Plant and Cell Physiology Supplement
Abstract of the Annual Meeting of JSPP 2009
Displaying 751-800 of 1131 articles from this issue
  • Shunsuke Imanishi, Takamasa Suzuki, Arisa Noguchi, Rumi Hatakeyama, Ma ...
    Pages 0751
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) has been an excellent model system for analysis of plant mechanism, which cannot easily be studied in Arabidopsis or rice. To obtain information on the genetic mechanism of fruit setting and ripening, we induced mutations in the tomato cultivar 'Micro-Tom' by irradiation with accelerated heavy ions or gamma ray, and screened for associated phenotypes and tried to identify loss-of-function mutations in some genes that involve in the processes. We found four lines whose ovaries and stigmas were bigger in size than those of wild type. And two of these lines set 'cat face' fruit, showing malformations at the fruit's blossom end. We've started to monitor the differences of gene expression level by oligonucleotide-based microarray that generated from whole tomato unigene and consists of over 41,000 probe sets.
  • Shingo Nagaya, Syuhei Mikawa, Atsuhiko Shinmyo, Ko Kato
    Pages 0752
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Most effort in expression vector development has been devoted to the identification and characterization of highly expressed and/or regulated promoter. Another important parameter of gene expression is 3'-processing and polyadenylation of pre-mRNA. Most eukaryotic mRNAs are cleaved post-transcriptionally at a specific sites downstream of polyadenylation signal in the 3'-untranslated region. Functional polyadenylation signals are required for efficient transcription termination. Furthermore, the strength of the poly(A) signal correlates with termination efficiency. Previous studies showed that different 3' end regions strongly affect the level of gene expression. We isolated the efficient transcription terminator contribute to express a foreign gene in plants more effectively. We compared the relative efficiencies of different 3' end regions from Arabidopsis genes. The 3' end region of the heat shock protein gene increases the mRNA level approximately 2-fold more than the nopaline synthase (NOS) terminator.
  • Yoshimi Oshima, Masaru Nakata, Nobutaka Mitsuda, Masaru Ohme-Takagi
    Pages 0753
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Chimeric REpressor gene-Silencing Technology (CRES-T) is a novel gene-silencing technology, in which a transcription factor fused the repression domain (SRDX) is expressed in plant. We had succeeded to suppress the function of various transcription factors by expression of their chimeric repressors under the CaMV35S promoter. However, when CaMV35S promoter is used, the obtained phenotype is occasionally unexpected and may not reflect the original function of transcription factors. In this study, we have developed new CRES-T vectors using MultiSite Gateway system, allowing us to insert a promoter and a gene in various combinations into them. The developed binary vector contains SRDX and Nos terminator downstream of attR4-attR2 Gateway cassette (Nakagawa et al., 2008). We are now analyzing the efficiency of this vector in Arabidopsis.
  • Tsuyoshi Tokuda, Kenichiro Maeo, Tsutae Kawai, Akie Shimotohno, Ben Sc ...
    Pages 0754
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Arabidopsis contains 14 AP2-type transcription factors (TFs), which include important regulators of development, such as APETALA2 (AP2), a class A homeotic TF for floral organ development, TARGET OF EAT1 (TOE1), a flowering repressor, AINTEGMENTA (ANT) involved in ovule development, BABY BOOMER (BBM) involved in embryo development, and PLETHORA1, 2 (PLT1, 2) for the establishment of root apical meristem. Although the DNA binding site sequence of ANT has been described, direct targets have not been established for these AP2-type TFs. We have previously shown that WRINKLED1/ASML1 (WRI1), an AP2-type activator essential for seed oil accumulation, binds to a sequence conserved among many genes involved in fatty acid synthesis in plastids. We used random oligonucleotide selection method to identify and compare consensus binding site DNA sequences of 7 AP2-type TFs, and identified roles of each AP2 DNA-binding domains in the recognition of target site sequences.
  • Kana Ueda, Ai Tanaka, Shinya Nakamura, Makoto Kawamukai, Takamasa Suzu ...
    Pages 0755
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Signal transduction is a important mechanism for regulation of plant growth and development. Receptor like kinase (RLK) is a key player of signal transduction in plants. Arabidopsis has more than 400 RLK genes and leucine rich repeat (LRR) type is largest family among them. CLAVATA1, a LRR-RLK is involved in regulation of meristem with CLAVATA2, a LRR receptor like protein (RLP). There are many LRR-RLP genes in Arabidopsis and they thought to be working as complex like CLAVATA system. In this study, we performed expression analysis of some LRR-RLP by promoter:reporter method in Arabidopsis.
  • Emi Shimura, Junya Mizoi, Daisuke Todaka, Kazuo Shinozaki, Kazuko Yama ...
    Pages 0756
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    In natural environments, plants are exposed to combinations of different abiotic stresses. Especially, drought often accompanies with heat, which affects plant survival. However, the response of plants to heat/drought-combination stress is little known. Arabidopsis DREB2A is a transcription factor that activates gene expression in response to heat or drought stress. Thus, we analyzed stress-dependent regulation of DREB2A target genes.
    When plants are treated with drought in addition to heat, expression of heat-specific genes was enhanced and leaf-surface temperature was elevated. These suggest that drought enhances heat stress and response.
    To find elements that regulate stress-specific expression pattern, we produced transgenic Arabidopsis that express the GUSgene under the control of promoter fragments from DREB2A target genes. Expression patterns of GUS were similar to endogenous gene under drought and/or heat stresses, indicating that stress-specific expression patterns of DREB2A target genes are regulated by their promoter sequences.
  • Satoshi Kidokoro, Kyonoshin Maruyama, Kazuo Nakashima, Yoshiyuki Imura ...
    Pages 0757
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Arabidopsis transcription factors DREB1s/CBFs specifically interact with a cis-acting element DRE/CRT/LTRE involved in the expression of low-temperature-, drought- and high-salinity-inducible genes. Expression of the DREB1 gene is kept at very low level and regulated by circadian under normal growth conditions, but induced rapidly and significantly by low temperature. We analyzed transcriptional regulation of the DREB1 genes.
