广谱抗真菌转基因水稻植株化学成分与结构动态变化

【背景】种植广谱抗真菌水稻可能会带来一定的环境生物安全问题,对其植株的化学成分进行实质等同性分析是转基因水稻安全性评价的重要内容之一。【方法】以表达广谱抗真菌蛋白转基因水稻转品1和转品8及其相应非转基因水稻七丝软粘的秸秆为研究材料,采用化学法和扫描电镜技术分析外源基因的导入对水稻秸秆化学成分以及组织显微结构的影响。【结果】（1）在整个生长发育过程中,广谱抗真菌转基因水稻转品1和转品8与其非转基因水稻七丝软粘叶片、叶鞘和茎的纤维素、半纤维素、木质素以及粗蛋白含量的变化趋势基本一致,且品种间化学成分的含量不存在显著差异。（2）广谱抗真菌转基因水稻叶片表皮的硅质瘤状结构以及气孔的形状和致密程度与其非转基因水稻七丝软粘相似;茎壁、厚壁组织、薄壁组织以及大小维管束的形态和分布情况未发生明显变化。【结论与意义】表达广谱抗真菌蛋白转基因水稻秸秆的化学成分和组织显微结构与非转基因水稻基本一致。这为广谱抗真菌转基因水稻的环境安全性评估提供了依据。     

表达广谱抗真菌蛋白转基因水稻秸秆的化学成分与纤维素结构

为了给表达广谱抗真菌蛋白转基因水稻的安全性评估提供基础数据,本文以表达广谱抗真菌蛋白转基因水稻转品1和转品8及非转基因七丝软粘(对照)为试材,对其秸秆化学成分进行分析,同时,采用傅立叶变换红外光谱(FTIR)和X-射线衍射(XRD)方法观察秸秆中不同部位纤维素结构的变化情况。研究结果显示:(1)转基因水稻转品1和转品8与对照在秸秆相同部位的化学成分含量不存在显著差异;(2)转基因水稻转品1和转品8及对照在秸秆相同部位纤维素的红外吸收峰形状基本一致,且品种间的吸收峰强度和结晶指数(O'KI和N·O'KI)也无显著差异;(3)转品1和转品8秸秆的X-射线衍射图与对照相似,且结晶度(CrI)与对照无显著差异。综上所述,广谱抗真菌基因的导入不会对水稻的化学成分、纤维素结构及晶体结构产生明显影响。     

表达广谱抗真菌蛋白转基因水稻秸秆的化学成分与纤维素结构

为了给表达广谱抗真菌蛋白转基因水稻的安全性评估提供基础数据,本文以表达广谱抗真菌蛋白转基因水稻转品1和转品8及非转基因七丝软粘（对照）为试材,对其秸秆化学成分进行分析,同时,采用傅立叶变换红外光谱（FTIR）和X 射线衍射（XRD）方法观察秸秆中不同部位纤维素结构的变化情况。研究结果显示：（1）转基因水稻转品1和转品8与对照在秸秆相同部位的化学成分含量不存在显著差异;（2）转基因水稻转品1和转品8及对照在秸秆相同部位纤维素的红外吸收峰形状基本一致,且品种间的吸收峰强度和结晶指数(O′KI和N〖KG-*2〗·〖KG-*4〗O′KI)也无显著差异;（3）转品1和转品8秸秆的X 射线衍射图与对照相似,且结晶度(CrI)与对照无显著差异。综上所述,广谱抗真菌基因的导入不会对水稻的化学成分、纤维素结构及晶体结构产生明显影响。     

抗真菌转基因水稻秸秆降解对土壤细菌数量及多样性的影响

【背景】随着转基因作物的大面积种植,其潜在的环境安全性问题备受关注。转基因作物收获后,大部分残留物会重返土壤,可能对土壤微生物造成影响。【方法】通过室内模拟田间秸秆降解试验,采用平板计数法、表面荧光显微镜直接计数法（FDC）以及变性梯度凝胶电泳（DGGE）技术,分析了抗真菌转基因水稻秸秆降解对土壤细菌数量及多样性的影响。【结果】平板计数表明,在整个降解过程中,转基因与非转基因处理土壤可培养细菌数量的变化趋势有所差别,但差异不显著。FDC结果表明,转基因与非转基因处理土壤细菌总数差异不显著。DGGE指纹图谱显示,转基因与非转基因处理土壤样品之间的多样性指数、均匀度和丰富度均无显著差异。【结论与意义】抗真菌转基因水稻秸秆降解并未对土壤细菌数量和多样性产生显著影响。本研究为抗真菌转基因水稻的环境安全性评估提供了依据。     

