Characterization of an ethylene-induced esterase gene isolated from Citrus sinensis by competitive hybridization

Characterization of three tandem-duplicated calcium binding protein (CaBP) genes and promoters reveals their roles in the phytohormone and wounding responses in citrus

Accumulated evidences have revealed the critical roles of calcium binding protein (CaBP) in growth and stress responses of plants. However, its function in woody plants is poorly understood. In this study, we cloned the CDS, gDNA and promoter sequences of three tandem-duplicated CaBPs (CsCaBP1, CsCaBP2 and CsCaBP3) from Citrus sinensis, analyzed their sequence characteristics, and investigated their gene expression patterns and promoter activities under treatments of CaCl₂, several phytohormones and wounding. Results showed that the three CsCaBPs have high sequence similarity. Their expression was strongly induced by CaCl₂, ethylene, jasmonic acid, salicylic acid and wounding, and the promoting effect of wounding on their expression was found to be partially ethylene-dependent. Consistently, we identified many phytohormone-related cis-acting elements in their promoters, and their promoter activity could be induced significantly by ethylene, jasmonic acid, salicylic acid and wounding. All the three CsCaBPs can interact with WRKY40, whose encoding gene showed a similar expression pattern to CsCaBPs under phytohormone and wounding treatments. In addition, CsERF14, CsERF21, CsERF3 and CsERF2 could bind to their promoters. The results obtained in this study indicated that the three duplicated CsCaBPs were functionally redundant and played similar roles in the phytohormone and wounding responses of C. sinensis.

Structure-function relationship of a citrus salicylate methylesterase and role of salicylic acid in citrus canker resistance

Salicylic acid (SA) and its methyl ester, methyl salicylate (MeSA) are well known inducers of local and systemic plant defense responses, respectively. MeSA is a major mediator of systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and its conversion back into SA is thought to be required for SAR. In many plant species, conversion of MeSA into SA is mediated by MeSA esterases of the SABP2 family. Here we show that the Citrus sinensis SABP2 homologue protein CsMES1 catalyzes the hydrolysis of MeSA into SA. Molecular modeling studies suggest that CsMES1 shares the same structure and SA-binding mode with tobacco SABP2. However, an amino acid polymorphism in the active site of CsMES1-related proteins suggested an important role in enzyme regulation. We present evidence that the side chain of this polymorphic residue directly influences enzyme activity and SA binding affinity in CsMES proteins. We also show that SA and CsMES1 transcripts preferentially accumulate during the incompatible interaction between Xanthomonas aurantifolii pathotype C and sweet orange plants. Moreover, we demonstrate that SA and MeSA inhibited citrus canker caused by Xanthomonas citri, whereas an inhibitor of CsMES1 enhanced canker formation, suggesting that CsMES1 and SA play a role in the local defense against citrus canker bacteria.

Allelic variants of the esterase gene W14/15 differentially regulate overwinter survival in perennial gentian (Gentiana L.)

Overwinter survival has to be under critical regulation in the lifecycle of herbaceous perennial plants. Gentians (Gentiana L.) maintain their perennial life style through producing dormant and freezing-tolerant overwinter buds (OWBs) to overcome cold winter. However, the mechanism acting on such an overwinter survival and the genes/proteins contributing to it have been poorly understood. Previously, we identified an OWB-enriched protein W14/15, a member of a group of α/β hydrolase fold superfamily that is implicated in regulation of hormonal action in plants. The W14/15 gene has more than ten variant types in Gentiana species. However, roles of the W14/15 gene in OWB survival and functional difference among those variants have been unclear. In the present study, we examined whether the W14/15 gene variants are involved in the mechanism acting on overwinter survival, by crossing experiments using cultivars carrying different W14/15 variant alleles and virus-induced gene silencing experiments. We found that particular types of the W14/15 variants (W15a types) contributed toward obtaining high ability of overwinter survival, while other types (W14b types) did not, or even interfered with the former type gene. This study demonstrates two findings; first, contribution of esterase genes to winter hardiness, and second, paired set or paired partner among the allelic variants determines the ability of overwinter survival.

