Chewing the fat: beta-oxidation in signalling and development

The poetry of nitrogen and carbon metabolic shifts: The role of C/N in pitaya phase change

Pitaya, a desert plant, has an underexplored flowering mechanism due to a lack of functional validation assays. This study reveals that the transition from vegetative to generative growth in pitaya is regulated by significant metabolic shift, underscoring the importance of understanding and address the challenging issue pitaya's phase change. Lateral buds from 6-years-old 'Guanhuahong' pitaya (Hylocereus monacanthus) plants were collected on April 8th, 18th, and 28th 2023, representing early, middle, and late stages of phase transition, respectively. Results showed diminished nitrogen levels concurrent with increased carbon levels and carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratios during pitaya phase transition. Transcriptomic analysis identified batches of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in downregulating nitrogen metabolism and upregulating carbon metabolism. These batches of genes play a central role in the metabolic shifts that predominantly regulate the transition to the generative phase in pitaya. This study unveils the intricate regulatory network involving 6 sugar synthesis and transport, 11 photoperiod (e.g., PHY, CRY, PIF) and 6 vernalization (e.g., VIN3) pathways, alongside 11 structural flowering genes (FCA, FLK, LFY, AGL) out of a vast array of potential candidates in pitaya phase change. These findings provide insights into the metabolic pathways involved in pitaya's phase transition, offering a theoretical framework for managing flowering, guiding breeding strategies to optimize flowering timing and improve crop yields under varied nitrogen conditions.

Proteome reorganization and amino acid metabolism during germination and seedling establishment in Lupinus albus

During germination plants rely entirely on their seed storage compounds to provide energy and precursors for the synthesis of macromolecular structures until the seedling has emerged from the soil and photosynthesis can be established. Lupin seeds use proteins as their major storage compounds, accounting for up to 40% of the seed dry weight. Lupins are therefore a valuable complement to soy as a source of plant protein for human and animal nutrition. The aim of this study was to elucidate how storage protein metabolism is coordinated with other metabolic processes to meet the requirements of the growing seedling. In a quantitative approach, we analysed seedling growth, as well as alterations in biomass composition, the proteome, and metabolite profiles during germination and seedling establishment in Lupinus albus. The reallocation of nitrogen resources from seed storage proteins to functional seed proteins was mapped based on a manually curated functional protein annotation database. Although classified as a protein crop, Lupinus albus does not use amino acids as a primary substrate for energy metabolism during germination. However, fatty acid and amino acid metabolism may be integrated at the level of malate synthase to combine stored carbon from lipids and proteins into gluconeogenesis.

The Molecular Frequency, Conservation and Role of Reactive Cysteines in Plant Lipid Metabolism

Cysteines (Cys) are chemically reactive amino acids containing sulfur that play diverse roles in plant biology. Recent proteomics investigations in Arabidopsis thaliana have revealed the presence of thiol post-translational modifications (PTMs) in several Cys residues. These PTMs are presumed to impact protein structure and function, yet mechanistic data regarding the specific Cys susceptible to modification and their biochemical relevance remain limited. To help address these limitations, we have conducted a wide-ranging analysis by integrating published datasets encompassing PTM proteomics (comparing S-sulfenylation, persulfidation, S-nitrosylation and S-acylation), genomics and protein structures, with a specific focus on proteins involved in plant lipid metabolism. The prevalence and distribution of modified Cys residues across all analyzed proteins is diverse and multifaceted. Nevertheless, by combining an evaluation of sequence conservation across 100+ plant genomes with AlphaFold-generated protein structures and physicochemical predictions, we have unveiled structural propensities associated with Cys modifications. Furthermore, we have identified discernible patterns in lipid biochemical pathways enriched with Cys PTMs, notably involving beta-oxidation, jasmonic acid biosynthesis, fatty acid biosynthesis and wax biosynthesis. These collective findings provide valuable insights for future investigations targeting the mechanistic foundations of Cys modifications and the regulation of modified proteins in lipid metabolism and other metabolic pathways.

Integrated Metabolomic and Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals the Underlying Antibacterial Mechanisms of the Phytonutrient Quercetin-Induced Fatty Acids Alteration in Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 27217

The utilization of natural products in food preservation represents a promising strategy for the dual benefits of controlling foodborne pathogens and enhancing the nutritional properties of foods. Among the phytonutrients, flavonoids have been shown to exert antibacterial effects by disrupting bacterial cell membrane functionality; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we investigated the effect of quercetin on the cell membrane permeability of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 27217. A combined metabolomic and transcriptomic approach was adopted to examine the regulatory mechanism of quercetin with respect to the fatty acid composition and associated genes. Kinetic analysis and molecular docking simulations were conducted to assess quercetin's inhibition of β-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (FabG), a potential target in the bacterial fatty acid biosynthesis pathway. Metabolomic and transcriptomic results showed that quercetin increased the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids and the levels of membrane phospholipids. The bacteria reacted to quercetin-induced stress by attempting to enhance fatty acid biosynthesis; however, quercetin directly inhibited FabG activity, thereby disrupting bacterial fatty acid biosynthesis. These findings provide new insights into the mechanism of quercetin's effects on bacterial cell membranes and suggest potential applications for quercetin in bacterial inhibition.

An auxin research odyssey: 1989-2023

The phytohormone auxin is at times called the master regulator of plant processes and has been shown to be a central player in embryo development, the establishment of the polar axis, early aspects of seedling growth, as well as growth and organ formation during later stages of plant development. The Plant Cell has been key, since the inception of the journal, to developing an understanding of auxin biology. Auxin-regulated plant growth control is accomplished by both changes in the levels of active hormones and the sensitivity of plant tissues to these concentration changes. In this historical review, we chart auxin research as it has progressed in key areas and highlight the role The Plant Cell played in these scientific developments. We focus on understanding auxin-responsive genes, transcription factors, reporter constructs, perception, and signal transduction processes. Auxin metabolism is discussed from the development of tryptophan auxotrophic mutants, the molecular biology of conjugate formation and hydrolysis, indole-3-butyric acid metabolism and transport, and key steps in indole-3-acetic acid biosynthesis, catabolism, and transport. This progress leads to an expectation of a more comprehensive understanding of the systems biology of auxin and the spatial and temporal regulation of cellular growth and development.

Vacuolar Sugar Transporter TMT2 Plays Crucial Roles in Germination and Seedling Development in Arabidopsis

Vacuolar sugar transporters transport sugar across the tonoplast, are major players in maintaining sugar homeostasis, and therefore play vital roles in plant growth, development, and biomass yield. In this study, we analyzed the physiological roles of the tonoplast monosaccharide transporter 2 (TMT2) in Arabidopsis. In contrast to the wild type (WT) that produced uniform seedlings, the tmt2 mutant produced three types of offspring: un-germinated seeds (UnG), seedlings that cannot form true leaves (tmt2-S), and seedlings that develop normally (tmt2-L). Sucrose, glucose, and fructose can substantially, but not completely, rescue the abnormal phenotypes of the tmt2 mutant. Abnormal cotyledon development, arrested true leaf development, and abnormal development of shoot apical meristem (SAM) were observed in tmt2-S seedlings. Cotyledons from the WT and tmt2-L seedlings restored the growth of tmt2-S seedlings through micrografting. Moreover, exogenous sugar sustained normal growth of tmt2-S seedlings with cotyledon removed. Finally, we found that the TMT2 deficiency resulted in growth defects, most likely via changing auxin signaling, target of rapamycin (TOR) pathways, and cellular nutrients. This study unveiled the essential functions of TMT2 for seed germination and initial seedling development, ensuring cotyledon function and mobilizing sugars from cotyledons to seedlings. It also expanded the current knowledge on sugar metabolism and signaling. These findings have fundamental implications for enhancing plant biomass production or seed yield in future agriculture.

