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Cid GA, Francioli D, Kolb S, Tandron Moya YA, von Wirén N, Hajirezaei MR. Transcriptomic and metabolomic approaches elucidate the systemic response of wheat plants under waterlogging. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2024; 75:1510-1529. [PMID: 38014629 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad453] [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: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Extreme weather conditions lead to significant imbalances in crop productivity, which in turn affect food security. Flooding events cause serious problems for many crop species such as wheat. Although metabolic readjustments under flooding are important for plant regeneration, underlying processes remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the systemic response of wheat to waterlogging using metabolomics and transcriptomics. A 12 d exposure to excess water triggered nutritional imbalances and disruption of metabolite synthesis and translocation, reflected by reductions in plant biomass and growth performance. Metabolic and transcriptomic profiling in roots, xylem sap, and leaves indicated anaerobic fermentation processes as a local response in roots. Differentially expressed genes and ontological categories revealed that carbohydrate metabolism plays an important role in the systemic response. Analysis of the composition of xylem exudates revealed decreased root-to-shoot translocation of nutrients, hormones, and amino acids. Interestingly, among all metabolites measured in xylem exudates, alanine was the most abundant. Immersion of excised leaves derived from waterlogged plants in alanine solution led to increased leaf glucose concentration. Our results suggest an important role of alanine not only as an amino-nitrogen donor but also as a vehicle for carbon skeletons to produce glucose de novo and meet the energy demand during waterlogging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geeisy Angela Cid
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Gatersleben, Germany
| | - Davide Francioli
- Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Hochschule Geisenheim University, Geisenheim, Germany
| | - Steffen Kolb
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg, Germany
| | | | - Nicolaus von Wirén
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Gatersleben, Germany
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2
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Dennis G, Posewitz MC. Advances in light system engineering across the phototrophic spectrum. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1332456. [PMID: 38410727 PMCID: PMC10895028 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1332456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Current work in photosynthetic engineering is progressing along the lines of cyanobacterial, microalgal, and plant research. These are interconnected through the fundamental mechanisms of photosynthesis and advances in one field can often be leveraged to improve another. It is worthwhile for researchers specializing in one or more of these systems to be aware of the work being done across the entire research space as parallel advances of techniques and experimental approaches can often be applied across the field of photosynthesis research. This review focuses on research published in recent years related to the light reactions of photosynthesis in cyanobacteria, eukaryotic algae, and plants. Highlighted are attempts to improve photosynthetic efficiency, and subsequent biomass production. Also discussed are studies on cross-field heterologous expression, and related work on augmented and novel light capture systems. This is reviewed in the context of translatability in research across diverse photosynthetic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galen Dennis
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, United States
| | - Matthew C Posewitz
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, United States
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3
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Chang H, Chen YT, Huang HE, Ger MJ. Overexpressing plant ferredoxin-like protein enhances photosynthetic efficiency and carbohydrates accumulation in Phalaenopsis. Transgenic Res 2023; 32:547-560. [PMID: 37851307 DOI: 10.1007/s11248-023-00370-w] [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: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) is one of three major models of carbon dioxide assimilation pathway with better water-use efficiency and slower photosynthetic efficiency in photosynthesis. Previous studies indicated that the gene of sweet pepper plant ferredoxin-like protein (PFLP) shows high homology to the ferredoxin-1(Fd-1) family that belongs to photosynthetic type Fd and involves in photosystem I. It is speculated that overexpressing pflp in the transgenic plant may enhance photosynthetic efficiency through the electron transport chain (ETC). To reveal the function of PFLP in photosynthetic efficiency, pflp transgenic Phalaenopsis, a CAM plant, was generated to analyze photosynthetic markers. Transgenic plants exhibited 1.2-folds of electron transport rate than that of wild type (WT), and higher CO2 assimilation rates up to 1.6 and 1.5-folds samples at 4 pm and 10 pm respectively. Enzyme activity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) was increased to 5.9-folds in Phase III, and NAD+-linked malic enzyme (NAD+-ME) activity increased 1.4-folds in Phase IV in transgenic plants. The photosynthesis products were analyzed between transgenic plants and WT. Soluble sugars contents such as glucose, fructose, and sucrose were found to significantly increase to 1.2, 1.8, and 1.3-folds higher in transgenic plants. The starch grains were also accumulated up to 1.4-folds in transgenic plants than that of WT. These results indicated that overexpressing pflp in transgenic plants increases carbohydrates accumulation by enhancing electron transport flow during photosynthesis. This is the first evidence for the PFLP function in CAM plants. Taken altogether, we suggest that pflp is an applicable gene for agriculture application that enhances electron transport chain efficiency during photosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiang Chang
- Department of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Technology, Yuanpei University of Medical Technology, Hsinchu, 30015, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Ting Chen
- Institute of Biotechnology, National University of Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung, 81148, Taiwan
| | - Hsiang-En Huang
- Department of Life Sciences, National Taitung University, Taitung, 95002, Taiwan
| | - Mang-Jye Ger
- Department of Life Sciences, National University of Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung, 81148, Taiwan.
