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 Jun , V380 (6651) : P1275-1281 doi: 10.1126/science.adf0752
Brassinosteroid coordinates cell layer interactions in plants via cell wall and tissue mechanics.
Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.; Department of Biochemistry and Metabolism, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.; National Centre for Plant Gene Research (Beijing), Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China.; State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.; Department of Computational and Systems Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.; Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1LR, UK.
Growth coordination between cell layers is essential for development of most multicellular organisms. Coordination may be mediated by molecular signaling and/or mechanical connectivity between cells, but how genes modify mechanical interactions between layers is unknown. Here we show that genes driving brassinosteroid synthesis promote growth of internal tissue, at least in part, by reducing mechanical epidermal constraint. We identified a brassinosteroid-deficient dwarf mutant in the aquatic plant Utricularia gibba with twisted internal tissue, likely caused by mechanical constraint from a slow-growing epidermis. We tested this hypothesis by showing that a brassinosteroid mutant in Arabidopsis enhances epidermal crack formation, indicative of increased tissue stress. We propose that by remodeling cell walls, brassinosteroids reduce epidermal constraint, showing how genes can control growth coordination between layers by means of mechanics.
PMID: 37347863
Nat Chem Biol , IF:15.04 , 2023 Jun doi: 10.1038/s41589-023-01346-x
Plasmodesmata mediate cell-to-cell transport of brassinosteroid hormones.
Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.; Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium.; Laboratoire de Biogenese Membranaire, Unite Mixte de Recherche 5200, Universite de Bordeaux, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Villenave d'Ornon, France.; Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory and Integrative Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA.; Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.; Laboratory of Growth Regulators, Institute of Experimental Botany, The Czech Academy of Sciences and Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic.; Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.; Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.; Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. nemanja.vukasinovic@psb.vib-ugent.be.; Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium. nemanja.vukasinovic@psb.vib-ugent.be.; Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. eurus@psb.vib-ugent.be.; Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium. eurus@psb.vib-ugent.be.
Brassinosteroids (BRs) are steroidal phytohormones that are essential for plant growth, development and adaptation to environmental stresses. BRs act in a dose-dependent manner and do not travel over long distances; hence, BR homeostasis maintenance is critical for their function. Biosynthesis of bioactive BRs relies on the cell-to-cell movement of hormone precursors. However, the mechanism of the short-distance BR transport is unknown, and its contribution to the control of endogenous BR levels remains unexplored. Here we demonstrate that plasmodesmata (PD) mediate the passage of BRs between neighboring cells. Intracellular BR content, in turn, is capable of modulating PD permeability to optimize its own mobility, thereby manipulating BR biosynthesis and signaling. Our work uncovers a thus far unknown mode of steroid transport in eukaryotes and exposes an additional layer of BR homeostasis regulation in plants.
PMID: 37365405
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 Jul , V42 (13) : 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
New Phytol , IF:10.151 , 2023 Jun doi: 10.1111/nph.19007
Phosphate deprivation-induced changes in tomato are mediated by an interaction between brassinosteroid signaling and zinc.
Department of Plant Biology and Genome Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.; Department of Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA.; Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.; Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel.; Lorey I. Lokey Interdisciplinary Center for Life Sciences and Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel.; Laboratory of Growth Regulators, Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences and Palacky University, Olomouc, CZ-78371, Czech Republic.
Inorganic phosphate (Pi) is a necessary macronutrient for basic biological processes. Plants modulate their root system architecture (RSA) and cellular processes to adapt to Pi deprivation albeit with a growth penalty. Excess application of Pi fertilizer, on the contrary, leads to eutrophication and has a negative environmental impact. We compared RSA, root hair elongation, acid phosphatase activity, metal ion accumulation, and brassinosteroid hormone levels of Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) and Solanum pennellii, which is a wild relative of tomato, under Pi sufficiency and deficiency conditions to understand the molecular mechanism of Pi deprivation response in tomato. We showed that S. pennellii is partially insensitive to phosphate deprivation. Furthermore, it mounts a constitutive response under phosphate sufficiency. We demonstrate that activated brassinosteroid signaling through a tomato BZR1 ortholog gives rise to the same constitutive phosphate deficiency response, which is dependent on zinc overaccumulation. Collectively, these results reveal an additional strategy by which plants can adapt to phosphate starvation.