    Using a GUS reporter gene fused to the DREB1C promoter, we identified a 67-bp region that contains cis-acting elements and isolated a cDNA clone encoding a protein that binds to this region by the yeast one-hybrid screening. The cDNA encoded a bHLH-type transcription factor related to PhyB signaling. We found that this protein binds to the G-box sequence in the promoter region of DREB1C by transient expression assay. We are analyzing function of the protein in the expression of DREB1s using transgenic plants and T-DNA insertion mutants.
  • Mayuki Tanaka, Junpei Takano, Toru Fujiwara
    Pages 0758
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    NIP5;1, an aquaporin-like gene, is a boron (B) channel required for normal plant growth under low B conditions and its transcript accumulation is .upregulated under low B (Takano et al., 2006). To elucidate mechanisms of NIP5;1 regulation in response to B, a series of 5'deletions of the upstream promoter region were generated, fused to the GUS reporter gene and introduced into Arabidopsis. The GUS expression analysis revealed that at least three distinct elements in NIP5;1 promoter regions are involved in the expression of three different portions of roots under low B condition.
    In a separate set of experiments, NIP5;1 fused N-terminaly to GFP reporter gene was expressed under the control of the promoter NIP5;1 with or without 5'UTR. The observed GFP fluorescence pattern suggested an important role of 5'UTR region in upregulation of NIP5;1 transcript accumulation in response to low B.
  • Akiko Maruyama, Akiko Takahashi, Kazuki Saito, Hideki Takahashi
    Pages 0759
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Low-affinity sulfate transporter SULTR2;1 has been considered to function in sulfate translocation from roots to shoots. The mRNA level of SULTR2;1 is highly up-regulated responding to sulfate starvation (-S) in roots but decreased in shoots. In this study, we identified the -S-responsive region of SULTR2;1 and found that -S-responsive expression of SULTR2;1 in roots requires the 3' region. Deletion analysis using luciferase reporter gene revealed that -S-responsive expression of SULTR2;1 requires the regions from +361 to +371 and +450 to +459 which were located downstream of SULTR2;1 3'UTR. The 3' region was effective in combination with other promoters, e.g. 35S promoter. These results indicate that SULTR2;1 3' region induces gene expression by modulating a basal machinery of transcription. Tissue specificity of GFP accumulation with the combination of SULTR2;1 3' region and several promoters revealed that SULTR2;1 3' region induced gene expression in basal region of roots.
  • Yasumasa Tsuge, Shusaku Sasakawa, Kazuma Uesaka, Ryoma Tsujimoto, Shin ...
    Pages 0760
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    High-affinity nitrate transporters of the NRT2 family play a central role in import of nitrate into plant cells. The moss P. patens has eight NRT2 genes, expression of which is activated by nitrate and nitrite, and repressed by glutamine. In an attempt to elucidate the mechanism of the nitrogen-responsive gene regulation in the moss, we are performing promoter analysis of the NRT2;1 and NRT2;3 genes. When fused to a reporter gene, the 2440-bp and 3288-bp sequences of the NRT2;1 and NRT2;3 upstream regions, respectively, promoted nitrate-responsive gene expression. In the case of NRT2;1, the region from position -2440 to -2079 with respect to the transcription start site was shown to be required for the response to both nitrate and nitrite. Similar analysis with the NRT2;3 promoter is in progress.
  • Shinya Tagawa, susumu Nakashima, Bunichi Ezaki
    Pages 0761
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    O. brevis is an orchis alga, and lives in the hydrosphere. It has high tolerance to various heavy metals (Ag, Cu, Zn and Cd). Our group has already clarified that its three genes, bmtA (metallothionein gene), bxa1 (heavy metal efflux pump gene) and bxmR (repressor gene), relate to resistant mechanisms to these heavy metals.
    Precise DNA binding site of BxmR was analyzed by gel shift assay (EMSA) and DNA footprinting assay, and BxmR binds to an inverted repeat sequence, 12-2-12 domain, which exists in the upstream region of the bmtA and bxmR genes. Moreover, binding affinity of BxmR to the mutant DNA fragment including 12-2-12 domain was examined by EMSA.
    Effect of Fe, Au, La and Cr on gene-expression of these three genes was also determined by EMSA. A remarkable effect of Au was observed in vitro and in vivo.
  • Shengzhu Huang, Hiroyuki Yamamoto, Shinji Mizuno, Nobuyuki Ide, Takahi ...
    Pages 0762
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    WRKY family proteins are a class of plant-specific transcription factors involved in stress response signal pathways. We isolated SoWRKY from a spinach ( Spinacia oleracea L.cv.Hoyo) using a yeast one-hybrid system. GFP-fused SoWRKY1 was located in the nucleus. SoWRKY1 recognized DNA molecules containing the TTGAC(C/T) W-box sequences. In spinach SoWRKY1 transcripts were not induced by ethylene and jasmonic acid (JA), but by wounding or salicylic acid (SA). Over-expression of SoWRKY1 in Arabidopsis thaliana increased PR1, PR2 expression level. These results suggest that SoWRKY1 may be involved in defense signaling pathways.
  • Manabu Kurita, Atsushi Watanabe, Toru Taniguchi, Teiji Kondo
    Pages 0763
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Cryptomeria japonica is one of the most important Japanese conifer species. For the purpose of creating male sterile GM C. japonica, we attempted to identify the genes related to male flower formation and development.
    To identify genes expressed preferentially during male flower development, male flower specific suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) cDNA libraries were derived from three different stages of male flower development. We isolated seven cDNAs that are differentially expressed in C. japonica male flowers. We have isolated promoters of male flower specific genes using TAIL-PCR method. Those promoters were fused to the GUS gene and transformed into Arabidopsis. Now we are trying to analyze the function of those promoters by histochemical detection of GUS activity in transgenic Arabidopsis.
