Nat Commun , IF:14.919 , 2023 Oct , V14 (1) : P6789 doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-42269-4
A mitochondrial pentatricopeptide repeat protein enhances cold tolerance by modulating mitochondrial superoxide in rice.
State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and National Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.; State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and National Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. luolilan@genetics.ac.cn.; The Municipal Key Laboratory of the Molecular Genetics of Hybrid Wheat, Institute of Hybrid Wheat, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100097, China.; Key Laboratory of Plant Development and Environmental Adaptation Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China.; National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.; State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and National Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. xfcao@genetics.ac.cn.; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China. xfcao@genetics.ac.cn.; CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. xfcao@genetics.ac.cn.
Cold stress affects rice growth and productivity. Defects in the plastid-localized pseudouridine synthase OsPUS1 affect chloroplast ribosome biogenesis, leading to low-temperature albino seedlings and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Here, we report an ospus1-1 suppressor, sop10. SOP10 encodes a mitochondria-localized pentatricopeptide repeat protein. Mutations in SOP10 impair intron splicing of the nad4 and nad5 transcripts and decrease RNA editing efficiency of the nad2, nad6, and rps4 transcripts, resulting in deficiencies in mitochondrial complex I, thus decrease ROS generation and rescuing the albino phenotype. Overexpression of different compartment-localized superoxide dismutases (SOD) genes in ospus1-1 reverses the ROS over-accumulation and albino phenotypes to various degrees, with Mn-SOD reversing the best. Mutation of SOP10 in indica rice varieties enhances cold tolerance with lower ROS levels. We find that the mitochondrial superoxide plays a key role in rice cold responses, and identify a mitochondrial superoxide modulating factor, informing efforts to improve rice cold tolerance.
PMID: 37880207
EMBO J , IF:11.598 , 2023 Oct , V42 (19) : Pe112999 doi: 10.15252/embj.2022112999
Strigolactones promote plant freezing tolerance by releasing the WRKY41-mediated inhibition of CBF/DREB1 expression.
State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.; College of Plant Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China.; College of Life Sciences, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding, China.
Cold stress is a major abiotic stress that adversely affects plant growth and crop productivity. The C-REPEAT BINDING FACTOR/DRE BINDING FACTOR 1 (CBF/DREB1) transcriptional regulatory cascade plays a key role in regulating cold acclimation and freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Here, we show that max (more axillary growth) mutants deficient in strigolactone biosynthesis and signaling display hypersensitivity to freezing stress. Exogenous application of GR24(5DS) , a strigolactone analog, enhances freezing tolerance in wild-type plants and strigolactone-deficient mutants and promotes the cold-induced expression of CBF genes. Biochemical analysis showed that the transcription factor WRKY41 serves as a substrate for the F-box E3 ligase MAX2. WRKY41 directly binds to the W-box in the promoters of CBF genes and represses their expression, negatively regulating cold acclimation and freezing tolerance. MAX2 ubiquitinates WRKY41, thus marking it for cold-induced degradation and thereby alleviating the repression of CBF expression. In addition, SL-mediated degradation of SMXLs also contributes to enhanced plant freezing tolerance by promoting anthocyanin biosynthesis. Taken together, our study reveals the molecular mechanism underlying strigolactones promote the cold stress response in Arabidopsis.
PMID: 37622245
Plant Biotechnol J , IF:9.803 , 2023 Nov , V21 (11) : P2254-2272 doi: 10.1111/pbi.14128
Histone deacetylase MdHDA6 is an antagonist in regulation of transcription factor MdTCP15 to promote cold tolerance in apple.
State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.; College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.
Understanding the molecular regulation of plant cold response is the basis for cold resistance germplasm improvement. Here, we revealed that the apple histone deacetylase MdHDA6 can perform histone deacetylation on cold-negative regulator genes and repress their expression, leading to the positive regulation of cold tolerance in apples. Moreover, MdHDA6 directly interacts with the transcription factor MdTCP15. Phenotypic analysis of MdTCP15 transgenic apple lines and wild types reveals that MdTCP15 negatively regulates cold tolerance in apples. Furthermore, we found that MdHDA6 can facilitate histone deacetylation of MdTCP15 and repress the expression of MdTCP15, which positively contributes to cold tolerance in apples. Additionally, the transcription factor MdTCP15 can directly bind to the promoter of the cold-negative regulator gene MdABI1 and activate its expression, and it can also directly bind to the promoter of the cold-positive regulator gene MdCOR47 and repress its expression. However, the co-expression of MdHDA6 and MdTCP15 can inhibit MdTCP15-induced activation of MdABI1 and repression of MdCOR47, suggesting that MdHDA6 suppresses the transcriptional regulation of MdTCP15 on its downstream genes. Our results demonstrate that histone deacetylase MdHDA6 plays an antagonistic role in the regulation of MdTCP15-induced transcriptional activation or repression to positively regulate cold tolerance in apples, revealing a new regulatory mechanism of plant cold response.
PMID: 37475182
Plant Biotechnol J , IF:9.803 , 2023 Oct , V21 (10) : P2057-2073 doi: 10.1111/pbi.14112
MdNAC104 positively regulates apple cold tolerance via CBF-dependent and CBF-independent pathways.
State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China.; The State Key Laboratory of Genetic Improvement and Germplasm Innovation of Crop Resistance in Arid Desert Regions (Preparation), Key Laboratory of Genome Research and Genetic Improvement of Xinjiang Characteristic Fruits and Vegetables, Institute of Horticulture Crops, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Urumqi, China.
Low temperature is the main environmental factor affecting the yield, quality and geographical distribution of crops, which significantly restricts development of the fruit industry. The NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2 and CUC2) transcription factor (TF) family is involved in regulating plant cold tolerance, but the mechanisms underlying these regulatory processes remain unclear. Here, the NAC TF MdNAC104 played a positive role in modulating apple cold tolerance. Under cold stress, MdNAC104-overexpressing transgenic plants exhibited less ion leakage and lower ROS (reactive oxygen species) accumulation, but higher contents of osmoregulatory substances and activities of antioxidant enzymes. Transcriptional regulation analysis showed that MdNAC104 directly bound to the MdCBF1 and MdCBF3 promoters to promote expression. In addition, based on combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses, as well as promoter binding and transcriptional regulation analyses, we found that MdNAC104 stimulated the accumulation of anthocyanin under cold conditions by upregulating the expression of anthocyanin synthesis-related genes, including MdCHS-b, MdCHI-a, MdF3H-a and MdANS-b, and increased the activities of the antioxidant enzymes by promoting the expression of the antioxidant enzyme-encoding genes MdFSD2 and MdPRXR1.1. In conclusion, this study revealed the MdNAC104 regulatory mechanism of cold tolerance in apple via CBF-dependent and CBF-independent pathways.
