To explore the use of defensins for transgenic plant disease resistance, expression by agroinfiltration of plants, stable transformation of plants and stable transformation of yeast were tested for porcine β-defensin 1 (pbd-1) and Nicotiana tabacum defensin 1 (Ntdef1). Attempts to screen constructs by agroinfiltration of Nicotiana benthamiana leaves revealed that agroinfiltration alone induced localized resistance against Colletotrichum destructivum. A comparison of Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains showed that the induced resistance required the transfer of type IV effectors into plant cells and was independent of salicylic acid or ethylene signaling. Stable expression of pbd-1 in N. tabacum and Pichia pastoris showed that PBD-1 purified from P. pastoris had varying degrees of antimicrobial activity against a broad range of microbes, including P. syringae pv. tabaci, C. destructivum and C. orbiculare, but in transgenic N. tabacum, the protein could not be detected and resistance increased only slightly to P. syringae pv. tabaci but not to C. destructivum or C. orbiculare. Stable expression of Ntdef1 in P. pastoris yielded a protein with no or little antimicrobial activity, and stable expression in N. tabacum did not result in detectable Ntdef1 or increased resistance to those pathogens. Although PBD-1 had strong antimicrobial activity against plant pathogens, plant disease resistance likely did not increase because of the low level of the protein in the plants, whereas resistance did not increase with Ntdef1 likely because of low antimicrobial activity and low levels of the protein in the plant. This research demonstrates that agroinfiltration is not appropriate for testing genes for antimicrobial activity in planta, while the P. pastoris expression system is useful for producing protein for in vitro tests of a gene prior to its transfer to plants.

3’-end modification by polyadenylation is a ubiquitous feature of almost all eukaryotic mRNA species and is catalyzed by a consortium of enzymes, the polyadenylation factors. Poly(A) polymerase (PAP), the enzyme catalyzing the addition of adenosine residues during the polyadenylation stage, exists in four isoforms within Arabidopsis. In silico and yeast two-hybrid studies showed that PAP1 has unique expression and interaction pattern in Arabidopsis, suggesting non-canonical functions of PAP1. Its exclusive interaction with PAP4 has not been reported in other living systems until now and hints at a difference in polyadenylation in plants with respect to mammals and yeast. Cleavage Stimulation Factor (CstF), a heterotrimeric complex of the polyadenylation factors CstF50, CstF64 and CstF77, plays a role largely in cleavage of pre-mRNA. This study highlights some aspects of the Arabidopsis homologs of CstF64 and CstF77, central to various cellular processes other than nuclear polyadenylation. In silico studies showed an elevated expression of CstF64 in the pollen while that of CstF77 remained fairly low. Yeast two-hybrid assays indicated a novel kind of interaction of CstF64 with Fip1(V). It is also speculated from sub-cellular localization techniques by agroinfiltration in tobacco leaves that CstF64 localizes in the cytoplasm and CstF77 in the nucleus, as found for the orthologs of CstF77 in other systems.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:37:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 992783 bytes, checksum: 865bebc902b66a9a2f40688ff9d50a96 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-02-17 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Brazil is the second world soybean producer. Currently, the main limiting factor in this crop production is the Asian soybean rust (ASR) whose etiologic agent is the fungus Phakopsora pachyrhizi. The rust fungi are obligate parasites that during their interaction with the plant, they secrete effector proteins that manipulate host metabolism and interfere with their defense responses. Some of these effector proteins, called Avr proteins, are recognized by encoded proteins by resistant R genes, which usually trigger a hypersensitivity response (HR) and resistance phenotype. At least, there are five described R genes (Rpp1 to Rpp5) that confer resistance to ASR and several genes that encode secreted proteins by this fungus were recently identified. However, the effector proteins (Avr) recognized by encoded proteins by Rpp genes were not identified yet. Since there is not a transformation assay protocol for P. pachyrhizi, a strategy to identify this fungus Avr proteins is the transient expression of R proteins in resistant varieties cytoplasm and the observation of a possible HR response. Thus, the specific objectives of this work were: to try to establish a methodology for transient expression in soybean by agroinfiltration using the gene GUSPlus as reporter gene; to establish a protocol for translocation of effector proteins by the type III secretion system (SST3) of Pseudomonas syringae pv. glycinea race 4 (Psg4), and also to evaluate the effector activity of candidate genes in soybean resistant genotypes to the isolate PPUFV02 of P. pachyrhizi. There was no expression of the gene GUSPlus in Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA105 infiltrated soybean leaves, while using the same inoculum preparation and concentration of bacterial cells, there was a consistent expression