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Hirabayashi K, Murch SJ, Erland LAE. Predicted impacts of climate change on wild and commercial berry habitats will have food security, conservation and agricultural implications. Sci Total Environ 2022; 845:157341. [PMID: 35842164 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is now a reality and is altering ecosystems, with Canada experiencing 2-4 times the global average rate of warming. This will have a critical impact on berry cultivation and horticulture. Enhancing our understanding of how wild and cultivated berries will perform under changing climates will be essential to mitigating impacts on ecosystems, culture and food security. Our objective was to predict the impact of climate change on habitat suitability of four berry producing Vaccinium species: two species with primarily northern distributions (V. uliginosum, V. vitis-idaea), one species with a primarily southern distribution (V. oxycoccos), and the commercially cultivated V. macrocarpon. We used the maximum entropy (Maxent) model and the CMIP6 shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) 126 and 585 projected to 2041-2060 and 2061-2080. Wild species showed a uniform northward progression and expansion of suitable habitat. Our modeling predicts that suitable growing regions for commercial cranberries are also likely to shift with some farms becoming unsuitable for the current varieties and other regions becoming more suitable for cranberry farms. Both V. macrocarpon and V. oxycoccos showed a high dependence on precipitation-associated variables. Vaccinium vitis-idaea and V. uliginosum had a greater number of variables with smaller contributions which may improve their resilience to individual climactic events. Future competition between commercial cranberry farms and wild berries in protected areas could lead to conflicts between agriculture and conservation priorities. New varieties of commercial berries are required to maintain current commercial berry farms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaede Hirabayashi
- Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Okanagan, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada; Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada
| | - Susan J Murch
- Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Okanagan, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Lauren A E Erland
- Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Okanagan, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada; Agriculture, University of the Fraser Valley, Chilliwack, BC, V2R 0N9, Canada.
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Erland LAE, Dumigan CR, Forsyth JA, Frolova L, Yasunaga AB, Pun W, Li ITS, Deyholos MK, Murch SJ. Mammalian Melatonin Agonist Pharmaceuticals Stimulate Rhomboid Proteins in Plants. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12070882. [PMID: 35883439 PMCID: PMC9313243 DOI: 10.3390/biom12070882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Melatonin is a human neurotransmitter and plant signalling metabolite that perceives and directs plant metabolism. The mechanisms of melatonin action in plants remain undefined. We hypothesized that roots have a melatonin-specific receptor and/or transporter that can respond to melatonin-mediating pharmaceuticals. To test this hypothesis Arabidopsis seedlings were grown with melatonin pharmaceutical receptor agonists: ramelteon and tasimelteon, and/or antagonists: luzindole and 4-P-PDOT. Ramelteon was found both to mimic and competitively inhibit melatonin metabolism in plants. Due to the higher selectivity of ramelteon for the MT1 receptor type in humans, a sequence homology search for MT1 in Arabidopsis identified the rhomboid-like protein 7 (RBL7). In physiological studies, Arabidopsis rbl7 mutants were less responsive to ramelteon and melatonin. Quantum dot visualizations of the effects of ramelteon on melatonin binding to root cell membranes revealed a potential mechanism. We propose that RBL7 is a melatonin-interacting protein that directs root architecture and growth in a mechanism that is responsive to environmental factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A. E. Erland
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada; (L.A.E.E.); (J.A.F.); (L.F.); (A.B.Y.); (W.P.); (I.T.S.L.)
- Department of Agriculture, University of the Fraser Valley, Chilliwack, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Christopher R. Dumigan
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada; (C.R.D.); (M.K.D.)
| | - Jillian A. Forsyth
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada; (L.A.E.E.); (J.A.F.); (L.F.); (A.B.Y.); (W.P.); (I.T.S.L.)
| | - Liubov Frolova
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada; (L.A.E.E.); (J.A.F.); (L.F.); (A.B.Y.); (W.P.); (I.T.S.L.)
| | - Adam B. Yasunaga
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada; (L.A.E.E.); (J.A.F.); (L.F.); (A.B.Y.); (W.P.); (I.T.S.L.)
| | - Winnie Pun
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada; (L.A.E.E.); (J.A.F.); (L.F.); (A.B.Y.); (W.P.); (I.T.S.L.)
| | - Isaac T. S. Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada; (L.A.E.E.); (J.A.F.); (L.F.); (A.B.Y.); (W.P.); (I.T.S.L.)
| | - Michael K. Deyholos
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada; (C.R.D.); (M.K.D.)
| | - Susan J. Murch
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada; (L.A.E.E.); (J.A.F.); (L.F.); (A.B.Y.); (W.P.); (I.T.S.L.)
