Nature , IF:49.962 , 2023 May , V617 (7959) : P118-124 doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06023-6
Reducing brassinosteroid signalling enhances grain yield in semi-dwarf wheat.
Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.; National Observation and Research Station of Agriculture Green Development (Quzhou, Hebei), China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.; USDA-ARS, Hard Winter Wheat Genetics Research Unit, Manhattan, KS, USA.; Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China. nizf@cau.edu.cn.
Modern green revolution varieties of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) confer semi-dwarf and lodging-resistant plant architecture owing to the Reduced height-B1b (Rht-B1b) and Rht-D1b alleles(1). However, both Rht-B1b and Rht-D1b are gain-of-function mutant alleles encoding gibberellin signalling repressors that stably repress plant growth and negatively affect nitrogen-use efficiency and grain filling(2-5). Therefore, the green revolution varieties of wheat harbouring Rht-B1b or Rht-D1b usually produce smaller grain and require higher nitrogen fertilizer inputs to maintain their grain yields. Here we describe a strategy to design semi-dwarf wheat varieties without the need for Rht-B1b or Rht-D1b alleles. We discovered that absence of Rht-B1 and ZnF-B (encoding a RING-type E3 ligase) through a natural deletion of a haploblock of about 500 kilobases shaped semi-dwarf plants with more compact plant architecture and substantially improved grain yield (up to 15.2%) in field trials. Further genetic analysis confirmed that the deletion of ZnF-B induced the semi-dwarf trait in the absence of the Rht-B1b and Rht-D1b alleles through attenuating brassinosteroid (BR) perception. ZnF acts as a BR signalling activator to facilitate proteasomal destruction of the BR signalling repressor BRI1 kinase inhibitor 1 (TaBKI1), and loss of ZnF stabilizes TaBKI1 to block BR signalling transduction. Our findings not only identified a pivotal BR signalling modulator but also provided a creative strategy to design high-yield semi-dwarf wheat varieties by manipulating the BR signal pathway to sustain wheat production.
PMID: 37100915
Science , IF:47.728 , 2023 Mar , V379 (6639) : Peadf4721 doi: 10.1126/science.adf4721
Brassinosteroid gene regulatory networks at cellular resolution in the Arabidopsis root.
Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.; Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.; Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium.; Department of Biology, Humboldt Universitat zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.; The Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.; Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.; Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.; Department of Computer Science, Humboldt Universitat zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Brassinosteroids are plant steroid hormones that regulate diverse processes, such as cell division and cell elongation, through gene regulatory networks that vary in space and time. By using time series single-cell RNA sequencing to profile brassinosteroid-responsive gene expression specific to different cell types and developmental stages of the Arabidopsis root, we identified the elongating cortex as a site where brassinosteroids trigger a shift from proliferation to elongation associated with increased expression of cell wall-related genes. Our analysis revealed HOMEOBOX FROM ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA 7 (HAT7) and GT-2-LIKE 1 (GTL1) as brassinosteroid-responsive transcription factors that regulate cortex cell elongation. These results establish the cortex as a site of brassinosteroid-mediated growth and unveil a brassinosteroid signaling network regulating the transition from proliferation to elongation, which illuminates aspects of spatiotemporal hormone responses.
PMID: 36996230
Trends Plant Sci , IF:18.313 , 2023 Apr , V28 (4) : P399-414 doi: 10.1016/j.tplants.2022.12.006
Mass spectrometric exploration of phytohormone profiles and signaling networks.
State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China. Electronic address: chenym@cau.edu.cn.; State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, College of Resources and Environment, Henan Agricultural University, 450002, Zhengzhou, China.; State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China.; Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria; Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany.
Phytohormones have crucial roles in plant growth, development, and acclimation to environmental stress; however, measuring phytohormone levels and unraveling their complex signaling networks and interactions remains challenging. Mass spectrometry (MS) has revolutionized the study of complex biological systems, enabling the comprehensive identification and quantification of phytohormones and their related targets. Here, we review recent advances in MS technologies and highlight studies that have used MS to discover and analyze phytohormone-mediated molecular events. In particular, we focus on the application of MS for profiling phytohormones, elucidating phosphorylation signaling, and mapping protein interactions in plants.
PMID: 36585336
Autophagy , IF:16.016 , 2023 Apr , V19 (4) : P1293-1310 doi: 10.1080/15548627.2022.2124501
Brassinosteroids modulate autophagy through phosphorylation of RAPTOR1B by the GSK3-like kinase BIN2 in Arabidopsis.
Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.; Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
Macroautophagy/autophagy is a conserved recycling process that maintains cellular homeostasis during environmental stress. Autophagy is negatively regulated by TOR (target of rapamycin), a nutrient-regulated protein kinase that in plants is activated by several phytohormones, leading to increased growth. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms by which TOR integrates autophagy and hormone signaling are poorly understood. Here, we show that TOR modulates brassinosteroid (BR)-regulated plant growth and stress-response pathways. Active TOR was required for full BR-mediated growth in Arabidopsis thaliana. Autophagy was constitutively up-regulated upon blocking BR biosynthesis or signaling, and down-regulated by increasing the activity of the BR pathway. BIN2 (brassinosteroid-insensitive 2) kinase, a GSK3-like kinase functioning as a negative regulator in BR signaling, directly phosphorylated RAPTOR1B (regulatory-associated protein of TOR 1B), a substrate-recruiting subunit in the TOR complex, at a conserved serine residue within a typical BIN2 phosphorylation motif. Mutation of RAPTOR1B serine 916 to alanine, to block phosphorylation by BIN2, repressed autophagy and increased phosphorylation of the TOR substrate ATG13a (autophagy-related protein 13a). By contrast, this mutation had only a limited effect on growth. We present a model in which RAPTOR1B is phosphorylated and inhibited by BIN2 when BRs are absent, activating the autophagy pathway. When BRs signal and inhibit BIN2, RAPTOR1B is thus less inhibited by BIN2 phosphorylation. This leads to increased TOR activity and ATG13a phosphorylation, and decreased autophagy activity. Our studies define a new mechanism by which coordination between BR and TOR signaling pathways helps to maintain the balance between plant growth and stress responses.
PMID: 36151786
Nat Commun , IF:14.919 , 2023 May , V14 (1) : P3091 doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-38812-y
An E2-E3 pair contributes to seed size control in grain crops.
Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China.; Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Ministry of Education, Hebei Collaboration Innovation Center for Cell Signaling, Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China.; Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water Resources, Hebei Laboratory of Agricultural, Water-Saving, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang, 050021, China.; College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.; College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.; Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China. diaoxianmin@caas.cn.
Understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate grain yield is important for improving agricultural productivity. Protein ubiquitination controls various aspects of plant growth but lacks understanding on how E2-E3 enzyme pairs impact grain yield in major crops. Here, we identified a RING-type E3 ligase SGD1 and its E2 partner SiUBC32 responsible for grain yield control in Setaria italica. The conserved role of SGD1 was observed in wheat, maize, and rice. Furthermore, SGD1 ubiquitinates the brassinosteroid receptor BRI1, stabilizing it and promoting plant growth. Overexpression of an elite SGD1 haplotype improved grain yield by about 12.8% per plant, and promote complex biological processes such as protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, stress responses, photosystem stabilization, and nitrogen metabolism. Our research not only identifies the SiUBC32-SGD1-BRI1 genetic module that contributes to grain yield improvement but also provides a strategy for exploring key genes controlling important traits in Poaceae crops using the Setaria model system.
PMID: 37248257
Nat Commun , IF:14.919 , 2023 May , V14 (1) : P2608 doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-38207-z
Coordinated regulation of vegetative phase change by brassinosteroids and the age pathway in Arabidopsis.
College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Jilin, 130062, China.; The State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, The Key Laboratory of Quality and Safety Control for Subtropical Fruit and Vege-table, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticultural Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, 311300, Zhejiang, China.; College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.; The State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, The Key Laboratory of Quality and Safety Control for Subtropical Fruit and Vege-table, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticultural Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, 311300, Zhejiang, China. 20170039@zafu.edu.cn.; The State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, The Key Laboratory of Quality and Safety Control for Subtropical Fruit and Vege-table, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticultural Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, 311300, Zhejiang, China. wugang@zafu.edu.cn.
Vegetative phase change in plants is regulated by a gradual decline in the level of miR156 and a corresponding increase in the expression of its targets, SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE (SPL) genes. Gibberellin (GA), jasmonic acid (JA), and cytokinin (CK) regulate vegetative phase change by affecting genes in the miR156-SPL pathway. However, whether other phytohormones play a role in vegetative phase change remains unknown. Here, we show that a loss-of-function mutation in the brassinosteroid (BR) biosynthetic gene, DWARF5 (DWF5), delays vegetative phase change, and the defective phenotype is primarily attributable to reduced levels of SPL9 and miR172, and a corresponding increase in TARGET OF EAT1 (TOE1). We further show that GLYCOGEN SYNTHASE KINASE3 (GSK3)-like kinase BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE2 (BIN2) directly interacts with and phosphorylates SPL9 and TOE1 to cause subsequent proteolytic degradation. Therefore, BRs function to stabilize SPL9 and TOE1 simultaneously to regulate vegetative phase change in plants.
PMID: 37147280
Genome Biol , IF:13.583 , 2023 May , V24 (1) : P108 doi: 10.1186/s13059-023-02909-w
Hybrid allele-specific ChIP-seq analysis identifies variation in brassinosteroid-responsive transcription factor binding linked to traits in maize.
Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, 260 Panama Street, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA. hartwit@hhu.de.; Heinrich-Heine University, Universitatsstrasse 1, Dusseldorf, NRW, 40225, Germany. hartwit@hhu.de.; Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linne-Weg 10, Cologne, NRW, 50829, Germany. hartwit@hhu.de.; Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, 260 Panama Street, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.; Leibniz-Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse 3, Seeland, SA, 06466, Germany.; Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, 339A Bessey Hall, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.; Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linne-Weg 10, Cologne, NRW, 50829, Germany.; School of Integrative Plant Science, Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section, Cornell University, 413 Bradfield Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.; Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 363 Keim Hall, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA.; Heinrich-Heine University, Universitatsstrasse 1, Dusseldorf, NRW, 40225, Germany.; Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, 260 Panama Street, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA. zywang24@stanford.edu.
