Introduction of bacterial metabolism into higher plants by polycistronic transgene expression.

Multiple-gene transformation is required to improve or change plant metabolisms effectively; but this many-step procedure is time-consuming and costing. We succeeded in the metabolic engineering of tobacco plants by introducing multiple genes as a bacteria-type operon into a plastid genome. The tobacco plastid was transformed with a polycistron consisting of three bacterial genes for the biosynthesis of a biodegradable polyester, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). Accumulation of PHB in the leaves of the transgenic tobacco indicated that the introduced genes were polycistronically expressed. This "phyto-fermentation" system can be used in plant production of various chemical commodities and pharmaceuticals.

Characterization of PBZ1, a probenazole-inducible gene, in suspension-cultured rice cells.

Probenazole (PBZ) induces non-race specific resistance in rice plants against rice blast fungus and PBZ1 was identified as a PBZ-inducible gene from rice. The induction of PBZ1 expression in suspension-cultured rice cells was investigated. Northern blot analysis indicated that PBZ1 was induced by PBZ in a dose-dependent manner. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) showed a dose and time-dependent accumulation of PBZ1 protein. Both mRNA and protein analysis showed that PBZ1 was not induced by salicylic acid or an active metabolite, 1,2-benzisothiazole-1,1-dioxide.

Probenazole induces systemic acquired resistance in Arabidopsis with a novel type of action.

Probenazole (PBZ; 3-allyloxy-1,2-benzisothiazole-1,1-dioxide), which is the active ingredient in Oryzemate, has been used widely in Asia to protect rice plants against the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe grisea. To study PBZ's mode of action, we analyzed its ability, as well as that of its active metabolite 1, 2-benzisothiazol-3 (2H)-one 1,1-dioxide (BIT) to induce defense gene expression and resistance in Arabidopsis mutants that are defective in various defense signaling pathways. Wild-type Arabidopsis treated with PBZ or BIT exhibited increased expression of several pathogenesis-related genes, increased levels of total salicylic acid (SA), and enhanced resistance to the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC 3000 and the oomycete pathogen Peronospora parasitica Emco5. The role of several defense signaling hormones, such as SA, ethylene and jasmonic acid (JA), in activating resistance following PBZ or BIT treatment was analyzed using NahG transgenic plants and etr1-1 and coi1-1 mutant plants, respectively. In addition, the involvement of NPR1, a key component in the SA signaling pathway leading to defense responses, was assessed. PBZ or BIT treatment did not induce disease resistance or PR-1 expression in NahG transgenic or npr1 mutant plants, but it did activate these phenomena in etr1-1 and coi 1-1 mutant plants. Thus SA and NPR1 appear to be required for PBZ- and BIT-mediated activation of defense responses, while ethylene and JA are not. Furthermore, our data suggest that PBZ and BIT comprise a novel class of defense activators that stimulate the SA/NPR1-mediated defense signaling pathway upstream of SA.

Identification and expression of the gene encoding phosphonopyruvate decarboxylase of Streptomyces hygroscopicus.

The first step of C-P compound biosynthesis is a C-P bond formation reaction catalyzed by phosphoenolpyruvate phosphomutase, but this reaction favors the cleavage of the C-P bond. This C-P bond forming reaction is driven by the following reaction catalyzed by phosphonopyruvate (PnPy) decarboxylase. We have cloned and sequenced the gene (bcpC) encoding PnPy decarboxylase, a key enzyme of C-P compound biosynthesis, from the bialaphos (BA) producing microorganism Streptomyces hygroscopicus by complementation methods using Streptomyces wedmorensis NP-7, which is a mutant of a fosfomycin producing strain deficient in this step. The location of this gene in the BA biosynthetic gene cluster was determined by using the expression system in Streptomyces lividans. DNA sequencing of this gene revealed a 1203-bp open reading frame encoding a polypeptide of 401 amino acids.

Production of Biodegradable Polyester by a Transgenic Tobacco.

The acetoacetyl-CoA reductase gene (phbB) of Ralstonia eutropha and the poly[(R)-(-)-3-hydroxyalkanoate] synthase gene (phaCAC) of Aeromonas caviae were introduced into tobacco plant by Agrobacterium mediated transformation method. The resulting transgenic tobacco expressed both introduced genes and the expression of these genes was confirmed by enzymatic analysis and western blotting. GC-MS analysis of the chloroform extract of tobacco leaves indicated that the transgenic plant produced biodegradable polyester, poly-[(R)-(-)-3-hydroxybutyrate]. GPC analysis indicated that the number-average molecular weights (Mn) and polydispersity (Mw/Mn) were 32,000 and 1.90, respectively.

