The entire gene of carboxyltransferase（CT） domain of acetyl-CoA carboxylase（ACCase） from Chinese Spring wheat（CSW） plastid was cloned firstly, and the 2.3 kb gene was inserted into PET28a^＋ vector and expressed...The entire gene of carboxyltransferase（CT） domain of acetyl-CoA carboxylase（ACCase） from Chinese Spring wheat（CSW） plastid was cloned firstly, and the 2.3 kb gene was inserted into PET28a^＋ vector and expressed in E. coil in a soluble state. The （His）6 fusion protein was identified by SDS-PAGE and Western blot. The recombinant protein was purified by affinity chromatography, and the calculated molecular mass（Mr） was 88000. The results of the sequence analysis indicate that the cloned gene（GeneBank accession No. EU124675） was a supplement and revision of the reported ACCase CT partial cDNA from Chinese Spring wheat plastid. The recombinant protein will be significant for us to investigate the recognizing mechanism between ACCase and herbicides, and further to screen new herbicides.展开更多
Apicomplexan parasites predominantly generate ATP and lactic acid through glycolysis and anaerobic glucose metabolism,incorporating CO_(2) into glycolysis via a stage-dependent phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase(PEPC)mec...Apicomplexan parasites predominantly generate ATP and lactic acid through glycolysis and anaerobic glucose metabolism,incorporating CO_(2) into glycolysis via a stage-dependent phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase(PEPC)mechanism.Although the role of PEPC in plant and bacterial carbon fixation is well documented,its function within Babesia remains largely unexplored.This study employs reverse genetics to probe the biological role of PEPC in Babesia gibsoni,noting its conservation across similar protozoa,suggesting a pivotal and conserved biological function.Western blotting and immunofluorescence(IFA)experiments using the BgPEPC-3×Flag strain revealed that the BgPEPC protein has a molecular weight of 105 kDa and localizes predominantly to the cytoplasm.Attempts to knock out the PEPC gene in BgPEPC-3×Flag strains failed under standard media conditions,succeeded only with the addition of 5 mM malate,an upstream metabolite of oxaloacetic acid(OAA).In addition to malate,the downstream metabolite of OAA can also partially compensate for the phenotypic defects caused by PEPC deficiency.This intervention alleviated severe growth deficits,underscoring the critical role of aspartate in the parasite lifecycle.Moreover,metabolic inhibitors such as L-cycloserine and triazamidine,which target aspartate aminotransferase and mitochondrial functions,respectively,demonstrated increased efficacy against BgPEPC knockout strains.The lack of a compensatory response to malic acid supplementation underscores the integral role of BgPEPC in intermediary carbon metabolism and its necessity in providing aspartate as a precursor to pyrimidine synthesis.Collectively,these findings suggest that PEPC could be a potential target for future drug development against B.gibsoni infections.展开更多
The responses of photosynthesis of phosphoenopyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), pyrurate dikinase (PPDK), NADP-malic enzyme (NADP-ME) and PPDK+PEPC transgenic rice (Oryza saltiva L.) plant to light, temperature, CO 2 and t...The responses of photosynthesis of phosphoenopyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), pyrurate dikinase (PPDK), NADP-malic enzyme (NADP-ME) and PPDK+PEPC transgenic rice (Oryza saltiva L.) plant to light, temperature, CO 2 and the characteristics of chlorophyll fluorescence under photoinhibition conditions were studied. The results were as follows: 1. The light-saturated photosynthetic rates of transgenic rice plants were higher than that of wild type, in which the light-saturated point of PEPC and PPDK+PEPC transgenic rice plants was 200 μmol·m -2·s -1 higher than that of untransformed rice and the light-saturated photosynthetic rates were 51.6% and 58.5% respectively. The carboxylation efficiency of PEPC transgenic rice plant increased by 49.3% and the CO 2 compensation point decreased by 26.2% than that of untransformed rice. Under high temperature (35 ℃), the photosynthetic rate of PEPC transgenic rice plant was higher over 17.5% than that of untransformed rice. 2. On the 8th day after photoinhibition treatment, the PSⅡ photochemical efficiency (F v/F m) and photochemical quenching (qP) of PEPC and PPDK+PEPC transgenic rice plants decreased by about 20%-30% while the non-photochemical quenching (qN) increased by approximately 30%. But F v/F m and qP of untransformed rice decreased by over 50% while qN increased by less than 10%. The result suggested that transgenic rice plants were more tolerant to photoinhibition.展开更多
To compare the transformation effects of two different forms （cDNA in monocotyledonous plant Echinochloa crusgalli, DNA in monocotyledonous plant Zea mays） of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase （PEPC） gene （Ppc） on...To compare the transformation effects of two different forms （cDNA in monocotyledonous plant Echinochloa crusgalli, DNA in monocotyledonous plant Zea mays） of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase （PEPC） gene （Ppc） on the growth of transgenic dicotyledonous plant, Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Ppc genes into Nicotiana tabacum were carried out. Transgenic leaf plates and differentiated seedling leaves were verified by GUS histochemistry, PCR, and RT-PCR. Results showed that transgenic N. tabacum with Ppc-cDNA of E. crusgalli had relatively strong differentiation ability. However, N. tabacum after transformation of complete DNA sequence of Ppc genes in Z mays had relatively poor ability of growth. The differentiated green seedlings had the phenomenon of yellowing; and photosynthesis ability of leaves was poor. This might be caused by the misidentification and wrong splicing in transcription. This indicated that the expression rate of monocotyledonous complete DNA might be reduced in the monocotyledonous cells with relatively far genetic distances. Detection results of showed that Pn in most transgenic N. tabacum with Ppc-cDNA of E. crusgalli was was higher than that in control, which preliminarily proved that PEPC of monocotyledonous plant E. crusgalli had certain regulatory effects on photosynthesis of N. tabacum.展开更多
Annual bluegrass （Poa annua L.） was found to be tolerant to fenoxaprop- P-ethyl as well as quizalofop-P-ethyl, haloxyfop-R-methyl, clodinafop-propargyl, fluaz- ifop-P-butyl, cyhalofop-butyl, sethoxydim and tralkoxyd...Annual bluegrass （Poa annua L.） was found to be tolerant to fenoxaprop- P-ethyl as well as quizalofop-P-ethyl, haloxyfop-R-methyl, clodinafop-propargyl, fluaz- ifop-P-butyl, cyhalofop-butyl, sethoxydim and tralkoxydim, whereas it was sensitive to clethodim and tepraloxydim. The acetyI-CoA carboxylase （ACCase） IC50 values of five P. annua biotypes were 10.46 to 11.98-fold higher than the susceptible Japanese foxtail （Alopecurus japonicus Steud.）. The presence of the polymorphic lie and Leu at 1 781, which the presence of Leu at 1 781 had been reported to be in- volved in the resistance of grass weeds to ACCase inhibitors, was subsequently i- dentified in the ACCase of P. annua. Furthermore, the expression level of gene that encoding P. annua ACCase was found to be approximately 4.67 to 7.37-fold higher than A. japonicus, possibly explaining the P. annua target site tolerance to fenoxaprop-P-ethyl.展开更多