BACKGROUND: Genetic variation in regulatory sequences that alter transcription factor (TF) binding is a major cause of phenotypic diversity. Brassinosteroid is a growth hormone that has major effects on plant phenotypes. Genetic variation in brassinosteroid-responsive cis-elements likely contributes to trait variation. Pinpointing such regulatory variations and quantitative genomic analysis of the variation in TF-target binding, however, remains challenging. How variation in transcriptional targets of signaling pathways such as the brassinosteroid pathway contributes to phenotypic variation is an important question to be investigated with innovative approaches. RESULTS: Here, we use a hybrid allele-specific chromatin binding sequencing (HASCh-seq) approach and identify variations in target binding of the brassinosteroid-responsive TF ZmBZR1 in maize. HASCh-seq in the B73xMo17 F1s identifies thousands of target genes of ZmBZR1. Allele-specific ZmBZR1 binding (ASB) has been observed for 18.3% of target genes and is enriched in promoter and enhancer regions. About a quarter of the ASB sites correlate with sequence variation in BZR1-binding motifs and another quarter correlate with haplotype-specific DNA methylation, suggesting that both genetic and epigenetic variations contribute to the high level of variation in ZmBZR1 occupancy. Comparison with GWAS data shows linkage of hundreds of ASB loci to important yield and disease-related traits. CONCLUSION: Our study provides a robust method for analyzing genome-wide variations of TF occupancy and identifies genetic and epigenetic variations of the brassinosteroid response transcription network in maize.
PMID: 37158941
EMBO J , IF:11.598 , 2023 May : Pe112998 doi: 10.15252/embj.2022112998
Salicylic acid attenuates brassinosteroid signaling via protein de-S-acylation.
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
Brassinosteroids (BRs) are important plant hormones involved in many aspects of development. Here, we show that BRASSINOSTEROID SIGNALING KINASEs (BSKs), key components of the BR pathway, are precisely controlled via de-S-acylation mediated by the defense hormone salicylic acid (SA). Most Arabidopsis BSK members are substrates of S-acylation, a reversible protein lipidation that is essential for their membrane localization and physiological function. We establish that SA interferes with the plasma membrane localization and function of BSKs by decreasing their S-acylation levels, identifying ABAPT11 (ALPHA/BETA HYDROLASE DOMAIN-CONTAINING PROTEIN 17-LIKE ACYL PROTEIN THIOESTERASE 11) as an enzyme whose expression is quickly induced by SA. ABAPT11 de-S-acylates most BSK family members, thus integrating BR and SA signaling for the control of plant development. In summary, we show that BSK-mediated BR signaling is regulated by SA-induced protein de-S-acylation, which improves our understanding of the function of protein modifications in plant hormone cross talk.
PMID: 37211868
Plant Cell , IF:11.277 , 2023 May doi: 10.1093/plcell/koad130
The transcriptional hub SHORT INTERNODES1 integrates hormone signals to orchestrate rice growth and development.
State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.; State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Breeding, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
Plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to coordinate their growth and stress responses via integrating various phytohormone signaling pathways. However, the precise molecular mechanisms orchestrating integration of the phytohormone signaling pathways remain largely obscure. In this study, we found that the rice (Oryza sativa) short internodes1 (shi1) mutant exhibits typical auxin-deficient root development and gravitropic response, brassinosteroid (BR)-deficient plant architecture and grain size as well as enhanced abscisic acid (ABA)-mediated drought tolerance. Additionally, we found that the shi1 mutant is also hyposensitive to auxin and BR treatment but hypersensitive to ABA. Further, we showed that OsSHI1 promotes the biosynthesis of auxin and BR by activating the expression of OsYUCCAs and D11, meanwhile dampens ABA signaling by inducing the expression of OsNAC2, which encodes a repressor of ABA signaling. Furthermore, we demonstrated that three classes of transcription factors, AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR 19 (OsARF19), LEAF AND TILLER ANGLE INCREASED CONTROLLER (LIC), OsZIP26 and OsZIP86, directly bind to the promoter of OsSHI1 and regulate its expression in response to auxin, BR and ABA, respectively. Collectively, our results unravel an OsSHI1-centered transcriptional regulatory hub that orchestrates the integration and self-feedback regulation of multiple phytohormone signaling pathways to coordinate plant growth and stress adaptation.
PMID: 37195873
Plant Cell , IF:11.277 , 2023 May , V35 (6) : P2114-2131 doi: 10.1093/plcell/koad060
Brassinosteroids regulate cotton fiber elongation by modulating very-long-chain fatty acid biosynthesis.
Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001 Henan, China.; State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000 Henan, China.; Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji, 831100 Xinjiang, China.
Brassinosteroid (BR), a growth-promoting phytohormone, regulates many plant growth processes including cell development. However, the mechanism by which BR regulates fiber growth is poorly understood. Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) fibers are an ideal single-cell model in which to study cell elongation due to their length. Here we report that BR controls cotton fiber elongation by modulating very-long-chain fatty acid (VLCFA) biosynthesis. BR deficiency reduces the expression of 3-ketoacyl-CoA synthases (GhKCSs), the rate-limiting enzymes involved in VLCFA biosynthesis, leading to lower saturated VLCFA contents in pagoda1 (pag1) mutant fibers. In vitro ovule culture experiments show that BR acts upstream of VLCFAs. Silencing of BRI1-EMS-SUPPRESOR 1.4 (GhBES1.4), encoding a master transcription factor of the BR signaling pathway, significantly reduces fiber length, whereas GhBES1.4 overexpression produces longer fibers. GhBES1.4 regulates endogenous VLCFA contents and directly binds to BR RESPONSE ELEMENTS (BRREs) in the GhKCS10_At promoter region, which in turn regulates GhKCS10_At expression to increase endogenous VLCFA contents. GhKCS10_At overexpression promotes cotton fiber elongation, whereas GhKCS10_At silencing inhibits cotton fiber growth, supporting a positive regulatory role for GhKCS10_At in fiber elongation. Overall, these results uncover a mechanism of fiber elongation through crosstalk between BR and VLCFAs at the single-cell level.
PMID: 36861340
Plant Cell , IF:11.277 , 2023 Apr , V35 (5) : P1283-1284 doi: 10.1093/plcell/koad040
Don't be blue: Pure green light spurs brassinosteroid signaling.
The Plant Cell, American Society of Plant Biologists, USA.; Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA.
PMID: 36808293
Plant Cell , IF:11.277 , 2023 Apr , V35 (5) : P1455-1473 doi: 10.1093/plcell/koad032
Signaling by the EPFL-ERECTA family coordinates female germline specification through the BZR1 family in Arabidopsis.
College of Life Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.; Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.; Tea Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Resources Innovation and Utilization, Dafeng Road 6, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510640, China.; State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi Key Lab of Sugarcane Biology, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China.
In most flowering plants, the female germline is initiated in the subepidermal L2 layer of ovule primordia forming a single megaspore mother cell (MMC). How signaling from the L1 (epidermal) layer could contribute to the gene regulatory network (GRN) restricting MMC formation to a single cell is unclear. We show that EPIDERMAL PATTERNING FACTOR-like (EPFL) peptide ligands are expressed in the L1 layer, together with their ERECTA family (ERf) receptor kinases, to control female germline specification in Arabidopsis thaliana. EPFL-ERf dependent signaling restricts multiple subepidermal cells from acquiring MMC-like cell identity by activating the expression of the major brassinosteroid (BR) receptor kinase BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE 1 and the BR-responsive transcription factor BRASSINOZOLE RESISTANT 1 (BZR1). Additionally, BZR1 coordinates female germline specification by directly activating the expression of a nucleolar GTP-binding protein, NUCLEOSTEMIN-LIKE 1 (NSN1), which is expressed in early-stage ovules excluding the MMC. Mutants defective in this GRN form multiple MMCs resulting in a strong reduction of seed set. In conclusion, we uncovered a ligand/receptor-like kinase-mediated signaling pathway acting upstream and coordinating BR signaling via NSN1 to restrict MMC differentiation to a single subepidermal cell.
PMID: 36748257
Plant Cell , IF:11.277 , 2023 Apr , V35 (5) : P1304-1317 doi: 10.1093/plcell/koad022
Green means go: Green light promotes hypocotyl elongation via brassinosteroid signaling.
National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031 Shanghai, P. R. China.; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, P. R. China.; Department of Light Source and Illuminating Engineering, Fudan University, 2005 Songhu Rd, Shanghai 200433, P. R. China.
Although many studies have elucidated the mechanisms by which different wavelengths of light (blue, red, far-red, or ultraviolet-B [UV-B]) regulate plant development, whether and how green light regulates plant development remains largely unknown. Previous studies reported that green light participates in regulating growth and development in land plants, but these studies have reported conflicting results, likely due to technical problems. For example, commercial green light-emitting diode light sources emit a little blue or red light. Here, using a pure green light source, we determined that unlike blue, red, far-red, or UV-B light, which inhibits hypocotyl elongation, green light promotes hypocotyl elongation in Arabidopsis thaliana and several other plants during the first 2-3 d after planting. Phytochromes, cryptochromes, and other known photoreceptors do not mediate green-light-promoted hypocotyl elongation, but the brassinosteroid (BR) signaling pathway is involved in this process. Green light promotes the DNA binding activity of BRI1-EMS-SUPPRESSOR 1 (BES1), a master transcription factor of the BR pathway, thus regulating gene transcription to promote hypocotyl elongation. Our results indicate that pure green light promotes elongation via BR signaling and acts as a shade signal to enable plants to adapt their development to a green-light-dominant environment under a canopy.
