The BTB (broad-complex, tramtrack, and bric-à-brac) domain is a highly conserved protein interaction motif in eukaryotes. They are widely involved in transcriptional regulation, protein degradation and other processes. Recently, an increasing number of studies have shown that these genes play important roles in plant growth and development, biotic and abiotic stress processes. Here, we summarize the advances of these proteins ubiquitination-mediated development and abiotic stress responses in plants based on the protein structure, which may facilitate the study of this type of gene in plants.
Eukaryota ; Plant Development/genetics* ; Proteolysis ; Ubiquitination

Based on randomized block design of experiment, agronomic traits and yields of 14 F1 generations of Dendrobium officinale were determined. The results showed that the differences in agronomic traits and yields among families were significant, and the hybrid vigor was obvious. Families of 6b x 2a, 9 x 66 and 78 x 69 were selected with the remarkable superiority of yields, agronomic traits and product customization. Correlation analysis between agronomic traits and yields showed that plant height, stem diameter, leaf number, blade length and blade width were all significantly correlated with biological yields and economic yields. Among which, stem diameter, leaf number and blade length were the most significant, and an optimal linear regression model could be established. When the number of shoots was fewer than 4.5, both biological yields and economic yields increased with the increasing number of shoots, but it could not much affect yields when the number of shoots was larger than 4.5. Shoots number, stem diameter and leaf index were basic stability when compared biennial traits to annual, which could be used for early selection.
Biomass ; Dendrobium ; genetics ; growth & development ; Hybridization, Genetic ; Plant Leaves ; genetics ; growth & development ; Plant Stems ; genetics ; growth & development ; Quantitative Trait Loci

Color is an important indicator for evaluating the ornamental traits of horticultural plants, and plant pigments is a key factor affecting the color phenotype of plants. Plant pigments and their metabolites play important roles in color formation of ornamental organs, regulation of plant growth and development, and response to adversity stress. It has therefore became a hot topic in the field of plant research. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is a vital genomics tool that specifically reduces host endogenous gene expression utilizing plant homology-dependent defense mechanisms. In addition, VIGS enables characterization of gene function by rapidly inducing the gene-silencing phenotypes in plants. It provides an efficient and feasible alternative for verifying gene function in plant species lacking genetic transformation systems. This paper reviews the current status of the application of VIGS technology in the biosynthesis, degradation and regulatory mechanisms of plant pigments. Moreover, this review discusses the potential and future prospects of VIGS technology in exploring the regulatory mechanisms of plant pigments, with the aim to further our understandings of the metabolic processes and regulatory mechanisms of different plant pigments as well as improving plant color traits.
Plant Viruses/genetics* ; Plants/genetics* ; Gene Silencing ; Plant Development ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Genetic Vectors

SUN gene is a group of key genes regulating plant growth and development. Here, SUN gene families of strawberry were identified from the genome of the diploid Fragaria vesca, and their physicochemical properties, genes structure, evolution and genes expression were also analyzed. Our results showed that there were thirty-one FvSUN genes in F. vesca and the FvSUNs encoded proteins were classified into seven groups, and the members in the same group showed high similarity in gene structures and conservative motifs. The electronic subcellular localization of FvSUNs was mainly in the nucleus. Collinearity analysis showed that the members of FvSUN gene family were mainly expanded by segmental duplication in F. vesca, and Arabidopsis and F. vesca shared twenty-three pairs of orthologous SUN genes. According to the expression pattern in different tissues shown by the transcriptome data of F. vesca, the FvSUNs gene can be divided into three types: (1) expressed in nearly all tissues, (2) hardly expressed in any tissues, and (3) expressed in special tissues. The gene expression pattern of FvSUNs was further verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Additionally, the seedlings of F. vesca were treated by different abiotic stresses, and the expression level of 31 FvSUNs genes were assayed by qRT-PCR. The expression of most of the tested genes was induced by cold, high salt or drought stress. Our studies may facilitate revealing the biological function and molecular mechanism of SUN genes in strawberry.
Fragaria/metabolism* ; Genes, Plant ; Stress, Physiological/genetics* ; Arabidopsis/genetics* ; Plant Development ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Plant Proteins/metabolism*