[ Objective] The aim of this study was to introduce Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase （PEPCase） gene into common wheat Linyou 145. [ Method] With the material of common wheat Linyou 145, Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxyla...[ Objective] The aim of this study was to introduce Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase （PEPCase） gene into common wheat Linyou 145. [ Method] With the material of common wheat Linyou 145, Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase （PEPCase） gene was introduced into wheat embryo callus by the agrobacterium-mediated transformation system, and then analyzed through successive selection with selective medium con- taing gygrornycin to detect the gene at the molecular level. [Result] The hyg-resistant plants were obtained, and GUS histochemical staining showed the leaf of resistant plants was stained dark blue. The target bands appeared in PCR analysis. [ Conclusion] Phosphoenolpyruvate Car- boxylase （PEPCase） gene has been primarily introduced into the recipient material.展开更多
[Objective] The aim was to study the cloning and sequence analysis of rbcS gene of wild barley under salt stress. [Method] The tender leaf blade of wild barley under salt stress was taken as the experimental material....[Objective] The aim was to study the cloning and sequence analysis of rbcS gene of wild barley under salt stress. [Method] The tender leaf blade of wild barley under salt stress was taken as the experimental material. The primers were designed according to the homology of rbcS gene sequences of wheat and barely in Genbank; then PCR amplification,recovery,ligation,transformation and sequencing of rbcS gene were carried out. [Result] Two rbcS genes including rbcS1 and rbcS2 with the length of 1 252 and 908 bp respectively were cloned from the barely genome. rbcS1 and rbcS2 were both composed by two exons and one intron. The exons length of the two genes was the same of 525 bp,encoding 174 amino acids,and the homology between them was 96%; however,the intron length of rbcS1 and rbcS2 was 448 and 107 bp respectively.展开更多
[Objective] The aim was to study adaptive evolution of the large subunits of RubisCO in Magnoliophyta crops. [Method] Taking Magnoliophyta crops such as corn and rice as research materials, the analysis on molecular a...[Objective] The aim was to study adaptive evolution of the large subunits of RubisCO in Magnoliophyta crops. [Method] Taking Magnoliophyta crops such as corn and rice as research materials, the analysis on molecular adaptive evolution was carded out by using codon replacement and maximum likelihood methods. [ Result] The RubisCO suffered positive selection effect and six amino acid sites were identified. [ Conclusion] The six amino acid sites are of important guiding significance for studying catalytic activity of RubisCO large subunits and crop improvement.展开更多
In mammalian skeletal muscle there are four carboxylases involved in several biochemical processes like gluconeogenesis, tricarboxylic acid cycle anaplerosis, metabolism of fatty acids and metabolism of various amino ...In mammalian skeletal muscle there are four carboxylases involved in several biochemical processes like gluconeogenesis, tricarboxylic acid cycle anaplerosis, metabolism of fatty acids and metabolism of various amino acids. It has been shown that biotin deficiency reduces body weight at the expense of muscular mass. When necessary, the liver uses skeletal muscle protein to provide glucose and amino acids to organs in need of such compounds. In this paper we analyzed carboxylase specific activities in hind limb skeletal muscle of 3 weeks old BALB/c male mice, at 0, 1, 4, 7, and 14 days of a specific diet with different biotin concentrations. Biotin was used at 0.0, 1.8 or 98.2 mg per kg of food;and was referred to as biotin deficient, sufficient and supplemented, respectively. Water and food supply and consumption by the three groups of mice were the same. Therefore, the observed effects were directly related to biotin ingestion. The body weight of biotin supplemented mice was the same as the body weight of mice in the biotin sufficient group, while biotin deficiency caused body weight reduction after 7 days of biotin depletion. We found that the total protein concentration in the vastus lateralis muscle is associated with the biotin content in the diet. After 7 days, the muscle total protein content was lower in mice of the biotin deficient group while it was higher in the mice from the biotin supplemented group展开更多
Saccharina japonica is a common macroalga in sublittoral communities of cold seawater environments, and consequently may have highly efficient ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/ oxygenase （Rubisco） activity for...Saccharina japonica is a common macroalga in sublittoral communities of cold seawater environments, and consequently may have highly efficient ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/ oxygenase （Rubisco） activity for carbon assimilation. In our study, we cloned the full-length Rubisco gene from S.japonica （SJ-rbc）. It contained an open reading frame for a large subunit gene （SJ-rbcL） of 1 467 bp, a small subunit gene （SJ-rbcS） of 420 bp, and a SJ-rbcL/S intergenie spacer of 269 bp. The deduced peptides of SJ-rbcL and SJ-rbcS were 488 and 139 amino acids with theoretical molecular weights and isoelectric points of 53.97 kDa, 5.81 and 15,84 kDa, 4.71, respectively. After induction with 1 mmol/L isopropyl-β-D- thiogalactopyranoside for 5 h and purification by Ni2＋ affinity chromatography, electrophoresis and western blot detection demonstrated successful expression of the 55 kDa SJ-rbcL protein. Real-time quantitative PCR showed that the mRNA levels of SJ-rbcL in gametophytes increased when transferred into normal growth conditions and exhibited diurnal variations： increased expression during the day but suppressed expression at night. This observation implied that Rubisco played a role in normal gametophytic growth and development. In juvenile sporophytes, mRNA levels of SJ-rbcL, carbonic anhydrase, Calvin-Benson- Bassham cycle-related enzyme, and chloroplast light-harvesting protein were remarkably increased under continuous light irradiance. Similarly, expression of these genes was up-regulated under blue light irradiance at 350 umol/（m2.s）. Our results indicate that long-term white light and short-term blue light irradiance enhances juvenile sporophytic growth by synergistic effects of various photosynthetic elements.展开更多
Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase （PEPC） is widely distributed in plants and bacteria, and catalyzes the carboxylation of phosphoenolpyruvate to form oxaloacetate and inorganic phosphate. To investigate the molecular ...Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase （PEPC） is widely distributed in plants and bacteria, and catalyzes the carboxylation of phosphoenolpyruvate to form oxaloacetate and inorganic phosphate. To investigate the molecular mechanisms of the regulation and control of peanut oil, with the degenerated primers and RACE-PCR approach, five PEPC genes were cloned from peanut, and designated as AhPEPC1, AhPEPC2, AhPEPC3, AhPEPC4, and AhPEPC5, respectively. The structure and phylogenetic analysis of PEPC protein indicated that AhPEPC1-4 genes encoded a typical plant-type PEPC-enzyme, and AhPEPC5 a bacterial-type. By real-time quantitative RT-PCR approach the expression pattern of each gene was detected in various tissues of normal and high oil-content peanut varieties. It was found that there was a lower expression level of AhPEPCs genes except for the AhPEPC2 in high-oil peanut than normal-oil peanut line. The results provide some fundamental information for the further investigation of plant PEPC proteins and their role in regulation of oil-content in peanut seeds.展开更多
