ROX1, a gene induced by rolB, is involved in procambial cell proliferation and xylem differentiation in tobacco stamen

Arsenic accumulation in Pteris vittata: Time course, distribution, and arsenic-related gene expression in fronds and whole plantlets

In this work, arsenic (As) accumulation and distribution over time in Pteris vittata young fronds from adult plants and in whole plantlets, grown on a highly contaminated As-soil, was determined by μ-XRF. A linear increase in As content up to 60 days was found in young fronds at different times, and a progressive distribution from the apex to the base of the fronds was observed. In whole plantlets, As signal was detectable from 9 to 20 days in the apex of a few fronds and fiddleheads. Later, up to 60 days, As was localized in all fronds, in the rhizome and in basal part of the roots. The dynamics of expression of As-related genes revealed a good correlation between As content and the level of the As (III)-antiporter PvACR3 transcript in plantlets roots and fronds and in young fronds. Moreover, the transcription of As (V)-related gametophytic genes PvGAPC1, PvOCT4 increases over time during As accumulation while PvGSTF1 is expressed only in roots. Here, we demonstrate the suitability of the μ-XRF technique to monitor As accumulation, which allowed us to propose that As is initially directly transported to fiddleheads and apex of fronds, is later distributed to the whole fronds and simultaneously accumulated in the rhizome and roots. We also provide indications on the expression of candidate genes possibly involved in As (hyper)accumulation.

Arabidopsis TWISTED DWARF1 regulates stamen elongation by differential activation of ABCB1,19-mediated auxin transport

Despite clear evidence that a local accumulation of auxin is likewise critical for male fertility, much less is known about the components that regulate auxin-controlled stamen development. In this study, we analyzed physiological and morphological parameters in mutants of key players of ABCB-mediated auxin transport, and spatially and temporally dissected their expression on the protein level as well as auxin fluxes in the Arabidopsis stamens. Our analyses revealed that the FKBP42, TWISTED DWARF1 (TWD1), promotes stamen elongation and, to a lesser extent, anther dehiscence, as well as pollen maturation, and thus is required for seed development. Most of the described developmental defects in twd1 are shared with the abcb1 abcb19 mutant, which can be attributed to the fact that TWD1-as a described ABCB chaperone-is a positive regulator of ABCB1- and ABCB19-mediated auxin transport. However, reduced stamen number was dependent on TWD1 but not on investigated ABCBs, suggesting additional players downstream of TWD1. We predict an overall housekeeping function for ABCB1 during earlier stages, while ABCB19 seems to be responsible for the key event of rapid elongation at later stages of stamen development. Our data indicate that TWD1 controls stamen development by differential activation of ABCB1,19-mediated auxin transport in the stamen.

Advanced Drinking Groundwater As Phytofiltration by the Hyperaccumulating Fern Pteris vittata

The reuse of Pteris vittata plants for multiple phytofiltration cycles is a main issue to allow an efficient phytoremediation of arsenic (As)-contaminated groundwater. Here, we assessed the capacity of phytofiltration of P. vittata plants grown for two cycles on naturally As-contaminated drinking water (collected in Central Italy), spaced by a growth cycle on non-contaminated water (N cycle). P. vittata young plants, with extensive frond and root development, were suspended individually in 15 L of water with initial As of 59 µg/L, without any additional treatment or water refilling. During cycle 1, in 45 days P. vittata plants reduced As concentration below 10 µg/L, the allowed EU limits for drinking water. During the subsequent 30 day-N cycle on non-contaminated water, no leaching of As from the roots was observed, while the water pH increased 0.9 Units, but is within the allowed limits. During cycle 2, under the same conditions as cycle 1, As concentration decreased below 10 µg/L in less than seven days. These results show that P. vittata young plants, previously used for the phytofiltration of As, do not extrude As and, when reused, remove As much more rapidly. No additional treatments were required during phytofiltration and thus this represents a sustainable, efficient, and scalable strategy.

A gain-of-function mutation in Brassinosteroid-insensitive 2 alters Arabidopsis floral organ development by altering auxin levels

Auxin can alter the fertility of bin2-1 plants and depends on the expression of SHY2. Brassinosteroids (BRs) play important roles in plant growth and developmental processes. By systematically evaluating the phenotypes of BR biosynthesis and BR signaling mutants, researchers have reported that BRs positively regulate floral development. In this study, we found that brassinosteroid-insensitive 2 (bin2-1) and short-hypocotyl 2 (shy2-2) mutants exhibited significantly reduced fertility. These mutants had short inflorescences, decreased floral organ length (short petals, stamens, carpels, and stigmas), and short siliques. Exogenous auxin applications could partially rescue the shortened length of the floral organs and siliques of the bin2-1 mutants. Additional experiments revealed that a lack of SHY2 activity increased the fertility of the bin2-1 mutants. A search for downstream affected genes revealed that auxin influences the expression of ARFs and PINs in the bin2-1 mutants, suggesting that auxin plays a major role in the regulation of bin2-1 plant fertility. Thus, BIN2 plays a role in fertility by affecting auxin levels, mainly by altering the expression of SHY2.