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4
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Bongirwar R, Shukla P. Metabolic sink engineering in cyanobacteria: Perspectives and applications. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2023; 379:128974. [PMID: 36990331 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.128974] [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: 02/18/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in metabolic engineering have made cyanobacteria emerge as promising and attractive microorganisms for sustainable production, by exploiting their natural capability for producing metabolites. The potential of metabolically engineered cyanobacterium would depend on its source-sink balance in the same way as other phototrophs. In cyanobacteria, the amount of light energy harvested (Source) is incompletely utilized by the cell to fix carbon (sink) resulting in wastage of the absorbed energy causing photoinhibition and cellular damage leading to lowered photosynthetic efficiency. Although regulatory pathways like photo-acclimation and photoprotective processes can be helpful unfortunately they limit the cell's metabolic capacity. This review describes approaches for source-sink balance and engineering heterologous metabolic sinks in cyanobacteria for enhanced photosynthetic efficiency. The advances for engineering additional metabolic pathways in cyanobacteria are also described which will provide a better understanding of the cyanobacterial source-sink balance and approaches for efficient cyanobacterial strains for valuable metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riya Bongirwar
- Enzyme Technology and Protein Bioinformatics Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Pratyoosh Shukla
- Enzyme Technology and Protein Bioinformatics Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India.
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5
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Molinari PE, Krapp AR, Weiner A, Beyer HM, Kondadi AK, Blomeier T, López M, Bustos-Sanmamed P, Tevere E, Weber W, Reichert AS, Calcaterra NB, Beller M, Carrillo N, Zurbriggen MD. NERNST: a genetically-encoded ratiometric non-destructive sensing tool to estimate NADP(H) redox status in bacterial, plant and animal systems. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3277. [PMID: 37280202 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38739-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
NADP(H) is a central metabolic hub providing reducing equivalents to multiple biosynthetic, regulatory and antioxidative pathways in all living organisms. While biosensors are available to determine NADP+ or NADPH levels in vivo, no probe exists to estimate the NADP(H) redox status, a determinant of the cell energy availability. We describe herein the design and characterization of a genetically-encoded ratiometric biosensor, termed NERNST, able to interact with NADP(H) and estimate ENADP(H). NERNST consists of a redox-sensitive green fluorescent protein (roGFP2) fused to an NADPH-thioredoxin reductase C module which selectively monitors NADP(H) redox states via oxido-reduction of the roGFP2 moiety. NERNST is functional in bacterial, plant and animal cells, and organelles such as chloroplasts and mitochondria. Using NERNST, we monitor NADP(H) dynamics during bacterial growth, environmental stresses in plants, metabolic challenges to mammalian cells, and wounding in zebrafish. NERNST estimates the NADP(H) redox poise in living organisms, with various potential applications in biochemical, biotechnological and biomedical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela E Molinari
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-UNR/CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), 2000, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Adriana R Krapp
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-UNR/CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), 2000, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Andrea Weiner
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-UNR/CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), 2000, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Hannes M Beyer
- Institute of Synthetic Biology, University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Arun Kumar Kondadi
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Tim Blomeier
- Institute of Synthetic Biology, University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Melina López
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-UNR/CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), 2000, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Pilar Bustos-Sanmamed
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-UNR/CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), 2000, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Evelyn Tevere
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-UNR/CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), 2000, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Wilfried Weber
- Faculty of Biology and Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials and Department of Materials Sciences and Engineering, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Andreas S Reichert
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Nora B Calcaterra
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-UNR/CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), 2000, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Mathias Beller
- Institute of Mathematical Modeling of Biological Systems, University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Nestor Carrillo
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-UNR/CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), 2000, Rosario, Argentina.
| | - Matias D Zurbriggen
- Institute of Synthetic Biology, University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
- CEPLAS - Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, Düsseldorf, Germany.