PMID: 37306070
New Phytol , IF:10.151 , 2023 Jun doi: 10.1111/nph.19049
Scaffold protein RACK1 regulates BR signaling by modulating the nuclear localization of BZR1.
Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China.; Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China.; Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a group of plant-specific steroid hormones, which induces the rapid nuclear localization of the positive transcriptional factors BRASSINAZOLE RESISTANT1/2 (BZR1/2). However, the mechanisms underlying the regulation of nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of BZR1 remain to be fully elucidated. In this study, we show that the scaffold protein Receptor for Activated C Kinase 1 (RACK1) from Arabidopsis is involved in BR signaling cascades through mediating the nuclear localization of BZR1, which is tightly retained in the cytosol by the conserved scaffold protein 14-3-3s. RACK1 can interact with BZR1 and competitively decrease the 14-3-3 interaction with BZR1 in cytosol, which efficiently enhances the nuclear localization of BZR1. 14-3-3 also retains RACK1 in cytosol through their interaction. Conversely, BR treatment enhances the nuclear localization of BZR1 by disrupting the 14-3-3 interaction with RACK1 and BZR1. Our study uncovers a new mechanism that integrates two kinds of conserved scaffold proteins (RACK1 and 14-3-3) coordinating BR signaling event.
PMID: 37301989
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 Jun doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiad353
Plant-specific BLISTER interacts with kinase BIN2 and BRASSINAZOLE RESISTANT1 during skotomorphogenesis.
State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Breeding, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.; College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.; Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Brassinosteroids (BRs) play an essential role in promoting skotomorphogenesis, yet the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Here we report that a plant-specific BLISTER (BLI) protein functions as a positive regulator of both BR signaling and skotomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). We found that the glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3)-like kinase BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE2 (BIN2) interacts with and phosphorylates BLI at four phosphorylation sites (Ser70, Ser146, Thr256 and Ser267) for degradation; in turn, BR inhibits degradation of BLI. Specifically, BLI cooperates with the BRASSINAZOLE RESISTANT1 (BZR1) transcription factor to facilitate the transcriptional activation of BR-responsive genes. Genetic analyses indicated that BLI is essentially required for BZR1-mediated hypocotyl elongation in the dark. Intriguingly, we reveal that BLI and BZR1 orchestrate the transcriptional expression of gibberellin (GA) biosynthetic genes to promote the production of bioactive GAs. Our results demonstrate that BLI acts as an essential regulator of Arabidopsis skotomorphogenesis through promoting BR signaling and GA biosynthesis.
PMID: 37335918
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2023 May , V192 (2) : P967-981 doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiad117
Armadillo repeat only protein GS10 negatively regulates brassinosteroid signaling to control rice grain size.
National Center for Gene Research, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200233, China.; Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230027, China.; State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Rice Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University at Wenjiang, Chengdu 611130, China.; College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, China.; School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai 201210, China.; College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China.
Grain yield and grain quality are major determinants in modern breeding controlled by many quantitative traits loci (QTLs) in rice (Oryza sativa). However, the mechanisms underlying grain shape and quality are poorly understood. Here, we characterize a QTL for grain size and grain quality via map-based cloning from wild rice (W1943), GS10 (Grain Size on Chromosome 10), which encodes a protein with 6 tandem armadillo repeats. The null mutant gs10 shows slender and narrow grains with altered cell size, which has a pleiotropic effect on other agronomical traits. Functional analysis reveals that GS10 interacts with TUD1 (Taihu Dwarf1) and is epistatic to OsGSK2 (glycogen synthase kinase 2) through regulating grain shape and lamina joint inclination, indicating it is negatively involved in brassinosteroid (BR) signaling. Pyramiding gs10 and the grain size gene GW5 into cultivar GLA4 substantially improved grain shape and appearance quality. Natural variation analysis revealed that gs10 from the wild rice Oryza rufipogon W1943 is a rare allele across the rice population. Collectively, these findings advance our understanding of the underlying mechanism of grain shape and provide the beneficial allele of gs10 for future rice breeding and genetic improvement.