PMID: 36724050
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A , IF:11.205 , 2023 Apr , V120 (16) : Pe2301879120 doi: 10.1073/pnas.2301879120
HY5 functions as a systemic signal by integrating BRC1-dependent hormone signaling in tomato bud outgrowth.
Department of Horticulture, Zijinggang Campus, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.; College of Horticulture, Northwest Agriculture & Forestry University, Xianyang, Shaanxi 712100, China.; School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT Edgbaston, UK.; Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plants Growth and Development, Agricultural Ministry of China, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
Light plays an important role in determining plant architecture, which greatly influences crop yield. However, the precise mechanisms by which light signaling regulates bud outgrowth remain to be identified. Here, we show that light regulates bud outgrowth via both HY5 and brassinosteroid (BR)-dependent pathways in tomato. Inactivation of the red-light photoreceptor PHYB, or deficiencies in PHYB or the blue-light photoreceptor CRY1a, inhibits bud outgrowth and leads to decreased accumulation of HY5 protein and increased transcript level of BRANCHED1 (BRC1), a central integrator of branching signals. HY5, functioning as a mobile systemic signal from leaves, promotes bud outgrowth by directly suppressing BRC1 transcript and activating the transcript of BR biosynthesis genes within the lateral buds in tomato. Furthermore, BRC1 prevents the accumulation of cytokinin (CK) and gibberellin (GA) by directly inhibiting the transcript of CK synthesis gene LOG4, while increasing the transcript levels of CK and GA degradation genes (CKX7, GA2ox4, and GA2ox5), leading to an arrest of bud outgrowth. Moreover, bud outgrowth occurs predominantly in the day due to the suppression of BRC1 transcript by HY5. These findings demonstrate that light-inducible HY5 acts as a systemic signaling factor in fine-tuning the bud outgrowth of tomato.
PMID: 37036969
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A , IF:11.205 , 2023 Apr , V120 (15) : Pe2216632120 doi: 10.1073/pnas.2216632120
HD-ZIP III-dependent local promotion of brassinosteroid synthesis suppresses vascular cell division in Arabidopsis root apical meristem.
Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.; Department of Plant Gene and Totipotency, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan.; Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Kyoto University of Advanced Science, Kyoto 621-8555, Japan.
Spatiotemporal control of cell division in the meristem is vital for plant growth. In the stele of the root apical meristem (RAM), procambial cells divide periclinally to increase the number of vascular cell files. Class III homeodomain leucine zipper (HD-ZIP III) proteins are key transcriptional regulators of RAM development and suppress the periclinal division of vascular cells in the stele; however, the mechanism underlying the regulation of vascular cell division by HD-ZIP III transcription factors (TFs) remains largely unknown. Here, we performed transcriptome analysis to identify downstream genes of HD-ZIP III and found that HD-ZIP III TFs positively regulate brassinosteroid biosynthesis-related genes, such as CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC DWARF (CPD), in vascular cells. Introduction of pREVOLUTA::CPD in a quadruple loss-of-function mutant of HD-ZIP III genes partly rescued the phenotype in terms of the vascular defect in the RAM. Treatment of a quadruple loss-of-function mutant, a gain-of-function mutant of HD-ZIP III, and the wild type with brassinosteroid and a brassinosteroid synthesis inhibitor also indicated that HD-ZIP III TFs act together to suppress vascular cell division by increasing brassinosteroid levels. Furthermore, brassinosteroid application suppressed the cytokinin response in vascular cells. Together, our findings suggest that the suppression of vascular cell division by HD-ZIP III TFs is caused, at least in part, by the increase in brassinosteroid levels through the transcriptional activation of brassinosteroid biosynthesis genes in the vascular cells of the RAM. This elevated brassinosteroid level suppresses cytokinin response in vascular cells, inhibiting vascular cell division in the RAM.
PMID: 37011193
New Phytol , IF:10.151 , 2023 May , V238 (4) : P1516-1533 doi: 10.1111/nph.18779
The regulatory module MdBZR1-MdCOL6 mediates brassinosteroid- and light-regulated anthocyanin synthesis in apple.
College of Horticulture, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271000, Shandong, China.; State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
The anthocyanin content is an important indicator of the nutritional value of most fruits, including apple (Malus domestica). Anthocyanin synthesis is coordinately regulated by light and various phytohormones. In this study on apple, we revealed the antagonistic relationship between light and brassinosteroid (BR) signaling pathways, which is mediated by BRASSINAZOLE-RESISTANT 1 (MdBZR1) and the B-box protein MdCOL6. The exogenous application of brassinolide inhibited the high-light-induced anthocyanin accumulation in red-fleshed apple seedlings, whereas increases in the light intensity decreased the endogenous BR content. The overexpression of MdBZR1 inhibited the anthocyanin synthesis in apple plants. An exposure to a high-light intensity induced the degradation of dephosphorylated MdBZR1, resulting in functional impairment. MdBZR1 was identified as an upstream repressor of MdCOL6, which promotes anthocyanin synthesis in apple plants. Furthermore, MdBZR1 interacts with MdCOL6 to attenuate its ability to activate MdUFGT and MdANS transcription. Thus, MdBZR1 negatively regulates MdCOL6-mediated anthocyanin accumulation. Our study findings have clarified the molecular basis of the integration of light and BR signals during the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis, which is an important process influencing fruit quality.
PMID: 36710519
Plant Biotechnol J , IF:9.803 , 2023 May , V21 (5) : P896-898 doi: 10.1111/pbi.14005
GhPRE1A promotes cotton fibre elongation by activating the DNA-binding bHLH factor GhPAS1.
Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 450000, Zhengzhou, China.; State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 455000, Anyang, China.; College of Life Sciences and Agronomy, Zhoukou Normal University, 466000, Zhoukou, China.; Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 831100, Changji, China.
PMID: 36609789
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2023 Apr doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiad208
PbrBZR1 Interacts with PbrARI2.3 to Mediate Brassinosteroid-Regulated Pollen Tube Growth during Self-Incompatibility Signaling in Pear.
Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.; Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Horticultural Crop Genetic Improvement, Nanjing 210014, China.
S-RNase-mediated self-incompatibility (SI) prevents self-fertilization and promotes outbreeding to ensure genetic diversity in many flowering plants, including pear (Pyrus sp.). Brassinosteroids (BRs) have well-documented functions in cell elongation, but their molecular mechanisms in pollen tube growth, especially in the SI response, remain elusive. Here, exogenously applied brassinolide (BL), an active BR, countered incompatible pollen tube growth inhibition during the SI response in pear. Antisense repression of BRASSINAZOLE-RESISTANT1 (PbrBZR1), a critical component of BR signaling, blocked the positive effect of BL on pollen tube elongation. Further analyses revealed that PbrBZR1 binds to the promoter of EXPANSIN-LIKE A3 (PbrEXLA3) to activate its expression. PbrEXLA3 encodes an expansin that promotes pollen tube elongation in pear. The stability of dephosphorylated PbrBZR1 was substantially reduced in incompatible pollen tubes, where it is targeted by ARIADNE2.3 (PbrARI2.3), an E3 ubiquitin ligase that is strongly expressed in pollen. Our results show that during the SI response, PbrARI2.3 accumulates and negatively regulates pollen tube growth by accelerating the degradation of PbrBZR1 via the 26S proteasome pathway. Together, our results show that a ubiquitin-mediated modification participates in BR signaling in pollen and reveal the molecular mechanism by which BRs regulate S-RNase-based SI.
PMID: 37010117
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2023 May , V192 (1) : P1-3 doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiad082
Another tool in the receptor endocytosis kit: ligand-insensitive BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE1.
Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
PMID: 36782385
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2023 May , V192 (1) : P65-76 doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiad005
BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE1 internalization can occur independent of ligand binding.
Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.; Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.; Structural Plant Biology Laboratory, Department of Botany and Plant Biology, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland.; College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062 Shaanxi, China.; Center for Plant Molecular Biology (ZMBP), University of Tubingen, 72076 Tubingen, Germany.; Laboratoire Reproduction et Developpement des Plantes (RDP), Ecole Normale Superieure de Lyon, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (INRAE), Universite de Lyon, 69342 Lyon, France.
The brassinosteroid (BR) hormone and its plasma membrane (PM) receptor BR INSENSITIVE1 (BRI1) are one of the best-studied receptor-ligand pairs for understanding the interplay between receptor endocytosis and signaling in plants. BR signaling is mainly determined by the PM pool of BRI1, whereas BRI1 endocytosis ensures signal attenuation. As BRs are ubiquitously distributed in the plant, the tools available to study the BRI1 function without interference from endogenous BRs are limited. Here, we designed a BR binding-deficient Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) mutant based on protein sequence-structure analysis and homology modeling of members of the BRI1 family. This tool allowed us to re-examine the BRI1 endocytosis and signal attenuation model. We showed that despite impaired phosphorylation and ubiquitination, BR binding-deficient BRI1 internalizes similarly to the wild type form. Our data indicate that BRI1 internalization relies on different endocytic machineries. In addition, the BR binding-deficient mutant provides opportunities to study non-canonical ligand-independent BRI1 functions.
PMID: 36617237
Plant Cell Environ , IF:7.228 , 2023 Apr , V46 (4) : P1249-1263 doi: 10.1111/pce.14502
Red-light receptor phytochrome B inhibits BZR1-NAC028-CAD8B signaling to negatively regulate rice resistance to sheath blight.
Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China.; Laboratory of Rice Disease Research, Institution of Plant Protection, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang, China.; Rice Research Institute, College of Agronomy, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China.; Department of Plant Protection, Rice Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.; Department of Biological Science, College of Life Science, Yan'an University, Yan'an, Shaanxi, China.; Liaoning Province Shiyan High School, Shenyang, China.; College of Biology and Food Engineering, Chongqing Three Gorges University, Chongqing, China.
