Cell-specific accumulation of maize phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase is correlated with demethylation at a specific site greater than 3 kb upstream of the gene

Carboxylation and Oxygenation Kinetics and Large Subunit (rbcL) DNA Sequences for Rubisco From Two Ecotypes of Plantago lanceolata L. That Are Native to Sites Differing in Atmospheric CO2 Levels

Rubisco, the most prevalent protein on Earth, catalysers both a reaction that initiates C3 carbon fixation, and a reaction that initiates photorespiration, which stimulates protein synthesis. Regulation of the balance between these reactions under atmospheric CO2 fluctuations remains poorly understood. We have hypothesised that vascular plants maintain organic carbon-to-nitrogen homoeostasis by adjusting the relative activities of magnesium and manganese in chloroplasts to balance carbon fixation and nitrate assimilation rates. The following examined the influence of magnesium and manganese on carboxylation and oxygenation for rubisco purified from two ecotypes of Plantago lanceolata L.: one adapted to the elevated CO2 atmospheres that occur near a natural CO2 spring and the other adapted to more typical CO2 atmospheres that occur nearby. The plastid DNA coding for the large unit of rubisco was similar in both ecotypes. The kinetics of rubiscos from the two ecotypes differed more when associated with manganese than magnesium. Specificity for CO2 over O2 (Sc/o) for rubisco from both ecotypes was higher when the enzymes were bound to magnesium than manganese. Differences in the responses of rubisco from P. lanceolata to the metals may account for the adaptation of this species to different CO2 environments.

C4 Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase: Evolution and transcriptional regulation

Photosynthetic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) catalyses the irreversible carboxylation of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP), producing oxaloacetate (OAA). This enzyme catalyses the first step of carbon fixation in C4 photosynthesis, contributing to the high photosynthetic efficiency of C4 plants. PEPC is also involved in replenishing tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates, such as OAA, being involved in the C/N balance. In plants, PEPCs are classified in two types: bacterial type (BTPC) and plant-type (PTPC), which includes photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic PEPCs. During C4 evolution, photosynthetic PEPCs evolved independently. C4 PEPCs evolved to be highly expressed and active in a spatial-specific manner. Their gene expression pattern is also regulated by developmental cues, light, circadian clock as well as adverse environmental conditions. However, the gene regulatory networks controlling C4 PEPC gene expression, namely its cell-specificity, are largely unknown. Therefore, after an introduction to the evolution of PEPCs, this review aims to discuss the current knowledge regarding the transcriptional regulation of C4 PEPCs, focusing on cell-specific and developmental expression dynamics, light and circadian regulation, as well as response to abiotic stress. In conclusion, this review aims to highlight the evolution, transcriptional regulation by different signals and importance of PEPC in C4 photosynthesis and its potential as tool for crop improvement.

Development of C4 Biochemistry and Change in Expression of Markers for Photosystems I and II in the Single-Cell C4 Species, Bienertia sinuspersici

Bienertia sinuspersici is one of four identified terrestrial plants that perform C₄ photosynthesis within a single chlorenchyma cell via the compartmentation of organelles and photosynthetic enzymes. The patterns of accumulation of key photosynthetic enzymes and transcripts in developing leaves were examined using immunolocalization and in situ hybridization. The polypeptides of Rubisco large subunit (RbcL) and pyruvate Pi dikinase (PPDK) accumulated equally in all chloroplasts before the formation of two intracellular cytoplasmic compartments: the central (CCC) and peripheral (PCC) cytoplasmic compartments. The differential accumulation of these enzymes was not completed until the leaf had reached maturity, indicating that the transition from C₃ to C₄ photosynthesis occurred during leaf maturation. In mature chlorenchyma cells, RbcL accumulated 20-fold higher in the CCC than in the PCC, while PPDK exhibited a concentration gradient that was the lowest in the chloroplasts in the central region of the CCC and the highest in PCC chloroplasts. The pattern of rbcL transcript accumulation followed that of its polypeptides in developing leaves, suggesting that the expression of this gene was likely controlled by transcriptional and/or post-transcriptional processes. Immunocytochemical results examining the distribution of photosystems I and II in the chloroplasts of chlorenchyma cells from mature leaves showed that PSII is more abundant in chloroplasts of the central compartment, whereas PSI is higher in those of the peripheral compartment. The quantitative real-time PCR results of rbcL, psbA, and psaB transcripts from the isolated chloroplasts of each compartment further supported this observation. Our results suggest that multiple levels of regulation play a role in controlling the differential accumulation of photosynthetic gene expression in the dimorphic chloroplasts of single-cell C₄ species during leaf development.

