A root-specific iron-regulated gene of tomato encodes a lysyl-tRNA-synthetase-like protein

Grain Transcriptome Dynamics Induced by Heat in Commercial and Traditional Bread Wheat Genotypes

High temperature (HT) events have negative impact on wheat grains yield and quality. Transcriptome profiles of wheat developing grains of commercial genotypes (Antequera and Bancal) and landraces (Ardito and Magueija) submitted to heatwave-like treatments during grain filling were evaluated. Landraces showed significantly more differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and presented more similar responses than commercial genotypes. DEGs were more associated with transcription and RNA and protein synthesis in Antequera and with metabolism alterations in Bancal and landraces. Landraces upregulated genes encoding proteins already described as HT responsive, like heat shock proteins and cupins. Apart from the genes encoding HSP, two other genes were upregulated in all genotypes, one encoding for Adenylate kinase, essential for the cellular homeostasis, and the other for ferritin, recently related with increased tolerance to several abiotic stress in Arabidopsis. Moreover, a NAC transcription factor involved in plant development, known to be a negative regulator of starch synthesis and grain yield, was found to be upregulated in both commercial varieties and downregulated in Magueija landrace. The detected diversity of molecular processes involved in heat response of commercial and traditional genotypes contribute to understand the importance of genetic diversity and relevant pathways to cope with these extreme events.

Transcriptomic Changes in Internode Explants of Stinging Nettle during Callogenesis

Callogenesis, the process during which explants derived from differentiated plant tissues are subjected to a trans-differentiation step characterized by the proliferation of a mass of cells, is fundamental to indirect organogenesis and the establishment of cell suspension cultures. Therefore, understanding how callogenesis takes place is helpful to plant tissue culture, as well as to plant biotechnology and bioprocess engineering. The common herbaceous plant stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.) is a species producing cellulosic fibres (the bast fibres) and a whole array of phytochemicals for pharmacological, nutraceutical and cosmeceutical use. Thus, it is of interest as a potential multi-purpose plant. In this study, callogenesis in internode explants of a nettle fibre clone (clone 13) was studied using RNA-Seq to understand which gene ontologies predominate at different time points. Callogenesis was induced with the plant growth regulators α-napthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 6-benzyl aminopurine (BAP) after having determined their optimal concentrations. The process was studied over a period of 34 days, a time point at which a well-visible callus mass developed on the explants. The bioinformatic analysis of the transcriptomic dataset revealed specific gene ontologies characterizing each of the four time points investigated (0, 1, 10 and 34 days). The results show that, while the advanced stage of callogenesis is characterized by the iron deficiency response triggered by the high levels of reactive oxygen species accumulated by the proliferating cell mass, the intermediate and early phases are dominated by ontologies related to the immune response and cell wall loosening, respectively.

Plant-Specific Domains and Fragmented Sequences Imply Non-Canonical Functions in Plant Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetases

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) play essential roles in protein translation. In addition, numerous aaRSs (mostly in vertebrates) have also been discovered to possess a range of non-canonical functions. Very few studies have been conducted to elucidate or characterize non-canonical functions of plant aaRSs. A genome-wide search for aaRS genes in Arabidopsis thaliana revealed a total of 59 aaRS genes. Among them, asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase (AsnRS) was found to possess a WHEP domain inserted into the catalytic domain in a plant-specific manner. This insertion was observed only in the cytosolic isoform. In addition, a long stretch of sequence that exhibited weak homology with histidine ammonia lyase (HAL) was found at the N-terminus of histidyl-tRNA synthetase (HisRS). This HAL-like domain has only been seen in plant HisRS, and only in cytosolic isoforms. Additionally, a number of genes lacking minor or major portions of the full-length aaRS sequence were found. These genes encode 14 aaRS fragments that lack key active site sequences and are likely catalytically null. These identified genes that encode plant-specific additional domains or aaRS fragment sequences are candidates for aaRSs possessing non-canonical functions.

Draft genome sequence of Solanum aethiopicum provides insights into disease resistance, drought tolerance, and the evolution of the genome

BACKGROUND

The African eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum) is a nutritious traditional vegetable used in many African countries, including Uganda and Nigeria. It is thought to have been domesticated in Africa from its wild relative, Solanum anguivi. S. aethiopicum has been routinely used as a source of disease resistance genes for several Solanaceae crops, including Solanum melongena. A lack of genomic resources has meant that breeding of S. aethiopicum has lagged behind other vegetable crops.

