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Chang HF, Tseng SC, Tang MT, Hsiao SSY, Lee DC, Wang SL, Yeh KC. Physiology and molecular basis of thallium toxicity and accumulation in Arabidopsis thaliana. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 276:116290. [PMID: 38599154 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Thallium (Tl) is a non-essential metal mobilized through industrial processes which can lead to it entering the environment and exerting toxic effects. Plants are fundamental components of all ecosystems. Therefore, understanding the impact of Tl on plant growth and development is of great importance for assessing the potential environmental risks of Tl. Here, the responses of Arabidopsis thaliana to Tl were elucidated using physiological, genetic, and transcriptome analyses. Thallium can be absorbed by plant roots and translocated to the aerial parts, accumulating at comparable concentrations throughout plant parts. Genetic evidence supported the regulation of Tl uptake and movement by different molecular compartments within plants. Thallium primarily caused growth inhibition, oxidative stress, leaf chlorosis, and the impairment of K homeostasis. The disturbance of redox balance toward oxidative stress was supported by significant differences in the expression of genes involved in oxidative stress and antioxidant defense under Tl exposure. Reduced GSH levels in cad2-1 mutant rendered plants highly sensitive to Tl, suggesting that GSH has a prominent role in alleviating Tl-triggered oxidative responses. Thallium down-regulation of the expression of LCHII-related genes is believed to be responsible for leaf chlorosis. These findings illuminate some of the mechanisms underlying Tl toxicity at the physiological and molecular levels in plants with an eye toward the future environment management of this heavy metal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsin-Fang Chang
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Shao-Chin Tseng
- Experimental Facility Division, National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 30076, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Mau-Tsu Tang
- Experimental Facility Division, National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 30076, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Silver Sung-Yun Hsiao
- Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Der-Chuen Lee
- Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China; Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Shan-Li Wang
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Kuo-Chen Yeh
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, Republic of China.
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Yang H, Zhang Y, Liu Y, Jian S, Deng S. A novel ABA-induced transcript factor from Millettia pinnata, MpAITR1, enhances salt and drought tolerance through ABA signaling in transgenic Arabidopsis. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 288:154060. [PMID: 37542942 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2023.154060] [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: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
Abiotic stress, such as salt and drought stress, seriously limits plant growth and crop yield. Abscisic acid (ABA) is essential in regulating plant responses to abiotic stress via signal perception, transduction, and transcriptional regulation. Pongamia (Millettia pinnata) is a kind of semi-mangrove plant with strong stress tolerance and can grow in fresh and sea water. However, the molecular mechanism of the ABA signaling pathway mediating the environmental tolerance of Pongamia is still scarce so far. AITR (ABA-Induced Transcription Repressor) was a recently identified small conserved family of transcription factor in angiosperms, which played controversial roles in response to abiotic stresses in different species. Here, we identified an ABA-induced gene, MpAITR1, which encoded a nucleus localization transcriptional factor in Pongamia. MpAITR1 was highly induced by ABA and salt treatments in roots and leaves. Heterologous expression of MpAITR1 in Arabidopsis increased sensitivity to ABA, moreover, enhanced tolerance to salt and drought stress. The expression levels of some ABA-responsive and stress-responsive genes were altered in transgenic plants compared to wild-type plants under the ABA, salt, and drought stress, which was consistent with the stress-tolerant phenotype of transgenic plants. These results reveal that MpAITR1 positively modulates ABA signaling pathways and enhances the tolerance to salt and drought stress by regulating downstream target genes. Taken together, MpAITR1 from the semi-mangrove plant Pongamia serves as a potential candidate for stress-tolerant crop breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Yang
- Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
| | - Yujuan Liu
- Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Shuguang Jian
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Vegetation Ecosystem Restoration on Islands and Costal Zones, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
| | - Shulin Deng
- Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Xiaoliang Research Station for Tropical Coastal Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China.