Plant height is one of the most important agronomic traits that could affect both crop yield and quality. Among all the hormones, gibberellins are crucial to regulate plant height. Cloning and molecular mechanism research of the plant height genes associated gibberellins have extremely important value for the regulation of crop growth and agricultural production, and have been widely used in rice, wheat and other grain crops breeding. In order to promote utilization of gibberellins in fruit trees, flowers and other horticultural crops breeding, we reviewed the regulation of plant height by gibberellins biosynthesis and signal transduction at the molecular level in this paper.
Crops, Agricultural ; genetics ; growth & development ; Flowers ; growth & development ; Fruit ; growth & development ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Genes, Plant ; genetics ; Gibberellins ; biosynthesis ; pharmacology ; Plant Growth Regulators ; biosynthesis ; pharmacology ; Plant Stems ; growth & development ; Signal Transduction ; Trees ; genetics ; growth & development

A system for the Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformation and plant regeneration of A. venetum has been developed. The highest transformation frequency was 100%, achieved by using strain LBA9402 with root explants. The highest density of hairy roots reached 22 when root explants transformed by R1000 cultured in the dark. Adventitious shoots were obtained from profusely branched, fast-growing (type PBF) hairy roots, and the adventitious shoot induction frequency was 20%. Regenerated shoots rooted easily on hormone-free 1/2 MS solid medium in 2 weeks. Approximately 1/3 regenerated plants derived from hairy roots exhibited prolific roots with shortened internodes. Whereas other regenerated plants showed another phenotype: long intemodes, strong stems, and fleshy blades. However, all regenerated plants displayed a relatively fast development procedure and stronger than the aseptic seedlings. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses confirmed the hairy root lines and regenerated plants were induced by A. rhizogenes.
Apocynum ; genetics ; growth & development ; Plant Roots ; growth & development ; Regeneration ; Rhizobium ; genetics ; Tissue Culture Techniques ; Transformation, Genetic

The chloroplast genome encodes many key proteins involved in photosynthesis and other metabolic processes, and metabolites synthesized in chloroplasts are essential for normal plant growth and development. Root-UVB (ultraviolet radiation B)-sensitive (RUS) family proteins composed of highly conserved DUF647 domain belong to chloroplast proteins. They play an important role in the regulation of various life activities such as plant morphogenesis, material transport and energy metabolism. This article summarizes the recent advances of the RUS family proteins in the growth and development of plants such as embryonic development, photomorphological construction, VB6 homeostasis, auxin transport and anther development, with the aim to facilitate further study of its molecular regulation mechanism in plant growth and development.
Female ; Pregnancy ; Humans ; Ultraviolet Rays ; Biological Transport ; Chloroplasts/genetics* ; Embryonic Development ; Plant Development/genetics*

OBJECTIVETo establish a method for isolation of the total RNA from Fagopyrum cymosum callus.

METHODThe improved method combining that of CTAB extraction with the LiCl precipitation was used to isolate the total RNA from the four F. cymosum callus. The quality of the RNA was detected by UV spectrophotometric analysis, 0.8% non-denaturing agarose gel electrophoresis and RNA reverse transcription.

RESULTThe bands of 28S and 18S could be seen clearly by agarose gel electrophoresis, and the value of A260/A280 was between 1.9 and 2.0. The cDNA which was reverse-transcribed by the total RNA showed a wide length rage of 500 bp-5 kb.

CONCLUSIONThe RNA extracted by this method meets the requirement of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), construction of cDNA libraries, et al. This improved method can be used to isolate the total RNA from F. cymosum callus with the advantage of simpleness, efficiency and low cost.

Rice is a major cereal crop for China. The development of the "three-line" hybrid rice system based on cytoplasmic male sterility in the 1970s (first-generation) and the "two-line" hybrid rice system based on photoperiod- and thermo-sensitive genic male-sterile lines (second-generation) in the 1980s has contributed significantly to rice yield increase and food security in China. Here we describe the development and implementation of the "third-generation" hybrid rice breeding system that is based on a transgenic approach to propagate and utilize stable recessive nuclear male sterile lines, and as such, the male sterile line and hybrid rice produced using such a system is non-transgenic. Such a system should overcome the intrinsic problems of the "first-generation" and "second-generation" hybrid rice systems and hold great promise to further boost production of hybrid rice and other crops.
China ; Oryza ; genetics ; growth & development ; Photoperiod ; Plant Breeding ; methods

Lysine acetylation is one of the major post-translational modifications and plays critical roles in regulating gene expression and protein function. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are responsible for the removal of acetyl groups from the lysines of both histone and non-histone proteins. The RPD3 family is the most widely studied HDACs. This article summarizes the regulatory mechanisms of Arabidopsis RPD3 family in several growth and development processes, which provide a reference for studying the mechanisms of RPD3 family members in regulating plant development. Moreover, this review may provide ideas and clues for exploring the functions of other members of HDACs family.
Arabidopsis/metabolism* ; Histone Deacetylases/metabolism* ; Histones ; Plant Development/genetics*