of the gene GUSPlus in tobacco. This result derailed the use of agroinfiltration in the functional study of candidate genes in soybean effectors. All soybean genotypes evaluated were susceptible to Psg4, demonstrating that the viability to use this bacterial on functional analysis of candidate effector proteins mediated by SST3. Better symptoms reproducibility was observed with inoculation by vacuum infiltration of Psg4 in a bacterial concentration of OD600 = 0,01, for allowing a gradually symptoms analysis. The encoded protein by avrB gene is recognized by the RPG1 gene product, which is present in some genotypes of soybean. The construction pVSP61-avrB was able to induce HR in the genotype Williams 82, that contains the corresponding gene RPG1 and to induce it in the genotypes Conquista and PI 459025. This result allowed the use of this construction as a positive control for functional analysis of P. pachyrhizi putative effector proteins. Because of this, 12 sequences were cloned into vector pEDV6. This vector allows the expression of proteins of interest fused to secretion signal sequences by SST3, aiming its subsequent translocation into the cytosol. Nine from the constructions with pEDV6-PHPA_RSP transformed into Psg4 were submitted to functional analysis. The inoculated plants varied in severity of observed symptoms and no HR phenotype was observed. Instead, it was observed reduction, increase or absence of a significant change in the symptoms evolution of genotype-dependent manner in treated plants. These studies allowed a first screening of P. pachyrhizi effector candidates, selecting the candidates PHPA_RSP_71 and PHPA_RSP_78 as the most promising candidates for further detailed analysis. / O Brasil é o segundo maior produtor mundial de soja. Atualmente, o principal fator limitante na produção desta cultura é a ferrugem asiática da soja (FAS), cujo agente etiológico é o fungo Phakopsora pachyrhizi. Os fungos causadores das ferrugens são parasitas obrigatórios que durante sua interação com a planta secretam proteínas efetoras que manipulam o metabolismo do hospedeiro e interferem com suas respostas de defesa. Algumas dessas proteínas efetoras, denominadas proteínas Avr, são reconhecidas pelas proteínas codificadas por genes de resistência R, o que desencadeia a resposta de hipersensibilidade (HR) e fenótipo de resistência. Já foram descritos pelo menos cinco genes R (Rpp1 a Rpp5) que conferem resistência a FAS e vários genes que codificam proteínas secretadas por esse fungo foram recentemente identificados. Todavia, ainda não foram identificadas as proteínas efetoras (Avr) reconhecidas pelas proteínas codificadas pelos genes Rpp. Como não existe ainda um sistema de transformação para P. pachyrhizi, uma estratégia para identificar as proteínas Avr desse fungo é a expressão transiente das proteínas efetoras candidatas no citoplasma de variedades resistentes e a observação do possível desencadeamento de resposta de HR. Desta forma, os objetivos específicos deste trabalho foram tentar estabelecer uma metodologia de expressão transiente em soja via agroinfiltração utilizando como gene repórter o gene GUSPlus; estabelecer um protocolo de translocação de proteínas efetoras via sistema de secreção tipo III (SST3) de Pseudomonas syringae pv. glycinea raça 4 (Psg4), e também avaliar a atividade efetora de genes candidatos em genótipos de soja resistentes ao isolado monopustular PPUFV02 de P. pachyrhizi. Não se observou a expressão do gene GUSPlus em folhas de soja agroinfiltradas com Agrobacterium tumefaciens estirpe EHA105, enquanto que utilizando do mesmo preparo de inóculo e concentração de células bacterianas, observou-se a expressão consistente do gene GUSPlus em tabaco. Este resultado invibializou o uso de agroinfiltração no estudo funcional de genes efetores candidatos na soja. Todos os genótipos de soja avaliados foram suscetíveis a Psg4, demonstrando a vialibilidade do uso desta bactéria na análise funcional de proteínas candidatas a efetores mediada por SST3. Melhor reprodutibilidade de sintomas foi observada com a inoculação por infiltração a vácuo de Psg4 numa concentração bacteriana de OD600=0,01, por permitir uma análise dos sintomas de forma gradual. O produto do gene avrB é reconhecido pela produto do gene RPG1, presente em alguns genótipos de soja. A construção pVSP61-avrB, foi capaz de induzir HR no genótipo Williams 82, que contêm o gene RPG1 correspondente, e nos genótipos Conquista e PI 459025. Este resultado permitiu o uso desta construção como controle positivo para a análise funcional de proteínas efetoras putativas de P. pachyrhizi. Assim, 12 sequências foram clonadas no vetor pEDV6. Este vetor permite a expressão de proteínas de interesse fusionadas a sequências-sinais de secreção via SST3, visando a sua posterior translocação para o citosol. Nove das construções com pEDV6-PHPA_RSP transformadas em Psg4 foram submetidas à análise funcional. As plantas inoculadas variaram quanto à severidade dos sintomas observados e não foi constatado fenótipo de HR. Ao invés disso, nos tratamentos foi observado redução, aumento ou ausência de alteração significativa na evolução dos sintomas, de maneira genótipo-dependente. Esses estudos permitiram uma primeira triagem de candidatos a efetores de P. pachyrhizi, selecionando os candidatos PHPA_RSP_71 e PHPA_RSP_78 como os mais promissores para estudos futuros mais detalhados.