PMID: 37387580
Crit Rev Biotechnol , IF:8.429 , 2023 Dec , V43 (5) : P680-697 doi: 10.1080/07388551.2022.2053056
Cold stress regulates accumulation of flavonoids and terpenoids in plants by phytohormone, transcription process, functional enzyme, and epigenetics.
Wenzhou Safety (Emergency) Institute of Tianjin University, Wenzhou, China.; School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.; Tianjin Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Tianjin, China.; National Resource Center for Chinese Meteria Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
Plants make different defense mechanisms in response to different environmental stresses. One common way is to produce secondary metabolites. Temperature is the main environmental factor that regulates plant secondary metabolites, especially flavonoids and terpenoids. Stress caused by temperature decreasing to 4-10 degrees C is conducive to the accumulation of flavonoids and terpenoids. However, the accumulation mechanism under cold stress still lacks a systematic explanation. In this review, we summarize three aspects of cold stress promoting the accumulation of flavonoids and terpenoids in plants, that is, by affecting (1) the content of endogenous plant hormones, especially jasmonic acid and abscisic acid; (2) the expression level and activity of important transcription factors, such as bHLH and MYB families. This aspect also includes post-translational modification of transcription factors caused by cold stress; (3) key enzyme genes expression and activity in the biosynthesis pathway, in addition, the rate-limiting enzyme and glycosyltransferases genes are responsive to cold stress. The systematic understanding of cold stress regulates flavonoids, and terpenoids will contribute to the future research of genetic engineering breeding, metabolism regulation, glycosyltransferases mining, and plant synthetic biology.
PMID: 35848841
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2023 Oct , V193 (3) : P2105-2121 doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiad452
CALMODULIN6 negatively regulates cold tolerance by attenuating ICE1-dependent stress responses in tomato.
Department of Horticulture, Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, PR China.; Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plants Growth and Development, Agricultural Ministry of China, Yuhangtang Road 866, Hangzhou 310058, PR China.; Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Sanya 572025, PR China.
Chilling temperatures induce an increase in cytoplasmic calcium (Ca2+) ions to transmit cold signals, but the precise role of Calmodulins (CaMs), a type of Ca2+ sensor, in plant tolerance to cold stress remains elusive. In this study, we characterized a tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) CaM gene, CALMODULIN6 (CaM6), which responds to cold stimulus. Overexpressing CaM6 increased tomato sensitivity to cold stress whereas silencing CaM6 resulted in a cold-insensitive phenotype. We showed that CaM6 interacts with Inducer of CBF expression 1 (ICE1) in a Ca2+-independent process and ICE1 contributes to cold tolerance in tomato plants. By integrating RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing (ChIP-seq) assays, we revealed that ICE1 directly altered the expression of 76 downstream cold-responsive (COR) genes that potentially confer cold tolerance to tomato plants. Moreover, the physical interaction of CaM6 with ICE1 attenuated ICE1 transcriptional activity during cold stress. These findings reveal that CaM6 attenuates the cold tolerance of tomato plants by suppressing ICE1-dependent COR gene expression. We propose a CaM6/ICE1 module in which ICE1 is epistatic to CaM6 under cold stress. Our study sheds light on the mechanism of plant response to cold stress and reveals CaM6 is involved in the regulation of ICE1.
PMID: 37565524
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2023 Oct , V193 (3) : P2180-2196 doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiad420
Natural variation in OsSEC13 HOMOLOG 1 modulates redox homeostasis to confer cold tolerance in rice.
Rice Research Institute/Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetic Improvement and High Quality and Efficiency Production of Northeast Japonica Rice in China, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China.; State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.; Strube Research GmbH & Co. KG, Sollingen 38387, Germany.; Liaodong University, Dandong 118001, China.
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a cold-sensitive species that often faces cold stress, which adversely affects yield productivity and quality. However, the genetic basis for low-temperature adaptation in rice remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that 2 functional polymorphisms in O. sativa SEC13 Homolog 1 (OsSEH1), encoding a WD40-repeat nucleoporin, between the 2 subspecies O. sativa japonica and O. sativa indica rice, may have facilitated cold adaptation in japonica rice. We show that OsSEH1 of the japonica variety expressed in OsSEH1MSD plants (transgenic line overexpressing the OsSEH1 allele from Mangshuidao [MSD], cold-tolerant landrace) has a higher affinity for O. sativa metallothionein 2b (OsMT2b) than that of OsSEH1 of indica. This high affinity of OsSEH1MSD for OsMT2b results in inhibition of OsMT2b degradation, with decreased accumulation of reactive oxygen species and increased cold tolerance. Transcriptome analysis indicates that OsSEH1 positively regulates the expression of the genes encoding dehydration-responsive element-binding transcription factors, i.e. OsDREB1 genes, and induces the expression of multiple cold-regulated genes to enhance cold tolerance. Our findings highlight a breeding resource for improving cold tolerance in rice.
PMID: 37471276
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2023 Oct , V193 (3) : P2141-2163 doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiad403
Vacuolar sugar transporter EARLY RESPONSE TO DEHYDRATION6-LIKE4 affects fructose signaling and plant growth.
Plant Physiology, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Paul-Ehrlich Strasse 22, D-67653 Kaiserslautern, Germany.; College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University and Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China.; Plant Evolutionary Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians- Universitat Munchen, D-82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.; Institute for Biology III, Unit of Plant Molecular Systems Biology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.; Institute of Biophysics, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via De Marini 6, I-16149 Genova, Italy.
Regulation of intracellular sugar homeostasis is maintained by regulation of activities of sugar import and export proteins residing at the tonoplast. We show here that the EARLY RESPONSE TO DEHYDRATION6-LIKE4 (ERDL4) protein, a member of the monosaccharide transporter family, resides in the vacuolar membrane in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Gene expression and subcellular fractionation studies indicated that ERDL4 participates in fructose allocation across the tonoplast. Overexpression of ERDL4 increased total sugar levels in leaves due to a concomitantly induced stimulation of TONOPLAST SUGAR TRANSPORTER 2 (TST2) expression, coding for the major vacuolar sugar loader. This conclusion is supported by the finding that tst1-2 knockout lines overexpressing ERDL4 lack increased cellular sugar levels. ERDL4 activity contributing to the coordination of cellular sugar homeostasis is also indicated by 2 further observations. First, ERDL4 and TST genes exhibit an opposite regulation during a diurnal rhythm, and second, the ERDL4 gene is markedly expressed during cold acclimation, representing a situation in which TST activity needs to be upregulated. Moreover, ERDL4-overexpressing plants show larger rosettes and roots, a delayed flowering time, and increased total seed yield. Consistently, erdl4 knockout plants show impaired cold acclimation and freezing tolerance along with reduced plant biomass. In summary, we show that modification of cytosolic fructose levels influences plant organ development and stress tolerance.
