Science , IF:41.845 , 2019 Aug , V365 (6454) : P658-664 doi: 10.1126/science.aax5482
Teosinte ligule allele narrows plant architecture and enhances high-density maize yields.
State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, National Maize Improvement Center, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize (MOA), Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.; State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, National Maize Improvement Center, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize (MOA), Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China. ft55@cau.edu.cn.
Increased planting densities have boosted maize yields. Upright plant architecture facilitates dense planting. Here, we cloned UPA1 (Upright Plant Architecture1) and UPA2, two quantitative trait loci conferring upright plant architecture. UPA2 is controlled by a two-base sequence polymorphism regulating the expression of a B3-domain transcription factor (ZmRAVL1) located 9.5 kilobases downstream. UPA2 exhibits differential binding by DRL1 (DROOPING LEAF1), and DRL1 physically interacts with LG1 (LIGULELESS1) and represses LG1 activation of ZmRAVL1 ZmRAVL1 regulates brd1 (brassinosteroid C-6 oxidase1), which underlies UPA1, altering endogenous brassinosteroid content and leaf angle. The UPA2 allele that reduces leaf angle originated from teosinte, the wild ancestor of maize, and has been lost during maize domestication. Introgressing the wild UPA2 allele into modern hybrids and editing ZmRAVL1 enhance high-density maize yields.
PMID: 31416957
Nat Commun , IF:12.121 , 2019 Aug , V10 (1) : P3701 doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-11686-9
A signal motif retains Arabidopsis ER-alpha-mannosidase I in the cis-Golgi and prevents enhanced glycoprotein ERAD.
Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria. jennifer.schoberer@boku.ac.at.; Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria.; Central Laser Facility, Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Research Complex at Harwell, Didcot, OX11 0QX, UK.; Department of Chemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria.; Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Headington, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK.
The Arabidopsis ER-alpha-mannosidase I (MNS3) generates an oligomannosidic N-glycan structure that is characteristically found on ER-resident glycoproteins. The enzyme itself has so far not been detected in the ER. Here, we provide evidence that in plants MNS3 exclusively resides in the Golgi apparatus at steady-state. Notably, MNS3 remains on dispersed punctate structures when subjected to different approaches that commonly result in the relocation of Golgi enzymes to the ER. Responsible for this rare behavior is an amino acid signal motif (LPYS) within the cytoplasmic tail of MNS3 that acts as a specific Golgi retention signal. This retention is a means to spatially separate MNS3 from ER-localized mannose trimming steps that generate the glycan signal required for flagging terminally misfolded glycoproteins for ERAD. The physiological importance of the very specific MNS3 localization is demonstrated here by means of a structurally impaired variant of the brassinosteroid receptor BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE 1.
PMID: 31420549
Plant Cell , IF:9.618 , 2019 Aug , V31 (8) : P1807-1828 doi: 10.1105/tpc.19.00150
TTL Proteins Scaffold Brassinosteroid Signaling Components at the Plasma Membrane to Optimize Signal Transduction in Arabidopsis.
Departamento de Biologia Molecular y Bioquimica, Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterranea "La Mayora," Universidad de Malaga-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (IHSM-UMA-CSIC), Universidad de Malaga, Campus Teatinos, 29071 Malaga, Spain.; Departamento de Biologia Celular, Genetica y Fisiologia, Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterranea "La Mayora," Universidad de Malaga-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (IHSM-UMA-CSIC), Universidad de Malaga, Campus Teatinos, 29071 Malaga, Spain.; Department of Plant, Soil and Agricultural Systems, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901.; Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institutes of Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China.; College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.; Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Laboratorio de Bioquimica, Facultad de Agronomia Universidad de la Republica, Montevideo, Uruguay.; The Sainsbury Laboratory, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, United Kingdom.; Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology and Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of Zurich, CH-8008 Zurich, Switzerland.; Departamento de Biologia Molecular y Bioquimica, Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterranea "La Mayora," Universidad de Malaga-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (IHSM-UMA-CSIC), Universidad de Malaga, Campus Teatinos, 29071 Malaga, Spain mabotella@uma.es.
