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Shanks CM, Rothkegel K, Brooks MD, Cheng CY, Alvarez JM, Ruffel S, Krouk G, Gutiérrez RA, Coruzzi GM. Nitrogen sensing and regulatory networks: it's about time and space. THE PLANT CELL 2024; 36:1482-1503. [PMID: 38366121 PMCID: PMC11062454 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koae038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
A plant's response to external and internal nitrogen signals/status relies on sensing and signaling mechanisms that operate across spatial and temporal dimensions. From a comprehensive systems biology perspective, this involves integrating nitrogen responses in different cell types and over long distances to ensure organ coordination in real time and yield practical applications. In this prospective review, we focus on novel aspects of nitrogen (N) sensing/signaling uncovered using temporal and spatial systems biology approaches, largely in the model Arabidopsis. The temporal aspects span: transcriptional responses to N-dose mediated by Michaelis-Menten kinetics, the role of the master NLP7 transcription factor as a nitrate sensor, its nitrate-dependent TF nuclear retention, its "hit-and-run" mode of target gene regulation, and temporal transcriptional cascade identified by "network walking." Spatial aspects of N-sensing/signaling have been uncovered in cell type-specific studies in roots and in root-to-shoot communication. We explore new approaches using single-cell sequencing data, trajectory inference, and pseudotime analysis as well as machine learning and artificial intelligence approaches. Finally, unveiling the mechanisms underlying the spatial dynamics of nitrogen sensing/signaling networks across species from model to crop could pave the way for translational studies to improve nitrogen-use efficiency in crops. Such outcomes could potentially reduce the detrimental effects of excessive fertilizer usage on groundwater pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carly M Shanks
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Karin Rothkegel
- Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo-Millennium Science Initiative Program, Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), 7500565 Santiago, Chile
- Center for Genome Regulation (CRG), Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity (IEB), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 8331010 Santiago, Chile
| | - Matthew D Brooks
- Global Change and Photosynthesis Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Chia-Yi Cheng
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10663, Taiwan
| | - José M Alvarez
- Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo-Millennium Science Initiative Program, Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), 7500565 Santiago, Chile
- Centro de Biotecnología Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Andrés Bello, 8370035 Santiago, Chile
| | - Sandrine Ruffel
- Institute for Plant Sciences of Montpellier (IPSiM), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation, et l'Environnement (INRAE), Université de Montpellier, Montpellier 34090, France
| | - Gabriel Krouk
- Institute for Plant Sciences of Montpellier (IPSiM), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation, et l'Environnement (INRAE), Université de Montpellier, Montpellier 34090, France
| | - Rodrigo A Gutiérrez
- Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo-Millennium Science Initiative Program, Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), 7500565 Santiago, Chile
- Center for Genome Regulation (CRG), Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity (IEB), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 8331010 Santiago, Chile
| | - Gloria M Coruzzi
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
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2
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Groen SC, Joly-Lopez Z, Platts AE, Natividad M, Fresquez Z, Mauck WM, Quintana MR, Cabral CLU, Torres RO, Satija R, Purugganan MD, Henry A. Evolutionary systems biology reveals patterns of rice adaptation to drought-prone agro-ecosystems. THE PLANT CELL 2022; 34:759-783. [PMID: 34791424 PMCID: PMC8824591 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koab275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Rice (Oryza sativa) was domesticated around 10,000 years ago and has developed into a staple for half of humanity. The crop evolved and is currently grown in stably wet and intermittently dry agro-ecosystems, but patterns of adaptation to differences in water availability remain poorly understood. While previous field studies have evaluated plant developmental adaptations to water deficit, adaptive variation in functional and hydraulic components, particularly in relation to gene expression, has received less attention. Here, we take an evolutionary systems biology approach to characterize adaptive drought resistance traits across roots and shoots. We find that rice harbors heritable variation in molecular, physiological, and morphological traits that is linked to higher fitness under drought. We identify modules of co-expressed genes that are associated with adaptive drought avoidance and tolerance mechanisms. These expression modules showed evidence of polygenic adaptation in rice subgroups harboring accessions that evolved in drought-prone agro-ecosystems. Fitness-linked expression patterns allowed us to identify the drought-adaptive nature of optimizing photosynthesis and interactions with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Taken together, our study provides an unprecedented, integrative view of rice adaptation to water-limited field conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon C Groen
- Author for correspondence: (S.C.G.), (M.D.P.), (A.H.)
| | | | | | - Mignon Natividad
- International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines, USA
| | - Zoë Fresquez
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, USA
| | | | | | - Carlo Leo U Cabral
- International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines, USA
| | - Rolando O Torres
- International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines, USA
| | - Rahul Satija
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, USA
- New York Genome Center, New York, USA
| | | | - Amelia Henry
- Author for correspondence: (S.C.G.), (M.D.P.), (A.H.)