PMID: 36822628
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
J Integr Plant Biol , IF:7.061 , 2023 Jun , V65 (6) : P1553-1565 doi: 10.1111/jipb.13458
A Nicotiana benthamiana receptor-like kinase regulates Phytophthora resistance by coupling with BAK1 to enhance elicitin-triggered immunity.
College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100094, China.; College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.; Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, China.; Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, 99164, USA.
Cell-surface-localized leucine-rich-repeat receptor-like kinases (LRR-RLKs) are crucial for plant immunity. Most LRR-RLKs that act as receptors directly recognize ligands via a large extracellular domain (ECD), whereas LRR-RLK that serve as regulators are relatively small and contain fewer LRRs. Here, we identified LRR-RLK regulators using high-throughput tobacco rattle virus (TRV)-based gene silencing in the model plant Nicotiana benthamiana. We used the cell-death phenotype caused by INF1, an oomycete elicitin that induces pattern-triggered immunity, as an indicator. By screening 33 small LRR-RLKs (
PMID: 36661038
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
J Exp Bot , IF:6.992 , 2023 Jun , V74 (12) : P3684-3699 doi: 10.1093/jxb/erad115
High temperature defense pathways mediate lodicule expansion and spikelet opening in maize tassels.
College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
High temperature (HT) at flowering hinders pollen shedding, but the mechanisms underlying stress-induced spikelet closure are poorly understood in maize. In this study, yield components, spikelet opening, and lodicule morphology/protein profiling upon HT stress during flowering were examined in two contrasting maize inbred lines, Chang 7-2 and Qi 319. HT induced spikelet closure and reduced pollen shed weight (PSW) and seed set in both lines, but Qi 319 had a 7-fold lower PSW than Chang 7-2, and was thus more susceptible to HT. In Qi 319, a smaller lodicule size reduced the spikelet opening rate and angle, and relatively more vascular bundles hastened lodicule shrinking compared with Chang 7-2. Lodicules were collected for proteomics analysis. In lodicules of HT-stressed plants, proteins involved in stress signals, cell wall, cell constructure, carbohydrate metabolism, and phytohormone signaling were associated with stress tolerance. HT down-regulated the expression of ADP-ribosylation factor GTPase-activating protein domain2, SNAP receptor complex member11, and sterol methyltransferase2 in Qi 319 but not in Chang 7-2, which was in good agreement with the observed changes in protein abundance. Exogenous epibrassinolide increased the spikelet opening angle and extended the duration of spikelet opening. These results suggest that dysfunction of the actin cytoskeleton and membrane remodeling induced by HT probably limits lodicule expansion. In addition, a reduction in the vascular bundles in the lodicules and application of epibrassinolide might confer spikelet tolerance to HT stress.
PMID: 36967717
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
Plant J , IF:6.417 , 2023 Jun doi: 10.1111/tpj.16353
Cell cycle-dependent kinase inhibitor GhKRP6, a direct target of GhBES1.4, participates in BR regulation of cell expansion in cotton.
College of Agronomy, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China, 110161.; State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China.; Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China.; Key Laboratory of China Northwestern Inland Region, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Cotton Research Institute, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Science, Shihezi, 832003, China.; Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji, 831100, Xinjiang, China.
The steroidal hormone brassinosteroid (BR) has been shown to positively regulate cell expansion in plants. However, the specific mechanism by which BR controls this process has not been fully understood. In this study, RNA-seq and DAP-seq analysis of GhBES1.4 (a core transcription factor in BR signaling) were used to identify a cotton cell cycle-dependent kinase inhibitor called GhKRP6. The study found that GhKRP6 was significantly induced by the BR hormone, and that GhBES1.4 directly promoted the expression of GhKRP6 by binding to the CACGTG motif in its promoter region. GhKRP6-silenced cotton plants had smaller leaves with more cells and reduced cell size. Furthermore, endoreduplication was inhibited, which affected cell expansion and ultimately decreased fiber length and seed size in GhKRP6-silenced plants compared with the control. The KEGG enrichment results of control and VIGS-GhKRP6 plants revealed differential expression of genes related to cell wall biosynthesis, MAPK, and plant hormone transduction pathways - all of which are related to cell expansion. Additionally, some cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) genes were up-regulated in the plants with silenced GhKRP6. Our study also found that GhKRP6 could interact directly with a cell cycle-dependent kinase called GhCDKG. Taken together, these results suggest that BR signaling influences cell expansion by directly modulating the expression of cell cycle-dependent kinase inhibitor GhKRP6 via GhBES1.4.
