Protein and Peptide Letters - Volume 23, Issue 5, 2016

Sorghum-Sudan grass hybrid containing high hydrocyanic acid content can cause hydrocyanic acid poisoning to the livestock and limit the popularization of this forage crop. Molecular markers associated with low hydrocyanic acid content can speed up the process of identification of genotypes with low hydrocyanic acid content. In the present study, 11 polymorphic SSR primers were screened and used for bulked segregant analysis and single marker analysis. Three SSR markers Xtxp7230, Xtxp7375 and Bnlg667960 associated with low hydrocyanic acid content were rapidly identified by BSA. In single marker analysis, six markers Xtxp7230, Xtxp7375, Bnlg667960, Xtxp67-11, Xtxp295-7 and Xtxp12-9 were linked to low hydrocyanic acid content, which explained the proportion of phenotypic variation from 7.6 % to 41.2 %. The markers identified by BSA were also verified by single marker analysis. The three SSR marker bands were then cloned and sequenced for sequence homology analysis in NCBI. It is the first report on the development of molecular markers associated with low hydrocyanic acid content in sorghum- Sudan grass hybrid. These markers will be useful for genetic improvement of low hydrocyanic acid sorghum-Sudan grass hybrid by marker-assisted breeding.

Using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MSn) method, qualitative and quantitative analysis of flavonoids of stems, leaves, fruits and seeds, and anthocyanidin of fresh fruits in Nitraria tangutorum were performed. A total of 14 flavonoid components were identified from the seeds of N. tangutorum including three quercetin derivatives, three kaempferol derivatives, and eight isorhamnetin derivatives. A total of 12, 10, and 7 flavonoid components were identified from leaves, stems, and fruits of N. tangutorum, respectively; all were present in seeds also. The total content of flavonoids in leaves was the highest, up to 42.43 mg/g˙dry weight. A total of 12 anthocyanidin components were identified from the fresh fruits of N. tangutorum, belonging to five anthocyanidin. The total content of anthocyanidin in fresh fruits was up to 45.83 mg/100 gfresh weight, of which the acylated anthocyanidin accounted for 65.7%. The HPLC-DAD-MSn method can be operated easily, rapidly, and accurately, and is feasible for qualitative and quantitative analysis of flavone glycosides in N. tangutorum.

Annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) is widely used as a cool-season forage grass for its luxuriant growth, palatable and high digestible. To investigate the salt tolerance mechanism in annual ryegrass under salt stress, salt-tolerant genotype ‘R102-3’ and salt-sensitive genotype ‘Tetragold’ were subject to 300mmol/L NaCl in a controlled growth chamber for 12 days. The results showed high concentrations of NaCl decreased relative water content (RWC), and increased the electrolyte leakage (EL) in both genotypes. However the ‘Tetragold’ had a greater increased extent of malondialdehyde (MDA) and EL than in ‘R102-3’, in contrast, the activities of Superoxide (SOD), Peroxidase (POD), Catalase (CAT) and Ascorbate peroxidase (APX) were higher in salt resistant compared to sensitive ones. For ensure the accurate of qRT-PCR, we used RefFinder to choose the most stably reference genes eEF1A(s) and GAPDH to normalize the antioxidant genes expression data. The results indicated that higher expression of Fe-SOD, Mn-SOD, Chl-Cu/Zn SOD, Cyt-Cu/Zn SOD, POD and CAT in ‘R102-3’ when compared with ‘Tetragold’, which may play an important role in defensed damage of Reactive oxygen species (ROS) under salt stress. Thus, the salt-tolerant genotype could effectively resist oxidative damage induced by salt tress relative to salt-sensitive genotype.