Phytochrome (Phy)-regulated light signalling plays important roles in plant growth, development, and stress responses. However, its function in rice defence against sheath blight disease (ShB) remains unclear. Here, we found that PhyB mutation or shade treatment promoted rice resistance to ShB, while resistance was reduced by PhyB overexpression. Further analysis showed that PhyB interacts with phytochrome-interacting factor-like 15 (PIL15), brassinazole resistant 1 (BZR1), and vascular plant one-zinc-finger 2 (VOZ2). Plants overexpressing PIL15 were more susceptible to ShB in contrast to bzr1-D-overexpressing plants compared with the wild-type, suggesting that PhyB may inhibit BZR1 to negatively regulate rice resistance to ShB. Although BZR1 is known to regulate brassinosteroid (BR) signalling, the observation that BR signalling negatively regulated resistance to ShB indicated an independent role for BZR1 in controlling rice resistance. It was also found that the BZR1 ligand NAC028 positively regulated resistance to ShB. RNA sequencing showed that cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase 8B (CAD8B), involved in lignin biosynthesis was upregulated in both bzr1-D- and NAC028-overexpressing plants compared with the wild-type. Yeast-one hybrid, ChIP, and transactivation assays demonstrated that BZR1 and NAC028 activate CAD8B directly. Taken together, the analyses demonstrated that PhyB-mediated light signalling inhibits the BZR1-NAC028-CAD8B pathway to regulate rice resistance to ShB.
PMID: 36457051
J Integr Plant Biol , IF:7.061 , 2023 Apr doi: 10.1111/jipb.13491
The brassinosteroid signaling component SlBZR1 promotes tomato fruit ripening and carotenoid accumulation.
Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth and Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.; College of Plant Science, Jilin University, Changchun, 130062, China.
The plant hormone ethylene is essential for climacteric fruit ripening, although it is unclear how other phytohormones and their interactions with ethylene might affect fruit ripening. Here, we explored how brassinosteroids (BRs) regulate fruit ripening in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and how they interact with ethylene. Exogenous BR treatment and increased endogenous BR contents in tomato plants overexpressing the BR biosynthetic gene SlCYP90B3 promoted ethylene production and fruit ripening. Genetic analysis indicated that the BR signaling regulators Brassinazole-resistant1 (SlBZR1) and BRI1-EMS-suppressor1 (SlBES1) act redundantly in fruit softening. Knocking out SlBZR1 inhibited ripening through transcriptome reprogramming at the onset of ripening. Combined transcriptome deep sequencing and chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing identified 73 SlBZR1-repressed targets and 203 SlBZR1-induced targets involving major ripening-related genes, suggesting that SlBZR1 positively regulates tomato fruit ripening. SlBZR1 directly targeted several ethylene and carotenoid biosynthetic genes to contribute to the ethylene burst and carotenoid accumulation to ensure normal ripening and quality formation. Furthermore, knock-out of Brassinosteroid-insensitive2 (SlBIN2), a negative regulator of BR signaling upstream of SlBZR1, promoted fruit ripening and carotenoid accumulation. Taken together, our results highlight the role of SlBZR1 as a master regulator of tomato fruit ripening with potential for tomato quality improvement and carotenoid biofortification.
PMID: 37009849
J Integr Plant Biol , IF:7.061 , 2023 May , V65 (5) : P1099-1112 doi: 10.1111/jipb.13443
Brassinosteroid signaling regulates phosphate starvation-induced malate secretion in plants.
Microelement Research Center, College of Resources & Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.; Key Laboratory of Arable Land Conservation (Middle and Lower Reaches of Yangtze River), Ministry of Agriculture, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
Inorganic phosphate (Pi) is often limited in soils due to precipitation with iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al). To scavenge heterogeneously distributed phosphorus (P) resources, plants have evolved a local Pi signaling pathway that induces malate secretion to solubilize the occluded Fe-P or Al-P oxides. In this study, we show that Pi limitation impaired brassinosteroid signaling and downregulated BRASSINAZOLE-RESISTANT 1 (BZR1) expression in Arabidopsis thaliana. Exogenous 2,4-epibrassinolide treatment or constitutive activation of BZR1 (in the bzr1-D mutant) significantly reduced primary root growth inhibition under Pi-starvation conditions by downregulating ALUMINUM-ACTIVATED MALATE TRANSPORTER 1 (ALMT1) expression and malate secretion. Furthermore, AtBZR1 competitively suppressed the activator effect of SENSITIVITY TO PROTON RHIZOTOXICITY 1 (STOP1) on ALMT1 expression and malate secretion in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves and Arabidopsis. The ratio of nuclear-localized STOP1 and BZR1 determined ALMT1 expression and malate secretion in Arabidopsis. In addition, BZR1-inhibited malate secretion is conserved in rice (Oryza sativa). Our findings provide insight into plant mechanisms for optimizing the secretion of malate, an important carbon resource, to adapt to Pi-deficiency stress.
PMID: 36579777
J Integr Plant Biol , IF:7.061 , 2023 May , V65 (5) : P1153-1169 doi: 10.1111/jipb.13442
Brassinosteroids fine-tune secondary and primary sulfur metabolism through BZR1-mediated transcriptional regulation.
Department of Horticulture, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development and Quality improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.; School of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 221116, China.; Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, China.; College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China.
For adaptation to ever-changing environments, plants have evolved elaborate metabolic systems coupled to a regulatory network for optimal growth and defense. Regulation of plant secondary metabolic pathways such as glucosinolates (GSLs) by defense phytohormones in response to different stresses and nutrient deficiency has been intensively investigated, while how growth-promoting hormone balances plant secondary and primary metabolism has been largely unexplored. Here, we found that growth-promoting hormone brassinosteroid (BR) inhibits GSLs accumulation while enhancing biosynthesis of primary sulfur metabolites, including cysteine (Cys) and glutathione (GSH) both in Arabidopsis and Brassica crops, fine-tuning secondary and primary sulfur metabolism to promote plant growth. Furthermore, we demonstrate that of BRASSINAZOLE RESISTANT 1 (BZR1), the central component of BR signaling, exerts distinct transcriptional inhibition regulation on indolic and aliphatic GSL via direct MYB51 dependent repression of indolic GSL biosynthesis, while exerting partial MYB29 dependent repression of aliphatic GSL biosynthesis. Additionally, BZR1 directly activates the transcription of APR1 and APR2 which encodes rate-limiting enzyme adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate reductases in the primary sulfur metabolic pathway. In summary, our findings indicate that BR inhibits the biosynthesis of GSLs to prioritize sulfur usage for primary metabolites under normal growth conditions. These findings expand our understanding of BR promoting plant growth from a metabolism perspective.
PMID: 36573424
J Exp Bot , IF:6.992 , 2023 May doi: 10.1093/jxb/erad196
OsBAK2/OsSERK2 Expression is Repressed by OsBZR1 to Modulate Brassinosteroid Response and Grain Length in Rice.
State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.; Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Seed Industry Science and Technology, Nanjing 210095, China.
Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a class of polyhydroxylated steroidal phytohormones and essential for plant growth and development. Rice BRASSINOSTEROID-INSENSITIVE1 (BRI1)-ASSOCIATED RECEPTOR KINASES (OsBAKs) are plasma membrane (PM)-localized receptor kinases, belonging to the subfamily of leucine-rich repeat (LRR) receptor kinases. In Arabidopsis, BRs induce the formation of BRI1-BAK1 heterodimer complex and transmit the signal cascade to the BRASSINAZOLE RESISTANT1/bri1-EMS-SUPPRESSOR1 (BZR1/BES1) to regulate BR signaling. In rice, we found that OsBZR1 binds directly to the promoter of OsBAK2, not OsBAK1, and represses the expression of OsBAK2 to form a BR feedback inhibition loop. Additionally, the phosphorylation of OsBZR1 by OsGSK3 reduced its binding activity to OsBAK2 promoter. The osbak2 displays a typical BR deficient phenotype and negatively modulates the accumulation of OsBZR1. Interestingly, the grain length of osbak2 mutant was increased whereas the cr-osbak2/cr-osbzr1 double mutant restored the reduced grain length of cr-osbzr1 mutant, implying that the increased grain length of osbak2 may be due to the rice SERKs-dependent pathway. Our study reveals a novel mechanism of OsBAK2 and OsBZR1 engaging in a negative feedback loop to maintain rice BR homeostasis, facilitating to a deeper understanding of BR signaling network and grain length regulation in rice.
PMID: 37235693
Front Nutr , IF:6.576 , 2023 , V10 : P1112793 doi: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1112793
Transcriptomic analysis of Chinese yam (Dioscorea polystachya Turcz.) variants indicates brassinosteroid involvement in tuber development.
Department of Biology, Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, University of Munster, Munster, Germany.; Laboratory of Growth Regulators, The Czech Academy of Science, Institute of Experimental Botany and Palacky University, Faculty of Science, Olomouc, Czechia.; Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Aachen, Germany.; TRM Ltd., Scarborough, United Kingdom.
Dioscorea is an important but underutilized genus of flowering plants that grows predominantly in tropical and subtropical regions. Several species, known as yam, develop large underground tubers and aerial bulbils that are used as food. The Chinese yam (D. polystachya Turcz.) is one of the few Dioscorea species that grows well in temperate regions and has been proposed as a climate-resilient crop to enhance food security in Europe. However, the fragile, club-like tubers are unsuitable for mechanical harvesting, which is facilitated by shorter and thicker storage organs. Brassinosteroids (BRs) play a key role in plant cell division, cell elongation and proliferation, as well as in the gravitropic response. We collected RNA-Seq data from the head, middle and tip of two tuber shape variants: F60 (long, thin) and F2000 (short, thick). Comparative transcriptome analysis of F60 vs. F2000 revealed 30,229 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 1,393 of which were differentially expressed in the growing tip. Several DEGs are involved in steroid/BR biosynthesis or signaling, or may be regulated by BRs. The quantification of endogenous BRs revealed higher levels of castasterone (CS), 28-norCS, 28-homoCS and brassinolide in F2000 compared to F60 tubers. The highest BR levels were detected in the growing tip, and CS was the most abundant (439.6 +/- 196.41 pmol/g in F2000 and 365.6 +/- 112.78 pmol/g in F60). Exogenous 24-epi-brassinolide (epi-BL) treatment (20 nM) in an aeroponic system significantly increased the width-to-length ratio (0.045 +/- 0.002) compared to the mock-treated plants (0.03 +/- 0.002) after 7 weeks, indicating that exogenous epi-BL produces shorter and thicker tubers. In this study we demonstrate the role of BRs in D. polystachya tuber shape, providing insight into the role of plant hormones in yam storage organ development. We found that BRs can influence tuber shape in Chinese yam by regulating the expression of genes involved cell expansion. Our data can help to improve the efficiency of Chinese yam cultivation, which could provide an alternative food source and thus contribute to future food security in Europe.