- Correspondence:
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Bedon F, Shi H, Erland LAE, Iriti M, Zhou J. Editorial: More on Phytomelatonin: Metabolism and Physiological Roles. Front Plant Sci 2022; 13:890885. [PMID: 35548308 PMCID: PMC9083228 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.890885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Frank Bedon
- Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Haitao Shi
- Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilization of Tropical Bioresources, College of Tropical Crops, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | | | - Marcello Iriti
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Surgical and Dental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Jie Zhou
- Department of Horticulture, Laboratory, Institute Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Ye J, Erland LAE, Gill SK, Bishop SL, Verdugo-Meza A, Murch SJ, Gibson DL. Metabolomics-Guided Hypothesis Generation for Mechanisms of Intestinal Protection by Live Biotherapeutic Products. Biomolecules 2021; 11:738. [PMID: 34063522 PMCID: PMC8156236 DOI: 10.3390/biom11050738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of live biotherapeutic products (LBPs), including single strains of beneficial probiotic bacteria or consortiums, is gaining traction as a viable option to treat inflammatory-mediated diseases like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, LBPs' persistence in the intestine is heterogeneous since many beneficial bacteria lack mechanisms to tolerate the inflammation and the oxidative stress associated with IBD. We rationalized that optimizing LBPs with enhanced colonization and persistence in the inflamed intestine would help beneficial bacteria increase their bioavailability and sustain their beneficial responses. Our lab developed two bioengineered LBPs (SBT001/BioPersist and SBT002/BioColoniz) modified to enhance colonization or persistence in the inflamed intestine. In this study, we examined colon-derived metabolites via ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in colitic mice treated with either BioPersist or BioColoniz as compared to their unmodified parent strains (Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 [EcN] and Lactobacillus reuteri, respectively) or to each other. BioPersist administration resulted in lowered concentrations of inflammatory prostaglandins, decreased stress hormones such as adrenaline and corticosterone, increased serotonin, and decreased bile acid in comparison to EcN. In comparison to BioColoniz, BioPersist increased serotonin and antioxidant production, limited bile acid accumulation, and enhanced tissue restoration via activated purine and pyrimidine metabolism. These data generated several novel hypotheses for the beneficial roles that LBPs may play during colitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayu Ye
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory, Kelowna, BC V1V1V7, Canada
| | - Lauren A E Erland
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory, Kelowna, BC V1V1V7, Canada
| | - Sandeep K Gill
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory, Kelowna, BC V1V1V7, Canada
| | - Stephanie L Bishop
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory, Kelowna, BC V1V1V7, Canada
| | - Andrea Verdugo-Meza
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory, Kelowna, BC V1V1V7, Canada
| | - Susan J Murch
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory, Kelowna, BC V1V1V7, Canada
| | - Deanna L Gibson
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory, Kelowna, BC V1V1V7, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory, Kelowna, BC V1V1V7, Canada
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Murch SJ, Erland LAE. A Systematic Review of Melatonin in Plants: An Example of Evolution of Literature. Front Plant Sci 2021; 12:683047. [PMID: 34249052 PMCID: PMC8270005 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.683047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxy-tryptamine) is a mammalian neurohormone, antioxidant and signaling molecule that was first discovered in plants in 1995. The first studies investigated plant melatonin from a human perspective quantifying melatonin in foods and medicinal plants and questioning whether its presence could explain the activity of some plants as medicines. Starting with these first handful of studies in the late 1990s, plant melatonin research has blossomed into a vibrant and active area of investigation and melatonin has been found to play critical roles in mediating plant responses and development at every stage of the plant life cycle from pollen and embryo development through seed germination, vegetative growth and stress response. Here we have utilized a systematic approach in accordance with the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) protocols to reduce bias in our assessment of the literature and provide an overview of the current state of melatonin research in plants, covering 1995-2021. This review provides an overview of the biosynthesis and metabolism of melatonin as well as identifying key themes including: abiotic stress responses, root development, light responses, interkingdom communication, phytohormone and plant signaling. Additionally, potential biases in the literature are investigated and a birefringence in the literature between researchers from plant and medical based which has helped to shape the current state of melatonin research. Several exciting new opportunities for future areas of melatonin research are also identified including investigation of non-crop and non-medicinal species as well as characterization of melatonin signaling networks in plants.
