<bold>Summary</bold> Cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca2+]cyt) and heterotrimeric G‐proteins are universal eukaryotic signaling elements. In plant guard cells, extracellular calcium (Cao) is as strong a stimulus for stomatal closure as the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA), but underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we report that the sole Arabidopsis heterotrimeric Gβ subunit,AGB1, is required for four guard cell Caoresponses: induction of stomatal closure; inhibition of stomatal opening; [Ca2+]cytoscillation; and inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate (InsP3) production. Stomata in wild‐type Arabidopsis (Col) and in mutants of the canonical Gα subunit,GPA1, showed inhibition of stomatal opening and promotion of stomatal closure by Cao. By contrast, stomatal movements ofagb1mutants andagb1/gpa1double‐mutants, as well as those of theagg1agg2 Gγ double‐mutant, were insensitive to Cao. These behaviors contrast withABA‐regulated stomatal movements, which involveGPA1 andAGB1/AGG3 dimers, illustrating differential partitioning of G‐protein subunits among stimuli with similar ultimate impacts, which may facilitate stimulus‐specific encoding.AGB1knockouts retained reactive oxygen species andNOproduction, but lostYC3.6‐detected [Ca2+]cytoscillations in response to Cao, initiating only a single [Ca2+]cytspike. Experimentally imposed [Ca2+]cytoscillations restored stomatal closure inagb1. Yeast two‐hybrid and bimolecular complementation fluorescence experiments revealed thatAGB1 interacts with phospholipase Cs (PLCs), and Caoinduced InsP3 production in Col but not inagb1. In sum, G‐protein signaling viaAGB1/AGG1/AGG2 is essential for Cao‐regulation of stomatal apertures, and stomatal movements in response to Caoapparently require Ca2+‐induced Ca2+release that is likely dependent on Gβγ interaction withPLCs leading to InsP3 production.
more »
« less
Orchestrating rapid long‐distance signaling in plants with Ca 2+ , ROS and electrical signals
Summary Plants show a rapid systemic response to a wide range of environmental stresses, where the signals from the site of stimulus perception are transmitted to distal organs to elicit plant‐wide responses. A wide range of signaling molecules are trafficked through the plant, but a trio of potentially interacting messengers, reactive oxygen species (ROS), Ca2+and electrical signaling (‘trio signaling’) appear to form a network supporting rapid signal transmission. The molecular components underlying this rapid communication are beginning to be identified, such as theROSproducingNAPDHoxidaseRBOHD, the ion channel two pore channel 1 (TPC1), and glutamate receptor‐like channelsGLR3.3 andGLR3.6. The plant cell wall presents a plant‐specific route for possible propagation of signals from cell to cell. However, the degree to which the cell wall limits information exchange between cells via transfer of small molecules through an extracellular route, or whether it provides an environment to facilitate transmission of regulators such asROSor H+remains to be determined. Similarly, the role of plasmodesmata as both conduits and gatekeepers for the propagation of rapid cell‐to‐cell signaling remains a key open question. Regardless of how signals move from cell to cell, they help prepare distant parts of the plant for impending challenges from specific biotic or abiotic stresses.