Proteomic and Low-Polar Metabolite Profiling Reveal Unique Dynamics in Fatty Acid Metabolism during Flower and Berry Development of Table Grapes

Grapevine development and ripening are complex processes that involve several biochemical pathways, including fatty acid and lipid metabolism. Fatty acids are essential components of lipids, which play crucial roles in fruit maturation and flavor development. However, the dynamics of fatty acid metabolism in grape flowers and berries are poorly understood. In this study, we present those dynamics and investigate the mechanisms of fatty acid homeostasis on 'Thompson Seedless' berries using metabolomic and proteomic analyses. Low-polar metabolite profiling indicated a higher abundance of fatty acids at the pre-flowering and pre-veraison stages. Proteomic analyses revealed that grape flowers and berries display unique profiles of proteins involved in fatty acid biosynthesis, triacylglycerol assembly, fatty acid β-oxidation, and lipid signaling. These findings show, for the first time, that fatty acid metabolism also plays an important role in the development of non-oil-rich tissues, opening new perspectives about lipid function and its relation to berry quality.

Seedling establishment: The neglected trait in the seed longevity field

Seed longevity is a central actor in plant germplasm resource conservation, species reproduction, geographical distribution, crop yield and quality and food processing and safety. Seed longevity and vigor decrease gradually during storage, which directly influences seed germination and post-germination seedling establishment. It is noted that seedling establishment is a key shift from heterotropism to autotropism and is fueled by the energy reserved in the seeds per se. Numerous studies have demonstrated that expedited catabolism of triacylglycerols, fatty acid and sugars during seed storage is closely related to seed longevity. Storage of farm-saved seeds of elite cultivars for use in subsequent years is a common practice and it is recognized that aged seed (especially those stored under less-than-ideal conditions) can lead to poor seed germination, but the significance of poor seedling establishment as a separate factor capable of influencing crop yield has been overlooked. This review article summarizes the relationship between seed germination and seedling establishment and the effect of different seed reserves on seed longevity. Based on this, we emphasize the importance of simultaneous scoring of seedling establishment and germination percentage from aged seeds and discuss the reasons.

Zinc- and nickel-induced changes in fatty acid profiles in the zinc hyperaccumulator Arabidopsis halleri and non-accumulator Arabidopsis lyrata

This pilot study aimed at comparing zinc (Zn) and nickel (Ni) effects on the fatty acid (FA) profiles, oxidative stress and desaturase activity in the Zn hyperaccumulator Arabidopsis halleri and the excluder Arabidopsis lyrata to allow a better picture of the physiological mechanisms which may contribute to metal tolerance or acclimation. The most significant changes in the FA composition were observed in the shoots of the hyperaccumulator and in the roots of the excluder, and were not only metal-dependent, but also species-specific, since the most significant changes in the shoots of A. halleri were observed under Ni treatment, though Ni, in contrast to Zn, was accumulated mainly in its roots. Several FAs appeared in the roots and shoots of A. lyrata only upon metal exposure, whereas they were already found in control A. halleri. In both species, there was an increase in oleic acid under Ni treatment in both organs, whereas in Zn-treated plants the increase was shown only for the shoots. A rare conjugated α-parinaric acid was identified only in the shoots of metal-treated A. halleri. In the shoots of the hyperaccumulator, there was an increase in the content of saturated FAs and a decrease in the content of unsaturated FAs, while in the roots of the excluder, the opposite pattern was observed. These metal-induced changes in FA composition in the shoots of A. halleri can lead to a decrease in the fluidity of membranes, which could diminish the penetration of ROS into the membrane and thus maintain its stability.

Overexpression of Bacterial Beta-Ketothiolase Improves Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) Retting and Changes the Fibre Properties

Beta-ketothiolases are involved in the beta-oxidation of fatty acids and the metabolism of hormones, benzenoids, and hydroxybutyrate. The expression of bacterial beta-ketothiolase in flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) results in an increase in endogenous beta-ketothiolase mRNA levels and beta-hydroxybutyrate content. In the present work, the effect of overexpression of beta-ketothiolase on retting and stem and fibre composition of flax plants is presented. The content of the components was evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and biochemical methods. Changes in the stem cell walls, especially in the lower lignin and pectin content, resulted in more efficient retting. The overexpression of beta-ketothiolase reduced the fatty acid and carotenoid contents in flax and affected the distribution of phenolic compounds between free and cell wall-bound components. The obtained fibres were characterized by a slightly lower content of phenolic compounds and changes in the composition of the cell wall. Based on the IR analysis, we concluded that the production of hydroxybutyrate reduced the cellulose crystallinity and led to the formation of shorter but more flexible cellulose chains, while not changing the content of the cell wall components. We speculate that the changes in chemical composition of the stems and fibres are the result of the regulatory properties of hydroxybutyrate. This provides us with a novel way to influence metabolic composition in agriculturally important crops.

Assay of Reactive Oxygen/Nitrogen Species (ROS/RNS) in Arabidopsis Peroxisomes Through Fluorescent Protein Containing a Type 1 Peroxisomal Targeting Signal (PTS1)

Plant peroxisomes have an active nitro-oxidative metabolism. However, the assay of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) could be a challenge since the purification of peroxisomes is technically a high time-consuming approach that needs to be optimized for each tissue/organ (root, leaf, fruit) and plant species. Arabidopsis thaliana, as a model plant for biochemical and molecular studies, has become a useful tool to study the basic metabolism, including also that of ROS/RNS. The combination of specific fluorescent probes with Arabidopsis plants expressing a fluorescent protein containing a type 1 peroxisomal targeting signal (PTS1) is a powerful tool to address the profile of ROS/RNS in peroxisomes by confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). This chapter provides a detailed description to detect the content and distribution of ROS and RNS in Arabidopsis peroxisomes, together with a critical analysis of their potentialities and limitations, since these approaches require appropriate controls to corroborate the obtained data.

Management of plant central metabolism by SnRK1 protein kinases

SUCROSE NON-FERMENTING1 (SNF1)-RELATED KINASE 1 (SnRK1) is an evolutionarily conserved protein kinase with key roles in plant stress responses. SnRK1 is activated when energy levels decline during stress, reconfiguring metabolism and gene expression to favour catabolism over anabolism, and ultimately to restore energy balance and homeostasis. The capacity to efficiently redistribute resources is crucial to cope with adverse environmental conditions and, accordingly, genetic manipulations that increase SnRK1 activity are generally associated with enhanced tolerance to stress. In addition to its well-established function in stress responses, an increasing number of studies implicate SnRK1 in the homeostatic control of metabolism during the regular day-night cycle and in different organs and developmental stages. Here, we review how the genetic manipulation of SnRK1 alters central metabolism in several plant species and tissue types. We complement this with studies that provide mechanistic insight into how SnRK1 modulates metabolism, identifying changes in transcripts of metabolic components, altered enzyme activities, or direct regulation of enzymes or transcription factors by SnRK1 via phosphorylation. We identify patterns of response that centre on the maintenance of sucrose levels, in an analogous manner to the role described for its mammalian orthologue in the control of blood glucose homeostasis. Finally, we highlight several knowledge gaps and technical limitations that will have to be addressed in future research aiming to fully understand how SnRK1 modulates metabolism at the cellular and whole-plant levels.

Purple acid phosphatase2 stimulates a futile cycle of lipid synthesis and degradation, and mitigates the negative growth effects of triacylglycerol accumulation in vegetative tissues

Storage lipids (mostly triacylglycerols, TAGs) serve as an important energy and carbon reserve in plants, and hyperaccumulation of TAG in vegetative tissues can have negative effects on plant growth. Purple acid phosphatase2 (PAP2) was previously shown to affect carbon metabolism and boost plant growth. However, the effects of PAP2 on lipid metabolism remain unknown. Here, we demonstrated that PAP2 can stimulate a futile cycle of fatty acid (FA) synthesis and degradation, and mitigate negative growth effects associated with high accumulation of TAG in vegetative tissues. Constitutive expression of PAP2 in Arabidopsis thaliana enhanced both lipid synthesis and degradation in leaves and led to a substantial increase in seed oil yield. Suppressing lipid degradation in a PAP2-overexpressing line by disrupting sugar-dependent1 (SDP1), a predominant TAG lipase, significantly elevated vegetative TAG content and improved plant growth. Diverting FAs from membrane lipids to TAGs in PAP2-overexpressing plants by constitutively expressing phospholipid:diacylglycerol acyltransferase1 (PDAT1) greatly increased TAG content in vegetative tissues without compromising biomass yield. These results highlight the potential of combining PAP2 with TAG-promoting factors to enhance carbon assimilation, FA synthesis and allocation to TAGs for optimized plant growth and storage lipid accumulation in vegetative tissues.