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION Plants respond to changes in their environments through hormonal activation of a physiological cascade that redirects metabolic resources and growth. In filberts (Corylus sp.), chelated iron promotes the growth of new shoots but the mechanism(s) are not understood. OBJECTIVES To use untargeted metabolomics and hormonomics approaches to generate novel hypotheses for the morphoregulatory role of ferric ethylenediamine-N,N'-di-(ortho-hydroxyphenyl) acetic acid (Fe-EDDHA) in filbert shoot organogenesis in vitro. METHODS Data were generated using previously optimized standardized untargeted metabolomics protocols with time of flight mass spectrometry. Multivariate statistical tools (principal component and partial least squares discriminant analysis) did not detect significant differences. Discovery tools Significance Analysis of Microarrays (SAM), multiple linear regression analysis, Bayesian analysis, logical algorithms, machine learning, synthetic biotransformations, targeted hormonomics, and online resources including MetaboAnalyst were used. RESULTS Starch/sucrose metabolism and shikimate pathway metabolites were increased. Dose dependent decreases were found in polyphenol metabolism, specifically ellagic acid and its methylated derivative 3,4,3'-tri-O-methylellagic acid. Hormonomics analysis revealed significant differences in phytohormones and their conjugates. FeEDDHA treatment reduced indole-3-acetic acid, abscisic acid, salicylic acid, jasmonic acid conjugates (JA-Trp, JA-Ile, OH-JA) and dihydrozeatinglucoside in regenerating explants. Serotonin (5HT) was decreased in FeEDDHA-treated regenerating tissues while the related metabolite melatonin was increased. Eight phenolic conjugates of 5HT and eight catabolites were affected by FeEDDHA indicating that metabolism to sequester, deactivate and metabolize 5HT was induced by Fe(III). Tryptophan was metabolized through kynurenine but not anthranilate. CONCLUSION Seven novel hypotheses were generated to guide future studies to understand the regulatory control(s) of shoot organogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A E Erland
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Room 350 Fipke Centre, 3247 University Way, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Christina E Turi
- Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation, Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Praveen K Saxena
- Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation, Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Susan J Murch
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Room 350 Fipke Centre, 3247 University Way, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada.
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Erland LAE, Saxena P. Auxin driven indoleamine biosynthesis and the role of tryptophan as an inductive signal in Hypericum perforatum (L.). PLoS One 2019; 14:e0223878. [PMID: 31622392 PMCID: PMC6797091 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0223878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In the 60 years since Skoog and Miller first reported the chemical redirection of plant growth the underlying biochemical mechanisms are still poorly understood, with one challenge being the capacity for applied growth regulators to act indirectly or be metabolized to active phytohormones. We hypothesized that tryptophan is metabolized to auxin, melatonin or serotonin inducing organogenesis in St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum L.). Root explants from two germplasm lines of St. John's wort with altered melatonin metabolism and wildtype were incubated with auxin or tryptophan for 24, 48 or 72 h to induce regeneration. In wildtype, tryptophan had little effect on the indoleamine pathway, and was found to promote primary growth, suggesting excess tryptophan moved quickly through various secondary metabolite pathways and protein synthesis. In lines 4 and 112 tryptophan was associated with modified morphogenesis, indoleamine and auxin levels. Incubation with tryptophan increased shoot organogenesis while incubation with auxin led to root regeneration. The established paradigm of thought views tryptophan primarily as a precursor for auxin and indoleamines, among other metabolites, and mediation of auxin action by the indoleamines as a one-way interaction. We propose that these processes run in both directions with auxin modifying indoleamine biosynthesis and the melatonin:serotonin balance contributing to its effects on plant morphogenesis, and that tryptophan also functions as an inductive signal to mediate diverse phytochemical and morphogenetic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A. E. Erland
- Department of Plant Agriculture, Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Praveen Saxena
