In seed plants, cellulose is synthesized by rosette‐shaped cellulose synthesis complexes (
- Award ID(s):
- 1750359
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10460401
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley-Blackwell
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- The Plant Journal
- Volume:
- 99
- Issue:
- 5
- ISSN:
- 0960-7412
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- p. 862-876
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
Abstract The common ancestor of seed plants and mosses contained homo-oligomeric cellulose synthesis complexes (CSCs) composed of identical subunits encoded by a single CELLULOSE SYNTHASE (CESA) gene. Seed plants use different CESA isoforms for primary and secondary cell wall deposition. Both primary and secondary CESAs form hetero-oligomeric CSCs that assemble and function in planta only when all the required isoforms are present. The moss Physcomitrium (Physcomitrella) patens has seven CESA genes that can be grouped into two functionally and phylogenetically distinct classes. Previously, we showed that PpCESA3 and/or PpCESA8 (class A) together with PpCESA6 and/or PpCESA7 (class B) form obligate hetero-oligomeric complexes required for normal secondary cell wall deposition. Here, we show that gametophore morphogenesis requires a member of class A, PpCESA5, and is sustained in the absence of other PpCESA isoforms. PpCESA5 also differs from the other class A PpCESAs as it is able to self-interact and does not co-immunoprecipitate with other PpCESA isoforms. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that homo-oligomeric CSCs containing only PpCESA5 subunits synthesize cellulose required for gametophore morphogenesis. Analysis of mutant phenotypes also revealed that, like secondary cell wall deposition, normal protonemal tip growth requires class B isoforms (PpCESA4 or PpCESA10), along with a class A partner (PpCESA3, PpCESA5, or PpCESA8). Thus, P. patens contains both homo-oligomeric and hetero-oligomeric CSCs.more » « less
-
Abstract The eukaryote‐specific ribosomal protein of the small subunit eS6 is phosphorylated through the target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase pathway. Although this phosphorylation event responds dynamically to environmental conditions and has been studied for over 50 years, its biochemical and physiological significance remains controversial and poorly understood. Here, we report data from
, which indicate that plants expressing only a phospho‐deficient isoform of eS6 grow essentially normally under laboratory conditions. The eS6z (Arabidopsis thaliana RPS6A ) paralog of eS6 functionally rescued a double mutant in bothrps6a andrps6b genes when expressed at approximately twice the wild‐type dosage. A mutant isoform of eS6z lacking the major six phosphorylatable serine and threonine residues in its carboxyl‐terminal tail also rescued the lethality, rosette growth, and polyribosome loading of the double mutant. This isoform also complemented many mutant phenotypes ofrps6 that were newly characterized here, including photosynthetic efficiency, and most of the gene expression defects that were measured by transcriptomics and proteomics. However, compared with plants rescued with a phospho‐enabled version of eS6z, the phospho‐deficient seedlings retained a mild pointed‐leaf phenotype, root growth was reduced, and certain cell cycle‐related mRNAs and ribosome biogenesis proteins were misexpressed. The residual defects of the phospho‐deficient seedlings could be understood as an incomplete rescue of therps6 mutant defects. There was little or no evidence for gain‐of‐function defects. As previously published, the phospho‐deficient eS6z also rescued therps6a andrps6b single mutants; however, phosphorylation of the eS6y (RPS6B ) paralog remained lower than predicted, further underscoring that plants can tolerate phospho‐deficiency of eS6 well. Our data also yield new insights into how plants cope with mutations in essential, duplicated ribosomal protein isoforms. -
Summary Actin filament assembly in plants is a dynamic process, requiring the activity of more than 75 actin‐binding proteins. Central to the regulation of filament assembly and stability is the activity of a conserved family of actin‐depolymerizing factors (
