Rice C2-Domain Proteins Are Induced and Translocated to the Plasma Membrane in Response to a Fungal Elicitor

The Re-Localization of Proteins to or Away from Membranes as an Effective Strategy for Regulating Stress Tolerance in Plants

The membranes of plant cells are dynamic structures composed of phospholipids and proteins. Proteins harboring phospholipid-binding domains or lipid ligands can localize to membranes. Stress perception can alter the subcellular localization of these proteins dynamically, causing them to either associate with or detach from membranes. The mechanisms behind the re-localization involve changes in the lipidation state of the proteins and interactions with membrane-associated biomolecules. The functional significance of such re-localization includes the regulation of molecular transport, cell integrity, protein folding, signaling, and gene expression. In this review, proteins that re-localize to or away from membranes upon abiotic and biotic stresses will be discussed in terms of the mechanisms involved and the functional significance of their re-localization. Knowledge of the re-localization mechanisms will facilitate research on increasing plant stress adaptability, while the study on re-localization of proteins upon stresses will further our understanding of stress adaptation strategies in plants.

Genome-wide identification and characterization of the C2 domain family in Sorghum bicolor (L.) and expression profiles in response to saline-alkali stress

The C2 domain family proteins in plants has been recently shown to be involved in the response to abiotic stress such as salt and drought stress. However, less information on C2 domain family members has been reported in Sorghum bicolor (L.), which is a tolerant cereal crop. To elaborate the mechanism of C2 domain family members in response to abiotic stress, bioinformatic methods were used to analyze this family. The results indicated that 69 C2 domain genes belonging to 5 different groups were first identified within the sorghum genome, and each group possessed various gene structures and conserved functional domains. Second, those C2 family genes were localized on 10 chromosomes 3 tandem repeat genes and 1 pair of repeat gene fragments were detected. The family members further presented a variety of stress responsive cis-elements. Third, in addition to being the major integral component of the membrane, sorghum C2 domain family proteins mainly played roles in response to abiotic and biotic stress with their organic transport and catalytic activity by specific location in the cell on the basis of gene ontology analysis. C2 family genes were differentially expressed in root, shoot or leaf, and shown different expression profiling after saline-alkali stress, which indicated that C2 family members played an important role in response to saline-alkali stress based on the transcription profiles of RNA-seq data and expression analysis by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Besides, most C2 family members were mainly located in cytoplasmi and nucleus. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis revealed three modules (turquoise, dark magenta and pink) that were associated with stress resistance, respectively. Therefore, the present research provides comprehensive information for further analysis of the molecular function of C2 domain family genes in sorghum.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-022-01222-3.

A C2-Domain Abscisic Acid-Related Gene, IbCAR1, Positively Enhances Salt Tolerance in Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.)

Plant C2-domain abscisic acid-related (CAR) protein family plays an important role in plant growth, abiotic stress responses, and defense regulation. In this study, we cloned the IbCAR1 by homologous cloning method from the transcriptomic data of Xuzishu8, which is a sweet potato cultivar with dark-purple flesh. This gene was expressed in all tissues of sweet potato, with the highest expression level in leaf tissue, and it could be induced by NaCl and ABA. Subcellular localization analyses indicated that IbCAR1 was localized in the nucleus and plasma membrane. The PI staining experiment revealed the distinctive root cell membrane integrity of overexpressed transgenic lines upon salt stress. Salt stress significantly increased the contents of proline, ABA, and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), whereas the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) was decreased in overexpressed lines. On the contrary, RNA interference plants showed sensitivity to salt stress. Overexpression of IbCAR1 in sweet potatoes could improve the salt tolerance of plants, while the RNAi of IbCAR1 significantly increased sensitivity to salt stress in sweet potatoes. Meanwhile, the genes involved in ABA biosynthesis, stress response, and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging system were upregulated in overexpressed lines under salt stress. Taken together, these results demonstrated that IbCAR1 plays a positive role in salt tolerance by relying on the ABA signal transduction pathway, activating the ROS-scavenging system in sweet potatoes.

Global Identification and Characterization of C2 Domain-Containing Proteins Associated with Abiotic Stress Response in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

C2 domain-containing proteins (C2DPs) have been identified in different genomes that contain single or multiple C2 domains in their C- or N-terminal. It possesses higher functional activity in the transmembrane regions. The identification of C2 domains were reported in a previous study, such as multiple C2 domains and transmembrane-region proteins (MCTPs) and N-terminal-TM-C2 domain proteins (NTMC2s) of rice, Arabidopsis thaliana, and cotton, whereas the C2DP gene family in rice has not been comprehensively studied, and the role of the C2DP gene in rice in response to abiotic stress is not yet fully understood. In this study, we identified 82 C2DPs in the rice genome and divided them into seven groups through phylogenetic analysis. The synteny analysis revealed that duplication events were either exhibited within the genome of rice or between the genomes of rice and other species. Through the analysis of cis-acting elements in promoters, expression profiles, and qRT-PCR results, the functions of OsC2DPs were found to be widely distributed in diverse tissues and were extensively involved in phytohormones-related and abiotic stresses response in rice. The prediction of the microRNA (miRNA) targets of OsC2DPs revealed the possibility of regulation by consistent miRNAs. Notably, OsC2DP50/51/52 as a co-tandem duplication exhibited similar expression variations and involved the coincident miRNA-regulation pathway. Moreover, the results of the genotypic variation and haplotype analysis revealed that OsC2DP17, OsC2DP29, and OsC2DP49 were associated with cold stress responses. These findings provided comprehensive insights for characterizations of OsC2DPs in rice as well as for their roles for abiotic stress.

