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Dong Q, Duan D, Wang F, Yang K, Song Y, Wang Y, Wang D, Ji Z, Xu C, Jia P, Luan H, Guo S, Qi G, Mao K, Zhang X, Tian Y, Ma Y, Ma F. The MdVQ37-MdWRKY100 complex regulates salicylic acid content and MdRPM1 expression to modulate resistance to Glomerella leaf spot in apples. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2024; 22:2364-2376. [PMID: 38683692 PMCID: PMC11258982 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Glomerella leaf spot (GLS), caused by the fungus Colletotrichum fructicola, is considered one of the most destructive diseases affecting apples. The VQ-WRKY complex plays a crucial role in the response of plants to biotic stresses. However, our understanding of the defensive role of the VQ-WRKY complex on woody plants, particularly apples, under biotic stress, remains limited. In this study, we elucidated the molecular mechanisms underlying the defensive role of the apple MdVQ37-MdWRKY100 module in response to GLS infection. The overexpression of MdWRKY100 enhanced resistance to C. fructicola, whereas MdWRKY100 RNA interference in apple plants reduced resistance to C. fructicola by affecting salicylic acid (SA) content and the expression level of the CC-NBS-LRR resistance gene MdRPM1. DAP-seq, Y1H, EMSA, and RT-qPCR assays indicated that MdWRKY100 inhibited the expression of MdWRKY17, a positive regulatory factor gene of SA degradation, upregulated the expression of MdPAL1, a key enzyme gene of SA biosynthesis, and promoted MdRPM1 expression by directly binding to their promotors. Transient overexpression and silencing experiments showed that MdPAL1 and MdRPM1 positively regulated GLS resistance in apples. Furthermore, the overexpression of MdVQ37 increased the susceptibility to C. fructicola by reducing the SA content and expression level of MdRPM1. Additionally, MdVQ37 interacted with MdWRKY100, which repressed the transcriptional activity of MdWRKY100. In summary, these results revealed the molecular mechanism through which the apple MdVQ37-MdWRKY100 module responds to GLS infection by regulating SA content and MdRPM1 expression, providing novel insights into the involvement of the VQ-WRKY complex in plant pathogen defence responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinglong Dong
- College of ForestryHebei Agricultural UniversityBaodingChina
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of AppleCollege of Horticulture, Northwest A & F UniversityYanglingChina
| | - Dingyue Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of AppleCollege of Horticulture, Northwest A & F UniversityYanglingChina
| | - Feng Wang
- College of HorticultureShenyang Agricultural UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Kaiyu Yang
- College of ForestryHebei Agricultural UniversityBaodingChina
| | - Yang Song
- College of ForestryHebei Agricultural UniversityBaodingChina
| | - Yongxu Wang
- College of ForestryHebei Agricultural UniversityBaodingChina
| | - Dajiang Wang
- Research Institute of PomologyChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesXingchengChina
| | - Zhirui Ji
- Research Institute of PomologyChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesXingchengChina
| | - Chengnan Xu
- College of Life SciencesYan'an UniversityYan'anShaanxiChina
| | - Peng Jia
- College of ForestryHebei Agricultural UniversityBaodingChina
| | - Haoan Luan
- College of ForestryHebei Agricultural UniversityBaodingChina
| | - Suping Guo
- College of ForestryHebei Agricultural UniversityBaodingChina
| | - Guohui Qi
- College of ForestryHebei Agricultural UniversityBaodingChina
| | - Ke Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of AppleCollege of Horticulture, Northwest A & F UniversityYanglingChina
| | - Xuemei Zhang
- College of ForestryHebei Agricultural UniversityBaodingChina
| | - Yi Tian
- College of HorticultureHebei Agricultural UniversityBaodingChina
| | - Yue Ma
- College of HorticultureShenyang Agricultural UniversityShenyangChina
| | - Fengwang Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of AppleCollege of Horticulture, Northwest A & F UniversityYanglingChina
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Liu L, Wang W, Lu X, Zhang T, Wu J, Fang Y, Ma L, Pu Y, Yang G, Wang W, Sun W. Methyl-Sensitive Amplification Polymorphism (MSAP) Analysis Provides Insights into the DNA Methylation Changes Underlying Adaptation to Low Temperature of Brassica rapa L. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:1748. [PMID: 38999588 PMCID: PMC11244143 DOI: 10.3390/plants13131748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND DNA methylation can change rapidly to regulate the expression of stress-responsive genes. Previous studies have shown that there are significant differences in the cold resistance of winter rapeseed (Brassica rapa L.) after being domesticated in different selection environments; however, little is known about the epigenetic regulatory mechanisms of its cold resistance formation. METHODS Four winter rapeseed materials ('CT-2360', 'MXW-1', '2018-FJT', and 'DT-7') domesticated in different environments were selected to analyze the DNA methylation level and pattern changes under low temperature using methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism technology with 60 primer pairs. RESULTS A total of 18 pairs of primers with good polymorphism were screened, and 1426 clear bands were amplified, with 594 methylation sites, accounting for 41.65% of the total amplified bands. The total methylation ratios of the four materials were reduced after low-temperature treatment, in which the DNA methylation level of 'CT-2360' was higher than that of the other three materials; the analysis of methylation patterns revealed that the degree of demethylation was higher than that of methylation in 'MXW-1', '2018-FJT', and 'DT-7', which were 22.99%, 19.77%, and 24.35%, respectively, and that the methylation events in 'CT-2360' were predominantly dominant at 22.95%. Fifty-three polymorphic methylated DNA fragments were randomly selected and further analyzed, and twenty-nine of the cloned fragments were homologous to genes with known functions. The candidate genes VQ22 and LOC103871127 verified the existence of different expressive patterns before and after low-temperature treatment. CONCLUSIONS Our work implies the critical role of DNA methylation in the formation of cold resistance in winter rapeseed. These results provide a comprehensive insight into the adaptation epigenetic regulatory mechanism of Brassica rapa L. to low temperature, and the identified differentially methylated genes can also be used as important genetic resources for the multilateral breeding of winter-resistant varieties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Wanpeng Wang
- Zhangye Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhangye 734000, China
| | - Xiaoming Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Tianyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Junyan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Yan Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Li Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Yuanyuan Pu
- State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Gang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Wangtian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Wancang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
