Molecular Characterization of the Acyl-CoA-Binding Protein Genes Reveals Their Significant Roles in Oil Accumulation and Abiotic Stress Response in Cotton.

Members of the acyl-CoA-binding protein (ACBP) gene family play vital roles in diverse processes related to lipid metabolism, growth and development, and environmental response. Plant genes have been well-studied in a variety of species including Arabidopsis, soybean, rice and maize. However, the identification and functions of genes in cotton remain to be elucidated.

Genome-wide characterization of the UDP-glycosyltransferase gene family reveals their potential roles in leaf senescence in cotton.

Uridine diphosphate (UDP) glycosyltransferases (UGTs) involved in many metabolic processes and are essential for plant growth and development. Although UGTs proteins have been studied in many plants, the biological functions of UGT genes in cotton leaf senescence are still unknown. In the present study, we performed a genome-wide survey and identified 157 GrUGT, 152 GaUGT and 261 GHUGT genes in Gossypium raimondii, G.

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analyses of the Cotton Genes and Their Potential Roles in Fiber Development and Stress Response.

Argonaute proteins (AGOs) are indispensable components of RNA silencing. However, systematic characterization of the genes have not been completed in cotton until now. In this study, cotton genes were identified and analyzed with respect to their evolution and expression profile during biotic and abiotic stresses.

Transcriptional Differences in Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Seeds at the Freshly Harvested, After-ripening and Newly Germinated Seed Stages: Insights into the Regulatory Networks of Seed Dormancy Release and Germination.

Seed dormancy and germination are the two important traits related to plant survival, reproduction and crop yield. To understand the regulatory mechanisms of these traits, it is crucial to clarify which genes or pathways participate in the regulation of these processes. However, little information is available on seed dormancy and germination in peanut.

Systematic analysis of NAC transcription factors in uncovers their roles in response to Verticillium wilt.

As one of the largest plant-specific gene families, the NAC transcription factor gene family plays important roles in various plant physiological processes that are related to plant development, hormone signaling, and biotic and abiotic stresses. However, systematic investigation of the gene family in sea-island cotton ( L.) has not been reported, to date.

[Analysis of the peanut transgenic offspring with depressing AhFAD2 gene].

The delta-12 fatty acid desaturase (Δ¹² FAD or FAD2) is a key enzyme that catalyzes oleic acid to linoleic acid by dehydrogenation at Δ¹² position of fatty acid carbon chain. In peanut, reduction or loss of FAD2 activity could enhance the relative content of oleic acid in kernels, and improve the quality and oxidation stability of peanut kernels and products. RNA interference (RNAi) technology could lead to non-expression or down-regulated expression of AhFAD2 gene.

Molecular characterization of a stress-induced NAC gene, , from .

NAC genes, specific to plants, play important roles in plant development as well as in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. Here, a novel gene encoding a NAC domain, named as , was isolated from upland cotton ( L.).

Seed-Specific Expression of Increased Oil Content and Altered Fatty Acid Composition in Seeds of Peanut ( L.).

Peanut ( L.) is one of the major oil crops and is the fifth largest source of plant oils in the world. Numerous genes participate in regulating the biosynthesis and accumulation of the storage lipids in seeds or other reservoir organs, among which several transcription factors, such as (), , and (), involved in embryo development also control the lipid reservoir in seeds.

Natural variations in stearoyl-acp desaturase genes affect the conversion of stearic to oleic acid in maize kernel.

We identified 11 SAD genes, and mined their natural variations associated with the conservation of stearic to oleic acid, especially ZmSAD1 supported by both the QTL and an expression QTL. Maize oil is generally regarded as a healthy vegetable oil owing to its low abundance of saturated fatty acids. Stearoyl-ACP desaturase (SAD) is a key rate-limiting enzyme for the conservation of stearic (C18:0) to oleic (C18:1) acid.

Cloning and Characterization of 5' Flanking Regulatory Sequences of AhLEC1B Gene from Arachis Hypogaea L.

LEAFY COTYLEDON1 (LEC1) is a B subunit of Nuclear Factor Y (NF-YB) transcription factor that mainly accumulates during embryo development. We cloned the 5' flanking regulatory sequence of AhLEC1B gene, a homolog of Arabidopsis LEC1, and analyzed its regulatory elements using online software. To identify the crucial regulatory region, we generated a series of GUS expression frameworks driven by different length promoters with 5' terminal and/or 3' terminal deletion.

Identification of expressed resistance gene analogs from peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) expressed sequence tags.

Low genetic diversity makes peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) very vulnerable to plant pathogens, causing severe yield loss and reduced seed quality. Several hundred partial genomic DNA sequences as nucleotide-binding-site leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) resistance genes (R) have been identified, but a small portion with expressed transcripts has been found.

Identification of expressed resistance gene-like sequences by data mining in 454-derived transcriptomic sequences of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).

Background: Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is one of the most important legumes in the world. Several diseases severely reduce bean production and quality; therefore, it is very important to better understand disease resistance in common bean in order to prevent these losses.

A Bayesian model for gene family evolution.

Background: A birth and death process is frequently used for modeling the size of a gene family that may vary along the branches of a phylogenetic tree. Under the birth and death model, maximum likelihood methods have been developed to estimate the birth and death rate and the sizes of ancient gene families (numbers of gene copies at the internodes of the phylogenetic tree). This paper aims to provide a Bayesian approach for estimating parameters in the birth and death model.

Identification and analysis of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) transcriptomes by massively parallel pyrosequencing.

Background: Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is the most important food legume in the world. Although this crop is very important to both the developed and developing world as a means of dietary protein supply, resources available in common bean are limited. Global transcriptome analysis is important to better understand gene expression, genetic variation, and gene structure annotation in addition to other important features.

[Cloning and characterization of a transcription factor ZmNAC1 in maize (Zea mays)].

NAC transcription factors are a family of functionally diverse proteins. They are unique to plants and play an important role in regulation of plant growth and development, hormone regulation and responses to various stresses. A cDNA encoding the NAC-like gene homologue was isolated from maize (Zea mays L.

Proteomic analysis of early germs with high-oil and normal inbred lines in maize.

High-oil maize as a product of long-term selection provides a unique resource for functional genomics. In this study, the abundant soluble proteins of early developing germs from high-oil and normal lines of maize were compared using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DGE) in combination with mass spectrometry (MS). More than 1100 protein spots were detected on electrophoresis maps of both high-oil and normal lines by using silver staining method.