How does ionizing radiation affect amyloidogenesis in plants?

PURPOSE

Ionizing radiation is a harsh environmental factor that could induce plant senescence. We hypothesized that radiation-related senescence remodels proteome, particularly by triggering the accumulation of prion-like proteins in plant tissues. The object of this study, pea (Pisum sativum L.), is an agriculturally important legume. Research on the functional importance of amyloidogenic proteins was never performed on this species.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Pea seeds were irradiated in the dose range 5-50 Gy of X-rays. Afterward, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to investigate changes in the secondary structure of proteins in germinated 3-day-old seedlings. Specifically, we evaluated the ratio between the amide I and II peaks. Next, we performed protein staining with Congo red to compare the presence of amyloids in the samples. In parallel, we profiled the detergent-resistant proteome fraction by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS). Differentially accumulated proteins were functionally analyzed in MapMan software, and the PLAAC tool was used to predict putative prion-like proteins.

RESULTS

We showed a reduced germination rate but higher plant height and faster appearance of reproductive organs in the irradiated at dose of 50 Gy group compared with the control; furthermore, we demonstrated more β-sheets and amyloid aggregates in the roots of stressed plants. We detected 531 proteins in detergent-resistant fraction extracted from roots, and 45 were annotated as putative prion-like proteins. Notably, 29 proteins were significantly differentially abundant between the irradiated and the control groups. These proteins belong to several functional categories: amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, cytoskeleton organization, regulatory processes, protein biosynthesis, and RNA processing. Thus, the discovery proteomics provided deep data on novel aspects of plant stress biology.

CONCLUSION

Our data hinted that protein accumulation stimulated seedlings' growth as well as accelerated ontogenesis and, eventually, senescence, primarily through translation and RNA processing. The increased abundance of primary metabolism-related proteins indicates more intensive metabolic processes triggered in germinating pea seeds upon X-ray exposure. The functional role of detected putative amyloidogenic proteins should be validated in overexpression or knockout follow-up studies.

In vitro culture initiation and regeneration of two highly productive clones of poplar

In vitro shoot regeneration is a fast and reliable method for propagation of valuable tree genotypes and important step in genetic manipulations. This study aimed to establish an optimal in vitro culture initiation and regeneration protocol for highly productive poplar clones ‘Novoberlinska-3’ (Populus pyramidalis × P. laurifolia) and ‘Volosystoplidna’ (P. trichocarpa). In vitro culture was initiated either on MS (IM-MS) or WPM (IM-WPM) medium both containing BAP (0.2 mg.L-1) and IBA (0.1 mg.L-1). Results demonstrated that the best initiation medium for the clone ‘Volosystoplidna’ was IM-WPM on which 93.3 % of explants survived, while explants from ‘Novoberlinska-3’ better survived on IM-MS. After establishing both genotypes into aseptic culture, regeneration experiments were started using two types of explants, leaf and petioles, planted on callus induction medium containing 2iP (1.02 mg.L-1) and NAA (1.86 mg.L-1). Furthermore, microshoots were placed on shoot induction medium supplemented with 0.04 mg.L-1 thidiazuron, and then transferred on shoot elongation medium with 0.2 mg.L-1 BAP. Regeneration protocol showed better performance of poplar ‘Novoberlinska-3’, but it was also efficient for ‘Volosystoplidna’. Plant regeneration from leaf explants in the clone ‘Novoberlinska-3’ showed the highest regeneration percentage (92.3 %) and the number of shoots per explant (3.1), which significantly exceeded other explants. Our results showed a significant difference between the survivability of two clones during culture initiation. The differences in regeneration rates between the clones as well as leaf and petiole explants were also determined. Obtained aseptic cultures of highly productive poplar hybrids will be used in our further studies, especially for genetic transformation.