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3
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Swift J, Greenham K, Ecker JR, Coruzzi GM, McClung CR. The biology of time: dynamic responses of cell types to developmental, circadian and environmental cues. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 109:764-778. [PMID: 34797944 PMCID: PMC9215356 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
As sessile organisms, plants are finely tuned to respond dynamically to developmental, circadian and environmental cues. Genome-wide studies investigating these types of cues have uncovered the intrinsically different ways they can impact gene expression over time. Recent advances in single-cell sequencing and time-based bioinformatic algorithms are now beginning to reveal the dynamics of these time-based responses within individual cells and plant tissues. Here, we review what these techniques have revealed about the spatiotemporal nature of gene regulation, paying particular attention to the three distinct ways in which plant tissues are time sensitive. (i) First, we discuss how studying plant cell identity can reveal developmental trajectories hidden in pseudotime. (ii) Next, we present evidence that indicates that plant cell types keep their own local time through tissue-specific regulation of the circadian clock. (iii) Finally, we review what determines the speed of environmental signaling responses, and how they can be contingent on developmental and circadian time. By these means, this review sheds light on how these different scales of time-based responses can act with tissue and cell-type specificity to elicit changes in whole plant systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Swift
- Plant Biology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Kathleen Greenham
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Joseph R. Ecker
- Plant Biology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Gloria M. Coruzzi
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, NY, USA
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4
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Akmakjian GZ, Bailey-Serres J. Gene regulatory circuitry of plant-environment interactions: scaling from cells to the field. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 65:102122. [PMID: 34688206 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2021.102122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Plant growth and development is the product of layers of sensing and regulation that are modulated by multifactorial environmental cues. Innovations in genomics currently allow gene regulatory control to be quantified at multiple scales and high resolution in defined cell populations and even in individual cells or nuclei in plants. The application of these 'omic technologies in highly controlled, as well as field environments is revolutionizing the recognition of factors critical to spatial and temporal responses to single or multiple environmental cues. Within and pan-species comparisons illuminate deeply conserved circuitry and targets of selection. This knowledge can benefit the breeding and engineering of crops with greater resilience to climate variability and the ability to augment nutrition through plant-microbial interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garo Z Akmakjian
- Center for Plant Cell Biology, Botany and Plant Sciences Department, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Julia Bailey-Serres
- Center for Plant Cell Biology, Botany and Plant Sciences Department, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA.
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5
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Shanks CM, Huang J, Cheng CY, Shih HJS, Brooks MD, Alvarez JM, Araus V, Swift J, Henry A, Coruzzi GM. Validation of a high-confidence regulatory network for gene-to-NUE phenotype in field-grown rice. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1006044. [PMID: 36507422 PMCID: PMC9732682 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1006044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) and Water (W) - two resources critical for crop productivity - are becoming increasingly limited in soils globally. To address this issue, we aim to uncover the gene regulatory networks (GRNs) that regulate nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) - as a function of water availability - in Oryza sativa, a staple for 3.5 billion people. In this study, we infer and validate GRNs that correlate with rice NUE phenotypes affected by N-by-W availability in the field. We did this by exploiting RNA-seq and crop phenotype data from 19 rice varieties grown in a 2x2 N-by-W matrix in the field. First, to identify gene-to-NUE field phenotypes, we analyzed these datasets using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). This identified two network modules ("skyblue" & "grey60") highly correlated with NUE grain yield (NUEg). Next, we focused on 90 TFs contained in these two NUEg modules and predicted their genome-wide targets using the N-and/or-W response datasets using a random forest network inference approach (GENIE3). Next, to validate the GENIE3 TF→target gene predictions, we performed Precision/Recall Analysis (AUPR) using nine datasets for three TFs validated in planta. This analysis sets a precision threshold of 0.31, used to "prune" the GENIE3 network for high-confidence TF→target gene edges, comprising 88 TFs and 5,716 N-and/or-W response genes. Next, we ranked these 88 TFs based on their significant influence on NUEg target genes responsive to N and/or W signaling. This resulted in a list of 18 prioritized TFs that regulate 551 NUEg target genes responsive to N and/or W signals. We validated the direct regulated targets of two of these candidate NUEg TFs in a plant cell-based TF assay called TARGET, for which we also had in planta data for comparison. Gene ontology analysis revealed that 6/18 NUEg TFs - OsbZIP23 (LOC_Os02g52780), Oshox22 (LOC_Os04g45810), LOB39 (LOC_Os03g41330), Oshox13 (LOC_Os03g08960), LOC_Os11g38870, and LOC_Os06g14670 - regulate genes annotated for N and/or W signaling. Our results show that OsbZIP23 and Oshox22, known regulators of drought tolerance, also coordinate W-responses with NUEg. This validated network can aid in developing/breeding rice with improved yield on marginal, low N-input, drought-prone soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carly M. Shanks