Maize-specific pyruvate orthophosphate dikinase(PPDK) was overexpressed in rice independently or in combination with the maize C4-specific phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase(PCK). The wild-type(WT) cultivar Kitaake and t...Maize-specific pyruvate orthophosphate dikinase(PPDK) was overexpressed in rice independently or in combination with the maize C4-specific phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase(PCK). The wild-type(WT) cultivar Kitaake and transgenic plants were evaluated in independent field and tank experiments. Three soil moisture treatments,well-watered(WW), moderate drought(MD) and severe drought(SD), were imposed from 9d post-anthesis till maturity. Leaf physiological and biochemical traits, root activities,biomass, grain yield, and yield components in the untransformed WT and two transgenic rice lines(PPDK and PCK) were systematically studied. Compared with the WT, both transgenic rice lines showed increased leaf photosynthetic rate: by 20%–40% under WW, by45%–60% under MD, and by 80%–120% under SD. The transgenic plants produced 16.1%,20.2% and 20.0% higher grain yields than WT under the WW, MD and SD treatments,respectively. Under the same soil moisture treatments, activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase(PEPC) and carbonic anhydrase(CA) in transgenic plants were 3–5-fold higher than those in WT plants. Compared with ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase, activities of PEPC and CA were less reduced under both MD and SD treatments. The transgenic plants also showed higher leaf water content, stomatal conductance, transpiration efficiency, and root oxidation activity and a stronger active oxygen scavenging system than the WT under all soil moisture treatments, especially MD and SD. The results suggest that drought tolerance is greatly enhanced in transgenic rice plants overexpressing C4photosynthesis enzymes. This study was performed under natural conditions and normal planting density to evaluate yield advantages on a field basis. It may open a new avenue to droughttolerance breeding via overexpression of C4enzymes in rice.展开更多
Cherry tomatoes （Lycopersicon esculentura Mill., cv. hongyangli） were hydroponically cultivated in a greenhouse to determine the effect of different nitrogen （N） forms on organic acid concentration and the activit...Cherry tomatoes （Lycopersicon esculentura Mill., cv. hongyangli） were hydroponically cultivated in a greenhouse to determine the effect of different nitrogen （N） forms on organic acid concentration and the activities of related enzymes involved in nitrogen and organic acid metabolism during cherry tomato fruit development. The results showed that fruit nitrate reductase （NR） activity was much higher following treatment with 100% NO3 and 75% NO3 ＋ 25% NH＋ than with 100% NH＋ except at maturity. Glutamine synthetase （GS） activity trended downward during fruit development under all three treatments. Plants fed 100% NH＋ had the lowest fruit citrate and malate levels at maturity, with the highest malate concentration at an early stage. The activity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase （PEPC） was found to be in accord with the malate concentration with every N source. Under all three N forms, the citrate synthase （CS） activity peaked one week before the citrate concentration.展开更多
Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase（PEPC;EC 4.1.1.31） catalyses phosphoenolpyruvate（PEP） to yield oxaloacetate,which is involved in protein biosynthesis.Pyruvate kinase（PK;EC 2.7.1.40） catalyzes PEP to yield pyruvat...Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase（PEPC;EC 4.1.1.31） catalyses phosphoenolpyruvate（PEP） to yield oxaloacetate,which is involved in protein biosynthesis.Pyruvate kinase（PK;EC 2.7.1.40） catalyzes PEP to yield pyruvate,which is involved in fatty acid synthesis.In this study,five PEPC genes（AhPEPC1,AhPEPC2,AhPEPC3,AhPEPC4,and AhPEPC5） from peanut have been cloned.Using a quantitative real-time RT-PCR approach,the expression pattern of each gene was monitored during the seed development of four peanut varieties（E11,Hebeigaoyou,Naihan 1,and Huayu 26）.It was found that these five genes shared similar expression behaviors over the developmental stages of E11 with high expression levels at 30 and 40 d after pegging（DAP）;whereas these five genes showed irregular expression patterns during the seed development of Hebeigaoyou.In Naihan 1 and Huayu 26,the expression levels of the five genes remained relatively high in the first stage.The PEPC activity was monitored during the seed development of four peanut varieties and seed oil content was also characterized during whole period of seed development.The PEPC activity followed the oil accumulation pattern during the early stages of development but they showed a significantly negative correlation thereafter.These results suggested that PEPC may play an important role in lipid accumulation during the seed development of four peanut varieties tested.展开更多
De novo lipogenesis(DNL)plays an important role in the pathogenesis of hepatic steatosis and also appears to be implicated in hepatic inflammation and fibrosis.Accordingly,the inhibition of acetyl-CoA carboxylase,whic...De novo lipogenesis(DNL)plays an important role in the pathogenesis of hepatic steatosis and also appears to be implicated in hepatic inflammation and fibrosis.Accordingly,the inhibition of acetyl-CoA carboxylase,which catalyzes the ratelimiting step of DNL,might represent a useful approach in the management of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).Animal studies and preliminary data in patients with NAFLD consistently showed an improvement in steatosis with the use of these agents.However,effects on fibrosis were variable and an increase in plasma triglyceride levels was observed.Therefore,more longterm studies are needed to clarify the role of these agents in NAFLD and to determine their risk/benefit profile.展开更多
Dietary macronutrients and micronutrients play important roles in human health.On the other hand,the excessive energy derived from food is stored in the form of triacylglycerol.A variety of dietary and hormonal factor...Dietary macronutrients and micronutrients play important roles in human health.On the other hand,the excessive energy derived from food is stored in the form of triacylglycerol.A variety of dietary and hormonal factors affect this process through the regulation of the activities and expression levels of those key player enzymes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis such as acetyl-CoA carboxylase,fatty acid synthase,fatty acid elongases,and desaturases.As a micronutrient,vitamin A is essential for the health of humans.Recently,vitamin A has been shown to play a role in the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism.This review summarizes recent research progresses about the roles of vitamin A in fatty acid synthesis.It focuses on the effects of vitamin A on the activities and expression levels of mRNA and proteins of key enzymes for fatty acid synthesis in vitro and in vivo.It appears that vitamin A status and its signaling pathway regulate the expression levels of enzymes involved in fatty acid synthesis.Future research directions are also discussed.展开更多
The Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle and Wood-Ljungdahl pathway are two well-known ones in the six carbon sequestration pathways,but the current knowledge of their occurrence in different layers of agricultural soil profil...The Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle and Wood-Ljungdahl pathway are two well-known ones in the six carbon sequestration pathways,but the current knowledge of their occurrence in different layers of agricultural soil profiles is poor.In this study,the diversities of three genes encoding ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase(Rubis CO),i.e.,genes encoding the green-like(cbbLG)and red-like(cbbLR)forms of Rubis COⅠ and encoding Rubis COⅡ(cbbM),and the gene encoding carbon monoxide dehydrogenase large subunit(coxL)from five paddy soils in southern China were investigated by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction,restriction fragment length polymorphism(RFLP)analysis,and clone library.The abundances of the four genes ranged from 10^(7) to 10^(9) copies g^(-1) soil,and the cbbLR gene outnumbered the other three genes in all soil samples,suggesting important roles they play in carbon dioxide(CO_(2))fixation.In addition,it was found that the copy numbers of cbbLR and cbbLG decreased with increasing soil depth,while the copy numbers of cbbM and coxL decreased in the shallow depths but increased with increasing soil depth.The results of RFLP showed a larger Shannon index(H)in the deeper soil layers among the four gene clone libraries,indicating that the community diversity in these soil layers was greater.The cbbLG gene had relatively low diversity(at genus level),and most of the sequences were classified as Sideroxydans and Thiobacillus.In contrast,the highly diverse groups were found in the other three gene clone libraries(cbbLR,cbbM,and coxL),most of which were distantly related to known sequences,even forming separate clusters.In summary,this study provides a new insight into CO_(2) fixers along agricultural soil profiles by comparing four bacterial genes.展开更多
Endogenous reference genes (ERGs) provide vital information regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The successful detection of ERGs can identity GMOs and the source of genes, verify stability and reliability...Endogenous reference genes (ERGs) provide vital information regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The successful detection of ERGs can identity GMOs and the source of genes, verify stability and reliability of the detection system, and calculate the level of genetically modified (GM) ingredients in mixtures. The reported ERGs in rice include sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS), phospholipase D (PLD), RBE4 and rice root-specific GOS9 genes. Based on the characteristics of ERGs, a new ERG gene, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), was selected, and further compared with the four existing genes. A total of 18 rice varieties and 29 non-rice crops were used to verify the interspecies specificity, intraspecies consistency, sensitivity, stability and reliability of these five ERGs using qualitative and quantitative PCR. Qualitative detection indicated that SPS and PEPC displayed sufficient specificity, and the detection sensitivity was 0.05% and 0.005%, respectively. Although the specificity of both RBE4 and GOS9 were adequate, the amplicons were small and easily confused with primer dimers. Non-specific amplification of the PLD gene was present in maize and potato. Real-time quantitative PCR detection indicated that PLD, SPS and PEPC displayed good specificity, with R2 of the standard curve greater than 0.98, while the amplification efficiency ranged between 90% and 110%. Both the detection sensitivities of PLD and PEPC were five copies and that of SPS was ten copies. RBE4 showed typical amplification in maize, beet and Arabidopsis, while GOS9 was found in maize, tobacco and oats. PEPC exhibited excellent detection sensitivity and species specificity, which made it a potentially useful application in GM-rice supervision and administration. Additionally, SPS and PLD are also suitable for GM-rice detection. This study effectively established a foundation for GMO detection, which not only provides vital technical support for GMO identification, but also is of great significance for enhancing the comparability of detection results, and the standardization of ERG testing in GM-rice.展开更多
The full-length of intact Zea mays gene for phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase gene （ZmC4Ppc） is 6 781 bp. The products of PCR for this gene were not clear with poor repeatability, resulting in that it was difficult fo...The full-length of intact Zea mays gene for phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase gene （ZmC4Ppc） is 6 781 bp. The products of PCR for this gene were not clear with poor repeatability, resulting in that it was difficult for marker-assisted selection （MAS） both in rice and maize. For selecting the markers for MAS, sequences presented only in maize rather than in rice were identified by BLAST, and used for primer design using Primer Premier 5.0. A pair of specific primer termed MRpc （Forward： 5＇ AAGCAGGGAAGCGAGACG 3＇, Reverse： 5＇ GATTGCCGCCAGCAGTAG 3＇） was used for selection of transformed rice, and ZmC4Ppc could be highly and constitutively expressed at each tested developmental stages in the transformed rice selected by using MRpc. Thus, MRpc was used for MAS of progenies carrying ZmC4Ppc gene in rice and some restorer lines with ZmC4Ppc （e.g. FPM881） derived from ZmC4Ppc-transformed Kitaake backcrossed with a restorer line Shuhui 881 were obtained. The analyses on genetic background, PEPCase activity, net photosynthetic rate, general combining ability （GCA） and specific combining ability （SCA） of FPM881 showed that similarity of genetic background reached above 95%, the PEPCase and net photosynthetic rate were higher than those of the control, and some of the progenies carrying ZmC4Ppc gene had better GCA and SCA for grain yield per plant, number of panicles per plant, and 1000-grain weight than those of the control. This suggested that the introduction of maize ZmC4Ppc gene via MAS and its stable expression could increase grain yield of rice and would likely provide a pathway for rice varietal improvement.展开更多
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos. 20432010, 20672045 and 30570405)
文摘The entire gene of carboxyltransferase（CT） domain of acetyl-CoA carboxylase（ACCase） from Chinese Spring wheat（CSW） plastid was cloned firstly, and the 2.3 kb gene was inserted into PET28a^＋ vector and expressed in E. coil in a soluble state. The （His）6 fusion protein was identified by SDS-PAGE and Western blot. The recombinant protein was purified by affinity chromatography, and the calculated molecular mass（Mr） was 88000. The results of the sequence analysis indicate that the cloned gene（GeneBank accession No. EU124675） was a supplement and revision of the reported ACCase CT partial cDNA from Chinese Spring wheat plastid. The recombinant protein will be significant for us to investigate the recognizing mechanism between ACCase and herbicides, and further to screen new herbicides.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32172879)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFD1801700 and 2022YFD1800200)the Top-notch Young Talent Supporting Program to Lan He.Additionally,funding was obtained from the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2662020DKPY016 and 2262022DKYJ001).