A Novel Glycerol Kinase Gene OsNHO1 Regulates Resistance to Bacterial Blight and Blast Diseases in Rice

Glycerol-induced resistance to various pathogens has been reported in different plants. Glycerol kinase (GK), a vital rate-limiting enzyme that catalyzes glycerol conversion to glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P), participates in responses to both abiotic and biotic stresses. However, its physiological importance in rice defenses against pathogens remains unclear. In this research, quantification analysis revealed that GK levels were significantly induced in rice leaves infected by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) strain PXO99. A typical GK-encoding gene OsNHO1 was cloned in rice. The transcriptional levels of OsNHO1 were significantly induced by salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, and Xoo-PXO99. Ectopic expression of OsNHO1 partially rescued the resistance to P. s. pv. phaseolicola in the Arabidopsis nho1 mutant. In the overexpressing transgenic rice lines (OsNHO1-OE), the content of GK and the transcriptional level of OsNHO1 were increased and the resistance to bacterial blight and blast was improved, while reduced OsNHO1 expression impaired the resistance in OsNHO1-RNAi lines. The wax contents and expression of the wax synthesis regulatory genes were significantly increased in the overexpression lines but decreased in the OsNHO1-RNAi lines. We then confirmed the interaction partner of OsNHO1 using yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays. The transcription of the interaction partner-encoding genes OsSRC2 and OsPRs in OsNHO1-RNAi lines was downregulated but upregulated in OsNHO1-OE lines. Thus, we concluded that OsNHO1 provided disease resistance by affecting the wax content and modulating the transcription levels of PR genes.

Transcriptome analysis provides molecular evidences for growth and adaptation of plant roots in cadimium-contaminated environments

Cadmium (Cd) is a detrimental element that can be toxic to plants. The physiological and biochemical responses of plants to Cd stress have been extensively studied, but the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. The present study showed that Cd severely inhibited the growth of roots and shoots and reduced plant biomass of mung bean seedlings. To further investigate the gene profiles and molecular processes in response Cd stress, transcriptome analyses of mung bean roots exposed to 100 μM Cd for 1, 5, and 9 days were performed. Cd treatment significantly decreased global gene expression levels at 5 and 9 d compared with the control. A total of 6737, 10279, and 9672 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the 1-, 5-, and 9-day Cd-treated root tissues compared with the controls, respectively. Based on the analysis of DEG function annotation and enrichment, a pattern of mung bean roots response to Cd stress was proposed. The processes detoxification and antioxidative defense were involved in the early response of mung bean roots to Cd. Cd stress downregulated the expressions of a series of genes involved in cell wall biosynthesis, cell division, DNA replication and repair, and photosynthesis, while genes involved in signal transduction and regulation, transporters, secondary metabolisms, defense systems, and mitochondrial processes were upregulated in response to Cd, which might be contributed to the improvement of plant tolerance. Our results provide some novel insights into the molecular processes for growth and adaption of mung bean roots in response to Cd and many candidate genes for further biotechnological manipulations to improve plant tolerance to heavy metals.

OsC2DP, a Novel C2 Domain-Containing Protein Is Required for Salt Tolerance in Rice

Salt stress is one of the major factors limiting crop production globally, including rice (Oryza sativa). Although a number of genes involved in salt tolerance have been functionally identified, the mechanism underlying salt tolerance in rice is still poorly understood. Here, we reported a novel C2 domain-containing protein, OsC2DP required for salt tolerance in rice. OsC2DP was predominately expressed in the roots and its expression was repressed by salt stress. Transient expression of OsC2DP in rice protoplast cells showed that it was localized in the cytosol. Immunostaining further showed that OsC2DP was able to translocate from the cytosol to plasma membrane under salt conditions. Knockout of OsC2DP did not affect Na+ concentration in the roots, but increased shoot Na+ concentration, resulting in a significant sensitivity of rice to salt stress. Furthermore, the quantitative Real-time PCR and transcriptomic analysis showed that the expression level of some genes related to salt tolerance were indirectly regulated by OsC2DP, especially OsSOS1 and OsNHX4. These results indicate that OsC2DP has an important role in salt tolerance and these findings provide new insights into the regulation of OsC2DP gene for rice breeding with high salt tolerance.

Global transcriptome analysis and differentially expressed genes in grapevine after application of the yeast-derived defense inducer cerevisane

BACKGROUND

Cerevisane, made up of cell wall derivatives from the Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain LAS117, is proposed as a resistance inducer in plants. The mode of action of cerevisane was investigated through transcriptome analysis (RNA-Seq) carried out on leaves of potted vines cv. Italia grown in the greenhouse and sprayed at 1-week intervals with cerevisane. Analyses were performed at three time points after one and three sprays as well as on vines challenged with artificial inoculation with Plasmopara viticola, Erysiphe necator and Botrytis cinerea.