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CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Editing of NtAITRs, a Family of Transcription Repressor Genes, Leads to Enhanced Drought Tolerance in Tobacco. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315268. [PMID: 36499605 PMCID: PMC9737578 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tobacco is a cash crop throughout the world, and its growth and development are affected by abiotic stresses including drought stress; therefore, drought-tolerant breeding may help to improve tobacco yield and quality under drought stress conditions. Considering that the plant hormone ABA (abscisic acid) is able to regulate plant responses to abiotic stresses via activating ABA response genes, the characterization of ABA response genes may enable the identification of genes that can be used for molecular breeding to improve drought tolerance in tobacco. We report here the identification of NtAITRs (Nicotiana tabacum ABA-induced transcription repressors) as a family of novel regulators of drought tolerance in tobacco. Bioinformatics analysis shows that there are a total of eight NtAITR genes in tobacco, and all the NtAITRs have a partially conserved LxLxL motif at their C-terminus. RT-PCR results show that the expression levels of at least some NtAITRs were increased in response to ABA and drought treatments, and NtAITRs, when recruited to the Gal4 promoter via a fused GD (Gal4 DNA-binding domain), were able to repress transcription activator LD-VP activated expression of the LexA-Gal4-GUS reporter gene. Roles of NtAITRs in regulating drought tolerance in tobacco were analyzed by generating CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited mutants. A total of three Cas9-free ntaitr12356 quintuple mutants were obtained, and drought treatment assays show that drought tolerance was increased in the ntaitr12356 quintuple mutants. On the other hand, results of seed germination and seedling greening assays show that ABA sensitivity was increased in the ntaitr12356 quintuple mutants, and the expression levels of some ABA signaling key regulator genes were altered in the ntaitr12356-c3 mutant. Taken together, our results suggest that NtAITRs are ABA-responsive genes, and that NtAITRs function as transcription repressors and negatively regulate drought tolerance in tobacco, possibly by affecting plant ABA response via affecting the expression of ABA signaling key regulator genes.
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Batcho AA, Nwogwugwu JO, Ali M, Jabbar B, Javaid A, Fellner M. Identification and characterisation of blue light photoreceptor gene family and their expression in tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum) under cold stress. FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY : FPB 2022; 49:647-658. [PMID: 35437142 DOI: 10.1071/fp21297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The Arabidopsis thaliana L. photoreceptor genes homologues in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) genome were analysed using bioinformatic tools. The expression pattern of these genes under cold stress was also evaluated. Transcriptome analysis of the tomato sequence revealed that the photoreceptor gene family is involved in abiotic stress tolerance. They participate in various pathways and controlling multiple metabolic processes. They are structurally related to PAS, LIGHT-OXYGEN-VOLTAGE-SENSING (LOV), DNA photolyase, 5,10-methenyl tetrahydrofolate (MTHF), flavin-binding kelch F-box, GAF, PHY, Seven-bladed β-propeller and C27 domains. They also interact with flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), (5S)-5-methyl-2-(methylsulfanyl)-5-phenyl-3-(phenylamino)-3,5-dihydro-4H-imidazol-4-one (FNM) and Phytochromobilin (PϕB) ligands. These interactions help to create a cascade of protein phosphorylation involving in cell defence transcription or stress-regulated genes. They localisation of these gene families on tomato chromosomes appeared to be uneven. Phylogenetic tree of tomato and Arabidopsis photoreceptor gene family were classified into eight subgroups, indicating gene expression diversity. Morphological and physiological assessment revealed no dead plant after 4h of cold treatment. All the plants were found to be alive, but there were some variations in the data across different parameters. Cold stress significantly reduced the rate of photosynthesis from 10.06 to 3.16μmolm-2 s-1 , transpiration from 4.6 to 1.3mmolm-2 s-1 , and stomatal conductance from 94.6 to 25.6mmolm-2 s-1 . The cold stressed plants also had reduced height, root/shoot length, and fresh/dry biomass weight than the control plants. Relative expression analysis under cold stress revealed that after 4h, light stimulates the transcript level of Cry2 from 1.9 to 5.7 and PhyB from 0.98 to 6.9 compared to other photoreceptor genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agossa Anicet Batcho
- National University of Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (ENS-UNSTIM), Natitingou, Republic of Benin; and Laboratory of Growth Regulators, Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Palacký University, Šlechtitelu 27, Olomouc-Holice 783 71, Czech Republic
| | - Joy Oluchi Nwogwugwu
- Department of Forest Conservation and Protection, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Mohsin Ali
- Independent Researcher, House No. 280 A/1 Sector F1 Mirpur 10250, AJK, Pakistan
| | - Basit Jabbar
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Ayesha Javaid
- Independent Researcher, Askari 13, Rawalpandi 46604, Pakistan
| | - Martin Fellner
- Laboratory of Growth Regulators, Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Palacký University, Šlechtitelu 27, Olomouc-Holice 783 71, Czech Republic
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The R2R3 MYB Transcription Factor MYB71 Regulates Abscisic Acid Response in Arabidopsis. PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11101369. [PMID: 35631794 PMCID: PMC9143609 DOI: 10.3390/plants11101369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Abscisic acid (ABA) regulates plant responses to abiotic stresses via regulating the expression of downstream genes, yet the functions of many ABA responsive genes remain unknown. We report here the characterization of MYB71, a R2R3 MYB transcription factor in regulating ABA responses in Arabidopsis. RT-PCR results show that the expression level of MYB71 was increased in response to ABA treatment. Arabidopsis protoplasts transfection results show that MYB71 was specifically localized in nucleus and it activated the Gal4:GUS reporter gene when recruited to the Gal4 promoter by a fused DNA binding domain GD. Roles of MYB71 in regulating plant response to ABA were analyzed by generating Arabidopsis transgenic plants overexpression MYB71 and gene edited mutants of MYB71. The results show that ABA sensitivity was increased in the transgenic plants overexpression MYB71, but decreased in the MYB71 mutants. By using a DEX inducible system, we further identified genes are likely regulated by MYB71, and found that they are enriched in biological process to environmental stimuli including abiotic stresses, suggesting that MYB71 may regulate plant response to abiotic stresses. Taken together, our results suggest that MYB71 is an ABA responsive gene, and MYB71 functions as a transcription activator and it positively regulates ABA response in Arabidopsis.