PMID: 37215221
Int J Mol Sci , IF:5.923 , 2023 Apr , V24 (8) doi: 10.3390/ijms24087655
HD-ZIP Transcription Factors and Brassinosteroid Signaling Play a Role in Capitulum Patterning in Chrysanthemum.
Bioscience, Wageningen University & Research, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.; Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Wageningen University & Research, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.; Dekker Chrysanten, 1711 RP Hensbroek, The Netherlands.
Chrysanthemum is a genus in the Asteraceae family containing numerous cut flower varieties with high ornamental value. It owes its beauty to the composite flower head, which resembles a compact inflorescence. This structure is also known as a capitulum, in which many ray and disc florets are densely packed. The ray florets are localized at the rim, are male sterile, and have large colorful petals. The centrally localized disc florets develop only a small petal tube but produce fertile stamens and a functional pistil. Nowadays, varieties with more ray florets are bred because of their high ornamental value, but, unfortunately, this is at the expense of their seed setting. In this study, we confirmed that the disc:ray floret ratio is highly correlated to seed set efficiency, and therefore, we further investigated the mechanisms that underlie the regulation of the disc:ray floret ratio. To this end, a comprehensive transcriptomics analysis was performed in two acquired mutants with a higher disc:ray floret ratio. Among the differentially regulated genes, various potential brassinosteroid (BR) signaling genes and HD-ZIP class IV homeodomain transcription factors stood out. Detailed follow-up functional studies confirmed that reduced BR levels and downregulation of HD-ZIP IV gene Chrysanthemum morifolium PROTODERMAL FACTOR 2 (CmPDF2) result in an increased disc:ray floret ratio, thereby providing ways to improve seed set in decorative chrysanthemum varieties in the future.
PMID: 37108818
Int J Mol Sci , IF:5.923 , 2023 Apr , V24 (8) doi: 10.3390/ijms24087590
Comparative Physiological and Transcriptomic Mechanisms of Defoliation in Cotton in Response to Thidiazuron versus Ethephon.
Engineering Research Center of Plant Growth Regulator, Ministry of Education & College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.; State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Thidiazuron (TDZ) is a widely used chemical defoliant in cotton and can stimulate the production of ethylene in leaves, which is believed to be the key factor in inducing leaf abscission. Ethephon (Eth) can also stimulate ethylene production in leaves, but it is less effective in promoting leaf shedding. In this study, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and RNA-seq were used to determine specific changes at hormonal levels as well as transcriptomic mechanisms induced by TDZ compared with Eth. The TDZ significantly reduced the levels of auxin and cytokinin in cotton leaves, but no considerable changes were observed for Eth. In addition, TDZ specifically increased the levels of brassinosteroids and jasmonic acid in the leaves. A total of 13 764 differentially expressed genes that specifically responded to TDZ were identified by RNA-seq. The analysis of KEGG functional categories suggested that the synthesis, metabolism, and signal transduction of auxin, cytokinin, and brassinosteroid were all involved in the TDZ-induced abscission of cotton leaves. Eight auxin transport genes (GhPIN1-c_D, GhPIN3_D, GhPIN8_A, GhABCB19-b_A, GhABCB19-b_D, GhABCB2-b_D, GhLAX6_A, and GhLAX7_D) specifically responded to TDZ. The pro35S::GhPIN3a::YFP transgenic plants showed lower defoliation than the wild type treated with TDZ, and YFP fluorescence in leaves was almost extinguished after treatment with TDZ rather than Eth. This provides direct evidence that GhPIN3a is involved in the leaf abscission induced by TDZ. We found that 959 transcription factors (TFs) specifically responded to TDZ, and a co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) showed five hub TFs (GhNAC72, GhWRKY51, GhWRKY70, GhWRKY50, and GhHSF24) during chemical defoliation with TDZ. Our work sheds light on the molecular basis of TDZ-induced leaf abscission in cotton.
PMID: 37108752
Int J Mol Sci , IF:5.923 , 2023 Apr , V24 (8) doi: 10.3390/ijms24087227
Bacillus paralicheniformis RP01 Enhances the Expression of Growth-Related Genes in Cotton and Promotes Plant Growth by Altering Microbiota inside and outside the Root.
College of Pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610052, China.; Antibiotics Research and Re-Evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610052, China.; College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) can promote plant growth in various ways, allowing PGPB to replace chemical fertilizers to avoid environmental pollution. PGPB is also used for bioremediation and in plant pathogen control. The isolation and evaluation of PGPB are essential not only for practical applications, but also for basic research. Currently, the known PGPB strains are limited, and their functions are not fully understood. Therefore, the growth-promoting mechanism needs to be further explored and improved. The Bacillus paralicheniformis RP01 strain with beneficial growth-promoting activity was screened from the root surface of Brassica chinensis using a phosphate-solubilizing medium. RP01 inoculation significantly increased plant root length and brassinosteroid content and upregulated the expression of growth-related genes. Simultaneously, it increased the number of beneficial bacteria that promoted plant growth and reduced the number of detrimental bacteria. The genome annotation findings also revealed that RP01 possesses a variety of growth-promoting mechanisms and a tremendous growth-promoting potential. This study isolated a highly potential PGPB and elucidated its possible direct and indirect growth-promoting mechanisms. Our study results will help enrich the PGPB library and provide a reference for plant-microbe interactions.
PMID: 37108389
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2023 , V14 : P1136884 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1136884
Transcriptome and functional analysis revealed the intervention of brassinosteroid in regulation of cold induced early flowering in tobacco.
College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.; Engineering Research Center of South Upland Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China.; Chongqing Tobacco Science Research Institute, Chongqing, China.
Cold environmental conditions may often lead to the early flowering of plants, and the mechanism by cold-induced flowering remains poorly understood. Microscopy analysis in this study demonstrated that cold conditioning led to early flower bud differentiation in two tobacco strains and an Agilent Tobacco Gene Expression microarray was adapted for transcriptomic analysis on the stem tips of cold treated tobacco to gain insight into the molecular process underlying flowering in tobacco. The transcriptomic analysis showed that cold treatment of two flue-cured tobacco varieties (Xingyan 1 and YunYan 85) yielded 4176 and 5773 genes that were differentially expressed, respectively, with 2623 being commonly detected. Functional distribution revealed that the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly enriched in protein metabolism, RNA, stress, transport, and secondary metabolism. Genes involved in secondary metabolism, cell wall, and redox were nearly all up-regulated in response to the cold conditioning. Further analysis demonstrated that the central genes related to brassinosteroid biosynthetic pathway, circadian system, and flowering pathway were significantly enhanced in the cold treated tobacco. Phytochemical measurement and qRT-PCR revealed an increased accumulation of brassinolide and a decreased expression of the flowering locus c gene. Furthermore, we found that overexpression of NtBRI1 could induce early flowering in tobacco under normal condition. And low-temperature-induced early flowering in NtBRI1 overexpression plants were similar to that of normal condition. Consistently, low-temperature-induced early flowering is partially suppressed in NtBRI1 mutant. Together, the results suggest that cold could induce early flowering of tobacco by activating brassinosteroid signaling.
PMID: 37063233
Plant Cell Physiol , IF:4.927 , 2023 May doi: 10.1093/pcp/pcad043
MpDWF5A-encoded sterol Delta7-reductase is essential for the normal growth and development of Marchantia polymorpha.
Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan.; Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan.
Sterols are the essential components of the eukaryotic cell membranes. However, studies on sterol biosynthesis in bryophytes are limited. This study analyzed the sterol profiles in the bryophyte model plant Marchantia polymorpha L. The thalli contained typical phytosterols such as campesterol, sitosterol, and stigmasterol. BLASTX analysis of the M. polymorpha genome against the Arabidopsis thaliana sterol biosynthetic genes confirmed the presence of all of the enzymes responsible for sterol biosynthesis in M. polymorpha. In this study, we focused on characterizing two genes, MpDWF5A and MpDWF5B, which showed high homology with A. thaliana DWF5, encoding Delta5,Delta7-sterol Delta7-reductase. Functional analysis using a yeast expression system revealed that MpDWF5A converted 7-dehydrocholesterol to cholesterol, indicating that MpDWF5A is a Delta5,Delta7-sterol Delta7-reductase. Mpdwf5a-knockout lines (Mpdwf5a-ko) were constructed using CRISPR/Cas9 mediated genome editing. GC-MS analysis of Mpdwf5a-ko revealed that phytosterols such as campesterol, sitosterol, and stigmasterol disappeared, and instead, the corresponding Delta7-type sterols accumulated. The thalli of Mpdwf5a-ko grew smaller than those of the wild type, and excessive formation of apical meristem in the thalli was observed. In addition, the gemma cups of the Mpdwf5a-ko were incomplete, and only a limited number of gemma formations were observed. Treatment with 1 microM of castesterone or 6-deoxocastasterone, a bioactive brassinosteroid, partly restored some of these abnormal phenotypes, but far from complete recovery. These results indicate that MpDWF5A is essential for the normal growth and development of M. polymorpha and suggest that the dwarfism caused by the MpDWF5A defect is due to the deficiency of typical phytosterols and, in part, a brassinosteroid-like compound derived from phytosterols.
