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Booth MW, Breed MF, Kendrick GA, Bayer PE, Severn-Ellis AA, Sinclair EA. Tissue-specific transcriptome profiles identify functional differences key to understanding whole plant response to life in variable salinity. Biol Open 2022; 11:276025. [PMID: 35876771 PMCID: PMC9428325 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants endure environmental stressors via adaptation and phenotypic plasticity. Studying these mechanisms in seagrasses is extremely relevant as they are important primary producers and functionally significant carbon sinks. These mechanisms are not well understood at the tissue level in seagrasses. Using RNA-seq, we generated transcriptome sequences from tissue of leaf, basal leaf meristem and root organs of Posidonia australis, establishing baseline in situ transcriptomic profiles for tissues across a salinity gradient. Samples were collected from four P. australis meadows growing in Shark Bay, Western Australia. Analysis of gene expression showed significant differences between tissue types, with more variation among leaves than meristem or roots. Gene ontology enrichment analysis showed the differences were largely due to the role of photosynthesis, plant growth and nutrient absorption in leaf, meristem and root organs, respectively. Differential gene expression of leaf and meristem showed upregulation of salinity regulation processes in higher salinity meadows. Our study highlights the importance of considering leaf meristem tissue when evaluating whole-plant responses to environmental change. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. Summary: Differences in seagrass leaf, meristem and root transcriptomes across variable salinities are due to tissue-specific processes. Leaf meristem contained the broadest process range, indicating preferential use for inferring plant-wide activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell W Booth
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.,Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Martin F Breed
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia 5042, Australia
| | - Gary A Kendrick
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.,Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Philipp E Bayer
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Anita A Severn-Ellis
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.,Aquatic Animal Health Research, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia, 6020, Australia
| | - Elizabeth A Sinclair
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.,Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.,Kings Park Science, Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions, 1 Kattidj Close, West Perth, Western Australia, 6005, Australia
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2
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Pazzaglia J, Santillán-Sarmiento A, Ruocco M, Dattolo E, Ambrosino L, Marín-Guirao L, Procaccini G. Local environment modulates whole-transcriptome expression in the seagrass Posidonia oceanica under warming and nutrients excess. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 303:119077. [PMID: 35276251 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The intensification of anomalous events of seawater warming and the co-occurrence with local anthropogenic stressors are threatening coastal marine habitats, including seagrasses, which form extensive underwater meadows. Eutrophication highly affects coastal environments, potentially summing up to the widespread effects of global climate changes. In the present study, we investigated for the first time in seagrasses, the transcriptional response of different plant organs (i.e., leaf and shoot apical meristem, SAM) of the Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica growing in environments with a different history of nutrient enrichment. To this end, a mesocosm experiment exposing plants to single (nutrient enrichment or temperature increase) and multiple stressors (nutrient enrichment plus temperature increase), was performed. Results revealed a differential transcriptome regulation of plants under single and multiple stressors, showing an organ-specific sensitivity depending on plants' origin. While leaf tissues were more responsive to nutrient stress, SAM revealed a higher sensitivity to temperature treatments, especially in plants already impacted in their native environment. The exposure to stress conditions induced the modulation of different biological processes. Plants living in an oligotrophic environment were more responsive to nutrients compared to plants from a eutrophic environment. Evidences that epigenetic mechanisms were involved in the regulation of transcriptional reprogramming were also observed in both plants' organs. These results represent a further step in the comprehension of seagrass response to abiotic stressors pointing out the importance of local pressures in a global warming scenario.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Pazzaglia
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121, Naples, Italy; Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127, Trieste, Italy
| | - Alex Santillán-Sarmiento
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121, Naples, Italy; Faculty of Engineering, National University of Chimborazo, Riobamba, Ecuador
| | - Miriam Ruocco
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121, Naples, Italy
| | - Emanuela Dattolo
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121, Naples, Italy
| | - Luca Ambrosino
- Department of Research Infrastructure for Marine Biological Resources, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Napoli, Italy
| | - Lazaro Marín-Guirao
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121, Naples, Italy; Seagrass Ecology Group, Oceanographic Center of Murcia, Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO-CSIC), Murcia, Spain
| | - Gabriele Procaccini
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121, Naples, Italy.