转Bt基因水稻对白符跳虫取食选择行为的影响

【目的】为探讨转基因Bt水稻种植对土壤动物的潜在生态风险性。【方法】本研究将3种转Bt基因水稻及其非转基因亲本水稻叶片残体饲养白符跳虫Folsomia candida,通过观察其粪便的数量与分布以分析白符跳虫对Bt水稻的取食选择行为。【结果】研究结果表明,Bt蛋白(Cry1Ab和Cry1Ac)不会影响白符跳虫的取食选择;而Bt基因插入后导致的水稻成分的变化可能影响了白符跳虫对水稻残体的偏好性。结果可为评估转Bt水稻对土壤生态系统影响提供参考价值,为转Bt水稻安全性评价提供科学的依据。     

转Bt基因水稻对白符跳虫适应低温环境与排泄的影响

【目的】为探讨转基因Bt水稻种植对土壤重要分解者跳虫的潜在生态风险性。【方法】将同一非转基因亲本插入3种不同的Bt基因(cry1C、cry2A、cry1Ab/Ac)的转Bt基因水稻叶片残体饲养白符跳虫Folsomia candida,通过放入不同低温环境下观察其存活率和粪便排泄速率以分析白符跳虫取食Bt水稻叶片后的适应低温行为。【结果】结果表明,3种转Bt基因水稻相对于非转基因亲本水稻品种而言,不会影响白符跳虫的适应低温环境;而不同Bt基因插入后导致的水稻成分的变化可能影响了白符跳虫对水稻残体的偏好性,进而影响其在低温环境下的适应行为。【结论】结果可为评估转Bt水稻对土壤生态系统影响提供参考价值,为转Bt水稻安全性评价提供科学的依据。     

常见水稻病虫害胁迫对转cry1C基因抗虫水稻Bt蛋白表达量的影响

【目的】明确转Bt基因抗虫水稻在病虫害胁迫下对Bt蛋白表达量的影响。【方法】以Bt水稻T1C-19(表达Cry1C蛋白)为研究对象,探究褐飞虱、白叶枯病等6种水稻常见病虫害胁迫下其体内Bt蛋白的表达量变化。【结果】褐飞虱取食引起T1C-19水稻叶片中Bt蛋白含量降低,而黑尾叶蝉取食显著降低了T1C-19水稻叶鞘中的Bt蛋白含量,白叶枯病侵染导致Bt水稻叶鞘中的Bt蛋白含量显著上升。二化螟、水稻普通矮缩病、稻瘟病的胁迫对转基因水稻T1C-19叶片和叶鞘中的Bt蛋白含量均无显著影响。【结论】病虫害胁迫因种类不同对Bt水稻中Bt蛋白表达量的影响有所不同。这将为Bt水稻的抗虫效果评价提供数据基础,同时为Bt水稻病虫害综合治理提供科学依据。     

种植Bt水稻后的土壤对赤子爱胜蚓生长发育及酶活性的影响

【背景】转基因作物种植的安全问题一直备受关注。关于Bt蛋白对地下非靶标生物影响的研究是转基因作物安全评价的重要内容。【方法】在转Bt基因水稻收割后的稻田里分别种植豌豆、紫云英和油菜作为后茬作物。分别于2013年1、3和6月3次采集不同后茬作物田中的土壤作为材料,于室内饲养赤子爱胜蚓,4周和7周后,测定蚯蚓的生长发育指标、存活率以及体内酶活性的变化情况。此外,还测定了不同深度土壤中Bt蛋白的含量以及用Bt蛋白直接饲喂的赤子爱胜蚓的存活率。【结果】与种植过非转基因水稻MH63的土壤相比,分别种植过含cry2A和cry1C基因水稻后的土壤对赤子爱胜蚓的生长发育、存活率及体内酶活性无显著影响。1月份和3月份转cry2A基因水稻田以及1月份转cry1C基因水稻田采集的表层土样中的Bt蛋白含量显著高于地下10 cm和地下20 cm土壤中的含量,地下2层土样中的Cry2A蛋白含量之间无差异。3月份转cry1C基因水稻田以及6月份转cry2A和转cry1C基因水稻田的土壤中Bt蛋白的含量均不受土壤深度的影响。种植的后茬作物对土壤中的Bt蛋白无显著消解作用。室内模拟土壤最高Bt蛋白浓度的条件下,Cry2A蛋白处理的蚯蚓存活率为96.7%,Cry1C蛋白处理的蚯蚓存活率为95.0%,两者与对照相比无显著差异。【结论与意义】转cry2A和cry1C基因Bt水稻的种植对蚯蚓的生长发育和体内酶活性无显著影响。本研究为转基因水稻的安全评价提供了一定的依据。     