PMID: 37178336
Plant Sci , IF:4.729 , 2023 Jul , V332 : P111724 doi: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2023.111724
Analyses of genes encoding the Glycogen Synthase Kinases in rice and Arabidopsis reveal mechanisms which regulate their expression during development and responses to abiotic stresses.
Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia, Jagiellonska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland.; Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia, Jagiellonska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland. Electronic address: damian.gruszka@us.edu.pl.
Plant Glycogen Synthase Kinases (GSKs) enable a crosstalk among the brassinosteroid signaling and phytohormonal- and stress-response pathways to regulate various physiological processes. Initial information about regulation of the GSK proteins' activity was obtained, however, mechanisms that modulate expression of the GSK genes during plant development and stress responses remain largely unknown. Taking into account the importance of the GSK proteins, combined with the lack of in-depth knowledge about modulation of their expression, research in this area may provide a significant insight into mechanisms regulating these aspects of plant biology. In the current study, a detailed analysis of the GSK promoters in rice and Arabidopsis was performed, including identification of the CpG/CpNpG islands, tandem repeats, cis-acting regulatory elements, conserved motifs, and transcription factor-binding sites. Moreover, characterization of expression profiles of the GSK genes in different tissues, organs and under various abiotic stress conditions was performed. Additionally, protein-protein interactions between products of the GSK genes were predicted. Results of this study provided intriguing information about these aspects and insight into various regulatory mechanisms that influence non-redundant and diverse functions of the GSK genes during development and stress responses. Therefore, they may constitute a reference for future research in other plant species.
PMID: 37142096
Plant Sci , IF:4.729 , 2023 Jun , V331 : P111673 doi: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2023.111673
The receptor-like kinase EMS1 and BRI1 coordinately regulate stamen elongation via the transcription factors BES1/BZR1 in Arabidopsis.
College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China.; College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China. Electronic address: zhengbowen365@163.com.
Plants possess a large family of receptor kinase proteins to mediate cell-to-cell and cell-to-environment communication, and these regulations are essential for plant growth and development as well as resistance to biotic or abiotic stresses. EMS1 is a receptor kinase which involved in tapetum cell fate determination during anther development, while brassinosteroid (BR) receptor, BRI1, controls most aspects of plant growth and development. Although EMS1 and BRI1 are known to regulate independent biological processes, they interact with identical components of the downstream signaling pathways. However, the biological processes other than the tapetum development controlled by the EMS1 signal are not clear. Here, we report that EMS1 signaling-related mutants exhibited an insufficient stamen elongation phenotype, similar to BR signaling mutants. Transgenic expression of BRI1 restored the short filament phenotype of ems1. Conversely, co-expression of EMS1 and TPD1 also restored the short filaments of BRI1 mutants, bri1. Genetic experiments confirmed that EMS1 and BRI1 regulate filament elongation through their downstream transcription factors BES1/BZR1. Molecular analysis suggested that the decrease in BR signaling output in filaments of the ems1 mutant caused deficient filament development. Moreover, in vitro and in vivo experiments proved BES1 interacts with filament-specific transcription factor MYB21. Together, we found that the two receptor-like kinases (RLKs) EMS1 and BRI1 are cooperatively involved in the regulation of filament elongation via the transcription factors BES1/BZR1. These results indicated that the biological processes regulated by EMS1 and BRI1 in plants are both independent and interactive, which provides us with insights into multidimensional molecular control of the RLK pathway.
PMID: 36931564
Plant Cell Rep , IF:4.57 , 2023 Jun , V42 (6) : P1107-1124 doi: 10.1007/s00299-023-03016-7
The putative myristoylome of Physcomitrium patens reveals conserved features of myristoylation in basal land plants.
Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, No. 24 South Section 1, Yihuan Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610064, People's Republic of China.; Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, No. 24 South Section 1, Yihuan Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610064, People's Republic of China. yipeishan@scu.edu.cn.
The putative myristoylome of moss P. patens opens an avenue for studying myristoylation substrates in non-canonical model plants. A myristoylation signal was shown sufficient for membrane targeting and useful for membrane dynamics visualization during cell growth. N-myristoylation (MYR) is one form of lipid modification catalyzed by N-myristoyltransferase that enables protein-membrane association. MYR is highly conserved in all eukaryotes. However, the study of MYR is limited to a few models such as yeasts, humans, and Arabidopsis. Here, using prediction tools, we report the characterization of the putative myristoylome of the moss Physcomitrium patens. We show that basal land plants display a similar signature of MYR to Arabidopsis and may have organism-specific substrates. Phylogenetically, MYR signals have mostly co-evolved with protein function but also exhibit variability in an organism-specific manner. We also demonstrate that the MYR motif of a moss brassinosteroid-signaling kinase is an efficient plasma membrane targeting signal and labels lipid-rich domains in tip-growing cells. Our results provide insights into the myristoylome in a basal land plant and lay the foundation for future studies on MYR and its roles in plant evolution.
PMID: 37052714
Plant Cell Rep , IF:4.57 , 2023 May , V42 (5) : P921-937 doi: 10.1007/s00299-023-03001-0
Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals the function of SlPRE2 in multiple phytohormones biosynthesis, signal transduction and stomatal development in tomato.
Institute of Jiangxi Oil-Tea Camellia, Jiujiang University, Jiujiang, 332000, Jiangxi, China. zhuzhiguo@jju.edu.cn.; College of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Jiujiang University, Jiujiang, 332000, Jiangxi, China. zhuzhiguo@jju.edu.cn.; Institute of Jiangxi Oil-Tea Camellia, Jiujiang University, Jiujiang, 332000, Jiangxi, China.; College of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Jiujiang University, Jiujiang, 332000, Jiangxi, China.; College of Biological Science and Agriculture, Qiannan Normal University for Nationalities, Duyun, 558000, Guizhou, China.
Transcriptomic, physiological, and qRT-PCR analysis revealed the potential mechanism by which SlPRE2 regulates plant growth and stomatal size via multiple phytohormone pathways in tomato. Paclobutrazol resistance proteins (PREs) are atypical members of the basic/helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor family that regulate plant morphology, cell size, pigment metabolism and abiotic stress in response to different phytohormones. However, little is known about the network regulatory mechanisms of PREs in plant growth and development in tomato. In this study, the function and mechanism of SlPRE2 in tomato plant growth and development were investigated. The quantitative RT-PCR results showed that the expression of SlPRE2 was regulated by multiple phytohormones and abiotic stresses. It showed light-repressed expression during the photoperiod. The RNA-seq results revealed that SlPRE2 regulated many genes involved in photosynthesis, chlorophyll metabolism, phytohormone metabolism and signaling, and carbohydrate metabolism, suggesting the role of SlPRE2 in gibberellin, brassinosteroid, auxin, cytokinin, abscisic acid and salicylic acid regulated plant development processes. Moreover, SlPRE2 overexpression plants showed widely opened stomata in young leaves, and four genes involved in stomatal development showed altered expression. Overall, the results demonstrated the mechanism by which SlPRE2 regulates phytohormone and stress responses and revealed the function of SlPRE2 in stomatal development in tomato. These findings provide useful clues for understanding the molecular mechanisms of SlPRE2-regulated plant growth and development in tomato.
PMID: 37010556
Plant Physiol Biochem , IF:4.27 , 2023 May , V198 : P107695 doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2023.107695
Integrating transcriptome and phytohormones analysis provided insights into plant height development in sesame.
Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, 430062, China; National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.; Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, 430062, China.; Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, 430062, China. Electronic address: junyou@caas.cn.; Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, 430062, China. Electronic address: wanglinhai@caas.cn.
Plant height is a key agronomic trait influencing crops yield. The height of sesame plants is important for yield performance, lodging resistance and plant architecture. Although plant height is significantly distinct among sesame varieties, the genetic basis of plant height remains largely unknown. In this study, in order to tackle genetic insights into the sesame plant height development, a comprehensive transcriptome analysis was conducted using the stem tips from two sesame varieties with distinct plant height, Zhongzhi13 and ZZM2748, at five time points by BGI MGIseq2000 sequencing platform. A total of 16,952 genes were differentially expressed between Zhongzhi13 and ZZM2748 at five time points. KEGG and MapMan enrichment analyses and quantitative analysis of phytohormones indicated that hormones biosynthesis and signaling pathways were associated with sesame plant height development. Plenty of candidate genes involved in biosynthesis and signaling of brassinosteroid (BR), cytokinin (CK) and gibberellin (GA) which were major differential hormones between two varieties were identified, suggesting their critical roles in plant height regulation. WGCNA revealed a module which was significantly positively associated with the plant height trait and founded SiSCL9 was the hub gene involved in plant height development in our network. Further overexpression in transgenic Arabidopsis validated the function of SiSCL9 in the increase of plant height by 26.86%. Collectively, these results increase our understanding of the regulatory network controlling the development of plant height and provide a valuable genetic resource for improvement of plant architecture in sesame.
PMID: 37058966
BMC Plant Biol , IF:4.215 , 2023 Apr , V23 (1) : P214 doi: 10.1186/s12870-023-04216-9
Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of BZR gene family and associated responses to abiotic stresses in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.).
State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China.; College of Horticulture, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China.; State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China. yujihuagg@163.com.; College of Horticulture, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China. yujihuagg@163.com.