An auxin maximum in the middle layer controls stamen development and pollen maturation in Arabidopsis

Here, we investigated the role of auxin distribution in controlling Arabidopsis thaliana late stamen development. We analysed auxin distribution in anthers by monitoring DR5 activity: at different flower developmental stages; inhibiting auxin transport; in the rpk2-3 and ems1 mutants devoid of middle layer (ML) or tapetum, respectively; and in the auxin biosynthesis yuc6 and perception afb1-3 mutants. We ran a phenotypic, DR5::GUS and gene expression analysis of yuc6rpk2 and afb1rpk2 double mutants, and of 1-N-naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA)-treated flower buds. We show that an auxin maximum, caused by transport from the tapetum, is established in the ML at the inception of late stamen development. rpk2-3 mutant stamens lacking the ML have an altered auxin distribution with excessive accumulation in adjacent tissues, causing non-functional pollen grains, indehiscent anthers and reduced filament length; the expression of genes controlling stamen development is also altered in rpk2-3 as well as in NPA-treated flower buds. By decreasing auxin biosynthesis or perception in the rpk2-3 background, we eliminated these developmental and gene expression anomalies. We propose that the auxin maximum in the ML plays a key role in late stamen development, as it ensures correct and coordinated pollen maturation, anther dehiscence and filament elongation.

ABCB1 and ABCB19 auxin transporters have synergistic effects on early and late Arabidopsis anther development

Arabidopsis abcb1 abcb19 double mutants defective in the auxin transporters ABCB1/PGP1 and ABCB19/PGP19 are altered in stamen elongation, anther dehiscence and pollen maturation. To assess the contribution of these transporters to stamen development we performed phenotypic, histological analyses, and in situ hybridizations on abcb1 and abcb19 single mutant flowers. We found that pollen maturation and anther dehiscence are precocious in the abcb1 but not in the abcb19 mutant. Accordingly, endothecium lignification is altered only in abcb1 anthers. Both abcb1 and abcb1 abcb19 stamens also show altered early development, with asynchronous anther locules and a multilayer tapetum. DAPI staining showed that the timing of meiosis is asynchronous in abcb1 abcb19 anther locules, while only a small percentage of pollen grains are non-viable according to Alexander's staining. In agreement, TAM (TARDY ASYNCHRONOUS MEIOSIS), as well as BAM2 (BARELY ANY MERISTEM)-involved in tapetal cell development-are overexpressed in abcb1 abcb19 young flower buds. Correspondingly, ABCB1 and ABCB19 mRNA localization supports the observed phenotypes of abcb1 and abcb1 abcb19 mutant anthers. In conclusion, we provide evidence that auxin transport plays a significant role both in early and late stamen development: ABCB1 plays a major role during anther development, while ABCB19 has a synergistic role.

Reprogramming of plant cells induced by 6b oncoproteins from the plant pathogen Agrobacterium

Reprogramming of plant cells is an event characterized by dedifferentiation, reacquisition of totipotency, and enhanced cell proliferation, and is typically observed during formation of the callus, which is dependent on plant hormones. The callus-like cell mass, called a crown gall tumor, is induced at the sites of infection by Agrobacterium species through the expression of hormone-synthesizing genes encoded in the T-DNA region, which probably involves a similar reprogramming process. One of the T-DNA genes, 6b, can also by itself induce reprogramming of differentiated cells to generate tumors and is therefore recognized as an oncogene acting in plant cells. The 6b genes belong to a group of Agrobacterium T-DNA genes, which include rolB, rolC, and orf13. These genes encode proteins with weakly conserved sequences and may be derived from a common evolutionary origin. Most of these members can modify plant growth and morphogenesis in various ways, in most cases without affecting the levels of plant hormones. Recent studies have suggested that the molecular function of 6b might be to modify the patterns of transcription in the host nuclei, particularly by directly targeting the host transcription factors or by changing the epigenetic status of the host chromatin through intrinsic histone chaperone activity. In light of the recent findings on zygotic resetting of nucleosomal histone variants in Arabidopsis thaliana, one attractive idea is that acquisition of totipotency might be facilitated by global changes of epigenetic status, which might be induced by replacement of histone variants in the zygote after fertilization and in differentiated cells upon stimulation by plant hormones as well as by expression of the 6b gene.

Auxin controls Arabidopsis anther dehiscence by regulating endothecium lignification and jasmonic acid biosynthesis