RESULTS

Cerevisane proved effective against downy mildew and caused an increase in expression levels of several genes related to defense responses to fungal pathogens and other stresses and down-regulation of genes involved in several processes related to plant growth and development. Up-regulated genes included genes encoding (i) enzymes involved in hormone metabolism (i.e. salicylic acid, jasmonate, ethylene) and related plant responses, (ii) defense compounds (i.e. pathogenesis-related proteins, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, stilbene synthases, lipoxygenase, leucine-rich repeat receptor-like protein kinases, non-specific plant lipid transfer proteins, serine-threonine protein kinases involved in signal transduction, superoxide dismutase and glutathione S-transferase involved in response to oxidative stress), (iii) secondary metabolites (i.e. phenylpropanoids, terpenoids, lignin), and (iv) photosynthetic processes (light harvesting chlorophyll A/B-binding proteins and components of the photosystems).

CONCLUSION

Cerevisane can be a useful tool in protection schedules against downy mildew on grapevine aimed at reducing the usage of synthetic fungicides and preventing fungicide resistance. The results provide the first basic knowledge on the mode of action of yeast-derived elicitors effective against P. viticola on grapevine. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Transcriptome analysis of two cultivars of tobacco in response to Cucumber mosaic virus infection

Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) is among the most important plant virus infections, inducing a variety of disease symptoms. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying plant responses to CMV infection remain poorly understood. In this study, we performed RNA sequencing analysis of tolerant (Taiyan8) and susceptible (NC82) tobacco cultivars on CMV-infected plants, using mock-inoculated plants as a control. The propagation of CMV in inoculated leaves did not show obvious difference between two cultivars, whereas virus accumulation in systemic leaves of Taiyan8 was smaller than those of NC82 at the same time point. We observed 765 and 1,011 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in Taiyan8 and NC82, respectively, in CMV-inoculated leaves. DEGs related to reactive oxygen species, salicylic acid signal transduction, and plant-pathogen interaction were upregulated or downregulated in Taiyan8, which indicates that defense response pathways to CMV were activated in the tolerant cultivar. In addition, we identified several DEGs related to disease defense and stress resistance showing opposing expression patterns in the two cultivars. Our comparative transcriptome analysis will improve our understanding of the mechanisms of CMV tolerance in plants, and will be of great importance in the molecular breeding of CMV- tolerant genotypes.

C2 domain plays critical roles in localization of novel C2 domain-containing protein OsC2DP

OsC2DP is a cytosolic protein containing a C2 domain recently identified in rice, which is translocated to the plasma membrane in response to salt stress. Here, we further investigated the subcellular localization of OsC2DP by truncation analysis. In consistent with OsC2DP, OsC2DP^1-165 containing C2 domain at the N-terminus was localized to the cytosol. In contrast to OsC2DP^1-165, OsC2DP^166-290 lack of C2 domain at the C-terminus was localized to the cytosol and nucleus, which was similar to the GFP control. Under salt conditions, subcellular localization of both OsC2DP^1-165 and OsC2DP^166-290 was not altered and failed to migrate to plasma membrane. These results indicated that the subcellular localization was determined by C2 domain of OsC2DP under normal conditions and that both N- and C-terminus of OsC2DP are essential for its cytosol-plasma membrane translocation in response to salt stress.

An Apple Protein Kinase MdSnRK1.1 Interacts with MdCAIP1 to Regulate ABA Sensitivity

ABA is a crucial phytohormone for development and stress responses in plants. Snf1-related protein kinase 1.1 (SnRK1.1) is involved in the ABA response. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the SnRK1.1 response to ABA is largely unknown. Here, it was found that overexpression of the apple MdSnRK1.1 gene enhanced ABA sensitivity in both transgenic apple calli and Arabidopsis seedlings. Subsequently, a yeast two-hybrid screen demonstrated that MdCAIP1 (C2-domain ABA Insensitive Protein1) interacted with MdSnRK1.1. Their interaction was further confirmed by pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation assays. Expression of the MdCAIP1 gene was positively induced by ABA. Its overexpression enhanced ABA sensitivity in transgenic apple calli. Furthermore, it was found that MdSnRK1.1 phosphorylated the MdCAIP1 protein in vivo and promoted its degradation in vitro and in vivo. As a result, MdSnRK1.1 inhibited MdCAIP1-mediated ABA sensitivity, and MdCAIP1 partially reduced MdSnRK1.1-mediated ABA sensitivity. Our findings indicate that MdSnRK1.1 plays an important role in the ABA response, partially by controlling the stability of the MdCAIP1 protein.

