A salt stress-responsive cytokinin receptor homologue isolated from Medicago sativa nodules

Sodium Accumulation in Infected Cells and Ion Transporters Mistargeting in Nodules of Medicago truncatula: Two Ugly Items That Hinder Coping with Salt Stress Effects

The maintenance of intracellular nitrogen-fixing bacteria causes changes in proteins’ location and in gene expression that may be detrimental to the host cell fitness. We hypothesized that the nodule’s high vulnerability toward salt stress might be due to alterations in mechanisms involved in the exclusion of Na+ from the host cytoplasm. Confocal and electron microscopy immunolocalization analyses of Na+/K+ exchangers in the root nodule showed the plasma membrane (MtNHX7) and endosome/tonoplast (MtNHX6) signal in non-infected cells; however, in mature infected cells the proteins were depleted from their target membranes and expelled to vacuoles. This mistargeting suggests partial loss of the exchanger’s functionality in these cells. In the mature part of the nodule 7 of the 20 genes encoding ion transporters, channels, and Na+/K+ exchangers were either not expressed or substantially downregulated. In nodules from plants subjected to salt treatments, low temperature-scanning electron microscopy and X-ray microanalysis revealed the accumulation of 5–6 times more Na+ per infected cell versus non-infected one. Hence, the infected cells’ inability to withstand the salt may be the integral result of preexisting defects in the localization of proteins involved in Na+ exclusion and the reduced expression of key genes of ion homeostasis, resulting in premature senescence and termination of symbiosis.

Potassium content diminishes in infected cells of Medicago truncatula nodules due to the mislocation of channels MtAKT1 and MtSKOR/GORK

Rhizobia establish a symbiotic relationship with legumes that results in the formation of root nodules, where bacteria encapsulated by a membrane of plant origin (symbiosomes), convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia. Nodules are more sensitive to ionic stresses than the host plant itself. We hypothesize that such a high vulnerability might be due to defects in ion balance in the infected tissue. Low temperature SEM (LTSEM) and X-ray microanalysis of Medicago truncatula nodules revealed a potassium (K⁺) decrease in symbiosomes and vacuoles during the life span of infected cells. To clarify K⁺ homeostasis in the nodule, we performed phylogenetic and gene expression analyses, and confocal and electron microscopy localization of two key plant Shaker K⁺ channels, AKT1 and SKOR/GORK. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the genome of some legume species, including the Medicago genus, contained one SKOR/GORK and one AKT1 gene copy, while other species contained more than one copy of each gene. Localization studies revealed mistargeting and partial depletion of both channels from the plasma membrane of M. truncatula mature nodule-infected cells that might compromise ion transport. We propose that root nodule-infected cells have defects in K⁺ balance due to mislocation of some plant ion channels, as compared with non-infected cells. The putative consequences are discussed.

An Insight into microRNA156 Role in Salinity Stress Responses of Alfalfa

Salinity is one of the major abiotic stresses affecting alfalfa productivity. Developing salinity tolerant alfalfa genotypes could contribute to sustainable crop production. The functions of microRNA156 (miR156) have been investigated in several plant species, but so far, no studies have been published that explore the role of miR156 in alfalfa response to salinity stress. In this work, we studied the role of miR156 in modulating commercially important traits of alfalfa under salinity stress. Our results revealed that overexpression of miR156 increased biomass, number of branches and time to complete growth stages, while it reduced plant height under control and salinity stress conditions. We observed a miR156-related reduction in neutral detergent fiber under non-stress, and acid detergent fiber under mild salinity stress conditions. In addition, enhanced total Kjeldahl nitrogen content was recorded in miR156 overexpressing genotypes under severe salinity stress. Furthermore, alfalfa genotypes overexpressing miR156 exhibited an altered ion homeostasis under salinity conditions. Under severe salinity stress, miR156 downregulated SPL transcription factor family genes, modified expression of other important transcription factors, and downstream salt stress responsive genes. Taken together, our results reveal that miR156 plays a role in mediating physiological and transcriptional responses of alfalfa to salinity stress.

Alfalfa nodules elicited by a flavodoxin-overexpressing Ensifer meliloti strain display nitrogen-fixing activity with enhanced tolerance to salinity stress

Nitrogen fixation by legumes is very sensitive to salinity stress, which can severely reduce the productivity of legume crops and their soil-enriching capacity. Salinity is known to cause oxidative stress in the nodule by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS). Flavodoxins are involved in the response to oxidative stress in bacteria and cyanobacteria. Prevention of ROS production by flavodoxin overexpression in bacteroids might lead to a protective effect on nodule functioning under salinity stress. Tolerance to salinity stress was evaluated in alfalfa nodules elicited by an Ensifer meliloti strain that overexpressed a cyanobacterial flavodoxin compared with nodules produced by the wild-type bacteria. Nitrogen fixation, antioxidant and carbon metabolism enzyme activities were determined. The decline in nitrogenase activity associated to salinity stress was significantly less in flavodoxin-expressing than in wild-type nodules. We detected small but significant changes in nodule antioxidant metabolism involving the ascorbate-glutathione cycle enzymes and metabolites, as well as differences in activity of the carbon metabolism enzyme sucrose synthase, and an atypical starch accumulation pattern in flavodoxin-containing nodules. Salt-induced structural and ultrastructural alterations were examined in detail in alfalfa wild-type nodules by light and electron microscopy and compared to flavodoxin-containing nodules. Flavodoxin reduced salt-induced structural damage, which primarily affected young infected tissues and not fully differentiated bacteroids. The results indicate that overexpression of flavodoxin in bacteroids has a protective effect on the function and structure of alfalfa nodules subjected to salinity stress conditions. Putative protection mechanisms are discussed.