文摘Apicomplexan parasites predominantly generate ATP and lactic acid through glycolysis and anaerobic glucose metabolism,incorporating CO_(2) into glycolysis via a stage-dependent phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase(PEPC)mechanism.Although the role of PEPC in plant and bacterial carbon fixation is well documented,its function within Babesia remains largely unexplored.This study employs reverse genetics to probe the biological role of PEPC in Babesia gibsoni,noting its conservation across similar protozoa,suggesting a pivotal and conserved biological function.Western blotting and immunofluorescence(IFA)experiments using the BgPEPC-3×Flag strain revealed that the BgPEPC protein has a molecular weight of 105 kDa and localizes predominantly to the cytoplasm.Attempts to knock out the PEPC gene in BgPEPC-3×Flag strains failed under standard media conditions,succeeded only with the addition of 5 mM malate,an upstream metabolite of oxaloacetic acid(OAA).In addition to malate,the downstream metabolite of OAA can also partially compensate for the phenotypic defects caused by PEPC deficiency.This intervention alleviated severe growth deficits,underscoring the critical role of aspartate in the parasite lifecycle.Moreover,metabolic inhibitors such as L-cycloserine and triazamidine,which target aspartate aminotransferase and mitochondrial functions,respectively,demonstrated increased efficacy against BgPEPC knockout strains.The lack of a compensatory response to malic acid supplementation underscores the integral role of BgPEPC in intermediary carbon metabolism and its necessity in providing aspartate as a precursor to pyrimidine synthesis.Collectively,these findings suggest that PEPC could be a potential target for future drug development against B.gibsoni infections.
文摘The responses of photosynthesis of phosphoenopyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), pyrurate dikinase (PPDK), NADP-malic enzyme (NADP-ME) and PPDK+PEPC transgenic rice (Oryza saltiva L.) plant to light, temperature, CO 2 and the characteristics of chlorophyll fluorescence under photoinhibition conditions were studied. The results were as follows: 1. The light-saturated photosynthetic rates of transgenic rice plants were higher than that of wild type, in which the light-saturated point of PEPC and PPDK+PEPC transgenic rice plants was 200 μmol·m -2·s -1 higher than that of untransformed rice and the light-saturated photosynthetic rates were 51.6% and 58.5% respectively. The carboxylation efficiency of PEPC transgenic rice plant increased by 49.3% and the CO 2 compensation point decreased by 26.2% than that of untransformed rice. Under high temperature (35 ℃), the photosynthetic rate of PEPC transgenic rice plant was higher over 17.5% than that of untransformed rice. 2. On the 8th day after photoinhibition treatment, the PSⅡ photochemical efficiency (F v/F m) and photochemical quenching (qP) of PEPC and PPDK+PEPC transgenic rice plants decreased by about 20%-30% while the non-photochemical quenching (qN) increased by approximately 30%. But F v/F m and qP of untransformed rice decreased by over 50% while qN increased by less than 10%. The result suggested that transgenic rice plants were more tolerant to photoinhibition.
基金Supported by the Innovation Project of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences~~
文摘To compare the transformation effects of two different forms （cDNA in monocotyledonous plant Echinochloa crusgalli, DNA in monocotyledonous plant Zea mays） of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase （PEPC） gene （Ppc） on the growth of transgenic dicotyledonous plant, Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Ppc genes into Nicotiana tabacum were carried out. Transgenic leaf plates and differentiated seedling leaves were verified by GUS histochemistry, PCR, and RT-PCR. Results showed that transgenic N. tabacum with Ppc-cDNA of E. crusgalli had relatively strong differentiation ability. However, N. tabacum after transformation of complete DNA sequence of Ppc genes in Z mays had relatively poor ability of growth. The differentiated green seedlings had the phenomenon of yellowing; and photosynthesis ability of leaves was poor. This might be caused by the misidentification and wrong splicing in transcription. This indicated that the expression rate of monocotyledonous complete DNA might be reduced in the monocotyledonous cells with relatively far genetic distances. Detection results of showed that Pn in most transgenic N. tabacum with Ppc-cDNA of E. crusgalli was was higher than that in control, which preliminarily proved that PEPC of monocotyledonous plant E. crusgalli had certain regulatory effects on photosynthesis of N. tabacum.
