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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2011, Vol. 10 Issue (12): 1861-1871    DOI: 10.1016/S1671-2927(11)60186-7
GENETICS & BREEDING · GERMPLASM RESOURCES · MOLECULAR GENETICS Advanced Online Publication | Current Issue | Archive | Adv Search |
Cloning and Characterization of WOX4 Gene from Vitis vinifera L. Involved in Stem Cell Regulation
 DAI Ru, JIN Hai-peng, WANG Zeng, Avihai Perl, XU Hai-ying, ZHANG Wen, CHEN Shang-wu, MA Hui-qin
1. College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P.R.China
2. Department of Fruit Tree Breeding and Molecular Genetics, Agricultural Research Organization, Bet-Dagan 50250, Israel
3. Institute of Forestry and Fruit Tree Sciences, Beijing Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, P.R.China
4. Key Lab of Functional Dairy Science, Ministry of Education of China, Municipal Government of Beijing/College of Food Science andNutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, P.R.China
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摘要  Wuschel-related homeobox (WOX) genes play essential, specific, and sometimes redundant roles in plant embryo development, shoot and root meristem maintenance, and plant development. Though much information was quickly gained with members of the WOX gene family of Arabidopsis, monocotyledonous crops, and gymnospermous conifers, little is known about perennial woody plants. In this study, we isolated the first WOX gene family member from grape (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Cabernet Sauvignon), and named it VvWOX4 based on its characteristic domains and phylogenetic analysis. The identity of VvWOX4 was validated by MALDI-TOF MS and Western blot with polyclonal antibody against Arabidopsis thaliana Wuschel. Functional analysis showed that VvWOX4 markedly increased shoot primordia structures when overexpressed under CaMV 35S promoter in tobacco. A different expression pattern was found for VvVOX4 compared with AtWUCHEL and its expression was detected in unique organs of grapevines. Besides the expression in the vegetative shoot apical meristem (SAM) of grape shoot tips, VvWOX4 is expressed in dormant winter buds, inflorescence, young leaves, and tendril tips, but not in root tips. In young leaves, the expression of VvWOX4 is strongly upregulated by wounding, and also by plant growth regulators such as 2 mg L-1 2,4-D, 1 mg L-1 NAA and 1 mg L-1 BAP treatments, while downregulation was monitored by 1 mg L-1 IBA treatment, and there was no response to 0.5 mg L-1 GA3 treatment. Together, our results revealed the first member of grape WOX gene family and indicated different roles and regulation of VvWOX4 in the perennial woody crop grapevine.

Abstract  Wuschel-related homeobox (WOX) genes play essential, specific, and sometimes redundant roles in plant embryo development, shoot and root meristem maintenance, and plant development. Though much information was quickly gained with members of the WOX gene family of Arabidopsis, monocotyledonous crops, and gymnospermous conifers, little is known about perennial woody plants. In this study, we isolated the first WOX gene family member from grape (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Cabernet Sauvignon), and named it VvWOX4 based on its characteristic domains and phylogenetic analysis. The identity of VvWOX4 was validated by MALDI-TOF MS and Western blot with polyclonal antibody against Arabidopsis thaliana Wuschel. Functional analysis showed that VvWOX4 markedly increased shoot primordia structures when overexpressed under CaMV 35S promoter in tobacco. A different expression pattern was found for VvVOX4 compared with AtWUCHEL and its expression was detected in unique organs of grapevines. Besides the expression in the vegetative shoot apical meristem (SAM) of grape shoot tips, VvWOX4 is expressed in dormant winter buds, inflorescence, young leaves, and tendril tips, but not in root tips. In young leaves, the expression of VvWOX4 is strongly upregulated by wounding, and also by plant growth regulators such as 2 mg L-1 2,4-D, 1 mg L-1 NAA and 1 mg L-1 BAP treatments, while downregulation was monitored by 1 mg L-1 IBA treatment, and there was no response to 0.5 mg L-1 GA3 treatment. Together, our results revealed the first member of grape WOX gene family and indicated different roles and regulation of VvWOX4 in the perennial woody crop grapevine.
Keywords:  expression characteristics      gene cloning      plant hormone induced expression      Vitis vinifera L.      WOX4  
Received: 16 September 2010   Accepted:
Fund: 

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30471212, 30500347) and the Beijing Natural Science Foundation (5992011).

Corresponding Authors:  Correspondece MA Hu-qin, Tel/Fax: +86-10-62731157, E-mail: hqma@cau.edu.cn; CHEN Shang-wu, Tel/Fax: +86-10-62738663, E-mail: swchen@cau.edu.cn     E-mail:  swchen@cau.edu.cn

Cite this article: 

DAI Ru, JIN Hai-peng, WANG Zeng, Avihai Perl, XU Hai-ying, ZHANG Wen, CHEN Shang-wu, MA Hui-qin. 2011. Cloning and Characterization of WOX4 Gene from Vitis vinifera L. Involved in Stem Cell Regulation. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 10(12): 1861-1871.

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