Active Methyl Cycle and Transfer Related Gene Expression in Response to Drought Stress in Rice Leaves

Three rice varieties, Zhonghan 3, Shanyou 63 and Aizizhan, were used as materials in detecting differential active methyl cycle and transfer related gene expression in response to drought stress. The experiment was performed by gene chip and mRNA differential display technologies under the conditions of drought simulated with 10% PEG6000 solution. The results indicated that the methyl cycle could be activated in the leaves of Zhonghan 3 and Shanyou 63 but inhibited in the leaves of Aizizhan under drought stress. Furthermore, drought stress could induce the expression of a large number of methyltransferase genes, especially the transcription of Rubisco protein methylation related genes, which are beneficial for prevention of Rubisco protein oxidation and degradation, and drought stress could inhibit the transcription of DNA methyltransferase genes and histone methyltransferase genes. This result confirmed that the active methyl cycle and transfer related genes were involved in rice drought resistance.

Gene transfer and expression in rat anastomotic artery in vivo using adenoviral vector

Objective To observe the efficiency and time course of gene expression and the safety of adenoviral vector mediated gene transfer in vivo.Methods After soaking soluble stents in a high concentration of glucose solution containing Adv5-CMV (cytomegalovirus) (control group) or Adv5-CMV/LacZ (treatment group) for 30 minutes, the stents were inserted into the lumina of cut rat carotid arteries and end-to-end anastomoses of the cut carotid were performed with standard microvascular surgical techniques. On days 2, 7, 14, 28, 60 and 90 after gene transfer, anastomotic arteries of the two groups were observed. On days 7 and 14, the ascending aortas, hearts, brains, livers, lungs, spleens and kidneys of the treatment group were observed. All samples were analyzed for the presence of β-galactosidase activity and histochemical staining.Results β-galactosidase activity was not detected in the carotid arteries of the control group and organs not directly exposed to adenoviral vector of the treatment group. The amount of β-galactosidase activity (×10-3?U/g tissue) in the treatment group on the 2nd, 7th, 14th, 28th, 60th and 90th day after gene transfer was 3.87, 11.38, 9.8, 6.43, 3.18 and 2.43, respectively. Microscopic examination of sections from vessels of the control group and from the aortas, hearts, brains, livers, lungs, spleens or kidneys of the treatment group revealed no X-gal staining. Microscopic examination of carotid arteries of the treatment group revealed blue-staining in all anastomotic arteries and in all layers of the arterial wall observed on days 7 and 14 after gene transfer.Conclusion Adenoviral vector can effectively infect blood vessels in vivo. After adenoviral vector mediated direct gene transfer into anastomotic rat carotid arteries, recombinant gene expression began on day 2, peaked between days 7 and 14, prominently declined after day 28, and persisted at low levels more than three months. A recombinant gene could be delivered to a specific site by direct gene transfer in vivo by adenoviral vector infection.