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Ji Huang
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Chia-Yi Cheng
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Life Science, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Jui S. Shih
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Matthew D. Brooks
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
- Global Change and Photosynthesis Research Unit, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Urbana, IL, United States
| | - José M. Alvarez
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
- Centro de Biotecnología Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
- Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo–Millennium Science Initiative Program, Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Santiago, Chile
| | - Viviana Araus
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
- Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo–Millennium Science Initiative Program, Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Joseph Swift
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
- Plant Biology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Amelia Henry
- Rice Breeding Innovations Platform, International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
| | - Gloria M. Coruzzi
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Gloria M. Coruzzi,
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6
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Lebedev VG, Popova AA, Shestibratov KA. Genetic Engineering and Genome Editing for Improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Plants. Cells 2021; 10:cells10123303. [PMID: 34943810 PMCID: PMC8699818 DOI: 10.3390/cells10123303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Low nitrogen availability is one of the main limiting factors for plant growth and development, and high doses of N fertilizers are necessary to achieve high yields in agriculture. However, most N is not used by plants and pollutes the environment. This situation can be improved by enhancing the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in plants. NUE is a complex trait driven by multiple interactions between genetic and environmental factors, and its improvement requires a fundamental understanding of the key steps in plant N metabolism—uptake, assimilation, and remobilization. This review summarizes two decades of research into bioengineering modification of N metabolism to increase the biomass accumulation and yield in crops. The expression of structural and regulatory genes was most often altered using overexpression strategies, although RNAi and genome editing techniques were also used. Particular attention was paid to woody plants, which have great economic importance, play a crucial role in the ecosystems and have fundamental differences from herbaceous species. The review also considers the issue of unintended effects of transgenic plants with modified N metabolism, e.g., early flowering—a research topic which is currently receiving little attention. The future prospects of improving NUE in crops, essential for the development of sustainable agriculture, using various approaches and in the context of global climate change, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vadim G. Lebedev
- Forest Biotechnology Group, Branch of the Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Russia;
- Correspondence:
| | - Anna A. Popova
- Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Voronezh State University of Forestry and Technologies named after G.F. Morozov, 394087 Voronezh, Russia;
| | - Konstantin A. Shestibratov
- Forest Biotechnology Group, Branch of the Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Russia;
- Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Voronezh State University of Forestry and Technologies named after G.F. Morozov, 394087 Voronezh, Russia;
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7
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Xie X, Quintana MR, Sandhu N, Subedi SR, Zou Y, Rutkoski JE, Henry A. Establishment method affects rice root plasticity in response to drought and its relationship with grain yield stability. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2021; 72:5208-5220. [PMID: 33989419 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erab214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
By responding to the variable soil environments in which they are grown, the roots of rice crops are likely to contribute to yield stability across a range of soil moistures, nutrient levels, and establishment methods. In this study, we explored different approaches to quantification of root plasticity and characterization of its relationship with yield stability. Using four different statistical approaches (plasticity index, slope, AMMI, and factor analytic) on a set of 17 genotypes including several recently-developed breeding lines targeted to dry direct-seeding, we identified only very few direct relationships between root plasticity and yield stability. However, genotypes identified as having combined yield stability and root plasticity showed higher grain yields across trials. Furthermore, root plasticity was expressed to a greater degree in puddled transplanted trials rather than under dry direct-seeding. Significant interactions between nitrogen and water resulted in contrasting relationships between nitrogen-use efficiency and biomass stability between puddled-transplanted and direct-seeded conditions. These results reflect the complex interaction between nitrogen, drought, and even different types of drought (as a result of the establishment method) on rice root growth, and suggest that although rice root plasticity may confer stable yield across a range of environments, it might be necessary to more narrowly define the targeted environments to which it will be most beneficial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobing Xie
- International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
- Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | | | - Nitika Sandhu
- International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
| | - Sushil R Subedi
- International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
| | - Yingbin Zou
- Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | | | - Amelia Henry
- International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
