New Phytol , IF:8.512 , 2020 Sep doi: 10.1111/nph.16945
Transcriptional memories mediate the plasticity of cold stress responses to enable morphological cold acclimation in Brachypodium distachyon.
McGill University, Department of Plant Science, 21,111 Lakeshore, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Canada.
Plants that successfully acclimate to stress can resume growth under stressful conditions. The grass Brachypodium distachyon can grow a cold-adaptive morphology during cold acclimation. Studies on transcriptional memory (TM) revealed that plants can be primed for stress by adjusting their transcriptional responses, but the function of TM in stress accclimation is not well understood. We investigated the function of TM during cold acclimation in B. distachyon. qPCR, RNA-seq and ChIP-qPCR analyses were performed on plants exposed to repeated episodes of cold to characterize the presence and stability of TM during the stress and growth responses of cold acclimation. TM mainly dampened stress responses as growth resumed and as B. distachyon became habituated to cold stress. Although permanent on vernalization gene VRN1, TM were short-term and reversible on cold-stress genes. Growing under cold also coincided with the acquisition of new and targeted cold-induced transcriptional responses. Overall, TM provided plasticity to cold stress responses during cold acclimation in B. distachyon, leading to stress habituation, acquired stress responses, and resumed growth. Our study shows that chromatin-associated TM are involved in tuning plant responses to environmental change and, as such, regulate both stress and developmental components that characterize cold-climate adaptation in B. distachyon.
PMID: 32966623
J Exp Bot , IF:5.908 , 2020 Sep , V71 (18) : P5615-5630 doi: 10.1093/jxb/eraa254
The beta-ketoacyl-CoA synthase KCS13 regulates the cold response in cotton by modulating lipid and oxylipin biosynthesis.
Economic Crop Research Institute, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.; National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.; State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Cold stress is a key environmental factor that affects plant development and productivity. In this study, RNA-seq in cotton following cold-stress treatment resulted in the identification of 5239 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between two cultivars with differing sensitivity to low temperatures, among which GhKCS13 was found to be involved in the response. Transgenic plants overexpressing GhKCS13 showed increased sensitivity to cold stress. KEGG analysis of 418 DEGs in both GhKCS13-overexpressing and RNAi lines after treatment at 4 degrees C indicated that lipid biosynthesis and linoleic acid metabolism were related to cold stress. ESI-MS/MS analysis showed that overexpression of GhKCS13 led to modifications in the composition of sphingolipids and glycerolipids in the leaves, which might alter the fluidity of the cell membrane under cold conditions. In particular, differences in levels of jasmonic acid (JA) in GhKCS13 transgenic lines suggested that, together with lysophospholipids, it might mediate the cold-stress response. Our results suggest that overexpression of GhKCS13 probably causes remodeling of lipids in the endoplasmic reticulum and biosynthesis of lipid-derived JA in chloroplasts, which might account for the increased sensitivity to cold stress in the transgenic plants. Complex interactions between lipid components, lipid signaling molecules, and JA appear to determine the response to cold stress in cotton.
PMID: 32443155
J Integr Plant Biol , IF:4.885 , 2020 Oct , V62 (10) : P1461-1468 doi: 10.1111/jipb.12937
Induction of priming by cold stress via inducible volatile cues in neighboring tea plants.
State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, International Joint Laboratory on Tea Chemistry and Health Effects, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China.; National Center for Tea Plant Improvement, Tea Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Tea Biology and Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hangzhou, 310008, China.; Biotechnology of Natural Products, Technische Universitat Munchen, 85354, Freising, Germany.
Plants have evolved sophisticated defense mechanisms to overcome their sessile nature. However, if and how volatiles from cold-stressed plants can trigger interplant communication is still unknown. Here, we provide the first evidence for interplant communication via inducible volatiles in cold stress. The volatiles, including nerolidol, geraniol, linalool, and methyl salicylate, emitted from cold-stressed tea plants play key role(s) in priming cold tolerance of their neighbors via a C-repeat-binding factors-dependent pathway. The knowledge will help us to understand how plants respond to volatile cues in cold stress and agricultural ecosystems.
