Biomedical subjects

Yongbiao Xue

Publications and source records attributed to Yongbiao Xue.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2025

PSIA: A Comprehensive Knowledgebase of Plant Self-incompatibility.

Self-incompatibility (SI) is an important genetic mechanism in angiosperms that prevents inbreeding and promotes outcrossing, with significant implications for crop breeding, including genetic diversity, hybrid seed production, and yield optimization. In eudicots, SI is typically governed by a single S-locus containing tightly linked pistil and pollen S-determinant genes. Despite major advances in SI research, a centralized, comprehensive resource for SI-related genomic data remains lacking. To address this gap, we developed the Plant Self-Incompatibility Atlas (PSIA), a systematically curated knowledgebase providing an extensive compilation of plant SI, including genomic resources for SI species, S gene annotations, molecular mechanisms, phylogenetic relationships, and comparative genomic analyses. The current release of PSIA includes over 500 genome assemblies from 469 SI species. Using known S genes as queries, we manually identified and rigorously curated 3700 S genes. PSIA provides detailed S-locus information from assembled genomes of SI species and offers an interactive platform for browsing, BLAST searches, S gene analysis, and data retrieval. Additionally, PSIA serves as a unique platform for comparative genomic studies of S-loci, facilitating exploration of the dynamic processes underlying the origin, loss, and regain of SI. As a comprehensive and user-friendly resource, PSIA will greatly advance our understanding of angiosperm SI and serve as a valuable tool for crop breeding and hybrid seed production. PSIA is freely available at http://www.plantsi.cn.

Self-Incompatibility in Flowering Plants↗

PubMed2006

Proteomics identification of differentially expressed proteins associated with pollen germination and tube growth reveals characteristics of germinated Oryza sativa pollen.

Mature pollen from most plant species is metabolically quiescent; however, after pollination, it germinates quickly and gives rise to a pollen tube to transport sperms into the embryo sac. Because methods for collecting a large amount of in vitro germinated pollen grains for transcriptomics and proteomics studies from model plants of Arabidopsis and rice are not available, molecular information about the germination developmental process is lacking. Here we describe a method for obtaining a large quantity of in vitro germinating rice pollen for proteomics study. Two-dimensional electrophoresis of approximately 2300 protein spots revealed 186 that were differentially expressed in mature and germinated pollen. Most showed a changed level of expression, and only 66 appeared to be specific to developmental stages. Furthermore 160 differentially expressed protein spots were identified on mass spectrometry to match 120 diverse protein species. These proteins involve different cellular and metabolic processes with obvious functional skew toward wall metabolism, protein synthesis and degradation, cytoskeleton dynamics, and carbohydrate/energy metabolism. Wall metabolism-related proteins are prominently featured in the differentially expressed proteins and the pollen proteome as compared with rice sporophytic proteomes. Our study also revealed multiple isoforms and differential expression patterns between isoforms of a protein. These results provide novel insights into pollen function specialization.

Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional↗

PubMed2006

Over-expression of OsAGAP, an ARF-GAP, interferes with auxin influx, vesicle trafficking and root development.

Development and organogenesis in both dicot and monocot plants are highly dependent on polar auxin transport (PAT), which requires the proper asymmetric localization of both auxin influx and efflux carriers. In the model dicot plant Arabidopsis thaliana, the trafficking and localization of auxin efflux facilitators such as PIN-FORMED1 (PIN1) are mediated by GNOM, a guanine-nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for the ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF) family of small GTPases, but molecular regulators of the auxin influx facilitators remain unknown. Here, we show that over-expression of OsAGAP, an ARF-GTPase-activating protein (ARF-GAP) in rice, impaired PAT and interfered with both primary and lateral root development. The lateral root phenotype could be rescued by the membrane-permeable auxin 1-naphthyl acetic acid, but not by indole 3-acetic acid (IAA) or by 2,4-dichloro-phenoxyacetic acid, which require influx facilitators to enter the cells. OsAGAP-over-expressing plants had alterations in vesicle trafficking and localization of the presumptive A. thaliana auxin-influx carrier AUX1, but not in the localization of the auxin efflux facilitators. Together, our data suggest that OsAGAP has a specific role in regulating vesicle trafficking pathways such as the auxin influx pathway, which in turn controls auxin-dependent root growth in plants.