Brassinosteroids (BRs) form a group of steroidal hormones essential for plant growth, development, and stress responses. BRs are perceived extracellularly by plasma membrane receptor-like kinases that activate an interconnected signal transduction cascade, leading to the transcriptional regulation of BR-responsive genes. TETRATRICOPEPTIDE THIOREDOXIN-LIKE (TTL) genes are specific for land plants, and their encoded proteins are defined by the presence of protein-protein interaction motives, that is, an intrinsic disordered region at the N terminus, six tetratricopeptide repeat domains, and a C terminus with homology to thioredoxins. TTL proteins thus likely mediate the assembly of multiprotein complexes. Phenotypic, molecular, and genetic analyses show that TTL proteins are positive regulators of BR signaling in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). TTL3 directly interacts with a constitutively active BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE1 (BRI1) receptor kinase, BRI1-SUPPRESSOR1 phosphatase, and the BRASSINAZOLE RESISTANT1 transcription factor and associates with BR-SIGNALING KINASE1, BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE2 kinases, but not with BRI1-ASSOCIATED KINASE1. A functional TTL3-green fluorescent protein (GFP) shows dual cytoplasmic plasma membrane localization. Depleting the endogenous BR content reduces plasma membrane localization of TTL3-GFP, while increasing BR content causes its plasma membrane relocalization, where it strengthens the association of BR signaling components. Our results reveal that TTL proteins promote BR responses and suggest that TTL proteins may function as scaffold proteins by bringing together cytoplasmic and plasma membrane BR signaling components.
PMID: 31189737
Plant Cell , IF:9.618 , 2019 Aug , V31 (8) : P1788-1806 doi: 10.1105/tpc.18.00918
The AP2/ERF Transcription Factor TINY Modulates Brassinosteroid-Regulated Plant Growth and Drought Responses in Arabidopsis.
Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011.; State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Department of Agronomy, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.; Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011 yin@iastate.edu.
APETALA2/ETHYLENE RESPONSIVE FACTOR (AP2/ERF) family transcription factors have well-documented functions in stress responses, but their roles in brassinosteroid (BR)-regulated growth and stress responses have not been established. Here, we show that the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) stress-inducible AP2/ERF transcription factor TINY inhibits BR-regulated growth while promoting drought responses. TINY-overexpressing plants have stunted growth, increased sensitivity to BR biosynthesis inhibitors, and compromised BR-responsive gene expression. By contrast, tiny tiny2 tiny3 triple mutants have increased BR-regulated growth and BR-responsive gene expression. TINY positively regulates drought responses by activating drought-responsive genes and promoting abscisic acid-mediated stomatal closure. Global gene expression studies revealed that TINY and BRs have opposite effects on plant growth and stress response genes. TINY interacts with and antagonizes BRASSINOSTERIOID INSENSITIVE1-ETHYL METHANESULFONATE SUPRESSOR1 (BES1) in the regulation of these genes. Glycogen synthase kinase 3-like protein kinase BR-INSENSITIVE2 (BIN2), a negative regulator in the BR pathway, phosphorylates and stabilizes TINY, providing a mechanism for BR-mediated downregulation of TINY to prevent activation of stress responses under optimal growth conditions. Taken together, our results demonstrate that BR signaling negatively regulates TINY through BIN2 phosphorylation and TINY positively regulates drought responses, as well as inhibiting BR-mediated growth through TINY-BES1 antagonistic interactions. Our results thus provide insight into the coordination of BR-regulated growth and drought responses.
PMID: 31126980
New Phytol , IF:8.512 , 2019 Aug , V223 (3) : P1407-1419 doi: 10.1111/nph.15866
BES1-regulated BEE1 controls photoperiodic flowering downstream of blue light signaling pathway in Arabidopsis.
National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China.; State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources/Key Laboratory of Biology and Germplasm Enhancement of Horticultural Crops in South China, Ministry of Agriculture/College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.; College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, 200234, China.
BRI1-EMS-SUPPRESSOR 1 (BES1) functions as a key regulator in the brassinosteroid (BR) pathway that promotes plant growth. However, whether BES1 is involved in photoperiodic flowering is unknown. Here we report that BES1 acts as a positive regulator of photoperiodic flowering, but it cannot directly bind FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) promoter. BR ENHANCED EXPRESSION 1 (BEE1) is the direct target of BES1 and acts downstream of BES1. BEE1 is also a positive regulator of photoperiodic flowering. BEE1 binds directly to the FT chromatin to activate the transcription of FT and promote flowering initiation. More importantly, BEE1 promotes flowering in a blue light photoreceptor CRYPTOCHROME 2 (CRY2) partially dependent manner, as it physically interacts with CRY2 under the blue light. Furthermore, BEE1 is regulated by both BRs and blue light. The transcription of BEE1 is induced by BRs, and the BEE1 protein is stabilized under the blue light. Our findings indicate that BEE1 is the integrator of BES1 and CRY2 mediating flowering, and BES1-BEE1-FT is a new signaling pathway in regulating photoperiodic flowering.