PMID: 37326240
Plant J , IF:6.417 , 2023 Jun , V114 (6) : P1443-1457 doi: 10.1111/tpj.16203
Brassinosteroid transcription factor BES1 modulates nitrate deficiency by promoting NRT2.1 and NRT2.2 transcription in Arabidopsis.
State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.; High Latitude Crops Institute of Shanxi Agriculture University, Datong, Shanxi, 037008, China.; College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
Nitrogen (N) is one of the most essential mineral elements for plants. Brassinosteroids (BRs) play key roles in plant growth and development. Emerging evidence indicates that BRs participate in the responses to nitrate deficiency. However, the precise molecular mechanism underlying the BR signaling pathway in regulating nitrate deficiency remains largely unknown. The transcription factor BES1 regulates the expression of many genes in response to BRs. Root length, nitrate uptake and N concentration of bes1-D mutants were higher than those of wild-type under nitrate deficiency. BES1 levels strongly increased under low nitrate conditions, especially in the non-phosphorylated (active) form. Furthermore, BES1 directly bound to the promoters of NRT2.1 and NRT2.2 to promote their expression under nitrate deficiency. Taken together, BES1 is a key mediator that links BR signaling under nitrate deficiency by modulating high affinity nitrate transporters in plants.
PMID: 36948884
J Ginseng Res , IF:6.06 , 2023 May , V47 (3) : P469-478 doi: 10.1016/j.jgr.2022.05.009
Nitrate enhances the secondary growth of storage roots in Panax ginseng.
Department of Biology, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea.; Department of Biological Sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.; Ginseng & Medicinal Plant Research Institute, Chungnam Agricultural Research & Extention Service, Keumsan, Republic of Korea.; Department of Herbal Crop Research, National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science, Rural Development Administration, Eumseong, Republic of Korea.; Korea Ginseng Corporation, R&D Headquarters, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.; Theragen Bio Co., Ltd, Suwon, Republic of Korea.; Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea.
BACKGROUND: Nitrogen (N) is an essential macronutrient for plant growth and development. To support agricultural production and enhance crop yield, two major N sources, nitrate and ammonium, are applied as fertilizers to the soil. Although many studies have been conducted on N uptake and signal transduction, the molecular genetic mechanisms of N-mediated physiological roles, such as the secondary growth of storage roots, remain largely unknown. METHODS: One-year-old P. ginseng seedlings treated with KNO(3) were analyzed for the secondary growth of storage roots. The histological paraffin sections were subjected to bright and polarized light microscopic analysis. Genome-wide RNA-seq and network analysis were carried out to dissect the molecular mechanism of nitrate-mediated promotion of ginseng storage root thickening. RESULTS: Here, we report the positive effects of nitrate on storage root secondary growth in Panax ginseng. Exogenous nitrate supply to ginseng seedlings significantly increased the root secondary growth. Histological analysis indicated that the enhancement of root secondary growth could be attributed to the increase in cambium stem cell activity and the subsequent differentiation of cambium-derived storage parenchymal cells. RNA-seq and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) revealed that the formation of a transcriptional network comprising auxin, brassinosteroid (BR)-, ethylene-, and jasmonic acid (JA)-related genes mainly contributed to the secondary growth of ginseng storage roots. In addition, increased proliferation of cambium stem cells by a N-rich source inhibited the accumulation of starch granules in storage parenchymal cells. CONCLUSION: Thus, through the integration of bioinformatic and histological tissue analyses, we demonstrate that nitrate assimilation and signaling pathways are integrated into key biological processes that promote the secondary growth of P. ginseng storage roots.