Advances in upstream players of cytokinin phosphorelay: receptors and histidine phosphotransfer proteins

Cytokinins are a class of plant hormones that have been linked to numerous growth and developmental aspects in plants. The cytokinin signal is perceived by sensor histidine kinase receptors and transmitted via histidine phosphotransfer proteins (HPts) to downstream response regulators. Since their discovery, cytokinin receptors have been a focus of interest for many researchers. Ongoing research on these transmembrane receptors has greatly broadened our knowledge in terms of cytokinin-receptor interaction, receptor specificity, receptor cellular localization, and receptor functions in cytokinin related growth and developmental processes. This review focuses on the recent advances on the cytokinin receptors and HPt proteins in Arabidopsis.

Genetic engineering of cytokinin metabolism: prospective way to improve agricultural traits of crop plants

Cytokinins (CKs) are ubiquitous phytohormones that participate in development, morphogenesis and many physiological processes throughout plant kingdom. In higher plants, mutants and transgenic cells and tissues with altered activity of CK metabolic enzymes or perception machinery, have highlighted their crucial involvement in different agriculturally important traits, such as productivity, increased tolerance to various stresses and overall plant morphology. Furthermore, recent precise metabolomic analyses have elucidated the specific occurrence and distinct functions of different CK types in various plant species. Thus, smooth manipulation of active CK levels in a spatial and temporal way could be a very potent tool for plant biotechnology in the future. This review summarises recent advances in cytokinin research ranging from transgenic alteration of CK biosynthetic, degradation and glucosylation activities and CK perception to detailed elucidation of molecular processes, in which CKs work as a trigger in model plants. The first attempts to improve the quality of crop plants, focused on cereals are discussed, together with proposed mechanism of action of the responses involved.

Properties, functions and evolution of cytokinin receptors

The discovery of cytokinin receptors of Arabidopsis thaliana ten years ago was a milestone in plant hormone research. Since then, research has yielded insights into the biochemical properties and functions of these sensor histidine kinases. Their affinities to both trans-zeatin and isopentenyladenine are in the low nM range. Cytokinin ribosides, cis-zeatin and thidiazuron were established as compounds with genuine cytokinin activity and the first cytokinin antagonists were identified. Numerous functions of cytokinin receptors in plant development, as well as in the plant's responses to the environment, have been elucidated and are summarized. Finally, we address the question how the receptors have evolved during plant evolution.

The more, the merrier: cytokinin signaling beyond Arabidopsis

The phytohormone cytokinin is a key player in many developmental processes and in the response of plants to biotic and abiotic stress. The cytokinin signal is perceived and transduced via a multistep variant of the bacterial two-component signaling system. Most of the research on cytokinin signaling has been done in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Research on cytokinin signaling has expanded to a much broader range of plants species in recent years. This is due to the natural limitation of Arabidopsis as a model species for the investigation of processes like nodulation or wood formation. The rapidly increasing number of sequenced plant genomes also facilitates the use of other species in this line of research. This review summarizes what is known about the cytokinin signaling in the different organisms and highlights differences to Arabidopsis.

Cytokinin action in plant development

Cytokinin regulates many important aspects of plant development in aerial and subterranean organs. The hormone is part of an intrinsic genetic network controlling organ development and growth in these two distinct environments that plants have to cope with. Cytokinin also mediates the responses to variable extrinsic factors, such as light conditions in the shoot and availability of nutrients and water in the root, and has a role in the response to biotic and abiotic stress. Together, these activities contribute to the fine-tuning of quantitative growth regulation in plants. We review recent progress in understanding the cytokinin system and its links to the regulatory pathways that respond to internal and external signals.

Environmental perception avenues: the interaction of cytokinin and environmental response pathways

Cytokinins were discovered in the 1950s by their ability to promote cell division in cultured plant cells. Recently, there have been significant breakthroughs in our understanding of the biosynthesis, metabolism, perception and signal transduction of this phytohormone. These advances, coupled with physiological and other approaches, have enabled remarkable progress to be made in our understanding of the interactions between cytokinin function and environmental inputs. In this review, we first highlight the most recent advances in our understanding of cytokinin biosynthesis, metabolism and signalling. We then discuss how various environmental signals interact with these pathways to modulate plant growth, development and physiology.

Multiple roles for cytokinin receptors and cross-talk of signaling pathways

Cytokinin receptors (CRs) are hybrid-type histidine kinases, membrane proteins with a cytokinin-binding extracellular domain. CRs initiate and propagate cytokinin signaling by means of phosphorylation and phosphotransfer to downstream proteins. In legumes, some members of the CR multigenic family are essential for nodulation. In two recent works, we investigated the involvement of two new CRs, MsHK1 from Medicago sativa, and LaHK1 from Lupinus albus, in nodule morphogenesis, senescence and stress response. LaHK1 expression increased during the first stages of lupin nodule development, while MsHK1 expression was localized in the meristem and the invasion zone of alfalfa nodules pointing to a role for CRs in nodule cell proliferation and differentiation. Both CRs were also induced during nodule senescence. MsHK1 expression increased under osmotic stress and both genes were induced following dark stress, indicating that CRs are also likely to play a significant role in the response to stress. We propose multiple roles for CRs which, when analyzed jointly with recent results from other authors, suggest coordinated cross-talk of different signaling systems.