Characterization and Expression Profiling of Genes Encoding the Gibberellin 3-oxidase in Dasypyrum villosum Dwarf Mutant

Gibberellin 3-oxidase catalyzes the conversion of inactive gibberellin(GA) species into GAs with biological activity and it is subjected to strict developmental controls in the life cycle of a plant. In this study, 33 gene sequences, encoding the gibberellin 3-oxidase(GA3ox) from Dasypyrum villosum and its dwarf mutant, were obtained. Each contained a 1 107 bp coding sequence(CDS) that encoded a putative protein containing 369 amino acids. The GA3ox protein showed 77% to 97% homology and shared the major conserved structural domains of GA3ox proteins with rice, sorghum bicolor, oat, barley, and wheat. Sequence alignment showed that there were 20 single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) and 22 Insertion/deletions(In Dels) among these sequences, which could be divided into 2 haplotypes, haplotypes Ⅰ and Ⅱ. Haplotype Ⅰ was found in the wild type and was1 495 bp in length, and haplotype Ⅱ was found in the dwarf mutant and was 1 485 bp in length. The Q-PCR results showed that GA3ox was expressed in the leaves, roots, internodes, and stem nodes, and that there was a significant difference in the transcript level of the GA3ox between the wild type and dwarf mutant. The transcript levels of GA3ox in the leaves at the seedling stage, stem elongation stage and the heading stage, in the root and stem nodes at the stem elongation stage and in the internodes at the heading stage of the wild type, were significantly higher than those in the dwarf mutant. However, GA3ox expression in the rest of the wild type tissues at the 3 stages was slightly higher than or not different from the dwarf mutant.The results suggested that the wild type and mutant allele sequences of GA3ox in D. villosum showed 2 amino acid changes in exons and variations in the lengths of introns or the SNPs in introns, which most probably impaired the function of the enzyme,affected the GA3ox expression level, and eventually gave rise to dwarfing.

Effects of Nitric Oxide on the Germination of Wheat Seeds and Its Reactive Oxygen Species Metabolisms Under Osmotic Stress

Effects of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a nitric oxide (NO) donor, on the germination and metabolism of reactive oxygen species were surveyed in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seeds. Germination of wheat seeds and even the elongation of radicle and plumule were dramatically promoted by SNP treatments during the germination under osmotic stress. Meanwhile, activities of amylase and EP were enhanced, thus leading to the degradation of storage reserve in seeds. After osmotic stress was removed, higher viability of wheat seeds was also maintained. In addition, the activities of CAT, APX and the content of proline were increased by SNP treatment simultaneously, but activities of LOX were inhibited, and both of which were beneficial for improving the antioxidant capacity during the germination of wheat seeds under osmotic stress. It was also shown that the increase of the activity of amylase induced by SNP in embryoless half-seeds of wheat in the beginning period of germination (6 h) might be indirectly related to GA(3).

Experiments on decolourization with 122-resin for extraction of gib-berellins from solid medium under different conditions

The extracting liquid of gibberellins (Gibberella fujikuroi) from solid medium for was decolorized separately with 75%, 95% alcohol, and distilled water in static adsorption and vibrating way for different durations. The results showed that the content of GA3 in efflux extracted with alcohol is 10% higher than that with distilled water. With the increase of the durations of extraction, the content of GA3 increases and the dissolution of pigments also increase. For extraction of GA3 cultured in solid medium, the best decolorizing result was obtained when it was extracted with 75%-95% alcohol in static way for 1-3 h, or in a vibrating way for 30-60 min, and then to decolor in a static way for 30-60 min in 122 resin column.

