A nonsynonymous mutation in an acetolactate synthase gene (Gh_D10G1253) is required for tolerance to imidazolinone herbicides in cotton

Background Herbicide tolerance in crops enables them to survive when lethal doses of herbicides are applied to surrounding weeds.Herbicide-tolerant crops can be developed through transgenic approaches or traditional mutagenesis approaches.At present,no transgenic herbicide tolerant cotton have been commercialized in China due to the genetically-modified organism(GMO)regulation law.We aim to develop a non-transgenic herbicide-tolerant cotton through ethyl methanesulfonate(EMS)mutagenesis,offering an alternative choice for weed management.Results Seeds of an elite cotton cultivar Lumianyan 37(Lu37)were treated with EMS,and a mutant Lu37-1 showed strong tolerance to imidazolinone(IMI)herbicides was identified.A novel nonsynonymous substitution mutation Ser642Asn at acetolactate synthase(ALS)(Gh_D10G1253)in Lu37-1 mutant line was found to be the potential cause to the IMI herbicides tolerance in cotton.The Ser642Asn mutation in ALS did not present among the genomes of natural Gossypium species.Cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence(CAPS)markers were developed to identify the ALS mutant allele.The Arabidopsis overexpressing the mutanted ALS also showed high tolerance to IMI herbicides.Conclusion The nonsynonymous substitution mutation Ser642Asn of the ALS gene Gh_D10G1253 is a novel identi-fied mutation in cotton.This substitution mutation has also been identified in the orthologous ALS genes in other crops.This mutant ALS allele can be used to develop IMI herbicide-tolerant crops via a non-transgenic or transgenic approach.

Bile acid increases expression of the histamine-producing enzyme,histidine decarboxylase,in gastric cells

AIM:To investigate the effect of bile acid on the expression of histidine decarboxylase(HDC),which is a major enzyme involved in histamine production,and gene expression of gastric transcription factors upon cooperative activation.METHODS:HDC expression was examined by immunohistochemistry,reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction,and promoter assay in human gastric precancerous tissues,normal stomach tissue,and gastric cancer cell lines.The relationship between gastric precancerous state and HDC expression induced by bile acid was determined.The association between the expression of HDC and various specific transcription factors in gastric cells was also evaluated.MKN45 and AGS human gastric carcinoma cell lines were transfected with farnesoid X receptor(FXR),small heterodimer partner(SHP),and caudal-type homeodomain transcription factor(CDX)1 expression plasmids.The effects of various transcription factors on HDC expression were monitored by luciferase-reporter promoter assay.RESULTS:Histamine production and secretion in the stomach play critical roles in gastric acid secretion and in the pathogenesis of gastric diseases.Here,we show that bile acid increased the expression of HDC,which is a rate-limiting enzyme of the histamine production pathway.FXR was found to be a primary regulatory transcription factor for bile acid-induced HDC expression.In addition,the transcription factors CDX1 and SHP synergistically enhanced bile acid-induced elevation of HDC gene expression.We confirmed similar expression patterns for HDC,CDX1,and SHP in patient tissues.CONCLUSION:HDC production in the stomach is associated with bile acid exposure and its related transcriptional regulation network of FXR,SHP,and CDX1.

Activity of Acetolactate Synthase from Maize (Zea mays L.) as Influenced by Chlorsulfuron and Tribenuron-methyl

Study on relative sensitivity of maize (Zea mays L.) Nongda108 and Nongda3138 to sulfony-lurea herbicide chlorsulfuron and tribenuron-methyl using maize taproot length by sand bioassy indicated that, Nongda3138 had higher tolerance to chlorsulfuron and tribenuron-methyl than Nongda108 did. Chlorsulfuron had stronger growth inhibition to maize Nongda108 and Nongda3138 than tribenuron-methyl did. Study on target enzyme of sulfonylurea herbicide acetolactate synthase (ALS) showed that, chlorsulfuron and tribenuron-methyl inhibited ALS in vitro strongly, and non-competitively. In the same concentration of inhibitors, chlorsulfuron had stronger ALS activity inhibition than tribenuron-methyl did. Lower level of chlorsulfuron and tribenuron-methyl has no ALS activity inhibition in vivo, the ALS inhibition only occurred in the condition of high concentration of chlorsulfuron and tribenuron-methyl in vivo.