PMID: 32275096
Int J Mol Sci , IF:4.556 , 2020 Sep , V21 (18) doi: 10.3390/ijms21186872
Systematic Analysis of Cold Stress Response and Diurnal Rhythm Using Transcriptome Data in Rice Reveals the Molecular Networks Related to Various Biological Processes.
Graduate School of Biotechnology & Crop Biotech Institute, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Korea.; Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Korea.
Rice (Oryza sativa L.), a staple crop plant that is a major source of calories for approximately 50% of the human population, exhibits various physiological responses against temperature stress. These responses are known mechanisms of flexible adaptation through crosstalk with the intrinsic circadian clock. However, the molecular regulatory network underlining this crosstalk remains poorly understood. Therefore, we performed systematic transcriptome data analyses to identify the genes involved in both cold stress responses and diurnal rhythmic patterns. Here, we first identified cold-regulated genes and then identified diurnal rhythmic genes from those (119 cold-upregulated and 346 cold-downregulated genes). We defined cold-responsive diurnal rhythmic genes as CD genes. We further analyzed the functional features of these CD genes through Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses and performed a literature search to identify functionally characterized CD genes. Subsequently, we found that light-harvesting complex proteins involved in photosynthesis strongly associate with the crosstalk. Furthermore, we constructed a protein-protein interaction network encompassing four hub genes and analyzed the roles of the Stay-Green (SGR) gene in regulating crosstalk with sgr mutants. We predict that these findings will provide new insights in understanding the environmental stress response of crop plants against climate change.
PMID: 32961678
BMC Plant Biol , IF:3.497 , 2020 Sep , V20 (1) : P435 doi: 10.1186/s12870-020-02642-7
Proteomic and metabolic profile analysis of low-temperature storage responses in Ipomoea batata Lam. tuberous roots.
School of Agriculture and Food Science, Zhejiang Agriculture & Forestry University, Hangzhou, 311300, China.; School of Agriculture and Food Science, Zhejiang Agriculture & Forestry University, Hangzhou, 311300, China. yanghuqing@sohu.com.
BACKGROUND: Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is one of the seven major food crops grown worldwide. Cold stress often can cause protein expression pattern and substance contents variations for tuberous roots of sweetpotato during low-temperature storage. Recently, we developed proteometabolic profiles of the fresh sweetpotatoes (cv. Xinxiang) in an attempt to discern the cold stress-responsive mechanism of tuberous root crops during post-harvest storage. RESULTS: For roots stored under 4 degrees C condition, the CI index, REC and MDA content in roots were significantly higher than them at control temperature (13 degrees C). The activities of SOD, CAT, APX, O2(.-) producing rate, proline and especially soluble sugar contents were also significantly increased. Most of the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were implicated in pathways related to metabolic pathway, especially phenylpropanoids and followed by starch and sucrose metabolism. L-ascorbate peroxidase 3 and catalase were down-regulated during low temperature storage. alpha-amylase, sucrose synthase and fructokinase were significantly up-regulated in starch and sucrose metabolism, while beta-glucosidase, glucose-1-phosphate adenylyl-transferase and starch synthase were opposite. Furthermore, metabolome profiling revealed that glucosinolate biosynthesis, tropane, piperidine and pyridine alkaloid biosynthesis as well as protein digestion and absorption played a leading role in metabolic pathways of roots. Leucine, tryptophan, tyrosine, isoleucine and valine were all significantly up-regulated in glucosinolate biosynthesis. CONCLUSIONS: Our proteomic and metabolic profile analysis of sweetpotatoes stored at low temperature reveal that the antioxidant enzymes activities, proline and especially soluble sugar content were significantly increased. Most of the DEPs were implicated in phenylpropanoids and followed by starch and sucrose metabolism. The discrepancy between proteomic (L-ascorbate peroxidase 3 and catalase) and biochemical (CAT/APX activity) data may be explained by higher H2O2 levels and increased ascorbate redox states, which enhanced the CAT/APX activity indirectly. Glucosinolate biosynthesis played a leading role in metabolic pathways. Leucine, tryptophan, tyrosine, isoleucine and valine were all significantly up-regulated in glucosinolate biosynthesis.