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3
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High-throughput amplicon sequencing of fungi and microbial eukaryotes associated with the seagrass Halophila stipulacea (Forssk.) Asch. from Al-Leith mangroves, Saudi Arabia. Mycol Prog 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11557-021-01744-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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4
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Pazzaglia J, Reusch TBH, Terlizzi A, Marín‐Guirao L, Procaccini G. Phenotypic plasticity under rapid global changes: The intrinsic force for future seagrasses survival. Evol Appl 2021; 14:1181-1201. [PMID: 34025759 PMCID: PMC8127715 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Coastal oceans are particularly affected by rapid and extreme environmental changes with dramatic consequences for the entire ecosystem. Seagrasses are key ecosystem engineering or foundation species supporting diverse and productive ecosystems along the coastline that are particularly susceptible to fast environmental changes. In this context, the analysis of phenotypic plasticity could reveal important insights into seagrasses persistence, as it represents an individual property that allows species' phenotypes to accommodate and react to fast environmental changes and stress. Many studies have provided different definitions of plasticity and related processes (acclimation and adaptation) resulting in a variety of associated terminology. Here, we review different ways to define phenotypic plasticity with particular reference to seagrass responses to single and multiple stressors. We relate plasticity to the shape of reaction norms, resulting from genotype by environment interactions, and examine its role in the presence of environmental shifts. The potential role of genetic and epigenetic changes in underlying seagrasses plasticity in face of environmental changes is also discussed. Different approaches aimed to assess local acclimation and adaptation in seagrasses are explored, explaining strengths and weaknesses based on the main results obtained from the most recent literature. We conclude that the implemented experimental approaches, whether performed with controlled or field experiments, provide new insights to explore the basis of plasticity in seagrasses. However, an improvement of molecular analysis and the application of multi-factorial experiments are required to better explore genetic and epigenetic adjustments to rapid environmental shifts. These considerations revealed the potential for selecting the best phenotypes to promote assisted evolution with fundamental implications on restoration and preservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Pazzaglia
- Department of Integrative Marine EcologyStazione Zoologica Anton DohrnNaplesItaly
- Department of Life SciencesUniversity of TriesteTriesteItaly
| | - Thorsten B. H. Reusch
- Marine Evolutionary EcologyGEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research KielKielGermany
| | - Antonio Terlizzi
- Department of Life SciencesUniversity of TriesteTriesteItaly
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine OrganismsStazione Zoologica Anton DohrnNaplesItaly
| | - Lázaro Marín‐Guirao
- Department of Integrative Marine EcologyStazione Zoologica Anton DohrnNaplesItaly
- Seagrass Ecology GroupOceanographic Center of MurciaSpanish Institute of OceanographyMurciaSpain
| | - Gabriele Procaccini
- Department of Integrative Marine EcologyStazione Zoologica Anton DohrnNaplesItaly
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5
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Elgetti Brodersen K, Kühl M, Trampe E, Koren K. Imaging O 2 dynamics and microenvironments in the seagrass leaf phyllosphere with magnetic optical sensor nanoparticles. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 104:1504-1519. [PMID: 33037691 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Eutrophication leads to epiphyte blooms on seagrass leaves that strongly affect plant health, yet the actual mechanisms of such epiphyte-induced plant stress remain poorly understood. We used magnetic optical sensor nanoparticles in combination with luminescence lifetime imaging to map the O2 concentration and dynamics in the heterogeneous seagrass phyllosphere under changing light conditions. By incorporating magnetite into the sensor nanoparticles, it was possible to image the spatial O2 distribution under flow over seagrass leaf segments in the presence of a strong magnetic field. Local microniches with low leaf surface O2 concentrations were found under thick epiphytic biofilms, often leading to anoxic microhabitats in darkness. High irradiance led to O2 supersaturation across most of the seagrass phyllosphere, whereas leaf microenvironments with reduced O2 conditions were found under epiphytic biofilms at low irradiance, probably driven by self-shading. Horizontal micro-profiles extracted from the O2 images revealed pronounced heterogeneities in local O2 concentration over the base of the epiphytic biofilm, with up to 52% reduction in O2 concentrations in areas with relatively thick (>2 mm), compared with thin (≤1 mm), epiphyte layers in darkness. We also present evidence of enhanced relative internal O2 transport within leaves with epiphyte overgrowth, compared with bare seagrass leaves, in light as a result of limited mass transfer across thick outward diffusion pathways. The local availability of O2 was still markedly reduced in the epiphyte-covered leaves, however. The leaf phyllosphere is thus characterized by a complex microlandscape of O2 availability that strongly affects microbial processes occurring within the epiphytic biofilm, which may have implications for seagrass health, as anoxic microhabitats have been shown to promote the microbiological production of reduced toxic compounds, such as nitric oxide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasper Elgetti Brodersen
