Genetic engineering of forest tree species is regarded as a strategy to reduce worldwide pressure on natural forests, to conserve genetic resources and ameliorate stress on global climate, and to meet growing demand f...Genetic engineering of forest tree species is regarded as a strategy to reduce worldwide pressure on natural forests, to conserve genetic resources and ameliorate stress on global climate, and to meet growing demand for forest wood and timber products. Genetic engineering approaches toward the control or management of fungal pathogens, arthropod herbivores, bacterial and viral diseases, the use of pest resistance genes, and weed competitors are being studied. Although the production of transgenic trees is relatively recent and only a few species have been successfully genetically engineered in forest tree species, very useful and valuable information is available on the application of transgenic trees. Genes involved in important agricultural traits such as herbicide resistance, insect resistance, and wood quality have been isolated and have been used to genetically engineer trees. New technologies of plant molecular biology and genomics now make it possible high-efficient genetic improvement of forest trees. Genetic engineering promises to expand greatly the potential for genetic manipulation as new genes of commercial interest are discovered and utilized. Lignification is a process essential to the nature and evolution of vascular plants that is still poorly understood, even though it has been studied for more than a century. Recent studies on mutant and transgenic plants indicate that lignification may be far more flexible than previously realized. Rines with a mutation affecting the biosynthesis of the major lignin precursor, coniferyl alcohol, show a high level of an unusual subunit, dihydroconiferyl alcohol. It is also unusual as a plant polymer in that there are no plant enzymes for its degradation. These results have significant implications regarding the tradiational definition of lignin, and highlight the need for a better understanding of the lignin precursor biosynthetic pathway. In this review, we describe the progress made recently in genetic engineering of forest tree species.展开更多
Xylanase 1 (Xyn1) is one of the two major representatives of the xylanase system of T. reesei; the mechanisms governing its expression were analysed throughout this study. All factors and regulatory motifs responsible...Xylanase 1 (Xyn1) is one of the two major representatives of the xylanase system of T. reesei; the mechanisms governing its expression were analysed throughout this study. All factors and regulatory motifs responsible for transcriptional regulation and the model of their interplay in induction and repression will be presented. Using in vivo foot printing analysis of xylan-induced and glucose repressed mycelia, we detected three adjacent nucleotide sequences contacted by DNA-binding proteins. Protection within the inverted repeat of the Cre1 (SYGGRG) consensus sequence on the non coding strand under repressing conditions is in perfect agreement with the previously reported Cre1 dependent glucose repression of xyn1. Constitutive protein binding could be observed to a CCAAT-box and an inverted repeat of a 5′ GGCTAA 3′ sequence. EMSA with crude extracts from induced and repressed mycelia revealed that the latter motifs are sufficient for formation of the basal transcriptional complex under all conditions. The inverted repeat of GGCTAA closely resembles the consensus sequences of the cellulase and xylanase regulators Ace1, Ace2 and, Xyr1 (encoded by xyr1, cloned and characterised in this study) EMSA with heterologously expressed components of each factor and of the T. reesei Hap2/3/5 protein complex revealed that the basal transcriptional complex is formed by Xyr1 and the Hap2/3/5. Additionally to the Cre1 mediated carbon catabolite repression a yet unknown mechanism antagonizing induction of xyn1 expression could be elucidated. Latter occurs through competition of the repressor Ace1 and Xyr1 for the GGCTAA motif. In vivo proof for the relevance of identified motifs could be given through analysis of T. reesei transformants containing correspondingly mutated versions of the xyn1 promoter fused to the A. niger goxA gene. The results indicated that the basal as well as the induction level of xyn1 gene transcription is dependent on an interaction of Xyr1 with the GGCTAA motif while formation of the CCAAT-Hap2/3/5 complex slightly reduces induction. It can be concluded that mutations impairing protein binding in vitro lead to a loss of distinct regulatory functions in xyn1 gene expression in vivo. A respective model of gene regulation will be presented.展开更多
文摘Genetic engineering of forest tree species is regarded as a strategy to reduce worldwide pressure on natural forests, to conserve genetic resources and ameliorate stress on global climate, and to meet growing demand for forest wood and timber products. Genetic engineering approaches toward the control or management of fungal pathogens, arthropod herbivores, bacterial and viral diseases, the use of pest resistance genes, and weed competitors are being studied. Although the production of transgenic trees is relatively recent and only a few species have been successfully genetically engineered in forest tree species, very useful and valuable information is available on the application of transgenic trees. Genes involved in important agricultural traits such as herbicide resistance, insect resistance, and wood quality have been isolated and have been used to genetically engineer trees. New technologies of plant molecular biology and genomics now make it possible high-efficient genetic improvement of forest trees. Genetic engineering promises to expand greatly the potential for genetic manipulation as new genes of commercial interest are discovered and utilized. Lignification is a process essential to the nature and evolution of vascular plants that is still poorly understood, even though it has been studied for more than a century. Recent studies on mutant and transgenic plants indicate that lignification may be far more flexible than previously realized. Rines with a mutation affecting the biosynthesis of the major lignin precursor, coniferyl alcohol, show a high level of an unusual subunit, dihydroconiferyl alcohol. It is also unusual as a plant polymer in that there are no plant enzymes for its degradation. These results have significant implications regarding the tradiational definition of lignin, and highlight the need for a better understanding of the lignin precursor biosynthetic pathway. In this review, we describe the progress made recently in genetic engineering of forest tree species.
文摘Xylanase 1 (Xyn1) is one of the two major representatives of the xylanase system of T. reesei; the mechanisms governing its expression were analysed throughout this study. All factors and regulatory motifs responsible for transcriptional regulation and the model of their interplay in induction and repression will be presented. Using in vivo foot printing analysis of xylan-induced and glucose repressed mycelia, we detected three adjacent nucleotide sequences contacted by DNA-binding proteins. Protection within the inverted repeat of the Cre1 (SYGGRG) consensus sequence on the non coding strand under repressing conditions is in perfect agreement with the previously reported Cre1 dependent glucose repression of xyn1. Constitutive protein binding could be observed to a CCAAT-box and an inverted repeat of a 5′ GGCTAA 3′ sequence. EMSA with crude extracts from induced and repressed mycelia revealed that the latter motifs are sufficient for formation of the basal transcriptional complex under all conditions. The inverted repeat of GGCTAA closely resembles the consensus sequences of the cellulase and xylanase regulators Ace1, Ace2 and, Xyr1 (encoded by xyr1, cloned and characterised in this study) EMSA with heterologously expressed components of each factor and of the T. reesei Hap2/3/5 protein complex revealed that the basal transcriptional complex is formed by Xyr1 and the Hap2/3/5. Additionally to the Cre1 mediated carbon catabolite repression a yet unknown mechanism antagonizing induction of xyn1 expression could be elucidated. Latter occurs through competition of the repressor Ace1 and Xyr1 for the GGCTAA motif. In vivo proof for the relevance of identified motifs could be given through analysis of T. reesei transformants containing correspondingly mutated versions of the xyn1 promoter fused to the A. niger goxA gene. The results indicated that the basal as well as the induction level of xyn1 gene transcription is dependent on an interaction of Xyr1 with the GGCTAA motif while formation of the CCAAT-Hap2/3/5 complex slightly reduces induction. It can be concluded that mutations impairing protein binding in vitro lead to a loss of distinct regulatory functions in xyn1 gene expression in vivo. A respective model of gene regulation will be presented.