Network and epigenetic characterization of subsets of genes specifically expressed in maize bundle sheath cells

Bundle sheath (BS) cells exhibit dramatically structural differences and functional variations at physiological, biochemical and epigenetic levels as compared to mesophyll (M) cells in maize. The regulatory mechanisms controlling functional divergences between M and BS have been extensively investigated. However, BS cell-related regulatory networks are still not completely characterized. To address this, we herein conducted WGCNA-related co-expression assays using bulk M and BS cell RNA-seq data sets and identified a module containing 384 genes highly expressed in BS cells (including 20 hub TFs) instead of M cells. According to the hub TF centered regulatory network, we found that Dof22 and Dof30 might act as key regulators in the regulation of expression of BS-specific genes, and several MYB TFs exhibited a high collaboration with Dof TFs. By comparing the enrichment levels of histone modifications, we found that genes in the aforementioned module were more enriched with histone acetylation as compared to other BS-enriched DEGs with similar expression levels. Moreover, we found that a subset of genes functioning in photosynthesis, protein auto processing and enzymatic activities were significantly enriched with broad H3K4me3. Thus, our study provides evidence showing that regulatory network and histone modifications may play vital roles in the regulation of a subset of genes with important functions in BS cells.

Regulation and Evolution of C4 Photosynthesis

C₄ photosynthesis evolved multiple times independently from ancestral C₃ photosynthesis in a broad range of flowering land plant families and in both monocots and dicots. The evolution of C₄ photosynthesis entails the recruitment of enzyme activities that are not involved in photosynthetic carbon fixation in C₃ plants to photosynthesis. This requires a different regulation of gene expression as well as a different regulation of enzyme activities in comparison to the C₃ context. Further, C₄ photosynthesis relies on a distinct leaf anatomy that differs from that of C₃, requiring a differential regulation of leaf development in C₄. We summarize recent progress in the understanding of C₄-specific features in evolution and metabolic regulation in the context of C₄ photosynthesis.

Targeted misexpression of NAC052, acting in H3K4 demethylation, alters leaf morphological and anatomical traits in Arabidopsis thaliana

In an effort to identify genetic regulators for the cell ontogeny around the veins in Arabidopsis thaliana leaves, an activation-tagged mutant line with altered leaf morphology and altered bundle sheath anatomy was characterized. This mutant had a small rosette area with wrinkled leaves and chlorotic leaf edges, as well as enhanced chloroplast numbers in the (pre-)bundle sheath tissue. It had a bundle-specific promoter from the gene GLYCINE DECARBOXYLASE SUBUNIT-T from the C4 species Flaveria trinervia (GLDTFt promoter) inserted in the coding region of the transcriptional repressor NAC052, functioning in H3K4 demethylation, in front of an alternative start codon in-frame with the natural start codon. Reconstruction of the mutation event of our activation-tagged line by creating a line expressing an N-terminally truncated sequence of NAC052 under control of the GLDTFt promoter confirmed the involvement of NAC052 in leaf development. Our study not only reveals leaf anatomic and transcriptomic effects of an N-terminally truncated NAC052 under control of the GLDTFt promoter, but also identifies NAC052 as a novel genetic regulator of leaf development.

ZmbHLH80 and ZmbHLH90 transcription factors act antagonistically and contribute to regulate PEPC1 cell-specific gene expression in maize

