Publikationen - Molekulare Signalverarbeitung

Three chimeric gene constructs were designed comprising the full length cDNA of a lipoxygenase (LOX) from barley (LOX2:Hv:1) including its chloroplast targeting sequence (cTP) under control of either (1) CaMV35S- or (2) polyubiquitin-1-promoter, whereas the third plasmid contains 35S promoter and the cDNA without cTP. Transgenic barley plants overexpressing LOX2:Hv:1 were generated by biolistics of scutella from immature embryos. Transformation frequency for 35S::LOX with or without cTP was in a range known for barley particle bombardment, whereas for Ubi::cTP-LOX no transgenic plants were detected. In general, a high number of green plantlets selected on bialaphos became yellow and finally died either in vitro or after potting. All transgenic plants obtained were phenotypically indistinguishable from wild type plants and all of them set seeds. The corresponding protein (LOX-100) in transgenic T0 and T1 plants accumulated constitutively to similar levels as in the jasmonic acid methyl ester (JAME)-treated wild type plants. Moreover, LOX-100 was clearly detectable immunocytochemically within the chloroplasts of untreated T0 plants containing the LOX-100-cDNA with the chloroplast target sequence. In contrast, an exclusive localization of LOX-100 in the cytoplasm was detectable when the target sequence was removed. In comparison to sorbitol-treated wild type leaves, analysis of oxylipin profiles in T2 progenies showed higher levels of jasmonic acid (JA) for those lines that displayed elevated levels of LOX-100 in the chloroplasts and for those lines that harboured LOX-100 in the cytoplasm, respectively. The studies demonstrate for the first time the constitutive overexpression of a cDNA coding for a 13-LOX in a monocotyledonous species and indicate a link between the occurrence of LOX-100 and senescence.

Immature scutella of barley were transformed with cDNA coding for a 13-lipoxygenase of barley (LOX-100) via particle bombardment. Regenerated plants were tested by PAT-assay, Western-analysis and PCR-screening. Immunocytochemical assay of T0 plants showed expression of the LOX cDNA both in the chloroplasts and in the cytosol, depending on the presence of the chloroplast signal peptide sequences in the cDNA. A few transgenic plants containing higher amounts of LOX-derived products have been found. These are the candidates for further analysis concerning pathogen resistance.

Thionins are a group of antimicrobial polypeptides that form part of the plant's defense mechanism against pathogens. The Thi 2.1 thionin gene of Arabidopsis thaliana has been shown to be inducible by jasmonic acid (JA), an oxylipin‐like hormone derived from oxygenated linolenic acid and synthesized via the octadecanoid pathway. The JA‐dependent regulation of the Thi 2.1 gene has been exploited for setting up a genetic screen for the isolation of signal transduction mutants that constitutively express the Thi 2.1 gene. Ten cet‐mutants have been isolated which showed a c onstitutive e xpression of the t hionin gene. Allelism tests revealed that they represent at least five different loci. Some mutants are dominant, others recessive, but all cet mutations behaved as monogenic traits when backcrossed with Thi 2.1‐GUS plants. Some of the mutants overproduce JA and its bioactive precursor 12‐oxophytodienoic acid (OPDA) up to 40‐fold while others have the same low levels as the control wildtype plants. Two of the mutants showed a strong induction of both the salicylic acid (SA)‐ and the JA‐dependent signaling pathways, while the majority seems to be affected only in the octadecanoid pathway. The Thi 2.1 thionin gene and the Pdf 1.2 defensin gene are activated independently, though both are regulated by JA. The cet‐mutants, except for one, also show a spontaneous leaf cell necrosis, a reaction often associated with the systemic acquired resistance (SAR) pathway.

The culture filtrate of Fusarium oxysporum f sp matthiolae was inspected on the occurrence of jasmonates and related compounds. Among compounds described for the first time of biological origin are 7-iso-cucurbic acid, (1S,2S)- and (1S,2R)-3-oxo-2-pentylcyclopentane-1-butyric acid, (1S,2S)- and (1S,2R)-3-oxo-2-(2Z-pentenyl)cyclopentane-1-hexanoic acid, (1S,2S)- and (1S,2R)-3-oxo-2-pentylcyclopentane-1-hexanoic acid, (1S,2S)-3-oxo-2-(2Z-pentenyl)cyclopentane-1-octanoic acid, (1S,2S)-3-oxo-2-pentylcyclopentane-1-octanoic acid and N-[9,10-dihydro-7-iso-jasmonoyl]-(S)-isoleucine. The following metabolites were identified for the first time for this fungus: (−)-Jasmonic acid, 9,10-dihydrojasmonic acid and N-[(−)-jasmonoyl-(S)]-isoleucine were major constituents of the culture filtrate, whereas as minor metabolites occurred N-[9,10-dihydrojasmonoyl]-(S)-isoleucine, cucurbic acid and 3-oxo-2-(2Z-pentenyl)cyclopentane-1-butyric acid, 3-oxo-2-(2Z-pentenyl)cyclopentane-1-octanoic acid and 3-oxo-2-pentylcyclopentane-1-octanoic acid. All cyclopentanones found carried a cis- or trans-attached side chain. Didehydro-jasmonates, hydroxylated jasmonates or 12-oxophytodienoic acid could not be detected in the culture filtrate.

In seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana the thionin gene Thi2.1 is inducible by methyl jasmonate, wounding, silver nitrate, coronatine, and sorbitol. We have used a biochemical and genetic approach to test the signal transduction of these different inducers. Both exogenously applied jasmonates and jasmonates produced endogenously upon stress induction, lead to GUS expression in a Thi2.1 promoter-uidA transgenic line. No GUS expression was observed in a coi1 mutant background which lacks jasmonate perception whereas methyl jasmonate and coronatine but not the other inducers were able to overcome the block in jasmonic acid production in a fad3-2 fad7-2 fad8 mutant background. Our results show conclusively that all these inducers regulate Thi2-1 gene expression via the octadecanoid pathway.

The Arabidopsis Thi2.1 thionin gene was cloned and sequenced. The promoter was fused to the uidA gene and stably transformed into Arabidopsis to study its regulation. GUS expression levels correlated with the steady‐state levels of Thi2.1 mRNA, thus demonstrating that the promoter is sufficient for the regulation of the Thi2.1 gene. The sensitivity of the Thi2.1 gene to methyl jasmonate was found to be developmentally determined. Systemic and local expression could be induced by wounding and inoculation with Fusarium oxysporum f sp. matthiolae . A deletion analysis of the promoter identified a fragment of 325 bp upstream of the start codon, which appears to contain all the elements necessary for the regulation of the Thi2.1 gene. These results support the view that thionins are defence proteins, and indicate the possibility that resistance of Arabidopsis plants to necrotrophic fungal pathogens is mediated through the octadecanoid pathway.