Peroxisome-Mediated Reactive Oxygen Species Signals Modulate Programmed Cell Death in Plants

Peroxisomes are a class of simple organelles that play an important role in plant reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism. Experimental evidence reveals the involvement of ROS in programmed cell death (PCD) in plants. Plant PCD is crucial for the regulation of plant growth, development and environmental stress resistance. However, it is unclear whether the ROS originated from peroxisomes participated in cellular PCD. Enzymes involved in the peroxisomal ROS metabolic pathways are key mediators to figure out the relationship between peroxisome-derived ROS and PCD. Here, we summarize the peroxisomal ROS generation and scavenging pathways and explain how peroxisome-derived ROS participate in PCD based on recent progress in the functional study of enzymes related to peroxisomal ROS generation or scavenging. We aimed to elucidate the role of the peroxisomal ROS regulatory system in cellular PCD to show its potential in terms of accurate PCD regulation, which contribute to environmental stress resistance.

Transcriptome and Metabolome Analyses Provide Insights Into the Composition and Biosynthesis of Grassy Aroma Volatiles in White-Fleshed Pitaya

Aroma is one of the major inherent quality characteristics in fruits. Understanding the composition of aroma volatiles and their biosynthesis mechanism is crucial to improving fruit quality. However, the biosynthesis mechanism of aroma volatiles has not been characterized yet in white-fleshed pitaya (Hylocereus undatus). This study was performed to investigate aroma volatiles and related gene expression patterns in the pulp of "mild grassy" and "strong grassy" aroma cultivars. Analysis of volatile composition and concentration showed that aldehydes, alcohols, esters, and alkenes were predominant in both cultivars. However, comparative analysis revealed a significant difference in the concentration of several metabolites, particularly hexanal and 1-hexanol. The results of the comparative transcriptome identified a large number of aroma-related differentially expressed genes. The majority of these genes were enriched in fatty acid and isoleucine degradation pathways. According to integrative analyses, changes in the expression of lipoxygenase pathway genes, specifically FAD, LOXs, HPLs, and ADHs, probably lead to the difference in strength of "grassy" aroma between both cultivars. The qRT-PCR of 18 aroma-related genes was performed to validate the transcriptome analysis. Our results identified key genes and pathways connected with the biosynthesis of aroma volatiles in white-fleshed pitaya. These results will be useful to dissect the genetic mechanism of fruit aroma in white-fleshed pitaya.

The evolutionarily conserved kinase SnRK1 orchestrates resource mobilization during Arabidopsis seedling establishment

The onset of plant life is characterized by a major phase transition. During early heterotrophic seedling establishment, seed storage reserves fuel metabolic demands, allowing the plant to switch to autotrophic metabolism. Although metabolic pathways leading to storage compound mobilization are well-described, the regulatory circuits remain largely unresolved. Using an inducible knockdown approach of the evolutionarily conserved energy master regulator Snf1-RELATED-PROTEIN-KINASE1 (SnRK1), phenotypic studies reveal its crucial function in Arabidopsis thaliana seedling establishment. Importantly, glucose feeding largely restores growth defects of the kinase mutant, supporting its major impact in resource mobilization. Detailed metabolite studies reveal sucrose as a primary resource early in seedling establishment, in a SnRK1-independent manner. Later, SnRK1 orchestrates catabolism of triacylglycerols and amino acids. Concurrent transcriptomic studies highlight SnRK1 functions in controlling metabolic hubs fuelling gluconeogenesis, as exemplified by cytosolic PYRUVATE ORTHOPHOSPHATE DIKINASE (cyPPDK). Here, SnRK1 establishes its function via phosphorylation of the transcription factor BASIC LEUCINE ZIPPER63 (bZIP63), which directly targets and activates the cyPPDK promoter. Taken together, our results disclose developmental and catabolic functions of SnRK1 in seed storage mobilization and describe a prototypic gene regulatory mechanism. As seedling establishment is important for plant vigor and crop yield, our findings are of agronomical importance.

Peroxisomal Proteome Mining of Sweet Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Fruit Ripening Through Whole Isobaric Tags for Relative and Absolute Quantitation Analysis

Peroxisomes are ubiquitous organelles from eukaryotic cells characterized by an active nitro-oxidative metabolism. They have a relevant metabolic plasticity depending on the organism, tissue, developmental stage, or physiological/stress/environmental conditions. Our knowledge of peroxisomal metabolism from fruits is very limited but its proteome is even less known. Using sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) fruits at two ripening stages (immature green and ripe red), it was analyzed the proteomic peroxisomal composition by quantitative isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based protein profiling. For this aim, it was accomplished a comparative analysis of the pepper fruit whole proteome obtained by iTRAQ versus the identified peroxisomal protein profile from Arabidopsis thaliana. This allowed identifying 57 peroxisomal proteins. Among these proteins, 49 were located in the peroxisomal matrix, 36 proteins had a peroxisomal targeting signal type 1 (PTS1), 8 had a PTS type 2, 5 lacked this type of peptide signal, and 8 proteins were associated with the membrane of this organelle. Furthermore, 34 proteins showed significant differences during the ripening of the fruits, 19 being overexpressed and 15 repressed. Based on previous biochemical studies using purified peroxisomes from pepper fruits, it could be said that some of the identified peroxisomal proteins were corroborated as part of the pepper fruit antioxidant metabolism (catalase, superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, dehydroascorbate reductaseglutathione reductase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase and NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase), the β-oxidation pathway (acyl-coenzyme A oxidase, 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase, enoyl-CoA hydratase), while other identified proteins could be considered "new" or "unexpected" in fruit peroxisomes like urate oxidase (UO), sulfite oxidase (SO), 5-methyltetrahydropteroyltriglutamate-homocysteine methyltransferase (METE1), 12-oxophytodienoate reductase 3 (OPR3) or 4-coumarate-CoA ligase (4CL), which participate in different metabolic pathways such as purine, sulfur, L-methionine, jasmonic acid (JA) or phenylpropanoid metabolisms. In summary, the present data provide new insights into the complex metabolic machinery of peroxisomes in fruit and open new windows of research into the peroxisomal functions during fruit ripening.

ROS-Scavenging Therapeutic Hydrogels for Modulation of the Inflammatory Response

Although reactive oxygen species (ROS) are essential for cellular processes, excessive ROS could be a major cause of various inflammatory diseases because of the oxidation of proteins, DNA, and membrane lipids. It has recently been suggested that the amount of ROS could thus be regulated to treat such physiological disorders. A ROS-scavenging hydrogel is a promising candidate for therapeutic applications because of its high biocompatibility, 3D matrix, and ability to be modified. Approaches to conferring antioxidant properties to normal hydrogels include embedding ROS-scavenging catalytic nanoparticles, modifying hydrogel polymer chains with ROS-adsorbing organic moieties, and incorporating ROS-labile linkers in polymer backbones. Such therapeutic hydrogels can be used for wound healing, cardiovascular diseases, bone repair, ocular diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders. ROS-scavenging hydrogels could eliminate oxidative stress, accelerate the regeneration process, and show synergetic effects with other drugs or therapeutic molecules. In this review, the mechanisms by which ROS are generated and scavenged in the body are outlined, and the effects of high levels of ROS and the resulting oxidative stress on inflammatory diseases are described. Next, the mechanism of ROS scavenging by hydrogels is explained depending on the ROS-scavenging agents embedded within the hydrogel. Lastly, the recent achievements in the development of ROS-scavenging hydrogels to treat various inflammation-associated diseases are presented.

