Molecular Structure and Properties of Lectin from Tomato Fruit

A cDNA encoding tomato fruit lectin was cloned from an unripe cherry-tomato fruit cDNA library. The isolated lectin cDNA contained an open reading frame encoding 365 amino acids, including peptides that were sequenced. The deduced sequence consisted of three distinct domains: (i) an N-terminal short extensin-like domain; (ii) a Cys-rich carbohydrate binding domain composed of four almost identical chitin-binding domains; (iii) an internal extensin-like domain of 101 residues containing 15 SerPro₄ motifs inserted between the first and second chitin-binding domains. The molecular weight of the lectin was 65,633 and that of the deglycosylated lectin was 32,948, as determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). This correlated with the estimated molecular weight of the deduced sequence. Recombinant tomato lectin expressed in Pichia pastoris possessed chitin-binding but not hemagglutinating activity. These findings confirmed that the cDNA encoded tomato lectin.     

番茄花萼在蕾期至果实红熟期的发育形态学及其多样性研究

萼片是番茄花和果实的重要组成部分,影响着果实的商品性。本试验以40份不同类型番茄为材料,对萼片发育过程、形态描述指标及形态多样性进行研究。结果表明,番茄萼片属于宿萼,其形态随着花和果实的发育而变化,表现为闭合、微开、展开、收合、微开、变形到定形,定形萼片呈现包被、基平、上翘、直立和上卷5种状态;对定形萼片7个形态性状观测表明,变异系数由大到小依次为萼片卷曲度(84.43%)、萼片面积(45.54%)、上翘度(40.93%)、形状系数(36.05%)、萼片长(35.02%)、萼片厚(29.46%)和萼片宽(24.61%)。相关性分析表明,萼片长、萼片宽、萼片厚和萼片面积四者之间均极显著正相关;萼片形状系数(萼片长/萼片宽)与萼片长极显著正相关,而与萼片宽无显著相关关系;萼片卷曲度和上翘度之间极显著正相关,而与其他5个性状没有显著相关关系。主成分分析表明,由萼片长、萼片宽、萼片厚和萼片面积代表的大小性状(PC1),由形状系数代表的形状性状(PC2),以及由卷曲度和上翘度代表的形态性状(PC3)3个主成分对萼片形态变异的累计贡献率达87.50%;用形态性状指标对定形的5种类型萼片形态进行了描述。     

磷饥饿对番茄幼苗H+分泌及Pi吸收的影响

磷饥饿条件下番茄幼苗的H⁺分泌速率明显提高。质膜质子泵专一性抑制剂钒酸盐能显著抑制番茄幼苗的H⁺分泌,也能显著抑制其Pi吸收。此结果表明,磷饥饿时番茄幼苗Pi吸收速率的变化与H⁺分泌速率的变化之间可能具有一定的相关性,并进一步暗示质膜H⁺-ATPase可能参与其中。本文结果还表明,Pi/H⁺的准量关系约为1:1。     

TheRelati磷饥饿时番茄幼苗根系质膜H~ - ATP酶活性的变化与磷吸收的关系(英文)

磷饥饿提高了番茄幼苗质膜H ATP酶活性并促进了番茄幼苗根部的H 分泌。动力学分析表明 ,磷饥饿使番茄幼苗根部质膜H ATP酶的Km 值明显降低 ,亦即提高了该酶对其底物的亲和力 ,但对该酶的Vmax影响不大。另外 ,磷饥饿并不改变ATP酶的最适 pH值 (最适 pH值为 6.5)。钒酸盐显著抑制番茄幼苗根部质膜ATP酶的活性以及H 分泌 ,也显著抑制番茄幼苗的Pi吸收。与对照相比 ,上述抑制作用在饥饿处理的植物中表现得更强。以上结果表明 ,磷饥饿时高亲和性Pi传递系统的诱导很可能包含质膜H ATP酶的参与。     

Membrane lipid alteration during phosphate starvation is regulated by phosphate signaling and auxin/cytokinin cross-talk

During phosphate (Pi) starvation in plants, membrane phospholipid content decreases concomitantly with an increase in non-phosphorus glycolipids. Although several studies have indicated the involvement of phytohormones in various physiological changes upon Pi starvation, the regulation of Pi-starvation induced membrane lipid alteration remains unknown. Previously, we reported the response of type B monogalactosyl diacylglycerol synthase genes (atMGD2 and atMGD3) to Pi starvation, and suggested a role for these genes in galactolipid accumulation during Pi starvation. We now report our investigation of the regulatory mechanism for the response of atMGD2/3 and changes in membrane lipid composition to Pi starvation. Exogenous auxin activated atMGD2/3 expression during Pi starvation, whereas their expression was repressed by cytokinin treatment in the root. Moreover, auxin inhibitors and the axr4 aux1 double mutation in auxin signaling impaired the increase of atMGD2/3 expression during Pi starvation, showing that auxin is required for atMGD2/3 activation. The fact that hormonal effects during Pi starvation were also observed with regard to changes in membrane lipid composition demonstrates that both auxin and cytokinin are indeed involved in the dynamic changes in membrane lipids during Pi starvation. Phosphite is not metabolically available in plants; however, when we supplied phosphite to Pi-starved plants, the Pi-starvation response disappeared with respect to both atMGD2/3 expression and changes in membrane lipids. These results indicate that the observed global change in plant membranes during Pi starvation is not caused by Pi-starvation induced damage in plant cells but rather is strictly regulated by Pi signaling and auxin/cytokinin cross-talk.     