    Acknowledgements: This work was supported in part by AFFRC, MAFF, Japan
  • Hiromi Ogasawara, Takayuki Omizo, Akiko Kozaki
    Pages 0764
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    IDD proteins belong to a plant-specific transcription factor family that is defined by a highly conserved ID domain (IDD), which includes four zinc fingers. Arabidopsis and rice have 15 and 16 IDD genes, respectively, and maize is expected to have more than 21 genes. Among them, biological functions of only a few genes have been reported: maize INDETERMINATE1(ID1)and rice OsId1, which regulate flowering and Arabidopsis SGR5 which is involved in an early event in shoot gravitropism. Rcently, Arabidopsis IDD genes, JACKDAW and MAGPIE were reported to interact with GRAS protein, SHORT-ROOT(SHR)and SCARECROW(SCR)to control radial patterning and maintenance of stem cell in root.
    In this study, we analyzed protein-protein interaction between IDD proteins and GRAS proteins (SHR and SCR), to investigate functions of IDD families in root development.
  • Junya Mizoi, Feng Qin, Satoko Matsukura, Takashi Moriwaki, Daisuke Tod ...
    Pages 0765
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    DREB2A is a transcriptional activator regulating drought- and heat-inducible gene expression. Although many DREB2A homologs have been isolated, low similarity between these genes has made it difficult to deduce which protein has a same function as DREB2A and which residues are functionally important.
    We made similarity searches against public databases and identified over 100 proteins similar with DREB2A. Through a molecular phylogenetic analysis of these proteins, we found that DREB2-type proteins could be classified into four subfamilies and that there were several conserved regions shared among subfamilies. Some of these regions were included in previously identified functional domains of DREB2A, suggesting that certain amino acid residues or secondary structures within these regions might be related to common mechanisms for activity regulation. Thus, we introduced mutations into these regions of DREB2A-type proteins from rice and soybean and evaluated the effects of mutations on transcriptional activity.
  • Izumi Nakamura, Takahiro Kawato, Eunha Im, Teruaki Taji, Shigeo Tanaka ...
    Pages 0766
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    NF-Y is a trimeric complex that binds to the CCAAT box, a ubiquitous eukaryotic promoter element. Each of the three NF-Y subunits, NF-YA, NF-YB and NF-YC, is represented by a single copy gene in yeast and mammal. However in model plant species (Arabidopsis and rice), each subunit is encoded by a multi gene family. A large number of NF-YA/NF-YB/NF-YC trimer combinations is considered to play multiple roles in plants, however, relatively little is known about the function of each subunit. Using yeast two hybrid system, we have isolated a NF-YC gene (PpNF-YC1) from the basal land plant Physcomitrella patens that interacts with the Physcomitrella ortholog of ABI3, an essential transcription factor of ABA signaling in seeds. Co-expression of PpABI3A and PpNF-YC1 synergistically activated ABA-responsive gene expression in a Physcomitrella transient assay, suggesting that PpABI3A interacts with PpNF-YC1 even in vivo.
  • Takashi Fukaya, Yuko Tagami, Hiroyasu Motose, Yuichiro Watanabe
    Pages 0767
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Processing bodies (PBs) are messenger ribonucleo protein granules with important roles in mRNA decapping, translation inhibition, and RNA interference in yeast and mammalian cells. The decapping of mRNA, which occurs in PBs, represents a critical step in mRNA turnover. Recent genomics and biochemical studies revealed that the decapping enzymes are conserved also in plants. However, how PBs are regulated in plant development and/or by environmental responses remain elusive. In this study, we found that DCP2/TDT, a well known PB component and a mRNA decapping enzyme, form cytoplasmic granules in living Arabidopsis cells, specifically in pollen. These granules were also found in the pollen tubes. Cycloheximide and puromycine treatments altered the number of DCP2 granules, indicating the relationship between the granules and mRNA influx from polysomes. Our observation suggests that the DCP2 granules for mRNA turnover are important in plant male germ cells.
  • Syunichi Urayama, Hiromitsu Moriyama, Nanako Aoki, Yukihiro Nakazawa, ...
    Pages 0768
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    The endogenous dsRNA, Oryza sativa endornavirus, has been found in japonica rice. Although dsRNA basically can be substrate for Dicer as a RNA silencing trigger, the endogenous dsRNA is detected in every tissueat a constant copy number. The presences of dsRNA in several knock-down strains of RNA silencing related genes were examined to clarify the relationship between the dsRNA and the RNA silencing systems. As a result, we could not detect the dsRNA in OsDCL2 knock-down T1 plants. In dsRNA introduced F1 and F2 plants, some had lost the dsRNA. To figure out this phenomenon, we detected small RNAs derived from the dsRNA in WT and OsDCL2 knock-down plants. However, the phenomenon of dsRNA loss did not correlate with small RNAs level. These results suggest that accumulation of small RNAs did not cause the instability of the dsRNA, and the dsRNA may exist stably by avoiding RNA silencing system.
  • Yoshitaka Kuwashiro, Taku Takahashi
    Pages 0769
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Loss-of-function mutants of the ACAULIS5 (ACL5) gene have a severe defect in stem elongation. ACL5 encodes a thermospermine synthase. The dominant sac51-d mutant that rescues the dwarf phenotype of acl5 disrupts the 4th uORF of SAC51, which encodes a bHLH transcription factor. SAC51 mRNA contains five uORFs in its 5' leader sequence. To address the role of these uORFs in translational control of the main ORF, we generated transgenic plants that contain the GUS reporter gene fused to the SAC51 promoter-5' leader fragment, in which each uORF is disrupted. Our results suggested that only the 4th uORF has a repressive role in the translational control of the downstream main ORF while other uORFs facilitate translation of the main ORF.SAC51 expression is up-regulated by thermospermine. To identify the cis-regulatory elements, analyses of the SAC51 promoter are currently in progress.
  • Yui Yamashita, Atsushi Iida, Akinori Suzuki, Yukako Chiba, Hitoshi Ono ...