Studies on the biosynthesis of bialaphos. Biochemical mechanism of C-P bond formation: discovery of phosphonopyruvate decarboxylase which catalyzes the formation of phosphonoacetaldehyde from phosphonopyruvate.

The biosynthetic step following the phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) phosphomutase reaction which forms a C-P bond of bialaphos was proven by the identification of phosphonopyruvate (PnPy) and phosphonoacetaldehyde (PnAA) as intermediates in the culture broth of Streptomyces hygroscopicus, a producing organism of bialaphos, and by detection of enzymatic decarboxylation of PnPy to PnAA. Purified PnPy decarboxylase turned out to require thiamine diphosphate and Mg2+ as cofactors. PnPy decarboxylase drives the unfavorable forward reaction to form PnPy catalyzed by PEP phosphomutase and is suggested to be essential to C-P compound biosynthesis.

Studies on the biosynthesis of bialaphos. Biochemical mechanism of C-P bond formation: discovery of phosphonopyruvate decarboxylase which catalyzes the formation of phosphonoacetaldehyde from phosphonopyruvate

The biosynthetic step following the phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) phosphomutase reaction which forms a C-P bond of bialaphos was proven by the identification of phosphonopyruvate (PnPy) and phosphonoacetaldehyde (PnAA) as intermediates in the culture broth of Streptomyces hygroscopicus, a producing organism of bialaphos, and by detection of enzymatic decarboxylation of PnPy to PnAA. Purified PnPy decarboxylase turned out to require thiamine diphosphate and Mg2+ as cofactors. PnPy decarboxylase drives the unfavorable forward reaction to form PnPy catalyzed by PEP phosphomutase and is suggested to be essential to C-P compound biosynthesis.

The carboxyphosphonoenolpyruvate synthase-encoding gene from the bialaphos-producing organism Streptomyces hygroscopicus.

The nucleotide (nt) sequence of the Streptomyces hygroscopicus gene encoding carboxyphosphonoenolpyruvate (CPEP) synthase, that catalyzes a transesterification between phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) and phosphonoformate (PF) in the bialaphos biosynthetic pathway, has been determined. The amino-acid sequence deduced from the nt sequence is similar to several eukaryotic 2-phospho-D-glycerate hydrolases (EC 4.2.1.11).

Pathogenesis and treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome caused by osteoarthrosis of the elbow joint.

We consider the primary cause of cubital tunnel syndrome caused by osteoarthrosis of the elbow joint to be degenerative osteophytes originating in the humeroulnar joint underneath the ulnar nerve. In the operative procedure the ulnar nerve in the cubital tunnel is fully exposed by cutting the soft tissues covering the nerve, because some of the soft tissues often seem to compress the nerve. Internal neurolysis is performed with microscopy in cases where the constriction is severe. Osteophytes in the humeroulnar joint underneath the nerve are removed. The osteophytes and loose bodies in the anterior and the posterior parts of the joint are also removed to increase joint motion. In 75 of 77 cases recovery of the ulnar nerve palsy and improvement in the range of joint motion were obtained.

Purification and characterization of phosphoenolpyruvate phosphomutase from Pseudomonas gladioli B-1.

Phosphoenolpyruvate phosphomutase (PEPPM) catalyzes C-P bond formation by intramolecular rearrangement of phosphoenolpyruvate to phosphonopyruvate (PnPy). We purified PEPPM from a gram-negative bacterium, Pseudomonas gladioli B-1 isolated as a C-P compound producer. The equilibrium of this reaction favors the formation of the phosphate ester by cleaving the C-P bond of PnPy, but the C-P bond-forming reaction is physiologically significant. The C-P bond-forming activity of PEPPM was confirmed with a purified protein. The molecular mass of the native enzyme was estimated to be 263 and 220 kDa by gel filtration and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, respectively. A subunit molecular mass of 61 kDa was determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, indicating that the native protein was a tetramer. The optimum pH and temperature were 7.5 to 8.0 and 40 degrees C, respectively. The Km value for PnPy was 19 +/- 3.5 microM, and the maximum initial velocity of the conversion of PnPy to phosphoenolpyruvate was 200 microM/s/mg. PEPPM was activated by the presence of the divalent metal ion, and the Km values were 3.5 +/- 1.4 microM for Mg2+, 16 +/- 5 nM for Mn2+, 3.0 +/- 1.5 microM for Zn2+, and 1.2 +/- 0.2 microM for Co2+.