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Hu YB, Sperotto RA. Regulatory hubs in plant stress adaptation. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2021; 23 Suppl 1:3-6. [PMID: 34038601 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Y B Hu
- Northeast Forestry University, Harbin City, China
| | - R A Sperotto
- University of Taquari Valley - Univates, Lajeado, Brazil
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Wang T, Xun H, Wang W, Ding X, Tian H, Hussain S, Dong Q, Li Y, Cheng Y, Wang C, Lin R, Li G, Qian X, Pang J, Feng X, Dong Y, Liu B, Wang S. Mutation of GmAITR Genes by CRISPR/Cas9 Genome Editing Results in Enhanced Salinity Stress Tolerance in Soybean. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:779598. [PMID: 34899806 PMCID: PMC8660858 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.779598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Breeding of stress-tolerant plants is able to improve crop yield under stress conditions, whereas CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing has been shown to be an efficient way for molecular breeding to improve agronomic traits including stress tolerance in crops. However, genes can be targeted for genome editing to enhance crop abiotic stress tolerance remained largely unidentified. We have previously identified abscisic acid (ABA)-induced transcription repressors (AITRs) as a novel family of transcription factors that are involved in the regulation of ABA signaling, and we found that knockout of the entire family of AITR genes in Arabidopsis enhanced drought and salinity tolerance without fitness costs. Considering that AITRs are conserved in angiosperms, AITRs in crops may be targeted for genome editing to improve abiotic stress tolerance. We report here that mutation of GmAITR genes by CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing leads to enhanced salinity tolerance in soybean. By using quantitative RT-PCR analysis, we found that the expression levels of GmAITRs were increased in response to ABA and salt treatments. Transfection assays in soybean protoplasts show that GmAITRs are nucleus proteins, and have transcriptional repression activities. By using CRISPR/Cas9 to target the six GmAITRs simultaneously, we successfully generated Cas9-free gmaitr36 double and gmaitr23456 quintuple mutants. We found that ABA sensitivity in these mutants was increased. Consistent with this, ABA responses of some ABA signaling key regulator genes in the gmaitr mutants were altered. In both seed germination and seedling growth assays, the gmaitr mutants showed enhanced salt tolerance. Most importantly, enhanced salinity tolerance in the mutant plants was also observed in the field experiments. These results suggest that mutation of GmAITR genes by CRISPR/Cas9 is an efficient way to improve salinity tolerance in soybean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianya Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Hongwei Xun
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- National Engineering Research Center for Soybean, Soybean Research Institute, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics and Crop Gene Editing, School of Life Sciences, Linyi University, Linyi, China
| | - Xiaoyang Ding
- National Engineering Research Center for Soybean, Soybean Research Institute, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Hainan Tian
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Saddam Hussain
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Qianli Dong
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Yingying Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Yuxin Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Chen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Rao Lin
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Guimin Li
- Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics and Crop Gene Editing, School of Life Sciences, Linyi University, Linyi, China
| | - Xueyan Qian
- National Engineering Research Center for Soybean, Soybean Research Institute, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Jinsong Pang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Xianzhong Feng
- Key Laboratory of Soybean Molecular Design Breeding, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Yingshan Dong
- National Engineering Research Center for Soybean, Soybean Research Institute, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Bao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Shucai Wang
- Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics and Crop Gene Editing, School of Life Sciences, Linyi University, Linyi, China
- *Correspondence: Shucai Wang,
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