    Pages 0770
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Cystathionine γ-synthase(CGS) catalyzes the key step of methionine biosynthesis in plants. CGS1<I/> gene encodes CGS in Arabidopsis thaliana. Expression of CGS1<I/> is feedback regulated at the step of mRNA degradation in response to S<I/>-adenosyl-L-methionin. A short amino acid sequence named the MTO1 region that is encoded by the exon 1 of CGS1 itself is important for this regulation as a cis-acting element.
    To identify trans-acting factors involved in the CGS1<I/> regulation, we conducted a genetic screen for mutations affecting the regulation, by monitoring expression of two different reporter genes fused in flame to CGS1<I/> exon 1, respectively. This screen was designed to enable us to isolate temperature-sensitive mutants, considering the possibility that general factors involved in translation or mRNA decay have a role in the CGS1<I/> regulation. Four mutants have been isolated from this screen, and analysis of the mutants is under way.
  • Kyoko Morimoto, Sho Homma, Hitoshi Onouchi, Satoshi Naito
    Pages 0771
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Expression of Arabidopsis cystathionine γ-synthase (CGS), the key step in methionine biosynthesis, is feedback regulated at the step of mRNA degradation in response to <S>-adenosyl-L-methiomine (SAM). The first exon coding region of CGS is necessary and sufficient for this regulation. A short stretch of amino acid sequence (MTO1 region) is particularly important for this regulation. A nascent peptide emerges after passing through the exit tunnel of ribosome. We suggest a model that the nascent peptide and SAM interact inside the exit tunnel. We introduced amino acid substitutions at Cys-80 and Ser-81, and analyzed their response to SAM and <S>-adenosyl-L-ethionine (SAE) which has ethyl group in place of methyl, and found differences in their response. Here, we suggest that Cys-80 and Ser-81 play a role in recognition of methionine and ethionine.
  • Isao Ebina, Satoshi Naito, Hitoshi Onouchi
    Pages 0772
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    A number of eukaryotic mRNAs contain upstream open reading frames (uORFs) within the 5' untranslated region. In several genes, the peptide encoded by the uORF has been shown to have a role in translational regulation of downstream ORF. So far, only one example of such a regulation has been reported in plants.
    To further identify Arabidopsis genes whose translation is controlled by the uORF-encoded peptide, we first searched for uORF-containing genes that are predicted to encode transcription factors or to be involved in amino acid biosynthesis, by using Arabidopsis full-length cDNA database. Then, we tested amino acid sequence-dependency of effect of uORFs on translation of downstream ORF. From this screen, we found several uORFs that influence downstream translation in an amino acid sequence-dependent manner. Intriguingly, in one of the identified genes, its expression was suggested to be regulated by a combination of alternative splicing and uORF peptide-mediated translational regulation.
  • Masayuki Nakamura, Masahiro Sugiura
    Pages 0773
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    The 20 amino acids, except for methionine and tryptophan, are codoed for by 2 to 6 codons called synonymous codons. Synonymous codons are not used with equal frequency in protein coding sequences, and are used differently by different organisms. It has been thought that the codon usage is correlated with the translation efficiency. Using an in vitro translation system from tobacco chloroplasts, we devised an in vitro assay for relative translation rates of synonymous codons. We found that translation efficiencies of synonymous codons are not always correlated with codon usage in tobacco chloroplasts. Here, we analyzed the effect of selection of synonymous codons on the translation efficiency of protein coding region from several tobacco chloroplast mRNAs.
  • Hiroshi Kuroda, Masahiro Sugiura
    Pages 0774
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Tobacco chloroplast genome encodes about 80 protein genes that are expressed by chloroplast gene expression system. Many chloroplast mRNAs lack SD-like sequences, which are found in the 5'-untranslated region of most of bacterial mRNAs. A common or specific trans-acting factor is thought to be involved in translation initiation of such chloroplast mRNAs but is still obscured. We have analyzed translation initiation of chloroplast mRNAs using in vitro translation and gel shift assays. Here we show that a trans-acting factor could be shared by some chloroplast mRNAs such as atpB and psbN to facilitate translation initiation. This potential trans-acting factor preferentially bound to a U-rich region upstream of initiation codon of these mRNAs. Mechanism of translation initiation in chloroplasts will be discussed.
  • Maki Yukawa, Masahiro Sugiura
    Pages 0775
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    The ndhK gene encodes a subunit of the chloroplast NADH dehydrogenase, and is co-transcribed with the adjacent ndhC and J genes on the tobacco chloroplast genome. The ndhK gene product is translated from polycistronic mRNAs but not from monocistronic ones. According to tobacco chloroplast in vitro translation analyses, we defined that the major initiation site of tobacco ndhK cistron is the AUG codon that located 4 nt upstream from the ndhC stop codon, and ndhK translation depends exclusively on ndhC termination codon. Removal of the ndhC 5' UTR still supported substantial translation of ndhK cistron. This result suggested that ndhK cistron should be translated by an additional unknown mechanism in addition to translational coupling in a termination codon-dependent mannar.
  • Hiroshi Kuroda, Yuka Adachi, Yasushi Yukawa, Masahiro Sugiura
    Pages 0776
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Chloroplast transcripts are generally processed by complex reactions including RNA cleavage, RNA splicing, RNA editing, trimming to produce mature mRNAs. The 5 untranslated regions of chloroplast mRNAs are some dozens to several hundreds in nucleotide length. Chloroplasts include usually processed and unprocessed mRNA species. As it is difficult to investigate effects of 5 processing on translation in vivo, we used our in vitro translation system. Translation reactions were performed under template limiting and linearly progressing conditions. We here used atpI and psaC mRNAs from tobacco chloroplasts. The atpI mRNA is transcribed from -208 and from -131, and processed at -85. Both the unprocessed mRNAs were translated in similar efficiency while the processed mRNA was translated very efficiently. The psaC mRNA is transcribed from -234 and processed at -173. The processed mRNA was also translated more efficiently than the unprocessed mRNA.