PMID: 32957906
Arch Biochem Biophys , IF:3.391 , 2020 Sep , V691 : P108510 doi: 10.1016/j.abb.2020.108510
Cryoprotective activity of Arabidopsis KS-type dehydrin depends on the hydrophobic amino acids of two active segments.
Research Institute of Green Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, 836 Ohya, Shizuoka, 422-8529, Japan.; Research Institute of Green Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, 836 Ohya, Shizuoka, 422-8529, Japan. Electronic address: hara.masakazu@shizuoka.ac.jp.
Dehydrins are intrinsically disordered proteins which are related to cold tolerance in plants. Dehydrins show potent cryoprotective activities for freeze-sensitive enzymes such as lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Previous studies demonstrated that K-segments conserved in dehydrins had cryoprotective activities and that K-segment activities depended on the hydrophobic amino acids in the segment. However, the cryoprotective roles of hydrophobic amino acids in dehydrin itself have not been reported. Here, we demonstrated that hydrophobic amino acids were required for the cryoprotective activity of Arabidopsis dehydrin AtHIRD11. Cryoprotective activities were compared between AtHIRD11 and the corresponding mutant in which all hydrophobic residues were changed to T (AtHIRD11Phi/T) by using LDH. The change strikingly reduced AtHIRD11 activity. A segmentation analysis indicated that the conserved K-segment (Kseg) and a previously unidentified segment (non-K-segment 1, NK1) showed cryoprotective activities. Circular dichroism indicated that the secondary structures of all peptides showed disorder, but only cryoprotective peptides changed to the ordered forms by sodium dodecyl sulfate. Ultracentrifuge analysis indicated that AtHIRD11 and AtHIRD11Phi/T had similar molecular sizes in solution. These results suggest that not only structural disorder but also hydrophobic amino acids contributed to the cryoprotective activity of AtHIRD11. A possible mechanism based on an extended molecular shield model is proposed.
PMID: 32735864
PLoS One , IF:2.74 , 2020 , V15 (9) : Pe0238381 doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238381
Nystose regulates the response of rice roots to cold stress via multiple signaling pathways: A comparative proteomics analysis.
Institute of Crop Science, Hangzhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China.; College of Agriculture and Food Science, Zhejiang Agriculture & Forestry University, Hangzhou, China.; National Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China.; College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
Small fructans improve plant tolerance for cold stress. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we have demonstrated that the small fructan tetrasaccharide nystose improves the cold stress tolerance of primary rice roots. Roots developed from seeds soaked in nystose showed lower browning rate, higher root activity, and faster growth compared to seeds soaked in water under chilling stress. Comparative proteomics analysis of nystose-treated and control roots identified a total of 497 differentially expressed proteins. GO classification and KEGG pathway analysis documented that some of the upregulated differentially expressed proteins were implicated in the regulation of serine/threonine protein phosphatase activity, abscisic acid-activated signaling, removal of superoxide radicals, and the response to oxidative stress and defense responses. Western blot analysis indicated that nystose promotes the growth of primary rice roots by increasing the level of RSOsPR10, and the cold stress-induced change in RSOsPR10levelis regulated by jasmonate, salicylic acid, and abscisic acid signaling pathways in rice roots. Furthermore, OsMKK4-dependentmitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascades may be involved in the nystose-induced cold tolerance of primary rice roots. Together, these results indicate that nystose acts as an immunostimulator of the response to cold stress by multiple signaling pathways.
PMID: 32881942
Biochem Genet , IF:2.027 , 2020 Oct , V58 (5) : P705-724 doi: 10.1007/s10528-020-09969-8
Genome-Wide Identification and Analysis of the Growth-Regulating Factor (GRF) Gene Family and GRF-Interacting Factor Family in Triticum aestivum L.