Compartmentation of photosynthetic reactions between mesophyll and bundle sheath cells is a key feature of C₄ photosynthesis and depends on the cell-specific accumulation of major C₄ enzymes, such as phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase 1. The ZmPEPC1 upstream region, which drives light-inducible and mesophyll-specific gene expression in maize, has been shown to keep the same properties when introduced into rice (C₃ plant), indicating that rice has the transcription factors (TFs) needed to confer C₄ -like gene expression. Using a yeast one-hybrid approach, we identified OsbHLH112, a rice basic Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) TF that interacts with the maize ZmPEPC1 upstream region. Moreover, we found that maize OsbHLH112 homologues, ZmbHLH80, and ZmbHLH90, also interact with the ZmPEPC1 upstream region, suggesting that these C₄ regulators were co-opted from C₃ plants. A transactivation assay in maize mesophyll protoplasts revealed that ZmbHLH80 represses, whereas ZmbHLH90 activates, ZmPEPC1 expression. In addition, ZmbHLH80 was shown to impair the ZmPEPC1 promoter activation caused by ZmbHLH90. We showed that ZmbHLH80 and ZmbHLH90 bind to the same cis-element within the ZmPEPC1 upstream region either as homodimers or heterodimers. The formation of homo- and heterodimers with higher oligomeric forms promoted by ZmbHLH80 may explain its negative effect on gene transcription. Gene expression analysis revealed that ZmbHLH80 is preferentially expressed in bundle sheath cells, whereas ZmbHLH90 does not show a clear cell-specific expression pattern. Altogether, our results led us to propose a model in which ZmbHLH80 contributes to mesophyll-specific ZmPEPC1 gene expression by impairing ZmbHLH90-mediated ZmPEPC1 activation in the bundle sheath cells.

Assessment of molecular and epigenetic changes in the albinism of Agave angustifolia Haw

Albinism in plants is a rare phenomenon that occurs in nature and is characterized by the total or partial loss of photosynthetic pigments. Although progress has been made in understanding the nature of this phenomenon, the precise causes and biological basis are still unexplored. Here, we study the genetic and epigenetic differences between green (G), variegated (V) and albino (A) A. angustifolia Haw. plantlets obtained by in vitro propagation in order to present new insights into albinism from a plant system that offers a unique set of biological phenotypic characteristics. Low transcript levels of genes involved in carotenoids and photosynthesis such as PSY, PDS, LCYƐ, rubS, PEPCase and LHCP suggest a disruption in these processes in albino plants. Due to a high level of genetic similarity being found between the three phenotypes, we analyzed global DNA methylation and different histone marks (H3K4me2, H3K36me2, H3K9ac, H3K9me2 and H3K27me3). Although no significant differences in global 5-methyl deoxicytidine were found, almost a 2-4.5-fold increase in H3K9ac was observed in albino plants in comparison with variegated or green plants, suggesting a change in chromatin compaction related to A. angustifolia albinism.

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase regulation in C4-PEPC-expressing transgenic rice during early responses to drought stress

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC; EC 4.1.1.31) has important functions in C4 photosynthesis and biosynthesis of intermediate metabolites. In this study, the drought resistance of C4-PEPC-expressing transgenic rice (Oryza sativa, line PC) plants was assessed using simulated drought conditions [i.e. polyethylene glycol (PEG)-6000 treatment]. The dry weight of PC plants was higher than that of wild-type (WT) plants following treatment with 15% PEG-6000 for 16 days. Furthermore, the water use efficiency, relative water content and proline content in PC plants were higher than those of WT plants, as were C4-PEPC activity and transcript levels following treatment with 5% PEG-6000 for 2 h. The protein kinase activities and transcript levels of sucrose non-fermenting-1-related protein kinases (SnRKs) genes, such as SnRK1a, OsK24 and OsK35 were also higher in PC plants than in WT plants following treatment with 5% PEG-6000 for 2 h. Additionally, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase kinase (PPCK, EC 4.1.1.32) activities and transcript levels (e.g. PPCK1 and PPCK2) increased following drought treatment. These changes were regulated by signaling molecules, such as calcium, nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide. Furthermore, the -1095 to -416 region of the C4-PEPC promoter in PC plants was demethylated following exposure to drought conditions for 1 h. The demethylation coincided with an increase in C4-PEPC expression. Our data suggest that the demethylation of the C4-PEPC promoter and the phosphorylation catalyzed by PPCK have key roles in conferring drought tolerance to the transgenic rice plants.