  • Yui Ooba, Maki Yukawa, Masahiro Sugiura, Yasushi Yukawa
    Pages 0777
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Chloroplasts of higher plant have own genomes and its gene expression systems, and major gene expression is regulated by translation level. Therefore understanding of translation regulation mechanisms is essential.
    It has been regarded that translation is regulated by 5' untranslated region (5' UTR) which is upstream sequence of coding region on mRNA. But, in practice, it is not always true that strong 5' UTR which binds to any coding regions show strong translation activity. It is regarded that coordination with 5' UTR and coding region especially around sequences of the start codon is important.
    In this study, we performed chloroplast in vitro translation experiments using one of the strongest translation activity psbA mRNA in tobacco chloroplasts, and assayed the effects of adjacent region of start codon on translation.
  • Toshiyuki Suzuki, Hiroto Izumi, Masayuki Yamamoto, Kyoji Yamada, Tatsu ...
    Pages 0778
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    RNA editing is a posttranscriptional process that alters genetic information in RNA level. In plants, a specific C nucleotide is converted to U in chloroplast and mitochondrial mRNA, and adenosine in the wobble position of several nuclear and chloroplast encoded tRNAs is deaminated to inosine. Deaminases have been reported as RNA editing enzymes in mammal and yeast. But catalytic factors for RNA editing in plants, have not been identified. Thus we attempt to characterize a deaminase gene family of Arabidopsis.
    Arabidopsis genome contains 17 genes which encode the deaminase domain. Six of them belong to the group of adenosine deaminases acting on tRNA, while none of them belongs to the group of cytidine deaminases for mRNA editing in animal. Structure, expression pattern and subcellular localization of Arabidopsis deaminases are reported.
  • Kazuhito Akama, Hildburg Beier
    Pages 0779
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Nuclear genes encoding tRNATyr and tRNAMet-e are interrupted by introns in plants. Pre-tRNA splicing requires the concerted action of three enzymes in yeast cells and plants: an endonuclease (Sen), a tRNA ligase (tRL) and a 2'-phosphotransferase (Pt). We have investigated the subcellular localization of the enzymes. The results show that all enzymes are localized predominantly in the nucleus. tRL and Pt, both containing chloroplast transit signals (CTSs) at the N-termini, are also targeted to the chloroplasts. Moreover, Pt was targeted to the mitochondria. Nucleotide analysis revealed that the context around the first initiation codon in tRL genes from several plants is not optimal for the efficient initiation of translation in plants, suggesting the possibilities that the first AUG is partially skipped to start a translation at the second AUG (or third AUG). Taken together, an alternative initiation in the translation level may result in a multiple targeting to cellular compartments.
  • Hiroshi Teramura, Yusuke Enomoto, Tadamasa Sasaki, Hiroaki Shimada
    Pages 0780
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Commonly, treanslation starts from the first initiation codon. It has been reported that there are mRNAs that have short ORFs upstream the major ORF. In this case, these short ORFs, upstream ORF (uORF), are accepted to be regulators of the major ORF because they may affect on its translation. We found that OsMac1 mRNA was composed of three types of splaicing variants with difference in the 5'UTR. There were three uORFs in all splicing variants of OsMac1 mRNA. We analyzed the effect of these mRNAs to translation of major ORF. We constructed a reporter gene encoding β-glucuronitase following 5'UTRs of these splicing variants. Apparent GUS activities were detected in the transformant cells containing each reporter genes. Strength of the GUS activity was different on the transformants. These results suggest that alternative splicing on the mRNA of OsMac1 was involved in regulation of translation of the major ORF.
  • Yusuke Ohno, Narangajavana Jarunya, Akiko Yamamoto, Hitoshi Mori, Tsuk ...
    Pages 0781
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Eukaryotic DNA is packed in higher ordered structure of chromatin, whose states are thought to confer basis of epigenetic regulation. Such states are heritable over mitosis or meiosis, however, the molecular mechanism of chromatin reconstitution coupled with DNA replication and repair is still largely unknown. To address this issue, we have focused on function of Arabidopsis BRU1/TSK/MGO3 that was identified as a nuclear factor involved in both DNA repair response and epigenetic regulation of heterochromatic genes. BRU1 has been proposed to have a role for chromatin reconstitution after DNA replication and/or repair. In this study, we show that BRU1 ensures tissue specific expression pattern of genes, required for meristem formation and seed development. Together with global expression profiles in bru1, the result suggests that bru1 possibly affects a wider range of epigenetic regulation. Our recent trial to purify BRU1 complex by TAP system will also be presented.
  • Mitsue Fukui
    Pages 0782
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    One of the Japanese cedars, Cryptomeria japonica, can be induced to form reproductive organs upon growth regulator applications, temperature shifts and photoperiod manipulations. Two- and 3-year-old saplings of C. japonica remained dormant when maintained at 15C with the 8 hour photoperiod. When these saplings were treated with GA3 (100ppm or 500ppm) and kept in the same condition for 7 weeks and then transferred to the condition, 20/15C (day/night) with a natural photoperiod, in November, reproductive organs appeared after the vegetative growth. In order to establish an experimental system for the molecular analyses of epigenetics of the reproductive process, the location of the reproductive organs on the saplings was examined to locate the sites of induction. The effect of another condition, 30/25C (day/night) with a natural photoperiod, was also studied. The reproductive induction process will be discussed based on the male/female cone distribution in the branches of the saplings.
  • Takeo Sato, Shugo Maekawa, Shigetaka Yasuda, Yutaka Sonoda, Masayuki F ...
    Pages 0783
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Proteasome is a large multisubunit complex that degrades damaged or ubiquitinated proteins. Although it is one of the most important features of plant proteasome that the most subunits are coded by duplicated genes, specific functions of each paralogous subunit are still unclear.
    We have demonstrated that loss-of-function mutant of the specific paralogous protein shows aberrant response to nutritional stress. Furthermore, it has been reported that peptidase activities of proteasome were changed in response to nutritional and oxidative stress, suggesting that plant proteasome enables to transform structure and function to response to environmental stress conditions. To evaluate this hypothesis, we tried to identify the subunit composition of proteasome under various stress conditions.