PMID: 31009078
Plant Physiol , IF:6.902 , 2019 Aug , V180 (4) : P2061-2076 doi: 10.1104/pp.19.00088
Brassinosteroids Act as a Positive Regulator of Photoprotection in Response to Chilling Stress.
Department of Horticulture, Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, People's Republic of China.; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Integrative Biology, Hangzhou 310058, People's Republic of China.; Centre for Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom.; Department of Horticulture, Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, People's Republic of China jqyu@zju.edu.cn.
Photoprotection is an important strategy adopted by plants to avoid photoinhibition under stress conditions. However, the way in which photoprotection is regulated is not fully understood. Here, we demonstrate that tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) mutants of brassinosteroid (BR) biosynthesis (dwf) and related signaling through BRASSINAZOLE-RESISTANT1 (bzr1) are more sensitive to (PSII and PSI photoinhibition, with decreased cyclic electron flow around PSI and lower nonphotochemical quenching, accumulation of PSII subunit S (PsbS), violaxanthin deepoxidase (VDE) activity, and D1 protein abundance. Chilling induced the accumulation of active BRs and activated BZR1, which directly activates the transcription of RESPIRATORY BURST OXIDASE HOMOLOG1 (RBOH1) and hydrogen peroxide production in the apoplast. While apoplastic hydrogen peroxide is essential for the induction of PROTON GRADIENT REGULATION5 (PGR5)-dependent cyclic electron flow, PGR5 participates in the regulation of chilling- and BR-dependent induction of nonphotochemical quenching, accumulation of D1, VDE, and PsbS proteins, transcription of genes involved in redox signaling, hormone signaling, and activity of several antioxidant enzymes. Mutations in BZR1 and PGR5 or suppressed transcription of RBOH1 compromised chilling- and BR-induced photoprotection, resulting in increased sensitivity to photoinhibition. These results demonstrate that BRs act as a positive regulator of photoprotection in a redox-PGR5-dependent manner in response to chilling stress in tomato.
PMID: 31189657
Plant J , IF:6.141 , 2019 Aug , V99 (3) : P426-438 doi: 10.1111/tpj.14332
OsBZR1 turnover mediated by OsSK22-regulated U-box E3 ligase OsPUB24 in rice BR response.
Department of Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 120-749, Republic of Korea.; Department of Life Science, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.
Oryza sativa BRASSINAZOLE RESISTANT 1 (OsBZR1) is the closest rice homolog of the Arabidopsis BZR1 and bri1-EMS-SUPPRESSOR 1 (BES1)/BZR2 transcription factors. OsBZR1 plays a central role in the rice brassinosteroid signaling pathway. Despite its functional importance, the control mechanism by which the cellular stability of OsBZR1 is regulated has not yet been fully elucidated. Here, we report that a rice U-box E3 ubiquitin (Ub) ligase OsPUB24 acts as a negative regulator in the BR signaling pathway via the 26S proteasome-dependent degradation of OsBZR1. The ospub24 T-DNA knock-out mutant and Ubi:RNAi-OsPUB24 knock-down rice plants displayed enhanced seedling growth, increased lamina joint bending, and hypersensitivity to brassinolide (BL). The expressions of the BR biosynthetic genes suppressed by BR in a negative feedback loop were lower in the mutant progeny than in the wild-type rice plants, which indicated increased BR responses in the mutant line. OsPUB24 ubiquitinated OsBZR1, resulting in the proteasomal degradation of OsBZR1. In addition, the stability of OsPUB24 was downregulated by BL and bikinin, an inhibitor of Oryza sativa Shaggy/GSK3-like kinase 22 (OsSK22). OsSK22, the homolog of Arabidopsis BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE 2 (BIN2) protein kinase, phosphorylated OsPUB24 and elevated the cellular stability of OsPUB24. Our findings suggest that OsPUB24 participates in OsBZR1 turnover, and that the regulatory networks of OsPUB24, OsSK22 and OsBZR1 are crucial for fine-tuning the BR response in rice.
PMID: 30920691
Int J Mol Sci , IF:4.556 , 2019 Aug , V20 (16) doi: 10.3390/ijms20163882
Boron Deficiency Effects on Sugar, Ionome, and Phytohormone Profiles of Vascular and Non-Vascular Leaf Tissues of Common Plantain (Plantago major L.).
Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Corrensstrasse 3, D-06466 Gatersleben, Germany.; Plant Physiology, University of Kaiserslautern, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 22, D-67653 Kaiserslautern, Germany.; Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Corrensstrasse 3, D-06466 Gatersleben, Germany. bienert@ipk-gatersleben.de.
Vascular tissues essentially regulate water, nutrient, photo-assimilate, and phytohormone logistics throughout the plant body. Boron (B) is crucial for the development of the vascular tissue in many dicotyledonous plant taxa and B deficiency particularly affects the integrity of phloem and xylem vessels, and, therefore, functionality of long-distance transport. We hypothesize that changes in the plants' B nutritional status evoke differential responses of the vasculature and the mesophyll. However, direct analyses of the vasculature in response to B deficiency are lacking, due to the experimental inaccessibility of this tissue. Here, we generated biochemical and physiological understanding of B deficiency response reactions in common plantain (Plantago major L.), from which pure and intact vascular bundles can be extracted. Low soil B concentrations affected quantitative distribution patterns of various phytohormones, sugars and macro-, and micronutrients in a tissue-specific manner. Vascular sucrose levels dropped, and sucrose loading into the phloem was reduced under low B supply. Phytohormones responded selectively to B deprivation. While concentrations of abscisic acid and salicylic acid decreased at low B supply, cytokinins and brassinosteroids increased in the vasculature and the mesophyll, respectively. Our results highlight the biological necessity to analyze nutrient deficiency responses in a tissue- rather organ-specific manner.
PMID: 31395813
Plant Cell Physiol , IF:4.062 , 2019 Aug , V60 (8) : P1761-1777 doi: 10.1093/pcp/pcz088
Brassinosteroid Regulates Root Development with Highly Redundant Genes in Hexaploid Wheat.
State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China.; Grain Legumes and Oil Crops Research and Development Centre, Department of Agriculture, Angunakolapelessa, Sri Lanka.; China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Brassinosteroid (BR) plays an important role in plant development and biotic and abiotic stress tolerance, but its specific function remains largely unknown in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), preventing its utilization in this important crop. In this study, the function of BR and its underlying cytological role in wheat root development were comprehensively investigated. Our findings demonstrated that BR has a conserved function in regulating root length in wheat, and novel roles in regulating lateral root emergence and root diameter were uncovered. Analyses of BR homologous gene composition and evolutionary divergence demonstrated that the genetic framework of the wheat BR pathway was close to that of rice, but contained highly redundant homologous copies of genes from the subgenome A, B and D. These homologous copies showed active expression and shared a conserved BR response. The expression of wheat DWF4 and glycogen synthase kinase (GSK) genes in Arabidopsis confirmed that multiple homologous copies maintained their conserved function in regulating root development, highlighting their redundant status and indicating that a special challenge exists in wheat gene modification to deal with this high redundancy. However, our results suggested that the hypermorphic effect of T. aestivum GSK (TaGSK) genes with point mutations may be an effective approach to overcome this redundancy in the manipulation of BR signaling in wheat. Our study provides fundamental data uncovering the function of BR in wheat root development, the underlying genetic basis and a possible strategy to manipulate BR signaling in hexaploid wheat.
PMID: 31099397
Sci Rep , IF:3.998 , 2019 Aug , V9 (1) : P11741 doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-47926-7
Comparative Proteomic Analysis Provides Insights into the Regulatory Mechanisms of Wheat Primary Root Growth.
College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China.; State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China.; Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China.; Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, China.; College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China. yongzheren66@163.com.; State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China. yongzheren66@163.com.; Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China. yongzheren66@163.com.; State Key Laboratory for Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.; College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China. linlab@163.com.; State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China. linlab@163.com.; Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China. linlab@163.com.; College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China. dangquncui@163.com.; State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China. dangquncui@163.com.; Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China. dangquncui@163.com.
Plant roots are vital for acquiring nutrients and water from soil. However, the mechanisms regulating root growth in hexaploid wheat remain to be elucidated. Here, an integrated comparative proteome study on the roots of two varieties and their descendants with contrasting root phenotypes was performed. A total of 80 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) associated with the regulation of primary root growth were identified, including two plant steroid biosynthesis related proteins and nine class III peroxidases. Real-time PCR analysis showed that brassinosteroid (BR) biosynthesis pathway was significantly elevated in long-root plants compared with those short-root plants. Moreover, O2.(-) and H2O2 were distributed abundantly in both the root meristematic and elongation zones of long root plants, but only in the meristematic zone of short-root plants. The differential distribution of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the root tips of different genotypes may be caused by the differential expression of peroxidases. Taken together, our results suggest that the regulation of wheat primary root growth is closely related to BR biosynthesis pathway and BR-mediated ROS distribution.