Enzymatic Synthesis of Agmatine by Immobilized Escherichia coli Cells with Arginine Decarboxylase Activity

A new method for the enzymatic synthesis of agmatine by immobilized Escherichia coli cells with arginine decarboxylase（ADC） activity was established and a series of optimal reaction conditions was set down. The arginine decarboxylase showed the maximum activity when the pyridoxal phosphate（PLP） concentration was 50 mmol/L, pH=7 and 45 °C. The arginine decarboxylase exhibited the maximum production efficiency when the substrate concentration was 100 mmol/L and the reaction time was 15 h. It was also observed that the appropriate concentration of Mg2＋, especially at 0.5 mmol/L promoted the arginine decarboxylase activity; Mn2＋ had little effect on the arginine decarboxylase activity. The inhibition of Cu2＋ and Zn2＋ to the arginine decarboxylase activity was significant. The immobilized cells were continuously used 6 times and the average conversion rate during the six-time usage was 55.6%. The immobilized cells exhibited favourable operational stability. After optimization, the maximally cumulative amount of agmatine could be up to 20 g/L. In addition, this method can also catalyze D,L-arginine to agmatine, leaving the pure optically D-arginine simultaneously. The method has a very important guiding significance to the enzymatic preparation of agmatine.

Effect of remedies of supporting resistance and relieving blood stasis on metastasis of postoperative gastric cancer and ornithine decarboxylase

Ｓｕｂｊｅｃｔｈｅａｄｉｎｇｓｓｔｏｍａｃｈｎｅｏｐｌａｓｍｓ／ｓｕｒｇｅｒｙ；ｎｅｏｐｌａｓｍｓｍｅｔａｓｔａｓｉｓ；ｏｒｎｉｔｈｉｎｅｄｅｃａｒｂｏｘｙｌａｓｅ；ｔｒａｄｉｔｉｏｎａｌＣｈｉｎｅｓｅｍｅｄｉｃｉｎｅＡｂｓｔｒａｃｔＡＩＭＴｏｓｔｕｄｙｔｈｅａｃｔｉｏｎｏｆｒｅｍｅｄｉｅｓｏｆｓｕｐｐｏｒｔｉｎｇｒｅｓｉｓｔａｎｃｅａｎｄｒｅｌｉｅｖｉｎｇｂｌｏｏｄｓｔａｓｉｓｏｎｍｅｔａｓｔａｓｉｓｏｆｐｏｓｔｏｐｅｒａｔｉｖｅｇａｓｔｒｉｃｃａｎｃｅｒａｎｄｉｔｓｉｎｆｌｕｅｎｃｅｏｎｏｒｎｉｔｈｉｎｅｄｅｃａｒｂｏｘｙｌａｓｅ（ＯＤＣ）．ＭＥＴＨＯＤＳＳｉｘｔｙｔｈｒｅｅｐｏｓｔｏｐｅｒａｔｉｖｅｇａｓｔｒｉｃｃａｎｃｅｒｐａｔｉｅｎｔｓｗｅｒｅｒａｎｄｏｍｌｙｄｉｖｉｄｅｄｉｎｔｏｔｗｏｇｒｏｕｐｓ．ＴｈｉｒｔｙｏｎｅｐａｔｉｅｎｔｓｗｅｒｅｔｒｅａｔｅｄｗｉｔｈｗｅｓｔｅｒｎｍｅｄｉｃｉｎｅｃｏｎｓｉｓｔｉｎｇｏｆｔｈｅＦＡＰｓｃｈｅｍｅ（５ｆｌｕｒｏｕｒａｃｉｌ，ａｄｒｉａｍｙｃｉｎａｎｄｃｉｓｐｌａｔｉｎ）ａｎｄｔｈｅＣＯＤＰｓｃｈｅｍｅ（ｃｙｃｌｏｐｈｏｓｐｈａｍｉｄｅ，ｖｉｎｃｒ?