The AP2/ERF play a key role in multiple stress responses in plants. we here report a novel salt stress-related gene, LcAP2/ERF107 that encodes an AP2/ERF protein in Lotus corniculatus cultivar Leo. LcAP2/ERF107 was classified into the soloist subfamiliy based on phylogenetic relationship. The transcription of LcAP2/ERF107 were strongly induced by salt and other phytohormones (ABA, ACC, MeJA). A subcellular localization experiment indicated that LcAP2/ERF107 is a nuclear protein that activates transcription. LcAP2/ERF107 overexpression in Arabidopsis resulted in pleiotropic phenotypes, including higher seed germination rate and transgenic plants with enhanced tolerance to salt stress. Further, under salt tolerance the transgenic lines elevated the relative moisture content; however, the relative electrolyte leakage was lower than in control plants. The expression levels of indicative genes RD22, RD29A, LEA4-5, P5CS1 and P5CS2 were found to be increased in the transgenic plants compared with the WT plants. These results indicated that LcAP2/ERF107 play an important role in the responses of plant to salt stress.

A desert-grown Halimodendron halodendron ethylene-responsive element binding factor gene (HhERF2), which encodes a 245 amino acids protein containing a conserved AP2/EREBP domain, was isolated through the rapid amplification cDNA end (RACE) method. Sequence and phylogenetic analysis indicated that HhERF2 was classified into the B-2 group of ERF subfamily. Semiquantitative RT-PCR showed that HhERF2 was greatly induced by treatments with high-salt, drought and low temperature in H. halodendron seedlings. The expression vector containing HhERF2 and Populus euphratica dehydration- responsive element binding protein (PeDREB2a) genes driven by rd29A promoter was constructed and transferred into cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) by non-tissue culture Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation system. The transformation and expression of HhERF2 and PeDREB2a were identified by PCR and RT-PCR. Analyses of physiological function indicated that transgenic cottons had improved seeds germination, tolerance to drought and highsalt stresses. Agronomic evaluation in the field exhibited that transgenic lines presented a dwarf phenotype and improved further in the yield and characters. These results demonstrated that overexpressed both HhERF2 and PeDREB2a transcription factor genes in cotton induced elevated tolerance to drought and high-salt stresses.

Dehydration responsive element binding (DREB) transcription factors (TFs) play a key role in regulating abiotic stress related genes. A new gene (PeDREB2b) encoding an unidentified DRE-binding protein was isolated from 20% PEG6000 treated Populus euphratica Oliv. seedlings by RT-PCR and RACE. Full length of PeDREB2b cDNA was 1110 bp, and an ORF of 870 bp, which encoded 289-amino-acids polypeptide, were included. The deduced amino acid sequence analysis revealed that this protein was a putative AP2/EREBP transcription factor with a conserved AP2/EREBP domain of 64 amino acids and a potential nuclear localization signal (NLS). Based on phylogenetic characterization, PeDREB2b was classified as a member of A-5 group belonged to the DREB family. The PeDREB2b gene is induced by salinization, low temperature, drought and phytohormones GA3, NAA and 6BA, but not by ABA treatment. The fact that the product of PeDREB2b as a DREB transcription factor was verified in our further experiment: the nuclear localization of the gene when it was expressed transiently as a GFP fusion in onion epidermal cells. In addition, PeDREB2b was capable of activating reporter gene expression. To study the salt and drought stress responses for PeDREB2b transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana in detail, integrated physiological, biochemical and genetic approach methods were used. Results indicated that the PeDREB2b gene was over-expressed under stress-inducible rd29A promotor in transgenic plants alleviates the adverse effects of environmental stresses.

Tartary buckwheat is an ancient annual dicotyledonous herb, which is widely distributed around the world, specifically in the high altitude area of southwestern China and in the hill region of Himalayan. The plantlet regeneration of tartary buckwheat via somatic embryogenesis or multiple shoot induction was investigated in two different tartary buckwheats, Yuanzi and Xichang. The regeneration ability of Yuanzi was better than Xichang tartary buckwheat, and the hypocotyls were better than cotyledons as tartary buckwheat plantlet regeneration explants via somatic embryogenesis. The most suitable medium for callus induction was Murashige and Skoog basal medium added 2 mg/L 2, 4- dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 1 mg/L Kinetin, which could reach up to 98.96% callus induction percentage. The plantlet regeneration percentage from callus of tartary buckwheat could reach up to 55.77%, which induced on 2.0 mg/L Benzyladenine and 1.0 mg/L KT in MS basal medium. In addition, maximum of multiple shoot induction percentage was 69.05%, which was observed in case of Yuanzi tartary buckwheat in MS basal medium with added 3.0 mg/L 6-BA and 1.0 mg/L Thidiazuron. Roots induction of regenerated plants were achieved on 1/2 MS basal medium with added 1mg/L Indole-3-Butytric acid, which has 75% survival after transferred regenerated plants to soil under field conditions.

