近期,，中科院東北地理與農(nóng)業(yè)生態(tài)研究所大豆分子育種組夏正俊博士與日本農(nóng)業(yè)生物資源研究所有關(guān)研究者經(jīng)多年的潛心研究，利用經(jīng)典的圖位克隆法成功破譯了大豆生育期基因E2,。其研究成果發(fā)表在遺傳學(xué)雜志《遺傳學(xué)》（Genetics）上,，為該研究團(tuán)隊克隆出的大豆生育期及生長習(xí)性等相關(guān)基因家族（E4、E3,、FT與Dt1）中又添了一名重要新成員,。
因大豆生育期基因的獨特性一直不明確，阻礙了人們進(jìn)一步深入了解大豆光周期本質(zhì)及綜合利用,。不同大豆生育期基因具有各自的獨特性,。E2基因雖然沒有像E1基因那樣對生育期的影響效果明顯，但其表現(xiàn)出穩(wěn)定效果不受日照時長的影響,，該特點對今后培育廣適應(yīng)性品種具有重要意義,。在擬南芥中GI-CO—FT開花期通路研究最深，雖然大豆中克隆出的E2為擬南芥GI的一個同源序列,，但所表現(xiàn)出的生物學(xué)特征與擬南芥中的GI大相徑庭,，其作用機理有待進(jìn)一步研究。
總之,，該基因的成功克隆,，對人們揭示大豆生育期基因調(diào)控網(wǎng)絡(luò)及光周期反應(yīng)本質(zhì)具有重要的理論價值，同時也為分子育種設(shè)計提供了重要的分子元件,。
此外,，同組的夏正俊博士、吳紅艷與國外合作者將玉米Stenocarpella maydis病菌的研究成果總結(jié)發(fā)表在Journal of Food Protection（2011,， 74 （4）：676–680）上,。該玉米病害多發(fā)生在北美、亞非地區(qū),，在我國南方亦有分布,。通過在該病菌的超微結(jié)構(gòu)進(jìn)行觀察，研究明確了該病菌的侵染規(guī)律及生物學(xué)特性,，為綜合防治該病害打下了理論基礎(chǔ),。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原文出處：
Genetics doi: 10.1534/genetics.110.125062
A Map-Based Cloning Strategy Employing a Residual Heterozygous Line Reveals that the GIGANTEA Gene Is Involved in Soybean Maturity and Flowering
Satoshi Watanabe, Zhengjun Xia, Rumiko Hideshima, Yasutaka Tsubokura, Shusei Sato, Naoki Yamanaka, Ryoji Takahashi, Toyoaki Anai, Satoshi Tabata, Keisuke Kitamura?? and Kyuya Harada
Flowering is indicative of the transition from vegetative to reproductive phase, a critical event in the life cycle of plants. In soybean (Glycine max), a flowering quantitative trait locus, FT2, corresponding to the maturity locus E2, was detected in recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from the varieties “Misuzudaizu” (ft2/ft2; JP28856) and “Moshidou Gong 503” (FT2/FT2; JP27603). A map-based cloning strategy using the progeny of a residual heterozygous line (RHL) from the RIL was employed to isolate the gene responsible for this quantitative trait locus. A GIGANTEA ortholog, GmGIa (Glyma10g36600), was identified as a candidate gene. A common premature stop codon at the 10th exon was present in the Misuzudaizu allele and in other near isogenic lines (NILs) originating from Harosoy (e2/e2; PI548573). Furthermore, a mutant line harboring another premature stop codon showed an earlier flowering phenotype than the original variety, Bay (E2/E2; PI553043). The e2/e2 genotype exhibited elevated expression of GmFT2a, one of the florigen genes that leads to early flowering. The effects of the E2 allele on flowering time were similar among NILs and constant under high (43°N) and middle (36°N) latitudinal regions in Japan. These results indicate that GmGIa is the gene responsible for the E2 locus and that a null mutation in GmGIa may contribute to the geographic adaptation of soybean.