REVERSION OF MALIGNANT PHENOTYPES OF HUMAN LUNG SQUAMOUS CARCINOMA CELLS BY ORNITHINE DECARBOXYLASE ANTISENSE RNA

Abnormally elevated activity of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), and subsequent polyamine accumulation are intimately associated with the genesis.development and metastasis of cancer. In the present study, to control the growth of tumor cells, ODC antisense RNA was used to transfect human lung squamous carcinoma cell line LTEP-78. Compared with the parental cells, growth of the antisense transfected LTEP-78 cells arrested in G0/Gl phase and colony formation in soft agarose and tumorigenicity in nude mice were significantly reduced. Nucleic acid hybridization demonstrated that the transfectants expressed a high level of ODC antisense RNA and a significantly reduced level of endogenous ODC mRNA.The results suggest that the reversion of malignant phenotypes of human lung squamous carcinoma cells transfected with ODC antisense RNA is associated with the inhibition of polyamine biosynthesis.

The Mutated Acetolactate Synthase Gene from Rice as a Non-Antibiotic Selection Marker for Transformation of Bamboo Cells

Previously, we developed a particle bombardment-mediated transformation protocol in Phyllostachys nigra bamboo by expressing hygromycin phosphotransferase gene (HPT) and neomycin phosphotransferase II gene (NPT II). Although these marker genes could introduce to several tissue cultured organs (e.g. leaves, buds, and calli) of Phyllostachs bamboo species, some organs showed a high susceptibility and/or a low selectivity to hygromycin and kanamycin. In this report, therefore, we describe advantages and technical details for generating stable transgenic bamboo cells using the particle bombardment method with the mutated-acetolactate synthase gene (mALS) from rice (W548L/S627IOsALS) as a non-antibiotic selection marker. A facile and efficient transformation was achieved with the mALS gene and enhanced fluorescent protein gene (mCherry). Approximately 490 and 1400 mCherry-expressing cells/dish/shot in average were observed in both P. bambusoides and P. nigra under fluorescent stereo-microscope. Stable transgenic bamboo cell lines were generated in a selection medium supplemented with 0.1 μM of bispyribac-sodium (BS) as ALS inhibitor. The integration of mALS gene was identified by in vivo ALS enzyme assay and a PCR-restriction fragment length polymerphism (RFLP) based detection procedures.

Trp_(548)Met mutation of acetolactate synthase in rice confers resistance to a broad spectrum of ALS-inhibiting herbicides

Herbicide resistance in crop plants is valuable for integrated weed management in agriculture. Herbicide resistant rice, in particular, is important to management of weedy rice, a close relative of cultivated rice and a noxious weed prevalent in rice fields that remains challenging to farmers worldwide. Herbicide resistant plants can be obtained through transgenic approach or by mutagenesis of regular plant and screening of mutants with elevated resistance to herbicide. In this study, we conducted ethyl methyl sulfonate mutagenesis(EMS) to elite indica cultivar Huanghuazhan(HHZ) and screened for mutants resistant to imazapic, a herbicide that can inhibit the acetolactate synthase(ALS) in plants. We obtained three mutants of Os ALS gene that have not been reported previously in rice. One of the mutants, with Trp_(548) changed to Met(W_(548)M), was analyzed in more details in this study. This mutation had no negative effect on the plant physiology and morphology as well as rice yield. Compared with the imidazolinone-resistant mutant S_(627)N(Ser_(627) changed to Asn) that has been deployed for Clearfield rice development, W_(548)M mutant showed high levels of resistance to a broad spectrum of five families of ALSinhibiting herbicides, in addition to a higher level of resistance to herbicides of the imidazolinone family.The herbicide-resistance was stably inherited by crossing into other rice lines. Thus, the W_(548)M mutation provides a valuable resource for breeding of herbicide resistant rice and weed management.