BACKGROUND: BRASSINAZOLE-RESISTANT (BZR) is a class of specific transcription factor (TFs) involved in brassinosteroid (BR) signal transduction. The regulatory mechanism of target genes mediated by BZR has become one of the key research areas in plant BR signaling networks. However, the functions of the BZR gene family in cucumber have not been well characterized. RESULTS: In this study, six CsBZR gene family members were identified by analyzing the conserved domain of BES1 N in the cucumber genome. The size of CsBZR proteins ranges from 311 to 698 amino acids and are mostly located in the nucleus. Phylogenetic analysis divided CsBZR genes into three subgroups. The gene structure and conserved domain showed that the BZR genes domain in the same group was conserved. Cis-acting element analysis showed that cucumber BZR genes were mainly involved in hormone response, stress response and growth regulation. The qRT-PCR results also confirmed CsBZR response to hormones and abiotic stress. CONCLUSION: Collectively, the CsBZR gene is involved in regulating cucumber growth and development, particularly in hormone response and response to abiotic stress. These findings provide valuable information for understanding the structure and expression patterns of BZR genes.
PMID: 37095428
Genes (Basel) , IF:4.096 , 2023 Apr , V14 (4) doi: 10.3390/genes14040884
Integrative Transcriptomics Data Mining to Explore the Functions of TDP1alpha and TDP1beta Genes in the Arabidopsis thaliana Model Plant.
Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
The tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 1 (TDP1) enzyme hydrolyzes the phosphodiester bond between a tyrosine residue and the 3'-phosphate of DNA in the DNA-topoisomerase I (TopI) complex, being involved in different DNA repair pathways. A small TDP1 gene subfamily is present in plants, where TDP1alpha has been linked to genome stability maintenance, while TDP1beta has unknown functions. This work aimed to comparatively investigate the function of the TDP1 genes by taking advantage of the rich transcriptomics databases available for the Arabidopsis thaliana model plant. A data mining approach was carried out to collect information regarding gene expression in different tissues, genetic backgrounds, and stress conditions, using platforms where RNA-seq and microarray data are deposited. The gathered data allowed us to distinguish between common and divergent functions of the two genes. Namely, TDP1beta seems to be involved in root development and associated with gibberellin and brassinosteroid phytohormones, whereas TDP1alpha is more responsive to light and abscisic acid. During stress conditions, both genes are highly responsive to biotic and abiotic treatments in a time- and stress-dependent manner. Data validation using gamma-ray treatments applied to Arabidopsis seedlings indicated the accumulation of DNA damage and extensive cell death associated with the observed changes in the TDP1 genes expression profiles.
PMID: 37107642
Plant Mol Biol , IF:4.076 , 2023 May doi: 10.1007/s11103-023-01350-8
Allantoin improves salinity tolerance in Arabidopsis and rice through synergid activation of abscisic acid and brassinosteroid biosynthesis.
LBS Centre, ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi, 110012, India.; ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi, 110012, India.; LBS Centre, ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi, 110012, India. mondaltk@yahoo.com.
Soil salinity stress is one of the major bottlenecks for crop production. Although, allantoin is known to be involved in nitrogen metabolism in plants, yet several reports in recent time indicate its involvement in various abiotic stress responses including salinity stress. However, the detail mechanism of allantoin involvement in salinity stress tolerance in plants is not studied well. Moreover, we demonstrated the role of exogenous application of allantoin as well as increased concentration of endogenous allantoin in rendering salinity tolerance in rice and Arabidopsis respectively, via., induction of abscisic acid (ABA) and brassinosteroid (BR) biosynthesis pathways. Exogenous application of allantoin (10 microM) provides salt-tolerance to salt-sensitive rice genotype (IR-29). Transcriptomic data after exogenous supplementation of allantoin under salinity stress showed induction of ABA (OsNCED1) and BR (Oscytochrome P450) biosynthesis genes in IR-29. Further, the key gene of allantoin biosynthesis pathway i.e., urate oxidase of the halophytic species Oryza coarctata was also found to induce ABA and BR biosynthesis genes when over-expressed in transgenic Arabidopsis. Thus, indicating that ABA and BR biosynthesis pathways were involved in allantoin mediated salinity tolerance in both rice and Arabidopsis. Additionally, it has been found that several physio-chemical parameters such as biomass, Na(+)/K(+) ratio, MDA, soluble sugar, proline, allantoin and chlorophyll contents were also associated with the allantoin-mediated salinity tolerance in urate oxidase overexpressed lines of Arabidopsis. These findings depicted the functional conservation of allantoin for salinity tolerance in both plant clades.
PMID: 37184674
Plants (Basel) , IF:3.935 , 2023 Apr , V12 (7) doi: 10.3390/plants12071555
Transcriptional Profile of Soybean Seeds with Contrasting Seed Coat Color.
Biotechnology Department, Londrina State University, Londrina 86057-970, PR, Brazil.; Arthur Bernardes Foundation, Embrapa Soja, Londrina 86085-981, PR, Brazil.; Embrapa Soja, Londrina 86085-981, PR, Brazil.; Agronomy Department, State University of Maringa, Maringa 87020-900, PR, Brazil.
Soybean is the primary source of vegetable protein and is used for various purposes, mainly to feed animals. This crop can have diverse seed coat colors, varying from yellow, black, brown, and green to bicolor. Black seed coat cultivars have already been assigned as favorable for both seed and grain production. Thus, this work aimed to identify genes associated with soybean seed quality by comparing the transcriptomes of soybean seeds with contrasting seed coat colors. The results from RNA-seq analyses were validated with real-time PCR using the cultivar BRS 715A (black seed coat) and the cultivars BRS 413 RR and DM 6563 IPRO (yellow seed coat). We found 318 genes differentially expressed in all cultivars (freshly harvested seeds and seeds stored in cold chamber). From the in silico analysis of the transcriptomes, the following genes were selected and validated with RT-qPCR: ACS1, ACSF3, CYP90A1, CYP710A1, HCT, CBL, and SAHH. These genes are genes induced in the black seed coat cultivar and are part of pathways responsible for ethylene, lipid, brassinosteroid, lignin, and sulfur amino acid biosynthesis. The BRSMG 715A gene has almost 4times more lignin than the yellow seed coat cultivars. These attributes are related to the BRSMG 715A cultivar's higher seed quality, which translates to more longevity and resistance to moisture and mechanical damage. Future silencing studies may evaluate the knockout of these genes to better understand the biology of soybean seeds with black seed coat.
PMID: 37050181
Steroids , IF:2.668 , 2023 May : P109248 doi: 10.1016/j.steroids.2023.109248
Methyl Esters of 23,24-Dinor-5alpha-cholan-22-oic Acids as Brassinosteroid Analogues. Synthesis, Evaluation of Plant Growth Promoting Activity and Molecular Docking.
Departamento de Quimica, Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria, Av. Espana No. 1680, Valparaiso 2340000, Chile.; Facultad de Quimica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico D.F., Mexico.; Departamento de Quimica Organica, Instituto Universitario de Bio-Organica Antonio Gonzalez, Universidad de La Laguna, Av. Astrofisico Fco. Sanchez 2, 38206 La Laguna, Spain.; Departamento de Quimica, Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria, Av. Espana No. 1680, Valparaiso 2340000, Chile. Electronic address: luis.espinozac@usm.cl.; Facultad de Quimica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico D.F., Mexico. Electronic address: martin.iglesias@unam.mx.
Five new brassinosteroid analogues were synthetized from 3beta-acetoxy-23,24-dinorchol-4-en-22-oic acid. All the obtained compound showed significant activity in the Rice Lamina Inclination Test. Interestingly the effects of the methyl ester of 3beta-hydroxy-6-oxo-23,24-dinorcholan-22-oic acid (14) at concentrations of 1 x 10(-7) and 1 x 10(-6) M proved to be higher than those produced by brassinolide. In silico Molecular Docking and Induced fit docking (IFD) simulations for the compounds with the highest biological activity data were carried out to investigate the binding mode interactions into the brassinolide-binding groove which revealed that the compound 14 had high binding energy values and a good affinity.
PMID: 37169217
Chem Biodivers , IF:2.408 , 2023 May , V20 (5) : Pe202201243 doi: 10.1002/cbdv.202201243
22-Oxocholestanes SPGP4 and SPGP8: in Silico and in Vitro Study as Activators of Plant Growth Promotion.
Laboratorio de Elucidacion y Sintesis en Quimica Organica, Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas, Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla, 72570, Puebla, Mexico.; Centro de Investigacion en Biotecnologia Aplicada-IPN, Tepetitla de Lardizabal, 90700, Tlaxcala, Mexico.; Laboratorio de Sintesis y Modificacion de Productos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas, Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla, 72570, Puebla, Mexico.
The 22-oxocholestanes compounds have shown an outstanding plant growth promoting activity; they have similar bioactivity as brassinosteroids, so they are normally named as brassinosteroid analogs thinking that they also impact on the known receptor BRI1. However, in silico studies allow us to predict interactions with other receptors and thus it's possible to evaluate them, through receptors of gibberellins, auxins, jasmonates, strigolactones and the protein associated with the BRI1 gene. This article describes the bioactivity of structures SPGP4 and SPGP8 as plant growth-promoting compounds. Both structures present coupling energies and interactions at the same level as epibrassinolide in the protein associated with BRI1 gene. Additionally, interactions through the auxin pathway and to strigolactone receptor were found using selected tests. In the rice lamina tilt, a higher effect was obtained when SPGP4 and SPGP8 were compared to epibrassinolide, although in a lesser level vis a vis to homobrassinolide. In the same way, when SPGP4 and SPGP8 were tested in the Growth Root Model an activity as strigonolactones was observed, enhancing the relationship between the main and secondary roots. However, the growth of coleptiles, when applying auxins, compounds SPGP4 and SPGP8 did not reach the same level as controls. In the tests associated to gibberellins and jasmonic acid, an increased bioactivity was observed, although this behavior was not reflected from the in silico study, possibly due to secondary signaling cascades. This work demonstrates that the 22-oxocolestane compounds SPGP4 and SPGP8 could be used as plant growth hormones, promoting several pathways.
PMID: 37062704
Plant Signal Behav , IF:2.247 , 2023 Dec , V18 (1) : P2186640 doi: 10.1080/15592324.2023.2186640
Exogenous Brassinosteroid Enhances Zinc tolerance by activating the Phenylpropanoid Biosynthesis pathway in Citrullus lanatus L.