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8
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Valkov VT, Sol S, Rogato A, Chiurazzi M. The functional characterization of LjNRT2.4 indicates a novel, positive role of nitrate for an efficient nodule N 2 -fixation activity. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 228:682-696. [PMID: 32542646 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Atmospheric nitrogen (N2) -fixing nodules are formed on the roots of legume plants as result of the symbiotic interaction with rhizobia. Nodule functioning requires high amounts of carbon and energy, and therefore legumes have developed finely tuned mechanisms to cope with changing external environmental conditions, including nutrient availability and flooding. The investigation of the role of nitrate as regulator of the symbiotic N2 fixation has been limited to the inhibitory effects exerted by high external concentrations on nodule formation, development and functioning. We describe a nitrate-dependent route acting at low external concentrations that become crucial in hydroponic conditions to ensure an efficient nodule functionality. Combined genetic, biochemical and molecular studies are used to unravel the novel function of the LjNRT2.4 gene. Two independent null mutants are affected by the nitrate content of nodules, consistent with LjNRT2.4 temporal and spatial profiles of expression. The reduced nodular nitrate content is associated to a strong reduction of nitrogenase activity and a severe N-starvation phenotype observed under hydroponic conditions. We also report the effects of the mutations on the nodular nitric oxide (NO) production and content. We discuss the involvement of LjNRT2.4 in a nitrate-NO respiratory chain taking place in the N2 -fixing nodules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Totev Valkov
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, IBBR, CNR, Via P. Castellino 111, Napoli, 80131, Italy
| | - Stefano Sol
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, IBBR, CNR, Via P. Castellino 111, Napoli, 80131, Italy
| | - Alessandra Rogato
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, IBBR, CNR, Via P. Castellino 111, Napoli, 80131, Italy
| | - Maurizio Chiurazzi
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, IBBR, CNR, Via P. Castellino 111, Napoli, 80131, Italy
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9
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Xu G, Takahashi H. Improving nitrogen use efficiency: from cells to plant systems. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2020; 71:4359-4364. [PMID: 32710784 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/eraa309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Guohua Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- China MOA Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilization in Lower-Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, Nanjing, China
| | - Hideki Takahashi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA
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10
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Araus V, Swift J, Alvarez JM, Henry A, Coruzzi GM. A balancing act: how plants integrate nitrogen and water signals. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2020; 71:4442-4451. [PMID: 31990028 PMCID: PMC7382378 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/eraa054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) and water (W) are crucial inputs for plant survival as well as costly resources for agriculture. Given their importance, the molecular mechanisms that plants rely on to signal changes in either N or W status have been under intense scrutiny. However, how plants sense and respond to the combination of N and W signals at the molecular level has received scant attention. The purpose of this review is to shed light on what is currently known about how plant responses to N are impacted by W status. We review classic studies which detail how N and W combinations have both synergistic and antagonistic effects on key plant traits, such as root architecture and stomatal aperture. Recent molecular studies of N and W interactions show that mutations in genes involved in N metabolism affect drought responses, and vice versa. Specifically, perturbing key N signaling genes may lead to changes in drought-responsive gene expression programs, which is supported by a meta-analysis we conduct on available transcriptomic data. Additionally, we cite studies that show how combinatorial transcriptional responses to N and W status might drive crop phenotypes. Through these insights, we suggest research strategies that could help to develop crops adapted to marginal soils depleted in both N and W, an important task in the face of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviana Araus
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, NY, USA
| | - Joseph Swift
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, NY, USA
| | - Jose M Alvarez
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, NY, USA
- Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
| | - Amelia Henry
- International Rice Research Institute, Metro Manila, Philippines
| | - Gloria M Coruzzi
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, NY, USA
- Correspondence:
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11
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Vidal EA, Alvarez JM, Araus V, Riveras E, Brooks MD, Krouk G, Ruffel S, Lejay L, Crawford NM, Coruzzi GM, Gutiérrez RA. Nitrate in 2020: Thirty Years from Transport to Signaling Networks. THE PLANT CELL 2020; 32:2094-2119. [PMID: 32169959 PMCID: PMC7346567 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.19.00748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 166] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) is an essential macronutrient for plants and a major limiting factor for plant growth and crop production. Nitrate is the main source of N available to plants in agricultural soils and in many natural environments. Sustaining agricultural productivity is of paramount importance in the current scenario of increasing world population, diversification of crop uses, and climate change. Plant productivity for major crops around the world, however, is still supported by excess application of N-rich fertilizers with detrimental economic and environmental impacts. Thus, understanding how plants regulate nitrate uptake and metabolism is key for developing new crops with enhanced N use efficiency and to cope with future world food demands. The study of plant responses to nitrate has gained considerable interest over the last 30 years. This review provides an overview of key findings in nitrate research, spanning biochemistry, molecular genetics, genomics, and systems biology. We discuss how we have reached our current view of nitrate transport, local and systemic nitrate sensing/signaling, and the regulatory networks underlying nitrate-controlled outputs in plants. We hope this summary will serve not only as a timeline and information repository but also as a baseline to define outstanding questions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena A Vidal
- Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology, Santiago, Chile, 7500565
- Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile, 8580745
- Escuela de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile, 8580745
| | - José M Alvarez
- Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology, Santiago, Chile, 7500565
- Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile, 8580745
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, New York 10003
| | - Viviana Araus
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, New York 10003
| | - Eleodoro Riveras
- Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology, Santiago, Chile, 7500565
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile, 8331150
- FONDAP Center for Genome Regulation, Santiago, Chile, 8370415
| | - Matthew D Brooks
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, New York 10003
| | - Gabriel Krouk
- Biochemistry and Plant Molecular Physiology, CNRS, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro, Universite Montpellier, Montpellier, France, 34060
| | - Sandrine Ruffel
- Biochemistry and Plant Molecular Physiology, CNRS, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro, Universite Montpellier, Montpellier, France, 34060
| | - Laurence Lejay
- Biochemistry and Plant Molecular Physiology, CNRS, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro, Universite Montpellier, Montpellier, France, 34060
| | - Nigel M Crawford
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California, 92093
| | - Gloria M Coruzzi
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, New York 10003
| | - Rodrigo A Gutiérrez
- Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology, Santiago, Chile, 7500565
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile, 8331150
- FONDAP Center for Genome Regulation, Santiago, Chile, 8370415
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12
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QnAs with Gloria M. Coruzzi. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:12508-12509. [DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2007147117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Nutrient dose-responsive transcriptome changes driven by Michaelis-Menten kinetics underlie plant growth rates. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:12531-12540. [PMID: 32414922 PMCID: PMC7293603 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1918619117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
An increase in nutrient dose leads to proportional increases in crop biomass and agricultural yield. However, the molecular underpinnings of this nutrient dose-response are largely unknown. To investigate, we assayed changes in the Arabidopsis root transcriptome to different doses of nitrogen (N)-a key plant nutrient-as a function of time. By these means, we found that rate changes of genome-wide transcript levels in response to N-dose could be explained by a simple kinetic principle: the Michaelis-Menten (MM) model. Fitting the MM model allowed us to estimate the maximum rate of transcript change (V max), as well as the N-dose at which one-half of V max was achieved (K m) for 1,153 N-dose-responsive genes. Since transcription factors (TFs) can act in part as the catalytic agents that determine the rates of transcript change, we investigated their role in regulating N-dose-responsive MM-modeled genes. We found that altering the abundance of TGA1, an early N-responsive TF, perturbed the maximum rates of N-dose transcriptomic responses (V max), K m, as well as the rate of N-dose-responsive plant growth. We experimentally validated that MM-modeled N-dose-responsive genes included both direct and indirect TGA1 targets, using a root cell TF assay to detect TF binding and/or TF regulation genome-wide. Taken together, our results support a molecular mechanism of transcriptional control that allows an increase in N-dose to lead to a proportional change in the rate of genome-wide expression and plant growth.
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Oldroyd GED, Leyser O. A plant's diet, surviving in a variable nutrient environment. Science 2020; 368:368/6486/eaba0196. [PMID: 32241923 DOI: 10.1126/science.aba0196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
As primary producers, plants rely on a large aboveground surface area to collect carbon dioxide and sunlight and a large underground surface area to collect the water and mineral nutrients needed to support their growth and development. Accessibility of the essential nutrients nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in the soil is affected by many factors that create a variable spatiotemporal landscape of their availability both at the local and global scale. Plants optimize uptake of the N and P available through modifications to their growth and development and engagement with microorganisms that facilitate their capture. The sensing of these nutrients, as well as the perception of overall nutrient status, shapes the plant's response to its nutrient environment, coordinating its development with microbial engagement to optimize N and P capture and regulate overall plant growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giles E D Oldroyd
- Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge, 47 Bateman Street, Cambridge CB2 1LR, UK. .,Crop Science Centre, University of Cambridge, 93 Lawrence Weaver Road, Cambridge CB3 0LE, UK
| | - Ottoline Leyser
- Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge, 47 Bateman Street, Cambridge CB2 1LR, UK
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