Functional characterization of rice CW-domain containing zinc finger proteins involved in histone recognition.

Histone recognition is important for understanding the mechanisms of histone modification, which play a pivotal role in transcriptional regulation during plant development. Here, we identified three cysteine-tryptophan (CW)-domain containing zinc finger (ZF) proteins involved in histone recognition, namely OsCW-ZF3, OsCW-ZF5 and OsCW-ZF7. Protein sequence analysis showed that they have two unknown motifs in addition to the CW domain. All three OsCW-ZFs were expressed in aerial tissues, with relatively high levels in developing panicles. Subcellular localization revealed that the OsCW-ZFs target the cell nucleus and CW domains are not necessary for their nuclear localization. In contrast to OsCW-ZF3 and OsCW-ZF5 where the CW domains bind histone H3 lysine 4 with different methylated forms (H3K4me), the CW domain from OsCW-ZF7 recognizes only trimethylated histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4me3). Analysis of mutant suggested that three conserved tryptophan residues in the CW domain are essential for binding to H3K4me. Further study found that OsCW-ZF7 interacts with TAFII20, a transcription initiation factor TFIID 20kDa subunit. Knockout of OsCW-ZF7 caused defective development of awns. This study provides new insights into our understanding of the CW domain and lays a foundation for further investigation of its roles in rice.

Isolation and characterization of a spotted leaf 32 mutant with early leaf senescence and enhanced defense response in rice.

Leaf senescence is a complex biological process and defense responses play vital role for rice development, their molecular mechanisms, however, remain elusive in rice. We herein reported a rice mutant spotted leaf 32 (spl32) derived from a rice cultivar 9311 by radiation. The spl32 plants displayed early leaf senescence, identified by disintegration of chloroplasts as cellular evidence, dramatically decreased contents of chlorophyll, up-regulation of superoxide dismutase enzyme activity and malondialdehyde, as physiological characteristic, and both up-regulation of senescence-induced STAY GREEN gene and senescence-associated transcription factors, and down-regulation of photosynthesis-associated genes, as molecular indicators. Positional cloning revealed that SPL32 encodes a ferredoxin-dependent glutamate synthase (Fd-GOGAT). Compared to wild type, enzyme activity of GOGAT was significantly decreased, and free amino acid contents, particularly for glutamate and glutamine, were altered in spl32 leaves. Moreover, the mutant was subjected to uncontrolled oxidative stress due to over-produced reactive oxygen species and damaged scavenging pathways, in accordance with decreased photorespiration rate. Besides, the mutant showed higher resistance to Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae than its wild type, coupled with up-regulation of four pathogenesis-related marker genes. Taken together, our results highlight Fd-GOGAT is associated with the regulation of leaf senescence and defense responses in rice.

Dwarf and tiller-enhancing 1 regulates growth and development by influencing boron uptake in boron limited conditions in rice.

Boron (B) is essential for plant growth, and B deficiency causes severe losses in crop yield. Here we isolated and characterized a rice (Oryza sativa L.) mutant named dwarf and tiller-enhancing 1 (dte1), which exhibits defects under low-B conditions, including retarded growth, increased number of tillers and impaired pollen fertility. Map-based cloning revealed that dte1 encodes a NOD26-LIKE INTRINSIC PROTEIN orthologous to known B channel proteins AtNIP5;1 in Arabidopsis and TASSEL-LESS1 in maize. Its identity was verified by transgenic complementation and RNA-interference. Subcellular localization showed DTE1 is mainly localized in the plasma membrane. The accumulation of DTE1 transcripts both in roots and shoots significantly increased within 3h of the onset of B starvation, but decreased within 1h of B replenishment. GUS staining indicated that DTE1s are expressed abundantly in exodermal cells in roots, as well as in nodal region of adult leaves. Although the dte1 mutation apparently reduces the total B content in plants, it does not affect in vivo B concentrations under B-deficient conditions. These data provide evidence that DTE1 is critical for vegetative growth and reproductive development in rice grown under B-deficient conditions.

Fine mapping of qSTV11(KAS), a major QTL for rice stripe disease resistance.