PMID: 37427783
Chemosphere , IF:7.086 , 2023 Nov , V340 : P139910 doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139910
Insights of microalgal municipal wastewater treatment at low temperatures: Performance, microbiota patterns, and cold-adaptation of tubular and aeration column photobioreactors.
CAS Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China; Institute of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Mianyang Teacher's College, Mianyang, 621000, China.; Institute of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Mianyang Teacher's College, Mianyang, 621000, China.; Haitian Water Group Co., LTD., Chengdu, 610203, China.; CAS Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China.; CAS Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China. Electronic address: lixin@cib.ac.cn.; CAS Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China. Electronic address: tanzhl@cib.ac.cn.
In order to refine the treatment of microalgae consortium (MC) for municipal wastewater (MWW) during the winter, this study investigated the effectiveness of tubular and aeration column photobioreactors (TPBR and APBR) in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) during winter by two start-up modes: microalgae/microalgae-activated sludge (AS). The operation results showed that under 5.7-13.1 degrees C, TPBR enhanced the assimilation of N and P pollutant by microalgal accumulation, meeting the Chinese discharge standard within 24 h (NH(4)(+)-N, TP, and COD
PMID: 37611753
Int J Biol Macromol , IF:6.953 , 2023 Oct , V253 (Pt 7) : P127442 doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127442
Genome-wide analyses of calmodulin and calmodulin-like proteins in the halophyte Nitraria sibirica reveal their involvement in response to salinity, drought and cold stress.
State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.; Experimental Center of Desert Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Dengkou, Inner Mongolia, China.; College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.; State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China. Electronic address: lulu2020@njfu.edu.cn.
The calmodulin (CaM) and calmodulin-like (CML) proteins are major calcium sensors that play a critical role in environmental stimulus response in plants. Nevertheless, the CaM/CML proteins from the specific plants with extreme tolerance to abiotic stresses remained so far uncharacterized. In this study, 66 candidate proteins (three NsCaMs and sixty-three NsCMLs) were identified from the halophyte Nitraria sibirica, which can withstand an extreme salinity. Bioinformatic analysis of upstream cis-acting elements predicted the potential involvement of NsCaM/CMLs in abiotic stress responses and various hormone responses. Additionally, the Nitraria sibirica transcriptome revealed that 17 and 7 NsCMLs were significantly upregulated under 100 mM or 400 mM NaCl treatment. Transcription of most salt-responsive genes was similarly upregulated under cold stress, yet downregulated under drought treatment. Moreover, predictive subcellular localization analysis suggested that the stress-responsive NsCML proteins mainly localize at the cellular membrane and within the nucleus. Furthermore, transgenic overexpression of two NsCMLs (NISI03G1136 and NISI01G1645) was found to mitigate H(2)O(2) accumulation caused by salt stress. These results provide insights into the potential function of Nitraria sibirica CaM/CML proteins, which could aid the investigation of molecular mechanisms of extreme tolerance to abiotic stresses in halophytes.
PMID: 37844818
Int J Mol Sci , IF:5.923 , 2023 Oct , V24 (19) doi: 10.3390/ijms241914976
Comprehensive Time-Course Transcriptome Reveals the Crucial Biological Pathways Involved in the Seasonal Branch Growth in Siberian Elm (Ulmus pumila).
Key Lab of Plant Stress Research, College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, No. 88 Wenhuadong Road, Ji'nan 250014, China.
Timber, the most prevalent organic material on this planet, is the result of a secondary xylem emerging from vascular cambium. Yet, the intricate processes governing its seasonal generation are largely a mystery. To better understand the cyclic growth of vascular tissues in elm, we undertook an extensive study examining the anatomy, physiology, and genetic expressions in Ulmus pumila. We chose three robust 15-year-old elm trees for our study. The cultivars used in this study were collected from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in China and nurtured in the tree farm of Shandong Normal University. Monthly samples of 2-year-old elm branches were taken from the tree from February to September. Marked seasonal shifts in elm branch vascular tissues were observed by phenotypic observation: In February, the cambium of the branch emerged from dormancy, spurring growth. By May, elms began generating secondary xylem, or latewood, recognized by its tiny pores and dense cell structure. From June to August, there was a marked increase in the thickness of the secondary xylem. Transcriptome sequencing provides a potential molecular mechanism for the thickening of elm branches and their response to stress. In February, the tree enhanced its genetic responses to cold and drought stress. The amplified expression of CDKB, CYCB, WOX4, and ARF5 in the months of February and March reinforced their essential role in the development of the vascular cambium in elm. Starting in May, the elm deployed carbohydrates as a carbon resource to synthesize the abundant cellulose and lignin necessary for the formation of the secondary wall. Major genes participating in cellulose (SUC and CESA homologs), xylan (UGD, UXS, IRX9, IRX10, and IRX14), and lignin (PAL, C4H, 4CL, HCT, C3H, COMT, and CAD) biosynthetic pathways for secondary wall formation were up-regulated by May or/and June. In conclusion, our findings provided a foundation for an in-depth exploration of the molecular processes dictating the seasonal growth of elm timber.
PMID: 37834427
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2023 , V14 : P1266194 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1266194
MdSWEET23, a sucrose transporter from apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.), influences sugar metabolism and enhances cold tolerance in tomato.
Shandong Institute of Pomology, Taian, China.; College of Horticulture, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China.
Photosynthetic products in most fleshy fruits are unloaded via the apoplasmic pathway. Sugar transporters play an important role in the apoplasmic unloading pathway and are involved in sugar transport for fruit development. The MdSWEET23, cloned from ''Hanfu'' apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.) fruits, belongs to Clade III of the SWEET family. Subcellular localization revealed that MdSWEET23 is localized on the plasma membrane. beta-glucuronidase activity assays showed that MdSWEET23 was primarily expressed in the sepal and carpel vascular bundle of apple fruits. Heterologous expression assays in yeast showed that MdSWEET23 functions in sucrose transport. The overexpression of MdSWEET23 in the ''Orin" calli increased the soluble sugar content. The silencing of MdSWEET23 significantly reduced the contents of sucrose and sorbitol in apple fruits. Ectopic overexpression of MdSWEET23 in tomato altered sugar metabolism and distribution in leaves and fruits, causing a reduction in photosynthetic rates and plant height, enhanced cold stress tolerance, and increased the content of sucrose, fructose, and glucose in breaking color fruits, but did not increase sugar sink potency of tomato fruits.