Pb hyper-accumulated Carex putuoshan was taken as experimental material and subjected to combined stress of Pb and Zn. The differential expression of proteins in their roots were analyzed by Proteomic Approach. The protein that was directly involved in the cellular defense under the Pb and Zn combined stress was separated, and expression of those genes was analyzed with Carex Evergold as control. The results were obtained by MALDI-TOF/MS analysis. After applying Pb and Zn combined stress, the expression of 9 protein spots (including 7 different proteins, 2 identical proteins, 1 unknown protein) in Carex putuoshan root was found to be significantly up-regulated. Five proteins were obtained from the 9 proteins related to carbohydrate metabolism, including malate dehydrogenase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, frutose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase, enolase, and 6- phosphogluconate dehydrogenase. Two proteins were related to protein biosynthesis, including isoflavone reductase and phytochelatin synthase (PCS). From these proteins, the most important protein is PCS, which is a key enzyme in the synthesis of phytochelatins (PCs) and plays an important role in chelation. It is directly involved in cellular defense under Pb and Zn stress. After Pb and Zn combined stress, the CpPCS in Carex putuoshan was cloned. The full length of cDNA is 1461 bps, and it encodes 486 amino acids with molecular weight of 53.86 kD and pI value of 6.12. Two typical phytochelatin synthase subfamily domains constitute CpPCS protein, which includes three adjacent Cys-Cys elements in the C-terminal region. Phylogenetic analysis of PCS proteins from different species showed that it had the closest relationship with the Oryza sativa and Triticum aestivum. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis indicated that CpPCS and CePCS (Carex Evergold) genes were expressed in the root. The CpPCS and CePCS genes were up-regulated by Pb and Zn treatments. The expression of CpPCS was higher than that of CePCS under the same condition. The study found that CpPCS expression was increased by Pb and Zn stress in the Carex putuoshan enrichment process of Pb, which lead to high expression of PCS protein. CpPCS improved the accumulation ability and resistance of Carex putuoshan to heavy metals with the expression level of glucose metabolism related proteins increasing after Pb and Zn stress.

The EeHKT1;4 gene was firstly cloned from Elytrigia elongata by RT-PCR technique with 1977 bp full-length cDNA encoding 1722 bp open reading frame (ORF) and 573 amino acids. The PCR fragment of EeHKT1;4 gene was inserted into the binary vector pBI121 and got the resulted expression vector, which named pBI121-35S-EeHKT1;4-Nos. The vector was further transformed into the agrobacterium EHA105, and then EeHKT1;4 gene was transferred into tobacco by the Agrobaterium- mediated genetic transformation method. The results showed that the target gene was inserted into the genomes of tobacco and expressed. Therefore, the transgenic tobacco (T0) plants overexpressing EeHKT1;4 gene were successfully obtained in this study. And EeHKT1;4 reduces Na+ concentration in the leaves of T0 plants, thereby plays a central role in protecting plant leaves from salinity stress.

Alfalfa is excellent perennial legume forage for its extensive ecological adaptability, high nutrition value, palatability and biological nitrogen fixation. It plays a very important role in the agriculture, animal husbandry and ecological construction. It is cultivated in all continents. With the development of modern plant breeding and genetic engineering techniques, a large amount of work has been carried out on alfalfa. Here we summarize the recent research advances in genetic engineering of alfalfa breeding, including transformation, quality improvement, stress resistance and as a bioreactor. The review article can enables us to understand the research method, direction and achievements of genetic engineering technology of Alfalfa.