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15 pages, 3725 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Study of GUS Expression in Arabidopsis as a Tool for the Evaluation of Gene Evolution, Function and the Role of Expression Derived from Gene Duplication

by Leonardo Bruno, Matteo Ronchini, Giorgio Binelli, Antonella Muto, Adriana Chiappetta, Maria Beatrice Bitonti and Paolo Gerola

Plants 2023, 12(10), 2051; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12102051 - 22 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1378

Abstract

Gene duplication played a fundamental role in eukaryote evolution and different copies of a given gene can be present in extant species, often with expressions and functions differentiated during evolution. We assume that, when such differentiation occurs in a gene copy, this may [...] Read more.

Gene duplication played a fundamental role in eukaryote evolution and different copies of a given gene can be present in extant species, often with expressions and functions differentiated during evolution. We assume that, when such differentiation occurs in a gene copy, this may be indicated by its maintenance in all the derived species. To verify this hypothesis, we compared the histological expression domains of the three β-glucuronidase genes (AtGUS) present in Arabidopsis thaliana with the GUS evolutionary tree in angiosperms. We found that AtGUS gene expression overlaps in the shoot apex, the floral bud and the root hairs. In the root apex, AtGUS3 expression differs completely from AtGUS1 and AtGUS2, whose transcripts are present in the root cap meristem and columella, in the staminal cell niche, in the epidermis and in the proximal cortex. Conversely, AtGUS3 transcripts are limited to the old border-like cells of calyptra and those found along the protodermal cell line. The GUS evolutionary tree reveals that the two main clusters (named GUS1 and GUS3) originate from a duplication event predating angiosperm radiation. AtGUS3 belongs to the GUS3 cluster, while AtGUS1 and AtGUS2, which originate from a duplication event that occurred in an ancestor of the Brassicaceae family, are found together in the GUS1 cluster. There is another, previously undescribed cluster, called GUS4, originating from a very ancient duplication event. While the copy of GUS4 has been lost in many species, copies of GUS3 and GUS1 have been conserved in all species examined. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges for Understanding the Molecular Regulation of Plant Developmental Processes)

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25 pages, 3576 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Tolerance with High Yield Potential Is Provided by Lower Na⁺ Ion Accumulation and Higher Photosynthetic Activity in Tolerant YNU31-2-4 Rice Genotype under Salinity and Multiple Heat and Salinity Stress

by Lutfun Nahar, Murat Aycan, Ermelinda Maria Lopes Hornai, Marouane Baslam and Toshiaki Mitsui

Plants 2023, 12(9), 1910; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12091910 - 08 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1543

Abstract

The yield-reduction effect of abiotic stressors such as salinity and heat stresses with the growing world population threatens food security. Although adverse effects of salinity and heat stress on plant growth and production parameters have been documented, in nature, abiotic stresses occur sequentially [...] Read more.

The yield-reduction effect of abiotic stressors such as salinity and heat stresses with the growing world population threatens food security. Although adverse effects of salinity and heat stress on plant growth and production parameters have been documented, in nature, abiotic stresses occur sequentially or simultaneously. In this study, the stress tolerance and yield capacity of Yukinkomai, YNU31-2-4, and YNU SL rice genotypes tested under control (26 °C, 0 mM NaCl), salinity (26 °C, 75 mM NaCl), heat (31 °C, 0 mM NaCl), and heat and salinity (31 °C, 75 mM NaCl) stress combinations at vegetative and reproductive stages with six different scenarios. The results show that salinity and the heat and salinity combination stresses highly reduce plant growth performance and yield capacity. Heat stress during reproduction does not affect the yield but reduces the grain quality. The YNU31-2-4 genotype performs better under heavy salt and heat and salinity stress then the Yukinkomai and YNU SL genotypes. YNU31-2-4 genotypes accumulate less Na⁺ and more K⁺ under salt and multiple stresses. In the YNU31-2-4 genotype, low Na⁺ ion accumulation increases photosynthetic activity and pigment deposition, boosting the yield. Stress lowers the glucose accumulation in dry seeds, but the YNU31-2-4 genotype has a higher glucose accumulation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges for Understanding the Molecular Regulation of Plant Developmental Processes)

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17 pages, 1381 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Self-DNA Early Exposure in Cultivated and Weedy Setaria Triggers ROS Degradation Signaling Pathways and Root Growth Inhibition

by Alessia Ronchi, Alessandro Foscari, Giusi Zaina, Emanuele De Paoli and Guido Incerti

Plants 2023, 12(6), 1288; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12061288 - 13 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1431

Abstract

The accumulation of fragmented extracellular DNA reduces conspecific seed germination and plantlet growth in a concentration-dependent manner. This self-DNA inhibition was repeatedly reported, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully clarified. We investigated the species-specificity of self-DNA inhibition in cultivated vs. weed congeneric [...] Read more.