PMID: 37854110
Plant Sci , IF:4.729 , 2023 Oct , V337 : P111894 doi: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2023.111894
Molecular mechanisms of SNAC1 (Stress-responsive NAC1) in conferring the abiotic stress tolerance.
Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Jagiellonska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland. Electronic address: marzena.kurowska@us.edu.pl.; Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Jagiellonska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland.
NAC family gene - SNAC1 (Stress-responsive NAC1) is responsive to drought, salt, cold stress, and ABA. It acts as a regulator in mediating tolerance to abiotic stress through different pathways. Abiotic stress, among them drought and salinity, are adverse factors for plant growth and crop productivity. SNAC1 was an object of high interest according to the effect of improved drought and salt tolerance when overexpressed in different plant species such as rice, wheat, barley, cotton, maize, banana, or oat. SNAC1 functions by regulating the expression of genes that contain the NAC Recognized Sequence (NACRS) within their promoter region. This gene is induced by drought, specifically in guard cells. Its downstream targets have been identified. The role of SNAC1 in molecular and physiological responses during abiotic stress has been proposed, but this knowledge still needs to be expanded. Here, we describe recent advances in understanding the action of SNAC1 in adapting plants to abiotic stress.
PMID: 37813193
Plant Sci , IF:4.729 , 2023 Sep , V337 : P111880 doi: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2023.111880
RsCDF3, a member of Cycling Dof Factors, positively regulates cold tolerance via auto-regulation and repressing two RsRbohs transcription in radish (Raphanus sativus L.).
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crop Biology and Genetic Improvement (East China) of MOAR, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, PR China.; National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crop Biology and Genetic Improvement (East China) of MOAR, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, PR China; College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, PR China.; College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, PR China.; National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crop Biology and Genetic Improvement (East China) of MOAR, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, PR China. Electronic address: nauxuliang@njau.edu.cn.
Radish is one of the most economical root vegetable crops worldwide. Cold stress dramatically impedes radish taproot formation and development as well as reduces its yield and quality. Although the Cycling Dof Factors (CDFs) play crucial roles in plant growth, development and abiotic stress responses, how CDF TFs mediate the regulatory network of cold stress response remains largely unexplored in radish. Herein, a total of nine RsCDF genes were identified from the radish genome. Among them, the RsCDF3 exhibited obviously up-regulated expression under cold stress, especially at 12 h and 24 h. RsCDF3 was localized to the nucleus and displayed dramatic cold-induced promoter activity in tobacco leaves. Moreover, overexpression of RsCDF3 significantly enhanced cold tolerance of radish plants, whereas its knock-down plants exhibited the opposite phenotype. Interestingly, both in vitro and in vivo assays indicated that the RsCDF3 repressed the transcription of RsRbohA and RsRbohC via directly binding to their promoters, which contributed to maintaining the cellular homeostasis of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and scavenging in radish. In addition, the RsCDF3 bound to its own promoter to mediate its transcription, thereby forming an autoregulatory feedback loop to cooperatively trigger RsRbohs-dependent cold tolerance. Together, we revealed a novel RsCDF3-RsRbohs module to promote the cold tolerance in radish plants. These findings would facilitate unveiling the molecular mechanism governing RsCDF3-mediated cold stress response in radish.
PMID: 37778469
Plant Cell Rep , IF:4.57 , 2023 Oct doi: 10.1007/s00299-023-03079-6
A comprehensive investigation of the regulatory roles of OsERF096, an AP2/ERF transcription factor, in rice cold stress response.
Crop Stress Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, 163319, China.; Crop Stress Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, 163319, China. csmbl2016@126.com.; Crop Stress Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, 163319, China. kaik127@163.com.
OsERF096 negatively regulates rice cold tolerance and mediates IAA biosynthesis and signaling under cold stress. The APETALA2/ethylene-responsive factor (AP2/ERF) transcription factors play important roles in regulating plant tolerance to abiotic stress. OsERF096 was previously identified as a direct target of miR1320, and was suggested to negatively regulate rice cold tolerance. In this study, we performed RNA-sequencing and targeted metabolomics assays to reveal the regulatory roles of OsERF096 in cold stress response. GO and KEGG analysis of differentially expressed genes showed that the starch and sucrose metabolism, plant-pathogen interaction, and plant hormone signal transduction pathways were significantly enriched. Quantification analysis confirmed a significant difference in sugar contents among WT and OsERF096 transgenic lines under cold treatment. Targeted metabolomics analysis uncovered that IAA accumulation and signaling were modified by OsERF096 in response to cold stress. Expectedly, qRT-PCR assays confirmed significant OsIAAs and OsARFs expression changes in OsERF096 transgenic lines. Finally, we identified three targets of OsERF096 based on RNA-seq, qRT-PCR, and dual-LUC assays. In summary, these results revealed the multiple regulatory roles of OsERF096 in cold stress response.
PMID: 37812280
BMC Plant Biol , IF:4.215 , 2023 Oct , V23 (1) : P521 doi: 10.1186/s12870-023-04530-2
Transcriptomics integrated with metabolomics reveals the effect of cold stress on rice microspores.
Biotech Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China.; Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genetics and Breeding, Shanghai, China.; Biotech Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China. gaorunhong@saas.sh.cn.; Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genetics and Breeding, Shanghai, China. gaorunhong@saas.sh.cn.; Biotech Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China. liuchenghong@saas.sh.cn.; Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genetics and Breeding, Shanghai, China. liuchenghong@saas.sh.cn.
BACKGROUND: Microspore culture is one of the important biotechnological tools in plant breeding. The induction of microspore embryogenesis is a critical factor that affects the yield of microspore-derived embryo productions. Cold treatment has been reported to reprogram the gametophytic pathway in various plant species. However, the exact mechanism(s) underlying the effect of cold pre-treatment of floral buds on the efficiency of ME is still not clear. RESULTS: In this study, the effects of cold stress on the microspore totipotency of rice cultivar Zhonghua 11 were investigated. Our results revealed that a 10-day cold treatment is necessary for microspore embryogenesis initiation. During this period, the survival rate of microspores increased and reached a peak at 7 days post treatment (dpt), before decreasing at 10 dpt. RNA-seq analysis showed that the number of DEGs increased from 3 dpt to 10 dpt, with more downregulated DEGs than upregulated ones at the same time point. GO enrichment analysis showed a shift from 'Response to abiotic stimulus' at 3 dpt to 'Metabolic process' at 7 and 10 dpt, with the most significant category in the cellular component being 'cell wall'. KEGG analysis of the pathways revealed changes during cold treatment. Mass spectrometry was used to evaluate the variations in metabolites at 10 dpt compared to 0 dpt, with more downregulated DEMs being determined in both GC-MS and LC-MS modes. These DEMs were classified into 11 categories, Most of the DEMs belonged to 'lipids and lipid-like molecules'. KEGG analysis of DEMs indicates pathways related to amino acid and nucleotide metabolism being upregulated and those related to carbohydrate metabolism being downregulated. An integration analysis of transcriptomics and metabolomics showed that most pathways belonged to 'Amino acid metabolism' and 'Carbohydrate metabolism'. Four DEMs were identified in the interaction network, with stearidonic acid involving in the most correlations, suggesting the potential role in microspore totipotency. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings exhibited the molecular events occurring during stress-induced rice microspore. Pathways related to 'Amino acid metabolism' and 'Carbohydrate metabolism' may play important roles in rice microspore totipotency. Stearidonic acid was identified, which may participate in the initiation of microspore embryogenesis.