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Dong X, Yu L, Zhang Q, Yang J, Gong Z, Niu X, Li H, Zhang X, Liu M, Jin C, Hu Y. Structural basis for the regulation of plant transcription factor WRKY33 by the VQ protein SIB1. Commun Biol 2024; 7:561. [PMID: 38734744 PMCID: PMC11088704 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06258-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The WRKY transcription factors play essential roles in a variety of plant signaling pathways associated with biotic and abiotic stress response. The transcriptional activity of many WRKY members are regulated by a class of intrinsically disordered VQ proteins. While it is known that VQ proteins interact with the WRKY DNA-binding domains (DBDs), also termed as the WRKY domains, structural information regarding VQ-WRKY interaction is lacking and the regulation mechanism remains unknown. Herein we report a solution NMR study of the interaction between Arabidopsis WRKY33 and its regulatory VQ protein partner SIB1. We uncover a SIB1 minimal sequence neccessary for forming a stable complex with WRKY33 DBD, which comprises not only the consensus "FxxhVQxhTG" VQ motif but also its preceding region. We demonstrate that the βN-strand and the extended βN-β1 loop of WRKY33 DBD form the SIB1 docking site, and build a structural model of the complex based on the NMR paramagnetic relaxation enhancement and mutagenesis data. Based on this model, we further identify a cluster of positively-charged residues in the N-terminal region of SIB1 to be essential for the formation of a SIB1-WRKY33-DNA ternary complex. These results provide a framework for the mechanism of SIB1-enhanced WRKY33 transcriptional activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Lulu Yu
- College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- Beijing Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Center, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ju Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Zhou Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiaogang Niu
- Beijing Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Center, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering and Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Hongwei Li
- Beijing Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Center, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering and Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Maili Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Changwen Jin
- College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
- Beijing Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Center, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering and Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Yunfei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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Gao Z, Geng X, Xiang L, Shao C, Geng Q, Wu J, Yang Q, Liu S, Chen X. TaVQ22 Interacts with TaWRKY19-2B to Negatively Regulate Wheat Resistance to Sheath Blight. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2024; 114:454-463. [PMID: 38394356 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-02-23-0058-fi] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Wheat sheath blight caused by the necrotic fungal pathogen Rhizoctonia cerealis is responsible for severe damage to bread wheat. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are vital for stress resistance by plants and their homeostasis plays an important role in wheat resistance to sheath blight. Valine-glutamine (VQ) proteins play important roles in plant growth and development, and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the functional mechanism mediated by wheat VQ protein in response to sheath blight via ROS homeostasis regulation is unclear. In this study, we identified TaVQ22 protein containing the VQ motif and clarified the functional mechanisms involved in the defense of wheat against R. cerealis. TaVQ22 silencing reduced the accumulation of ROS and enhanced the resistance of wheat to R. cerealis. In addition, we showed that TaVQ22 regulated ROS generation by interacting with the WRKY transcription factor TaWRKY19-2B, thereby indicating that TaVQ22 and TaWRKY19-2B formed complexes in the plant cell nucleus. Yeast two-hybrid analysis showed that the VQ motif in TaVQ22 is crucial for the interaction, where it inhibits the transcriptional activation function of TaWRKY19-2B. In summary, TaVQ22 interacts with TaWRKY19-2B to regulate ROS homeostasis and negatively regulate the defense response to R. cerealis infection. This study provides novel insights into the mechanism that allows VQ protein to mediate the immune response in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Gao
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering for Plant Breeding, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xingxia Geng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biofunctional Molecules, College of Life Science and Chemistry, Jiangsu Second Normal University, 77 West Beijing Road, Nanjing 210013, China
| | - Linrun Xiang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering for Plant Breeding, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chunyu Shao
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering for Plant Breeding, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qiang Geng
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering for Plant Breeding, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jun Wu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering for Plant Breeding, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qunhui Yang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering for Plant Breeding, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shuhui Liu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering for Plant Breeding, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xinhong Chen
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering for Plant Breeding, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
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Tian J, Zhang J, Francis F. The role and pathway of VQ family in plant growth, immunity, and stress response. PLANTA 2023; 259:16. [PMID: 38078967 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-023-04292-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
MAIN CONCLUSION This review provides a detailed description of the function and mechanism of VQ family gene, which is helpful for further research and application of VQ gene resources to improve crops. Valine-glutamine (VQ) motif-containing proteins are a large class of transcriptional regulatory cofactors. VQ proteins have their own unique molecular characteristics. Amino acids are highly conserved only in the VQ domain, while other positions vary greatly. Most VQ genes do not contain introns and the length of their proteins is less than 300 amino acids. A majority of VQ proteins are predicted to be localized in the nucleus. The promoter of many VQ genes contains stress or growth related elements. Segment duplication and tandem duplication are the main amplification mechanisms of the VQ gene family in angiosperms and gymnosperms, respectively. Purification selection plays a crucial role in the evolution of many VQ genes. By interacting with WRKY, MAPK, and other proteins, VQ proteins participate in the multiple signaling pathways to regulate plant growth and development, as well as defense responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Although there have been some reports on the VQ gene family in plants, most of them only identify family members, with little functional verification, and there is also a lack of complete, detailed, and up-to-date review of research progress. Here, we comprehensively summarized the research progress of VQ genes that have been published so far, mainly including their molecular characteristics, biological functions, importance of VQ motif, and working mechanisms. Finally, the regulatory network and model of VQ genes were drawn, a precise molecular breeding strategy based on VQ genes was proposed, and the current problems and future prospects were pointed out, providing a powerful reference for further research and utilization of VQ genes in plant improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfu Tian
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium.