Arabidopsis↗

PubMed2006

A novel nuclear-localized CCCH-type zinc finger protein, OsDOS, is involved in delaying leaf senescence in rice.

Leaf senescence is a developmentally programmed degeneration process, which is fine tuned by a complex regulatory network for plant fitness. However, molecular regulation of leaf senescence is poorly understood, especially in rice (Oryza sativa), an important staple crop for more than half of the world population. Here, we report a novel nuclear-localized CCCH-type zinc finger protein, Oryza sativa delay of the onset of senescence (OsDOS), involved in delaying leaf senescence in rice. The expression of OsDOS was down-regulated during natural leaf senescence, panicle development, and pollination, although its transcripts were accumulated in various organs. RNAi knockdown of OsDOS caused an accelerated age-dependent leaf senescence, whereas its overexpression produced a marked delay of leaf senescence, suggesting that it acts as a negative regulator for leaf senescence. A genome-wide expression analysis further confirmed its negative regulation for leaf senescence and revealed that, in particular, the jasmonate (JA) pathway was found to be hyperactive in the OsDOS RNAi transgenic lines but impaired in the OsDOS overexpressing transgenic lines, indicating that this pathway is likely involved in the OsDOS-mediated delaying of leaf senescence. Furthermore, methyl JA treatments of both seeds and detached leaves from the RNAi and the overexpressing transgenic lines showed hyper- and hyporesponses, respectively, consistent with the negative regulation of the JA pathway by OsDOS. Together, these results indicate that OsDOS is a novel nuclear protein that delays leaf senescence likely, at least in part, by integrating developmental cues to the JA pathway.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2006

Diversity of centromeric repeats in two closely related wild rice species, Oryza officinalis and Oryza rhizomatis.

Oryza officinalis (CC, 2n = 24) and Oryza rhizomatis (CC, 2n = 24) belong to the Oryza genus, which contains more than 20 identified wild rice species. Although much has been known about the molecular composition and organization of centromeres in Oryza sativa, relatively little is known of its wild relatives. In the present study, we isolated and characterized a 126-bp centromeric satellite (CentO-C) from three bacterial artificial chromosomes of O. officinalis. In addition to CentO-C, low abundance of CentO satellites is also present in O. officinalis. In order to determine the chromosomal locations and distributions of CentO-C (126-bp), CentO (155 bp) and TrsC (366 bp) satellite within O. officinalis, fluorescence in situ hybridization examination was done on pachytene or metaphase I chromosomes. We found that only ten centromeres (excluding centromere 7 and 2) contain CentO-C arrays in O. officinalis, while centromere 7 comprises CentO satellites, and centromere 2 is devoid of any detectable satellites. For TrsC satellites, it was detected at multiple subtelomeric regions in O. officinalis, however, in O. rhizomatis, TrsC sequences were detected both in the four centromeric regions (CEN 3, 4, 10, 11) and the multiple subtelomeric regions. Therefore, these data reveal the evolutionary diversification pattern of centromere DNA within/or between close related species, and could provide an insight into the dynamic evolutionary processes of rice centromere.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed2006

Proteomic analyses of Oryza sativa mature pollen reveal novel proteins associated with pollen germination and tube growth.