PMID: 37891481
J Proteomics , IF:4.044 , 2023 Sep , V288 : P104994 doi: 10.1016/j.jprot.2023.104994
Ubiquitylome analysis reveals the involvement of ubiquitination in the cold responses of banana seedling leaves.
Subtropical Agriculture Research Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhangzhou, Fujian 363005, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: linw102@163.com.; Subtropical Agriculture Research Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhangzhou, Fujian 363005, People's Republic of China.; Academy of Sericulture Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi 530007, People's Republic of China.
Low temperature is a crucial environmental factor limiting the productivity and distribution of banana. Ubiquitination (Kub) is one of the main posttranslational modifications (PTMs) involved in plant responses to abiotic stresses. However, little information is available on the effects of Kub on banana under cold stress. In this study, we used label-free quantification (LFQ) to identify changes in the protein expression and Kub levels in banana seedling leaves after chilling treatment. In total, 4156 proteins, 1089 ubiquitinated proteins and 2636 Kub sites were quantified. Western blot assays showed that Kub was abundant in leaves after low-temperature treatment. Our results show that the proteome and ubiquitylome were negatively correlated, indicating that Kub could be involved in the degradation of proteins in banana after chilling treatment. Based on bioinformatics analysis, low-temperature stress-related signals and metabolic pathways such as cold acclimation, glutathione metabolism, calcium signaling, and photosynthesis signaling were identified. In addition, we found that transcription factors and chromatin remodeling factors related to low-temperature stress were ubiquitinated. Overall, our work presents the first systematic analysis of the Kub proteome in banana under cold stress and provides support for future studies on the regulatory mechanisms of Kub during the cold stress response in plants. SIGNIFICANCE: Banana is a typical tropical fruit tree with poor low-temperature tolerance,however, the role of PTMs such as Kub in the cold response of banana remains unclear. This study highlights the fact that the effects of low-temperature on proteome and ubiquitylome in the banana seedling leaves, we discussed the correlation between transcriptome and proteome, ubiquitylome and proteome, and we analyzed the expression and the changes of ubiquitination levels of low-temperature related proteins and pathway after chilling treatment, and we found that transcription factors and chromatin remodeling factors related to low-temperature stress were ubiquitinated. This study provides new insights into the ubiquitination pathway of banana under cold stress.
PMID: 37598917
BMC Genomics , IF:3.969 , 2023 Oct , V24 (1) : P584 doi: 10.1186/s12864-023-09704-8
Genome-wide analysis of blueberry B-box family genes and identification of members activated by abiotic stress.
College of Plant Science, Jilin University, Changchun, 130062, China.; College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, 130062, China.; College of Plant Science, Jilin University, Changchun, 130062, China. cy_zhang@jlu.edu.cn.
BACKGROUND: B-box (BBX) proteins play important roles in regulating plant growth, development, and abiotic stress responses. BBX family genes have been identified and functionally characterized in many plant species, but little is known about the BBX family in blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum). RESULT: In this study, we identified 23 VcBBX genes from the Genome Database for Vaccinium (GDV). These VcBBXs can be divided into five clades based on gene structures and conserved domains in their encoded proteins. The prediction of cis-acting elements in the upstream sequences of VcBBX genes and protein-protein interactions indicated that VcBBX proteins are likely involved in phytohormone signaling pathways and abiotic stress responses. Analysis of transcriptome deep sequencing (RNA-seq) data showed that VcBBX genes exhibited organ-specific expression pattern and 11 VcBBX genes respond to ultraviolet B (UV-B) radiation. The co-expression analysis revealed that the encoded 11 VcBBX proteins act as bridges integrating UV-B and phytohormone signaling pathways in blueberry under UV-B radiation. Reverse-transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis showed that most VcBBX genes respond to drought, salt, and cold stress. Among VcBBX proteins, VcBBX24 is highly expressed in all the organs, not only responds to abiotic stress, but it also interacts with proteins in UV-B and phytohormone signaling pathways, as revealed by computational analysis and co-expression analysis, and might be an important regulator integrating abiotic stress and phytohormone signaling networks. CONCLUSIONS: Twenty-three VcBBX genes were identified in blueberry, in which, 11 VcBBX genes respond to UV-B radiation, and act as bridges integrating UV-B and phytohormone signaling pathways according to RNA-seq data. The expression patterns under abiotic stress suggested that the functional roles of most VcBBX genes respose to drought, salt, and cold stress. Our study provides a useful reference for functional analysis of VcBBX genes and for improving abiotic stress tolerance in blueberry.
PMID: 37789264
Plants (Basel) , IF:3.935 , 2023 Oct , V12 (20) doi: 10.3390/plants12203639
Identification of Morphogenesis-Related NDR Kinase Signaling Network and Its Regulation on Cold Tolerance in Maize.
State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China.; College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an 625014, China.; Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China.
The MOR (Morphogenesis-related NDR kinase) signaling network, initially identified in yeast, exhibits evolutionary conservation across eukaryotes and plays indispensable roles in the normal growth and development of these organisms. However, the functional role of this network and its associated genes in maize (Zea mays) has remained elusive until now. In this study, we identified a total of 19 maize MOR signaling network genes, and subsequent co-expression analysis revealed that 12 of these genes exhibited stronger associations with each other, suggesting their potential collective regulation of maize growth and development. Further analysis revealed significant co-expression between genes involved in the MOR signaling network and several genes related to cold tolerance. All MOR signaling network genes exhibited significant co-expression with COLD1 (Chilling tolerance divergence1), a pivotal gene involved in the perception of cold stimuli, suggesting that COLD1 may directly transmit cold stress signals to MOR signaling network genes subsequent to the detection of a cold stimulus. The findings indicated that the MOR signaling network may play a crucial role in modulating cold tolerance in maize by establishing an intricate relationship with key cold tolerance genes, such as COLD1. Under low-temperature stress, the expression levels of certain MOR signaling network genes were influenced, with a significant up-regulation observed in Zm00001d010720 and a notable down-regulation observed in Zm00001d049496, indicating that cold stress regulated the MOR signaling network. We identified and analyzed a mutant of Zm00001d010720, which showed a higher sensitivity to cold stress, thereby implicating its involvement in the regulation of cold stress in maize. These findings suggested that the relevant components of the MOR signaling network are also conserved in maize and this signaling network plays a vital role in modulating the cold tolerance of maize. This study offered valuable genetic resources for enhancing the cold tolerance of maize.