Physiological and Biochemical Responses, and Comparative Transcriptome Profiling of Two Angelica sinensis Cultivars Under Enhanced Ultraviolet-B Radiation

In this study, we explored the adaptive mechanism of two varieties of Angelica sinensis exposed to enhanced Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation. The radiation had different effects on the biomass, photosynthetic performance, oxidative damage, antioxidant defense system, and levels of bioactive compounds of Mingui 1 (C1) and Mingui 2 (C2). C2 outperformed C1 under enhanced UV-B radiation, compared to natural light. Using the Illumina RNA-seq, we obtained 6,326 and 2,583 DEGs in C1 and C2, respectively. Under enhanced UV-B radiation, the mRNA levels of genes involved in photosynthesis, antennae protein synthesis, carbon fixation, chlorophyll synthesis, and carotenoid synthesis were decreased in C1 but stable in C2, involving few DEGs. TFs were widely involved in the response of C1 to enhanced UV-B radiation; almost all bHLH and MYB coding genes were downregulated whereas almost all genes encoded WRKY22, WRKY50, WRKY72, NCF, and HSF were upregulated. These results indicate that enhanced UV-B radiation was not conducive to the synthesis of flavonoids, while disease resistance was enhanced. Regarding the ROS scavenging system, upregulated DEGs were mainly found in the AsA-GSH cycle and PrxR/Trx pathways. Remarkably, DEGs that those encoding biosynthetic key enzymes, including ferulic acid (CHS, CHI, DFR, and ANS) and flavonoid (CHS, CHI, DFR, and ANS), most upregulation in C2, leading to increased accumulation of ferulic acid and flavonoids and adversely affecting C1. Genes encoding key enzymes involved in the synthesis of lactone components (ACX, PXG) were mostly up-regulated in C1, increasing the content of lactone components. Our results reveal the DEGs present between C1 and C2 under enhanced UV-B radiation and are consistent with the observed differences in physiological and biochemical indexes. C1 was more sensitive to enhanced UV-B radiation, and C2 was more tolerant to it under moderate enhanced UV-B radiation stress. In addition, the large amount of A. sinensis transcriptome data generated here will serve as a source for finding effective ways to mitigate UV-B enhancement, and also contribute to the well-established lack of genetic information for non-model plant species.

Reactive oxygen species and organellar signaling

The evolution of photosynthesis and its associated metabolic pathways has been crucial to the successful establishment of plants, but has also challenged plant cells in the form of production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Intriguingly, multiple forms of ROS are generated in virtually every plant cell compartment through diverse pathways. As a result, a sophisticated network of ROS detoxification and signaling that is simultaneously tailored to individual organelles and safeguards the entire cell is necessary. Here we take an organelle-centric view on the principal sources and sinks of ROS across the plant cell and provide insights into the ROS-induced organelle to nucleus retrograde signaling pathways needed for operational readjustments during environmental stresses.

An auxin signaling network translates low-sugar-state input into compensated cell enlargement in the fugu5 cotyledon

In plants, the effective mobilization of seed nutrient reserves is crucial during germination and for seedling establishment. The Arabidopsis H+-PPase-loss-of-function fugu5 mutants exhibit a reduced number of cells in the cotyledons. This leads to enhanced post-mitotic cell expansion, also known as compensated cell enlargement (CCE). While decreased cell numbers have been ascribed to reduced gluconeogenesis from triacylglycerol, the molecular mechanisms underlying CCE remain ill-known. Given the role of indole 3-butyric acid (IBA) in cotyledon development, and because CCE in fugu5 is specifically and completely cancelled by ech2, which shows defective IBA-to-indoleacetic acid (IAA) conversion, IBA has emerged as a potential regulator of CCE. Here, to further illuminate the regulatory role of IBA in CCE, we used a series of high-order mutants that harbored a specific defect in IBA-to-IAA conversion, IBA efflux, IAA signaling, or vacuolar type H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) activity and analyzed the genetic interaction with fugu5-1. We found that while CCE in fugu5 was promoted by IBA, defects in IBA-to-IAA conversion, IAA response, or the V-ATPase activity alone cancelled CCE. Consistently, endogenous IAA in fugu5 reached a level 2.2-fold higher than the WT in 1-week-old seedlings. Finally, the above findings were validated in icl-2, mls-2, pck1-2 and ibr10 mutants, in which CCE was triggered by low sugar contents. This provides a scenario in which following seed germination, the low-sugar-state triggers IAA synthesis, leading to CCE through the activation of the V-ATPase. These findings illustrate how fine-tuning cell and organ size regulation depend on interplays between metabolism and IAA levels in plants.

Jasmonic Acid Signaling and Molecular Crosstalk with Other Phytohormones

Plants continually monitor their innate developmental status and external environment and make adjustments to balance growth, differentiation and stress responses using a complex and highly interconnected regulatory network composed of various signaling molecules and regulatory proteins. Phytohormones are an essential group of signaling molecules that work through a variety of different pathways conferring plasticity to adapt to the everchanging developmental and environmental cues. Of these, jasmonic acid (JA), a lipid-derived molecule, plays an essential function in controlling many different plant developmental and stress responses. In the past decades, significant progress has been made in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie JA metabolism, perception, signal transduction and its crosstalk with other phytohormone signaling pathways. In this review, we discuss the JA signaling pathways starting from its biosynthesis to JA-responsive gene expression, highlighting recent advances made in defining the key transcription factors and transcriptional regulatory proteins involved. We also discuss the nature and degree of crosstalk between JA and other phytohormone signaling pathways, highlighting recent breakthroughs that broaden our knowledge of the molecular bases underlying JA-regulated processes during plant development and biotic stress responses.

Molecular Control of Oil Metabolism in the Endosperm of Seeds

In angiosperm seeds, the endosperm develops to varying degrees and accumulates different types of storage compounds remobilized by the seedling during early post-germinative growth. Whereas the molecular mechanisms controlling the metabolism of starch and seed-storage proteins in the endosperm of cereal grains are relatively well characterized, the regulation of oil metabolism in the endosperm of developing and germinating oilseeds has received particular attention only more recently, thanks to the emergence and continuous improvement of analytical techniques allowing the evaluation, within a spatial context, of gene activity on one side, and lipid metabolism on the other side. These studies represent a fundamental step toward the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms governing oil metabolism in this particular tissue. In particular, they highlight the importance of endosperm-specific transcriptional controls for determining original oil compositions usually observed in this tissue. In the light of this research, the biological functions of oils stored in the endosperm of seeds then appear to be more diverse than simply constituting a source of carbon made available for the germinating seedling.

Isolation and comparative proteomic analysis of mitochondria from the pulp of ripening citrus fruit

Mitochondria are crucial for the production of primary and secondary metabolites, which largely determine the quality of fruit. However, a method for isolating high-quality mitochondria is currently not available in citrus fruit, preventing high-throughput characterization of mitochondrial functions. Here, based on differential and discontinuous Percoll density gradient centrifugation, we devised a universal protocol for isolating mitochondria from the pulp of four major citrus species, including satsuma mandarin, ponkan mandarin, sweet orange, and pummelo. Western blot analysis and microscopy confirmed the high purity and intactness of the isolated mitochondria. By using this protocol coupled with a label-free proteomic approach, a total of 3353 nonredundant proteins were identified. Comparison of the four mitochondrial proteomes revealed that the proteins commonly detected in all proteomes participate in several typical metabolic pathways (such as tricarboxylic acid cycle, pyruvate metabolism, and oxidative phosphorylation) and pathways closely related to fruit quality (such as γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) shunt, ascorbate metabolism, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites). In addition, differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) between different types of species were also identified; these were found to be mainly involved in fatty acid and amino acid metabolism and were further confirmed to be localized to the mitochondria by subcellular localization analysis. In summary, the proposed protocol for the isolation of highly pure mitochondria from different citrus fruits may be used to obtain high-coverage mitochondrial proteomes, which can help to establish the association between mitochondrial metabolism and fruit storability or quality characteristics of different species and lay the foundation for discovering novel functions of mitochondria in plants.