As a highly reduced organism, pollen performs specialized functions to generate and carry sperm into the ovule by its polarily growing pollen tube. Yet the molecular genetic basis of these functions is poorly understood. Here, we identified 322 unique proteins, most of which were not reported previously to be in pollen, from mature pollen of Oryza sativa L. ssp japonica using a proteomic approach, 23% of them having more than one isoform. Functional classification reveals that an overrepresentation of the proteins was related to signal transduction (10%), wall remodeling and metabolism (11%), and protein synthesis, assembly and degradation (14%), as well as carbohydrate and energy metabolism (25%). Further, 11% of the identified proteins are functionally unknown and do not contain any conserved domain associated with known activities. These analyses also identified 5 novel proteins by de novo sequencing and revealed several important proteins, mainly involved in signal transduction (such as protein kinases, receptor kinase-interacting proteins, guanosine 5'-diphosphate dissociation inhibitors, C2 domain-containing proteins, cyclophilins), protein synthesis, assembly and degradation (such as prohibitin, mitochondrial processing peptidase, putative UFD1, AAA+ ATPase), and wall remodeling and metabolism (such as reversibly glycosylated polypeptides, cellulose synthase-like OsCsLF7). The study is the first close investigation, to our knowledge, of protein complement in mature pollen, and presents useful molecular information at the protein level to further understand the mechanisms underlying pollen germination and tube growth.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2006

An auxin-inducible F-box protein CEGENDUO negatively regulates auxin-mediated lateral root formation in Arabidopsis.

Previously, we characterized 92 Arabidopsis genes (AtSFLs) similar to the S-locus F-box genes involved in S-RNase-based self-incompatibility and found that they likely play diverse roles in Arabidopsis. In this study, we investigated the role of one of these genes, CEGENDUO (CEG, AtSFL61), in the lateral root formation. A T-DNA insertion in CEG led to an increased lateral root production, which was complemented by transformation of the wild-type gene. Its downregulation by RNAi also produced more lateral roots in transformed Arabidopsis plants whereas its overexpression generated less lateral roots compared to wild-type, indicating that CEG acts as a negative regulator for the lateral root formation. It was found that CEG was expressed abundantly in vascular tissues of the primary root, but not in newly formed lateral root primordia and the root meristem, and induced by exogenous auxin NAA (alpha-naphthalene acetic acid). In addition, the ceg mutant was hyposensitive to NAA, IAA (indole-3-acetic acid) and 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid), as well as the auxin transport inhibitor TIBA (3,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid), showing that CEG is an auxin-inducible gene. Taken together, our results show that CEG is a novel F-box protein negatively regulating the auxin-mediated lateral root formation in Arabidopsis.

Arabidopsis↗

PubMed2006

AhSSK1, a novel SKP1-like protein that interacts with the S-locus F-box protein SLF.

The S-locus F-box (SLF/SFB) protein, recently identified as the pollen determinant of S-RNase-based self-incompatibility (SI) in Solanaceae, Scrophulariaceae and Rosaceae, has been proposed to serve as the subunit of an SCF (SKP1-CUL1-F-box) ubiquitin ligase and to target its pistil counterpart S-RNase during the SI response. However, the underlying mechanism is still in dispute, and the putative SLF-binding SKP1-equivalent protein remains unknown. Here, we report the identification of AhSSK1, Antirrhinum hispanicumSLF-interacting SKP1-like1, using a yeast two-hybrid screen against a pollen cDNA library. GST pull-down assays confirmed the SSK1-SLF interaction, and showed that AhSSK1 could connect AhSLF to a CUL1-like protein. AhSSK1, despite having a similar secondary structure to other SKP1-like proteins, appeared quite distinctive in sequence and unique in a phylogenetic analysis, in which no SSK1 ortholog could be predicted in the sequenced genomes of Arabidopsis and rice. Thus, our results suggest that the pollen-specific SSK1 could be recruited exclusively as the adaptor of putative SCF(SLF) in those plants with S-RNase-based SI, providing an important clue to dissecting the function of the pollen determinant.

Alternative Splicing↗

PubMed2005

Towards molecular breeding and improvement of rice in China.

China is the largest producer and consumer of rice in the world and a pioneer in applying hybrid rice technology. Although hybrid rice has contributed greatly to Chinese agriculture in the past decades, its potential to improve grain quality further is being questioned. However, to meet the challenges posed by severe crop damage by pests and diseases, the extensive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, and a shortage of water and energy, more elite rice cultivars are needed. In recent years, China has seen continued improvements in rice genetics, powered by functional genomics as a way forward to safeguard its rice production. Here, we briefly review the current status of rice breeding in China through strategies integrating hybrid rice technology, molecular marker-assisted breeding, functional genomics and genetically modified rice.