    We have succeeded in established high-throughput method to identify and quantify composition of paralogous proteins with affinity purification and combination of 2D-PAGE and MS analysis. Proteasome transformation in response to environmental stress will be discussed.
  • Yohei Koizumi, Hiroki Mikamori, Tetsuya Manba, Yuka Yamamoto, Kiyoshi ...
    Pages 0784
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Arabidopsis AtbZIP10 is a bZIP transcription factor which participates in various cellular environmental responses as programmed cell death, disease resistance and osmoregulation. Our preliminary experiment supposed that Arabidopsis group-C bZIP transcription factors (bZIP-C: AtbZIP9,10,25,63) is very unstable in plant cells. Here we tried to figure out the mechanism of selective degradation of AtbZIP10 via ubiquitination by focusing on 26S proteasome-mediated degradation. Time-dependent degradation of AtbZIP10-GFP transiently expressed in Arabidopsis mesophyll protoplasts was inhibited by 26S proteasome inhibitor, MG-132. Deletion analysis of AtbZIP10-GFP demonstrated that this degradation can be inhibited by lacking domain II, which is highly conserved among bZIP-C. Since domain II contains some highly conserved lysine residues, known as ubiquitination target, bZIP-C including AtbZIP10 would be regulated by selective degradation via ubiquitination. Since now ubiquitination of AtbZIP10 has been confirmed by in vitro ubiquitination assay, we'll present this result, too.
  • Toyoki Amano, Yumiko Sasaki, Akina Miyamoto
    Pages 0785
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    FtsH protease is an ATP dependent protease. This protease localized on thylakoid membrane. Main function of FtsH protease is considered to be quality control of membrane proteins in the thylakoid membrane. D1 protein which is important component of photosystem II is one of the substrate proteins of FtsH protease. FtsH deficit mutant shows variegated phenotype, thus this protease plays an important role in the biogenesis of chloroplast. Structure of this enzyme is consisted from three domains, transmembrane domain, ATPase domain, and protease domain. Substrate protein forced to be denatured in the ATPase domain, successively transferred to the protease domain. The denatured substrate was digested in the protease domain. Arabidopsis contained 12 isoforms of FtsH proteases in the nuclear genome. Mutation in FtsH5 showed strong variegated phenotype. In this study, we constructed an expression system of ATPase domain in FtsH5. Biochemical and kinetic properties of expressed protein were analyzed.
  • Junichi Maehata
    Pages 0786
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    The main function of FtsH protease in plant cell is quality control of membrane protein. D1 protein in photosystem II is one of the main targets of FtsH protease, because D1 protein is easily damage during the photosynthesis. FtsH protease participates in this turnover. FtsH protease is an ATP dependent metalloprotease and is composed from the following three domains; transmembrane, ATPase and protease domain. We constructed over-expression system of protease domain in FtsH from tobacco. Protein was collected as inclusion body. It was activated by urea denatured and dialyzed. We used FITC (fluorescein isothiocyanate)-casein for substrate protein. Biochemical analysis revealed that the activity was stimulated by higher concentration of magnesium ion, and pH optimum showed alkalescent condition. Beta-casein was selectively digested, though alpha-casein, bovine serum albumin, or Rubisco was not degraded by the protease domain. Cleavage site of this digested beta-casein clarified by peptide sequencing.
  • Kouta Niimi
    Pages 0787
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    FtsH protease is an ATP dependent metalloprotease, which localized on thylakoid membrane. Main function of FtsH protease is to degrade photo-damaged D1 protein in the reaction center of photosystem2. This protease is composed from transmembrane domain, ATPase domain and protease domain. In this study, we focused on the functional analysis of ATPase domain of FtsH protease in var2 subunit. FtsH protease from Arabidopsis was composed from at least four types of subunits, though that from E.coli was homohexamer. We constructed an expression vector of ATPase domain and transformed into BL21-CodonPlus(DE3)-RIL. Purification was performed using Ni-Chelating Sepharose. The quality of this protein was verified by western blotting and peptide sequencing. We examined biochemical analysis to determine the optimum condition of this enzyme. We also investigated effect of inhibitors. Kinetic parameters, Km,Vmax and Kcat, were calculated in the optimum condition.
  • Atsuko Nagaoka, Junpei Fukuzawa, Koichi Hori, Yasuhiko Sekine
    Pages 0788
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Plastids originated from photosynthetic bacteria like cyanobacteria, threfore plastid ribosomes belong to the eubacterial 70S class. Furthermore plastid ribosomes have seven plastid-specific ribosomal proteins (PSRPs). PSRPs are conserved across land plants, although their functions remain unknown.
    To elucidate the function of PSRP-1, we made psrp-1 disruptant and psrp-1 overexpressing strain of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, and examined their growth. The growth of these psrp-1 mutants are the same as wild-type at 30 degrees C on solid medium. However, at 40 degrees C, growth of the psrp-1 disruptant was significantly suppressed in comparison with wild-type and the psrp-1 overexpressing strain. While, in solid medium containing glucose at 30 degrees C, growth of the psrp-1 disruptant was better than that of wild-type, and growth of the psrp-1 overexpressing strain was suppressed. These results suggest that PSRP-1 negatively regulates translation.
  • Sumio Kanematsu, Yoshiko Hinami, Madoka Jahana, Naoki Matsutani
    Pages 0789
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    In Arabidopsis thaliana, the microRNA miR398 post-transcriptionally downregulates the expression of CuZn-SOD and involves in stress-response and Cu homeostasis. Since the target sequence of miR398 for CuZn-SOD gene is located in the cording region, it seems that plant CuZn-SODs are regulated in similar fashion. However, in maize, anther mechanism might be possible because of the preferential localization of chloroplastic CuZn-SOD (SOD-1), and the absence of Fe-SOD activity in the cells. We have cloned maize SOD-1 gene and Fe-SOD cDNA. To elucidate the gene expression of CuZn-SOD in maize, we analyzed gene response against environmental stress and Cu availability. SOD-1 gene contained Cu-responsive element, TnnnGCTG in promoter region and miR398 target sequence with 19/21 match in exon 4. Seedlings were treated with Cu limitation or excess and their responses were analyzed. In addition, effects of cold treatment, drought, MV were investigated. We will discuss those results with relation to microRNA involvement.