RESULTS

We assembled a 1.02-Gb draft genome of S. aethiopicum, which contained predominantly repetitive sequences (78.9%). We annotated 37,681 gene models, including 34,906 protein-coding genes. Expansion of disease resistance genes was observed via 2 rounds of amplification of long terminal repeat retrotransposons, which may have occurred ∼1.25 and 3.5 million years ago, respectively. By resequencing 65 S. aethiopicum and S. anguivi genotypes, 18,614,838 single-nucleotide polymorphisms were identified, of which 34,171 were located within disease resistance genes. Analysis of domestication and demographic history revealed active selection for genes involved in drought tolerance in both "Gilo" and "Shum" groups. A pan-genome of S. aethiopicum was assembled, containing 51,351 protein-coding genes; 7,069 of these genes were missing from the reference genome.

CONCLUSIONS

The genome sequence of S. aethiopicum enhances our understanding of its biotic and abiotic resistance. The single-nucleotide polymorphisms identified are immediately available for use by breeders. The information provided here will accelerate selection and breeding of the African eggplant, as well as other crops within the Solanaceae family.

Identification of key genes involved in root development of tomato using expressed sequence tag analysis

Root system of plants are actually fascinating structures, not only critical for plant development, but also important for storage and conduction. Due to its agronomic importance, identification of genes involved in root development has been a subject of intense study. Tomato is the one of the most consumed vegetables in the world. Tomato has been used as model system for dicot plants because of its small genome, well-established transformation techniques and well-constructed physical map. The present study is targeted to identify of root specific genes expressed temporally and also gene(s) involved in lateral root and profuse root development. A total of 890 ESTs were identified from five EST libraries constructed using SSH approach which included temporal gene regulation (early and late) and genes involved in morphogenetic traits (lateral and profuse rooting). One hundred sixty-one unique ESTs identified from various libraries were categorized based on their putative functions and deposited in NCBI-dbEST database. In addition, 36 ESTs were selected for validation of their expression by RT-PCR. The present findings will help in shedding light to the unexplored developmental process of root growth in tomato and plant in general.

The promoter from SlREO, a highly-expressed, root-specific Solanum lycopersicum gene, directs expression to cortex of mature roots

Root-specific promoters are valuable tools for targeting transgene expression, but many of those already described have limitations to their general applicability. We present the expression characteristics of SlREO, a novel gene isolated from tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). This gene was highly expressed in roots but had a very low level of expression in aerial plant organs. A 2.4-kb region representing the SlREO promoter sequence was cloned upstream of the uidA GUS reporter gene and shown to direct expression in the root cortex. In mature, glasshouse-grown plants this strict root specificity was maintained. Furthermore, promoter activity was unaffected by dehydration or wounding stress but was somewhat suppressed by exposure to NaCl, salicylic acid and jasmonic acid. The predicted protein sequence of SlREO contains a domain found in enzymes of the 2-oxoglutarate and Fe(II)-dependent dioxygenase superfamily. The novel SlREO promoter has properties ideal for applications requiring strong and specific gene expression in the bulk of tomato root tissue growing in soil, and is also likely to be useful in other Solanaceous crops.

Altered expression of plant lysyl tRNA synthetase promotes tRNA misacylation and translational recoding of lysine

The Arabidopsis thaliana lysyl tRNA synthetase (AtKRS) structurally and functionally resembles the well-characterized prokaryotic class IIb KRS, including the propensity to aminoacylate tRNA(Lys) with suboptimal identity elements, as well as non-cognate tRNAs. Transient expression of AtKRS in carrot cells promotes aminoacylation of such tRNAs in vivo and translational recoding of lysine at nonsense codons. Stable expression of AtKRS in Zea mays causes translational recoding of lysine into zeins, significantly enriching the lysine content of grain.

Identification of mycorrhiza-regulated genes with arbuscule development-related expression profile

Suppressive subtractive hybridisation was applied to the analysis of late stage arbuscular mycorrhizal development in pea. 96 cDNA clones were amplified and 81, which carried fragments more than 200 nt in size, were sequence analysed. Among 67 unique fragments, 10 showed no homology and 10 were similar to sequences with unknown function. RNA accumulation of the corresponding 67 genes was analysed by hybridisation of macro-arrays. The cDNAs used as probes were derived from roots of wild type and late mutant pea genotypes, inoculated or not with the AM fungus Glomus mosseae. After calibration, a more than 2.5-fold mycorrhiza-induced RNA accumulation was detected in two independent experiments in the wild type for 25 genes, 22 of which seemed to be induced specifically during late stage AM development. Differential expression for 7 genes was confirmed by RT-PCR using RNA from mycorrhiza and from controls of a different pea cultivar. In order to confirm arbuscule-related expression, the Medicago truncatula EST data base was screened for homologous sequences with putative mycorrhiza-related expression and among a number of sequences with significant similarities, a family of trypsin inhibitor genes could be identified. Mycorrhiza-induced RNA accumulation was verified for five members by real-time PCR and arbuscule-related activation of the promoter could be shown in transgenic roots for one of the genes, MtTi 1.