- Marine Biological Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Strandpromenaden 5, Helsingør, 3000, Denmark
| | - Michael Kühl
- Marine Biological Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Strandpromenaden 5, Helsingør, 3000, Denmark
| | - Erik Trampe
- Marine Biological Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Strandpromenaden 5, Helsingør, 3000, Denmark
| | - Klaus Koren
- Marine Biological Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Strandpromenaden 5, Helsingør, 3000, Denmark
- Department of Biology, Section for Microbiology, Aarhus University Centre for Water Technology, Ny Munkegade 114, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark
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6
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Nguyen HM, Kim M, Ralph PJ, Marín-Guirao L, Pernice M, Procaccini G. Stress Memory in Seagrasses: First Insight Into the Effects of Thermal Priming and the Role of Epigenetic Modifications. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:494. [PMID: 32411166 PMCID: PMC7199800 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
While thermal priming and the relative role of epigenetic modifications have been widely studied in terrestrial plants, their roles remain unexplored in seagrasses so far. Here, we experimentally compared the ability of two different functional types of seagrass species, dominant in the Southern hemisphere, climax species Posidonia australis and pioneer species Zostera muelleri, to acquire thermal-stress memory to better survive successive stressful thermal events. To this end, a two-heatwave experimental design was conducted in a mesocosm setup. Findings across levels of biological organization including the molecular (gene expression), physiological (photosynthetic performances and pigments content) and organismal (growth) levels provided the first evidence of thermal priming in seagrasses. Non-preheated plants suffered a significant reduction in photosynthetic capacity, leaf growth and chlorophyll a content, while preheated plants were able to cope better with the recurrent stressful event. Gene expression results demonstrated significant regulation of methylation-related genes in response to thermal stress, suggesting that epigenetic modifications could play a central role in seagrass thermal stress memory. In addition, we revealed some interspecific differences in thermal responses between the two different functional types of seagrass species. These results provide the first insights into thermal priming and relative epigenetic modifications in seagrasses paving the way for more comprehensive forecasting and management of thermal stress in these marine foundation species in an era of rapid environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mikael Kim
- Seagrass Ecology Group, Oceanographic Center of Murcia, Spanish Institute of Oceanography, Murcia, Spain
| | - Peter J. Ralph
- Seagrass Ecology Group, Oceanographic Center of Murcia, Spanish Institute of Oceanography, Murcia, Spain
| | - Lázaro Marín-Guirao
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy
- Climate Change Cluster (C3), University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mathieu Pernice
- Seagrass Ecology Group, Oceanographic Center of Murcia, Spanish Institute of Oceanography, Murcia, Spain
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7
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Shah Mohammadi N, Buapet P, Pernice M, Signal B, Kahlke T, Hardke L, Ralph PJ. Transcriptome profiling analysis of the seagrass, Zostera muelleri under copper stress. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2019; 149:110556. [PMID: 31546108 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Copper (Cu) in an essential trace metal but it can also contaminate coastal waters at high concentrations mainly from agricultural run-off and mining activities which are detrimental to marine organisms including seagrasses. The molecular mechanisms driving Cu toxicity in seagrasses are not clearly understood yet. Here, we investigated the molecular responses of the Australian seagrass, Z. muelleri at the whole transcriptomic level after 7 days of exposure to 250 μg Cu L-1 and 500 μg Cu L-1. The leaf-specific whole transcriptome results showed a concentration-dependent disturbance in chloroplast function, regulatory stress responses and defense mechanisms. This study provided new insights into the responses of seagrasses to trace metal stress and reports possible candidate genes which can be considered as biomarkers to improve conservation and management of seagrass meadows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasim Shah Mohammadi
- University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Climate Change Cluster (C3), Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Pimchanok Buapet
- Plant Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand; Coastal Oceanography and Climate Change Research Center, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Mathieu Pernice
- University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Climate Change Cluster (C3), Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.