Genome‐wide survey of artificial mutations induced by ethyl methanesulfonate and gamma rays in tomato

Genome‐wide mutations induced by ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) and gamma irradiation in the tomato Micro‐Tom genome were identified by a whole‐genome shotgun sequencing analysis to estimate the spectrum and distribution of whole‐genome DNA mutations and the frequency of deleterious mutations. A total of ~370 Gb of paired‐end reads for four EMS‐induced mutants and three gamma‐ray‐irradiated lines as well as a wild‐type line were obtained by next‐generation sequencing technology. Using bioinformatics analyses, we identified 5920 induced single nucleotide variations and insertion/deletion (indel) mutations. The predominant mutations in the EMS mutants were C/G to T/A transitions, while in the gamma‐ray mutants, C/G to T/A transitions, A/T to T/A transversions, A/T to G/C transitions and deletion mutations were equally common. Biases in the base composition flanking mutations differed between the mutagenesis types. Regarding the effects of the mutations on gene function, >90% of the mutations were located in intergenic regions, and only 0.2% were deleterious. In addition, we detected 1 140 687 spontaneous single nucleotide polymorphisms and indel polymorphisms in wild‐type Micro‐Tom lines. We also found copy number variation, deletions and insertions of chromosomal segments in both the mutant and wild‐type lines. The results provide helpful information not only for mutation research, but also for mutant screening methodology with reverse‐genetic approaches.     

Hydroxylated jasmonates are commonly occurring metabolites of jasmonic acid and contribute to a partial switch-off in jasmonate signaling

In potato 12-hydroxyjasmonic acid (12-OH-JA) is a tuber-inducing compound. Here, it is demonstrated that 12-OH-JA, as well as its sulfated and glucosylated derivatives, are constituents of various organs of many plant species. All accumulate differentially and usually to much higher concentrations than jasmonic acid (JA). In wounded tomato leaves, 12-OH-JA and its sulfated, as well as glucosylated, derivative accumulate after JA, and their diminished accumulation in wounded leaves of the JA-deficient mutants spr2 and acx1 and also a JA-deficient 35S::AOCantisense line suggest their JA-dependent formation. To elucidate how signaling properties of JA/JAME (jasmonic acid methyl ester) are affected by hydroxylation and sulfation, germination and root growth were recorded in the presence of the different jasmonates, indicating that 12-OH-JA and 12-hydroxyjasmonic acid sulfate (12-HSO(4)-JA) were not bioactive. Expression analyses for 29 genes showed that expression of wound-inducible genes such as those coding for PROTEINASE INHIBITOR2, POLYPHENOL OXIDASE, THREONINE DEAMINASE or ARGINASE was induced by JAME and less induced or even down-regulated by 12-OH-JA and 12-HSO(4)-JA. Almost all genes coding for enzymes in JA biosynthesis were up-regulated by JAME but down-regulated by 12-OH-JA and 12-HSO(4)-JA. The data suggest that wound-induced metabolic conversion of JA/JAME into 12-OH-JA alters expression pattern of genes including a switch off in JA signaling for a subset of genes.     

A novel tomato F‐box protein,SlEBF3, is involved in tuning ethylene signaling during plant development and climacteric fruit ripening

Ethylene is instrumental to climacteric fruit ripening and EIN3 BINDING F‐BOX (EBF) proteins have been assigned a central role in mediating ethylene responses by regulating EIN3/EIL degradation in Arabidopsis. However, the role and mode of action of tomato EBFs in ethylene‐dependent processes like fruit ripening remains unclear. Two novel EBF genes, SlEBF3 and SlEBF4, were identified in the tomato genome, and SlEBF3 displayed a ripening‐associated expression pattern suggesting its potential involvement in controlling ethylene response during fruit ripening. SlEBF3 downregulated tomato lines failed to show obvious ripening‐related phenotypes likely due to functional redundancy among SlEBF family members. By contrast, SlEBF3 overexpression lines exhibited pleiotropic ethylene‐related alterations, including inhibition of fruit ripening, attenuated triple‐response and delayed petal abscission. Yeast‐two‐hybrid system and bimolecular fluorescence complementation approaches indicated that SlEBF3 interacts with all known tomato SlEIL proteins and, consistently, total SlEIL protein levels were decreased in SlEBF3 overexpression fruits, supporting the idea that the reduced ethylene sensitivity and defects in fruit ripening are due to the SlEBF3‐mediated degradation of EIL proteins. Moreover, SlEBF3 expression is regulated by EIL1 via a feedback loop, which supposes its role in tuning ethylene signaling and responses. Overall, the study reveals the role of a novel EBF tomato gene in climacteric ripening, thus providing a new target for modulating fleshy fruit ripening.     

Fructan synthesis is inhibited by phosphate in warm-grown, but not in cold-treated, excised barley leaves

The inhibition of fructan accumulation by phosphate was investigated in warm-grown and cold-treated barley (Hordeum vulgare) plants. Detached leaves were incubated in water or phosphate for 24 h under lighting or in darkness. Fructosyltransferase, sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) and cytosolic fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase) activities were subsequently analysed, as well as the content of carbohydrates, hexose-phosphates, phosphate, amino acids and protein. In warm-grown leaves, phosphate decreased fructan accumulation and total carbon in carbohydrates and did not affect protein content. Phosphate increased hexose-phosphates, phosphate and amino acids. Fructosyltransferase and FBPase activities were not affected by phosphate feeding, while SPS activity was inhibited by phosphate in incubations in both light and darkness. In cold-treated leaves, which before incubation had higher SPS activities than warm-grown leaves, phosphate had no inhibitory effect on fructan accumulation, carbohydrate content or total C in carbohydrates. The activities of SPS and FBPase were unaffected by phosphate. The results indicate that phosphate decreases fructan accumulation through an inhibition of SPS whenever this activity is not high before a rise in phosphate content.