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, 100081, China.
| | - Jiahui Zhang
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Frédéric Francis
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium
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Zhang L, Zheng Y, Xiong X, Li H, Zhang X, Song Y, Zhang X, Min D. The wheat VQ motif-containing protein TaVQ4-D positively regulates drought tolerance in transgenic plants. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:5591-5605. [PMID: 37471263 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
VQ motif-containing proteins play important roles in plant abiotic and biotic stresses. In this study, we cloned the VQ protein gene TaVQ4-D that is induced by drought stress. Arabidopsis and wheat plants overexpressing TaVQ4-D showed increased tolerance to drought stress. In contrast, wheat lines in which TaVQ4-D expression had been silenced showed decreased drought tolerance. Under drought stress conditions, the contents of superoxide dismutase and proline increased and the content of malondialdehyde decreased in transgenic wheat plants overexpressing TaVQ4-D compared with the wild type. At the same time, the expression of reactive oxygen species-scavenging-related genes and stress-related genes was up-regulated. However, plants of TaVQ4-D-silenced wheat lines showed decreased activities of antioxidant enzymes and reduced expression of some stress-related and antioxidant-related genes. In addition, the TaVQ4-D protein physically interacts with two mitogen-activated protein kinases (MPK3 and MPK6) and plays a role in plant drought stress as the phosphorylated substrates of MPK3 and MPK6. In summary, the results of our study suggest that TaVQ4-D can positively regulate drought stress tolerance in wheat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Zhang
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University/State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yan Zheng
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University/State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xinxin Xiong
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University/State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Hui Li
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University/State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yulong Song
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University/State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiaohong Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Donghong Min
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University/State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
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Meng X, Lu M, Xia Z, Li H, Liu D, Li K, Yin P, Wang G, Zhou C. Wheat VQ Motif-Containing Protein VQ25-A Facilitates Leaf Senescence via the Abscisic Acid Pathway. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13839. [PMID: 37762142 PMCID: PMC10531066 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Leaf senescence is an important factor affecting the functional transition from nutrient assimilation to nutrient remobilization in crops. The senescence of wheat leaves is of great significance for its yield and quality. In the leaf senescence process, transcriptional regulation is a committed step in integrating various senescence-related signals. Although the plant-specific transcriptional regulation factor valine-glutamine (VQ) gene family is known to participate in different physiological processes, its role in leaf senescence is poorly understood. We isolated TaVQ25-A and studied its function in leaf senescence regulation. TaVQ25-A was mainly expressed in the roots and leaves of wheat. The TaVQ25-A-GFP fusion protein was localized in the nuclei and cytoplasm of wheat protoplasts. A delayed senescence phenotype was observed after dark and abscisic acid (ABA) treatment in TaVQ25-A-silenced wheat plants. Conversely, overexpression of TaVQ25-A accelerated leaf senescence and led to hypersensitivity in ABA-induced leaf senescence in Arabidopsis. A WRKY type transcription factor, TaWRKY133, which is tightly related to the ABA pathway and affects the expression of some ABA-related genes, was found to interact with TaVQ25-A both in vitro and in vivo. Results of this study indicate that TaVQ25-A is a positive regulator of ABA-related leaf senescence and can be used as a candidate gene for wheat molecular breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Geng Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Collaboration Innovation Center for Cell Signaling and Environmental Adaptation, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline Cell Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024, China; (X.M.); (M.L.); (Z.X.); (H.L.); (D.L.); (K.L.); (P.Y.)
| | - Chunjiang Zhou
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Collaboration Innovation Center for Cell Signaling and Environmental Adaptation, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline Cell Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024, China; (X.M.); (M.L.); (Z.X.); (H.L.); (D.L.); (K.L.); (P.Y.)