Rice stripe disease, caused by rice stripe virus (RSV), is one of the most serious diseases in temperate rice-growing areas. In the present study, we performed quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis for RSV resistance using 98 backcross inbred lines derived from the cross between the highly resistant variety, Kasalath, and the highly susceptible variety, Nipponbare. Under artificial inoculation in the greenhouse, two QTLs for RSV resistance, designated qSTV7 and qSTV11(KAS), were detected on chromosomes 7 and 11 respectively, whereas only one QTL was detected in the same location of chromosome 11 under natural inoculation in the field. The stability of qSTV11(KAS) was validated using 39 established chromosome segment substitution lines. Fine mapping of qSTV11(KAS) was carried out using 372 BC(3)F(2:3) recombinants and 399 BC(3)F(3:4) lines selected from 7,018 BC(3)F(2) plants of the cross SL-234/Koshihikari. The qSTV11(KAS) was localized to a 39.2 kb region containing seven annotated genes. The most likely candidate gene, LOC_Os11g30910, is predicted to encode a sulfotransferase domain-containing protein. The predicted protein encoded by the Kasalath allele differs from Nipponbare by a single amino acid substitution and the deletion of two amino acids within the sulfotransferase domain. Marker-resistance association analysis revealed that the markers L104-155 bp and R48-194 bp were highly correlated with RSV resistance in the 148 landrace varieties. These results provide a basis for the cloning of qSTV11(KAS), and the markers may be used for molecular breeding of RSV resistant rice varieties.

Fine mapping of a gene causing hybrid pollen sterility between Yunnan weedy rice and cultivated rice (Oryza sativa L.) and phylogenetic analysis of Yunnan weedy rice.

Weedy rice represents an important resource for rice improvement. The F(1) hybrid between the japonica wide compatibility rice cultivar 02428 and a weedy rice accession from Yunnan province (SW China) suffered from pollen sterility. Pollen abortion in the hybrid occurred at the early bicellular pollen stage, as a result of mitotic failure in the microspore, although the tapetum developed normally. Genetic mapping in a BC(1)F(1) population (02428//Yunnan weedy rice (YWR)/02428) showed that a major QTL for hybrid pollen sterility (qPS-1) was present on chromosome 1. qPS-1 was fine-mapped to a 110 kb region known to contain the hybrid pollen sterility gene Sa, making it likely that qPS-1 is either identical to, or allelic with Sa. Interestingly, F(1) hybrid indicated that Dular and IR36 were assumed to carry the sterility-neutral allele, Sa ( n ). Re-sequencing SaM and SaF, the two component genes present at Sa, suggested that variation for IR36 and Dular may be responsible for the loss of male sterility, and the qPS-1 sequence might be derived from wild rice or indica cultivars. A phylogenetic analysis based on microsatellite genotyping suggested that the YWR accession is more closely related to wild rice and indica type cultivars than to japonica types. Thus it is probable that the YWR accession evolved from a spontaneous hybrid between wild rice and an ancient cultivated strain of domesticated rice.

Self-assembled nanoparticles of cholesterol-modified O-carboxymethyl chitosan as a novel carrier for paclitaxel.

Self-assembled nanoparticles of cholesterol-modified O-carboxymethyl chitosan (CCMC) were prepared to be used as a novel carrier for paclitaxel (PTX) in this study. CCMC-6.9 was synthesized by the covalent conjugation of cholesterol to O-carboxymethyl chitosan with the succinyl linkage and the degree of substitution (DS) of the cholesterol moiety was 6.9%. CCMC-6.9 formed self-assembled nanoparticles with a size of 209.5 nm in aqueous media. Paclitaxel-loaded CCMC-6.9 self-assembled nanoparticles were prepared using a dialysis method and their characteristics were analyzed by dynamic laser light scattering (LLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and ultraviolet spectroscopy (UV). PTX-loaded CCMC-6.9 self-assembled nanoparticles were almost spherical in shape and their size increased from 245.6 to 355.3 nm with PTX-loading content increasing from 18.7% to 34.9%. In vitro release of PTX from CCMC-6.9 self-assembled nanoparticles was carried out by the dynamic dialysis method. PTX continuously released in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solutions for 84 h at 37 °C and its release was sensitive to the pH of the release media. The biodistribution of PTX-loaded CCMC-6.9 self-assembled nanoparticles was studied in female Balb/c mice. Compared with PTX in the solution of Cremophor EL (polyethoxylated castor oil)/ethanol (PTX-Cre), CCMC-6.9 self-assembled nanoparticles significantly increased the uptake of PTX in plasma, liver and spleen, but decreased the uptake in heart and kidney. These results suggest that CCMC-6.9 self-assembled nanoparticles can effectively solubilize PTX and modify its tissue biodistribution, which may be advantageous in enhancing the therapeutic index and reducing the toxicity of PTX.