The accumulation of fragmented extracellular DNA reduces conspecific seed germination and plantlet growth in a concentration-dependent manner. This self-DNA inhibition was repeatedly reported, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully clarified. We investigated the species-specificity of self-DNA inhibition in cultivated vs. weed congeneric species (respectively, Setaria italica and S. pumila) and carried out a targeted real-time qPCR analysis under the hypothesis that self-DNA elicits molecular pathways that are responsive to abiotic stressors. The results of a cross-factorial experiment on root elongation of seedlings exposed to self-DNA, congeneric DNA, and heterospecific DNA from Brassica napus and Salmon salar confirmed a significantly higher inhibition by self-DNA as compared to non-self-treatments, with the latter showing a magnitude of the effect consistent with the phylogenetic distance between the DNA source and the target species. Targeted gene expression analysis highlighted an early activation of genes involved in ROS degradation and management (FSD2, ALDH22A1, CSD3, MPK17), as well as deactivation of scaffolding molecules acting as negative regulators of stress signaling pathways (WD40-155). While being the first exploration of early response to self-DNA inhibition at molecular level on C4 model plants, our study highlights the need for further investigation of the relationships between DNA exposure and stress signaling pathways by discussing potential applications for species-specific weed control in agriculture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges for Understanding the Molecular Regulation of Plant Developmental Processes)

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12 pages, 7598 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Novel Roles of SPATULA in the Control of Stomata and Trichome Number, and Anthocyanin Biosynthesis

by Judith Jazmin Bernal-Gallardo, Victor M. Zuñiga-Mayo, Nayelli Marsch-Martinez and Stefan de Folter

Plants 2023, 12(3), 596; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12030596 - 29 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2206

Abstract

The bHLH transcription factor SPATULA (SPT) has been identified as a regulator during different stages of Arabidopsis development, including the control of leaf size. However, the mechanism via which it performs this function has not been elucidated. To better understand the role of [...] Read more.

The bHLH transcription factor SPATULA (SPT) has been identified as a regulator during different stages of Arabidopsis development, including the control of leaf size. However, the mechanism via which it performs this function has not been elucidated. To better understand the role of SPT during leaf development, we used a transcriptomic approach to identify putative target genes. We found putative SPT target genes related to leaf development, and to stomata and trichome formation. Furthermore, genes related to anthocyanin biosynthesis. In this work, we demonstrate that SPT is a negative regulator of stomata number and a positive regulator of trichome number. In addition, SPT is required for sucrose-mediated anthocyanin biosynthesis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges for Understanding the Molecular Regulation of Plant Developmental Processes)

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23 pages, 2799 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

The Genetic Control of SEEDSTICK and LEUNIG-HOMOLOG in Seed and Fruit Development: New Insights into Cell Wall Control

by Maurizio Di Marzo, Nicola Babolin, Vívian Ebeling Viana, Antonio Costa de Oliveira, Bruno Gugi, Elisabetta Caporali, Humberto Herrera-Ubaldo, Eduardo Martínez-Estrada, Azeddine Driouich, Stefan de Folter, Lucia Colombo and Ignacio Ezquer

Plants 2022, 11(22), 3146; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11223146 - 17 Nov 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2446

Abstract

Although much is known about seed and fruit development at the molecular level, many gaps remain in our understanding of how cell wall modifications can impact developmental processes in plants, as well as how biomechanical alterations influence seed and fruit growth. Mutants of [...] Read more.

Although much is known about seed and fruit development at the molecular level, many gaps remain in our understanding of how cell wall modifications can impact developmental processes in plants, as well as how biomechanical alterations influence seed and fruit growth. Mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana constitute an excellent tool to study the function of gene families devoted to cell wall biogenesis. We have characterized a collection of lines carrying mutations in representative cell wall-related genes for seed and fruit size developmental defects, as well as altered germination rates. We have linked these studies to cell wall composition and structure. Interestingly, we have found that disruption of genes involved in pectin maturation and hemicellulose deposition strongly influence germination dynamics. Finally, we focused on two transcriptional regulators, SEEDSTICK (STK) and LEUNIG-HOMOLOG (LUH), which positively regulate seed growth. Herein, we demonstrate that these factors regulate specific aspects of cell wall properties such as pectin distribution. We propose a model wherein changes in seed coat structure due to alterations in the xyloglucan-cellulose matrix deposition and pectin maturation are critical for organ growth and germination. The results demonstrate the importance of cell wall properties and remodeling of polysaccharides as major factors responsible for seed development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges for Understanding the Molecular Regulation of Plant Developmental Processes)

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27 pages, 2356 KiB

Open AccessArticle

DEFECTIVE EMBRYO AND MERISTEMS1 (DEM1) Is Essential for Cell Proliferation and Cell Differentiation in Tomato

by Louisa Matthew, Melquiades E. C. Reyes, Christopher W. G. Mann, Alasdair W. McDowall, Andrew L. Eamens and Bernard J. Carroll

Plants 2022, 11(19), 2545; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11192545 - 28 Sep 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1732

Abstract

Most flowering plant species contain at least two copies of the DEFECTIVE EMBRYO AND MERISTEMS (DEM) gene with the encoded DEM proteins lacking homology to proteins of known biochemical function. In tomato (Sl; Solanum lycopersicum), stable mutations in [...] Read more.