Breeding↗

PubMed2005

Evolution in action: following function in duplicated floral homeotic genes.

Gene duplication plays a fundamental role in evolution by providing the genetic material from which novel functions can arise. Newly duplicated genes can be maintained by subfunctionalization (the duplicated genes perform different aspects of the original gene's function) and/or neofunctionalization (one of the genes acquires a novel function). PLENA in Antirrhinum and AGAMOUS in Arabidopsis are the canonical C-function genes that are essential for the specification of reproductive organs. These functionally equivalent genes encode closely related homeotic MADS-box transcription factors. Using genome synteny, we confirm phylogenetic analyses showing that PLENA and AGAMOUS are nonorthologous genes derived from a duplication in a common ancestor. Their respective orthologs, SHATTERPROOF in Arabidopsis and FARINELLI in Antirrhinum, have undergone independent subfunctionalization via changes in regulation and protein function. Surprisingly, the functional divergence between PLENA and FARINELLI, is morphologically manifest in both transgenic Antirrhinum and Arabidopsis. This provides a clear illustration of a random evolutionary trajectory for gene functions after a duplication event. Different members of a duplicated gene pair have retained the primary homeotic functions in different lineages, illustrating the role of chance in evolution. The differential ability of the Antirrhinum genes to promote male or female development provides a striking example of subfunctionalization at the protein level.

AGAMOUS Protein, Arabidopsis↗

PubMed2005

A tiling microarray expression analysis of rice chromosome 4 suggests a chromosome-level regulation of transcription.

The complete genome sequence of cultivated rice (Oryza sativa) provides an unprecedented opportunity to understand the biology of this model cereal. An essential and necessary step in this effort is the determination of the coding information and expression patterns of each sequenced chromosome. Here, we report an analysis of the transcriptional activity of rice chromosome 4 using a tiling path microarray based on PCR-generated genomic DNA fragments. Six representative rice organ types were examined using this microarray to catalog the transcribed regions of rice chromosome 4 and to reveal organ- and developmental stage-specific transcription patterns. This analysis provided expression support for 82% of the gene models in the chromosome. Transcriptional activities in 1643 nonannotated regions were also detected. Comparison with cytologically defined chromatin features indicated that in juvenile-stage rice the euchromatic region is more actively transcribed than is the transposon-rich heterochromatic portion of the chromosome. Interestingly, increased transcription of transposon-related gene models in certain heterochromatic regions was observed in mature-stage rice organs and in suspension-cultured cells. These results suggest a close correlation between transcriptional activity and chromosome organization and the developmental regulation of transcription activity at the chromosome level.

Chromosome Mapping↗

PubMed2005

Genome-wide analysis of S-Locus F-box-like genes in Arabidopsis thaliana.

The Antirrhinum S-locus F-box gene, AhSLF-S2, has been shown to determine the pollen function of S-RNase-mediated self-incompatibility (SI). Its initial identification led to the discovery of a large family of plant-specific F-box proteins, named the SLF (S-Locus F-box) family, including members from species with or without S-RNase SI system. To investigate the evolution and function of its family members in Arabidopsis, we first identified 92 Arabidopsis F-box proteins related to AhSLF-S2, referred to as AtSFL (S-locus F-box-like) in this report. Phylogenetic analyses with family members from several plant species revealed that they could be classified into five subgroups, and the SLF genes appeared to have had a monophyletic origin. Yeast two-hybrid analyses showed that most AtSFL proteins could interact with one or more ASK (Arabidopsis Skp1-like) proteins, a component of the SCF (Skp1/Cullin or CDC53/F-box) complex, suggesting that AtSFLs may function in the process of ubiquitin/26S proteasome-mediated proteolysis. Transcript analysis found that most of AtSFL genes are expressed ubiquitously and only three of them (AtSFL61, 79 and 85) displayed a tissue-specific pattern. In consistent, phenotypic observations for T-DNA insertion lines of 37 AtSFL genes revealed that most of them are functionally redundant, but inactivation of two AtSFL genes (AtSFL 61 and 70) appears to have caused developmental defects in embryo or female gametophyte. Our results show that a diversified expression and functional pattern are associated with AtSFL genes, indicating that they play important roles in various biological processes in Arabidopsis.