基金Supported by Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest(201303022)~~
文摘Annual bluegrass （Poa annua L.） was found to be tolerant to fenoxaprop- P-ethyl as well as quizalofop-P-ethyl, haloxyfop-R-methyl, clodinafop-propargyl, fluaz- ifop-P-butyl, cyhalofop-butyl, sethoxydim and tralkoxydim, whereas it was sensitive to clethodim and tepraloxydim. The acetyI-CoA carboxylase （ACCase） IC50 values of five P. annua biotypes were 10.46 to 11.98-fold higher than the susceptible Japanese foxtail （Alopecurus japonicus Steud.）. The presence of the polymorphic lie and Leu at 1 781, which the presence of Leu at 1 781 had been reported to be in- volved in the resistance of grass weeds to ACCase inhibitors, was subsequently i- dentified in the ACCase of P. annua. Furthermore, the expression level of gene that encoding P. annua ACCase was found to be approximately 4.67 to 7.37-fold higher than A. japonicus, possibly explaining the P. annua target site tolerance to fenoxaprop-P-ethyl.
文摘[ Objective] The aim of this study was to introduce Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase （PEPCase） gene into common wheat Linyou 145. [ Method] With the material of common wheat Linyou 145, Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase （PEPCase） gene was introduced into wheat embryo callus by the agrobacterium-mediated transformation system, and then analyzed through successive selection with selective medium con- taing gygrornycin to detect the gene at the molecular level. [Result] The hyg-resistant plants were obtained, and GUS histochemical staining showed the leaf of resistant plants was stained dark blue. The target bands appeared in PCR analysis. [ Conclusion] Phosphoenolpyruvate Car- boxylase （PEPCase） gene has been primarily introduced into the recipient material.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(30471229 )National High Technology Research and Development Program "863" Project(2008AA10Z224)Students Innovative Experimental Projects in Jilin University (2009C81147)~~
文摘[Objective] The aim was to study the cloning and sequence analysis of rbcS gene of wild barley under salt stress. [Method] The tender leaf blade of wild barley under salt stress was taken as the experimental material. The primers were designed according to the homology of rbcS gene sequences of wheat and barely in Genbank; then PCR amplification,recovery,ligation,transformation and sequencing of rbcS gene were carried out. [Result] Two rbcS genes including rbcS1 and rbcS2 with the length of 1 252 and 908 bp respectively were cloned from the barely genome. rbcS1 and rbcS2 were both composed by two exons and one intron. The exons length of the two genes was the same of 525 bp,encoding 174 amino acids,and the homology between them was 96%; however,the intron length of rbcS1 and rbcS2 was 448 and 107 bp respectively.
文摘[Objective] The aim was to study adaptive evolution of the large subunits of RubisCO in Magnoliophyta crops. [Method] Taking Magnoliophyta crops such as corn and rice as research materials, the analysis on molecular adaptive evolution was carded out by using codon replacement and maximum likelihood methods. [ Result] The RubisCO suffered positive selection effect and six amino acid sites were identified. [ Conclusion] The six amino acid sites are of important guiding significance for studying catalytic activity of RubisCO large subunits and crop improvement.
基金supported by a grant from the Direccion General de Asuntos del Personal Academico(DGAPA),Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico(PAPIIT IN215311).MA P MdeO was fellow of DGAPA.
文摘In mammalian skeletal muscle there are four carboxylases involved in several biochemical processes like gluconeogenesis, tricarboxylic acid cycle anaplerosis, metabolism of fatty acids and metabolism of various amino acids. It has been shown that biotin deficiency reduces body weight at the expense of muscular mass. When necessary, the liver uses skeletal muscle protein to provide glucose and amino acids to organs in need of such compounds. In this paper we analyzed carboxylase specific activities in hind limb skeletal muscle of 3 weeks old BALB/c male mice, at 0, 1, 4, 7, and 14 days of a specific diet with different biotin concentrations. Biotin was used at 0.0, 1.8 or 98.2 mg per kg of food;and was referred to as biotin deficient, sufficient and supplemented, respectively. Water and food supply and consumption by the three groups of mice were the same. Therefore, the observed effects were directly related to biotin ingestion. The body weight of biotin supplemented mice was the same as the body weight of mice in the biotin sufficient group, while biotin deficiency caused body weight reduction after 7 days of biotin depletion. We found that the total protein concentration in the vastus lateralis muscle is associated with the biotin content in the diet. After 7 days, the muscle total protein content was lower in mice of the biotin deficient group while it was higher in the mice from the biotin supplemented group
基金Supported by the Agriculture Science&Technology Achievements Transformation Fund(No.2011GB24910005)the Modern Agricultural-Industry Technology Research Project(No.200903030)+2 种基金the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China(863 Program)(No.2012AA10A406)the Shandong Agriculture Breeding Engineering Biological Resources Innovation of Research Projectthe National"Twelfth Five-Year"Plan for Science&Technology Support(No.2013BAB01B01)
文摘Saccharina japonica is a common macroalga in sublittoral communities of cold seawater environments, and consequently may have highly efficient ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/ oxygenase （Rubisco） activity for carbon assimilation. In our study, we cloned the full-length Rubisco gene from S.japonica （SJ-rbc）. It contained an open reading frame for a large subunit gene （SJ-rbcL） of 1 467 bp, a small subunit gene （SJ-rbcS） of 420 bp, and a SJ-rbcL/S intergenie spacer of 269 bp. The deduced peptides of SJ-rbcL and SJ-rbcS were 488 and 139 amino acids with theoretical molecular weights and isoelectric points of 53.97 kDa, 5.81 and 15,84 kDa, 4.71, respectively. After induction with 1 mmol/L isopropyl-β-D- thiogalactopyranoside for 5 h and purification by Ni2＋ affinity chromatography, electrophoresis and western blot detection demonstrated successful expression of the 55 kDa SJ-rbcL protein. Real-time quantitative PCR showed that the mRNA levels of SJ-rbcL in gametophytes increased when transferred into normal growth conditions and exhibited diurnal variations： increased expression during the day but suppressed expression at night. This observation implied that Rubisco played a role in normal gametophytic growth and development. In juvenile sporophytes, mRNA levels of SJ-rbcL, carbonic anhydrase, Calvin-Benson- Bassham cycle-related enzyme, and chloroplast light-harvesting protein were remarkably increased under continuous light irradiance. Similarly, expression of these genes was up-regulated under blue light irradiance at 350 umol/（m2.s）. Our results indicate that long-term white light and short-term blue light irradiance enhances juvenile sporophytic growth by synergistic effects of various photosynthetic elements.