A meta-analysis of transcriptomic profiles reveals molecular pathways response to cadmium stress of Gramineae

As a non-essential heavy metal, cadmium (Cd) is toxic to plants. In the last 15 years, over 70 transcriptome studies have been published to decipher the molecular response mechanism against Cd stress in different plants. To extract generalization results from transcriptomic data across different plants and obtain some hub genes that respond to Cd stress, we carried out a meta-analysis of 32 published datasets. Cluster analysis revealed that plant species played a more decisive role than the media used and exposure time in the transcriptome patterns of plant roots response to Cd. The datasets from a Gramineae-like (GL) group were closer in clustering. 838 DEGs were commonly Cd-regulated in at least nine of 18 GL datasets. Gene ontology and KEGG pathway analyses revealed that oxidative stress-related terms and lignin synthesis-related terms were significantly enriched. Mapman analysis revealed that these common DEGs were mainly involved in regulation, cellular response, secondary metabolism, transport, cell wall and lipid metabolism. In Oryza sativa, 15 DEGs were up-regulated in at least four of five HM (As, Cr, Cd, Hg and Pb) groups, such as Os10g0517500 (methionine gamma-lyase) and Os01g0159800 (bHLH107). Moreover, our datasets can be used to retrieve log2FC value of specific genes across 29 studies (48 datasets), which provides data reference for the subsequent selection of HM-related genes. Our results provide the basis for further understanding of Cd tolerance mechanisms in plants.

Genome-wide association study reveals a patatin-like lipase relating to the reduction of seed oil content in Brassica napus

BACKGROUND

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is an important oil crop world-widely cultivated, and seed oil content (SOC) is one of the most important traits for rapeseed. To increase SOC, many efforts for promoting the function of genes on lipid biosynthesis pathway have been previously made. However, seed oil formation is a dynamic balance between lipid synthesis and breakdown. It is, therefore, also reasonable to weaken or eliminate the function of genes involved in lipid degradation for a higher final SOC.

RESULTS

We applied a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on SOC in a collection of 290 core germplasm accessions. A total of 2,705,480 high-quality SNPs were used in the GWAS, and we identified BnaC07g30920D, a patatin-like lipase (PTL) gene, that was associated with SOC. In particular, six single-nucleotide-polymorphisms (SNPs) in the promoter region of BnaC07g30920D were associated with the significant reduction of SOC, leading to a 4.7-6.2% reduction of SOCs. We performed in silico analysis to show a total of 40 PTLs, which were divided into four clades, evenly distributed on the A and C subgenomes of Brassica napus. RNA-seq analysis unveiled that BnPTLs were preferentially expressed in reproductive tissues especially maturing seeds.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified BnaC07g30920D, a BnPTL gene, that was associated with SOC using GWAS and performed in silico analysis of 40 PTLs in Brassica napus. The results enrich our knowledge about the SOC formation in rapeseed and facilitate the future study in functional characterization of BnPTL genes.

Mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation is required for storage-lipid catabolism in a marine diatom

Photoautotrophic growth in nature requires the accumulation of energy-containing molecules via photosynthesis during daylight to fuel nighttime catabolism. Many diatoms store photosynthate as the neutral lipid triacylglycerol (TAG). While the pathways of diatom fatty acid and TAG synthesis appear to be well conserved with plants, the pathways of TAG catabolism and downstream fatty acid β-oxidation have not been characterised in diatoms. We identified a putative mitochondria-targeted, bacterial-type acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (PtMACAD1) that is present in Stramenopile and Hacrobian eukaryotes, but not found in plants, animals or fungi. Gene knockout, protein-YFP tags and physiological assays were used to determine PtMACAD1's role in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. PtMACAD1 is located in the mitochondria. Absence of PtMACAD1 led to no consumption of TAG at night and slower growth in light : dark cycles compared with wild-type. Accumulation of transcripts encoding peroxisomal-based β-oxidation did not change in response to day : night cycles or to PtMACAD1 knockout. Mutants also hyperaccumulated TAG after the amelioration of N limitation. We conclude that diatoms utilise mitochondrial β-oxidation; this is in stark contrast to the peroxisomal-based pathways observed in plants and green algae. We infer that this pattern is caused by retention of catabolic pathways from the host during plastid secondary endosymbiosis.

Molecular Evolution of Maize Ascorbate Peroxidase Genes and Their Functional Divergence

Ascorbate peroxidase (APX) is an important antioxidant enzyme. APXs in maize are encoded by multiple genes and exist as isoenzymes. The evolutionary history and functional divergence of the maize APX gene family were analyzed through comparative genomic and experimental data on the Internet in this paper. APX genes in higher plants were divided into classes A, B, and C. Each type of APX gene in angiosperms only had one ancestral gene that was duplicated along with the genome duplication or local (or tandem) duplication of the angiosperm. A total of eight genes were retained in maize and named APXa1, APXa2, APXa3, APXb1, APXb2, APXc1.1, APXc1.2, and APXc2. The APX genes of class A were located in the chloroplasts or mitochondria, and the class B and C genes were localized in the peroxisomes and cytoplasm, respectively. The expression patterns of eight APXs were different in vegetative and reproductive organs at different growth and development stages. APXa1 and APXb1 of maize may participate in the antioxidant metabolism of vegetative organs under normal conditions. APXa2, APXb2, APXc1.1, and APXc1.2 may be involved in the stress response, and APXb2 and APXc2 may participate in the senescence response. These results provide a basis for cultivating high-yield and resistant maize varieties.

Genome-Wide Analysis of OPR Family Genes in Cotton Identified a Role for GhOPR9 in Verticillium dahliae Resistance

The 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid reductases (OPRs) have been proven to play a major role in plant development and growth. Although the classification and functions of OPRs have been well understood in Arabidopsis, tomato, rice, maize, and wheat, the information of OPR genes in cotton genome and their responses to biotic and abiotic stresses have not been reported. In this study, we found 10 and 9 OPR genes in Gossypium hirsutum and Gossypium barbadense, respectively. They were classified into three groups, based on the similar gene structure and conserved protein motifs. These OPR genes just located on chromosome 01, chromosome 05, and chromosome 06. In addition, the whole genome duplication (WGD) or segmental duplication events contributed to the evolution of the OPR gene family. The analyses of cis-acting regulatory elements of GhOPRs showed that the functions of OPR genes in cotton might be related to growth, development, hormone, and stresses. Expression patterns showed that GhOPRs were upregulated under salt treatment and repressed by polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG6000). The expression patterns of GhOPRs were different in leaf, root, and stem under V. dahliae infection. GhOPR9 showed a higher expression level than other OPR genes in cotton root. The virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) analysis suggested that knockdown of GhOPR9 could increase the susceptibility of cotton to V. dahliae infection. Furthermore, GhOPR9 also modulated the expressions of jasmonic acid (JA) pathway-regulated genes under the V. dahliae infection. Overall, our results provided the evolution and potential functions of the OPR genes in cotton. These findings suggested that GhOPR9 might play an important role in cotton resistance to V. dahliae.

Plant Peroxisomes: A Factory of Reactive Species

Plant peroxisomes are organelles enclosed by a single membrane whose biochemical composition has the capacity to adapt depending on the plant tissue, developmental stage, as well as internal and external cellular stimuli. Apart from the peroxisomal metabolism of reactive oxygen species (ROS), discovered several decades ago, new molecules with signaling potential, including nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S), have been detected in these organelles in recent years. These molecules generate a family of derived molecules, called reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and reactive sulfur species (RSS), whose peroxisomal metabolism is autoregulated through posttranslational modifications (PTMs) such as S-nitrosation, nitration and persulfidation. The peroxisomal metabolism of these reactive species, which can be weaponized against pathogens, is susceptible to modification in response to external stimuli. This review aims to provide up-to-date information on crosstalk between these reactive species families and peroxisomes, as well as on their cellular environment in light of the well-recognized signaling properties of H2O2, NO and H2S.