State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas and College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Rd, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.; State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas and College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Rd, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China. liliqun@nwsuaf.edu.cn.
Growth-regulating factors (GRFs) are unique transcription factors in plants. GRFs can interact with SNH (SYT N-terminal homology) domains in GRF-interacting factor (GIF) proteins via the N-terminal QLQ (Gln, Leu, Gln) domain to form functional complexes and participate in the regulation of downstream gene expression. In this study, we systematically identified the GRF gene family and GIF gene family in wheat and its relatives comprising Triticum urartu, Triticum dicoccoides, and Aegilops tauschii. Thirty GRF gene members are present in wheat, which are distributed on 12 chromosomes and they have 2-5 protein-coding regions. They all contain QLQ and WRC (Trp, Arg, Cys) conserved domains. Wheat possesses only eight members of the GIF gene family, which are distributed on six chromosomes. All wheat GIF (TaGIF) proteins have highly conserved SNH and QG (Gln, Gly) domains. The wheat GRF (TaGRF) gene family has 13 pairs of segmental duplication genes and no tandem duplication genes; the TaGIF gene family has two pairs of segmental duplication genes and no tandem duplication genes. It is speculated that segmental duplication events may be the main reason for the amplification of TaGRF gene family and TaGIF gene family. Based on published transcriptome data and qRT-PCR results of 8 TaGRF genes and 4 TaGIF genes, all of the genes responded strongly to osmotic stress, and the expression levels of TaGRF21 and TaGIF5 were also significantly upregulated under drought and cold stress conditions. The results obtained in this study may facilitate further investigations of the functions of TaGRF genes and TaGIF genes in order to identify candidate genes for use in stress-resistant wheat breeding programs.
PMID: 32399658
Plant Signal Behav , IF:1.671 , 2020 Sep : P1814547 doi: 10.1080/15592324.2020.1814547
Overexpression of Arabidopsis ICE1 enhances yield and multiple abiotic stress tolerance in indica rice.
Division of Plant Physiology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute , New Delhi, India.; Department of Botany, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University Tiruchirappalli , Tiruchirappalli, India.
ICE1 (Inducer of CBF Expression 1), a MYC-type bHLH transcription factor, is a regulator of cold tolerance in Arabidopsis. Indica rice, which occupies the major rice cultivated area, is highly sensitive to cold stress. Hence in this study, Arabidopsis ICE1 (AtICE1) was overexpressed in indica rice to analyze its role in reproductive stage cold and other abiotic stress tolerance to indica rice. AtICE1 was overexpressed by using stress inducible AtRD29A promoter in mega rice cv. MTU1010. Under cold stress conditions, AtICE1 overexpression lines showed lower accumulation of MDA and H2O2, higher membrane stability, and thus higher seedling survival rate than the WT plants. Expression levels of OsDREB1A, OsMYB3R2, and OsTPP1 were significantly higher in transgenics as compared with WT under cold stress conditions. AtICE1 transgenic rice plants produced 44-60% higher grain yield as compared with WT plants under control conditions in three independent experiments. Of the three AtICE1 overexpression lines, two lines produced significantly higher grain yield as compared with WT plants after recovery from cold, salt and drought stresses. AtICE1 overexpression lines showed significantly higher stomatal density and conductance under non-stress conditions. qRT-PCR analysis showed that expression levels of stomatal pathway genes viz., OsSPCH1, OsSPCH2, OsSCR1, OsSCRM1, OsSCRM2 and OsMUTE were significantly higher in AtICE1 transgenics as compared with WT plants. The components of water use viz., stomatal conductance, photosynthesis, and instantaneous WUE were higher in transgenics as compared with WT plants. The results showed that AtICE1 confers multiple stress tolerance to indica rice, and the role of ICE1 in stress tolerance and stomatal development is conserved across species.
PMID: 32924751