Project description:HaHB11 is a divergent member of the sunflower homeodomain-leucine zipper I subfamily of transcription factors. A sunflower microarray was hybridized with RNA from HaHB11-transformed leaf-disks and its analysis indicated the regulation of many genes encoding enzymes from fermentative pathways. A 1300 bp sequence exhibiting flooding-responsive cis-acting elements, upstream the transcription initiation site, was isolated and Arabidopsis plants transformed with a construct in which this promoter directs GUS expression. GUS expression was induced after flooding treatments and, in the same sense, HaHB11 expression was induced by flooding stress in sunflower. Furthermore, Arabidopsis plants were transformed with different constructs, varying in the promoter used, able to express HaHB11 cDNA. These transgenic plants exhibited differential phenotypes which the more remarkable traits were a significant increase in the rosette biomass and seeds yield. Moreover these plants exhibited an enhanced tolerance to flooding stress, both to submergence and waterlogging. Starch, sucrose and glucose contents were higher in the transgenics compared to WT and decreased less after submergence treatments. Finally, transcript levels of selected genes, involved in fermentative pathways, and the corresponding enzymatic activities were assessed both in sunflower and transgenic Arabidopsis plants after submergence indicating a general repression of the fermentative pathway which suggested that tolerance occurs via the quiescent strategy. Altogether the results indicated a role for HaHB11 in the flooding response and allowed us to propose this gene as a biotechnological tool to improve crops for increased yield and biomass and flooding tolerance.
Project description:Background: Respiratory allergy triggered by pollen allergens is increasing at an alarming rate worldwide. Sunflower pollen is thought to be an important source of inhalant allergens. Present study aims to identify the prevalence of sunflower pollinosis among the Indian allergic population and characterizes the pollen allergens using immuno-proteomic tools. Methodology: Clinico-immunological tests were performed to understand the prevalence of sensitivity towards sunflower pollen among the atopic population. Sera from selected sunflower positive patients were used as probe to detect the IgE-reactive proteins from the one and two dimensionally separated proteome of sunflower pollen. The antigenic nature of the sugar moiety of the glycoprotein allergens was studied by meta-periodate modification of IgE-immunoblot. Finally, these allergens were identified by mass-spectrometry (MALDI TOF/TOF and LC ESI qTOF). MASCOT searching was performed against NCBInr database. However, Helianthus annuus genome is not fully sequenced and partially annotated. So in case of low confidence (p> 0.05) protein identification, searching was performed against EST library of Helianthus annuus. Results: Prevalence of sunflower pollen allergy was observed among 21% of the atopic population and associated with elevated level of specific IgE and histamine in the sera of these patients. Immunoscreening of sunflower pollen proteome with patient serum detected seven IgE-reactive proteins with varying molecular weight and pI. Hierarchical clustering of 2D-immunoblot data highlighted three allergens characterized by a more frequent immuno-reactivity and increased levels of IgE antibodies in the sera of susceptible patients. These allergens were considered as the major allergens of sunflower pollen and were found to have their glycan moiety critical for inducing IgE response. Homology driven search of MS/MS data of these IgE-reactive proteins identified seven previously unreported allergens from sunflower pollen. Three major allergenic proteins were identified as two non-isoformic pectate lyases and a cystein protease. Conclusion: Novelty of the present report is the identification of a panel of seven sunflower pollen allergens for the first time at immuno-biochemical and proteomic level, which substantiated the clinical evidence of sunflower allergy. Further purification and recombinant expression of these allergens will improve component-resolved diagnosis and therapy of pollen allergy.