Chilling Tolerance of Cucumber During Germination is Related to Expression of Lysine Decarboxylase Gene

Using cDNA-AFLP technique, a specific fragment was isolated from cucumber cultivar Changchun mici possessing chilling tolerance induced at low temperature （15℃）. This fragment, named cctr 132, could not be induced in the chilling sensitive cucumber cultivar Beijing jietou. After recovering the fragment, sequencing and translating, the results of blastx and blastp in GenBank of NCBI indicated that CCTR132 had 88.37% identities and 100% positives with Oryza sativa putative lysine decarboxylase-like protein respectively, and PGGXGTXXE, the putative conserved domain of lysine decarboxylase family, was detected from CCTR132, suggesting the cucumber chilling tolerance during germination is related to the expression of the lysine decarboxylase gene.

Developmental changes of glutamate acid decarboxylase 67 in mouse brain after hypoxia ischemia

Objective To study the developmental changes of glutamic acid decarboxylase-67 （ GAD-67, a GABA synthetic enzyme） in normal and hypoxic ischemic （HI） brain. Methods C57/BL6 mice on postnatal day （P） 5, 9, 21 and 60, corresponding developmentally to premature, term, juvenile and adult human brain were investigated by using both Western blot and immunohistochemistry methods either in normal condition or after hypoxic ischemic insult. Results The immunoreactivity of GAD67 was up regulated with brain development and significant difference was seen between mature （P21, P60） and immature （P5, P9） brain. GAD67 immunoreactivity decreased in the ipsilateral hemisphere in all the ages after hypoxia ischemia （HI） insult, but, significant decrease was only seen in the immature brain. Double labeling of GAD67 and cell death marker, TUNEL, in the cortex at 8h post-HI in the P9 mice showed that （15.6±7.0）% TUNEL positive cells were GAD67 positive which was higher than that of P60 mice. Conclusion These data suggest that GABAergic neurons in immature brain were more vulnerable to HI insult than that of mature brain.

Sequential elevation of autoantibodies to thyroglobulin and glutamic acid decarboxylase in type 1 diabetes

We have previously reported the high levels of glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 autoantibodies(GAD65A)in patients with type 1 diabetes and autoimmune thyroid disease.Here we describe a 32-year-old Japanese female with a thirteen-year history of type 1 diabetes whose levels of GAD65A were elevated just after the emergence of anti-thyroid autoimmunity.At 19 years of age,she developed diabetic ketoacidosis and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.She had GAD65A,insulinoma-associated antigen-2 autoantibodies(IA-2A),and zinc transporter-8 autoantibodies(ZnT8A),but was negative for antibodies to thyroid peroxidase(TPOAb)and thyroglobulin(TGAb)at disease onset.ZnT8A and IA-2A turned negative 2-3 years after the onset,whereas GAD65A were persistently positive at lower level(approximately 40 U/mL).However,just after the emergence of TGAb at disease duration of 12.5 years,GAD65A levels were reelevated up to5717 U/mL in the absence of ZnT8A and IA-2A.Her thyroid function was normal and TPOAb were consistently negative.She has a HLA-DRB1*03:01/*04:01-DQB1*02:01/*03:02 genotype.Persistent positivity for GAD65A might be associated with increased risk to develop anti-thyroid autoimmunity.