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8
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Yan X, Luo R, Liu X, Hou Z, Pei W, Zhu W, Cui H. Characterization and the comprehensive expression analysis of tobacco valine-glutamine genes in response to trichomes development and stress tolerance. BOTANICAL STUDIES 2023; 64:18. [PMID: 37423918 DOI: 10.1186/s40529-023-00376-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Valine-glutamine genes (VQ) acted as transcription regulators and played the important roles in plant growth and development, and stress tolerance through interacting with transcription factors and other co-regulators. In this study, sixty-one VQ genes containing the FxxxVQxxTG motif were identified and updated in the Nicotiana tobacum genome. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that NtVQ genes were divided into seven groups and genes of each group had highly conserved exon-intron structure. Expression patterns analysis firstly showed that NtVQ genes expressed individually in different tobacco tissues including mixed-trichome (mT), glandular-trichome (gT), and nonglandular-trichome (nT), and the expression levels were also distinguishing in response to methyl jasmonate (MeJA), salicylic acid (SA), gibberellic acid (GA), ethylene (ETH), high salinity and PEG stresses. Besides, only NtVQ17 of its gene family was verified to have acquired autoactivating activity. This work will not only lead a foundation on revealing the functions of NtVQ genes in tobacco trichomes but also provided references to VQ genes related stress tolerance research in more crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxiao Yan
- National Tobacco Cultivation and Physiology and Biochemistry Research Center, Key Laboratory for Tobacco Cultivation of Tobacco Industry, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Rui Luo
- National Tobacco Cultivation and Physiology and Biochemistry Research Center, Key Laboratory for Tobacco Cultivation of Tobacco Industry, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Xiangyang Liu
- National Tobacco Cultivation and Physiology and Biochemistry Research Center, Key Laboratory for Tobacco Cultivation of Tobacco Industry, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Zihang Hou
- National Tobacco Cultivation and Physiology and Biochemistry Research Center, Key Laboratory for Tobacco Cultivation of Tobacco Industry, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Wenyi Pei
- National Tobacco Cultivation and Physiology and Biochemistry Research Center, Key Laboratory for Tobacco Cultivation of Tobacco Industry, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Wenqi Zhu
- National Tobacco Cultivation and Physiology and Biochemistry Research Center, Key Laboratory for Tobacco Cultivation of Tobacco Industry, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Hong Cui
- National Tobacco Cultivation and Physiology and Biochemistry Research Center, Key Laboratory for Tobacco Cultivation of Tobacco Industry, Zhengzhou, 450002, China.
- College of Tobacco Science, Henan Agricultural University, 63 Nongye Road, Jinshui District, Zhengzhou, China.
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Yang M, Liu Z, Yu Y, Yang M, Guo L, Han X, Ma X, Huang Z, Gao Q. Genome-wide identification of the valine-glutamine motif containing gene family and the role of VQ25-1 in pollen germination in Brassica oleracea. Genes Genomics 2023; 45:921-934. [PMID: 37004590 DOI: 10.1007/s13258-023-01375-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The plant-specific valine-glutamine (VQ) motif containing proteins tightly regulate plant growth, development, and stress responses. However, the genome-wide identification and functional analysis of Brassica oleracea (B. oleracea) VQ genes have not been reported. OBJECTIVE To identify the VQ gene family in B. oleracea and analyze the function of Bo25-1 in pollen germination. METHODS The Hidden Markov Model (HMM) of VQ family was used to query the BoVQ genes in the B. oleracea genome. The BoVQ genes preferentially expressed in anthers were screened by qRT-PCR. Subcellular localization of VQ25-1 was observed in Nicotiana benthamiana (N. benthamiana) leaves. To analysis the role of BoVQ25-1 in pollen germination, the expression of BoVQ25-1 was suppressed using antisense-oligonucleotides (AS-ODN). RESULTS A total of 64 BoVQ genes were identified in the B. oleracea genome. BoVQ25-1 was found to be preferentially expressed in the B. oleracea anthers. BoVQ25-1 was cloned from the anthers of the B. oleracea cultivar 'Fast Cycle'. BoVQ25-1 is localized to the nucleus. The pollen germination rate significantly decreased after AS-ODN treatment. CONCLUSION Sixty-four BoVQ genes were identified in the B. oleracea genome, of which BoVQ25-1 plays an important role in pollen germination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaomiao Yang
- Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountains Regions of Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ziwei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountains Regions of Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuanhui Yu
- Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountains Regions of Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Min Yang
- Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountains Regions of Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Li Guo
- Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountains Regions of Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xuejie Han
- Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountains Regions of Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiangjie Ma
- Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountains Regions of Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ziya Huang
- Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountains Regions of Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qiguo Gao
- Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountains Regions of Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
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Li P, Jiang J, Zhang G, Miao S, Lu J, Qian Y, Zhao X, Wang W, Qiu X, Zhang F, Xu J. Integrating GWAS and transcriptomics to identify candidate genes conferring heat tolerance in rice. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 13:1102938. [PMID: 36699845 PMCID: PMC9868562 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1102938] [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: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Rice (Oryza sativa L.) production is being challenged by global warming. Identifying new loci and favorable alleles associated with heat tolerance is crucial to developing rice heat-tolerant varieties. METHODS We evaluated the heat tolerance at the seedling stage using 620 diverse rice accessions. A total of six loci associated with heat tolerance were identified by a genome-wide association study (GWAS) with ~2.8 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). RESULTS Among the six detected loci, qHT7 harbored the strongest association signal and the most associated SNPs. By comparing the transcriptomes of two representative accessions with contrasting heat tolerance, LOC_Os07g48710 (OsVQ30) was selected as a promising candidate gene in qHT7 due to the significant difference in its expression level between the two accessions. Haplotype 4 (Hap4) of LOC_Os07g48710 was determined as the favorable haplotype for heat tolerance via the gene-based haplotype analysis. The heat-tolerant haplotype LOC_Os07g48710Hap4 is highly enriched in the tropical Geng/Japonica accessions, and its frequency has decreased significantly during the improvement process of rice varieties. DISCUSSION Based on the GWAS and transcriptomics integrated results, a hypothetical model modulated by qHT7 in response to heat stress was proposed. Our results provide valuable candidate genes for improving rice heat tolerance through molecular breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pingping Li
- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) Key Laboratory of Sustainable Crop Production in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River (Co-construction by Ministry and Province), College of Agriculture, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Jing Jiang
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guogen Zhang
- College of Agronomy, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Siyu Miao
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jingbing Lu
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yukang Qian
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiuqin Zhao
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wensheng Wang
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Agronomy, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Xianjin Qiu
- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) Key Laboratory of Sustainable Crop Production in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River (Co-construction by Ministry and Province), College of Agriculture, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Agronomy, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Jianlong Xu
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
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Shan N, Xiang Z, Sun J, Zhu Q, Xiao Y, Wang P, Chen X, Zhou Q, Gan Z. Genome-wide analysis of valine-glutamine motif-containing proteins related to abiotic stress response in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 21:492. [PMID: 34696718 PMCID: PMC8546950 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-021-03242-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is one of the most important economic crops and is susceptible to various abiotic stresses. The valine-glutamine (VQ) motif-containing proteins are plant-specific proteins with a conserved "FxxhVQxhTG" amino acid sequence that regulates plant growth and development. However, little is known about the function of VQ proteins in cucumber. RESULTS In this study, a total of 32 CsVQ proteins from cucumber were confirmed and characterized using comprehensive genome-wide analysis, and they all contain a conserved motif with 10 variations. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that these CsVQ proteins were classified into nine groups by comparing the CsVQ proteins with those of Arabidopsis thaliana, melon and rice. CsVQ genes were distributed on seven chromosomes. Most of these genes were predicted to be localized in the nucleus. In addition, cis-elements in response to different stresses and hormones were observed in the promoters of the CsVQ genes. A network of CsVQ proteins interacting with WRKY transcription factors (CsWRKYs) was proposed. Moreover, the transcripts of CsVQ gene were spatio-temporal specific and were induced by abiotic adversities. CsVQ4, CsVQ6, CsVQ16-2, CsVQ19, CsVQ24, CsVQ30, CsVQ32, CsVQ33, and CsVQ34 were expressed in the range of organs and tissues at higher levels and could respond to multiple hormones and different stresses, indicating that these genes were involved in the response to stimuli. CONCLUSIONS Together, our results reveal novel VQ resistance gene resources, and provide critical information on CsVQ genes and their encoded proteins, which supplies important genetic basis for VQ resistance breeding of cucumber plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Shan
- Agronomy College, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Zijin Xiang
- Agronomy College, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Jingyu Sun
- Agronomy College, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Qianglong Zhu
- Agronomy College, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Yao Xiao
- Agronomy College, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Putao Wang
- Agronomy College, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Xin Chen
- Agronomy College, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Qinghong Zhou
- Agronomy College, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China.
| | - Zengyu Gan
- Agronomy College, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China.
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory for Postharvest Technology and Nondestructive Testing of Fruits and Vegetables, Collaborative Innovation Center of Postharvest Key Technology and Quality Safety of Fruits and Vegetables, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China.
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12
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Cheng Z, Luan Y, Meng J, Sun J, Tao J, Zhao D. WRKY Transcription Factor Response to High-Temperature Stress. PLANTS 2021; 10:plants10102211. [PMID: 34686020 PMCID: PMC8541500 DOI: 10.3390/plants10102211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Plant growth and development are closely related to the environment, and high-temperature stress is an important environmental factor that affects these processes. WRKY transcription factors (TFs) play important roles in plant responses to high-temperature stress. WRKY TFs can bind to the W-box cis-acting elements of target gene promoters, thereby regulating the expression of multiple types of target genes and participating in multiple signaling pathways in plants. A number of studies have shown the important biological functions and working mechanisms of WRKY TFs in plant responses to high temperature. However, there are few reviews that summarize the research progress on this topic. To fully understand the role of WRKY TFs in the response to high temperature, this paper reviews the structure and regulatory mechanism of WRKY TFs, as well as the related signaling pathways that regulate plant growth under high-temperature stress, which have been described in recent years, and this paper provides references for the further exploration of the molecular mechanisms underlying plant tolerance to high temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuoya Cheng
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (Z.C.); (J.M.); (J.S.); (J.T.)
| | - Yuting Luan
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China;
| | - Jiasong Meng
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (Z.C.); (J.M.); (J.S.); (J.T.)
| | - Jing Sun
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (Z.C.); (J.M.); (J.S.); (J.T.)
| | - Jun Tao
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (Z.C.); (J.M.); (J.S.); (J.T.)