ADF s), whose primarily function is to regulate the severing and depolymerization of actin filaments. In recent years, the activity ofADF proteins has been linked to a variety of cellular processes, including those associated with response to stress. Herein, a wheat gene,ADF Ta was identified and characterized.ADF 4,Ta encodes a 139‐amino‐acid protein containing five F‐actin‐binding sites and two G‐actin‐binding sites, and interacts with wheat (ADF 4Triticum aestivum ) Actin1 (TaACT 1),in planta . Following treatment of wheat, separately, with jasmonic acid, abscisic acid or with the avirulent race,CYR 23, of the stripe rust pathogenPuccinia striiformis f. sp.tritici , we observed a rapid induction in accumulation ofTa ADF 4mRNA . Interestingly, accumulation ofTa ADF 4mRNA was diminished in response to inoculation with a virulent race,CYR 31. Silencing ofTa resulted in enhanced susceptibility toADF 4CYR 23, demonstrating a role forTa in defense signaling. Using a pharmacological‐based approach, coupled with an analysis of host response to pathogen infection, we observed that treatment of plants with the actin‐modifying agent latrunculin B enhanced resistance toADF 4CYR 23, including increased production of reactive oxygen species and enhancement of localized hypersensitive cell death. Taken together, these data support the hypothesis thatTa ADF 4 positively modulates plant immunity in wheat via the modulation of actin cytoskeletal organization. -
Summary The altered carbon assimilation pathway of crassulacean acid metabolism (
CAM ) photosynthesis results in an up to 80% higher water‐use efficiency than C3photosynthesis in plants making it a potentially useful pathway for engineering crop plants with improved drought tolerance. Here we surveyed detailed temporal (diel time course) and spatial (across a leaf gradient) gene and microRNA (miRNA ) expression patterns in the obligateCAM plant pineapple [Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.]. The high‐resolution transcriptome atlas allowed us to distinguish betweenCAM ‐related and non‐CAM gene copies. A differential gene co‐expression network across green and white leaf diel datasets identified genes with circadian oscillation,CAM ‐related functions, and source‐sink relations. Gene co‐expression clusters containingCAM pathway genes are enriched with clock‐associatedcis ‐elements, suggesting circadian regulation ofCAM . About 20% of pineapple microRNA s have diel expression patterns, with several that target keyCAM ‐related genes. Expression and physiology data provide a model forCAM ‐specific carbohydrate flux and long‐distance hexose transport. Together these resources provide a list of candidate genes for targeted engineering ofCAM into C3photosynthesis crop species. -
Premise Male gametophytes of most seed plants deliver sperm to eggs via a pollen tube. Pollen tube growth rates (
PTGR s) of angiosperms are exceptionally rapid, a pattern attributed to more effective haploid selection under stronger pollen competition. Paradoxically, whole genome duplication (WGD ) has been common in angiosperms but rare in gymnosperms. Pollen tube polyploidy should initially acceleratePTGR because increased heterozygosity and gene dosage should increase metabolic rates. However, polyploidy should also independently increase tube cell size, causing more work which should decelerate growth. We asked how genome size changes have affected the evolution of seed plantPTGR s.Methods We assembled a phylogenetic tree of 451 species with known
PTGR s. We then used comparative phylogenetic methods to detect effects of neo‐polyploidy (within‐genus origins),DNA content, andWGD history onPTGR , and correlated evolution ofPTGR andDNA content.Results Gymnosperms had significantly higher
DNA content and slowerPTGR optima than angiosperms, and theirPTGR andDNA content were negatively correlated. For angiosperms, 89% of model weight favored Ornstein‐Uhlenbeck models with a fasterPTGR optimum for neo‐polyploids, whereasPTGR andDNA content were not correlated. For within‐genus and intraspecific‐cytotype pairs,PTGR s of neo‐polyploids < paleo‐polyploids.Conclusions Genome size increases should negatively affect
PTGR when genetic consequences ofWGD s are minimized, as found in intra‐specific autopolyploids (low heterosis) and gymnosperms (fewWGD s). But in angiosperms, the higherPTGR optimum of neo‐polyploids and non‐negativePTGR ‐DNA content correlation suggest that recurrentWGD s have caused substantialPTGR evolution in a non‐haploid state.