PMID: 37252286
Sci China Life Sci , IF:6.038 , 2023 Jun , V66 (6) : P1231-1244 doi: 10.1007/s11427-022-2319-0
Crosstalk between brassinosteroid signaling and variable nutrient environments.
Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.; State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.; Key Laboratory for Enhancing Resource Use Efficiency of Crops in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.; National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China. tonghongning@caas.cn.; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China. ccchu@scau.edu.cn.; State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. ccchu@scau.edu.cn.; Key Laboratory for Enhancing Resource Use Efficiency of Crops in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China. ccchu@scau.edu.cn.
Brassinosteroid (BR) represents a group of steroid hormones that regulate plant growth and development as well as environmental adaptation. The fluctuation of external nutrient elements is a situation that plants frequently face in the natural environment, in which nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are two of the most critical nutrients restraint of the early growth of plants. As the macronutrients, N and P are highly required by plants, but their availability or solubility in the soil is relatively low. Since iron (Fe) and P always modulate each other's content and function in plants mutually antagonistically, the regulatory mechanisms of Fe and P are inextricably linked. Recently, BR has emerged as a critical regulator in nutrient acquisition and phenotypic plasticity in response to the variable nutrient levels in Arabidopsis and rice. Here, we review the current understanding of the crosstalk between BR and the three major nutrients (N, P, and Fe), highlighting how nutrient signaling regulates BR synthesis and signaling to accommodate plant growth and development in Arabidopsis and rice.
PMID: 36907968
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2023 , V14 : P1190004 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1190004
Molecular and functional dissection of LIGULELESS1 (LG1) in plants.
College of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, China.; State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Agronomic Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, China.
Plant architecture is a culmination of the features necessary for capturing light energy and adapting to the environment. An ideal architecture can promote an increase in planting density, light penetration to the lower canopy, airflow as well as heat distribution to achieve an increase in crop yield. A number of plant architecture-related genes have been identified by map cloning, quantitative trait locus (QTL) and genome-wide association study (GWAS) analysis. LIGULELESS1 (LG1) belongs to the squamosa promoter-binding protein (SBP) family of transcription factors (TFs) that are key regulators for plant growth and development, especially leaf angle (LA) and flower development. The DRL1/2-LG1-RAVL pathway is involved in brassinosteroid (BR) signaling to regulate the LA in maize, which has facilitated the regulation of plant architecture. Therefore, exploring the gene regulatory functions of LG1, especially its relationship with LA genes, can help achieve the precise regulation of plant phenotypes adapted to varied environments, thereby increasing the yield. This review comprehensively summarizes the advances in LG1 research, including its effect on LA and flower development. Finally, we discuss the current challenges and future research goals associate with LG1.
PMID: 37377813
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2023 , V14 : P1192340 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1192340
Transcriptome analysis reveals that auxin promotes strigolactone-induced adventitious root growth in the hypocotyl of melon seedlings.
College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China.; Collaborative Innovation Center of Vegetable Industry in Hebei, Baoding, China.; Hebei Key Laboratory of Vegetable Germplasm Innovation and Utilization, Baoding, China.