A unique insertion of low complexity amino acid sequence underlies protein-protein interaction in human malaria parasite orotate phosphoribosyltransferase and orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase

Objective:To investigate the multienzyine complex formation of human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum[P.falciparum)orotate phosphoribosyltransferase(OPRT)and orotidine5'-monophosphate decarboxylase(OMPDC),the fifth and sixth enzyme of the de novo pyrimidine biosynthetic palhway.Previously,we have clearly established that the two enzymes in the malaria parasite exist physically as a heterotetrameric(OPRT)_2(OMPDG)_2 complex containing two subunits each of OPRT and OMPDC.and that the complex have catalytic kinetic advantages over the monofunetional enzyme.Methods:Both enzymes were cloned and expressed as recombinant proteins.The protein-protein interaction in the enzyme complex was identified using bifunctionul chemical cross-linker,liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis and homology modeling,Results:The unique insertions of low complexity region at the a 2 and a 5 helices of the parasite OMPDC,characterized by single amino acid repeat sequence which was not found in homologous proteins from other organisms,was located on the OPRT-OMPDC interface.The structural models for the protein-prolein interaction of the helerotetrameric(OPRT)_2(OMPDC)_2multienzyme complex were proposed.Conclusions:Based on the proteomic data and structural modeling,it is surmised that the human malaria parasite low complexity region is responsible for the OPRT-OMPDC interaction.The structural complex of the parasite enzymes,thus,represents an efficient functional kinetic advantage,which in line with co-localization principles of evolutional origin,and allosteric control in protein-protein-interactions.

Herbicide-Resistant Mutations in Acetolactate Synthase Can Reduce Feedback Inhibition and Lead to Accumulation of Branched-Chain Amino Acids

The branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) valine, leucine and isoleucine are essential amino acids that are critical for animal growth and development. Animals need to obtain BCAAs from their diet because they cannot synthesize them. Plants are the ultimate source of these amino acids. Acetolactate synthase (ALS) is the first common enzyme in the biosynthesis of BCAAs. The metabolic control of BCAA biosynthesis involves allosteric regulation of ALS by the end-products of the pathway, i.e., valine, leucine and isoleucine. ALS holoenzyme seems to consist of two large catalytic subunits and two small regulatory subunits. In a previous study, using homologous recombination dependent gene targeting we created rice plants in which W548Land S627I mutations were induced into the endogenous gene encoding the ALS catalytic subunit. These two amino acid substitutions conferred hypertolerance to the ALS-inhibiting herbicide bispyripac-sodium. In this study, we revealed that feedback regulation by valine and leucine was reduced by these two amino acid substitutions. Furthermore, in leaves and seeds of ALS mutants with W548Land/or S627I substitution, a 2- to 3-fold increase in BCAAs was detected. Our results suggest that the ALS catalytic subunit is also involved in feedback regulation of ALS, and that judicious modification of the regulatory and catalytic subunits of ALS-coding genes by gene targeting can lead to the efficient accumulation of BCAA in plants.

Ornithine decarboxylase, mitogen-activated protein kinase and matrix metalloproteinase-2 expressions in human colon tumors

AIM: To investigate the expressions of omithine decarboxylase (ODC), MMP-2, and Erk, and their relationship in human colon tumors.METHODS: ODC activity, MMP-2 expression, and mitogenactivated protein (MAP) kinase activity (Erk phosphorylation) were determined in 58 surgically removed human colon tumors and their adjacent normal tissues, using [1-14C]-ornithine as a substrate, ELISA assay, and Western blotting, respectively.RESULTS: ODC activity, MMP-2 expression, and Erk phosphorylation were significantly elevated in colon tumors, compared to those in adjacent normal tissues. A significant correlation was observed between ODC activities and MMP-2 levels.CONCLUSION: This is the first report showing a significant correlation between ODC activities and MMP-2 levels in human colon tumors. As MMP-2 is involved in cancer invasion and metastasis, and colon cancer overexpresses ODC, suppression of ODC expression may be a rational approach to treat colon cancer which overexpresses ODC.