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6
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Basso L, Sakoda K, Kobayashi R, Yamori W, Shikanai T. Flavodiiron proteins enhance the rate of CO2 assimilation in Arabidopsis under fluctuating light intensity. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 189:375-387. [PMID: 35171289 PMCID: PMC9070813 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The proton concentration gradient (ΔpH) and membrane potential (Δψ) formed across the thylakoid membrane contribute to ATP synthesis in chloroplasts. Additionally, ΔpH downregulates photosynthetic electron transport via the acidification of the thylakoid lumen. K+ exchange antiporter 3 (KEA3) relaxes this downregulation by substituting ΔpH with Δψ in response to fluctuation of light intensity. In the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) line overexpressing KEA3 (KEA3ox), the rate of electron transport is elevated by accelerating the relaxation of ΔpH after a shift from high light (HL) to low light. However, the plant cannot control electron transport toward photosystem I (PSI), resulting in PSI photodamage. In this study, we crossed the KEA3ox line with the line (Flavodiiron [Flv]) expressing the Flv proteins of Physcomitrium patens. In the double transgenic line (Flv-KEA3ox), electrons overloading toward PSI were pumped out by Flv proteins. Consequently, photodamage of PSI was alleviated to the wild-type level. The rate of CO2 fixation was enhanced in Flv and Flv-KEA3ox lines during HL periods of fluctuating light, although CO2 fixation was unaffected in any transgenic lines in constant HL. Upregulation of CO2 fixation was accompanied by elevated stomatal conductance in fluctuating light. Consistent with the results of gas exchange experiments, the growth of Flv and Flv-KEA3ox plants was better than that of WT and KEA3ox plants under fluctuating light.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Basso
- Department of Botany, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto
University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Kazuma Sakoda
- Institute for Sustainable Agro-Ecosystem Services, Graduate School of
Agriculture and Life Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 188-0002,
Japan
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryouhei Kobayashi
- Department of Botany, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto
University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Wataru Yamori
- Institute for Sustainable Agro-Ecosystem Services, Graduate School of
Agriculture and Life Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 188-0002,
Japan
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7
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Walter J, Kromdijk J. Here comes the sun: How optimization of photosynthetic light reactions can boost crop yields. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 64:564-591. [PMID: 34962073 PMCID: PMC9302994 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthesis started to evolve some 3.5 billion years ago CO2 is the substrate for photosynthesis and in the past 200-250 years, atmospheric levels have approximately doubled due to human industrial activities. However, this time span is not sufficient for adaptation mechanisms of photosynthesis to be evolutionarily manifested. Steep increases in human population, shortage of arable land and food, and climate change call for actions, now. Thanks to substantial research efforts and advances in the last century, basic knowledge of photosynthetic and primary metabolic processes can now be translated into strategies to optimize photosynthesis to its full potential in order to improve crop yields and food supply for the future. Many different approaches have been proposed in recent years, some of which have already proven successful in different crop species. Here, we summarize recent advances on modifications of the complex network of photosynthetic light reactions. These are the starting point of all biomass production and supply the energy equivalents necessary for downstream processes as well as the oxygen we breathe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Walter
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 3EAUK
| | - Johannes Kromdijk
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 3EAUK
- Carl R Woese Institute for Genomic BiologyUniversity of Illinois Urbana‐ChampaignUrbanaIllinois61801USA
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8
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Lodeyro AF, Krapp AR, Carrillo N. Photosynthesis and chloroplast redox signaling in the age of global warming: stress tolerance, acclimation, and developmental plasticity. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2021; 72:5919-5937. [PMID: 34111246 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erab270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Contemporary climate change is characterized by the increased intensity and frequency of environmental stress events such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves, which have a debilitating impact on photosynthesis and growth, compromising the production of food, feed, and biofuels for an expanding population. The need to increase crop productivity in the context of global warming has fueled attempts to improve several key plant features such as photosynthetic performance, assimilate partitioning, and tolerance to environmental stresses. Chloroplast redox metabolism, including photosynthetic electron transport and CO2 reductive assimilation, are primary targets of most stress conditions, leading to excessive excitation pressure, photodamage, and propagation of reactive oxygen species. Alterations in chloroplast redox poise, in turn, provide signals that exit the plastid and modulate plant responses to the environmental conditions. Understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in these processes could provide novel tools to increase crop yield in suboptimal environments. We describe herein various interventions into chloroplast redox networks that resulted in increased tolerance to multiple sources of environmental stress. They included manipulation of endogenous components and introduction of electron carriers from other organisms, which affected not only stress endurance but also leaf size and longevity. The resulting scenario indicates that chloroplast redox pathways have an important impact on plant growth, development, and defense that goes beyond their roles in primary metabolism. Manipulation of these processes provides additional strategies for the design of crops with improved performance under destabilized climate conditions as foreseen for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anabella F Lodeyro