Regulatory gateways for cell-specific gene expression in C4 leaves with Kranz anatomy

C₄ photosynthesis is a carbon-concentrating mechanism that increases delivery of carbon dioxide to RuBisCO and as a consequence reduces photorespiration. The C₄ pathway is therefore beneficial in environments that promote high photorespiration. This pathway has evolved many times, and involves restricting gene expression to either mesophyll or bundle sheath cells. Here we review the regulatory mechanisms that control cell-preferential expression of genes in the C₄ cycle. From this analysis, it is clear that the C₄ pathway has a complex regulatory framework, with control operating at epigenetic, transcriptional, post-transcriptional, translational, and post-translational levels. Some genes of the C₄ pathway are regulated at multiple levels, and we propose that this ensures robust expression in each cell type. Accumulating evidence suggests that multiple genes of the C₄ pathway may share the same regulatory mechanism. The control systems for C₄ photosynthesis gene expression appear to operate in C₃ plants, and so it appears that pre-existing mechanisms form the basis of C₄ photosynthesis gene expression.

SCARECROW, SCR-LIKE 23 and SHORT-ROOT control bundle sheath cell fate and function in Arabidopsis thaliana

Bundle sheath (BS) cells form a single cell layer surrounding the vascular tissue in leaves. In C3 plants, photosynthesis occurs in both the BS and mesophyll cells, but the BS cells are the major sites of photosynthesis in C4 plants, whereas the mesophyll cells are only involved in CO2 fixation. Because C4 plants are more efficient photosynthetically, introduction of the C4 mechanism into C3 plants is considered a key strategy to improve crop yield. One prerequisite for such C3-to-C4 engineering is the ability to manipulate the number and physiology of the BS cells, but the molecular basis of BS cell-fate specification remains unclear. Here we report that mutations in three GRAS family transcription factors, SHORT-ROOT (SHR), SCARECROW (SCR) and SCARECROW-LIKE 23 (SCL23), affect BS cell fate in Arabidopsis thaliana. SCR and SCL23 are expressed specifically in the BS cells and act redundantly in BS cell-fate specification, but their expression pattern and function diverge at later stages of leaf development. Using ChIP-chip experiments and sugar assays, we show that SCR is primarily involved in sugar transport whereas SCL23 functions in mineral transport. SHR is also essential for BS cell-fate specification, but it is expressed in the central vascular tissue. However, the SHR protein moves into the BS cells, where it directly regulates SCR and SCL23 expression. SHR, SCR and SCL23 homologs are present in many plant species, suggesting that this developmental pathway for BS cell-fate specification is likely to be evolutionarily conserved.

Signal integration on plant promoters: a case study in maize

Gene promoters perceive numerous signals and integrate this information into a single response, the transcriptional activity of a gene. It was speculated that covalent modification of histones on the promoters might have an important function in storage and integration of signals. Using the genes for the core proteins of C4 metabolism in maize as a model, we associated the perception of specific signals with the establishment of individual histone modifications. Core elements of the histone code defined in these studies are conserved on all C4 genes and on other maize genes that respond to similar stimuli. Moreover, the code is used in independent C4 lineages. However, our data also advise caution because interpretation of histone modifications might differ dependent on the promoter position of the modification. The model provided here constitutes a starting point for genome-wide decoding of stimulus-modification pairs in epigenetic gene regulation.

Leaf rolling allows quantification of mRNA abundance in mesophyll cells of sorghum

In the leaves of most C(4) plants, mesophyll (M) and bundle sheath (BS) cells develop and maintain highly differentiated biochemical networks. Separation and analysis of M and BS cells has greatly influenced our understanding of the C(4) pathway. A number of approaches including mechanical separation, digestion with cell wall-degrading cocktails, laser-capture microdissection, and leaf rolling have been used to isolate these cell types. Although leaf rolling is conceptually and practically the simplest method, to date it has only been used to assess the metabolite content of M cells from C(4) leaves of maize. This study reports an adapted leaf-rolling method for the isolation of high-quality RNA from M cells of sorghum. Analysis of leaf cell structure, RNA integrity, and transcript abundance of marker genes demonstrated that the sap collected by leaf rolling was from M cells and had no significant contamination. It was concluded that leaf rolling is a fast, cheap, and efficient method of measuring transcript abundance in M cells of sorghum.