Purification and Characterization of Glutamate Decarboxylase of Lactobacillus brevis CGMCC 1306 Isolated from Fresh Milk

A Lactobacillus brevis CGMCC 1306 isolated from fresh milk without pasteurization was found to have higher glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) activity. An effective isolation and purification procedure of GAD from a cell-free extract of Lactobacillus brevis was developed, and the procedure included four steps: 30%—90% saturation (NH4)2SO4 fractional precipitation, Q sepharose FF anion-exchange chromatography, sephacryl S-200 gel fil-tration, and resource Q anion-exchange chromatography. Using this protocol, the purified GAD was demonstrated to possess electrophoretic homogeneity via SDS-PAGE. The purification fold and activity recovery of GAD were 43.78 and 16.95%, respectively. The molecular weight of the purified GAD was estimated to be approximately 62 kDa via SDS-PAGE. The optimum pH and temperature of the purified GAD were 4.4 and 37℃, respectively. The purified GAD had a half-life of 50min at 45℃ and the Km value of the enzyme from Lineweaver-Burk plot was found to be 8.22. 5′-pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) had little effect on the regulation of its activity.

Precise base editing of non-allelic acetolactate synthase genes confers sulfonylurea herbicide resistance in maize

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms contribute to phenotypic diversity in maize. Creation and functional annotation of point mutations has been limited by the low efficiency of conventional methods based on random mutation. An efficient tool for generating targeted single-base mutations is desirable for both functional genomics and precise genetic improvement. The objective of this study was to test the efficiency of targeted C-to-T base editing of two non-allelic acetolactate synthase(ALS) in generating sulfonylurea herbicide-resistant mutants. A CRISPR/Cas9 nickase-cytidine deaminase fused with uracil DNA glycosylase inhibitor(UGI) was employed to achieve targeted conversion of cytosine to thymine in ZmALS1 and ZmALS2. Both protoplasts and recovered mutant plants showed the activity of the cytosine base editor, with an in vivo efficiency of up to 13.8%. Transgene-free edited plants harboring a homozygous ZmALS1 mutation or a ZmALS1 and ZmALS2 double mutation were tested for their resistance at a dose of up to 15-fold the recommended limit of chlorsulfuron, a sulfonylurea herbicide widely used in agriculture. Targeted base editing of C-to-T per se and a phenotype verified in the generated mutants demonstrates the power of base editing in precise maize breeding.

Stiff-Person Syndrome Associated with Anti-Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase Autoimmune Encephalitis in a Young Woman: A Case Report

A 34-year-old female with stiff-person syndrome(SPS)is reported in this paper.She experienced short-term memory impairment and was diagnosed with anti-glutamic add decarboxylase(GAD)autoimmune encephalitis(AE)at the local hospital.However,after the treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin and highdose glucocorticoids,her symptoms unchanged.Two months later,she was admitted to our hospital due to an unstable gait and persistent leg stiffness,at which point she was diagnosed as anti-GAD AE concomitant with SPS.Her clinical symptoms improved with an increased dose of y-aminobutyric acid(GABA)-enhancing drug and plasma exchange.Anti-GAD antibody-associated AE combined with SPS is extremely rare.Treatment with GABA-enhancing drugs and appropriate immunotherapy can improve the neurological function of patients suffering from the combination of SPS and limbic encephalitis.

Expression of ornithine decarboxylase in precancerous and cancerous gastric lesions

AIM: To investigate the expression of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) in precancerous and cancerous gastric lesions. METHODS: We studied the expression of ODC in gastric mucosa from patients with chronic superficial gastritis (CSG,n = 32),chronic atrophic gastritis CAG,n = 43; 15 with and 28 without intestinal metaplasia (IM),gastric dysplasia (DYS,n = 11) and gastric cancer (GC,n = 48) tissues using immunohistochemical staining. All 134 biopsy specimens of gastric mucosa were collected by gastroscopy. METHODS: The positive rate of ODC expression was 34.4%,42.9%,73.3%,81.8% and 91.7% in cases with CSG,CAG without IM,CAG with IM,DYS and GC,respectively (P < 0.01),The positive rate of ODC expression increased in the order of CSG < CAG (without IM) < CAG (with IM) < DYS and finally,GC. In addition,ODC positive immunostaining rate was lower in well-differentiated GC than in poorly-differentiated GC (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The expression of ODC is positively correlated with the degree of malignity of gastric mucosa and development of gastric lesions. This finding indicates that ODC may be used as a good biomarker in the screening and diagnosis of precancerous lesions.