| | - Daqiu Zhao
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (Z.C.); (J.M.); (J.S.); (J.T.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-514-87997219; Fax: +86-514-87347537
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13
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Zou Z, Liu F, Huang S, Fernando WGD. Genome-Wide Identification and Analysis of the Valine-Glutamine Motif-Containing Gene Family in Brassica napus and Functional Characterization of BnMKS1 in Response to Leptosphaeria maculans. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2021; 111:281-292. [PMID: 32804045 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-04-20-0134-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Proteins containing valine-glutamine (VQ) motifs play important roles in plant growth and development as well as in defense responses to both abiotic and biotic stresses. Blackleg disease, which is caused by Leptosphaeria maculans, is the most important disease in canola (Brassica napus) worldwide; however, the identification of Brassica napus VQs and their functions in response to blackleg disease have not yet been reported. In this study, we conducted a genome-wide identification and characterization of the VQ gene family in Brassica napus, including chromosome location, phylogenetic relations, gene structure, motif domain, synteny analysis, and cis-elements categorization of their promoter regions. To understand Brassica napus VQ gene function in response to blackleg disease, we overexpressed BnVQ7 (BnaA01g36880D, also known as the mitogen-activated protein kinase 4 substrate 1 [MKS1] gene) in a blackleg-susceptible canola variety, Westar. Overexpression of BnMKS1 in canola did not improve its resistance to blackleg disease at the seedling stage; however, transgenic canola plants overexpressing BnMKS1 displayed an enhanced resistance to L. maculans infection at the adult plant stage. Expression levels of downstream and defense marker genes in cotyledons increased significantly at the necrotrophic stage of L. maculans infection in the overexpression line of BnMKS1, suggesting that the salicylic acid- and jasmonic acid-mediated signaling pathways were both involved in the defense responses. Together, these results suggest that BnMKS1 might play an important role in defense against L. maculans.[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongwei Zou
- Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Shuanglong Huang
- Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - W G Dilantha Fernando
- Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada
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León J, Gayubas B, Castillo MC. Valine-Glutamine Proteins in Plant Responses to Oxygen and Nitric Oxide. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 11:632678. [PMID: 33603762 PMCID: PMC7884903 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.632678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Multigene families coding for valine-glutamine (VQ) proteins have been identified in all kind of plants but chlorophytes. VQ proteins are transcriptional regulators, which often interact with WRKY transcription factors to regulate gene expression sometimes modulated by reversible phosphorylation. Different VQ-WRKY complexes regulate defense against varied pathogens as well as responses to osmotic stress and extreme temperatures. However, despite these well-known functions, new regulatory activities for VQ proteins are still to be explored. Searching public Arabidopsis thaliana transcriptome data for new potential targets of VQ-WRKY regulation allowed us identifying several VQ protein and WRKY factor encoding genes that were differentially expressed in oxygen-related processes such as responses to hypoxia or ozone-triggered oxidative stress. Moreover, some of those were also differentially regulated upon nitric oxide (NO) treatment. These subsets of VQ and WRKY proteins might combine into different VQ-WRKY complexes, thus representing a potential regulatory core of NO-modulated and O2-modulated responses. Given the increasing relevance that gasotransmitters are gaining as plant physiology regulators, and particularly considering the key roles exerted by O2 and NO in regulating the N-degron pathway-controlled stability of transcription factors, VQ and WRKY proteins could be instrumental in regulating manifold processes in plants.
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15
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Li X, Qin R, Du Q, Cai L, Hu D, Du H, Yang H, Wang J, Huang F, Wang H, Yu D. Knockdown of GmVQ58 encoding a VQ motif-containing protein enhances soybean resistance to the common cutworm (Spodoptera litura Fabricius). JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2020; 71:3198-3210. [PMID: 32076725 PMCID: PMC7475176 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/eraa095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Plants have evolved complex defense mechanisms to withstand insect attack. Identification of plant endogenous insect resistance genes is of great significance for understanding plant-herbivore interactions and improving crop insect resistance. Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is an important crop that is often attacked by the common cutworm (CCW) (Spodoptera litura Fabricius). In this study, based on our transcriptomic data, the gene GmVQ58, encoding a FxxxVQxxTG (VQ) motif-containing protein, was cloned and characterized. This gene showed the highest expression in the leaves and roots and was up-regulated significantly after CCW attack. Constitutive expression of GmVQ58 rescued the susceptibility of an Arabidopsis mutant to CCW, and interference of GmVQ58 in soybean hairy roots enhanced the resistance to CCW. Furthermore, GmVQ58 was localized to the nucleus and physically interacted with the transcription factor GmWRKY32. The expression of two defense-related genes, GmN:IFR and GmVSPβ, was up-regulated in GmVQ58-RNAi lines. Additionally, the promoter region of GmVQ58 was likely selected during domestication, resulting in different expression patterns in cultivated soybeans relative to wild soybeans. These results suggest that silencing GmVQ58 confers soybean resistance to CCW.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Li
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Rui Qin
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qing Du
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Linyan Cai
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dezhou Hu
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Haiping Du
- School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hui Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiao Wang
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fang Huang
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hui Wang
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Deyue Yu
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
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16
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Liu C, Liu H, Zhou C, Timko MP. Genome-Wide Identification of the VQ Protein Gene Family of Tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum L.) and Analysis of Its Expression in Response to Phytohormones and Abiotic and Biotic Stresses. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:E284. [PMID: 32156048 PMCID: PMC7140788 DOI: 10.3390/genes11030284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