Light-regulated and cell-specific methylation of the maize PEPC promoter

The molecular mechanisms governing PEPC expression in maize remain to be fully defined. Differential methylation of a region in the PEPC promoter has been shown to correlate with transcript accumulation, however, to date, investigations into the role of DNA methylation in maize PEPC expression have relied on the use of methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes. Bisulphite sequencing was used here to provide a single-base resolution methylation map of the maize PEPC promoter. It is shown that four cytosine residues in the PEPC promoter are heavily methylated in maize root tissue. In leaves, de-methylation of these cytosines is dependent on illumination and is coincident with elevated PEPC expression. Furthermore, light-regulated de-methylation of these cytosines occurs only in mesophyll cells. No methylation was discovered in the 0.6 kb promoter required for mesophyll-specific expression indicating that cytosine methylation is not required to direct the cell-specificity of PEPC expression. This raises interesting questions regarding the function of the cell-specific cytosine de-methylation observed in the upstream region of the PEPC promoter.

Multiple Arabidopsis genes primed for recruitment into C₄ photosynthesis

C(4) photosynthesis occurs in the most productive crops and vegetation on the planet, and has become widespread because it allows increased rates of photosynthesis compared with the ancestral C(3) pathway. Leaves of C(4) plants typically possess complicated alterations to photosynthesis, such that its reactions are compartmented between mesophyll and bundle sheath cells. Despite its complexity, the C(4) pathway has arisen independently in 62 separate lineages of land plants, and so represents one of the most striking examples of convergent evolution known. We demonstrate that elements in untranslated regions (UTRs) of multiple genes important for C(4) photosynthesis contribute to the metabolic compartmentalization characteristic of a C(4) leaf. Either the 5' or the 3' UTR is sufficient for cell specificity, indicating that functional redundancy underlies this key aspect of C(4) gene expression. Furthermore, we show that orthologous PPDK and CA genes from the C(3) plant Arabidopsis thaliana are primed for recruitment into the C(4) pathway. Elements sufficient for M-cell specificity in C(4) leaves are also present in both the 5' and 3' UTRs of these C(3) A. thaliana genes. These data indicate functional latency within the UTRs of genes from C(3) species that have been recruited into the C(4) pathway. The repeated recruitment of pre-existing cis-elements in C(3) genes may have facilitated the evolution of C(4) photosynthesis. These data also highlight the importance of alterations in trans in producing a functional C(4) leaf, and so provide insight into both the evolution and molecular basis of this important type of photosynthesis.

Regulatory mechanisms underlying C4 photosynthesis

C4 photosynthesis is an adaptation that evolved to alleviate the detrimental effects of photorespiration as a result of the gradual decline in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. In most C4 plants, two cell types, bundle sheath and mesophyll, cooperate in carbon fixation, and, in so doing, are able to alleviate photorespiratory losses. Although much of the biochemistry is well characterized, little is known about the genetic mechanisms underlying the cell-type specificity driving C4 . However, several studies have shown that regulation acts at multiple levels, including transcriptional, post-transcriptional, post-translational and epigenetic. One example of such a regulatory mechanism is the cell-specific accumulation of major photorespiratory transcripts/proteins in bundle sheath cells, where ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase is localized. Although many of the genes are expressed in the bundle sheath, some are expressed in both cell types, implicating post-transcriptional control mechanisms. Recently, ultra-high-throughput sequencing techniques and sophisticated mass spectrometry instrumentation have provided new opportunities to further our understanding of C4 regulation. Computational pipelines are being developed to accommodate the mass of data associated with these techniques. Finally, we discuss a readily transformable C4 grass--Setaria viridis--that has great potential to serve as a model for the genetic dissection of C4 photosynthesis in the grasses.

The regulation of gene expression required for C4 photosynthesis

C(4) photosynthesis is normally associated with the compartmentation of photosynthesis between mesophyll (M) and bundle sheath (BS) cells. The mechanisms regulating the differential accumulation of photosynthesis proteins in these specialized cells are fundamental to our understanding of how C(4) photosynthesis operates. Cell-specific accumulation of proteins in M or BS can be mediated by posttranscriptional processes and translational efficiency as well as by differences in transcription. Individual genes are likely regulated at multiple levels. Although cis-elements have been associated with cell-specific expression in C(4) leaves, there has been little progress in identifying trans-factors. When C(4) photosynthesis genes from C(4) species are placed in closely related C(3) species, they are often expressed in a manner faithful to the C(4) cycle. Next-generation sequencing and comprehensive analysis of the extent to which genes from C(4) species are expressed in M or BS cells of C(3) plants should provide insight into how the C(4) pathway is regulated and evolved.

