A novel ß-propeller phytase from the dioxin-degrading bacterium Sphingomonas wittichii RW-1.

ß-propeller phytase-like sequences (BPP-like sequences) are widespread in the microbial world and have been found in the sequenced genomes of aquatic, soil, and plant bacteria. Exploring NCBI microbial genome database for putative genes encoding phytase, a BPP-like sequence from Sphingomonas wittichii RW-1 (Sequence ID: CP000699.1), known for its capacity of degrading polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans, was recognized. The putative phytase gene (phySw) was amplified with specific primers, cloned, and overexpressed in Escherichia coli and the catalytic properties of the recombinant PhySw protein were analyzed. The results show that phySw encodes an enzyme with the properties of ß-propeller phytases: it requires the presence of Ca2+ ions, it is optimally active at 55 °C, and it has a pH optimum of 6.0 with good activity in the range 6.0-8.0. Furthermore, the enzyme exhibits a good thermostability, recovering 68% of its original activity after treatment at 80 °C for 10 min, and shows a good substrate specificity for phytic acid. These properties render this enzyme a candidate as an animal feed additive (e.g., for aquaculture industry). The isolation of phytases from a hydrocarbon-utilizing microorganism also opens new scenarios for their possible application in combating oil pollution.

Dehydrin gene expression provides an indicator of low temperature and drought stress: transcriptome-based analysis of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.).

Low temperature and drought have major influences on plant growth and productivity. To identify barley genes involved in responses to these stresses and to specifically test the hypothesis that the dehydrin (Dhn) multigene family can serve as an indicator of the entire transcriptome response, we investigated the response of barley cv. Morex to: (1) gradual drought over 21 days and (2) low temperature including chilling, freeze-thaw cycles, and deacclimation over 33 days. We found 4,153 genes that responded to at least one component of these two stress regimes, about one fourth of all genes called "present" under any condition. About 44% (1,822 of 4,153) responded specifically to drought, whereas only 3.8% (158 of 4,153) were chilling specific and 2.8% (119 of 4,153) freeze-thaw specific, with 34.1% responsive to freeze-thaw and drought. The intersection between chilling and drought (31.9%) was somewhat smaller than the intersection between freeze-thaw and drought, implying an element of osmotic stress response to freeze-thaw. About 82.4% of the responsive genes were similar to Arabidopsis genes. The expression of 13 barley Dhn genes mirrored the global clustering of all transcripts, with specific combinations of Dhn genes providing an excellent indicator of each stress response. Data from these studies provide a robust reference data set for abiotic stress.

Identification and mapping of a putative stress response regulator gene in barley.

Plants respond to environmental stress with a number of physiological and developmental changes. Water deficit is one of the major factors limiting plant growth and development and crop productivity. One response of plants to water deficit is accumulation of abscisic acid (ABA). An increase of ABA is responsible for the induction of many genes, presumably some of which contribute to drought tolerance. Analysis of gene expression in barley seedling shoots by differential display reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (DDRT-PCR) led to the isolation of several drought-, cold- and ABA-induced partial cDNA fragments. Here we extensively characterize one of these cDNAs, designated DD6. First, a larger cDNA was extended from DD6 by 5'-RACE (rapid amplification of cDNA ends). Subsequently, the corresponding gene was isolated by screening a barley BAC library, and the sequences of the transcribed and flanking regions were determined. The deduced amino acid sequence has similarity to an Arabidopsis hypothetical protein and to a human and mouse DNA-binding protein. The corresponding gene, named Srg6 (stress-responsive gene), was mapped in a barley doubled haploid mapping population to chromosome 7H between markers ABC455 and salfp76, within a region that previously has been linked to osmotic adaptation in barley and other grass genomes.