Expression Profiling of Castanea Genes during Resistant and Susceptible Interactions with the Oomycete Pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi Reveal Possible Mechanisms of Immunity

The most dangerous pathogen affecting the production of chestnuts is Phytophthora cinnamomi a hemibiotrophic that causes root rot, also known as ink disease. Little information has been acquired in chestnut on the molecular defense strategies against this pathogen. The expression of eight candidate genes potentially involved in the defense to P. cinnamomi was quantified by digital PCR in Castanea genotypes showing different susceptibility to the pathogen. Seven of the eight candidate genes displayed differentially expressed levels depending on genotype and time-point after inoculation. Cast_Gnk2-like revealed to be the most expressed gene across all experiments and the one that best discriminates between susceptible and resistant genotypes. Our data suggest that the pre-formed defenses are crucial for the resistance of C. crenata to P. cinnamomi. A lower and delayed expression of the eight studied genes was found in the susceptible Castanea sativa, which may be related with the establishment and spread of the disease in this species. A working model integrating the obtained results is presented.

SRC2-1 is required in PcINF1-induced pepper immunity by acting as an interacting partner of PcINF1

Elicitins are elicitors that can trigger hypersensitive cell death in most Nicotiana spp., but their underlying molecular mechanism is not well understood. The gene Phytophthora capsici INF1 (PcINF1) coding for an elicitin from P. capsici was characterized in this study. Transient overexpression of PcINF1 triggered cell death in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) and was accompanied by upregulation of the hypersensitive response marker, Hypersensitive Induced Reaction gene 1 (HIR1), and the pathogenesis-related genes SAR82, DEF1, BPR1, and PO2. A putative PcINF1-interacting protein, SRC2-1, was isolated from a pepper cDNA library by yeast two-hybrid screening and was observed to target the plasma membrane. The interaction between PcINF1 and SRC2-1 was confirmed by bimolecular fluorescence complementation and co-immunoprecipitation. Simultaneous transient overexpression of SRC2-1 and PcINF1 in pepper plants triggered intensive cell death, whereas silencing of SRC2-1 by virus-induced gene silencing blocked the cell death induction of PcINF1 and increased the susceptibility of pepper plants to P. capsici infection. Additionally, membrane targeting of the PcINF1-SRC2-1 complex was required for cell death induction. The C2 domain of SRC2-1 was crucial for SRC2-1 plasma membrane targeting and the PcINF1-SRC2-1 interaction. These results suggest that SRC2-1 interacts with PcINF1 and is required in PcINF1-induced pepper immunity.

Rice small C2-domain proteins are phosphorylated by calcium-dependent protein kinase

We previously reported that OsERG1 and OsERG3 encode rice small C2-domain proteins with different biochemical properties in Ca(2+)- and phospholipid-binding assays. Os-ERG1 exhibited Ca(2+)-dependent phospholipid binding, which was not observed with OsERG3. In the present study, we show that both OsERG1 and OsERG3 proteins exhibit oligomerization properties as determined by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and glutaraldehyde cross-linking experiments. Furthermore, in vitro phosphorylation assays reveal the phosphorylation of OsERG1 and OsERG3 by a rice calcium-dependent protein kinase, OsCDPK5. Our mutation analysis on putative serine phosphorylation sites shows that the first serine (Ser) at position 41 of OsERG1 may be an essential residue for phosphorylation by OsCDPK5. Mutation of Ser41 to alanine (OsERG1S41A) and aspartate (OsERG1S41D) abolishes the ability of OsERG1 to bind phospholipids regardless of the presence or absence of Ca(2+) ions. In addition, unlike the OsERG1 wild-type form, the mutant OsERG1 (S41A)::smGFP construct lost the ability to translocate from the cytosol to the plasma membrane in response to calcium ions or fungal elicitor. These results indicate that Ser41 may be essential for the function of OsERG1.

Rice OsERG3 encodes an unusual small C2-domain protein containing a Ca(2+)-binding module but lacking phospholipid-binding properties

BACKGROUND

The C2 domain is a Ca(2+)/phospholipid-binding motif found in many proteins involved in signal transduction or membrane trafficking. OsERG3 is a homolog of OsERG1, a gene encoding a small C2-domain protein in rice.

METHODS

OsERG3 Ca(2+)-binding and phospholipid-binding assays were carried out using (3)H-labeled phospholipid liposomes and a (45)Ca(2+) overlay assay, respectively. Cytosolic expression of OsERG3 was investigated by Western blot analysis and the OsERG3::smGFP transient expression assay.

RESULTS

OsERG3 transcript levels were greatly enhanced by treatment with a fungal elicitor and Ca(2+)-ionophore. OsERG3 protein proved unable to interact with phospholipids regardless of the presence or absence of Ca(2+) ions. Nonetheless, OsERG3 displayed calcium-binding activity in an in vitro(45)Ca(2+)-binding assay, a property not observed with OsERG1. The cytosolic location of OsERG3 was not altered by the presence of fungal elicitor or Ca(2+)-ionophore.

CONCLUSIONS

OsERG3 encodes a small C2-domain protein consisting of a single C2 domain. OsERG3 binds Ca(2+) ions but not phospholipids. OsERG3 is a cytosolic soluble protein. The OsERG3 gene may play a role in signaling pathway involving Ca(2+) ions.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

The data demonstrate that OsERG3 is an unusual small C2-domain protein containing a Ca(2+)-binding module but lacking phospholipid-binding properties.