Developmental and environmental signals induce distinct histone acetylation profiles on distal and proximal promoter elements of the C4-Pepc gene in maize

The maize C(4)-Pepc gene is expressed in an organ- and cell-type-specific manner, inducible by light and modulated by nutrient availability and the metabolic state of the cell. We studied the contribution of histone acetylation at five lysine residues to the integration of these signals into a graduated promoter response. In roots and coleoptiles, where the gene is constitutively inactive, three of the five lysines were acetylated and the modifications showed unique patterns with respect to their distribution on the gene. A similar pattern was observed in etiolated leaves, where the gene is poised for activation by light. Here, illumination selectively induced the acetylation of histone H4 lysine 5 and histone H3 lysine 9 in both the promoter and the transcribed region, again with unique distribution patterns. Induction was independent of transcription and fully reversible in the dark. Nitrate and hexose availability modulated acetylation of all five lysines restricted to a distal promoter region, whereas proximal promoter acetylation was highly resistant to these stimuli. Our data suggest that light induction of acetylation is controlled by regulating HDAC activity, whereas metabolic signals regulate HAT activity. Acetylation turnover rates were high in the distal promoter and the transcribed regions, but low on the proximal promoter. On the basis of these results, we propose a model with three levels of stimulus-induced histone modifications that collectively adjust promoter activity. The results support a charge neutralization model for the distal promoter and a stimulus-mediated, but transcription-independent, histone acetylation pattern on the core promoter, which might be part of a more complex histone code.

Deregulation of maize C4 photosynthetic development in a mesophyll cell-defective mutant

During maize (Zea mays) C(4) differentiation, mesophyll (M) and bundle sheath (BS) cells accumulate distinct sets of photosynthetic enzymes, with very low photosystem II (PSII) content in BS chloroplasts. Consequently, there is little linear electron transport in the BS and ATP is generated by cyclic electron flow. In contrast, M thylakoids are very similar to those of C(3) plants and produce the ATP and NADPH that drive metabolic activities. Regulation of this differentiation process is poorly understood, but involves expression and coordination of nuclear and plastid genomes. Here, we identify a recessive allele of the maize high chlorophyll fluorescence (Hcf136) homolog that in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) functions as a PSII stability or assembly factor located in the thylakoid lumen. Proteome analysis of the thylakoids and electron microscopy reveal that Zmhcf136 lacks PSII complexes and grana thylakoids in M chloroplasts, consistent with the previously defined Arabidopsis function. Interestingly, hcf136 is also defective in processing the full-length psbB-psbT-psbH-petB-petD polycistron specifically in M chloroplasts. To determine whether the loss of PSII in M cells affects C(4) differentiation, we performed cell-type-specific transcript analysis of hcf136 and wild-type seedlings. The results indicate that M and BS cells respond uniquely to the loss of PSII, with little overlap in gene expression changes between data sets. These results are discussed in the context of signals that may drive differential gene expression in C(4) photosynthesis.

Developmental information but not promoter activity controls the methylation state of histone H3 lysine 4 on two photosynthetic genes in maize

We have investigated the establishment of histone H3 methylation with respect to environmental and developmental signals for two key genes associated with C4 photosynthesis in maize. Tri-methylation of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) in roots and leaves was shown to be controlled by autonomous cell-type-specific developmental signals that are independent of illumination and therefore independent of the initiation of transcription. Di- and mono-methylation of H3K4 act antagonistically to this process. The modifications were already established in etiolated seedlings, and remained stable when genes were inactivated by dark treatment or pharmaceutical inhibition of transcription. Constitutive di-methylation of H3K9 was concomitantly detected at specific gene positions. The data support a histone code model whereby cell-type-specific signals induce the formation of a chromatin structure that potentiates gene activation by environmental cues.

