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Biomedical subjects

Seong-Ryong Kim

Publications and source records attributed to Seong-Ryong Kim.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Isolation of cold stress-responsive genes in the reproductive organs, and characterization of the OsLti6b gene from rice (Oryza sativa L.).

During their reproductive stage, rice crops often are exposed to cold stress, which leads to sterility and reduced yields. To understand the cold response mechanism at that stage, we used an mRNA differential display method to isolate cold-responsive genes from pre-anthesis flowers. Approximately 5,000 transcripts were identified here, of which 123 were found to be displayed differentially between the control (30 degrees C) and cold-treated (12 degrees C) flowers. Among them, 26 were analyzed by northern analysis; 8 of those clones were confirmed as cold-responsive. OsLti6b, encoding a hydrophobic protein homologous to Arabidopsis RCI2, was analyzed in detail. RNA blot analysis revealed that its transcript is increased by cold, salt, drought, or ABA treatments. In situ hybridization indicated that this transcript is highly accumulated in the ovaries and stamens of cold-treated flowers, particularly in the anther walls and vascular tissues of the filaments. Over-expression of OsLti6b increased cold tolerance as revealed by seedling wilting rates and ion leakages of mature leaves, demonstrating that the extent of the tolerance correlates well with its expression level.

Cold Temperature↗

Generation of a flanking sequence-tag database for activation-tagging lines in japonica rice.

We have generated 47,932 T-DNA tag lines in japonica rice using activation-tagging vectors that contain tetramerized 35S enhancer sequences. To facilitate use of those lines, we isolated the genomic sequences flanking the inserted T-DNA via inverse polymerase chain reaction. For most of the lines, we performed four sets of amplifications using two different restriction enzymes toward both directions. In analyzing 41,234 lines, we obtained 27,621 flanking sequence tags (FSTs), among which 12,505 were integrated into genic regions and 15,116 into intergenic regions. Mapping of the FSTs on chromosomes revealed that T-DNA integration frequency was generally proportional to chromosome size. However, T-DNA insertions were non-uniformly distributed on each chromosome: higher at the distal ends and lower in regions close to the centromeres. In addition, several regions showed extreme peaks and valleys of insertion frequency, suggesting hot and cold spots for T-DNA integration. The density of insertion events was somewhat correlated with expressed, rather than predicted, gene density along each chromosome. Analyses of expression patterns near the inserted enhancer showed that at least half the test lines displayed greater expression of the tagged genes. Whereas in most of the increased lines expression patterns after activation were similar to those in the wild type, thereby maintaining the endogenous patterns, the remaining lines showed changes in expression in the activation tagged lines. In this case, ectopic expression was most frequently observed in mature leaves. Currently, the database can be searched with the gene locus number or location on the chromosome at http://www.postech.ac.kr/life/pfg/risd. On request, seeds of the T(1) or T(2) plants will be provided to the scientific community.

Chromosome Mapping↗

Characterization of an abiotic stress-inducible dehydrin gene, OsDhn1, in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

A full-length 1.1 kb cDNA, designated Oryza sativa Dehydrin 1 (OsDhn1), was isolated from the seed coat of rice. The deduced protein is hydrophilic and has three K-type and one S-type motifs (SK3-type), indicating that OsDhn1 belongs to the acidic dehydrin family, which includes wheat WCOR410 and Arabidopsis COR47. Expression of OsDhn1 was strongly induced by low temperature as well as by drought. Induction of OsDhn1 by cold stress was clearcut in the roots of seedlings and the epidermis of palea and lemma. OsDhn1 was also up-regulated in UBI::CBF1/DREB1b transgenic plants indicating that it is regulated by the CBF/DREB stress signaling pathway.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Molecular genetics using T-DNA in rice.

Now that sequencing of the rice genome is nearly completed, functional analysis of its large number of genes is the next challenge. Because rice is easy to transform, T-DNA has been used successfully to generate insertional mutant lines. Collectively, several laboratories throughout the world have established at least 200,000 T-DNA insertional lines. Some of those carry the GUS or GFP reporters for either gene or enhancer traps. Others are activation tagging lines for gain-of-function mutagenesis when T-DNA is inserted in the intergenic region. A forward genetic approach showed limited success because of somaclonal variations induced during tissue culture. To utilize these resources more efficiently, tagged lines have been produced for reverse genetics approaches. DNA pools of the T-DNA-tagged lines have been prepared for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screening of insertional mutants in a given gene. Appropriate T-DNA insertion sites are determined by sequencing the region flanking the T-DNA. This information is then used to make databases that are shared with the scientific community. International efforts on seed amplification and maintenance are needed to exploit these valuable materials efficiently.

DNA, Bacterial↗

Ectopic expression of a cold-inducible transcription factor, CBF1/DREB1b, in transgenic rice (Oryza sativa L.).

The gene encoding C-repeat/dehydration-responsive element binding factor 1 (CBF1/DREB1b) of Arabidopsis was introduced into rice (Oryza sativa L.) under the control of the maize ubiquitin promoter. Its incorporation and expression in transgenic rice plants were confirmed by DNA and RNA gel-blot analyses. Cold tolerance in the transgenics was not significantly different from that of the wild-type plants, as determined by ion leakage, chlorophyll fluorescence, and survival rates. However, the cold-responsive genes lip5, lip9, and OsDhn1 were up-regulated in the transgenic plants, suggesting that the cold signal transduction pathway involving CBF1 is partially conserved in this cold-labile plant.