Seed Germination in Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.): A Review of Metabolic Pathways and Control Mechanisms

Oil palm is an oil-producing crop of major importance at the global scale. Oil palm mesocarp lipids are used for myriads industrial applications, and market demand has been growing for decades. In addition, oil palm seeds are oleaginous, and the oil extracted therefrom can be used for several purposes, from food to cosmetics. As such, there is a huge need in oil palm seeds to maintain the global cohort of more than 2 billion trees. However, oil palm seed germination is a rather difficult process, not only to break dormancy, but also because it is long and often reaches lower-than-expected germination rates. Surprisingly, despite the crucial importance of germination for oil palm plantation management, our knowledge is still rather limited, in particular about germinating oil palm seed metabolism. The present review incorporates different pieces of information that have been obtained in the past few years, in oil palm and in other palm species, in order to provide an overview of germination metabolism and its control. Further insights can also be gained from other oleaginous model plants, such as Arabidopsis or canola, however, palm seeds have peculiarities that must be accounted for, to gain a better understanding of germinating seed metabolism.

Wound- and pathogen-activated de novo JA synthesis using different ACX isozymes in tea plant (Camellia sinensis)

Acyl-CoA oxidase (ACX; EC 1.3.3.6) plays a vital role in the biosynthesis of jasmonic acid (JA) in plant peroxisomes. We previously identified an herbivore-induced gene CsACX1 in tea plant (Camellia sinensis) and showed CsACX1 was involved in the wound-induced synthesis of jasmonic acid (JA). Here, another ACX gene CsACX3 was isolated from tea plant. CsACX3 was predicted to consist of 684 amino acid residues. CsACX3 can be induced by mechanical wounding, JA application, and infestation by the tea geometrid Ectropis obliqua Prout and the tea green leafhopper Empoasca (Matsumurasca) onukii Matsuda. These expression patterns are consistent with the previously reported expression pattern of CsACX1 under such treatments. Recombinant CsACX3 showed preference for medium-chain acyl-coA oxidase substrates (C₈- to C₁₄-CoA). CsACX3 expression could also be induced by the infection of a pathogen Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Cgl), and the increased ACX activities in tea plants were correlated with the Cgl-induced CsACX3 expression. Cgl could not induce the expression of CsACX1, which showed preference for C₁₂- to C₁₆-CoA substrates. The constitutive expression of CsACX3 rescued wound-induced JA biosynthesis and enhanced the Cgl-induced JA biosynthesis in Arabidopsis mutant atacx1. However, constitutive expression of CsACX1 could not enhance the Cgl-induced JA biosynthesis in atacx1 plant. These results indicate that CsACX1 and CsACX3 functions overlap and have distinct roles in the wound- and pathogen-activated de novo JA synthesis via enzymatic routes that utilize different ACX isozymes in tea plant.

Protein S-acyl transferase 15 is involved in seed triacylglycerol catabolism during early seedling growth in Arabidopsis

Seeds of Arabidopsis contain ~40% oil, which is primarily in the form of triacylglycerol and it is converted to sugar to support post-germination growth. We identified an Arabidopsis T-DNA knockout mutant that is sugar-dependent during early seedling establishment and determined that the β-oxidation process involved in catabolising the free fatty acids released from the seed triacylglycerol is impaired. The mutant was confirmed to be transcriptional null for Protein Acyl Transferase 15, AtPAT15 (At5g04270), one of the 24 protein acyl transferases in Arabidopsis. Although it is the shortest, AtPAT15 contains the signature 'Asp-His-His-Cys cysteine-rich domain' that is essential for the enzyme activity of this family of proteins. The function of AtPAT15 was validated by the fact that it rescued the growth defect of the yeast protein acyl transferase mutant akr1 and it was also auto-acylated in vitro. Transient expression in Arabidopsis and tobacco localised AtPAT15 in the Golgi apparatus. Taken together, our data demonstrate that AtPAT15 is involved in β-oxidation of triacylglycerol, revealing the importance of protein S-acylation in the breakdown of seed-storage lipids during early seedling growth of Arabidopsis.

Involvement of OpsLTP1 from Opuntia streptacantha in abiotic stress adaptation and lipid metabolism

Plant lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) exhibit the ability to transfer lipids between membranes in vitro, and have been implicated in diverse physiological processes associated to plant growth, reproduction, development, biotic and abiotic stress responses. However, their mode of action is not yet fully understood. To explore the functions of the OpsLTP1 gene encoding a LTP from cactus pear Opuntia streptacantha Lem., we generated transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. plants to overexpress OpsLTP1 and contrasted our results with the loss-of-function mutant ltp3 from A. thaliana under abiotic stress conditions. The ltp3 mutant seeds showed impaired germination under salt and osmotic treatments, in contrast to OpsLTP1 overexpressing lines that displayed significant increases in germination rate. Moreover, stress recovery assays showed that ltp3 mutant seedlings were more sensitive to salt and osmotic treatments than wild-type plants suggesting that AtLTP3 is required for stress-induced responses, while the OpsLTP1 overexpressing line showed no significant differences. In addition, OpsLTP1 overexpressing and ltp3 mutant seeds stored lower amount of total lipids compared with wild-type seeds, showing changes primarily on 16C and 18C fatty acids. However, ltp3 mutant also lead changes in lipid profile and no over concrete lipids which may suggest a compensatory activation of other LTPs. Interestingly, linoleic acid (18:2ω6) was consistently increased in neutral, galactoglycerolipids and phosphoglycerolipids of OpsLTP1 overexpressing line indicating a role of OpsLTP1 in the modulation of lipid composition in A. thaliana.

Mutagenesis separates ATPase and thioesterase activities of the peroxisomal ABC transporter, Comatose

The peroxisomal ABC transporter, Comatose (CTS), a full length transporter from Arabidopsis has intrinsic acyl-CoA thioesterase (ACOT) activity, important for physiological function. We used molecular modelling, mutagenesis and biochemical analysis to identify amino acid residues important for ACOT activity. D863, Q864 and T867 lie within transmembrane helix 9. These residues are orientated such that they might plausibly contribute to a catalytic triad similar to type II Hotdog fold thioesterases. When expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, mutation of these residues to alanine resulted in defective of β-oxidation. All CTS mutants were expressed and targeted to peroxisomes and retained substrate-stimulated ATPase activity. When expressed in insect cell membranes, Q864A and S810N had similar ATPase activity to wild type but greatly reduced ACOT activity, whereas the Walker A mutant K487A had greatly reduced ATPase and no ATP-dependent ACOT activity. In wild type CTS, ATPase but not ACOT was stimulated by non-cleavable C14 ether-CoA. ACOT activity was stimulated by ATP but not by non-hydrolysable AMPPNP. Thus, ACOT activity depends on functional ATPase activity but not vice versa, and these two activities can be separated by mutagenesis. Whether D863, Q864 and T867 have a catalytic role or play a more indirect role in NBD-TMD communication is discussed.

A Prunus persica genome-wide RNA-seq approach uncovers major differences in the transcriptome among chilling injury sensitive and non-sensitive varieties

Chilling injury represents a major constrain for crops productivity. Prunus persica, one of the most relevant rosacea crops, have early season varieties that are resistant to chilling injury, in contrast to late season varieties, which display chilling symptoms such as mealiness (dry, sandy fruit mesocarp) after prolonged storage at chilling temperatures. To uncover the molecular processes related to the ability of early varieties to withstand mealiness, postharvest and genome-wide RNA-seq assessments were performed in two early and two late varieties. Differences in juice content and ethylene biosynthesis were detected among early and late season fruits that became mealy after exposed to prolonged chilling. Principal component and data distribution analysis revealed that cold-stored late variety fruit displayed an exacerbated and unique transcriptome profile when compared to any other postharvest condition. A differential expression analysis performed using an empirical Bayes mixture modeling approach followed by co-expression and functional enrichment analysis uncover processes related to ethylene, lipids, cell wall, carotenoids and DNA metabolism, light response, and plastid homeostasis associated to the susceptibility or resistance of P. persica varieties to chilling stress. Several of the genes related to these processes are in quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated to mealiness in P. persica. Together, these analyses exemplify how P. persica can be used as a model for studying chilling stress in plants.