| | - Bethany Signal
- University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Climate Change Cluster (C3), Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Tim Kahlke
- University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Climate Change Cluster (C3), Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Leo Hardke
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Peter J Ralph
- University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Climate Change Cluster (C3), Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
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8
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Kim M, Pernice M, Watson-Lazowski A, Guagliardo P, Kilburn MR, Larkum AWD, Raven JA, Ralph PJ. Effect of reduced irradiance on 13C uptake, gene expression and protein activity of the seagrass Zostera muelleri. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 149:80-89. [PMID: 31181418 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2019.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Revised: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthesis in the seagrass Zostera muelleri remains poorly understood. We investigated the effect of reduced irradiance on the incorporation of 13C, gene expression of photosynthetic, photorespiratory and intermediates recycling genes as well as the enzymatic content and activity of Rubisco and PEPC within Z. muelleri. Following 48 h of reduced irradiance, we found that i) there was a ∼7 fold reduction in 13C incorporation in above ground tissue, ii) a significant down regulation of photosynthetic, photorespiratory and intermediates recycling genes and iii) no significant difference in enzyme activity and content. We propose that Z. muelleri is able to alter its physiology in order to reduce the amount of C lost through photorespiration to compensate for the reduced carbon assimilation as a result of reduced irradiance. In addition, the first estimated rate constant (Kcat) and maximum rates of carboxylation (Vcmax) of Rubisco is reported for the first time for Z. muelleri.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikael Kim
- University of Technology Sydney, Climate Change Cluster, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Mathieu Pernice
- University of Technology Sydney, Climate Change Cluster, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia.
| | - Alexander Watson-Lazowski
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, University of Western Sydney, Penrith, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Paul Guagliardo
- Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Matt R Kilburn
- Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Anthony W D Larkum
- University of Technology Sydney, Climate Change Cluster, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - John A Raven
- University of Technology Sydney, Climate Change Cluster, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia; Division of Plant Science, University of Dundee at the James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA, UK
| | - Peter J Ralph
- University of Technology Sydney, Climate Change Cluster, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
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9
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Buapet P, Mohammadi NS, Pernice M, Kumar M, Kuzhiumparambil U, Ralph PJ. Excess copper promotes photoinhibition and modulates the expression of antioxidant-related genes in Zostera muelleri. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2019; 207:91-100. [PMID: 30553148 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2018.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Copper (Cu) is an essential micronutrient for plants and as such is vital to many metabolic processes. Nevertheless, when present at elevated concentrations, Cu can exert toxic effects on plants by disrupting protein functions and promoting oxidative stress. Due to their proximity to the urbanised estuaries, seagrasses are vulnerable to chemical contamination via industrial runoff, waste discharges and leachates. Zostera muelleri is a common seagrass species that forms habitats in the intertidal areas along the temperate coast of Australia. Previous studies have shown the detrimental effects of Cu exposure on photosynthetic efficiency of Z. muelleri. The present study focuses on the impacts of sublethal Cu exposure on the physiological and molecular responses. By means of a single addition, plants were exposed to 250 and 500 μg Cu L-1 (corresponding to 3.9 and 7.8 μM, respectively) as well as uncontaminated artificial seawater (control) for 7 days. Chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, measured as the effective quantum yield (ϕPSII), the maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm) and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) were assessed daily, while Cu accumulation in leaf tissue, total reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the expression of genes involved in antioxidant activities and trace metal binding were determined after 1, 3 and 7 days of exposure. Z. muelleri accumulated Cu in the leaf tissue in a concentration-dependent manner and the bioaccumulation was saturated by day 3. Cu exposure resulted in an acute suppression of ϕPSII and Fv/Fm. These two parameters also showed a concentration- and time-dependent decline. NPQ increased sharply during the first few days before subsequently decreasing towards the end of the experiment. Cu accumulation induced oxidative stress in Z. muelleri as an elevated level of ROS was detected on day 7. Lower Cu concentration promoted an up-regulation of genes encoding Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-sod), ascorbate peroxidase (apx), catalase (cat) and glutathione peroxidase (gpx), whereas no significant change was detected with higher Cu concentration. Exposure to Cu at any concentration failed to induce regulation in the expression level of genes encoding metallothionein type 2 (mt2), metallothionein type 3 (mt3) and cytochrome c oxidase copper chaperone (cox17). It is concluded that chlorophyll fluorescence parameters provide timely probe of the status of photosynthetic machinery under Cu stress. In addition, when exposed to a moderate level of Cu, Z. muelleri mitigates any induced oxidative stress by up-regulating transcripts coding for antioxidant enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pimchanok Buapet
- Plant Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand; Coastal Oceanography and Climate Change Research Center, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand.