Arabidopsis Proteins↗

Ectopic expression of OsYAB1 causes extra stamens and carpels in rice.

Members in the YABBY gene family of proteins are plant-specific transcription factors that play critical roles in determining organ polarity. We have isolated a cDNA clone from rice that encodes a YABBY protein. This protein, OsYAB1, is similar to Arabidopsis YAB2 (50.3%) and YAB5 (47.6%). It carries a zinc-finger motif and a YABBY domain, as do those in Arabidopsis . A fusion protein between OsYAB1 and GFP is located in the nucleus. RNA gel-blot analysis showed that the OsYAB1 gene is preferentially expressed in flowers. In-situ hybridization experiments also indicated that the transcript accumulated in the stamen and carpel primordia. Unlike the Arabidopsis YABBY genes, however, the OsYAB1 gene does not show polar expression pattern in the tissues of floral organs. Our transgenic plants that ectopically expressed OsYAB1 were normal during the vegetative growth period, but then showed abnormalities in their floral structures. Spikelets contained supernumerary stamens and carpels compared with those of the wild types. These results suggest that OsYAB1 plays a major role in meristem development and maintenance of stamens and carpels, rather than in determining polarity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Generation and analysis of end sequence database for T-DNA tagging lines in rice.

We analyzed 6749 lines tagged by the gene trap vector pGA2707. This resulted in the isolation of 3793 genomic sequences flanking the T-DNA. Among the insertions, 1846 T-DNAs were integrated into genic regions, and 1864 were located in intergenic regions. Frequencies were also higher at the beginning and end of the coding regions and upstream near the ATG start codon. The overall GC content at the insertion sites was close to that measured from the entire rice (Oryza sativa) genome. Functional classification of these 1846 tagged genes showed a distribution similar to that observed for all the genes in the rice chromosomes. This indicates that T-DNA insertion is not biased toward a particular class of genes. There were 764, 327, and 346 T-DNA insertions in chromosomes 1, 4 and 10, respectively. Insertions were not evenly distributed; frequencies were higher at the ends of the chromosomes and lower near the centromere. At certain sites, the frequency was higher than in the surrounding regions. This sequence database will be valuable in identifying knockout mutants for elucidating gene function in rice. This resource is available to the scientific community at http://www.postech.ac.kr/life/pfg/risd.

Base Sequence↗

Molecular cloning and expression analysis of a CONSTANS homologue, PnCOL1, from Pharbitis nil.

The Arabidopsis CONSTANS (CO) gene is a key regulator of the long day (LD)-dependent flowering pathway and two CO homologous genes COL1 and COL2 are involved in the regulation of the circadian rhythm. In order to understand the role of CO and COL in short-day plants, a CO homologue, PnCOL1, was isolated and characterized from Japanese morning glory (Pharbitis nil). The deduced PnCOL1 protein of 386 amino acid residues contained two putative zinc finger motifs at the N-terminal region and a conserved CCT domain at the C-terminal region. The deduced amino acid sequence of PnCOL1 was 34% identical to that of PnCO, but 32%, 34%, and 34% identical to those of CO, COL1, and COL2, respectively. Expression of PnCOL1 was barely detected in the cotyledons of plants grown under continuous light (CL), but highly expressed in the cotyledons of plants grown under SD. Expression of PnCOL1 showed a pattern of circadian rhythm as well as daily oscillation. The overexpression of PnCOL1 by a 35S promoter did not overcome the late-flowering phenotype of Arabidopsis co mutants. The results provided in this study suggest that PnCOL1 may have a role in the circadian rhythm in Pharbitis nil.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The OsFOR1 gene encodes a polygalacturonase-inhibiting protein (PGIP) that regulates floral organ number in rice.

We have isolated a cDNA clone, OsFOR1, from the immature panicles of rice. The OsFOR1 (Oryza sativa floral organ regulator 1) gene encodes a protein that contains a leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domain. This domain comprises 10 tandem repeats of a canonical 24-amino acid LRR sequence. The structure and the number of LRRs for OsFOR1 are similar to those of polygalacturonase-inhibiting proteins (PGIPs) from various other plant species. Moreover, the OsFOR1 recombinant protein, when fused to maltose-binding protein (MBP), shows PGIP activity against the Aspergillus niger polygalacturonase. OsFOR1 is highly expressed in the calli and immature and mature panicles, while detectable at only low levels in seedling roots and mature stems. In situ hybridization experiments showed the transcripts of OsFOR1 are present in young spikelet primordia and in almost all of the young floral organs. Transgenic approaches were used to study in vivo functioning. Antisense expression of OsFOR1 resulted in an increase in the numbers of floral organs, including the stamen, carpel, palea/lemma, stigma, and lodicule. OsFOR1 transcript was not detected in the frizzy panicle mutant, which is defective in its spikelet formation but normal in inflorescence-meristem initiation and maintenance. Therefore, we suggest that OsFOR1 plays a role in the formation and/or maintenance of floral organ primordia.

Amino Acid Sequence↗