PMID: 31409818
Plant Cell Rep , IF:3.825 , 2019 Aug , V38 (8) : P883-897 doi: 10.1007/s00299-019-02410-4
Three BnaIAA7 homologs are involved in auxin/brassinosteroid-mediated plant morphogenesis in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.).
Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Wuhan, 430062, China.; Key Laboratory of Cotton and Rapeseed, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Industrial Crops, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, China.; Department of Biology, Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, PA, 18766, USA.; Key Laboratory of Cotton and Rapeseed, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Industrial Crops, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, China. puhuiming@126.com.; Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Wuhan, 430062, China. huawei@oilcrops.cn.
KEY MESSAGE: BnaIAA7 crosstalk with BR signaling is mediated by the interaction between BnaARF8 and BnaBZR1 to regulate rapeseed plant morphogenesis. Auxin (indole-3-acetic acid, IAA) and brassinosteroids (BRs) are essential regulators of plant morphogenesis. However, their roles in rapeseed have not been reported. Here, we identified an extremely dwarf1 (ed1) mutant of rapeseed that displays reduced stature, short hypocotyls, as well as wavy and curled leaves. We isolated ED1 by map-based cloning, and found that it encodes a protein homologous to AtIAA7. ED1 acts as a repressor of IAA signaling, and IAA induces its degradation through its degron motif. A genomic-synteny analysis revealed that ED1 has four homologs in rapeseed, but two were not expressed. Analyses of transcriptomes and of various mutant BnaIAA7s in transgenic plants revealed that the three expressed BnaIAA7 homologs had diverse expression patterns. ED1/BnaC05.IAA7 predominantly functioned in stem elongation, BnaA05.IAA7 was essential for reproduction, while BnaA03.IAA7 had the potential to reduce plant height. Physical interaction assays revealed that the three BnaIAA7 homologs interacted in different ways with BnaTIRs/AFBs and BnaARFs, which may regulate the development of specific organs. Furthermore, BnaARF8 could directly interact with the BnaIAA7s and BnaBZR1. We propose that BnaIAA7s interact with BR signaling via BnaARF8 and BnaBZR1 to regulate stem elongation in rapeseed.
PMID: 31011789
BMC Genomics , IF:3.594 , 2019 Aug , V20 (1) : P644 doi: 10.1186/s12864-019-6008-3
Transcriptomic analysis reveals the mechanism of thermosensitive genic male sterility (TGMS) of Brassica napus under the high temperature inducement.
College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China.; College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China. zht2188@126.com.
BACKGROUND: The thermo-sensitive genic male sterility (TGMS) of Brassica napus facilitates reproductive researches and hybrid seed production. Considering the complexity and little information about the molecular mechanism involved in B. napus TGMS, comparative transcriptomic analyses were peroformed for the sterile (160S-MS) and fertile (160S-MF) flowers to identify potential crucial genes and pathways associated with TGMS. RESULTS: In total, RNA-seq analysis showed that 2202 genes (561 up-regulated and 1641 down-regulated) were significantly differentially expressed in the fertile flowers of 160S-MF at 25 degrees C when compared the sterile flower of 160S-MS at 15 degrees C. Detailed analysis revealed that expression changes in genes encoding heat shock proteins, antioxidant, skeleton protein, GTPase and calmodulin might be involved in TGMS of B. napus. Moreover, gene expression of some key members in plant hormone signaling pathways, such as auxin, gibberellins, jasmonic acid, abscisic acid, brassinosteroid signalings, were significantly surppressed in the flowers of 160S, suggesting that these genes might be involved in the regulation in B. napus TGMS. Here, we also found that transcription factor MADS, NFY, HSF, MYB/C and WRKY might play a crucial role in male fertility under the high temperature condition. CONCLUSION: High temperature can significant affect gene expression in the flowers. The findings in the current study improve our understanding of B. napus TGMS at the molecular level and also provide an effective foundation for male fertility researches in other important economic crops.
PMID: 31409283
BMC Plant Biol , IF:3.497 , 2019 Aug , V19 (1) : P373 doi: 10.1186/s12870-019-1976-7
Gene co-expression network analysis reveals pathways associated with graft healing by asymmetric profiling in tomato.
Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China.; Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China. shanglab211@126.com.