A DIGE-based quantitative proteomic analysis of grape berry flesh development and ripening reveals key events in sugar and organic acid metabolism

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is an economically important fruit crop. Quality-determining grape components, such as sugars, acids, flavours, anthocyanins, tannins, etc., are accumulated during the different grape berry development stages. Thus, correlating the proteomic profiles with the biochemical and physiological changes occurring in grape is of paramount importance to advance the understanding of the berry development and ripening processes. Here, the developmental analysis of V. vinifera cv. Muscat Hamburg berries is reported at protein level, from fruit set to full ripening. A top-down proteomic approach based on differential in-gel electrophoresis (DIGE) followed by tandem mass spectrometry led to identification and quantification of 156 and 61 differentially expressed proteins in green and ripening phases, respectively. Two key points in development, with respect to changes in protein level, were detected: end of green development and beginning of ripening. The profiles of carbohydrate metabolism enzymes were consistent with a net conversion of sucrose to malate during green development. Pyrophosphate-dependent phosphofructokinase is likely to play a key role to allow an unrestricted carbon flow. The well-known change of imported sucrose fate at the beginning of ripening from accumulation of organic acid (malate) to hexoses (glucose and fructose) was well correlated with a switch in abundance between sucrose synthase and soluble acid invertase. The role of the identified proteins is discussed in relation to their biological function, grape berry development, and to quality traits. Another DIGE experiment comparing fully ripe berries from two vintages showed very few spots changing, thus indicating that protein changes detected throughout development are specific.

Phloem cytochemical modification and gene expression following the recovery of apple plants from apple proliferation disease

Recovery of apple trees from apple proliferation was studied by combining ultrastructural, cytochemical, and gene expression analyses to possibly reveal changes linked to recovery-associated resistance. When compared with either healthy or visibly diseased plants, recovered apple trees showed abnormal callose and phloem-protein accumulation in their leaf phloem. Although cytochemical localization detected Ca(2+) ions in the phloem of all the three plant groups, Ca(2+) concentration was remarkably higher in the phloem cytosol of recovered trees. The expression patterns of five genes encoding callose synthase and of four genes encoding phloem proteins were analyzed by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. In comparison to both healthy and diseased plants, four of the above nine genes were remarkably up-regulated in recovered trees. As in infected apple trees, phytoplasma disappear from the crown during winter, but persist in the roots, and it is suggested that callose synthesis/deposition and phloem-protein plugging of the sieve tubes would form physical barriers preventing the recolonization of the crown during the following spring. Since callose deposition and phloem-protein aggregation are both Ca(2+)-dependent processes, the present results suggest that an inward flux of Ca(2+) across the phloem plasma membrane could act as a signal for activating defense reactions leading to recovery in phytoplasma-infected apple trees.

Overexpression of a rice gene encoding a small C2 domain protein OsSMCP1 increases tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses in transgenic Arabidopsis

Plant growth and crop production are limited by environmental stress. We used a large population of transgenic Arabidopsis expressing rice full-length cDNAs to isolate the rice genes that improve the tolerance of plants to environmental stress. By sowing T2 seeds of the transgenic lines under conditions of salinity stress, the salt-tolerant line R07047 was isolated. It expressed a rice gene, OsSMCP1, which encodes a small protein with a single C2 domain, a Ca(2+)-dependent membrane-targeting domain. Retransformation of wild-type Arabidopsis revealed that OsSMCP1 is responsible for conferring the salt tolerance. It is particularly interesting that R07047 and newly constructed OsSMCP1-overexpressing Arabidopsis showed enhanced tolerance not only to high salinity but also to osmotic, dehydrative, and oxidative stresses. Furthermore, R07047 showed improved resistance to Pseudomonas syringae. The OsSMCP1 expression in rice is constitutive. Particle-bombardment-mediated transient expression analysis revealed that OsSMCP1 is targeted to plastids in rice epidermal cells. It induced overexpression of several nuclear encoded genes, including the stress-associated genes, in transgenic Arabidopsis. No marked morphological change or growth retardation was observed in R07047 or retransformants. For molecular breeding to improve the tolerance of crops against environmental stress, OsSMCP1 is a promising candidate.

A protein containing an XYPPX repeat and a C2 domain is associated with virally induced hypersensitive cell death in plants

In this study, we characterized a Capsicum hypersensitive response (HR)-associated gene, SS52, which encodes a protein that contains an N-terminal C2 domain and a C-terminal XYPPX repeat. Expression analyses revealed that SS52 and its homologue in Arabidopsis were induced by infection with incompatible viruses, indicating the conserved function of this gene. SS52 was not induced by treatment with defense-related hormones, but was induced by abiotic stresses, including wounding. Overexpression of SS52 in tobacco plants suppressed the spread of HR cell death and restricted the spread of an incompatible virus from local lesions. Collectively, the results suggest that SS52 negatively regulates plant HR cell death.

