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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.
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Shingo Nagaya, Syuhei Mikawa, Atsuhiko Shinmyo, Ko Kato
Pages
0752
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
View full abstract
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Yoshimi Oshima, Masaru Nakata, Nobutaka Mitsuda, Masaru Ohme-Takagi
Pages
0753
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
View full abstract
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Tsuyoshi Tokuda, Kenichiro Maeo, Tsutae Kawai, Akie Shimotohno, Ben Sc ...
Pages
0754
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
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Kana Ueda, Ai Tanaka, Shinya Nakamura, Makoto Kawamukai, Takamasa Suzu ...
Pages
0755
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
View full abstract
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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.
View full abstract
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Satoshi Kidokoro, Kyonoshin Maruyama, Kazuo Nakashima, Yoshiyuki Imura ...
Pages
0757
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
View full abstract
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Mayuki Tanaka, Junpei Takano, Toru Fujiwara
Pages
0758
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
View full abstract
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Akiko Maruyama, Akiko Takahashi, Kazuki Saito, Hideki Takahashi
Pages
0759
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
View full abstract
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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.
View full abstract
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Shinya Tagawa, susumu Nakashima, Bunichi Ezaki
Pages
0761
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
View full abstract
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Shengzhu Huang, Hiroyuki Yamamoto, Shinji Mizuno, Nobuyuki Ide, Takahi ...
Pages
0762
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
View full abstract
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Manabu Kurita, Atsushi Watanabe, Toru Taniguchi, Teiji Kondo
Pages
0763
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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
View full abstract
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Hiromi Ogasawara, Takayuki Omizo, Akiko Kozaki
Pages
0764
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
View full abstract
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Junya Mizoi, Feng Qin, Satoko Matsukura, Takashi Moriwaki, Daisuke Tod ...
Pages
0765
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
View full abstract
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Izumi Nakamura, Takahiro Kawato, Eunha Im, Teruaki Taji, Shigeo Tanaka ...
Pages
0766
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
View full abstract
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Takashi Fukaya, Yuko Tagami, Hiroyasu Motose, Yuichiro Watanabe
Pages
0767
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
View full abstract
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Syunichi Urayama, Hiromitsu Moriyama, Nanako Aoki, Yukihiro Nakazawa, ...
Pages
0768
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
View full abstract
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Yoshitaka Kuwashiro, Taku Takahashi
Pages
0769
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
View full abstract
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Yui Yamashita, Atsushi Iida, Akinori Suzuki, Yukako Chiba, Hitoshi Ono ...
Pages
0770
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
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Kyoko Morimoto, Sho Homma, Hitoshi Onouchi, Satoshi Naito
Pages
0771
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
View full abstract
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Isao Ebina, Satoshi Naito, Hitoshi Onouchi
Pages
0772
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
View full abstract
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Masayuki Nakamura, Masahiro Sugiura
Pages
0773
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
View full abstract
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Hiroshi Kuroda, Masahiro Sugiura
Pages
0774
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
View full abstract
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Maki Yukawa, Masahiro Sugiura
Pages
0775
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
View full abstract
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Hiroshi Kuroda, Yuka Adachi, Yasushi Yukawa, Masahiro Sugiura
Pages
0776
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
View full abstract
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Yui Ooba, Maki Yukawa, Masahiro Sugiura, Yasushi Yukawa
Pages
0777
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
View full abstract
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Toshiyuki Suzuki, Hiroto Izumi, Masayuki Yamamoto, Kyoji Yamada, Tatsu ...
Pages
0778
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
View full abstract
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Kazuhito Akama, Hildburg Beier
Pages
0779
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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Nuclear genes encoding tRNA
Tyr and tRNA
Met-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.
View full abstract
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Hiroshi Teramura, Yusuke Enomoto, Tadamasa Sasaki, Hiroaki Shimada
Pages
0780
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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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.
View full abstract
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Yusuke Ohno, Narangajavana Jarunya, Akiko Yamamoto, Hitoshi Mori, Tsuk ...
Pages
0781
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
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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.
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Mitsue Fukui
Pages
0782
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
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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 GA
3 (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.
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Takeo Sato, Shugo Maekawa, Shigetaka Yasuda, Yutaka Sonoda, Masayuki F ...
Pages
0783
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
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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.
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Yohei Koizumi, Hiroki Mikamori, Tetsuya Manba, Yuka Yamamoto, Kiyoshi ...
Pages
0784
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
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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.
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Toyoki Amano, Yumiko Sasaki, Akina Miyamoto
Pages
0785
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
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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.
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Junichi Maehata
Pages
0786
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
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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.
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Kouta Niimi
Pages
0787
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
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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.
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Atsuko Nagaoka, Junpei Fukuzawa, Koichi Hori, Yasuhiko Sekine
Pages
0788
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
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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.
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Sumio Kanematsu, Yoshiko Hinami, Madoka Jahana, Naoki Matsutani
Pages
0789
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
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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.
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Takashi Nishimura, Yoh-ichi Miyaki, Misa Takahashi, Hiromichi Morikawa ...
Pages
0790
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
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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 NO
2-inducible germin-like protein (RmGLP2) from azalea leaves
1, 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.
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Ryo Moriguchi, Akiko Suyama, Yukiko Osawa, Ken Matsuoka
Pages
0791
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
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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.
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Maya Fujiwara, Yukiko Ohba, Ching Tat Siu, Atsuo Suzuki, Hisatoshi Kam ...
Pages
0792
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
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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.
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Naoko Yoshimoto, Yasuhiro Higashi, Sakiko Katsunuma, Shin'ya Mizuno, H ...
Pages
0793
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
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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.
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Toshiro Sakaguti, Yusuke Matsuda
Pages
0794
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
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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.
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Ei'ichi Iizasa, Chiaki NoguchI, Yukio Nagano
Pages
0795
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
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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.
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Takahide Watanabe, Mie Shimojima, Ryota Koizumi, Shinji Masuda, Kyojir ...
Pages
0796
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
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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.
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Md. Imtiaz Uddin, Yanhua Qi, Amin Elsadig Eltayeb, Takayoshi Koso, Lin ...
Pages
0797
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
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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.
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Masashi Suzuki, Kiyoshi Ohyama, Yukiko Kamide, Sayuri Tanabashi, Kazuk ...
Pages
0798
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
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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.
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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
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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.
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Tomohiro Imamura, Masatoshi Ichikawa, Kazuyoshi Yoneyama, Hiroaki Kusa ...
Pages
0800
Published: 2009
Released on J-STAGE: October 23, 2009
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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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