- Department of Plant Agriculture, Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Erland LAE, Yasunaga A, Li ITS, Murch SJ, Saxena PK. Direct visualization of location and uptake of applied melatonin and serotonin in living tissues and their redistribution in plants in response to thermal stress. J Pineal Res 2019; 66:e12527. [PMID: 30267543 DOI: 10.1111/jpi.12527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2018] [Revised: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Melatonin and serotonin are important phytochemicals enabling plants to redirect growth in response to environmental stresses. Despite much research on their biosynthetic routes, localization of their biosynthetic enzymes and recent identification of a phytomelatonin receptor, localization of the molecules themselves has to date not been possible. Elucidation of their locations in living tissues can provide an effective tool to facilitate indolamine research across systems including both plants and animals. In this study, we employed a novel technique, quantum dot nanoparticles, to directly visualize melatonin and serotonin in axenic roots. Melatonin was absorbed through epidermal cells, travelled laterally, and accumulated in endodermal and rapidly dividing pericycle cells. Serotonin was absorbed by cells proximal to the crown with rapid polar movement toward the root tip. Thermal stress disrupted localization and dispersed melatonin and serotonin across cells. These data demonstrate the natural movement of melatonin and serotonin in roots directing cell growth and suggest that plants have a mechanism to disperse the indolamines throughout tissues as antioxidants in response to environmental stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adam Yasunaga
- University of British Columbia, Chemistry, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Isaac T S Li
- University of British Columbia, Chemistry, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Susan J Murch
- University of British Columbia, Chemistry, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Praveen K Saxena
- Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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Erland LAE, Saxena PK. A New Approach to Optimizing Propagation and Study of Medicinal Plants In Vitro: Profiling of Endogenous Growth Regulators and Human Neurotransmitters by LC-MS. Am J Transl Res 2018. [DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1644963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- LAE Erland
- Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation, Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - PK Saxena
- Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation, Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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Erland LAE, Shukla MR, Singh AS, Murch SJ, Saxena PK. Melatonin and serotonin: Mediators in the symphony of plant morphogenesis. J Pineal Res 2018; 64. [PMID: 29149453 DOI: 10.1111/jpi.12452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Melatonin and serotonin are important signaling and stress mitigating molecules that play important roles across growth and development in plants. Despite many well-documented responses, a systematic investigation of the entire metabolic pathway (tryptophan, tryptamine, and N-acetylserotonin) does not exist, leaving many open questions. The objective of this study was to determine the responses of Hypericum perforatum (L.) to melatonin, serotonin, and their metabolic precursors. Two well-characterized germplasm lines (#4 and 112) created by mutation and a haploid breeding program were compared to wild type to identify specific responses. Germplasm line 4 has lower regenerative and photosynthetic capacity than either wild type or line 112, and there are documented significant differences in the chemistry and physiology of lines 4 and 112. Supplementation of the culture media with tryptophan, tryptamine, N-acetylserotonin, serotonin, or melatonin partially reversed the regenerative recalcitrance and growth impairment of the germplasm lines. Quantification of phytohormones revealed crosstalk between the indoleamines and related phytohormones including cytokinin, salicylic acid, and abscisic acid. We hypothesize that melatonin and serotonin function in coordination with their metabolites in a cascade of phytochemical responses including multiple pathways and phytohormone networks to direct morphogenesis and protect photosynthesis in H. perforatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A E Erland
- Department of Plant Agriculture, Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Mukund R Shukla
- Department of Plant Agriculture, Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Amritpal S Singh
- Summerland Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland, BC, Canada
| | - Susan J Murch
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | - Praveen K Saxena
- Department of Plant Agriculture, Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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Erland LAE, Saxena PK, Murch SJ. Melatonin in plant signalling and behaviour. Funct Plant Biol 2018; 45:58-69. [PMID: 32291021 DOI: 10.1071/fp16384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 01/29/2017] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Melatonin is an indoleamine neurotransmitter that has recently become well established as an important multi-functional signalling molecule in plants. These signals have been found to induce several important physiological responses that may be interpreted as behaviours. The diverse processes in which melatonin has been implicated in plants have expanded far beyond the traditional roles for which it has been implicated in mammals, which include sleep, tropisms and reproduction. These functions, however, appear to also be important melatonin mediated processes in plants, though the mechanisms underlying these functions have yet to be fully elucidated. Mediation or redirection of plant physiological processes induced by melatonin can be summarised as a series of behaviours including, among others: herbivore defence, avoidance of undesirable circumstances or attraction to opportune conditions, problem solving and response to environmental stimulus. As the mechanisms of melatonin action are elucidated, its involvement in plant growth, development and behaviour is likely to expand beyond the aspects discussed in this review and hold promise for applications in diverse fundamental and applied plant sciences including conservation, cryopreservation, morphogenesis, industrial agriculture and natural health products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A E Erland
- Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation, Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road E, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Praveen K Saxena
- Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation, Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road E, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Susan J Murch
- Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 1V7, Canada
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Erland LAE, Chattopadhyay A, Jones AMP, Saxena PK. Melatonin in Plants and Plant Culture Systems: Variability, Stability and Efficient Quantification. Front Plant Sci 2016; 7:1721. [PMID: 27899931 PMCID: PMC5110574 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.01721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2016] [Accepted: 11/02/2016] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Despite growing evidence of the importance of melatonin and serotonin in the plant life, there is still much debate over the stability of melatonin, with extraction and analysis methods varying greatly from lab to lab with respect to time, temperature, light levels, extraction solvents, and mechanical disruption. The variability in methodology has created conflicting results that confound the comparison of studies to determine the role of melatonin in plant physiology. We here describe a fully validated method for the quantification of melatonin, serotonin and their biosynthetic precursors: tryptophan, tryptamine and N-acetylserotonin by liquid chromatography single quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-MS) in diverse plant species and tissues. This method can be performed on a simple and inexpensive platform, and is both rapid and simple to implement. The method has excellent reproducibility and acceptable sensitivity with percent relative standard deviation (%RSD) in all matrices between 1 and 10% and recovery values of 82-113% for all analytes. Instrument detection limits were 24.4 ng/mL, 6.10 ng/mL, 1.52 ng/mL, 6.10 ng/mL, and 95.3 pg/mL, for serotonin, tryptophan, tryptamine, N-acetylserotonin and melatonin respectively. Method detection limits were 1.62 μg/g, 0.407 μg/g, 0.101 μg/g, 0.407 μg/g, and 6.17 ng/g respectively. The optimized method was then utilized to examine the issue of variable stability of melatonin in plant tissue culture systems. Media composition (Murashige and Skoog, Driver and Kuniyuki walnut or Lloyd and McCown's woody plant medium) and light (16 h photoperiod or dark) were found to have no effect on melatonin or serotonin content. A Youden trial suggested temperature as a major factor leading to degradation of melatonin. Both melatonin and serotonin appeared to be stable across the first 10 days in media, melatonin losses reached a mean minimum degradation at 28 days of approximately 90%; serotonin reached a mean minimum value of approximately 60% at 28 days. These results suggest that melatonin and serotonin show considerable stability in plant systems and these indoleamines and related compounds can be used for investigations that span over 3 weeks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Praveen K. Saxena
- Department of Plant Agriculture, Gosling Institute for Plant Preservation, University of GuelphGuelph, ON, Canada
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Erland LAE, Turi CE, Saxena PK. Serotonin: An ancient molecule and an important regulator of plant processes. Biotechnol Adv 2016; 34:1347-1361. [PMID: 27742596 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2016.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2016] [Revised: 10/07/2016] [Accepted: 10/09/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Serotonin is an ancient indoleamine that was presumably part of the life cycle of the first prokaryotic life forms on Earth millions of years ago where it functioned as a powerful antioxidant to combat the increasingly oxygen rich atmosphere. First identified as a neurotransmitter signaling molecule in mammals, it is ubiquitous across all forms of life. Serotonin was discovered in plants many years after its discovery in mammals; however, it has now been confirmed in almost all plant families, where it plays important roles in plant growth and development, including functions in energy acquisition, seasonal cycles, modulation of reproductive development, control of root and shoot organogenesis, maintenance of plant tissues, delay of senescence, and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Despite its widespread presence and activity, there are many questions which remain unanswered about the role of serotonin in plants including the mode of signaling and receptor identity as well as the mechanisms of action of this important molecule. This review provides an overview of the role of serotonin in plant life and their ability to adapt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A E Erland
- Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation, Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road E, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Christina E Turi
- Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation, Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road E, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Praveen K Saxena
- Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation, Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road E, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada.