INTRODUCTION: Strigolactone (SL) and auxin are two important phytohormones involved in plant root development, but whether they show synergistic or mutual promotion effects during adventitious root (AR) formation has not been adequately explored. METHODS: In this study, we investigated the mechanisms of GR24 (synthetic SL) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA; a type of auxin) in the formation of ARs using melon as the study material. RESULTS: Morphological measurements showed that the AR number, length, superficial area, and volume under the GR24 treatment were 1.60-3.27, 1.58-3.99, 2.06-3.42, and 3.00-6.11 times greater than those of the control group, respectively, at 6-10 days; the GR24+IAA treatment further promoted AR formation in melon seedlings, and the AR number, length, superficial area, and volume under the GR24+IAA treatment were 1.44-1.51, 1.28-1.73, 1.19-1.83, and 1.31-1.87 times greater than those obtained with the GR24 treatment, respectively. Transcriptome analysis revealed 2,742, 3,352, and 2,321 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified from the GR24 vs. control, GR24+IAA vs. control, and GR24+IAA vs. GR24 comparisons, respectively. The GR24 treatment and GR24+IAA treatment affected auxin and SL synthesis as well as components of the phytohormone signal transduction pathway, such as auxin, brassinosteroid (BR), ethylene (ETH), cytokinin (CK), gibberellin (GA), and abscisic acid (ABA). The concentrations of auxin, GA, zeatin (ZT), and ABA were evaluated using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). From 6 to 10 days, the auxin, GA, and ZT contents in the GR24 treatment group were increased by 11.48%-15.34%, 11.83%-19.50%, and 22.52%-66.17%, respectively, compared to the control group, and these features were increased by 22.00%-31.20%, 21.29%-25.75%, 51.76%-98.96%, respectively, in the GR24+IAA treatment group compared with the control group. Compared to that in the control, the ABA content decreased by 10.30%-11.83% in the GR24 treatment group and decreased by 18.78%-24.00% in the GR24+IAA treatment group at 6-10 days. DISCUSSION: Our study revealed an interaction between strigolactone and auxin in the induction of AR formation in melon seedlings by affecting the expression of genes related to plant hormone pathways and contents.
PMID: 37377810
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 Jun , V334 : P111764 doi: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2023.111764
Improved production and quality of peppers irrigated with regenerated water by the application of 24-epibrassinolide.
Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: martapinto@ub.edu.; Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.; Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Research Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Water shortage for crop irrigation is reducing agricultural production worldwide and the use of sewage treatment plant (STP) water to irrigate horticultural fields is a solution to avoid the use of drinkable water in agriculture. In this study, two different genotypes of pepper (Red Cherry Small and Italian green) were irrigated with STP water, as an alternative to potable water. Moreover, the foliar application of a molecule with biostimulant properties (24-epibrassinolide; EBR) was tested as a strategy to ameliorate the production and quality of fruits. Both genotypes differed on their tolerance to the suffered oxidative stress due to their different salinity tolerance, but fruit commercial weight was reduced by 49% on the salt sensitive and by 37% on the salt tolerant. Moreover, ascorbic acid was also decreased by 37% after STP water irrigation in the Red Cherry Small peppers. However, EBR applications alleviated STP watering stress effects improving pepper plants fruit production and quality parameters, such as ascorbic acid and capsaicinoids. These results have important economic and environmental relevance to overcome present and future water deficiencies in the agricultural sector derived from climate change, guaranteeing the maintenance of production in peppers irrigated with STP water for a more sustainable agriculture following relevant circular economy actions.
PMID: 37301327
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
Front Genet , IF:4.599 , 2023 , V14 : P1169104 doi: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1169104
Characterization and gene expression patterns analysis implies BSK family genes respond to salinity stress in cotton.
Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.; State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, China.; Anyang Institute of Technology, Anyang, Henan, China.
Identification, evolution, and expression patterns of BSK (BR signaling kinase) family genes revealed that BSKs participated in the response of cotton to abiotic stress and maintained the growth of cotton in extreme environment. The steroidal hormone brassinosteroids (BR) play important roles in different plant biological processes. This study focused on BSK which were downstream regulatory element of BR, in order to help to decipher the functions of BSKs genes from cotton on growth development and responses to abiotic stresses and lean the evolutionary relationship of cotton BSKs. BSKs are a class of plant-specific receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases involved in BR signal transduction. In this study, bioinformatics methods were used to identify the cotton BSKs gene family at the cotton genome level, and the gene structure, promoter elements, protein structure and properties, gene expression patterns and candidate interacting proteins were analyzed. In the present study, a total of 152 BSKs were identified by a genome-wide search in four cotton species and other 11 plant species, and phylogenetic analysis revealed three evolutionary clades. It was identified that BSKs contain typical PKc and TPR domains, the N-terminus is composed of extended chains and helical structures. Cotton BSKs genes show different expression patterns in different tissues and organs. The gene promoter contains numerous cis-acting elements induced by hormones and abiotic stress, the hormone ABA and Cold-inducing related elements have the highest count, indicating that cotton BSK genes may be regulated by various hormones at different growth stages and involved in the response regulation of cotton to various stresses. The expression analysis of BSKs in cotton showed that the expression levels of GhBSK06, GhBSK10, GhBSK21 and GhBSK24 were significantly increased with salt-inducing. This study is helpful to analyze the function of cotton BSKs genes in growth and development and in response to stress.