PMID: 37896102
Plants (Basel) , IF:3.935 , 2023 Oct , V12 (20) doi: 10.3390/plants12203626
Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of the NAC Gene Family and Its Involvement in Cold Response in Dendrobium officinale.
College of Forestry, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110866, China.; Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China.; Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China.
The NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2 and CUC2) gene family is one of the largest plant-specific transcription factor families, functioning as crucial regulators in diverse biological processes such as plant growth and development as well as biotic and abiotic stress responses. Although it has been widely characterized in many plants, the significance of the NAC family in Dendrobium officinale remained elusive up to now. In this study, a genome-wide search method was conducted to identify NAC genes in Dendrobium officinale (DoNACs) and a total of 110 putative DoNACs were obtained. Phylogenetic analysis classified them into 15 subfamilies according to the nomenclature in Arabidopsis and rice. The members in the subfamilies shared more similar gene structures and conversed protein domain compositions. Furthermore, the expression profiles of these DoNACs were investigated in diverse tissues and under cold stress by RNA-seq data. Then, a total of five up-regulated and five down-regulated, cold-responsive DoNACs were validated through QRT-PCR analysis, demonstrating they were involved in regulating cold stress response. Additionally, the subcellular localization of two down-regulated candidates (DoNAC39 and DoNAC58) was demonstrated to be localized in the nuclei. This study reported the genomic organization, protein domain compositions and expression patterns of the NAC family in Dendrobium officinale, which provided targets for further functional studies of DoNACs and also contributed to the dissection of the role of NAC in regulating cold tolerance in Dendrobium officinale.
PMID: 37896088
Parasit Vectors , IF:3.876 , 2023 Oct , V16 (1) : P358 doi: 10.1186/s13071-023-05955-2
Molecular characterization and modulated expression of histone acetyltransferases during cold response of the tick Dermacentor silvarum (Acari: Ixodidae).
Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China.; Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.; Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China. yuzhijun@hebtu.edu.cn.; Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China. liujingze@hebtu.edu.cn.
BACKGROUND: Histone acetylation is involved in the regulation of stress responses in multiple organisms. Dermacentor silvarum is an important vector tick species widely distributed in China, and low temperature is a crucial factor restricting the development of its population. However, knowledge of the histone acetyltransferases and epigenetic mechanisms underlying cold-stress responses in this tick species is limited. METHODS: Histone acetyltransferase genes were characterized in D. silvarum, and their relative expressions were determined using qPCR during cold stress. The association and modulation of histone acetyltransferase genes were further explored using RNA interference, and both the H3K9 acetylation level and relative expression of KAT5 protein were evaluated using western blotting. RESULTS: Three histone acetyltransferase genes were identified and named as DsCREBBP, DsKAT6B, and DsKAT5. Bioinformatics analysis showed that they were unstable hydrophilic proteins, characterized by the conserved structures of CBP (ZnF_TAZ), PHA03247 super family, Creb_binding, and MYST(PLN00104) super family. Fluorescence quantitative PCR showed that the expression of DsCREBBP, DsKAT6B, and DsKAT5 increased after 3 days of cold treatment, with subsequent gradual decreases, and was lowest on day 9. Western blotting showed that both the H3K9 acetylation level and relative expression of KAT5 in D. silvarum increased after treatment at - 4, 4, and 8 degrees C for 3 and 6 days, whereas they decreased significantly after a 9-day treatment. RNA interference induced significant gene silencing, and the mortality rate of D. silvarum significantly increased at the respective semi-lethal temperatures. CONCLUSION: These results imply that histone acetyltransferases play an important role in tick adaptation to low temperatures and lay a foundation for further understanding of the epigenetic regulation of histone acetylation in cold-stressed ticks. Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying histone acetylation during cold stress in ticks.
PMID: 37817288
Gene , IF:3.688 , 2023 Oct , V893 : P147908 doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147908
Identification and expression analysis of miR396 and its target genes in Jerusalem artichoke under temperature stress.
College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.; College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China. Electronic address: zszhou@njau.edu.cn.
The highly conserved miR396 plays a pivotal role in the growth, development, and responses to abiotic and biotic stresses in plants. However, research on miR396 and its targets in Jerusalem artichoke remains largely unexplored. In this study, we employed bioinformatics and experimental techniques, such as cloning and qRT-PCR, to investigate the regulatory role of miR396 on its targets, leveraging our lab's transcriptomic and degradomic data of Jerusalem artichoke. Specifically, we initially cloned and characterized the precursors (htu-MIR396a/b/c) and mature sequences (htu-miR396a/b/c) of three miR396 isoforms. Subsequently, we identified nine target genes, including seven Growth-Regulating Factors (GRFs) (HtGRF3/4/6/9/10/12/13), one WRKY transcription factor (HtWRKY40), and one Scarecrow-like (SCL) transcription factor (HtSCL33). Finally, we conducted an analysis of their expression patterns across various tissues and their responses to temperature stress. Notably, htu-MIR396s exhibited high expression in seedling stems, while htu-miR396s predominantly expressed in seedling leaves. Moreover, HtWRKY40 and HtSCL33 displayed higher expression levels than HtGRFs in most tissues, except leaves. Remarkably, HtGRF4/6/10/12/13 exhibited higher expression in leaves than in roots and stems during seedling growth. Furthermore, during tuber development, HtGRF4/6/10, HtWRKY40, and HtSCL33 were highly expressed, while HtGRF3/9/12/13 showed relatively lower expression levels. Under heat stress (42℃), htu-MIR396 expression was up-regulated, and htu-miR396 showed dynamic expression patterns in seedlings, resulting in the induction of HtGRF4/6/10/12/13 in leaves and HtSCL33 in roots, while HtWRKY40 in leaves was repressed. Conversely, under cold stress (4℃), htu-MIR396s showed fluctuating expression levels, and htu-miR396s were up-regulated in seedlings. Notably, HtGRF4/13 and HtSCL33 in seedlings were reduced, whereas HtGRF6 in roots and HtWRKY40 in leaves were enhanced. These findings offer valuable insights into the functional roles of miR396-target interactions under abiotic stress in Jerusalem artichoke.