基金supported by the National High Tech-nology Research and Development Program of China(2006AA10A114)the National Basic Research Program of China (2007CB116212)+1 种基金the Natural Science Fundation of Shangdong Province, China(ZR2009DQ004)the Key Technology Research Project of Qingdao, China (07-1-4-16-nsh)
文摘Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase （PEPC） is widely distributed in plants and bacteria, and catalyzes the carboxylation of phosphoenolpyruvate to form oxaloacetate and inorganic phosphate. To investigate the molecular mechanisms of the regulation and control of peanut oil, with the degenerated primers and RACE-PCR approach, five PEPC genes were cloned from peanut, and designated as AhPEPC1, AhPEPC2, AhPEPC3, AhPEPC4, and AhPEPC5, respectively. The structure and phylogenetic analysis of PEPC protein indicated that AhPEPC1-4 genes encoded a typical plant-type PEPC-enzyme, and AhPEPC5 a bacterial-type. By real-time quantitative RT-PCR approach the expression pattern of each gene was detected in various tissues of normal and high oil-content peanut varieties. It was found that there was a lower expression level of AhPEPCs genes except for the AhPEPC2 in high-oil peanut than normal-oil peanut line. The results provide some fundamental information for the further investigation of plant PEPC proteins and their role in regulation of oil-content in peanut seeds.
基金the National Basic Research Program (973 Program, 2012CB114306)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31061140457+6 种基金 31071360 31271641)the National Key Technology Support Program of China (2011BAD16B14 2012BAD04B08)China National Public Welfare Industry (Agriculture) Plan (200803030 201203079)Jiangsu Advantages of Key Construction Projects (JS 2011)
文摘Maize-specific pyruvate orthophosphate dikinase(PPDK) was overexpressed in rice independently or in combination with the maize C4-specific phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase(PCK). The wild-type(WT) cultivar Kitaake and transgenic plants were evaluated in independent field and tank experiments. Three soil moisture treatments,well-watered(WW), moderate drought(MD) and severe drought(SD), were imposed from 9d post-anthesis till maturity. Leaf physiological and biochemical traits, root activities,biomass, grain yield, and yield components in the untransformed WT and two transgenic rice lines(PPDK and PCK) were systematically studied. Compared with the WT, both transgenic rice lines showed increased leaf photosynthetic rate: by 20%–40% under WW, by45%–60% under MD, and by 80%–120% under SD. The transgenic plants produced 16.1%,20.2% and 20.0% higher grain yields than WT under the WW, MD and SD treatments,respectively. Under the same soil moisture treatments, activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase(PEPC) and carbonic anhydrase(CA) in transgenic plants were 3–5-fold higher than those in WT plants. Compared with ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase, activities of PEPC and CA were less reduced under both MD and SD treatments. The transgenic plants also showed higher leaf water content, stomatal conductance, transpiration efficiency, and root oxidation activity and a stronger active oxygen scavenging system than the WT under all soil moisture treatments, especially MD and SD. The results suggest that drought tolerance is greatly enhanced in transgenic rice plants overexpressing C4photosynthesis enzymes. This study was performed under natural conditions and normal planting density to evaluate yield advantages on a field basis. It may open a new avenue to droughttolerance breeding via overexpression of C4enzymes in rice.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30600382)the foundation of the Institute of Soil Science,Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. 055131)
文摘Cherry tomatoes （Lycopersicon esculentura Mill., cv. hongyangli） were hydroponically cultivated in a greenhouse to determine the effect of different nitrogen （N） forms on organic acid concentration and the activities of related enzymes involved in nitrogen and organic acid metabolism during cherry tomato fruit development. The results showed that fruit nitrate reductase （NR） activity was much higher following treatment with 100% NO3 and 75% NO3 ＋ 25% NH＋ than with 100% NH＋ except at maturity. Glutamine synthetase （GS） activity trended downward during fruit development under all three treatments. Plants fed 100% NH＋ had the lowest fruit citrate and malate levels at maturity, with the highest malate concentration at an early stage. The activity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase （PEPC） was found to be in accord with the malate concentration with every N source. Under all three N forms, the citrate synthase （CS） activity peaked one week before the citrate concentration.
基金supported by the China Agriculture Research System (CARS-14)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31000728,31100205)+2 种基金the Natural Science Fundation of Shangdong Province,China(ZR2009DQ004,ZR2011CQ036)the Promotive Research Fund for Young and Middle-Aged Scientisits of Shandong Province,China (BS2010NY023)the Qingdao Municipal Science and Technology Plan Project,China (11-2-4-9-(3)-jch,11-2-3-26-nsh)
文摘Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase（PEPC;EC 4.1.1.31） catalyses phosphoenolpyruvate（PEP） to yield oxaloacetate,which is involved in protein biosynthesis.Pyruvate kinase（PK;EC 2.7.1.40） catalyzes PEP to yield pyruvate,which is involved in fatty acid synthesis.In this study,five PEPC genes（AhPEPC1,AhPEPC2,AhPEPC3,AhPEPC4,and AhPEPC5） from peanut have been cloned.Using a quantitative real-time RT-PCR approach,the expression pattern of each gene was monitored during the seed development of four peanut varieties（E11,Hebeigaoyou,Naihan 1,and Huayu 26）.It was found that these five genes shared similar expression behaviors over the developmental stages of E11 with high expression levels at 30 and 40 d after pegging（DAP）;whereas these five genes showed irregular expression patterns during the seed development of Hebeigaoyou.In Naihan 1 and Huayu 26,the expression levels of the five genes remained relatively high in the first stage.The PEPC activity was monitored during the seed development of four peanut varieties and seed oil content was also characterized during whole period of seed development.The PEPC activity followed the oil accumulation pattern during the early stages of development but they showed a significantly negative correlation thereafter.These results suggested that PEPC may play an important role in lipid accumulation during the seed development of four peanut varieties tested.