| | | | - Mathieu Pernice
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Manoj Kumar
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Peter J Ralph
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, Australia
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10
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Lin H, Sun T, Zhou Y, Gu R, Zhang X, Yang W. Which Genes in a Typical Intertidal Seagrass ( Zostera japonica) Indicate Copper-, Lead-, and Cadmium Pollution? FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:1545. [PMID: 30405676 PMCID: PMC6207952 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Healthy seagrasses are considered a prime indicator of estuarine and coastal ecosystem function; however, as the only group of flowering plants recolonizing the sea, seagrasses are frequently exposed to anthropogenic heavy metal pollutants, which are associated with high levels of molecular damage. To determine whether biologically relevant concentrations of heavy metals cause systematic alterations in RNA expression patterns, we performed a gene expression study using transcriptome analyses (RNA-seq). We exposed the typical intertidal seagrass Zostera japonica to 0 and 50 μM of copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) under laboratory conditions. A total of 18,266 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, of which 2001 co-expressed genes directly related by Cu, Pb, and Cd stress. We also examined the effects of short-term heavy metal Cu, Pb, and Cd pulses on the accumulation of metals in Z. japonica and showed metal concentrations were higher in the shoots than in roots. Twelve differentially expressed genes were further analyzed for expression differences using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Our data suggest that as coastal seawater pollution worsens, the sensitive genes identified in this study may be useful biomarkers of sublethal effects and provide fundamental information for Z. japonica resistant gene engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiying Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Ruiting Gu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiaomei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Wei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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11
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Molecular level responses to chronic versus pulse nutrient loading in the seagrass Posidonia oceanica undergoing herbivore pressure. Oecologia 2018; 188:23-39. [PMID: 29845353 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4172-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 05/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Seagrasses are key marine foundation species, currently declining due to the compounded action of global and regional anthropogenic stressors. Eutrophication has been associated with seagrass decline, while grazing has been traditionally considered to be a natural disturbance with a relatively low impact on seagrasses. In the recent years, this assumption has been revisited. Here, by means of a 16-month field-experiment, we investigated the molecular mechanisms driving the long-term response of Posidonia oceanica to the combination of nutrient enrichment, either as a chronic (press) or pulse disturbance, and herbivory. Changes in expression levels of 19 target genes involved in key steps of photosynthesis, nutrient assimilation, chlorophyll metabolism, oxidative-stress response and plant defense were evaluated through reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). High herbivore pressure affected the molecular response of P. oceanica more dramatically than did enhanced nutrient levels, altering the expression of genes involved in plant tolerance and resistance traits, such as photosynthesis and defense mechanisms. Genes involved in carbon fixation and N assimilation modulated the response of plants to high nutrient levels. Availability of resources seems to modify P. oceanica response to herbivory, where the upregulation of a nitrate transporter gene was accompanied by the decline in the expression of nitrate reductase in the leaves, suggesting a change in plant-nutrient allocation strategy. Finally, press and pulse fertilizations altered nitrate uptake and reduction-related genes in opposite ways, suggesting that taking into account the temporal regime of nutrient loading is important to assess the physiological response of seagrasses to eutrophication.
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12
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Davey PA, Pernice M, Ashworth J, Kuzhiumparambil U, Szabó M, Dolferus R, Ralph PJ. A new mechanistic understanding of light-limitation in the seagrass Zostera muelleri. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2018; 134:55-67. [PMID: 29307464 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2017.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2017] [Revised: 11/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/17/2017] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
In this study we investigated the effect of light-limitation (∼20 μmol photons m-2 s-1) on the southern hemisphere seagrass, Zostera muelleri. RNA sequencing, chlorophyll fluorometry and HPLC techniques were used to investigate how the leaf-specific transcriptome drives changes in photosynthesis and photo-pigments in Z. muelleri over 6 days. 1593 (7.51%) genes were differentially expressed on day 2 and 1481 (6.98%) genes were differentially expressed on day 6 of the experiment. Differential gene expression correlated with significant decreases in rETRMax, Ik, an increase in Yi (initial photosynthetic quantum yield of photosystem II), and significant changes in pigment composition. Regulation of carbohydrate metabolism was observed along with evidence that abscisic acid may serve a role in the low-light response of this seagrass. This study provides a novel understanding of how Z. muelleri responds to light-limitation in the marine water column and provides potential molecular markers for future conservation monitoring efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter A Davey
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, Australia; Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research (TropWater), James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia.
| | - Mathieu Pernice
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Justin Ashworth
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Milán Szabó
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Rudy Dolferus
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Black Mountain, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Peter J Ralph
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, Australia
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