PMID: 37351349
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
Tree Physiol , IF:4.196 , 2023 Jun , V43 (6) : P979-994 doi: 10.1093/treephys/tpad022
Transcriptional reprogramming during recovery from drought stress in Eucalyptus grandis.
Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Lynwood Road, Pretoria 0028, South Africa.; Department of Agriculture, University of Zululand, 1 Main Road Vulindlela, KwaDlangezwa, 3886, South Africa.; Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Rd, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA.
The importance of drought as a constraint to agriculture and forestry is increasing with climate change. Genetic improvement of plants' resilience is one of the mitigation strategies to curb this threat. Although recovery from drought stress is important to long-term drought adaptation and has been considered as an indicator of dehydration tolerance in annual crops, this has not been well explored in forest trees. Thus, we aimed to investigate the physiological and transcriptional changes during drought stress and rewatering in Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maiden. We set up a greenhouse experiment where we imposed drought stress on 2-year-old seedlings and rewatered the recovery group after 17 days of drought. Our measurement of leaf stomatal conductance (gs) showed that, while gs was reduced by drought stress, it fully recovered after 5 days of rewatering. The RNA-seq analysis from stem samples revealed that genes related to known stress responses such as phytohormone and reactive oxygen species signaling were upregulated, while genes involved in metabolism and growth were downregulated due to drought stress. We observed reprogramming of signal transduction pathways and metabolic processes at 1 day of rewatering, indicating a quick response to rewatering. Our results suggest that recovery from drought stress may entail alterations in the jasmonic acid, salicylic acid, ethylene and brassinosteroid signaling pathways. Using co-expression network analysis, we identified hub genes, including the putative orthologs of ABI1, ABF2, ABF3, HAI2, BAM1, GolS2 and SIP1 during drought and CAT2, G6PD1, ADG1 and FD-1 during recovery. Taken together, by highlighting the molecular processes and identifying key genes, this study gives an overview of the mechanisms underlying the response of E. grandis to drought stress and recovery that trees may face repeatedly throughout their long life cycle. This provides a useful reference to the identification and further investigation of signaling pathways and target genes for future tree improvement.
PMID: 36851855
Plant Mol Biol , IF:4.076 , 2023 Jun , V112 (3) : P143-160 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
Steroids , IF:2.668 , 2023 Aug , V196 : 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, United States.; 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, United States. 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
Genes Genet Syst , IF:1.517 , 2023 Jun doi: 10.1266/ggs.23-00029
Comprehensive analysis of downstream transcriptomic features in the competitive relationships between BEH3 and other BES/BZR transcription factors.
College of Life Sciences, Ritsumeikan University.; Graduate School of Science, Kobe University.
Members of a plant-specific BES/BZR transcription factor (TF) family including BRI1-EMS-SUPPRESSOR 1 (BES1) and BRASSINAZOLE-RESISTANT 1 (BZR1) regulate various developmental processes and environmental responses. Recently, we reported that BES1/BZR1 Homolog 3 (BEH3) exhibited a competitive effect toward other BES/BZR TFs. In this study, we analyzed transcriptome profiles in BEH3-overexpressing plants and compared them with those of BES1 and BZR1 double gain-of-function mutants. We identified 46 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which were downregulated in the gain-of-function mutants of BES1 and BZR1 but upregulated upon BEH3 overexpression. In these DEGs, putative BES1 and BZR1 direct-targeted genes were highly enriched. In addition, these DEGs contained not only known brassinosteroid biosynthetic enzymes, but also some NAC TFs, which negatively regulate brassinosteroid-inactivating enzymes. Moreover, the iron sensor and the iron-deficient response-related bHLH TFs were also included. Taken together, our findings indicate that a competitive relationship between BEH3 and other BES/BZR TFs exists in various BES/BZR binding target genes.
PMID: 37331806
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