Study on the Flowering Regulator of the Paeonia suffruticosa ＂Hongdan Lan＂

In the study, Southwest peony varieties group of Paeonia suffruticosa ＂Hongdan Lan＂ were analyzed, test was mainly divided into two parts, one is the nature of the low temperature, through the external environment is mainly （temperature, light） gibberellin and nutrition solution regulation, on the Tianpeng peony florescence control technological research. The second is to explore the flower forcing peony after anthesis regeneration technique. The main research results： comprehensive gibberellin peony flower induction of morphological and physiological indexes, such as gibberellin concentration of 150 mgFL and 200 mg/L the effect of flower induction was better than the other treatments; gibberelin （GA3） breaking the dormancy of the peony to blossom ahead of time has the promoter action, also has certain effect on nutritional growth; to premature flowering the abscisic acid （ABA） has opposite effect; whereas auxin （IAA） and corn （ZT） effect was not obvious; rejuvenation results showed that after a year of conservation and managemental measures, flower induction after the flower of peony played a very important role in the restoration. After the winter flower induction, peony flowerpot of soil hardening, through the soil replacement, repair of roots, flower peony recovery showed a very significant effect.

Modulation of Sex Expression in Four Forms of Watermelon by Gibberellin, Ethephone and Silver Nitrate

There has been no systematic research on the effect of plant growth regulators and silver nitrate treatments on the control of sex expression in watermelon. In this study, we tested sex expression responses of four watermelon forms(monoecism, gynoecism, andromonoecism,and hermaphrodite) to gibberellin, ethephon and silver nitrate treatments. Results have shown that, in monoecious plants, gibberellins(GA_3)and ethephon treatments reduced the percentage of female flowers and delayed the occurrence of the first female flower, while silver nitrate induced the formation of bisexual flowers. In gynoecious plants, both ethephon and silver nitrate treatments transformed some female flowers into bisexual flowers, and treatment with ethephon resulted in a mass of abnormal flowers, while no obvious effect of treatment with GA_3 was observed. In andromonoecious plants, ethephon and GA_3 treatments delayed the occurrence of the first bisexual flower, and GA_3 reduced the percentage of bisexual flowers, while no distinct effect for silver nitrate treatment was observed. In hermaphroditic plants, ethephon treatment induced the appearance of numerous abnormal flowers, while no obvious effects for GA_3 and silver nitrate treatments were observed.We analyzed the transcription levels of all the expressed aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase(ACS) homologues in two gynoecious mutants and their wild types. We also tested the gene expression of CitACS4 which had been recognized as the andromonoecious gene in all treatments. All these results suggested that the best masculinizing treatment for breeding of the gynoecious line is silver nitrate, which repressed the expression of CitACS4 and induced many bisexual flowers for use in self-fertilization subsequently.

Genome-scale analysis of the cotton KCS gene family revealed a binary mode of action for gibberellin A regulated fiber growth

Production of b-ketoacyl-Co A, which is catalyzed by 3-ketoacyl-CoA synthase（KCS）, is the first step in very long chain fatty acid（VLCFA） biosynthesis. Here we identified 58 KCS genes from Gossypium hirsutum, 31 from G. arboreum and 33 from G. raimondii by searching the assembled cotton genomes. The gene family was divided into the plant-specific FAE1-type and the more general ELO-type. KCS transcripts were widely expressed and 32 of them showed distinct subgenome-specific expressions in one or more cotton tissues/organs studied. Six Gh KCS genes rescued the lethality of elo2Δelo3Δ yeast double mutant,indicating that this gene family possesses diversified functions.Most KCS genes with GA-responsive elements（GAREs） in the promoters were significantly upregulated by gibberellin A_3（GA）.Exogenous GA_3 not only promoted fiber length, but also increased the thickness of cell walls significantly. GAREs present also in the promoters of several cellulose synthase（CesA） genes required for cell wall biosynthesis and they were all induced significantly by GA_3. Because GA treatment resulted in longer cotton fibers with thicker cell walls and higher dry weight per unit cell length, we suggest that it may regulate fiber elongation upstream of the VLCFA-ethylene pathway and also in the downstream steps towards cell wall synthesis.