The calmodulin-binding transcription factor OsCBT suppresses defense responses to pathogens in rice

We previously isolated the OsCBT gene, which encodes a calmodulin (CaM)-binding protein, from a rice expression library constructed from fungal elicitor-treated rice suspension cells. In order to understand the function of OsCBT in rice, we isolated and characterized a T-DNA insertion mutant allele named oscbt-1. The oscbt-1 mutant exhibits reduced levels of OsCBT transcripts and no significant morphological changes compared to wild-type plant although the growth of the mutant is stunted. However, oscbt-1 mutants showed significant resistance to two major rice pathogens. The growth of the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe grisea, as well as the bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae was significantly suppressed in oscbt-1 plants. Histochemical analysis indicated that the hypersensitive-response was induced in the oscbt-1 mutant in response to compatible strains of fungal pathogens. OsCBT expression was induced upon challenge with fungal elicitor. We also observed significant increase in the level of pathogenesis-related genes in the oscbt-1 mutant even under pathogen-free condition. Taken together, the results support an idea that OsCBT might act as a negative regulator on plant defense.

Characterization of a canola C2 domain gene that interacts with PG, an effector of the necrotrophic fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Sspg1d, one of endopolygalacturonases, is an important fungal effector secreted by the necrotrophic fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum during early infection. Using sspg1d as bait, a small C2 domain protein (designated as IPG-1) was identified by yeast two-hybrid screening of a canola cDNA library. Deletion analysis confirmed that the C-terminus of IPG-1 is responsible for its interaction with sspg1d in the yeast two-hybrid assay. The sspg1d/IPG-1 interaction was further confirmed in plant cells by a biomolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assay. A transient expression assay showed that the IPG-1-GFP fusion protein was targeted to the plasma membrane and nucleus in onion epidermal cells. Following treatment with a Ca(2+) ionophore, it was distributed throughout the cytosol. Real-time PCR assay demonstrated that IPG-1 was highly induced by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in canola leaves and stems. Southern blot analysis indicated the presence of about five homologues of IPG-1 in the canola genome. Two additional members of the IPG-1gene family were isolated by RT-PCR. Their sequence similarity with IPG-1 is as high as 95%. However, they did not interact with sspg1d in the yeast two-hybrid assay. Possible roles of IPG-1 and its association with sspg1d in the defence signalling pathway were discussed.

Differential profiling of selected defence-related genes induced on challenge with Alternaria brassicicola in resistant white mustard and their comparative expression pattern in susceptible India mustard

The lack of availability of sources of resistance against Alternaria brassicicola within the family Brassicaceae has made oilseed mustard plants a target for one of the most damaging and widespread fungal diseases, Alternaria black spot. Of the other non-host-resistant/tolerant plants, Sinapis alba, white mustard, is considered to be the most important apart from Arabidopsis. To understand the defence response of S. alba upon incompatible interaction with this pathogen, a functional genomic approach using cDNA amplified fragment length polymorphism was performed. The highly reproducible bands, found to be either more amplified or uniquely present in infected S. alba plants compared with non-infected plants, were further subjected to comparative reverse Northern analysis in the incompatible white mustard (S. alba) and compatible India mustard (Brassica juncea L.) plants. The suppression of 46% of the genes in the compatible background indicates the possibility of effective and specific recognition of Alternaria in S. alba. Analysis of the 118 genes up-regulated specifically in infected S. alba compared with B. juncea showed that 98 genes have similarity to proteins such as receptor-like protein kinase genes, genes involved with calcium-mediated signalling and salicylic acid-dependent genes as well as other genes of known function in Arabidopsis. The apparent expression profile data were further confirmed for selected genes by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. Classification of these genes on the basis of their induction pattern in Arabidopsis indicates that the expression profile of several of these genes was distinct in S. alba compared with B. juncea.

A novel C2-domain phospholipid-binding protein, OsPBP1, is required for pollen fertility in rice

Pollen fertility is a crucial factor for successful pollination and essential for seed formation. Recent studies have suggested that a diverse range of internal and external factors, signaling components and their related pathways are likely involved in pollen fertility. Here, we report a single C2-domain containing protein, OsPBP1, initially identified through cDNA microarray analysis. OsPBP1 is a single copy gene and preferentially expressed in pistil and pollen but down-regulated by pollination. OsPBP1 had a calcium concentration-dependent phospholipid-binding activity and was localized mainly in cytoplasm and nucleus, but translocated onto the plasma membrane in response to an intracellular Ca(2+) increase. Pollen grains of antisense OsPBP1 transgenic lines were largely nonviable, germinated poorly in vitro and of low fertility. OsPBP1 protein was localized in a region peripheral to pollen wall and vesicles of elongating pollen tube, and its repressed expression reduced substantially this association and led to alteration of microfilament polymerization during pollen germination. Taken together, these results indicate that OsPBP1 is a novel functional C2-domain phospholipids-binding protein that is required for pollen fertility likely by regulating Ca(2+) and phospholipid signaling pathways.