College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Yangzhou Polytechnic College, Yangzhou, China.; Jiangsu Safety & Environment Technology and Equipment for Planting and Breeding Industry Engineering Research Center, Yangzhou, China.
Zinc (Zn) is an important element in plants, but over-accumulation of Zn is harmful. The phytohormone brassinosteroids (BRs) play a key role in regulating plant growth, development, and response to stress. However, the role of BRs in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.) under Zn stress, one of the most important horticultural crops, remains largely unknown. In this study, we revealed that 24-epibrassinolide (EBR), a bioactive BR enhanced Zn tolerance in watermelon plants, which was related to the EBR-induced increase in the fresh weight, chlorophyll content, and net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and decrease in the content of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), malondialdehyde (MDA), and Zn in watermelon leaves. Through RNA deep sequencing (RNA-seq), 350 different expressed genes (DEG) were found to be involved in the response to Zn stress after EBR treatment, including 175 up-regulated DEGs and 175 down-regulated DEGs. The up-regulated DEGs were significantly enriched in 'phenylpropanoid biosynthesis' pathway (map00940) using KEGG enrichment analysis. The gene expression levels of PAL, 4CL, CCR, and CCoAOMT, key genes involved in phenylpropanoid pathway, were significantly induced after EBR treatment. In addition, compared with Zn stress alone, EBR treatment significantly promoted the activities of PAL, 4CL, and POD by 30.90%, 20.69%, and 47.28%, respectively, and increased the content of total phenolic compounds, total flavonoids, and lignin by 23.02%, 40.37%, and 29.26%, respectively. The present research indicates that EBR plays an active role in strengthening Zn tolerance, thus providing new insights into the mechanism of BRs enhancing heavy metal tolerance.
PMID: 37083111
Plant Signal Behav , IF:2.247 , 2023 Dec , V18 (1) : P2163337 doi: 10.1080/15592324.2022.2163337
Arabidopsis clathrin adaptor EPSIN1 but not MODIFIED TRANSPORT TO THE VACOULE1 contributes to effective plant immunity against pathogenic Pseudomonas bacteria.
University of Missouri-Columbia, Division of Biochemistry, Interdisciplinary Plant Group (IPG), Columbia, MO, USA.; Department of Plant Physiology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany.
In eukaryotes, EPSINs are Epsin N-terminal Homology (ENTH) domain-containing proteins that serve as monomeric clathrin adaptors at the plasma membrane (PM) or the trans-Golgi Network (TGN)/early endosomes (EE). The model plant Arabidopsis thaliana encodes for seven ENTH proteins, of which so far, only AtEPSIN1 (AtEPS1) and MODIFIED TRANSPORT TO THE VACUOLE1 (AtMTV1) localize to the TGN/EE and contribute to cargo trafficking to both the cell surface and the vacuole. However, relatively little is known about role(s) of any plant EPSIN in governing physiological responses. We have recently shown that AtEPS1 is a positive modulator of plant immune signaling and pattern-triggered immunity against flagellated Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pto) DC3000 bacteria. In eps1 mutants, impaired immune responses correlate with reduced accumulation of the receptor FLAGELLIN SENSING2 (AtFLS2) and the convergent immune co-receptor BRASSINOSTEROID INSENTIVE1-ASSOCIATED RECEPTOR KINASE1 (AtBAK1) in the PM. Here, we report that in contrast to AtEPS1, the TGN/EE-localized AtMTV1 did not contribute significantly to immunity against pathogenic Pto DC3000 bacteria. We also compared the amino acid sequences, peptide motif structures and in silico tertiary structures of the ENTH domains of AtEPS1 and AtMTV1 in more detail. We conclude that despite sharing the classical tertiary alpha helical ENTH-domain structure and clathrin-binding motifs, the overall low amino acid identity and differences in peptide motifs may explain their role(s) in trafficking of some of the same as well as distinct cargo components to their site of function, with the latter potentially contributing to differences in physiological responses.
PMID: 36603596
Plant Commun , 2023 May : P100627 doi: 10.1016/j.xplc.2023.100627
GmBES1-1 dampens the activity of GmNSP1/2 to mediate brassinosteroid inhibition of nodulation in soybean.
Center of Integrative Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Zhengzhou 450046, China; The Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Henan University, Zhengzhou 450046, China; Sanya Institute of Henan University, Sanya 572025, China.; State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Zhengzhou 450046, China; The Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Henan University, Zhengzhou 450046, China; Sanya Institute of Henan University, Sanya 572025, China.; Center of Integrative Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Zhengzhou 450046, China.; State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Zhengzhou 450046, China; The Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Henan University, Zhengzhou 450046, China; Sanya Institute of Henan University, Sanya 572025, China. Electronic address: xueluw@henu.edu.cn.
Soybean (Glycine max) forms root nodule to house rhizobial bacteria for biological nitrogen fixation. The development of root nodules is intricately regulated by endogenous and exogenous cues. The phytohormone Brassinosteroids (BRs) have been shown to negatively regulate nodulation in soybean, but the underlying genetic and molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we performed transcriptomic analyses and revealed that BR signaling negatively regulates nodulation factor (NF) signaling. We found that BR signaling inhibits nodulation through its signaling component GmBES1-1, by dampening NF signaling and nodule formation. In addition, GmBES1-1 could directly interact with both GmNSP1 and GmNSP2 to inhibit their interaction and the DNA-binding activity of GmNSP1. Furthermore, BR-induced the nuclear accumulation of GmBES1-1 is essential for inhibiting nodulation. Taken together, the regulation of the subcellular localization of GmBES1-1 by BRs plays a key role in legume-rhizobium symbiosis and plant development, which reports a crosstalk mechanism between phytohormonal and symbiotic signaling pathways.
PMID: 37208896
J Genet Genomics , 2023 Apr doi: 10.1016/j.jgg.2023.04.010
Inhibition of the maize salt overly sensitive pathway by ZmSK3 and ZmSK4.
State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.; College of Life Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China.; Center for Crop Functional Genomics and Molecular Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100093, China.; State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; Center for Crop Functional Genomics and Molecular Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100093, China; National Maize Improvement Center of China, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.; State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; Center for Crop Functional Genomics and Molecular Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100093, China.; State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; Center for Crop Functional Genomics and Molecular Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100093, China. Electronic address: guoyan@cau.edu.cn.
Soil salinity is a worldwide problem that adversely affects plant growth and crop productivity. The salt overly sensitive (SOS) pathway is evolutionarily conserved and essential for plant salt tolerance. In this study, we reveal how the maize shaggy/glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3)-like kinases ZmSK3 and ZmSK4, orthologs of brassinosteroid insensitive 2 (BIN2) in Arabidopsis thaliana, regulate the maize SOS pathway. ZmSK3 and ZmSK4 interact with and phosphorylate ZmSOS2, a core member of the maize SOS pathway. The mutants defective in ZmSK3 or ZmSK4 are hyposensitive to salt stress, with higher salt-induced activity of ZmSOS2 than that in the wild type. Furthermore, the Ca(2+) sensors ZmSOS3 and ZmSOS3-like calcium binding protein 8 (ZmSCaBP8) activate ZmSOS2 to maintain Na(+)/K(+) homeostasis under salt stress, and may participate in the regulation of ZmSOS2 by ZmSK3 and ZmSK4. These findings discover the regulation of the maize SOS pathway and provide important gene targets for breeding salt-tolerant maize.
PMID: 37127254
Plant Commun , 2023 Apr : P100604 doi: 10.1016/j.xplc.2023.100604
The miR167-OsARF12 module regulates grain filling and grain size downstream of miR159.
Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; Key Laboratory of Rice Biology in Henan Province, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; Henan Engineering Laboratory of Rice, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China.; Joint Center for Single Cell Biology/School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.; Department of Biotechnology, Sharda University, Greater Noida, 201306, India.; Institute of Paulownia, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450002, China.; Department of Biological Sciences, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA.; Joint Center for Single Cell Biology/School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China. Electronic address: lypengting@163.com.; Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; Key Laboratory of Rice Biology in Henan Province, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; Henan Engineering Laboratory of Rice, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, 550025, China. Electronic address: lypengting@163.com.; Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; Key Laboratory of Rice Biology in Henan Province, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; Henan Engineering Laboratory of Rice, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China. Electronic address: lypengting@163.com.
Grain weight and quality are always determined by the grain filling. Plant miRNAs have drawn attention as key targets for regulating grain size and yield. Yet the mechanisms underlying the regulation of grain size are largely unclear due to the complex networks controlling this trait. Our earlier studies proved that the suppressed expression of miR167 (STTM/MIM167) substantially increased grain weight. In a field test, the increased yield up to 12.90%-21.94% due to the significantly enhanced grain filling rate. Biochemical and genetic analyses reveal the regulatory effects of miR159 on miR167 expression. Further analysis indicates that OsARF12 is the major mediator of miR167 in regulating rice grain filling. Expectedly, over expressing OsARF12 could resemble the phenotype of STTM/MIM167 plants with respect to grain weight and grain filling rate. Upon in-depth analysis, we found that OsARF12 activates OsCDKF;2 expressions by directly binding to the TGTCGG motif in the promoter region. Flow cytometric analysis in young panicles of plants overexpressing OsARF12 and cell number examination of cdkf;2 mutants verify that OsARF12 positively regulates grain filling and grain size by targeting OsCDKF;2. Moreover, RNA-seq result suggests that miR167-OsARF12 module is involved in the cell development process and hormone pathways. Additionally, plants overexpressing OsARF12 or cdkf;2 mutants present enhanced or reduced sensitivity to exogenous auxin and brassinosteroid (BR) treatments, confirming that OsCDKF;2 targeting by OsARF12 mediates auxin and BR signaling. Our results reveal that miR167-OsARF12 module works downstream of miR159 to regulate rice grain filling and grain size by OsCDKF;2 through controlling cell division and mediating auxin and BR signals.
PMID: 37085993