一株抗真菌内生多粘芽孢杆菌的分离鉴定及对水稻恶苗病菌的抑制作用

目的：从番茄叶片中筛选具广谱抑真菌活性的拮抗内生细菌,研究其对水稻恶苗病菌的抑制作用。方法：采用对峙培养法筛选拮抗内生细菌,根据菌株形态、生理生化特性结合16S rRNA基因序列分析鉴定菌株;采用硫酸铵沉淀法提取抗菌粗蛋白,研究其对水稻恶苗病菌菌丝生长和孢子萌发的影响。结果：从番茄叶片中筛选到一株抗真菌内生多粘芽孢杆菌（Paenibacillus polymyxa）SD-6,该菌株具有广谱抑菌活性,对供试的13种植物病原真菌均具较强的抑制作用;该菌株产生的抗菌粗蛋白能够显著抑制水稻恶苗病菌菌丝生长和孢子萌发,并能导致萌发孢子畸形和破裂。结论：从番茄叶片中分离到一株能产生抗真菌蛋白并具有广谱高效抑真菌作用的内生多粘芽孢杆菌,该菌株及其抗菌蛋白具有防治水稻恶苗病的潜力。     

Bt抗虫棉秸秆还田对土壤养分特征的影响

【目的】研究转基因作物秸秆或残茬还田可能对土壤养分特性造成的影响。【方法】以不同抗虫水平Bt棉花和常规棉花(泗棉3号)为研究材料,分别在经过一、二个生长周期后将秸秆机械粉碎后原位还田,40 d后测定分析土壤中Bt蛋白含量及肥力相关的养分含量变化。【结果】Bt棉秸秆还田后,所有品种棉花土壤中Bt蛋白含量与还田前无显著增加,且转Bt基因棉与非转基因棉还田对土壤Bt蛋白含量的影响并无显著差异。同时,棉秸秆还田可显著提高土壤有机质、速效磷、碱解氮、速效钾、全氮、全磷和全钾含量,提升土壤pH值;增加幅度在不同抗虫水平Bt棉花间及与非转基因常规棉花品种间皆无显著性差异。【结论】秸秆还田对土壤肥力的提升与Bt棉的抗虫水平无关。“转Bt基因”不成为Bt棉秸秆还田提高土壤肥力的限制性因素,其秸秆还田不会对土壤肥力质量产生负面影响,可使土壤养分含量增加,有效提升土壤肥力。秸秆原位还田简单、无害又提升肥力,有条件作为转Bt基因植物秸秆无害化处理的理想方式。     

Cysteine proteinases regulate chloroplast protein content and composition in tobacco leaves: a model for dynamic interactions with ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) vesicular bodies

The roles of cysteine proteinases (CP) in leaf protein accumulation and composition were investigated in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) plants expressing the rice cystatin, OC-1. The OC-1 protein was present in the cytosol, chloroplasts, and vacuole of the leaves of OC-1 expressing (OCE) plants. Changes in leaf protein composition and turnover caused by OC-1-dependent inhibition of CP activity were assessed in 8-week-old plants using proteomic analysis. Seven hundred and sixty-five soluble proteins were detected in the controls compared to 860 proteins in the OCE leaves. A cyclophilin, a histone, a peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase, and two ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) activase isoforms were markedly altered in abundance in the OCE leaves. The senescence-related decline in photosynthesis and Rubisco activity was delayed in the OCE leaves. Similarly, OCE leaves maintained higher leaf Rubisco activities and protein than controls following dark chilling. Immunogold labelling studies with specific antibodies showed that Rubisco was present in Rubisco vesicular bodies (RVB) as well as in the chloroplasts of leaves from 8-week-old control and OCE plants. Western blot analysis of plants at 14 weeks after both genotypes had flowered revealed large increases in the amount of Rubisco protein in the OCE leaves compared to controls. These results demonstrate that CPs are involved in Rubisco turnover in leaves under optimal and stress conditions and that extra-plastidic RVB bodies are present even in young source leaves. Furthermore, these data form the basis for a new model of Rubisco protein turnover involving CPs and RVBs.     

