在植物中，胞质果糖-1,6-二磷酸酶（cyFBPase）和景天庚酮糖-1,7-二磷酸酶（SBPase）酶活性的提高与植物增产密切相关。在本研究中，通过在烟草(Nicotiana tabacum)中过表达油菜cDNA，cyFBPase和SBPase基因表达水平显著提高。在转双基因cyFBPase/SBPase (TpFS)植株中， cyFBPase 和 SBPase酶活分别是野生型的1.77和1.45倍，在转cyFBPase单基因(TpF)和SBPase单基因 (TpS)植株中，cyFBPase 和 SBPase酶活分别是野生型的1.55和1.12倍，1.23和1.36倍。TpF, TpS 和 TpFS转基因植株的光合效率分别比野生型提高了4%，20%和25%。SBPase和cyFBPase在转基因烟草中相互正向调控，协同增效。 此外，三种转基因植株的蔗糖含量均高于WT植株。 淀粉含量在TpFS和TpS植株中分别提高了53%和37%，但在TpF植株中略有下降。 此外，含有SBPase和/或cyFBPase基因的转基因烟草植株生长加快，生物量提高。 在TpFS、TpS和TpF植株中，干重、株高、茎粗、叶大小、花数和果荚重均比WT植株大幅增高。 因此，共表达SBPase和cyFBPase可能为作物高产开辟新的途径。

The development of genetically modified crops requires new promoters and regulatory regions to achieve high gene expression and/or tissue-specific expression patterns in plants. To obtain promoter sequences of plants with new properties, we analyzed the expression traits of the cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) translation elongation factor 1A gene family. The results showed that the GhEF1A8 gene is highly expressed in different organs of cotton plants, and showed much higher transcript levels in stems and leaves. Its promoter (GhEF1A1.7) and the 5´ untranslated region (5´ UTR), comprising a regulatory region named PGhEF1A8, were isolated from cotton and studied in stably transformed tobacco plants. The regulatory region sequences were fused to the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene to characterize its expression pattern in tobacco. Histochemical and fluorometric GUS activity assays demonstrated that PGhEF1A8 could direct GUS gene expression in all tissues and organs in transgenic tobacco, including leaves, stems, flowers, and roots. The level of GUS activity in the leaves and stems was significantly higher than in cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter::GUS plants, but as same as CaMV 35S promoter::GUS plants in flower and root tissues. GUS expression levels decreased 2–10-fold when the 5´ UTR was absent from PGhEF1A8. Deletion analysis of the PGhEF1A8 sequence showed that the region −647 to −323 might possess negative elements that repress transgene expression in tobacco plants. The results suggested that the GhEF1A8 regulation region may represent a practical choice to direct high-level constitutive expression of transgenes and could be a valuable new tool in plant genetic engineering.

A novel gene, GhSERK1, was identified in cotton. It encoded a protein belonging to the somatic embryogenesis receptorlike kinase (SERK) family. The genomic sequence of GhSERK1 was 6 920 bp in length, containing a predicted transcriptional start site (TSS). Its full-length cDNA was 2 502 bp, encoding a protein of 627 amino acids. Sequence analysis of GhSERK1 revealed high levels of similarity to other reported SERKs, as well as a conserved intron/exon structure that was unique to members of the SERK family. Expression analysis showed that GhSERK1 mRNA was present in all organs of cotton plants and at different developmental stages, but its transcripts were most abundant in reproductive organs. Compared with that of the male-fertile line, the level of GhSERK1 mRNA was lower in the anther of the male-sterile cotton line, in which the pollen development was defected. Taken together, these findings illustrated that the GhSERK1 play a critical role during the anther formation, and may also have a broad role in other aspects of plant development.