It has been suggested that, in Arabidopsis, auxin controls the timing of anther dehiscence, possibly by preventing premature endothecium lignification. We show here that auxin content in anthers peaks before the beginning of dehiscence and decreases when endothecium lignification occurs. We show that, in the auxin-perception mutants afb1-3 and tir1 afb2 afb3, endothecium lignification and anther dehiscence occur earlier than wild-type, and the gene encoding the transcription factor MYB26, which is required for endothecium lignification, is over-expressed specifically at early stages; in agreement, MYB26 expression is reduced in naphthalene acetic acid-treated anthers, and afb1 myb26 double mutants show no endothecial lignification, suggesting that auxin acts through MYB26. As jasmonic acid (JA) controls anther dehiscence, we analysed how auxin and JA interact. In the JA-defective opr3 mutant, indehiscent anthers show normal timing of endothecium lignification, suggesting that JA does not control this event. We show that expression of the OPR3 and DAD1 JA biosynthetic genes is enhanced in afb1-3 and tir1 afb2 afb3 flower buds, but is reduced in naphthalene acetic acid-treated flower buds, suggesting that auxin negatively regulates JA biosynthesis. The double mutant afb1 opr3 shows premature endothecium lignification, as in afb1-3, and indehiscent anthers due to lack of JA, which is required for stomium opening. By treating afb1 opr3 and opr3 inflorescences with JA, we show that a high JA content and precocious endothecium lignification both contribute to induction of early anther dehiscence. We propose that auxin controls anther dehiscence timing by negatively regulating two key events: endothecium lignification via MYB26, and stomium opening via the control of JA biosynthesis.

Can plant oncogenes inhibit programmed cell death? The rolB oncogene reduces apoptosis-like symptoms in transformed plant cells

The rolB oncogene was previously identified as an important player in ROS metabolism in transformed plant cells. Numerous reports indicate a crucial role for animal oncogenes in apoptotic cell death. Whether plant oncogenes such as rolB can induce programmed cell death (PCD) in transformed plant cells is of particular importance. In this investigation, we used a single-cell assay based on confocal microscopy and fluorescent dyes capable of discriminating between apoptotic and necrotic cells. Our results indicate that the expression of rolB in plant cells was sufficient to decrease the proportion of apoptotic cells in steady-state conditions and diminish the rate of apoptotic cells during induced PCD. These data suggest that plant oncogenes, like animal oncogenes, may be involved in the processes mediating PCD.

The rolB gene suppresses reactive oxygen species in transformed plant cells through the sustained activation of antioxidant defense

The rolB (for rooting locus of Agrobacterium rhizogenes) oncogene has previously been identified as a key player in the formation of hairy roots during the plant-A. rhizogenes interaction. In this study, using single-cell assays based on confocal microscopy, we demonstrated reduced levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in rolB-expressing Rubia cordifolia, Panax ginseng, and Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) cells. The expression of rolB was sufficient to inhibit excessive elevations of ROS induced by paraquat, menadione, and light stress and prevent cell death induced by chronic oxidative stress. In rolB-expressing cells, we detected the enhanced expression of antioxidant genes encoding cytosolic ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase. We conclude that, similar to pathogenic determinants in other pathogenic bacteria, rolB suppresses ROS and plays a role not only in cell differentiation but also in ROS metabolism.

Use of a secretion trap screen in pepper following Phytophthora capsici infection reveals novel functions of secreted plant proteins in modulating cell death

In plants, the primary defense against pathogens is mostly inducible and associated with cell wall modification and defense-related gene expression, including many secreted proteins. To study the role of secreted proteins, a yeast-based signal-sequence trap screening was conducted with the RNA from Phytophthora capsici-inoculated root of Capsicum annuum 'Criollo de Morelos 334' (CM334). In total, 101 Capsicum annuum secretome (CaS) clones were isolated and identified, of which 92 were predicted to have a secretory signal sequence at their N-terminus. To identify differences in expressed CaS genes between resistant and susceptible cultivars of pepper, reverse Northern blots and real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction were performed with RNA samples isolated at different time points following P. capsici inoculation. In an attempt to assign biological functions to CaS genes, we performed in planta knock-down assays using the Tobacco rattle virus-based gene-silencing method. Silencing of eight CaS genes in pepper resulted in suppression of the cell death induced by the non-host bacterial pathogen (Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato T1). Three CaS genes induced phenotypic abnormalities in silenced plants and one, CaS259 (PR4-l), caused both cell death suppression and perturbed phenotypes. These results provide evidence that the CaS genes may play important roles in pathogen defense as well as developmental processes.

The final split: the regulation of anther dehiscence

Controlling male fertility is an important goal for plant reproduction and selective breeding. Hybrid vigour results in superior growth rates and increased yields of hybrids compared with inbred lines; however, hybrid generation is costly and time consuming. A better understanding of anther development and pollen release will provide effective mechanisms for the control of male fertility and for hybrid generation. Male sterility is associated not only with the lack of viable pollen, but also with the failure of pollen release. In such instances a failure of anther dehiscence has the advantage that viable pollen is produced, which can be used for subsequent rescue of fertility. Anther dehiscence is a multistage process involving localized cellular differentiation and degeneration, combined with changes to the structure and water status of the anther to facilitate complete opening and pollen release. After microspore release the anther endothecium undergoes expansion and deposition of ligno-cellulosic secondary thickening. The septum separating the two locules is then enzymatically lysed and undergoes a programmed cell death-like breakdown. The stomium subsequently splits as a consequence of the stresses associated with pollen swelling and anther dehydration. The physical constraints imposed by the thickening in the endothecium limit expansion, placing additional stress on the anther, so as it dehydrates it opens and the pollen is released. Jasmonic acid has been shown to be a critical signal for dehiscence, although other hormones, particularly auxin, are also involved. The key regulators and physical constraints of anther dehiscence are discussed.