Ornithine decarboxylase gene is overexpressed in colorectal carcinoma

AIM: To investigate the ornithine decarboxylase (ODC)gene expression in colorectal carcinoma, ODC mRNA was assayed by RT-PCR and ODC protein was detected by a monoclonal antibody against fusion of human colon ODC prepared by hybridoma technology.METHODS: Total RNA was extracted from human colorectal cancer tissues and their normal counterpart tissues. ODC mRNA levels were examined by RT-PCR.ODC genes amplified from RT-PCR were cloned into a prokaryotic vector pQE-30. The expressed proteins were purified by chromatography. Anti-ODC mAb was prepared with classical hybridoma techniques and used to determine the ODC expression in colon cancer tissues by immunohistochemical and Western blotting assay.RESULTS: A cell line, which could steadily secrete antiODC mAb, was selected through subcloning four times.Western blotting reconfirmed the mAb and ELISA showed that its subtype was IgG2a. RT-PCR showed that the ODC mRNA level increased greatly in colon cancer tissues (P＜0.01). Immunohistochemical staining showed that colorectal carcinoma cells expressed a significantly higher level of ODC than normal colorectal mucosa (98.6±1.03%vs 5.26±5%, P＜0.01).CONCLUSION: ODC gene overexpression is significantly related to human colorectal carcinoma. ODC gene expression may be a marker for the gene diagnosis and therapy of colorectal carcinoma.

Tissue-specific Expression of Acetolactate Synthase (ALS), Male Sterility-inducing Effect of Tribenuron-methyl and Its Effect on ALS Activity in Brassica napus L.

[Objectives]This study was conducted to provide a basis for the rapid identification of the drug spraying effect in early stage and the molecular mechanism of chemical hybridizing in Brassica napus L.[Methods]Quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that ALS was constitutively expressed in various tissues of 096030,including flower buds,four floral organs (calyxes,petals,stamens and pistils),roots,stems and leaves.ALS was prominently expressed in leaves and was expressed weakly in the petals and stamens.The male sterility-inducing effects of tribenuron-methyl on such two Brassica napus L.varieties as Ningyou18 and 096030 were investigated.[Results]Plants were twice sprayed with 0.2 μg/ml tribenuron-methyl on leaves.The results showed that 8-10 ml of tribenuron- methyl was applied per plant for the first time at bolting stage with 1-2 mm flower buds on 15-20 cm inflorescence,and the second spray was performed with 8-10 ml of tribenuron-methyl per plant 10 d later.The results showed that the percentage of the full sterile plants reached 100%,which lasted for the whole flowering period,and the relative seed setting rate was only about 4%.Thus,this method could fullfill the requirement of hybrid seed production in field.The in-vivo enzyme activity of acetolactate synthase (ALS) was assayed using 2 mm buds collected 3 d after spray.The results showed that 0.2 μg/ml tribenuron-methyl inhibited ALS activity.The ALS activity of Ningyou 18 (CK) and Ningyou 18 (0.2 μg/ml) was 3.20 and 1.30 μmol/(mg·h),respectively,and the ALS activity of 096030 (CK) and 096030 (0.2 μg/ml) was 3.37 and 1.25 μmol/(mg·h),respectively.The relative enzyme activity of ALS in Ningyou18 and 096030 was 40.63% and 37.23%,respectively,both of which decreased significantly.[Conclusions]These results showed that the change of ALS activity may be used as an index for quickly identifying and predicting the chemical hybridizing effect of tribenuron-methyl.