文摘De novo lipogenesis(DNL)plays an important role in the pathogenesis of hepatic steatosis and also appears to be implicated in hepatic inflammation and fibrosis.Accordingly,the inhibition of acetyl-CoA carboxylase,which catalyzes the ratelimiting step of DNL,might represent a useful approach in the management of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).Animal studies and preliminary data in patients with NAFLD consistently showed an improvement in steatosis with the use of these agents.However,effects on fibrosis were variable and an increase in plasma triglyceride levels was observed.Therefore,more longterm studies are needed to clarify the role of these agents in NAFLD and to determine their risk/benefit profile.
基金Supported by the Financial Support of the Overseas Training Program for Outstanding Young and Middle-Aged Teachers in Universities in Jiangsu Province,China(to Yang FC).
文摘Dietary macronutrients and micronutrients play important roles in human health.On the other hand,the excessive energy derived from food is stored in the form of triacylglycerol.A variety of dietary and hormonal factors affect this process through the regulation of the activities and expression levels of those key player enzymes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis such as acetyl-CoA carboxylase,fatty acid synthase,fatty acid elongases,and desaturases.As a micronutrient,vitamin A is essential for the health of humans.Recently,vitamin A has been shown to play a role in the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism.This review summarizes recent research progresses about the roles of vitamin A in fatty acid synthesis.It focuses on the effects of vitamin A on the activities and expression levels of mRNA and proteins of key enzymes for fatty acid synthesis in vitro and in vivo.It appears that vitamin A status and its signaling pathway regulate the expression levels of enzymes involved in fatty acid synthesis.Future research directions are also discussed.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.42077026 and 41371262)。
文摘The Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle and Wood-Ljungdahl pathway are two well-known ones in the six carbon sequestration pathways,but the current knowledge of their occurrence in different layers of agricultural soil profiles is poor.In this study,the diversities of three genes encoding ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase(Rubis CO),i.e.,genes encoding the green-like(cbbLG)and red-like(cbbLR)forms of Rubis COⅠ and encoding Rubis COⅡ(cbbM),and the gene encoding carbon monoxide dehydrogenase large subunit(coxL)from five paddy soils in southern China were investigated by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction,restriction fragment length polymorphism(RFLP)analysis,and clone library.The abundances of the four genes ranged from 10^(7) to 10^(9) copies g^(-1) soil,and the cbbLR gene outnumbered the other three genes in all soil samples,suggesting important roles they play in carbon dioxide(CO_(2))fixation.In addition,it was found that the copy numbers of cbbLR and cbbLG decreased with increasing soil depth,while the copy numbers of cbbM and coxL decreased in the shallow depths but increased with increasing soil depth.The results of RFLP showed a larger Shannon index(H)in the deeper soil layers among the four gene clone libraries,indicating that the community diversity in these soil layers was greater.The cbbLG gene had relatively low diversity(at genus level),and most of the sequences were classified as Sideroxydans and Thiobacillus.In contrast,the highly diverse groups were found in the other three gene clone libraries(cbbLR,cbbM,and coxL),most of which were distantly related to known sequences,even forming separate clusters.In summary,this study provides a new insight into CO_(2) fixers along agricultural soil profiles by comparing four bacterial genes.
文摘Endogenous reference genes (ERGs) provide vital information regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The successful detection of ERGs can identity GMOs and the source of genes, verify stability and reliability of the detection system, and calculate the level of genetically modified (GM) ingredients in mixtures. The reported ERGs in rice include sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS), phospholipase D (PLD), RBE4 and rice root-specific GOS9 genes. Based on the characteristics of ERGs, a new ERG gene, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), was selected, and further compared with the four existing genes. A total of 18 rice varieties and 29 non-rice crops were used to verify the interspecies specificity, intraspecies consistency, sensitivity, stability and reliability of these five ERGs using qualitative and quantitative PCR. Qualitative detection indicated that SPS and PEPC displayed sufficient specificity, and the detection sensitivity was 0.05% and 0.005%, respectively. Although the specificity of both RBE4 and GOS9 were adequate, the amplicons were small and easily confused with primer dimers. Non-specific amplification of the PLD gene was present in maize and potato. Real-time quantitative PCR detection indicated that PLD, SPS and PEPC displayed good specificity, with R2 of the standard curve greater than 0.98, while the amplification efficiency ranged between 90% and 110%. Both the detection sensitivities of PLD and PEPC were five copies and that of SPS was ten copies. RBE4 showed typical amplification in maize, beet and Arabidopsis, while GOS9 was found in maize, tobacco and oats. PEPC exhibited excellent detection sensitivity and species specificity, which made it a potentially useful application in GM-rice supervision and administration. Additionally, SPS and PLD are also suitable for GM-rice detection. This study effectively established a foundation for GMO detection, which not only provides vital technical support for GMO identification, but also is of great significance for enhancing the comparability of detection results, and the standardization of ERG testing in GM-rice.
文摘The full-length of intact Zea mays gene for phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase gene （ZmC4Ppc） is 6 781 bp. The products of PCR for this gene were not clear with poor repeatability, resulting in that it was difficult for marker-assisted selection （MAS） both in rice and maize. For selecting the markers for MAS, sequences presented only in maize rather than in rice were identified by BLAST, and used for primer design using Primer Premier 5.0. A pair of specific primer termed MRpc （Forward： 5＇ AAGCAGGGAAGCGAGACG 3＇, Reverse： 5＇ GATTGCCGCCAGCAGTAG 3＇） was used for selection of transformed rice, and ZmC4Ppc could be highly and constitutively expressed at each tested developmental stages in the transformed rice selected by using MRpc. Thus, MRpc was used for MAS of progenies carrying ZmC4Ppc gene in rice and some restorer lines with ZmC4Ppc （e.g. FPM881） derived from ZmC4Ppc-transformed Kitaake backcrossed with a restorer line Shuhui 881 were obtained. The analyses on genetic background, PEPCase activity, net photosynthetic rate, general combining ability （GCA） and specific combining ability （SCA） of FPM881 showed that similarity of genetic background reached above 95%, the PEPCase and net photosynthetic rate were higher than those of the control, and some of the progenies carrying ZmC4Ppc gene had better GCA and SCA for grain yield per plant, number of panicles per plant, and 1000-grain weight than those of the control. This suggested that the introduction of maize ZmC4Ppc gene via MAS and its stable expression could increase grain yield of rice and would likely provide a pathway for rice varietal improvement.