more »
« less
- PAR ID:
- 10041483
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley-Blackwell
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- The Plant Journal
- Volume:
- 90
- Issue:
- 4
- ISSN:
- 0960-7412
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- p. 698-707
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
Summary We investigated the molecular basis and physiological implications of anion transport during pollen tube (PT) growth inArabidopsis thaliana(Col‐0).Patch‐clamp whole‐cell configuration analysis of pollen grain protoplasts revealed three subpopulations of anionic currents differentially regulated by cytoplasmic calcium ([Ca2+]cyt). We investigated the pollen‐expressed proteinsAtSLAH3,AtALMT12,AtTMEM16 andAtCCCas the putative anion transporters responsible for these currents.AtCCC‐GFPwas observed at the shank andAtSLAH3‐GFPat the tip and shank of thePTplasma membrane. Both are likely to carry the majority of anion current at negative potentials, as extracellular anionic fluxes measured at the tip ofPTs with an anion vibrating probe were significantly lower inslah3−/−andccc−/−mutants, but unaffected inalmt12−/−andtmem16−/−. We further characterised the effect ofpHandGABAby patch clamp. Strong regulation by extracellularpHwas observed in the wild‐type, but not intmem16−/−. Our results are compatible withAtTMEM16 functioning as an anion/H+cotransporter and therefore, as a putativepHsensor.GABApresence: (1) inhibited the overall currents, an effect that is abrogated in thealmt12−/−and (2) reduced the current inAtALMT12 transfectedCOS‐7 cells, strongly suggesting the direct interaction ofGABAwithAtALMT12.Our data show thatAtSLAH3 andAtCCCactivity is sufficient to explain the major component of extracellular anion fluxes, and unveils a possible regulatory system linkingPTgrowth modulation bypH,GABA, and [Ca2+]cytthrough anionic transporters.more » « less
-
Summary Like metazoans, plants use small regulatoryRNAs (sRNAs) to direct gene expression. Several classes ofsRNAs, which are distinguished by their origin and biogenesis, exist in plants. Among them, microRNAs (miRNAs) andtrans‐acting small interferingRNAs (ta‐siRNAs) mainly inhibit gene expression at post‐transcriptional levels. In the past decades, plant miRNAs and ta‐siRNAs have been shown to be essential for numerous developmental processes, including growth and development of shoots, leaves, flowers, roots and seeds, among others. In addition, miRNAs and ta‐siRNAs are also involved in the plant responses to abiotic and biotic stresses, such as drought, temperature, salinity, nutrient deprivation, bacteria, virus and others. This review summarizes the roles of miRNAs and ta‐siRNAs in plant physiology and development.more » « less
-
Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is produced by many species of marine phytoplankton and has been reported to provide a variety of beneficial functions including osmoregulation. Dinoflagellates are recognized as majorDMSPproducers; however, accumulation has been shown to be highly variable in this group. We explored the effect of hyposaline transfer inGambierdiscus belizeanusbetween ecologically relevant salinities (36 and 31) onDMSPaccumulation, Chla, cell growth, and cell volume, over 12 d. Our results showed thatG. belizeanusmaintained an intracellularDMSPcontent of 16.3 pmol cell−1and concentration of 139 mMin both salinities. Although this intracellular concentration was near the median reported for other dinoflagellates, the cellular content achieved byG. belizeanuswas the highest reported of any dinoflagellate thus far, owing mainly to its large size.DMSPlevels were not significantly affected by salinity treatment but did change over time during the experiment. Salinity, however, did have a significant effect on the ratio ofDMSP:Chla, suggesting that salinity transfer ofG. belizeanusinduced a physiological response other thanDMSPadjustment. A survey ofDMSPcontent in a variety ofGambierdiscusspecies and strains revealed relatively highDMSPconcentrations (1.0–16.4 pmol cell−1) as well as high intrageneric and intraspecific variation. We conclude that, althoughDMSPmay not be involved in long‐term (3–12 d) osmoregulation in this species,G. belizeanusand otherGambierdiscusspecies may be important contributors toDMSPproduction in tropical benthic microalgal communities due to their large size and high cellular content.more » « less
-
<bold>Summary</bold> Sexual reproduction in flowering plants depends on the fitness of the male gametophyte during fertilization. Because pollen development is highly sensitive to hot and cold temperature extremes, reliable methods to evaluate pollen viability are important for research into improving reproductive heat stress (HS) tolerance. Here, we describe an approach to rapidly evaluate pollen viability using a reactive oxygen species (ROS) probe dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (i.e. H2DCFDA‐staining) coupled with flow cytometry. In using flow cytometry to analyze mature pollen harvested from Arabidopsis and tomato flowers, we discovered that pollen distributed bimodally into ‘low‐ROS’ and ‘high‐ROS’ subpopulations. Pollen germination assays following fluorescence‐activated cell sorting revealed that the high‐ROSpollen germinated with a frequency that was 35‐fold higher than the low‐ROSpollen, supporting a model in which a significant fraction of a flower's pollen remains in a low metabolic or dormant state even after hydration. The ability to use flow cytometry to quantifyROSdynamics within a large pollen population was shown by dose‐dependent alterations inDCF‐fluorescence in response to oxidative stress or antioxidant treatments. HS treatments (35°C) increasedROSlevels, which correlated with a ~60% reduction in pollen germination. These results demonstrate the potential of using flow cytometry‐based approaches to investigate metabolic changes during stress responses in pollen.more » « less