Soybean recovery from stress imposed by multigenerational growth in contaminated Chernobyl environment

Ionizing radiation is a genotoxic anthropogenic stressor. It can cause heritable changes in the plant genome, which can be either adaptive or detrimental. There is still considerable uncertainty about the effects of chronic low-intensity doses since earlier studies reported somewhat contradictory conclusions. Our project focused on the recovery from the multiyear chronic ionizing radiation stress. Soybean (Glycine max) was grown in field plots located at the Chernobyl exclusion zone and transferred to the clean ground in the subsequent generation. We profiled proteome of mature seeds by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Overall, 15 differentially abundant protein spots were identified in the field comparison and 11 in the recovery generation, primarily belonging to storage proteins, disease/defense, and metabolism categories. Data suggested that during multigenerational growth in a contaminated environment, detrimental heritable changes were accumulated. Chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were measured on the late vegetative state, pointing to partial recovery of photosynthesis from stress imposed by contaminating radionuclides. A plausible explanation for the observed phenomena is insufficient provisioning of seeds by lower quality resources, causing a persistent effect in the offspring generation. Additionally, we hypothesized that immunity against phytopathogens was compromised in the contaminated field, but perhaps even primed in the clean ground, yet this idea requires direct functional validation in future experiments. Despite showing clear signs of physiological recovery, one season was not enough to normalize biochemical processes. Overall, our data contribute to the more informed agricultural radioprotection.

Do Cupins Have a Function Beyond Being Seed Storage Proteins?

Plants continue to flourish around the site of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster. The ability of plants to transcend the radio-contaminated environment was not anticipated and is not well understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the proteome of flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) during seed filling by plants grown for a third generation near Chernobyl. For this purpose, seeds were harvested at 2, 4, and 6 weeks after flowering and at maturity, from plants grown in either non-radioactive or radio-contaminated experimental fields. Total proteins were extracted and the two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) patterns analyzed. This approach established paired abundance profiles for 130 2-DE spots, e.g., profiles for the same spot across seed filling in non-radioactive and radio-contaminated experimental fields. Based on Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) followed by sequential Bonferroni correction, eight of the paired abundance profiles were discordant. Results from tandem mass spectrometry show that four 2-DE spots are discordant because they contain fragments of the cupin superfamily-proteins. Most of the fragments were derived from the N-terminal half of native cupins. Revisiting previously published data, it was found that cupin-fragments were also involved with discordance in paired abundance profiles of second generation flax seeds. Based on these observations we present an updated working model for the growth and reproductive success of flax in a radio-contaminated Chernobyl environment. This model suggests that the increased abundance of cupin fragments or isoforms and monomers contributes to the successful growth and reproduction of flax in a radio-contaminated environment.

ANALYSIS OF STABILITY OF TRINUCLEOTIDE TTC MOTIFS IN COMMON FLAX PLANTED IN THE CHERNOBYL AREA

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is one of the oldest domesticated plants — it was cultivated as early as in ancient Egypt and Samaria 10,000 years ago to serve as a source of fiber and oil, whence it later spread around the world. Compared with other plants, the flax genome consists of a high number of repetitive sequences, middle repetitive sequences and small repetitive sequences of nucleotides. The aim of the study was to analyze the stability of the existing trinucleotides motifs of microsatellite DNA of the flax genome (genotype Kyivskyi), growing in the Chernobyl conditions. The Chernobyl area is the most extensive “natural” laboratory suitable for the study of radiation effects. Over the last 20 years, the researches collected important knowledge about the effects of low and high radiation doses on the DNA isolated from the plant material growing on the remediated fields near Chernobyl and the plant material from fields contaminated by radioactive cesium 137Cs and strontium 90Sr. Using eight pairs of microsatellite primers, we successfully amplified the samples from the remediated fields. For each primer in the control samples and remediated samples, we detected 1 to 3 fragments per locus, each in size up to 120 to 250 base pairs. The applied microsatellite primers confirmed the monomorphic condition of microsatellite loci.