  • Takashi Nishimura, Yoh-ichi Miyaki, Misa Takahashi, Hiromichi Morikawa ...
    Pages 0790
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Although known as a harmful food ingredient of plant origin, oxalate has been considered in plants to contribute to cellular protection against heavy metal toxicity by exerting chelating effects. During our research of functional characterization of an NO2-inducible germin-like protein (RmGLP2) from azalea leaves1, we found that recombinant RmGLP2 proteins, when overexpressed in tobacco cultured cells, were destined for the apoplast where they exhibited enzymatic activities for both superoxide dismutase and oxalate oxidase (OxO). In parallel with the increased OxO activity in the apoplast, there was a marked decrease in oxalate levels in the transformed cells. In the presence of heavy metals, transformed cells showed the hypersensitivity and significantly impaired biomass production. These results strongly suggest the plant physiological importance of oxalate accumulation in suppressing heavy metal toxicity.
    1Kondo et al. (2008) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 377: 857-861.
  • Ryo Moriguchi, Akiko Suyama, Yukiko Osawa, Ken Matsuoka
    Pages 0791
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    The first step of plant-specific protein O-glycosylation is the hydroxylation of proline residue catalyzed by prolyl 4-hydroxylases (P4Hs). To investigate this modification, we have been analyzing P4Hs in tobacco. This time we cloned three full-length cDNAs for type2 P4H (NtP4H2.1, NtP4H2.2, NtP4H2.3). All the encoded proteins contain N-terminal signal peptide, catalytic domain and C-terminal Tox1 domain, the function of which is unknown. Membrane fractionation analysis using a specific antibody for NtP4H2.2 revealed NtP4H2.2 distributes in fractions containing Golgi apparatus. NtP4H2.2 fused with GFP co-localized with a cis-Golgi marker protein in tobacco BY-2 cells. Almost all NtP4H2.2 was recovered in sedimentable fraction after the sonication of microsome. These results indicate type2 P4H is a membrane protein localized predominantly in the Golgi apparatus. We are currently investigating the function of the Tox1 domain and results of this analysis will be presented.
  • Maya Fujiwara, Yukiko Ohba, Ching Tat Siu, Atsuo Suzuki, Hisatoshi Kam ...
    Pages 0792
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    The cysteine protease which has a thiol group in the active center participates in the protein maturation and degradation process in response to the external stimuli, and in various physiological processes such as germination, morphogenesis, and programmed cell death. It is becoming clearer that they are involved in perceiving both biotic and abiotic stresses, signaling and execution
    Actinidine of Kiwifruit belongs to a papain family, and the crystal structure is known, and there is also a report that it consists of the isozymes with different pI.
    1. We isolated three cysteine proteases with different activity by anion ion exchange chromatography from Actindia (peaks 1, 2 and 3). Until now the crystal structure of peaks 1 and 2 was clarified.
    2. Gene amplification was carried out by genomic PCR and RT-PCR by using primers based on the actinidine gene of a kiwi fruit. The clone with the DNA sequence corresponding to the exons has been amplified by RT-PCR.
  • Naoko Yoshimoto, Yasuhiro Higashi, Sakiko Katsunuma, Shin'ya Mizuno, H ...
    Pages 0793
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    In higher plants, sulfate taken up from the environment is converted to adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (APS) by ATP sulfurylase. APS can be a substrate of sulfur reduction, or can be phosphorylated to yield 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate, a donor for sulfation of a range of metabolites. The Arabidopsis genome contains four ATP sulfurylase genes (ATPS1, ATPS2, ATPS3, ATPS4). Physiological function of each ATPS was analyzed in their knockout mutants. atps1, atps2 and atps3 exhibited lower levels of ATP sulfurylase activity than wild-type plants. Expression of ATPS-GFP fusion constructs in Arabidopsis plants suggested that ATPS1, ATPS3 and ATPS4 localized exclusively in chloroplasts whereas ATPS2 expressed in both cytosol and chloroplasts. In addition, cell type-specificities of ATPS were different from each other. It is suggested that each ATPS plays a specific role in the sulfur metabolism.
  • Toshiro Sakaguti, Yusuke Matsuda
    Pages 0794
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Recently, a stable nuclear transformation technique was established with two marine diatoms Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Thalassiosira pseudonana . However each system accommodates only one selection system, which limits the capacity of diatom transformation systems. The purpose of this research is to isolate auxotrophic mutants of marine diatoms and to establish the phenotypic complementation system of the genetic lesion. P. tricornutum and T. pseudonana were mutagenized by 1mg/mL ENU ( N -ehtyl- N - nitrosourea) solution for 30min. Then, they were cultured on ASW (artificial sea water) agar medium containing 0.6mM 5-fluoro orotic acid (5-FOA) and 0.5mM uracil. 5-FOA resistant clones were innoculated to several ASW agar plate containing 1.8mM 5-FOA and 0.5mM uracil. As a result, a few clones of uracil auxotrophic mutants of P. tricornutum was isolated. The results from characterization of these mutant will be discussed.