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-UNR/CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Adriana R Krapp
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-UNR/CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Néstor Carrillo
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-UNR/CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Rosario, Argentina
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9
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Dorrity MW, Alexandre CM, Hamm MO, Vigil AL, Fields S, Queitsch C, Cuperus JT. The regulatory landscape of Arabidopsis thaliana roots at single-cell resolution. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3334. [PMID: 34099698 DOI: 10.1101/2020.07.17.204792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The scarcity of accessible sites that are dynamic or cell type-specific in plants may be due in part to tissue heterogeneity in bulk studies. To assess the effects of tissue heterogeneity, we apply single-cell ATAC-seq to Arabidopsis thaliana roots and identify thousands of differentially accessible sites, sufficient to resolve all major cell types of the root. We find that the entirety of a cell's regulatory landscape and its transcriptome independently capture cell type identity. We leverage this shared information on cell identity to integrate accessibility and transcriptome data to characterize developmental progression, endoreduplication and cell division. We further use the combined data to characterize cell type-specific motif enrichments of transcription factor families and link the expression of family members to changing accessibility at specific loci, resolving direct and indirect effects that shape expression. Our approach provides an analytical framework to infer the gene regulatory networks that execute plant development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael W Dorrity
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Morgan O Hamm
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Anna-Lena Vigil
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Stanley Fields
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Christine Queitsch
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Josh T Cuperus
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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10
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Vicino P, Carrillo J, Gómez R, Shahinnia F, Tula S, Melzer M, Rutten T, Carrillo N, Hajirezaei MR, Lodeyro AF. Expression of Flavodiiron Proteins Flv2-Flv4 in Chloroplasts of Arabidopsis and Tobacco Plants Provides Multiple Stress Tolerance. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:1178. [PMID: 33503994 PMCID: PMC7865949 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22031178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 01/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
With the notable exception of angiosperms, all phototrophs contain different sets of flavodiiron proteins that help to relieve the excess of excitation energy on the photosynthetic electron transport chain during adverse environmental conditions, presumably by reducing oxygen directly to water. Among them, the Flv2-Flv4 dimer is only found in β-cyanobacteria and induced by high light, supporting a role in stress protection. The possibility of a similar protective function in plants was assayed by expressing Synechocystis Flv2-Flv4 in chloroplasts of tobacco and Arabidopsis. Flv-expressing plants exhibited increased tolerance toward high irradiation, salinity, oxidants, and drought. Stress tolerance was reflected by better growth, preservation of photosynthetic activity, and membrane integrity. Metabolic profiling under drought showed enhanced accumulation of soluble sugars and amino acids in transgenic Arabidopsis and a remarkable shift of sucrose into starch, in line with metabolic responses of drought-tolerant genotypes. Our results indicate that the Flv2-Flv4 complex retains its stress protection activities when expressed in chloroplasts of angiosperm species by acting as an additional electron sink. The flv2-flv4 genes constitute a novel biotechnological tool to generate plants with increased tolerance to agronomically relevant stress conditions that represent a significant productivity constraint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Vicino
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-UNR/CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Rosario 2000, Argentina; (P.V.); (J.C.); (R.G.); (N.C.)
| | - Julieta Carrillo
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-UNR/CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Rosario 2000, Argentina; (P.V.); (J.C.); (R.G.); (N.C.)
| | - Rodrigo Gómez
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-UNR/CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Rosario 2000, Argentina; (P.V.); (J.C.); (R.G.); (N.C.)
| | - Fahimeh Shahinnia
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, OT Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse, D-06466 Stadt Seeland, Germany; (F.S.); (S.T.); (M.M.); (T.R.)
| | - Suresh Tula
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, OT Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse, D-06466 Stadt Seeland, Germany; (F.S.); (S.T.); (M.M.); (T.R.)
| | - Michael Melzer
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, OT Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse, D-06466 Stadt Seeland, Germany; (F.S.); (S.T.); (M.M.); (T.R.)
| | - Twan Rutten
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, OT Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse, D-06466 Stadt Seeland, Germany; (F.S.); (S.T.); (M.M.); (T.R.)
| | - Néstor Carrillo
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-UNR/CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Rosario 2000, Argentina; (P.V.); (J.C.); (R.G.); (N.C.)
| | - Mohammad-Reza Hajirezaei
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, OT Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse, D-06466 Stadt Seeland, Germany; (F.S.); (S.T.); (M.M.); (T.R.)
| | - Anabella F. Lodeyro
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-UNR/CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Rosario 2000, Argentina; (P.V.); (J.C.); (R.G.); (N.C.)