Only Specific Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) Chitinases and [beta]-1,3-Glucanases Exhibit Antifungal Activity

Different isoforms of chitinases and [beta]-1,3-glucanases of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv Samsun NN) were tested for their antifungal activities. The class I, vacuolar chitinase and [beta]-1,3-glucanase isoforms were the most active against Fusarium solani germlings, resulting in lysis of the hyphal tips and in growth inhibition. In additon, we observed that the class I chitinase and [beta]-1,3-glucanase acted synergistically. The class II isoforms of the two hydrolases exhibited no antifungal activity. However, the class II chitinases showed limited growth inhibitory activity in combination with higher amounts of class I [beta]-1,3-glucanase. The class II [beta]-1,3-glucanases showed no inhibitory activity in any combination. In transgenic tobacco plants producing modified forms of either a class I chitinase or a class I [beta]-1,3-glucanase, or both, these proteins were targeted extracellularly. Both modified proteins lack their C-terminal propeptide, which functions as a vacuolar targeting signal. Extracellular targeting had no effect on the specific activities of the chitinase and [beta]-1,3-glucanase enzymes. Furthermore, the extracellular washing fluid (EF) from leaves of transgenic plants expressing either of the secreted class I enzymes exhibited antifungal activity on F. solani germlings in vitro comparable to that of the purified vacuolar class I proteins. Mixing EF fractions from these plants revealed synergism in inhibitory activity against F. solani; the mixed fractions exhibited inhibitory activity similar to that of EF from plants expressing both secreted enzymes.     

The 50-kDa protein of Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus interferes with intracellular and intercellular targeting and tubule-inducing activity of the 39-kDa protein of Grapevine berry inner necrosis virus

To understand why transgenic Nicotiana occidentalis plants expressing a functional movement protein (MP) of Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV) show specific resistance to Grapevine berry inner necrosis virus (GINV), the MPs of ACLSV (50KP) and GINV (39KP) were fused to green, yellow, or cyan fluorescent proteins (GFP, YFP, or CFP). These fusion proteins were transiently expressed in leaf cells of both transgenic (50KP) and nontransgenic (NT) plants, and the intracellular and intercellular trafficking and tubule-inducing activity of these proteins were compared. The results indicate that in epidermal cells and protoplasts from 50KP plant leaves, the trafficking and tubule-inducing activities of GINV-39KP were specifically blocked while those of ACLSV-50KP and Apple stem grooving virus MP (36KP) were not affected. Additionally, when 39KP-YFP and 50KP-CFP were coexpressed in the leaf epidermis of NT plants, the fluorescence of both proteins was confined to single cells, indicating that 50KP-CFP interferes with the cell-to-cell trafficking of 39KP-YFP and vice versa. Mutational analyses of 50KP showed that the deletion mutants that retained the activities described above still blocked cell-to-cell trafficking of 39KP, but the dysfunctional 50KP mutants could no longer impede cell-to-cell movement of 39KP. Transgenic plants expressing the functional 50KP deletion mutants showed specific resistance against GINV. In contrast, transgenic plants expressing the dysfunctional 50KP mutants did not show any resistance to the virus. From these results, we conclude that the specific resistance of 50KP plants to GINV is due to the ability of the 50KP to block intracellular and intercellular trafficking of GINV 39KP.     

Constitutive expression of human lactoferrin and its N-lobe in rice plants to confer disease resistance.

The milk protein, lactoferrin, is known to have antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal activities. To explore the possibility of conferring disease resistance in plants by expressing this protein, the gene for the full-length human lactoferrin (HLF), as well as the N-lobe, the N-terminal half molecule (HLFN), was introduced into rice plants and expressed constitutively under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promotor. Western blot analysis of leaves from HLF-transgenic rice plants showed an 80 kDa-band, which was about 1-2 kDa less than human milk lactoferrin. HLFN was expressed as a 45-kDa protein and retained its heparin-binding property. Deglycosylation experiments suggested that both proteins produced by the plants had plant-type oligosaccharide chains. The transgenic rice plants were assessed for resistance against disease-causing bacteria, virus, and fungi. Of the pathogens tested, significant resistance against Burkholderia (Pseudomonas) plantarii, the causative agent of bacterial seedling blight disease, was observed in the transgenic plants expressing HLF or HLFN.     