PMID: 37858744
J Plant Physiol , IF:3.549 , 2023 Oct , V289 : P154083 doi: 10.1016/j.jplph.2023.154083
Over-activation of cold tolerance in arabidopsis causes carbohydrate shortage compared with Chorispora bungeana.
School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.; School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.; School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China; Yuzhong Mountain Ecosystems Observation and Research Station, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China. Electronic address: zgzhao@lzu.edu.cn.
Many plants cope with cold stress by developing acquired freezing tolerance (AFT) through cold acclimation (CA), and some species have strong basal freezing tolerance (BFT) independent of CA. Although CA has been extensively studied, its potential in agricultural applications is still unclear. Here, carbohydrate metabolism and transcriptome in AFT plant Arabidopsis and BFT plant Chorispora bungeana were compared with each other. The results showed that, although both species were able to accumulate soluble sugars during CA, leaf starch accumulation in the daytime was almost blocked in Arabidopsis while it was greatly enhanced in C. bungeana, revealing that Arabidopsis experienced carbohydrate shortage during CA. Transcriptome and pathway enrichment analysis found that genes for photosynthesis antenna proteins were generally repressed by cold stress in both species. However, cold-up-regulated genes were enriched in protein translation in Arabidopsis, whilst they were enriched in carotenoid biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, and beta-amylases in C. bungeana. Furthermore, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) showed that the inhibition of starch accumulation was associated with down-regulation of genes for photosynthesis antenna proteins and up-regulation of genes for protein translation, DNA repair, and proteasome in Arabidopsis but not in C. bungeana. Taken together, our results revealed that over-activation of common tolerant mechanisms resulted in insufficient carbohydrate supplies in Arabidopsis during CA, and photoprotective mechanisms played important roles in cold adaptation of C. bungeana. These findings uncovered the drawback of CA in improving freezing tolerance and highlighted photoprotection as a possible solution for agricultural applications.
PMID: 37688803
G3 (Bethesda) , IF:3.154 , 2023 Sep , V13 (10) doi: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad187
Probing the physiological role of the plastid outer-envelope membrane using the oemiR plasmid collection.
Plant Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munich, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.; Plant Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munich, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.; School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, PO Box 644236, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA.; Independent Researcher.
Plastids are the site of complex biochemical pathways, most prominently photosynthesis. The organelle evolved through endosymbiosis with a cyanobacterium, which is exemplified by the outer envelope membrane that harbors more than 40 proteins in Arabidopsis. Their evolutionary conservation indicates high significance for plant cell function. While a few proteins are well-studied as part of the protein translocon complex the majority of outer envelope protein functions is unclear. Gaining a deeper functional understanding has been complicated by the lack of observable loss-of-function mutant phenotypes, which is often rooted in functional genetic redundancy. Therefore, we designed outer envelope-specific artificial micro RNAs (oemiRs) capable of downregulating transcripts from several loci simultaneously. We successfully tested oemiR function by performing a proof-of-concept screen for pale and cold-sensitive mutants. An in-depth analysis of pale mutant alleles deficient in the translocon component TOC75 using proteomics provided new insights into putative compensatory import pathways. The cold stress screen not only recapitulated 3 previously known phenotypes of cold-sensitive mutants but also identified 4 mutants of additional oemiR outer envelope loci. Altogether our study revealed a role of the outer envelope to tolerate cold conditions and showcasts the power of the oemiR collection to research the significance of outer envelope proteins.
PMID: 37572358
J Therm Biol , IF:2.902 , 2023 Oct , V117 : P103677 doi: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103677
Effect of thermal acclimation on the tolerance of the peach fruit fly (Bactrocera zonata: Tephritidae) to heat and cold stress.
Department of Entomology, Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon Letzion, 7528809, Israel. Electronic address: michaelb@volcani.agri.gov.il.; Department of Entomology, Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon Letzion, 7528809, Israel.; Laboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Department of Agriculture Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece.
Understanding the thermal biology of insects is of increasing importance for predicting their geographic distribution, particularly in light of current and future global temperature increases. Within the limits set by genetic makeup, thermal tolerance is affected by the physiological conditioning of individuals (e.g., through acclimation). Considering this phenotypic plasticity may add to accurately estimating changes to the distribution of insects under a changing climate. We studied the effect of thermal acclimation on cold and heat tolerance of the peach fruit fly (Bactrocera zonata) - an invasive, polyphagous pest that is currently expanding through Africa and the Middle East. Females and males were acclimated at 20, 25 and 30 degrees C for up to 19 days following adult emergence. The critical thermal minimum (CT(min)) and maximum (CT(max)) were subsequently recorded as well adult survival following acute exposure to chilling (0 or -3 degrees C for 2 h). Additionally, we determined the survival of pupae subjected for 2 h to temperatures ranging from -12 degrees C to 5 degrees C. We demonstrate that acclimation at 30 degrees C resulted in significantly higher CT(max) and CT(min) values (higher heat resistance and lower cold resistance, respectively). Additionally, adult recovery following exposure to -3 degrees C was significantly reduced following acclimation at 30 degrees C, and this effect was significantly higher for females. Pupal mortality increased with the decrease in temperature, reaching LT(50) and LT(95) values following exposure to -0.32 degrees C and -6.88 degrees C, respectively. Finally, we found that the survival of pupae subjected to 0 and 2 degrees C steadily increased with pupal age. Our findings substantiate a physiological foundation for understanding the current geographic range of B. zonata. We assume that acclimation at 30 degrees C affected the thermal tolerance of the flies partly through modulating feeding and metabolism. Tolerance to chilling during the pupal stage probably changed according to temperature-sensitive processes occurring during metamorphosis, rendering younger pupae more sensitive to chilling.
PMID: 37643512
3 Biotech , IF:2.406 , 2023 Oct , V13 (10) : P341 doi: 10.1007/s13205-023-03760-3
Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of Hsp70 family genes in Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz).