Response of Arabidopsis to iron deficiency stress as revealed by microarray analysis

Gene expression in response to Fe deficiency was analyzed in Arabidopsis roots and shoots through the use of a cDNA collection representing at least 6,000 individual gene sequences. Arabidopsis seedlings were grown 1, 3, and 7 d in the absence of Fe, and gene expression in roots and shoots was investigated. Following confirmation of data and normalization methods, expression of several sequences encoding enzymes known to be affected by Fe deficiency was investigated by microarray analysis. Confirmation of literature reports, particularly for changes in enzyme activity, was not always possible, but changes in gene expression could be confirmed. An expression analysis of genes in glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and oxidative pentose phosphate pathway revealed an induction of several enzymes within 3 d of Fe-deficient growth, indicating an increase in respiration in response to Fe deficiency. In roots, transcription of sequences corresponding to enzymes of anaerobic respiration was also induced, whereas in shoots, the induction of several genes in gluconeogenesis, starch degradation, and phloem loading was observed. Thus, it seemed likely that the energy demand in roots required for the Fe deficiency response exceeded the capacity of oxidative phosphorylation, and an increase in carbon import and anaerobic respiration were required to maintain metabolism.

Phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase from the archaeon Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum is an (alphabeta)2 heterotetrameric protein

Phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase from the methanogenic archaeon Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum was purified to apparent homogeneity. The catalytically active enzyme is a heterotetramer composed of two subunits, alpha and beta. N-terminal sequence data were obtained for both subunits and the open reading frames MT770 and MT742 of the genome sequence of M. thermoautotrophicum were identified as coding for these proteins. Two ORFs with similarity to non-archaeal PheRSs alpha-subunits had previously been found in the genome sequence, but these results show that only one of them, MT742, is part of the active PheRS.

Isolation, characterization and cDNA cloning of nicotianamine synthase from barley. A key enzyme for iron homeostasis in plants

Basic cellular processes such as electron transport in photosynthesis and respiration require the precise control of iron homeostasis. To mobilize iron, plants have evolved at least two different strategies. The nonproteinogenous amino acid nicotianamine which is synthesized from three molecules of S-adenosyl-L-methionine, is an essential component of both pathways. This compound is missing in the tomato mutant chloronerva, which exhibits severe defects in the regulation of iron metabolism. We report the purification and partial characterization of the nicotianamine synthase from barley roots as well as the cloning of two corresponding gene sequences. The function of the gene sequence has been verified by overexpression in Escherichia coli. Further confirmation comes from reduction of the nicotianamine content and the exhibition of a chloronerva-like phenotype due to the expression of heterologous antisense constructs in transgenic tobacco plants. The native enzyme with an apparent Mr of approximately 105 000 probably represents a trimer of S-adenosyl-L-methionine-binding subunits. A comparison with the recently cloned chloronerva gene of tomato reveals striking sequence homology, providing support for the suggestion that the destruction of the nicotianamine synthase encoding gene is the molecular basis of the tomato mutation.

Archaeal aminoacyl-tRNA synthesis: diversity replaces dogma

Accurate aminoacyl-tRNA synthesis is essential for faithful translation of the genetic code and consequently has been intensively studied for over three decades. Until recently, the study of aminoacyl-tRNA synthesis in archaea had received little attention. However, as in so many areas of molecular biology, the advent of archaeal genome sequencing has now drawn researchers to this field. Investigations with archaea have already led to the discovery of novel pathways and enzymes for the synthesis of numerous aminoacyl-tRNAs. The most surprising of these findings has been a transamidation pathway for the synthesis of asparaginyl-tRNA and a novel lysyl-tRNA synthetase. In addition, seryl- and phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetases that are only marginally related to known examples outside the archaea have been characterized, and the mechanism of cysteinyl-tRNA formation in Methanococcus jannaschii and Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum is still unknown. These results have revealed completely unexpected levels of complexity and diversity, questioning the notion that aminoacyl-tRNA synthesis is one of the most conserved functions in gene expression. It has now become clear that the distribution of the various mechanisms of aminoacyl-tRNA synthesis in extant organisms has been determined by numerous gene transfer events, indicating that, while the process of protein biosynthesis is orthologous, its constituents are not.