Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the SPL transcription factor family and its response to abiotic stress in Pisum sativum L.

Squamous promoter binding protein-like (SPL) genes encode plant-specific transcription factors (TFs) that play essential roles in modulating plant growth, development, and stress response. Pea (Pisum sativum L.) is a coarse grain crop of great importance in food production, biodiversity conservation and molecular genetic research, providing genetic information and nutritional resources for improving agricultural production and promoting human health. However, only limited researches on the structure and functions of SPL genes exist in pea (PsSPLs). In this study, we identified 22 PsSPLs and conducted a genome-wide analysis of their physical characteristics, chromosome distribution, gene structure, phylogenetic evolution and gene expression patterns. As a result, the PsSPLs were unevenly distributed on the seven chromosomes of pea and harbored the SBP domain, which is composed of approximately 76 amino acid residues. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the PsSPLs clustered into eight subfamilies and showed high homology with SPL genes in soybean. Further analysis showed the presence of segmental duplications in the PsSPLs. The expression patterns of 22 PsSPLs at different tissues, developmental stages and under various stimulus conditions were evaluated by qRT-PCR method. It was found that the expression patterns of PsSPLs from the same subfamily were similar in different tissues, the transcripts of most PsSPLs reached the maximum peak value at 14 days after anthesis in the pod. Abiotic stresses can cause significantly up-regulated PsSPL19 expression with spatiotemporal specificity, in addition, four plant hormones can cause the up-regulated expression of most PsSPLs including PsSPL19 in a time-dependent manner. Therefore, PsSPL19 could be a key candidate gene for signal transduction during pea growth and development, pod formation, abiotic stress and plant hormone response. Our findings should provide insights for the elucidating of development regulation mechanism and breeding for resistance to abiotic stress pea.

Effects of high hydrostatic pressure on the growth and beta-carotene production of Rhodotorula glutinis.

The effects of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) on the biomass and beta-carotene biosynthesis of Rhodotorula glutinis R68 were studied. After treatment with five repeated cycles at 300 MPa for 15 min, the barotolerant mutant PR68 was obtained. After 72 h of culture, the biomass of mutant PR68 was 21.6 g/l, decreased by 8.5% compared to the parental strain R68, but its beta-carotene production reached 19.4 mg/l, increased by 52.8% compared to the parental strain R68. The result of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis suggested that mutant strain PR68 was likely to change in nucleic acid level, and thus enhanced beta-carotene production in this strain as a result of gene mutation induced by HHP treatment.

[Mutation effect of ultra high pressure on microbe].

(Ultra) high pressure had many influences on microbe. It could regulate the expression of gene and protein, influence DNA's structure and function as well as change cell morphology and cell component. These effects not only make (ultra) high pressure to be applied into food sterilization, conserving and some processing, but also indicate it would play an important role in mutagenic breeding of microbe. Pressure can change the structure and function of microbe, yet it is possible that (ultra) high pressure could induce mutation of microbe. Now the feasibility of (ultra) high pressure's mutation effect was discussed according to the effects of it on microbe, some examples and author's studying.