Profiling gene expression in citrus fruit calyx abscission zone (AZ-C) treated with ethylene

On-tree storage and harvesting of mature fruit account for a large proportion of cost in the production of citrus, and a reduction of the cost would not be achieved without a thorough understanding of the mechani sm of the mature fruit abscission. Genome-wide gene expression changes in ethylene-treated fruit calyx abscission zone (AZ-C) of Citrus sinensis cv. Olinda were therefore investigated using a citrus genome array representing up to 33,879 citrus transcripts. In total, 1313 and 1044 differentially regulated genes were identified in AZ-C treated with ethylene for 4 and 24 h, respectively. The results showed that mature citrus fruit abscission commenced with the activation of ethylene signal transduction pathway that led to the activation of ethylene responsive transcription factors and the subsequent transcriptional regulation of a large set of ethylene responsive genes. Significantly down-regulated genes included those of starch/sugar biosynthesis, transportation of water and growth promoting hormone synthesis and signaling, whereas significantly up-regulated genes were those involved in defense, cell wall degradation, and secondary metabolism. Our data unraveled the underlying mechanisms of some known important biochemical events occurring at AZ-C and should provide informative suggestions for future manipulation of the events to achieve a controllable abscission for mature citrus fruit.

Dwarf 88, a novel putative esterase gene affecting architecture of rice plant

Rice architecture is an important agronomic trait that affects grain yield. We characterized a tillering dwarf mutant d88 derived from Oryza sativa ssp. japonica cultivar Lansheng treated with EMS. The mutant had excessive shorter tillers and smaller panicles and seeds compared to the wild-type. A reduction in number and size of parenchyma cells around stem marrow cavity as well as a delay in the elongation of parenchyma cells caused slender tillers and dwarfism in the d88 mutant. The D88 gene was isolated via map-based cloning and identified to encode a putative esterase. The gene was expressed in most rice organs, with especially high levels in the vascular tissues. The mutant carried a nucleotide substitution in the first exon of the gene that led to the substitution of arginine for glycine, which presumably disrupted the functionally conserved N-myristoylation domain of the protein. The function of the gene was confirmed by complementation test and antisense analysis. D88, thus, represents a new category of genes that regulates cell growth and organ development and consequently plant architecture. The potential relationship between the tiller formation associated genes and D88 is discussed and future identification of the substrate for D88 may lead to the characterization of new pathways regulating plant development.

Conditional oxidative stress responses in the Arabidopsis photorespiratory mutant cat2 demonstrate that redox state is a key modulator of daylength-dependent gene expression, and define photoperiod as a crucial factor in the regulation of H2O2-induced cell death

Photorespiration is a light-dependent source of H(2)O(2) in the peroxisomes, where concentrations of this signalling molecule are regulated by catalase. Growth of Arabidopsis knock-out mutants for CATALASE2 (cat2) in ambient air caused severely decreased rosette biomass, intracellular redox perturbation and activation of oxidative signalling pathways. These effects were absent when cat2 was grown at high CO(2) levels to inhibit photorespiration, but were re-established following a subsequent transfer to air. Growth of cat2 in air at different daylengths revealed that photoperiod is a critical determinant of the oxidative stress response. Decreased growth was observed in 8-h, 12-h and 16-h photoperiods, but lesion development was dependent on long days. Experiments at different light fluence rates showed that cell death in cat2 was linked to long days and not to total light exposure or the severity of oxidative stress. Perturbed intracellular redox state and oxidative signalling pathway induction were more prominent in short days than in long days, as evidenced by glutathione status and induction of defence genes and oxidative stress-responsive transcripts. Similar daylength-dependent effects were observed in the response of mature plants transferred from short days in high CO(2) conditions to ambient air conditions. Prior growth of plants with short days in air alleviated the cat2 cell-death phenotype in long days. Together, the data reveal the influence of photoperiodic events on redox signalling, and define distinct photoperiod-dependent strategies in the acclimation versus cell-death decision in stress conditions.