  • Ei'ichi Iizasa, Chiaki NoguchI, Yukio Nagano
    Pages 0795
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Genetic analyses have revealed that leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinases (LRR-RLKs) play important roles in plant signal transduction. However, biochemical properties of most LRR-RLKs remain unknown because it is difficult to obtain sufficient proteins for biochemical analyses. Therefore, we optimized LRR-RLK expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
    First, to determine the most appropriate strain for LRR-RLK expression, LRR-RLKs we expressed in several strains and found that BY2777, which is a mutant strain of vacuolar proteases is appropriate strain for it. In yeast, it is known that proper folding and secretion of some protein can be facilitated by fusing it to yeast-derived polypeptide Hsp150Δ. Therefore, we also examined whether Hsp150Δcan promote the secretion of LRR-RLK in yeast. Secretions of some LRR-RLKs are found to be improved by fusing them to Hsp150Δ. We are now optimizing LRR-RLK solubilization conditions and confirming their kinase activity for the high-throughput assessment of protein quality.
  • Takahide Watanabe, Mie Shimojima, Ryota Koizumi, Shinji Masuda, Kyojir ...
    Pages 0796
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) and digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG) are the major lipids in chloroplasts. These galactoglycerolipids are known to play an important role apart from their involvement in chloroplast biogenesis and photoautotrophic growth. In Arabidopsis grown under Pi-limited conditions, an accumulation of DGDG occurs concomitantly with a decrease of phospholipids and expression of typeB MGD gene is increased. It is unknown whether this Pi starvation-induced lipid remodeling is common to plants. Here, we cloned two types of sesame MGDG synthase genes and analyzed the lipid composition and gene expression in Pi-starved sesame seedlings. As a result, we observed the accumulations of not only DGDG but MGDG in sesame roots under Pi starvation, while in Arabidopsis, only DGDG accumulates. MGD gene expressions were similar between sesames and Arabidopsis. Hence, we concluded that sesames also have the lipid remodeling, but it is distinct from Arabidopsis one in respect of MGDG accumulation.
  • Md. Imtiaz Uddin, Yanhua Qi, Amin Elsadig Eltayeb, Takayoshi Koso, Lin ...
    Pages 0797
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    We examined the role of putative rice (Oryza sativa L.) monogalactosyldiacylglycerol synthase (UDPgalactose: 1,2-diacylglycerol 3-b-D-galactosyl transferase; EC 2.4.1.46, MGDG synthase) gene OsMGD under salt and drought stresses by overexpressing in tobacco. OsMGD transgenic plants showed better growth and vigor under salt stress in vitro and maintained higher photosynthesis and PSII photon yield under salt and drought stresses than wild type. Transgenic plants had significantly higher contents of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG), digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG) and lipid-P than wild type. Upon salt stress, MGDG and DGDG maintained significantly higher levels than wild type. Overall fatty acid composition of MGDG and DGDG in wild type and OsMGD transgenic plants was basically unchanged during 72 h of salt stress, except for slight decreases in levels of α-linolenate of both galactolipids only in wild type plants. This indicated that OsMGD overexpressed plants maintained greater stability of galactolipid composition, membrane structure and functions to cope with salt tolerance.
  • Masashi Suzuki, Kiyoshi Ohyama, Yukiko Kamide, Sayuri Tanabashi, Kazuk ...
    Pages 0798
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Although lipids are rich in reproductive organ in plant, physiological roles of each lipid species have not yet well understood. We have studied the role of sterols on the development of reproductive organs by reverse-genetic strategy using Arabidopsis.
    HMG-CoA reductase, the key enzyme of sterol biosynthesis, is encoded by HMG1 and HMG2 in the Arabidopsis genome. hmg1 shows dwarfing, early senescence and male sterility, and hmg1 hmg2 were male gametphyte lethal. Microscopic analyses showed pollen-coat was absent in hmg1 and hmg1 hmg2 microspores were stunted.
    Next, we focused the steroidal backbone synthetic step. Oxidosqualene is cyclized to cycloartenol by CAS1 and lanosterol by LAS1. The knockout allele of CAS1, cas1-2, was male gametophyte lethal. However, the microspores of cas1-2 were less damaged than those of hmg1 hmg2. These results suggest that metabolites from mevalonate to oxidosqualene and/or sterol biosynthetic pathway via lanosterol are important for the development of microspores.
  • N. Veyres, A. Danon, M. Aono, S. Galliot, Y.B. Karibasappa, A. Diet, F ...
    Pages 0799
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Sugars modulate many vital metabolic and developmental processes in plants, however, the exact mechanisms involved in morphogenesis, developmental signalling and stress tolerance remain largely unknown. Here we report the characterization of a novel Arabidopsis thaliana mutant, sweetie, with drastically altered morphogenesis, and a strongly modified carbohydrate metabolism leading to elevated levels of trehalose, trehalose-6-phosphate and starch. Genes implicated in sugar metabolism, sugar transport, senescence, ethylene biosynthesis and abiotic stress were found to be upregulated in sweetie. However, SWEETIE encodes a protein that is unrelated to any known enzyme involved in sugar metabolism. We suggest that SWEETIE plays an important regulatory function that influences multiple metabolic, hormonal and stress-related pathways, leading to altered gene expression and pronounced changes in the accumulation of sugar, starch and ethylene.
  • Tomohiro Imamura, Masatoshi Ichikawa, Kazuyoshi Yoneyama, Hiroaki Kusa ...
    Pages 0800
    Published: 2009
    Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
    CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS FREE ACCESS
    Sphingolipids are ubiquitous and essential components in the membrane of eukaryotic cells and also known as bioactive molecules. In plant sphingolipids, C4 positions of the LCBs are commonly hydroxylated by dihydrosphingosine C4 hydroxylase (DSH). There were five DSH genes (OsDSH1 to OsDSH5) in the rice genome. The expression patterns of OsDSH1 to OsDSH5 were analyzed by the GUS reporter assay as well as RT-PCR. All five genes showed different expression patterns with each other. When DSH enzyme-activities of these OsDSHs were determined by yeast complementation test, it was shown that OsDSH1 and OsDSH4 efficiently restored the yeast DSH mutation (Δsur2), suggesting they functioned as DSH. The transformants with RNAi to OsDSH1 showed severe reduction of their fertilities. On the other hand, the overexpressed-transformants of OsDSH5 showed the dwarf phenotype. These results suggested that functions of OsDSHs diverge in the tissues in with specific gene expression.
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