Characterization of wound-responsive RNA-binding proteins and their splice variants in Arabidopsis

We report the characterization of three UBA2 genes (UBA2a, -b, and -c; corresponding to At3g56860, At2g41060, and At3g15010) encoding Arabidopsis thaliana proteins with high homology to Vicia faba AKIP1 and other heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP)-type RNA-binding proteins. In vitro RNA binding assays revealed that the three UBA2 proteins interact efficiently with homoribopolymers. Biolistic transient expression of UBA2-GFPs demonstrated that the three UBA2 proteins localize to the nucleus. Expression analysis by RNA gel blot, RT-PCR, and promoter::GUS assays showed that UBA2 transcripts are present in all organs. UBA2 genes are subject to alternative splicing affecting only the 3'-untranslated regions (UTRs): six different splice variants were detected for UBA2a, and two each were found for UBA2b and UBA2c. RT-PCR and quantitative real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that the levels of UBA2 transcripts are regulated by wounding in a splice variant-specific manner: splice variants UBA2a.1 and UBA2c.1 increased following mechanical wounding. Wounding effects on gene expression are transduced by methyl jasmonate (MeJA)-dependent and oligogalacturonide (OGA)-dependent pathways. However, neither MeJA nor OGA treatment altered levels of any of the UBA2 transcripts, and other plant hormones implicated in wound responses, ethylene and abscisic acid (ABA), also had no effect on accumulation of UBA2 transcripts. Taken together, these results imply that the three UBA2 genes encode hnRNP-type nuclear RNA-binding proteins that function in a novel wound signal transduction pathway.

Molecular characterization of a pepper C2 domain-containing SRC2 protein implicated in resistance against host and non-host pathogens and abiotic stresses

Plants guard themselves against pathogen attack using multi-layered defense mechanism. Calcium represents an important secondary messenger during such defense responses. Upon examination of a pepper cDNA library, we observed that the gene CaSRC2-1 (Capsicum annum SRC2-1) was upregulated significantly in response to infection with the type II non-host pathogen Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. glycines 8 ra, which elicits a hypersensitive response. CaSRC2-1 encodes a protein that contains a C2 domain and it exhibits a high degree of homology to the protein Soybean genes regulated by cold 2 (SRC2). However, little is known about how SRC2 expression is elicited by biotic stresses such as pathogen challenge. Further sequence analysis indicated that the CaSRC2-1 C2 domain is unique and contain certain amino acids that are conserved within the C2 domains of other plants and animals. CaSRC2-1 transcription was up-regulated under both biotic and abiotic stress conditions, including bacterial and viral pathogen infection, CaCl(2) and cold treatment, but unaffected by treatment with plant defense-related chemicals such as salicylic acid, methyl jasmonic acid, ethephone, and abscisic acid. Intriguingly, under steady state conditions, CaSRC2-1 was expressed only in the root system. A CaSRC2-1-GFP fusion protein was used to determine localization to the plasma membrane. A fusion protein lacking the C2 domain failed to target the membrane but remained in the cytoplasm, indicating that the C2 domain plays a critical role in localization. Thus, CaSRC2-1 encodes a novel C2 domain-containing protein that targets the plasma membrane and plays a critical role in the abiotic stress and defense responses of pepper plants.

Proteomic response of rice seedling leaves to elevated CO2 levels

Previous investigations of plant responses to higher CO 2 levels were mostly based on physiological measurements and biochemical assays. In this study, a proteomic approach was employed to investigate plant response to higher CO 2 levels using rice as a model. Ten-day-old seedlings were progressively exposed to 760 ppm, 1140 ppm, and 1520 ppm CO 2 concentrations for 24 h each. The net photosynthesis rate ( P n), stomatal conductance ( G s), transpiration rate ( E), and intercellular to ambient CO 2 concentration ratio ( C i/ C a) were measured. P n, G s, and E showed a maximum increase at 1140 ppm CO 2, but further exposure to 1520 ppm for 24 h resulted in down regulation of these. Proteins extracted from leaves were subjected to 2-DE analysis, and 57 spots showing differential expression patterns, as detected by profile analysis, were identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS. Most of the proteins belonged to photosynthesis, carbon metabolism, and energy pathways. Several molecular chaperones and ascorbate peroxidase were also found to respond to higher CO 2 levels. Concomitant with the down regulation of P n and G s, the levels of enzymes of the regeneration phase of the Calvin cycle were decreased. Correlations between the protein profiles and the photosynthetic measurements at the three CO 2 levels were explored.

Single-cell transcript profiling of barley attacked by the powdery mildew fungus

In many plant-pathogen interactions, there are several possible outcomes for simultaneous attacks on the same leaf. For instance, an attack by the powdery mildew fungus on one barley leaf epidermal cell may succeed in infection and formation of a functional haustorium, whereas a neighboring cell attacked at the same time may resist fungal penetration. To date, the mixed cellular responses seen even in susceptible host leaves have made it difficult to relate induced changes in gene expression to resistance or susceptibility in bulk leaf samples. By microextraction of cell-specific mRNA and subsequent cDNA array analysis, we have successfully obtained separate gene expression profiles for specific mildew-resistant and -infected barley cells. Thus, for the first time, it is possible to identify genes that are specifically regulated in infected cells and, presumably, involved in fungal establishment. Further, although much is understood about the genetic basis of effective papilla resistance associated with mutant mlo barley, we provide here the first evidence for gene regulation associated with effective papilla-based nonspecific resistance expressed in nominally "susceptible" wild-type barley.