Arabidopsis↗

PubMed2005

Microarray analysis reveals similarities and variations in genetic programs controlling pollination/fertilization and stress responses in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

Previously, we identified 253 cDNAs that are regulated by pollination/fertilization in rice by using a 10K cDNA microarray. In addition, many of them also appeared to be involved in drought and wounding responses. To investigate this relationship, we obtained their expression profiles after dehydration and wounding treatments in this study. Venn diagram analysis indicated that 53.8% (136/253) and 21% (57/253) of the pollination/fertilization-related genes are indeed regulated by dehydration and wounding, respectively, and nearly half of the genes expressed preferentially in unpollinated pistils (UP) are responsive to dehydration. These results indicated that an extensive gene set is shared among these responses, suggesting that the genetic programs regulating them are likely related. Among them, the genetic network of water stress control may be a key player in pollination and fertilization. Additionally, 39.5% (100/253) cDNAs that are related to pollination/fertilization appear not to be regulated by the stress treatments (dehydration and wounding), suggesting that the existence of additional genetic networks are involved in pollination/fertilization. Furthermore, comparative analysis of the expression profiles of the 253 cDNAs under 18 different conditions (various tissues, treatments and developmental status) revealed that the genetic networks regulating photosynthesis, starch metabolisms, GA- and defense-responses are involved in pollination and fertilization. Taken together, these results provided some clues to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of pollination and fertilization in rice.

Cluster Analysis↗

PubMed2005

A pilot study of transcription unit analysis in rice using oligonucleotide tiling-path microarray.

As the international efforts to sequence the rice genome are completed, an immediate challenge and opportunity is to comprehensively and accurately define all transcription units in the rice genome. Here we describe a strategy of using high-density oligonucleotide tiling-path microarrays to map transcription of the japonica rice genome. In a pilot experiment to test this approach, one array representing the reverse strand of the last 11.2 Mb sequence of chromosome 10 was analyzed in detail based on a mathematical model developed in this study. Analysis of the array data detected 77% of the reference gene models in a mixture of four RNA populations. Moreover, significant transcriptional activities were found in many of the previously annotated intergenic regions. These preliminary results demonstrate the utility of genome tiling microarrays in evaluating annotated rice gene models and in identifying novel transcription units that will facilitate rice genome annotation.

Carbocyanines↗

PubMed2005

Microarray analysis of gene expression involved in anther development in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

In flowering plants, anthers bear male gametophytes whose development is regulated by the elaborate coordination of many genes. In addition, both gibberellic acid (GA3) and jasmonic acid (JA) play important roles in anther development and pollen fertility. To facilitate the analysis of anther development genes and how GA3 and JA regulate anther development, we performed microarray experiments using a 10-K cDNA microarray with probes derived from seedlings, meiotic anthers, mature anthers and GA3- or JA-treated suspension cells of rice. The expression level change of 2155 genes was significantly (by 2-fold or greater) detected in anthers compared with seedlings. Forty-seven genes, representing genes with potential function in cell cycle and cell structure regulation, hormone response, photosynthesis, stress resistance and metabolism, were differentially expressed in meiotic and mature anthers. Moreover, 314 genes responded to either GA3 or JA treatment, and 24 GA3- and 82 JA-responsive genes showed significant changes in expression between meiosis and the mature anther stages. RT-PCR demonstrated that gene y656d05 was not only highly expressed in meiotic anthers but also induced by GA3. Strong RNA signals of y656d05 were detected in pollen mother cells and tapetum in in situ hybridization. Further characterization of these candidate genes can contribute to the understanding of the molecular mechanism of anther development and the involvement of JA and GA3 signals in the control of anther development in rice.

