with the three constructs evaluated. The histological GUS activity in the leaves indicates that the uidA gene was preferentially expressed in the phloem, which suggests that the use of the three promoters might be adequate for producing HLB-resistant transgenic sweet oranges. The results reported here conclusively demonstrate the preferential expression of GUS in the phloem driven by two heterologous and one homologous gene promoters. Key message The results reported here conclusively demonstrate the preferential expression of GUS in the phloem driven by two heterologous and one homologous gene promoters.

Proposta di traduzione di un capitolo del libro per bambini Le petit gus

L’origine di questo elaborato deriva dalla mia volontà di approcciarmi alla letteratura per l’infanzia e confrontarmi con un genere di traduzione mai affrontato prima d’ora. Ho suddiviso il mio lavoro in quattro capitoli. Nel primo capitolo presenterò brevemente la letteratura per l’infanzia e alcune soluzioni adottate nella traduzione di questo genere di opere. Procederò poi con la presentazione dell’autrice e dei suoi principali lavori, per poi concludere con un’introduzione del libro da me scelto e qualche riferimento a Le Petit Nicolas, il capolavoro al quale l’autrice Desmarteau si è ispirata. Nel secondo capitolo svolgerò un’analisi più approfondita del testo di partenza, soffermandomi in primo luogo sulle scelte lessicali adottate dall’autrice. In questa sezione esporrò le possibili difficoltà che a mio avviso si potrebbero riscontrare nella traduzione dei nomi propri, delle espressioni idiomatiche e dei riferimenti culturali . In seguito prenderò in esame il linguaggio giovanile e il ruolo delle immagini all’interno dell’opera. Nel terzo capitolo ho inserito il testo originale del capitolo che ho deciso di tradurre e la mia proposta di traduzione. Concludo infine con un commento generale della mia versione nel quale espongo alcune problematiche incontrate durante lo svolgimento del mio lavoro e le possibili soluzioni pensate.