Re-evaluation of physical interaction between plant peroxisomes and other organelles using live-cell imaging techniques

The dynamic behavior of organelles is essential for plant survival under various environmental conditions. Plant organelles, with various functions, migrate along actin filaments and contact other types of organelles, leading to physical interactions at a specific site called the membrane contact site. Recent studies have revealed the importance of physical interactions in maintaining efficient metabolite flow between organelles. In this review, we first summarize peroxisome function under different environmental conditions and growth stages to understand organelle interactions. We then discuss current knowledge regarding the interactions between peroxisome and other organelles, i.e., the oil bodies, chloroplast, and mitochondria from the perspective of metabolic and physiological regulation, with reference to various organelle interactions and techniques for estimating organelle interactions occurring in plant cells.

Soybean (Glycine max L.) triacylglycerol lipase GmSDP1 regulates the quality and quantity of seed oil

Seeds of soybean (Glycine max L.) are a major source of plant-derived oils. In the past, improvements have been made in the quantity and quality of seed oil. Triacylglycerols (TAGs) are the principal components of soybean seed oil, and understanding the metabolic regulation of TAGs in soybean seeds is essential. Here, we identified four soybean genes encoding TAG lipases, designated as SUGAR DEPENDENT1-1 (GmSDP1-1), GmSDP1-2, GmSDP1-3 and GmSDP1-4; these are homologous to Arabidopsis thaliana SDP1 (AtSDP1). To characterize the function of these genes during grain filling, transgenic lines of soybean were generated via RNA interference to knockdown the expression of all four GmSDP1 genes. The seed oil content of the transgenic soybean lines was significantly increased compared with the wild type (WT). Additionally, fatty acid profiles of the WT and transgenic soybean lines were altered; the content of linoleic acid, a major fatty acid in soybean seeds, was significantly reduced, whereas that of oleic acid was increased in transgenic soybean seeds compared with the WT. Substrate specificity experiments showed that TAG lipase preferentially cleaved oleic acid than linoleic acid in the oil body membrane in WT soybean. This study demonstrates that the GmSDP1 proteins regulate both the TAG content and fatty acid composition of soybean seeds during grain filling. These results provide a novel strategy for improving both the quantity and quality of soybean seed oil.

Xylan in the Middle: Understanding Xylan Biosynthesis and Its Metabolic Dependencies Toward Improving Wood Fiber for Industrial Processing

Lignocellulosic biomass, encompassing cellulose, lignin and hemicellulose in plant secondary cell walls (SCWs), is the most abundant source of renewable materials on earth. Currently, fast-growing woody dicots such as Eucalyptus and Populus trees are major lignocellulosic (wood fiber) feedstocks for bioproducts such as pulp, paper, cellulose, textiles, bioplastics and other biomaterials. Processing wood for these products entails separating the biomass into its three main components as efficiently as possible without compromising yield. Glucuronoxylan (xylan), the main hemicellulose present in the SCWs of hardwood trees carries chemical modifications that are associated with SCW composition and ultrastructure, and affect the recalcitrance of woody biomass to industrial processing. In this review we highlight the importance of xylan properties for industrial wood fiber processing and how gaining a greater understanding of xylan biosynthesis, specifically xylan modification, could yield novel biotechnology approaches to reduce recalcitrance or introduce novel processing traits. Altering xylan modification patterns has recently become a focus of plant SCW studies due to early findings that altered modification patterns can yield beneficial biomass processing traits. Additionally, it has been noted that plants with altered xylan composition display metabolic differences linked to changes in precursor usage. We explore the possibility of using systems biology and systems genetics approaches to gain insight into the coordination of SCW formation with other interdependent biological processes. Acetyl-CoA, s-adenosylmethionine and nucleotide sugars are precursors needed for xylan modification, however, the pathways which produce metabolic pools during different stages of fiber cell wall formation still have to be identified and their co-regulation during SCW formation elucidated. The crucial dependence on precursor metabolism provides an opportunity to alter xylan modification patterns through metabolic engineering of one or more of these interdependent pathways. The complexity of xylan biosynthesis and modification is currently a stumbling point, but it may provide new avenues for woody biomass engineering that are not possible for other biopolymers.

The involvement of a herbivore-induced acyl-CoA oxidase gene, CsACX1, in the synthesis of jasmonic acid and its expression in flower opening in tea plant (Camellia sinensis)

The biosynthesis of jasmonic acid (JA) in plant peroxisomes requires the action of acyl-CoA oxidase (ACX; EC 1.3.3.6). Multiple isoforms of ACXs have been identified in various annual herbaceous plants, but the genes encoding these enzymes in perennial woody plants are yet to be fully investigated. In this study, an ACX gene named CsACX1 (GeneBank accession: KX650077.1) was isolated from tea plant (Camellia sinensis L.). CsACX1 was predicted to consist of 664 amino acid residues. Transcriptional analysis revealed that CsACX1 can be induced by mechanical wounding, JA application, and infestation by the tea geometrid Ectropis obliqua Prout and the tea green leafhopper Empoasca (Matsumurasca) onukii Matsuda. To further elucidate the function of CsACX1, it was heterologously expressed in a bacterial system and characterized. Recombinant CsACX1 showed preference for C₁₂ ∼ C₁₆-CoA substrates. The constitutive expression of CsACX1 can rescue wound-related JA biosynthesis in Arabidopsis mutant acx1. CsACX1 was expressed in different organs, predominantly in flowers. Notably, CsACX1 transcripts were detected up-regulated during flower opening, and the JA levels were correlated with CsACX1 expression. All these results enrich our knowledge of the regulatory pathway involved in the JA biosynthesis in tea, and helps further understand the defense mechanism of tea plant against insects.

CIPK9 is involved in seed oil regulation in Brassica napus L. and Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh

BACKGROUND

Accumulation of storage compounds during seed development plays an important role in the life cycle of oilseed plants; these compounds provide carbon and energy resources to support the establishment of seedlings.

RESULTS

In this study, we show that BnCIPK9 has a broad expression pattern in Brassica napus L. tissues and that wounding stress strongly induces its expression. The overexpression of BnCIPK9 during seed development reduced oil synthesis in transgenic B. napus compared to that observed in wild-type (WT) plants. Functional analysis revealed that seed oil content (OC) of complementation lines was similar to that of WT plants, whereas OC in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. Atcipk9 knockout mutants (cipk9) was higher than that of WT plants. Seedling of cipk9 mutants failed to establish roots on a sugar-free medium, but root establishment could be rescued by supplementation of sucrose or glucose. The phenotype of complementation transgenic lines was similar to that of WT plants when grown on sugar-free medium. Mutants, cipk9, cbl2, and cbl3 presented similar phenotypes, suggesting that CIPK9, CBL2, and CBL3 might work together and play similar roles in root establishment under sugar-free condition.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that BnCIPK9 and AtCIPK9 encode a protein kinase that is involved in sugar-related response and plays important roles in the regulation of energy reserves. Our results suggest that AtCIPK9 negatively regulates lipid accumulation and has a significant effect on early seedling establishment in A. thaliana. The functional characterization of CIPK9 provides insights into the regulation of OC, and might be used for improving OC in B. napus. We believe that our study makes a significant contribution to the literature because it provides information on how CIPKs coordinate stress regulation and energy signaling.

Identification of Wheat Inflorescence Development-Related Genes Using a Comparative Transcriptomics Approach

Inflorescence represents the highly specialized plant tissue producing the grains. Although key genes regulating flower initiation and development are conserved, the mechanism regulating fertility is still not well explained. To identify genes and gene network underlying inflorescence morphology and fertility of bread wheat, expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from different tissues were analyzed using a comparative transcriptomics approach. Based on statistical comparison of EST frequencies of individual genes in EST pools representing different tissues and verification with RT-PCR and RNA-seq data, 170 genes of 59 gene sets predominantly expressed in the inflorescence were obtained. Nearly one-third of the gene sets displayed differentiated expression profiles in terms of their subgenome orthologs. The identified genes, most of which were predominantly expressed in anthers, encode proteins involved in wheat floral identity determination, anther and pollen development, pollen-pistil interaction, and others. Particularly, 25 annotated gene sets are associated with pollen wall formation, of which 18 encode enzymes or proteins participating in lipid metabolic pathway, including fatty acid ω-hydroxylation, alkane and fatty alcohol biosynthesis, and glycerophospholipid metabolism. We showed that the comparative transcriptomics approach was effective in identifying genes for reproductive development and found that lipid metabolism was particularly active in wheat anthers.