Structure and allele-specific expression variation of novel α/β hydrolase fold proteins in gentian plants

Previously, we identified two closely related proteins termed W14 and W15 that were enriched in the overwinter buds of the gentian plant Gentiana triflora. Expression of the latter protein W15 has been implicated in its association with cold hardiness, because of its absence in a cold-sensitive mutant. Here, we characterized these two proteins and the genes encoding them. Amino acid sequences of the W14 and W15 proteins showed difference at only three amino acid positions, and both of them showed homologies to alpha/beta hydrolase fold superfamily. Consistently, GST-fused W14 and W15 proteins expressed in bacteria showed hydrolase activity toward 1-naphtyl acetate. Structural analysis of these two genes in seven different gentian strains/cultivars including an anther culture-derived homozygous diploid revealed that W14 and W15 genes are allelic. Three genotypes were found; two strains carried both alleles (W14/W15), one carried the W15 genes in both alleles (W15/W15), and others were homozygous of W14 (W14/W14). Interestingly, expression of the two proteins exhibited allele-specificity. In one W14/W15 strain, expression of the W15 allele was almost repressed. In addition, organ specific expression of the alleles was observed in different cultivars. These observations were discussed in relation to winter hardiness of the gentian plants.

Metabolic, genomic, and biochemical analyses of glandular trichomes from the wild tomato species Lycopersicon hirsutum identify a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of methylketones

Medium-length methylketones (C7-C15) are highly effective in protecting plants from numerous pests. We used a biochemical genomics approach to elucidate the pathway leading to synthesis of methylketones in the glandular trichomes of the wild tomato Lycopersicon hirsutum f glabratum (accession PI126449). A comparison of gland EST databases from accession PI126449 and a second L. hirsutum accession, LA1777, whose glands do not contain methylketones, showed that the expression of genes for fatty acid biosynthesis is elevated in PI126449 glands, suggesting de novo biosynthesis of methylketones. A cDNA abundant in the PI126449 gland EST database but rare in the LA1777 database was similar in sequence to plant esterases. This cDNA, designated Methylketone Synthase 1 (MKS1), was expressed in Escherichia coli and the purified protein used to catalyze in vitro reactions in which C12, C14, and C16 beta-ketoacyl-acyl-carrier-proteins (intermediates in fatty acid biosynthesis) were hydrolyzed and decarboxylated to give C11, C13, and C15 methylketones, respectively. Although MKS1 does not contain a classical transit peptide, in vitro import assays showed that it was targeted to the stroma of plastids, where fatty acid biosynthesis occurs. Levels of MKS1 transcript, protein, and enzymatic activity were correlated with levels of methylketones and gland density in a variety of tomato accessions and in different plant organs.

Cloning and expression of a tomato cDNA encoding a methyl jasmonate cleaving esterase

Jasmonic acid and its methyl ester are ubiquitous plant signalling compounds necessary for the regulation of growth and development, as well as for the response of plants to environmental stress factors. To date, it is not clear whether methyl jasmonate itself acts as a signal or if its conversion to jasmonic acid is mandatory prior to the induction of a defense response. We have cloned a cDNA, encoding a methyl jasmonate-cleaving enzyme, from tomato cell suspension cultures. Sequence analysis revealed significant similarity to plant esterases and to (S)-hydroxynitrile lyases with an alpha/beta-hydrolase fold structure. The coding sequence was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli and purified in a catalytically active form. Transcript levels, as well as enzymatic activity, were determined in different tomato tissues. High transcript levels and enzyme activities were found in roots and flowers, while the mRNA level and activity were low in stems and leaves. Moreover, when tested in methyl jasmonate- and elicitor-treated cell suspension cultures, transcript levels were found to decrease, indicating that this particular enzyme might be a regulator of jasmonate signalling.