Plant annexins represent a multigene family involved in cellular elongation and development. A cDNA encoding a novel annexin was isolated from a cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) fiber cDNA library and designated GhAnx1. This gene encodes a 316 amino acid protein with a theoretical molecular mass of 36.06 kDa and a theoretical pI of 6.19. At the amino acid level, it shares high sequence similarity and has evolutionary relationships with annexins from higher plants. The purified recombinant protein expressed in Escherichia coli was used to investigate its physicochemical properties. Circular dichroism spectrum analyses showed a positive peak rising to the maximum at 196 nm and a broad negative band rounding 215 nm, suggesting that the GhAnx1 protein was prominently α-helical. The fluorescence measurements indicated that it could bind to Ca²⁺ in vitro. These results demonstrated that GhAnx1 was a typical annexin protein in cotton. A bioassay experiment was conducted to analyze its potential function and showed that E. coli cells expressing GhAnx1 were protected from tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBH) stress, suggesting that it had a potential antioxidative role. Northern blot analyses revealed that GhAnx1 was highly expressed in fibers, especially during the elongation stage, suggesting that it might be important for fiber elongation.

Zhou L, Duan J, Wang XM, Zhang HM, Duan MX, Liu JY (2011) Characterization of a novel annexin gene from cotton (Gossypium hirsutum cv CRI 35) and antioxidative role of its recombinant protein. J. Integr. Plant Biol. 53(5), 347–357.

Low temperature storage is widely applied to maintain citrus postharvest fruit quality. In this study, the transcriptional and metabolic changes in the pulp tissue of Citrus reticulata Blanco cv. “Ponkan” were studied for three successive months under cold storage by Affymetrix Citrus GeneChip and gas chromatography, respectively. As many as 2 161 differentially expressed transcripts were identified based on the bayesian hierarchical model. The statistical analysis of gene ontology revealed that defense/stress-related genes were induced quickly, while autophagy-related genes were overrepresented in the late sampling stages, suggesting that the functional shift may coincide with the subsequent steps of chilling development. We further classified the potential regulatory components and concluded that ethylene may play the crucial role in chilling development in this non-climacteric fruit. To cope with complex events, 53 upregulated transcription factors represented regulatory candidates. Within these, the AP2-EREBP, C2H2 and AS2 gene family were overrepresented. Cold storage also causes alterations in various metabolic pathways; a keen interest is paid in deciphering expression changes of soluble sugar genes as increased evidence that soluble sugars act as both osmolytes and metabolite signal molecules. Our results will likely facilitate further studies in this field with promising genetic candidates during chilling.

Zhu A, Li W, Ye J, Sun X, Ding Y, Cheng Y, Deng X (2011) Microarray expression profiling of postharvest Ponkan mandarin (Citrus reticulata) fruit under cold storage reveals regulatory gene candidates and implications on soluble sugars metabolism. J. Integr. Plant Biol. 53(5), 358–374.

It is thought that the Stay Green Rice (SGR) gene is involved in the disaggregation of the light harvesting complex and in the subsequent breakdown of chlorophyll and apo-protein during senescence. In this study, we found that overexpression of SGR (Ov-SGR) resulted in the generation of singlet oxygen and other reactive oxygen species and produced a chlorophyll-dependent regional cell death phenotype on leaves of rice seedlings. Transcriptome analyses using Affymetrix Rice GeneChips revealed that Ov-SGR rice seedlings exhibited a number of signs of singlet oxygen response. The genes and their associated biochemical pathways identified provide an insight into how rice plants respond to singlet oxygen at the molecular and physiologic level.

Jiang H, Chen Y, Li M, Xu X, Wu G (2011) Overexpression of SGR results in oxidative stress and lesion-mimic cell death in rice seedlings. J. Integr. Plant Biol. 53(5), 375–387.

Glucose appears to have an antagonistic relationship with ethylene and ethylene and polyamines appear to play antagonistic roles in the abortion of seeds and fruits. Moreover, ethylene, spermidine, and spermine share a common biosynthetic precursor. The synchronous changes of them and the relationships with kernel set are currently unclear. Here, we stimulated maize (Zea mays L.) apical kernel set and studied their changes at 4, 8, 12, and 16 d after pollination (DAP). The status of the apical kernels changed from abortion to set, showing a pattern similar to that of the middle kernels, with slow decrease in glucose and rapid decline in ethylene production, and a sharp increase in spermidine and spermine after four DAP. Synchronous changes in ethylene and spermidine were also observed. However, the ethylene production decreased slowly in the aborted apical kernels, the glucose and polyamines concentrations were lower. Ethephon application did not block the change from abortion to set for the setting apical kernels. These data indicate that the developmental change may be accompanied by an inhibition of adequate glucose to ethylene synthesis and subsequent promotion of spermidine and spermine synthesis, and adequate carbohydrate supply may play a key role in the developmental process.

Feng HY, Wang ZM, Kong FN, Zhang MJ, Zhou SL (2011) Roles of carbohydrate supply and ethylene, polyamines in maize kernel set. J. Integr. Plant Biol. 53(5), 388–398.