BACKGROUND: The ability of severed rootstocks and shoots to re-establish vascular connections is used to generate grafted plants that combine desirable traits from both scions and rootstocks. Clarifying the mechanisms of graft healing is essential for its further application. We performed RNA sequencing of internodes near the cut position, making a distinction between separated or grafted tissues above and below the cut, in order to obtain a genetic description of graft union formation. RESULTS: Using weighted gene co-expression analysis, variable transcripts were clustered into 10 distinct co-expression networks (modules) based on expression profiles, and genes with the most "hubness" ("hub" genes show the most connections in a network) within each module were predicted. A large proportion of modules were related to Position, and represent asymmetric expression networks from different pathways. Expression of genes involved in auxin and sugar transport and signaling, and brassinosteroid biosynthesis was increased above the cut, while stress response genes were up-regulated below the cut. Some modules were related to graft union formation, among which oxidative detoxification genes were co-expressed along with both wounding response and cell wall organization genes. CONCLUSIONS: The present work provides a comprehensive understanding of graft healing-related gene networks in tomato. Also, the candidate pathways and hub genes identified here will be valuable for future studies of grafting in tomato.
PMID: 31445524
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int , IF:3.056 , 2019 Aug , V26 (22) : P23192-23197 doi: 10.1007/s11356-019-05474-7
24-Epibrassinolide pre-treatment reduces alkaline-induced oxidative stress in red rice seedlings.
Department of Environment Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160 014, India.; Department of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160 014, India.; Department of Environment Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160 014, India. hpsingh_01@yahoo.com.; Central University of Punjab, Mansa Road, Bathinda, 151 001, India.
Soil alkalinity caused by salts, such as sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), and the frequently associated waterlogging problems are pervasive in agriculture and have a deleterious impact on crop production. However, various plant growth regulators, including brassinosteroids, are considered to be important against different abiotic stresses experienced by plants due to drought, salinity, and heavy metal stress. We investigated the putative role of 24-epibrassinolide (EBL), an active brassinosteroid, on red rice plants experiencing alkaline stress. Seedlings were pre-treated with 0.01 muM EBL for 30 min and later, exposed to NaHCO3 (25 mM) and were sampled, 5 days after treatments. Results showed that the pre-treatment of seedlings with EBL under non-stress conditions could promote rice plant growth. Growth parameters including dry weight (DW), root and coleoptile lengths were reduced under alkaline stress, whereas EBL application reduced the level of inhibition, as compared with NaHCO3 treatment. Enhanced levels of malondialdehyde content, hydrogen peroxide, and superoxide radicals were significantly diminished by EBL pre-treatment. Moreover, pre-treatment of EBL to alkaline-treated rice seedlings largely stimulated the enzymatic activities of ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase. Thus, the results suggest that pre-application of EBL significantly ameliorates alkaline stress in rice.
PMID: 31187379
Funct Plant Biol , IF:2.617 , 2019 Aug , V46 (9) : P857-868 doi: 10.1071/FP18266
Novel OsGRAS19 mutant, D26, positively regulates grain shape in rice (Oryza sativa).
Department of Bioengineering and Biotechnology, School of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, China; and Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences Biotechnology Institute, Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering for Agriculture, Fuzhou 350003, China.; Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences Biotechnology Institute, Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering for Agriculture, Fuzhou 350003, China.; Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences Biotechnology Institute, Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering for Agriculture, Fuzhou 350003, China; and Corresponding authors. Emails: yilinhd@sina.com; wf@fjage.org.; Department of Bioengineering and Biotechnology, School of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, China; and Corresponding authors. Emails: yilinhd@sina.com; wf@fjage.org.
Grain size is an important factor in rice yield. Several genes related to grain size have been reported, but most of them are determined by quantitative trail loci (QTL) traits. Gene D26 is a novel site mutation of OsGRAS19 and involved in the brassinosteroid (BR) signalling pathway. However, whether D26 is involved in the process of rice reproductive development remains unclear. Here, gene cloning and functional analysis revealed that D26 has an obvious regulatory effect on grain size. Overexpression or CRISP/Cas9 mutant of D26 also showed that grain size was positively influenced. Cellular analyses show that D26 modulates grain size by promoting cell division and regulating the cell number in the upper epidermis of the glume. The overexpression results further suggest that the level of D26 expression positively impacts grain length and leaf angles and that the expression of several known grain size genes is involved in the regulation. Based on our results, D26, as a transcription factor, effectively improves rice grain shape.
PMID: 31146805