SummaryLeaf senescence is a form of programmed cell death, and is believed to involve preferential expression of a speci®c set of`senescence-associated genes' (SAGs). To decipher the molecular mechanisms and the predicted complex network of regulatory pathways involved in the senescence program, we have carried out a large-scale gene identi®cation study in a reference plant, Arabidopsis thaliana. Using suppression subtractive hybridization, we isolated approximately 800 cDNA clones representing SAGs expressed in senescing leaves. Differential expression was con®rmed by Northern blot analysis for 130 non-redundant genes. Over 70 of the identi®ed genes have not previously been shown to participate in the senescence process. SAGencoded proteins are likely to participate in macromolecule degradation, detoxi®cation of oxidative metabolites, induction of defense mechanisms, and signaling and regulatory events. Temporal expression pro®les of selected genes displayed several distinct patterns, from expression at a very early stage, to the terminal phase of the senescence syndrome. Expression of some of the novel SAGs, in response to age, leaf detachment, darkness, and ethylene and cytokinin treatment was compared. The large repertoire of SAGs identi®ed here provides global insights about regulatory, biochemical and cellular events occurring during leaf senescence.

Senescence-associated genes are up-regulated during plant senescence and many have been implicated in encoding enzymes involved in the metabolism of senescing tissues. Using the differential display technique, we identified a SAG in bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) leaf that was exclusively expressed during senescence and was designated senescence-associated receptor-like kinase (SARK). The deduced SARK polypeptide consists of a signal peptide, a leucine-rich repeat in the extracellular region, a single membrane-spanning domain, and the characteristic serine/threonine protein kinase domain. The mRNA level for SARK increased prior to the loss of chlorophyll and the decrease of chlorophyll a/b-binding protein mRNA. Detached mature bean leaves, which senesce at an accelerated rate compared with leaves on intact plants, showed a similar temporal pattern of SARK message accumulation. Light and cytokinin, which delayed the initiation of leaf senescence, also delayed SARK gene expression; in contrast, darkness and ethylene, which accelerated senescence, advanced the initial appearance of the SARK transcript. SARK protein accumulation exhibited a temporal pattern similar to that of its mRNA. A possible role for SARK in the regulation of leaf senescence was considered.

Human erythropoietin (EPO) is a glycoprotein hormone secreted from the kidney and controls red blood cell production. EPO has a wide clinical use in the treatment of anemia associated with renal disease, certain chronic diseases, and anemia related to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. One major issue regarding the clinical use of EPO is its relatively short half-life due to its clearance by glomerular filtration. Thus, the therapeutic protocol used in the treatment of patient-required frequent injections of EPO. To address this issue, we constructed a chimeric gene that contains the sequence of the carboxyl-terminal peptide (CTP) of human chorionic gonadotropin-beta subunit bearing four O-linked oligosaccharide recognition sites and the coding sequence of human EPO cDNA. Fusing the CTP to the carboxyl-terminal of EPO did not affect secretion, receptor binding affinity, or in vitro bioactivity. However, both in vivo potency and half-life of EPO-CTP were significantly enhanced. A single injection dose (660 IU/kg) of EPO wild-type administered once a week had no significant effect on haematocrit levels. However, EPO-CTP administered as 660 IU/kg once a week was effective as well as the same total dose of EPO wild-type administered as 220 IU/kg three times a week. This may emphasize the importance of sustained blood levels rather than total dose of administration for in vivo bioactivity. These data established the rationale for using this chimera as a long-acting EPO analog. The therapeutic efficacy of EPO-CTP analog needs to be established in higher animals and human clinical trials.

The differential display technique was used to generate cDNA probes in order to identify mRNAs that are up‐regulated during senescence of Arabidopsis leaves. Three mRNAs were examined that had not previously been associated with senescence. The steady‐state levels of these mRNAs are detectable in small amounts in mature green leaves, but increase considerably as chlorophyll levels begin to decline. This relationship to senescence occurs under natural circumstances as well as when senescence is accelerated by leaf detachment in the dark or by addition of 1‐aminocyclopropane‐1‐carboxylic acid (ACC). Retardation of senescence by benzyladenine slows the increase of the mRNAs. One of these mRNAs appears to code for a protein (Sec 13) that may be involved in vesicle formation at the endoplasmic reticulum. Another mRNA codes for a protein with WD‐repeat motif whose function is as yet unidentified, and the third codes for a putative calcium‐dependent protein kinase. A fourth cDNA has also been cloned by subtractive hybridization from senescing Arabidopsis leaves that encodes vacuolar‐processing enzyme (γVPE). Incubation of detached leaves in darkness also caused an abrupt elevation in the steady‐state levels of the γVPE, similar to that of the senescing attached leaves. The possible functions of the gene products and their involvement in cellular and biochemical processes during senescence are discussed.

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