A Nucleus-encoded Topological Specificity Factor PpMinE in Physcomitrella patens has Conserved Function Similar to Its Chloroplast-encoded Ancestor

A nucleus-encoded MinE gene, designated PpMinE, from Physcomitrella patens was identified using RT-PCR. The presence of both N- and C-terminal extensions in PpMinE protein suggested its cyanobacterial origin. The transient expression of PpMinE using green fluorescent protein fusion in tobacco （Nicotiana tabacum L.） indicated that the PpMinE was a chloroplast-targeted protein. Overexpression of PpMinE in Escherichia coli caused division site misplacement and minicell formation, suggesting evolutionary functional conservation of MinE during plant phylogenesis. According to the phylogenetic tree, PpMinE protein has a close relationship with the highland plants, which suggests that the transfer events of MinE gene from plastid to nucleus might have occurred before the origin of the land plants.

A Transcriptome Atlas of Physcomitrella patens Provides Insights into the Evolution and Development of Land Plants

Identifying the genetic mechanisms that underpin the evolution of new organ and tissue systems is an aim of evolutionary developmental biology. Comparative functional genetic studies between angiosperms and bryophytes can define those genetic changes that were responsible for developmental innovations. Here, we report the generation of a transcriptome atlas covering most phases in the life cycle of the model bryo- phyte Physcomitrella patens, including detailed sporophyte developmental progression. We identified a comprehensive set of sporophyte-specific transcription factors, and found that many of these genes have homologs in angiosperms that function in developmental processes such as flowering and shoot branching. Deletion of the PpTCP5 transcription factor results in development of supernumerary sporangia attached to a single seta, suggesting that it negatively regulates branching in the moss sporophyte. Given that TCP genes repress branching in angiosperms, we suggest that this activity is ancient. Finally, compar- ison of P. patens and Arabidopsis thaliana transcriptomes led us to the identification of a conserved core of transcription factors expressed in tip-growing cells. We identified modifications in the expression patterns of these genes that could account for developmental differences between P. patens tip-growing cells and A. thaliana pollen tubes and root hairs.

Computational Analysis of Drought Stress-Associated miRNAs and miRNA Co-Regulation Network in Physcomitrella patens

miRNAs are non-coding small RNAs that involve diverse biological processes. Until now, little is known about their roles in plant drought resistance. Physcomitrella patens is highly tolerant to drought; however, it is not clear about the basic biology of the traits that contribute P. patens this important character. In this work, we discovered 16 drought stress-associated miRNA （DsAmR） families in P. patens through computational analysis. Due to the possible discrepancy of expression periods and tissue distributions between potential DsAmRs and their targeting genes, and the existence of false positive results in computational identification, the prediction results should be examined with further experimental validation. We also constructed an miRNA co-regulation network, and identi- fied two network hubs, miR902a-Sp and miR414, which may play important roles in regulating drought-resistance traits. We distributed our results through an online database named ppt-miRBase, which can be accessed at http：/Poioinfor.cnu.edu.cn/ppt_miRBase/index.php. Our methods in finding DsAmR and miRNA co-regulation network showed a new direction for identifying miRNA functions.

Target deletion of the AAA ATPase PpCDC48II in Physcomitrella patens results in freezing sensitivity after cold acclimation

CDC48 is a highly conserved protein in eukaryotes and belongs to the AAA （ATPase associated with a variety of cellular activities） superfamily. It can interact with many different cofactors and form protein complexes that play important roles in various cellular processes. According to the Physcomitrella patens database, one member of the ATPases, the cell cycle gene PpCDC4811, was cloned. PpCDC48II contains two typical ATPase modules and is highly homologous to AtCDC48A. PpCDC4811 was up-regulated in mRNA levels after incubation at 0~C for 36 and 72 h. To further elucidate protein function, we disrupted the PpCDC4811 gene by transforming P. patens with the corresponding linear genomic sequences. When treated to the same freezing stress, it was found that PpCDC4811 knockout plants were less resistant to freezing treatment than wild type after acclimation. This suggested that PpCDC481I was an essential gene for low-temperature-induced freezing tolerance in P. patens cells.

应用傅立叶变换回旋共振质谱对小立碗藓新蛋白的序列分析

Two new proteins from physcomitrella patens were sequenced by nanoLC-FT-ICR tandem mass spectrometry.Eight and seven peptides were sequenced for spot 303 and spot 413 respectively.Database search was performed through the search engine Mascot (www.matrixscience.com) by MS/MS ion search program and Sequence Tag program.Blast was performed too.No statistical significant results were obtained from database search.The reliable amino acid sequences can be used for gene clone due to high mass accuracy.This research indicates that nanoLC-FT-ICR tandem mass spectrometric technique is powerful tools for new protein sequence analysis and will play an important role in plant proteomics research.

Between a Rock and a Dry Place： The Water-Stressed Moss

The earliest land plants faced a suite of abiotic stresses largely unknown to their aquatic algal ancestors. The descendants of these plants evolved two general mechanisms for survival in the relatively arid aerial environment. While the vascular plants or ＇tracheophytes＇ developed tissue specializations to transport and retain water, the other main lineages of land plants, the bryophytes, retained a simple, nonvascular morphology. The bryophytes--mosses, hornworts, and liverworts--continually undergo a co-equilibration of their water content with the surrounding environment and rely to a great extent on intrinsic cellular mechanisms to mitigate damage due to water stress. This short review will focus on the cellular and molecular responses to dehydration and rehydration in mosses, and offer insights into general plant responses to water stress.