Division of Crop Improvement, ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram, India. GRID: grid.418373.a. ISNI: 0000 0001 2169 875X; Division of Crop Protection, ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram, India. GRID: grid.418373.a. ISNI: 0000 0001 2169 875X
Hsp70 proteins function as molecular chaperones, regulating various cellular processes in plants. In this study, a genome-wide analysis led to the identification of 22 Hsp70 (MeHsp70) genes in cassava. Phylogenetic relationship studies with other Malpighiales genomes (Populus trichocarpa, Ricinus communis and Salix purpurea) classified MeHsp70 proteins into eight groups (Ia, Ib, Ic, Id, Ie, If, IIa and IIb). Promoter analysis of MeHsp70 genes revealed the presence of tissue-specific, light, biotic and abiotic stress-responsive cis-regulatory elements showing their functional importance in cassava. Meta-analysis of publically available RNA-seq transcriptome datasets showed constitutive, tissue-specific, biotic and abiotic stress-specific expression patterns among MeHsp70s in cassava. Among 22 Hsp70, six MeHsp70s viz., MecHsp70-3, MecHsp70-6, MeBiP-1, MeBiP-2, MeBiP-3 and MecpHsp70-2 displayed constitutive expression, while three MecHsp70s were induced under both drought and cold stress conditions. Five MeHsp70s, MecHsp70-7, MecHsp70-11, MecHsp70-12, MecHsp70-13, and MecHsp70-14 were induced under drought stress conditions. We predicted that 19 MeHsp70 genes are under the regulation of 24 miRNAs. This comprehensive genome-wide analysis of the Hsp70 gene family in cassava provided valuable insights into their functional roles and identified various potential Hsp70 genes associated with stress tolerance and adaptation to environmental stimuli. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-023-03760-3.
PMID: 37705861
Plant Signal Behav , IF:2.247 , 2023 Dec , V18 (1) : P2250891 doi: 10.1080/15592324.2023.2250891
Identification, expression analysis of quinoa betalain biosynthesis genes and their role in seed germination and cold stress.
College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, China.; College of Horticulture and Landscape, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, China.
Betalains provide Chenopodium quinoa bright color, and the key enzyme genes for betalain biosynthesis include CYP76AD, DODA, and GTs. In this study, 59 CqCYP76AD, CqDODA and CqGTs genes in quinoa were identified and characterized by gene structural characteristics, phylogenetic relationships and gene expression patterns. The CqCYP76AD genes were divided into a, beta and gamma types, CqDODA into a and beta types, and CqGTs into CqcDOPA5GT, CqB5GT and CqB6GT types according to phylogenetic relationships. The analysis of co-linearity identified eight pairs of duplicated genes which were subjected to purifying selection during evolution. CqCYP76AD and CqDODA, as well as CqcDOPA5GT and CqB5GT may have been evolutionarily linked in genetic inheritance, based on gene location and gene structure study. The tissue expression specificity of CqCYP76AD, CqDODA, and CqGTs genes in response to seed germination and cold stress was studied by RNA-Seq data. The genes CqCYP76AD, CqDODA, and CqGTs were involved in betalain biosynthesis and cold stress. CqCYP76AD, CqDODA, CqcDOPA5GT and CqB5GT gene sequences were consistent in the eight quinoa samples and showed significant variations in expression. In contrast, the inconsistency between changes in gene expression and betalain accumulation indicates that other factors may influence betalain biosynthesis in quinoa. This study offers the theoretical basis for the roles of the CqCYP76AD, CqDODA, and CqGTs genes in betalain biosynthesis and cold stress in quinoa, as well as a guide for the full utilization of betalains in quinoa plants.
PMID: 37616475
Plant Signal Behav , IF:2.247 , 2023 Dec , V18 (1) : P2213924 doi: 10.1080/15592324.2023.2213924
Genome-wide analysis of the CDPK gene family and their important roles response to cold stress in white clover.
Key Laboratory of Molecular Cytogenetics and Genetic Breeding of Heilongjiang Province, College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.; International Agriculture Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.; Flower Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.; Institute of Tropical and Subtropical Cash Crops, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Baoshan, Yunnan, China.
Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) are an important class of calcium-sensitive response proteins that play an important regulatory role in response to abiotic stresses. To date, little is known about the CDPK genes in white clover. White clover is a high-quality forage grass with high protein content, but it is susceptible to cold stress. Therefore, we performed a genome-wide analysis of the CDPK gene family in white clover and identified 50 members of the CDPK genes. Phylogenetic analysis using CDPKs from the model plant Arabidopsis divided the TrCDPK genes into four groups based on their sequence similarities. Motif analysis showed that TrCDPKs within the same group had similar motif compositions. Gene duplication analysis revealed the evolution and expansion of TrCDPK genes in white clover. Meanwhile, a genetic regulatory network (GRN) containing TrCDPK genes was reconstructed, and gene ontology (GO) annotation analysis of these functional genes showed that they contribute to signal transduction, cellular response to stimuli, and biological regulation, all of which are important processes in response to abiotic stresses. To determine the function of TrCDPK genes, we analyzed the RNA-seq dataset and found that most TrCDPK genes were highly up-regulated under cold stress, particularly in the early stages of cold stress. These results were validated by qRT-PCR experiments, implying that TrCDPK genes are involved in various gene regulatory pathways in response to cold stress. Our study may help to further investigate the function of TrCDPK genes and their role in response to cold stress, which is important for understanding the molecular mechanisms of cold tolerance in white clover and improving its cold tolerance.
PMID: 37202838
Fly (Austin) , IF:2.16 , 2023 Dec , V17 (1) : P2157161 doi: 10.1080/19336934.2022.2157161
Larval nutritional-stress and tolerance to extreme temperatures in the peach fruit fly, Bactrocera zonata (Diptera: Tephritidae).
Department of Entomology, Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon Letzion, Israel.; Laboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Department of Agriculture Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece.
Within the factors affecting insect tolerance to extreme environmental conditions, insect nutrition, particularly of immature stages, has received insufficient attention. In the present study, we address this gap by investigating the effects of larval nutrition on heat and cold tolerance of adult Bactrocera zonata - an invasive, polyphagous fruit fly pest. We manipulated the nutritional content in the larval diet by varying the amount of added yeast (2-10% by weight), while maintaining a constant sucrose content. Adults derived from the different larval diets were tested for their tolerance to extreme heat and cold stress. Restricting the amount of yeast reduced the efficacy of the larval diet (i.e. number of pupae produced per g of diet) as well as pupal and adult fresh weight, both being significantly lower for yeast-poor diets. Additionally, yeast restriction during the larval stage (2% yeast diet) significantly reduced the amount of protein but not lipid reserves of newly emerged males and females. Adults maintained after emergence on granulated sugar and water for 10 days were significantly more tolerant to extreme heat (i.e. knock-down time at 42 (o)C) when reared as larvae on yeast-rich diets (8% and 10% yeast) compared to counterparts developing on a diet containing 2% yeast. Nevertheless, the composition of the larval diet did not significantly affect adult survival following acute cold stress (exposure to -3 degrees C for 2 hrs.). These results are corroborated by previous findings on Drosophilid flies. Possible mechanisms leading to nutrition-based heat-tolerance in flies are discussed.
PMID: 36576164