Calcium signaling in plant cell organelles delimited by a double membrane

Increases in the concentration of free calcium in the cytosol are one of the general events that relay an external stimulus to the internal cellular machinery and allow eukaryotic organisms, including plants, to mount a specific biological response. Different lines of evidence have shown that other intracellular organelles contribute to the regulation of free calcium homeostasis in the cytosol. The vacuoles, the endoplasmic reticulum and the cell wall constitute storage compartments for mobilizable calcium. In contrast, the role of organelles surrounded by a double membrane (e.g. mitochondria, chloroplasts and nuclei) is more complex. Here, we review experimental data showing that these organelles harbor calcium-dependent biological processes. Mitochondria, chloroplasts as well as nuclei are equipped to generate calcium signal on their own. Changes in free calcium in a given organelle may also favor the relocalization of proteins and regulatory components and therefore have a profound influence on the integrated functioning of the cell. Studying, in time and space, the dynamics of different components of calcium signaling pathway will certainly give clues to understand the extraordinary flexibility of plants to respond to stimuli and mount adaptive responses. The availability of technical and biological resources should allow breaking new grounds by unveiling the contribution of signaling networks in integrative plant biology.

Cloning of two splice variants of the rice PTS1 receptor, OsPex5pL and OsPex5pS, and their functional characterization using pex5-deficient yeast and Arabidopsis

Using the rice PEX14 cDNA as a bait in a yeast two-hybrid assay, two splice variants of the type I peroxisomal targeting signal (PTS1) receptor, OsPex5pL and OsPex5pS, were cloned from a pathogen-treated rice leaf cDNA library. The proteins were produced from a single gene by alternative splicing, which generated a full-length variant, OsPEX5L, and a variant that lacked exon 7, OsPEX5S. OsPex5pL contained 11 copies of the pentapeptide motif WXXXF/Y in its N-terminus, and seven tetratricopeptide repeats in its C-terminus. Expression of OsPEX5L and OsPEX5S predominantly occurred in leaf tissues, and was induced by various stresses, such as exposure to the pathogen Magnaporthe grisea, and treatment with fungal elicitor, methyl viologen, NaCl or hydrogen peroxide. The Arabidopsis T-DNA insertional pex5 mutant, Atpex5, which does not germinate in the absence of sucrose and was resistant to indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), was perfectly rescued by over-expression of OsPex5pL, but not by OsPex5pS. Using transient expression of OsPex5pL and OsPex5pS in the Atpex5 mutant, we show that OsPex5pL translocates both PTS1- and PTS2-containing proteins into the peroxisome by interacting with OsPex7p, whereas OsPex5pS is involved only in PTS1-dependent import in Arabidopsis.

Heavy metal stress and leaf senescence induce the barley gene HvC2d1 encoding a calcium-dependent novel C2 domain-like protein

By comparing cDNA populations derived from chromium-stressed primary leaves of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) with controls, differentially expressed cDNA fragments could be identified. The deduced amino acid sequence of one of these cDNAs [named 'C2 domain 1' (HvC2d1)] exhibits a motif that is similar to the known C2 domain and a nuclear localization signal (NLS). Expression of this member of a novel class of plant C2 domain-like proteins was studied using real-time PCR, and subcellular localization was investigated using green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion constructs. Calcium binding was analysed using a (45)Ca(2+) overlay assay. HvC2d1 was transiently induced after exposure to different heavy metals and its mRNA accumulated during the phase of leaf senescence. HvC2d1 expression responded to changes in calcium levels caused by the calcium ionophore A23187 and to treatment with methylviologen resulting in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Using overexpressed and purified HvC2d1, the binding of calcium could be confirmed. Chimeric HvC2d1-GFP protein was localized in onion epidermal cells at the plasma membrane, cytoplasm and the nucleus. After addition of calcium ionophore A23187 green fluorescence was only visible in the nucleus. The data suggest a calcium-dependent translocation of HvC2d1 to the nucleus. A possible role of HvC2d1 in stress- and development-dependent signalling in the nucleus is discussed.

Proteomics of calcium-signaling components in plants

Calcium functions as a versatile messenger in mediating responses to hormones, biotic/abiotic stress signals and a variety of developmental cues in plants. The Ca(2+)-signaling circuit consists of three major "nodes"--generation of a Ca(2+)-signature in response to a signal, recognition of the signature by Ca2+ sensors and transduction of the signature message to targets that participate in producing signal-specific responses. Molecular genetic and protein-protein interaction approaches together with bioinformatic analysis of the Arabidopsis genome have resulted in identification of a large number of proteins at each "node"--approximately 80 at Ca2+ signature, approximately 400 sensors and approximately 200 targets--that form a myriad of Ca2+ signaling networks in a "mix and match" fashion. In parallel, biochemical, cell biological, genetic and transgenic approaches have unraveled functions and regulatory mechanisms of a few of these components. The emerging paradigm from these studies is that plants have many unique Ca2+ signaling proteins. The presence of a large number of proteins, including several families, at each "node" and potential interaction of several targets by a sensor or vice versa are likely to generate highly complex networks that regulate Ca(2+)-mediated processes. Therefore, there is a great demand for high-throughput technologies for identification of signaling networks in the "Ca(2+)-signaling-grid" and their roles in cellular processes. Here we discuss the current status of Ca2+ signaling components, their known functions and potential of emerging high-throughput genomic and proteomic technologies in unraveling complex Ca2+ circuitry.