Metabolomic "Dark Matter" Dependent on Peroxisomal β-Oxidation in Caenorhabditis elegans

Peroxisomal β-oxidation (pβo) is a highly conserved fat metabolism pathway involved in the biosynthesis of diverse signaling molecules in animals and plants. In Caenorhabditis elegans, pβo is required for the biosynthesis of the ascarosides, signaling molecules that control development, lifespan, and behavior in this model organism. Via comparative mass spectrometric analysis of pβo mutants and wildtype, we show that pβo in C. elegans and the satellite model P. pacificus contributes to life stage-specific biosynthesis of several hundred previously unknown metabolites. The pβo-dependent portion of the metabolome is unexpectedly diverse, e.g., intersecting with nucleoside and neurotransmitter metabolism. Cell type-specific restoration of pβo in pβo-defective mutants further revealed that pβo-dependent submetabolomes differ between tissues. These results suggest that interactions of fat, nucleoside, and other primary metabolism pathways can generate structural diversity reminiscent of that arising from combinatorial strategies in microbial natural product biosynthesis.

Peroxisomal plant metabolism - an update on nitric oxide, Ca2+ and the NADPH recycling network

Plant peroxisomes are recognized organelles that - with their capacity to generate greater amounts of H₂O₂ than other subcellular compartments - have a remarkable oxidative metabolism. However, over the last 15 years, new information has shown that plant peroxisomes contain other important molecules and enzymes, including nitric oxide (NO), peroxynitrite, a NADPH-recycling system, Ca²⁺ and lipid-derived signals, such as jasmonic acid (JA) and nitro-fatty acid (NO₂-FA). This highlights the potential for complex interactions within the peroxisomal nitro-oxidative metabolism, which also affects the status of the cell and consequently its physiological processes. In this review, we provide an update on the peroxisomal interactions between all these molecules. Particular emphasis will be placed on the generation of the free-radical NO, which requires the presence of Ca²⁺, calmodulin and NADPH redox power. Peroxisomes possess several NADPH regeneration mechanisms, such as those mediated by glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH) proteins, which are involved in the oxidative phase of the pentose phosphate pathway, as well as that mediated by NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH). The generated NADPH is also an essential cofactor across other peroxisomal pathways, including the antioxidant ascorbate-glutathione cycle and unsaturated fatty acid β-oxidation, the latter being a source of powerful signaling molecules such as JA and NO₂-FA.

An OPR3-independent pathway uses 4,5-didehydrojasmonate for jasmonate synthesis

Biosynthesis of the phytohormone jasmonoyl-isoleucine (JA-Ile) requires reduction of the JA precursor 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA) by OPDA reductase 3 (OPR3). Previous analyses of the opr3-1 Arabidopsis mutant suggested an OPDA signaling role independent of JA-Ile and its receptor COI1; however, this hypothesis has been challenged because opr3-1 is a conditional allele not completely impaired in JA-Ile biosynthesis. To clarify the role of OPR3 and OPDA in JA-independent defenses, we isolated and characterized a loss-of-function opr3-3 allele. Strikingly, opr3-3 plants remained resistant to necrotrophic pathogens and insect feeding, and activated COI1-dependent JA-mediated gene expression. Analysis of OPDA derivatives identified 4,5-didehydro-JA in wounded wild-type and opr3-3 plants. OPR2 was found to reduce 4,5-didehydro-JA to JA, explaining the accumulation of JA-Ile and activation of JA-Ile-responses in opr3-3 mutants. Our results demonstrate that in the absence of OPR3, OPDA enters the β-oxidation pathway to produce 4,5-ddh-JA as a direct precursor of JA and JA-Ile, thus identifying an OPR3-independent pathway for JA biosynthesis.

The Proteome of Fruit Peroxisomes: Sweet Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) as a Model

Despite of their economical and nutritional interest, the biology of fruits is still little studied in comparison with reports of other plant organs such as leaves and roots. Accordingly, research at subcellular and molecular levels is necessary not only to understand the physiology of fruits, but also to improve crop qualities. Efforts addressed to gain knowledge of the peroxisome proteome and how it interacts with the overall metabolism of fruits will provide tools to be used in breeding strategies of agricultural species with added value. In this work, special attention will be paid to peroxisomal proteins involved in the metabolism of reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to the relevant role of these compounds at fruit ripening. The proteome of peroxisomes purified from sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) fruit is reported, where an iron-superoxide dismutase (Fe-SOD) was localized in these organelles, besides other antioxidant enzymes such as catalase and a Mn-SOD, as well as enzymes involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, malate, lipids and fatty acids, amino acids, the glyoxylate cycle and in the potential organelles' movements.

CATALASE2 functions for seedling postgerminative growth by scavenging H2 O2 and stimulating ACX2/3 activity in Arabidopsis

Increased fatty acid β-oxidation is essential for early postgerminative growth in seedlings, but high levels of H₂ O₂ produced by β-oxidation can induce oxidative stress. Whether and how catalase (CAT) functions in fine-tuning H₂ O₂ homeostasis during seedling growth remain unclear. Here, we report that CAT2 functions in early seedling growth. Compared to the wild type, the cat2-1 mutant, with elevated H₂ O₂ levels, exhibited reduced root elongation on sucrose (Suc)-free medium, mimicking soils without exogenous sugar supply. Treatment with the H₂ O₂ scavenger potassium iodide rescued the mutant phenotype of cat2-1. In contrast to the wild type, the cat2-1 mutant was insensitive to the CAT inhibitor 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole in terms of root elongation when grown on Suc-free medium, suggesting that CAT2 modulates early seedling growth by altering H₂ O₂ accumulation. Furthermore, like cat2-1, the acyl-CoA oxidase (ACX) double mutant acx2-1 acx3-6 showed repressed root elongation, suggesting that CAT2 functions in early seedling growth by regulating ACX activity, as this activity was inhibited in cat2-1. Indeed, decreased ACX activity and short root of cat2-1 seedlings grown on Suc-free medium were rescued by overexpressing ACX3. Together, these findings suggest that CAT2 functions in early seedling growth by scavenging H₂ O₂ and stimulating ACX2/3 activity.

Allyl-Palladium-Catalyzed α,β-Dehydrogenation of Carboxylic Acids via Enediolates

A highly practical and step-economic α,β-dehydrogenation of carboxylic acids via enediolates is reported through the use of allyl-palladium catalysis. Dianions underwent smooth dehydrogenation when generated using Zn(TMP)₂ ⋅2 LiCl as a base in the presence of excess ZnCl₂ , thus avoiding the typical decarboxylation pathway of these substrates. Direct access to 2-enoic acids allows derivatization by numerous approaches.

Transcriptome Analysis of the Effects of Shell Removal and Exogenous Gibberellin on Germination of Zanthoxylum Seeds

The zanthoxylum seeds are oil-rich and have a very thick, dense and oily shell. In the natural conditions the seeds have a very low germination rate. Prior to treatment with GAs to promote germination, the seeds were usually soaked in sulfuric acid to remove shells easily. A high-throughput sequencing of mRNAs was performed to investigate the effects of the above treatments on the germination of zanthoxylum seeds. Seven libraries were assembled into 100,982 unigenes and 59,509 unigenes were annotated. We focused on the expression profiles of the key genes related to the oil metabolisms and hormone regulations during seed germination. Our data indicated the endogenous ABA of seeds was rich. The effects that the exogenous GAs promoted germination were apparent in the secong day of germination. Especially, for the first time our results indicated the exogenous GAs lowered the aerobic metabolism including the oil metabolisms during imbibition. We inferred that the exogenous GAs had inhibitory effects on the oil metabolisms to avoide oxidative damages to the imbibed seeds, and the seed shell played the role similiar to the exogenous GAs in the initial stage of germination in the natural conditions.