VQ motif-containing proteins (VQ proteins) are transcriptional regulators that work independently or in combination with other transcription factors (TFs) to control plant growth and development and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. VQ proteins contain a conserved FxxhVQxhTG amino acid motif that is the main element of its interaction with WRKY TFs. We identified 59 members of the tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) NtVQ gene family by in silico analysis and examined their differential expression in response to phytohormonal treatments and following exposure to biotic and abiotic stressors. NtVQ proteins clustered into eight groups based upon their amino acid sequence and presence of various conserved domains. Groups II, IV, V, VI, and VIII contained the largest proportion of NtVQ gene family members differentially expressed in response to one or more phytohormone, and NtVQ proteins with similar domain structures had similar patterns of response to different phytohormones. NtVQ genes differentially expressed in response to temperature alterations and mechanical wounding were also identified. Over half of the NtVQ genes were significantly induced in response to Ralstonia solanacearum infection. This first comprehensive characterization of the NtVQ genes in tobacco lays the foundation for further studies of the NtVQ-mediated regulatory network in plant growth, developmental, and stress-related processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuihua Liu
- Citrus Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing 400712, China;
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA;
| | - Hai Liu
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA;
| | - Changyong Zhou
- Citrus Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing 400712, China;
| | - Michael P. Timko
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA;
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Ling L, Qu Y, Zhu J, Wang D, Guo C. Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the VQ gene family in Cicer arietinum and Medicago truncatula. PeerJ 2020; 8:e8471. [PMID: 32117614 PMCID: PMC7006518 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Valine-glutamine (VQ) proteins are plant-specific proteins that play crucial roles in plant development as well as biotic and abiotic stress responses. VQ genes have been identified in various plants; however, there are no systematic reports in Cicer arietinum or Medicago truncatula. Herein, we identified 19 and 32 VQ genes in C. arietinum and M. truncatula, respectively. A total of these VQ genes were divided into eight groups (I-VIII) based on phylogenetic analysis. Gene structure analyses and motif patterns revealed that these VQ genes might have originated from a common ancestor. In silico analyses demonstrated that these VQ genes were expressed in different tissues. qRT-PCR analysis indicated that the VQ genes were differentially regulated during multiple abiotic stresses. This report presents the first systematic analysis of VQ genes from C. arietinum and M. truncatula and provides a solid foundation for further research of the specific functions of VQ proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Ling
- College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, China
| | - Yue Qu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, China
| | - Jintao Zhu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, China
| | - Dan Wang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, China
| | - Changhong Guo
- College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, China
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18
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Wang Y, Jiang Z, Li Z, Zhao Y, Tan W, Liu Z, Cui S, Yu X, Ma J, Wang G, Li W. Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the VQ gene family in soybean ( Glycine max). PeerJ 2019; 7:e7509. [PMID: 31497394 PMCID: PMC6708371 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background VQ proteins, the plant-specific transcription factors, are involved in plant development and multiple stresses; however, only few articles systematic reported the VQ genes in soybean. Methods In total, we identified 75 GmVQ genes, which were classified into 7 groups (I-VII). Conserved domain analysis indicated that VQ gene family members all contain the VQ domains. VQ genes from the same evolutionary branches of soybean shared similar motifs and structures. Promoter analysis revealed that cis-elements related to stress responses, phytohormone responses and controlling physical as well as reproductive growth. Based on the RNA-seq and qRT-PCR analysis, GmVQ genes were showed expressing in nine tissues, suggesting their putative function in many aspects of plant growth and development as well as response to stress in Glycine max. Results This study aims to understand the roles of VQ genes in various development processes and their expression patterns in responses to stimuli. Our results provide basic information in identification and classification of GmVQ genes. Further experimental analysis will allows us to know the functions of GmVQs participation in plant growth and stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongbin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Soybean Biology in Chinese Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Soybean Biology and Breeding/Genetics of Chinese Agriculture Ministry, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.,Biotechnology Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Zhenfeng Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Soybean Biology in Chinese Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Soybean Biology and Breeding/Genetics of Chinese Agriculture Ministry, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Zhenxiang Li
- Harbin Normal University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yuanling Zhao
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Weiwei Tan
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Zhaojun Liu
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Shaobin Cui
- Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Xiaoguang Yu
- Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jun Ma
- Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Guangjin Wang
- Soybean Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Wenbin Li
- Key Laboratory of Soybean Biology in Chinese Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Soybean Biology and Breeding/Genetics of Chinese Agriculture Ministry, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
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The VQ motif-containing proteins in the diploid and octoploid strawberry. Sci Rep 2019; 9:4942. [PMID: 30894615 PMCID: PMC6427031 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41210-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The plant VQ motif-containing proteins are a recently discovered class of plant regulatory proteins interacting with WRKY transcription factors capable of modulate their activity as transcriptional regulators. The short VQ motif (FxxhVQxhTG) is the main element in the WRKY-VQ interaction, whereas a newly identified variable upstream amino acid motif appears to be determinant for the WRKY specificity. The VQ family has been studied in several species and seems to play important roles in a variety of biological processes, including response to biotic and abiotic stresses. Here, we present a systematic study of the VQ family in both diploid (Fragaria vesca) and octoploid (Fragaria x ananassa) strawberry species. Thus, twenty-five VQ-encoding genes were identified and twenty-three were further confirmed by gene expression analysis in different tissues and fruit ripening stages. Their expression profiles were also studied in F. ananassa fruits affected by anthracnose, caused by the ascomycete fungus Colletotrichum, a major pathogen of strawberry, and in response to the phytohormones salicylic acid and methyl-jasmonate, which are well established as central stress signals to regulate defence responses to pathogens. This comprehensive analysis sheds light for a better understanding of putative implications of members of the VQ family in the defence mechanisms against this major pathogen in strawberry.