Cells, Cultured↗

PubMed2004

Molecular cytogenetic characterization of the Antirrhinum majus genome.

As a model system in classical plant genetics, the genus Antirrhinum has been well studied, especially in gametophytic self-incompatibility, flower development biology, and transposon-induced mutation. In contrast to the advances in genetic and molecular studies, little is known about Antirrhinum cytogenetics. In this study, we isolated two tandem repetitive sequences, CentA1 and CentA2, from the centromeric regions of Antirrhinum chromosomes. A standard karyotype has been established by anchoring these centromeric repeats on meiotic pachytene chromosome using FISH. An ideogram based on the DAPI-staining pattern of pachytene chromosomes was developed to depict the distribution of heterochromatin in the Antirrhinum majus genome. To integrate the genetic and chromosomal maps, we selected one or two molecular markers from each linkage group to screen an Antirrhinum transformation-competent artificial chromosome (TAC) library. These genetically anchored TAC clones were labeled as FISH probes to hybridize to pachytene chromosomes of A. majus. As a result, the relationship between chromosomes and the linkage groups (LGs) in Antirrhinum has been established.

Antirrhinum↗

PubMed2004

The F-box protein AhSLF-S2 controls the pollen function of S-RNase-based self-incompatibility.

Recently, we have provided evidence that the polymorphic self-incompatibility (S) locus-encoded F-box (SLF) protein AhSLF-S(2) plays a role in mediating a selective S-RNase destruction during the self-incompatible response in Antirrhinum hispanicum. To investigate its role further, we first transformed a transformation-competent artificial chromosome clone (TAC26) containing both AhSLF-S(2) and AhS(2)-RNase into a self-incompatible (SI) line of Petunia hybrida. Molecular analyses showed that both genes are correctly expressed in pollen and pistil in four independent transgenic lines of petunia. Pollination tests indicated that all four lines became self-compatible because of the specific loss of the pollen function of SI. This alteration was transmitted stably into the T1 progeny. We then transformed AhSLF-S(2) cDNA under the control of a tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) pollen-specific promoter LAT52 into the self-incompatible petunia line. Molecular studies revealed that AhSLF-S(2) is specifically expressed in pollen of five independent transgenic plants. Pollination tests showed that they also had lost the pollen function of SI. Importantly, expression of endogenous SLF or SLF-like genes was not altered in these transgenic plants. These results phenocopy a well-known phenomenon called competitive interaction whereby the presence of two different pollen S alleles within pollen leads to the breakdown of the pollen function of SI in several solanaceaous species. Furthermore, we demonstrated that AhSLF-S(2) physically interacts with PhS(3)-RNase from the P. hybrida line used for transformation. Together with the recent demonstration of PiSLF as the pollen determinant in P. inflata, these results provide direct evidence that the polymorphic SLF including AhSLF-S(2) controls the pollen function of S-RNase-based self-incompatibility.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2004

Structural features of the rice chromosome 4 centromere.

A complete sequence of a chromosome centromere is necessary for fully understanding centromere function. We reported the sequence structures of the first complete rice chromosome centromere through sequencing a large insert bacterial artificial chromosome clone-based contig, which covered the rice chromosome 4 centromere. Complete sequencing of the 124-kb rice chromosome 4 centromere revealed that it consisted of 18 tracts of 379 tandemly arrayed repeats known as CentO and a total of 19 centromeric retroelements (CRs) but no unique sequences were detected. Four tracts, composed of 65 CentO repeats, were located in the opposite orientation, and 18 CentO tracts were flanked by 19 retroelements. The CRs were classified into four types, and the type I retroelements appeared to be more specific to rice centromeres. The preferential insert of the CRs among CentO repeats indicated that the centromere-specific retroelements may contribute to centromere expansion during evolution. The presence of three intact retrotransposons in the centromere suggests that they may be responsible for functional centromere initiation through a transcription-mediated mechanism.

Base Sequence↗