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Erland LAE, Bitcon CR, Lemke AD, Mahmoud SS. Antifungal Screening of Lavender Essential oils and Essential Oil Constituents on three Post-harvest Fungal Pathogens. Nat Prod Commun 2016; 11:523-527. [PMID: 27396210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A growing body of literature indicates that many synthetic pesticides have adverse effects on human, animal, and environmental health. As a result, plant-derived natural products are quickly gaining momentum as safer and less ecologically damaging alternatives due to their low toxicity, high biodegradability, and good specificity. Essential oils of Lavandula angustifolia, Lavandula x intermedia cv Grosso, and Lavandida x intermedia cv Provence as well as various mono- and sesquiterpene essential oil constituents were tested in order to assess their antifungal potential on three important agricultural pathogens: Botrytis cinerea, Mucor piriformis, and Penicillium expansum. Fungal susceptibility testing was performed using disk diffusion assays. The majority of essential oil constituents tested did not have a significant effect; however, 3-carene, carvacrol, geraniol, nerol and perillyl alcohol demonstrated significant inhibition at concentrations as low as 1 µ/mL. In vivo testing using strawberry fruit as a model system supported in vitro results and revealed that perillyl alcohol, carvacrol and 3-carene were effective in limiting infection by postharvest pathogens.
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15
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Erland LAE, Murch SJ, Reiter RJ, Saxena PK. A new balancing act: The many roles of melatonin and serotonin in plant growth and development. Plant Signal Behav 2015; 10:e1096469. [PMID: 26418957 PMCID: PMC4883872 DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2015.1096469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2015] [Revised: 09/11/2015] [Accepted: 09/14/2015] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Melatonin and serotonin are indoleamines first identified as neurotransmitters in vertebrates; they have now been found to be ubiquitously present across all forms of life. Both melatonin and serotonin were discovered in plants several years after their discovery in mammals, but their presence has now been confirmed in almost all plant families. The mechanisms of action of melatonin and serotonin are still poorly defined. Melatonin and serotonin possess important roles in plant growth and development, including functions in chronoregulation and modulation of reproductive development, control of root and shoot organogenesis, maintenance of plant tissues, delay of senescence, and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. This review focuses on the roles of melatonin and serotonin as a novel class of plant growth regulators. Their roles in reproductive and vegetative plant growth will be examined including an overview of current hypotheses and knowledge regarding their mechanisms of action in specific responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A E Erland
- Department of Plant Agriculture; University of Guelph; Guelph, Canada
| | - Susan J Murch
- Department of Chemistry; University of British Columbia; Kelowna, Canada
| | - Russel J Reiter
- Department of Cellular and Structural Biology; University of Texas Health Center; San Antonio, TX USA
| | - Praveen K Saxena
- Department of Plant Agriculture; University of Guelph; Guelph, Canada
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Demissie ZA, Erland LAE, Rheault MR, Mahmoud SS. The biosynthetic origin of irregular monoterpenes in Lavandula: isolation and biochemical characterization of a novel cis-prenyl diphosphate synthase gene, lavandulyl diphosphate synthase. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:6333-41. [PMID: 23306202 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.431171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Lavender essential oils are constituted predominantly of regular monoterpenes, for example linalool, 1,8-cineole, and camphor. However, they also contain irregular monoterpenes including lavandulol and lavandulyl acetate. Although the majority of genes responsible for the production of regular monoterpenes in lavenders are now known, enzymes (including lavandulyl diphosphate synthase (LPPS)) catalyzing the biosynthesis of irregular monoterpenes in these plants have not been described. Here, we report the isolation and functional characterization of a novel cis-prenyl diphosphate synthase cDNA, termed Lavandula x intermedia lavandulyl diphosphate synthase (LiLPPS), through a homology-based cloning strategy. The LiLPPS ORF, encoding for a 305-amino acid long protein, was expressed in Escherichia coli, and the recombinant protein was purified by nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid affinity chromatography. The approximately 34.5-kDa bacterially produced protein specifically catalyzed the head-to-middle condensation of two dimethylallyl diphosphate units to LPP in vitro with apparent Km and kcat values of 208 ± 12 μm and 0.1 s(-1), respectively. LiLPPS is a homodimeric enzyme with a sigmoidal saturation curve and Hill coefficient of 2.7, suggesting a positive co-operative interaction among its catalytic sites. LiLPPS could be used to modulate the production of lavandulol and its derivatives in plants through metabolic engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zerihun A Demissie
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, British Columbia V1V 1V7, Canada
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