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Guo J, Chen J, Yang J, Yu Y, Yang Y, Wang W. Identification, characterization and expression analysis of the VQ motif-containing gene family in tea plant (Camellia sinensis). BMC Genomics 2018; 19:710. [PMID: 30257643 PMCID: PMC6158892 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-5107-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND VQ motif-containing (VQ) proteins are plant-specific proteins that interact with WRKY transcription factors and play important roles in plant growth, development and stress response. To date, VQ gene families have been identified and characterized in many plant species, including Arabidopsis, rice and grapevine. However, the VQ gene family in tea plant has not been reported, and the biological functions of this family remain unknown. RESULTS In total, 25 CsVQ genes were identified based on the genome and transcriptome of tea plant, and a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis was performed. The CsVQ proteins all contained the typical conserved motif FxxhVQxhTG, and most proteins were localized in the nucleus. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the VQ proteins were classified into 5 groups (I, III-VI); the evolution of the CsVQ proteins is consistent with the evolutionary process of plants, and close proteins shared similar structures and functions. In addition, the expression analysis revealed that the CsVQ genes play important roles in the process of tea plant growth, development and response to salt and drought stress. Furthermore, a potential regulatory network including the interactions of CsVQ proteins with CsWRKY transcription factors and the regulation of upstream microRNA that is closely related to the above-mentioned processes is proposed. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study increase our understanding and characterization of CsVQ genes and their encoded proteins in tea plant. This systematic analysis provided comprehensive information for further studies investigating the biological functions of CsVQ proteins in various developmental processes of tea plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhong Guo
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jiangfei Chen
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jiankun Yang
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Youben Yu
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yajun Yang
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China.,Tea Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310008, China
| | - Weidong Wang
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China.
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Dong Q, Zhao S, Duan D, Tian Y, Wang Y, Mao K, Zhou Z, Ma F. Structural and functional analyses of genes encoding VQ proteins in apple. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2018; 272:208-219. [PMID: 29807593 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2018.04.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2018] [Revised: 04/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies with Arabidopsis and soybean have shown that a class of valine-glutamine (VQ) motif-containing proteins interacts with some WRKY transcription factors. However, little is known about the evolution, structures, and functions of those proteins in apple. Here, we examined their features and identified 49 apple VQ genes. Our evolutional analysis revealed that the proteins could be clustered into nine groups together with their homologues in 33 species. Historically, the main characteristics of proteins in Groups I, V, VI, VII, IX, and X were thought to have been generated before the monocot-dicot split, whereas those in Groups II, III + IV, and VIII were generated after that split. In the structural analysis, apple MdVQ proteins appeared to bind only with Group I and IIc MdWRKY proteins. Meanwhile, MdVQ1, MdVQ10, MdVQ15, and MdVQ36 interacted with multiple MdVQ proteins to form heterodimers but MdVQ15 formed a homodimer. The functional analysis indicated that overexpression of some apple MdVQs in Arabidopsis and tobacco plants effected their vegetative and reproductive growth. These results provide important information about the characteristics of apple MdVQ genes and can serve as a solid foundation for further studies about the role of WRKY-VQ interactions in regulating apple developmental and defense mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinglong Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A and F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China; Research Institute of Pomology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xingcheng, Liaoning 125100, PR China.
| | - Shuang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A and F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China.
| | - Dingyue Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A and F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China.
| | - Yi Tian
- Research Institute of Pomology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xingcheng, Liaoning 125100, PR China.
| | - Yanpeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A and F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China.
| | - Ke Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A and F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China.
| | - Zongshan Zhou
- Research Institute of Pomology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xingcheng, Liaoning 125100, PR China.
| | - Fengwang Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A and F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China.
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Jiang SY, Sevugan M, Ramachandran S. Valine-glutamine (VQ) motif coding genes are ancient and non-plant-specific with comprehensive expression regulation by various biotic and abiotic stresses. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:342. [PMID: 29743038 PMCID: PMC5941492 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4733-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Valine-glutamine (VQ) motif containing proteins play important roles in abiotic and biotic stress responses in plants. However, little is known about the origin and evolution as well as comprehensive expression regulation of the VQ gene family. Results In this study, we systematically surveyed this gene family in 50 plant genomes from algae, moss, gymnosperm and angiosperm and explored their presence in other species from animals, bacteria, fungi and viruses. No VQs were detected in all tested algae genomes and all genomes from moss, gymnosperm and angiosperm encode varying numbers of VQs. Interestingly, some of fungi, lower animals and bacteria also encode single to a few VQs. Thus, they are not plant-specific and should be regarded as an ancient family. Their family expansion was mainly due to segmental duplication followed by tandem duplication and mobile elements. Limited contribution of gene conversion was detected to the family evolution. Generally, VQs were very much conserved in their motif coding region and were under purifying selection. However, positive selection was also observed during species divergence. Many VQs were up- or down-regulated by various abiotic / biotic stresses and phytohormones in rice and Arabidopsis. They were also co-expressed with some of other stress-related genes. All of the expression data suggest a comprehensive expression regulation of the VQ gene family. Conclusions We provide new insights into gene expansion, divergence, evolution and their expression regulation of this VQ family. VQs were detectable not only in plants but also in some of fungi, lower animals and bacteria, suggesting the evolutionary conservation and the ancient origin. Overall, VQs are non-plant-specific and play roles in abiotic / biotic responses or other biological processes through comprehensive expression regulation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-018-4733-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Ye Jiang
- Genome Structural Biology Group, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Mayalagu Sevugan
- Genome Structural Biology Group, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Srinivasan Ramachandran
- Genome Structural Biology Group, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore.
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