Transgenic Rice Plants Expressing the Antifungal AFP Protein from Aspergillus Giganteus Show Enhanced Resistance to the Rice Blast Fungus Magnaporthe Grisea

The Aspergillus giganteus antifungal protein (AFP), encoded by the afp gene, has been reported to possess in vitro antifungal activity against various economically important fungal pathogens, including the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe grisea. In this study, transgenic rice ( Oryza sativa ) constitutively expressing the afp gene was generated by Agrobacterium -mediated transformation. Two different DNA constructs containing either the afp cDNA sequence from Aspergillus or a chemically synthesized codon-optimized afp gene were introduced into rice plants. In both cases, the DNA region encoding the signal sequence from the tobacco AP24 gene was N-terminally fused to the coding sequence of the mature AFP protein. Transgenic rice plants showed stable integration and inheritance of the transgene. No effect on plant morphology was observed in the afp -expressing rice lines. The inhibitory activity of protein extracts prepared from leaves of afp plants on the in vitro growth of M. grisea indicated that the AFP protein produced by the trangenic rice plants was biologically active. Several of the T(2) homozygous afp lines were challenged with M. grisea in a detached leaf infection assay. Transformants exhibited resistance to rice blast at various levels. Altogether, the results presented here indicate that AFP can be functionally expressed in rice plants for protection against the rice blast fungus M. grisea.     

Cloning and overexpression of antifungal barley chitinase gene in Escherichia coli

Plant chitinases are pathogenesis-related proteins, which are believed to be involved in plant defense responses to pathogen infection. In this study, chitinase gene from barley was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. Chitinase (35 kDa) was isolated and purified. Since the protein was produced as insoluble inclusion bodies, the protein was solubilized and refolded. Purified chitinase exerted broad-spectrum antifungal activity against Botrytis cinerea (blight of tobacco), Pestalotia theae (leaf spot of tea), Bipolaris oryzae (brown spot of rice), Alternaria sp. (grain discoloration of rice), Curvularia lunata (leaf spot of clover) and Rhizoctonia solani (sheath blight of rice). Due to the potential of broad-spectrum antifungal activity barley chitinase gene can be used to enhance fungal-resistance in crop plants such as rice, tobacco, tea and clover.     

Phloem unloading of potato virus X movement proteins is regulated by virus and host factors

To determine the requirements for viral proteins exiting the phloem, transgenic plants expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) fused to the Potato virus X (PVX) triple gene block (TGB)p1 and coat protein (CP) genes were prepared. The fused genes were transgenically expressed from the companion cell (CC)-specific Commelina yellow mottle virus (CoYMV) promoter. Transgenic plants were selected for evidence of GFP fluorescence in CC and sieve elements (SE) and proteins were determined to be phloem mobile based on their ability to translocate across a graft union into nontransgenic scions. Petioles and leaves were analyzed to determine the requirements for phloem unloading of the fluorescence proteins. In petioles, fluorescence spread throughout the photosynthetic vascular cells (chlorenchyma) but did not move into the cortex, indicating a specific barrier to proteins exiting the vasculature. In leaves, fluorescence was mainly restricted to the veins. However, in virus-infected plants or leaves treated with a cocktail of proteasome inhibitors, fluorescence spread into leaf mesophyll cells. These data indicate that PVX contributes factors which enable specific unloading of cognate viral proteins and that proteolysis may play a role in limiting proteins in the phloem and surrounding chlorenchyma.     

From Arabidopsis to cereal crops: Conservation of chloroplast protein degradation by autophagy indicates its fundamental role in plant productivity

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved process leading to the degradation of intracellular components in eukaryotes, which is important for nutrient recycling especially in response to starvation conditions. Nutrient recycling is an essential process that underpins productivity in crop plants, such that remobilized nitrogen derived from older organs supports the formation of new organs or grain-filling within a plant. We extended our understanding of autophagy in a model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, to an important cereal, rice (Oryza sativa). Through analysis of transgenic rice plants stably expressing fluorescent marker proteins for autophagy or chloroplast stroma, we revealed that chloroplast proteins are partially degraded in the vacuole via Rubisco-containing bodies (RCBs), a type of autophagosomes containing stroma. We further reported evidence that the RCB pathway functions during natural leaf senescence to facilitate subsequent nitrogen remobilization into newly expanding leaves. Thus, our recent studies establish the importance of autophagy in biomass production of cereals.     

Expression of a gene encoding trichosanthin in transgenic rice plants enhances resistance to fungus blast disease

. The gene encoding mature trichosanthin, a type I ribosome-inactivating protein isolated from the tuber of Trichosanthes kirilowii Maximowicz, was transformed into calli of rice (Oryza sativa L.) by bombardment. Transgenic rice plants were obtained and confirmed by Southern and Western blot analysis. When transgenic rice plants expressing trichosanthin were inoculated with the spores of Pyricularia oryzae, a major rice fungus blast pathogen, the lesions on leaves were much less severe, and the seedling survival rate and whole plant weight were higher than those of control plants with the gus gene. The presented data demonstrate a novel, potential role of trichosanthin in antifungal protection in transgenic plants.