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11
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Shahinnia F, Tula S, Hensel G, Reiahisamani N, Nasr N, Kumlehn J, Gómez R, Lodeyro AF, Carrillo N, Hajirezaei MR. Plastid-Targeted Cyanobacterial Flavodiiron Proteins Maintain Carbohydrate Turnover and Enhance Drought Stress Tolerance in Barley. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 11:613731. [PMID: 33519872 PMCID: PMC7838373 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.613731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Chloroplasts, the sites of photosynthesis in higher plants, have evolved several means to tolerate short episodes of drought stress through biosynthesis of diverse metabolites essential for plant function, but these become ineffective when the duration of the stress is prolonged. Cyanobacteria are the closest bacterial homologs of plastids with two photosystems to perform photosynthesis and to evolve oxygen as a byproduct. The presence of Flv genes encoding flavodiiron proteins has been shown to enhance stress tolerance in cyanobacteria. In an attempt to support the growth of plants exposed to drought, the Synechocystis genes Flv1 and Flv3 were expressed in barley with their products being targeted to the chloroplasts. The heterologous expression of both Flv1 and Flv3 accelerated days to heading, increased biomass, promoted the number of spikes and grains per plant, and improved the total grain weight per plant of transgenic lines exposed to drought. Improved growth correlated with enhanced availability of soluble sugars, a higher turnover of amino acids and the accumulation of lower levels of proline in the leaf. Flv1 and Flv3 maintained the energy status of the leaves in the stressed plants by converting sucrose to glucose and fructose, immediate precursors for energy production to support plant growth under drought. The results suggest that sugars and amino acids play a fundamental role in the maintenance of the energy status and metabolic activity to ensure growth and survival under stress conditions, that is, water limitation in this particular case. Engineering chloroplasts by Flv genes into the plant genome, therefore, has the potential to improve plant productivity wherever drought stress represents a significant production constraint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahimeh Shahinnia
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, Gatersleben, Germany
| | - Suresh Tula
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, Gatersleben, Germany
| | - Goetz Hensel
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, Gatersleben, Germany
- Division of Molecular Biology, Centre of the Region Hana for Biotechnological and Agriculture Research, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czechia
| | - Narges Reiahisamani
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, Gatersleben, Germany
| | - Nasrin Nasr
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, Gatersleben, Germany
- Department of Biology, Payame Noor University, Teheran, Iran
| | - Jochen Kumlehn
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, Gatersleben, Germany
| | - Rodrigo Gómez
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-UNR/CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Anabella F. Lodeyro
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-UNR/CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Néstor Carrillo
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-UNR/CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Mohammad R. Hajirezaei
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, Gatersleben, Germany
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Prados-Carvajal R, Rodriguez-Real G, Gutierrez-Pozo G, Huertas P. CtIP -mediated alternative mRNA splicing finetunes the DNA damage response. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2020; 27:rna.078519.120. [PMID: 33298529 PMCID: PMC7901839 DOI: 10.1261/rna.078519.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In order to survive to the exposure of DNA damaging agents, cells activate a complex response that coordinates the cellular metabolism, cell cycle progression and DNA repair. Among many other events, recent evidence has described global changes in mRNA splicing in cells treated with genotoxic agents. Here, we explore further this DNA damage-dependent alternative splicing. Indeed, we show that both the splicing factor SF3B2 and the repair protein CtIP contribute to the global pattern of splicing both in cells treated or not to DNA damaging agents. Additionally, we focus on a specific DNA damage- and CtIP-dependent alternative splicing event of the helicase PIF1 and explore its relevance for the survival of cells upon exposure to ionizing radiation. Indeed, we described how the nuclear, active form of PIF1 is substituted by a splicing variant, named vPIF1, in a fashion that requires both the presence of DNA damage and CtIP. Interestingly, timely expression of vPIF1 is required for optimal survival to exposure to DNA damaging agents, but early expression of this isoform delays early events of the DNA damage response. On the contrary, expression of the full length PIF1 facilitates those early events, but increases the sensitivity to DNA damaging agents if the expression is maintained long-term.
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