Most flowering plant species contain at least two copies of the DEFECTIVE EMBRYO AND MERISTEMS (DEM) gene with the encoded DEM proteins lacking homology to proteins of known biochemical function. In tomato (Sl; Solanum lycopersicum), stable mutations in the SlDEM1 locus result in shoot and root meristem defects with the dem1 mutant failing to progress past the cotyledon stage of seedling development. Generation of a Somatic Mutagenesis of DEM1 (SMD) transformant line in tomato allowed for the characterization of SlDEM1 gene function past the seedling stage of vegetative development with SMD plants displaying a range of leaf development abnormalities. Further, the sectored or stable in planta expression of specific regions of the SlDEM1 coding sequence also resulted in the generation of tomato transformants that displayed a range of vegetative development defects, which when considered together with the dem1 mutant seedling and SMD transformant line phenotypic data, allowed for the assignment of SlDEM1 gene function to early embryo development, adaxial epidermis cell development, lateral leaf blade expansion, and mesophyll cell proliferation and differentiation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges for Understanding the Molecular Regulation of Plant Developmental Processes)

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13 pages, 30953 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Expression and Functional Analyses of the WIP Gene Family in Arabidopsis

by David Diaz-Ramirez, Ury Sarai Diaz-Garcia, Guadalupe Magdaleno-Garcia, Gunnar Huep, Ingo Appelhagen, Martin Sagasser and Nayelli Marsch-Martinez

Plants 2022, 11(15), 2010; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11152010 - 01 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2176

Abstract

The WIP family of transcription factors comprises the A1d subgroup of C2H2 zinc finger proteins. This family has six members in Arabidopsis thaliana and most of the known functions have been described by analyzing single knockout mutants. However, it has been shown that [...] Read more.

The WIP family of transcription factors comprises the A1d subgroup of C2H2 zinc finger proteins. This family has six members in Arabidopsis thaliana and most of the known functions have been described by analyzing single knockout mutants. However, it has been shown that WIP2 and its closest paralogs WIP4 and WIP5 have a redundant and essential function in root meristems. It is likely that these and other WIP genes perform more, still unknown, functions. To obtain hints about these other functions, the expression of the six WIP genes was explored. Moreover, phenotypic ana-lyses of overexpressors and wip mutants revealed functions in modulating organ and cell size, stomatal density, and vasculature development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges for Understanding the Molecular Regulation of Plant Developmental Processes)

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Review

Jump to: Research

16 pages, 787 KiB

Open AccessReview

Molecular Links between Flowering and Abiotic Stress Response: A Focus on Poaceae

by Daniele Chirivì and Camilla Betti

Plants 2023, 12(2), 331; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12020331 - 10 Jan 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2692

Abstract

Extreme temperatures, drought, salinity and soil pollution are the most common types of abiotic stresses crops can encounter in fields; these variations represent a general warning to plant productivity and survival, being more harmful when in combination. Plant response to such conditions involves [...] Read more.

Extreme temperatures, drought, salinity and soil pollution are the most common types of abiotic stresses crops can encounter in fields; these variations represent a general warning to plant productivity and survival, being more harmful when in combination. Plant response to such conditions involves the activation of several molecular mechanisms, starting from perception to signaling, transcriptional reprogramming and protein modifications. This can influence the plant’s life cycle and development to different extents. Flowering developmental transition is very sensitive to environmental stresses, being critical to reproduction and to agricultural profitability for crops. The Poacee family contains some of the most widespread domesticated plants, such as wheat, barley and rice, which are commonly referred to as cereals and represent a primary food source. In cultivated Poaceae, stress-induced modifications of flowering time and development cause important yield losses by directly affecting seed production. At the molecular level, this reflects important changes in gene expression and protein activity. Here, we present a comprehensive overview on the latest research investigating the molecular pathways linking flowering control to osmotic and temperature extreme conditions in agronomically relevant monocotyledons. This aims to provide hints for biotechnological strategies that can ensure agricultural stability in ever-changing climatic conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges for Understanding the Molecular Regulation of Plant Developmental Processes)

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