A multi-treatment experimental system to examine photosynthetic differentiation in the maize leaf

BACKGROUND

The establishment of C4 photosynthesis in maize is associated with differential accumulation of gene transcripts and proteins between bundle sheath and mesophyll photosynthetic cell types. We have physically separated photosynthetic cell types in the leaf blade to characterize differences in gene expression by microarray analysis. Additional control treatments were used to account for transcriptional changes induced by cell preparation treatments. To analyse these data, we have developed a statistical model to compare gene expression values derived from multiple, partially confounded, treatment groups.

RESULTS

Differential gene expression in the leaves of wild-type maize seedlings was characterized using the latest release of a maize long-oligonucleotide microarray produced by the Maize Array Project consortium. The complete data set is available through the project web site. Data is also available at the NCBI GEO website, series record GSE3890. Data was analysed with and without consideration of cell preparation associated stress.

CONCLUSION

Empirical comparison of the two analyses suggested that consideration of stress helped to reduce the false identification of stress responsive transcripts as cell-type enriched. Using our model including a stress term, we identified 8% of features as differentially expressed between bundle sheath and mesophyll cell types under control of false discovery rate of 5%. An estimate of the overall proportion of differentially accumulating transcripts (1-pi0) suggested that as many as 18% of the genes may be differentially expressed between B and M. The analytical model presented here is generally applicable to gene expression data and demonstrates the use of statistical elimination of confounding effects such as stress in the context of microarray analysis. We discuss the implications of the high degree of differential transcript accumulation observed with regard to both the establishment and engineering of the C4 syndrome.

Untranslated regions of FbRbcS1 mRNA mediate bundle sheath cell-specific gene expression in leaves of a C4 plant

C4 photosynthesis typically requires two specialized leaf cell types, bundle sheath (bs) and mesophyll (mp), which provide the foundation for this highly efficient carbon assimilation pathway. In leaves of Flaveria bidentis, a dicotyledonous C4 plant, ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (rubisco) accumulates only in bs cells surrounding the vascular centers and not in mp cells. This is in contrast to the more common C3 plants, which accumulate rubisco in all photosynthetic cells. Many previous studies have focused on transcriptional control of C4 cell type-specificity; however, post-transcriptional regulation has also been implicated in the bs-specific expression of genes encoding the rubisco subunits. In this current study, a biolistic leaf transformation assay has provided direct evidence that the 5'- and 3'-untranslated regions (UTRs) of F. bidentis FbRbcS1 mRNA (from a nuclear gene encoding the rubisco small subunit), in themselves, confer strong bs cell-specific expression to gfpA reporter gene transcripts when transcribed from a constitutive CaMV promoter. In transformed leaf regions, strong bs cell-specific GFP expression was accompanied by corresponding bs cell-specific accumulation of the constitutively transcribed FbRbcS1 5'-UTR-gfpA-3'-UTR mRNAs. Control constructs lacking any RbcS mRNA sequences were expressed in all leaf cell types. These findings demonstrate that characteristic cell type-specific FbRbcS1 expression patterns in C4 leaves can be established entirely by sequences contained within the transcribed UTRs of FbRbcS1 mRNAs. We conclude that selective transcript stabilization (in bs cells) or degradation (in mp cells) plays a key role in determining bs cell-specific localization of the rubisco enzyme.

Segmental distribution of genes harboring a CpG island-like region on rice chromosomes

In plant genomes, there exist discrete regions rich in CpG dinucleotides, namely CpG clusters. In rice, most of these CpG clusters are associated with genes. Rice genes are grouped into one of the five classes according to the position of an associated CpG cluster. Among them, class 1 genes, which harbor a CpG cluster at the 5'-terminus, share similarities with human genes having CpG islands. In the present study, by analyzing plant genome sequence data, primarily from rice, we investigated the chromosomal distribution of genes of each class, mainly class 1 genes. Class 1 genes were not uniformly distributed across the rice genome, but were clustered into discrete chromosomal segments. EST-based analysis of the distribution of expressed genes indicates that this segmental distribution of class 1 genes caused a preferential distribution of expressed genes within class 1 gene-rich segments. We then compared the methylation status of genes of each class to examine the possibility that differential DNA methylation, if any, is relevant to the observed differential expression level of genes inside and outside the class 1 segments. The difference in the methylation level between these genes was revealed to be fairly small, which does not support the above-mentioned possibility.

The future of C4 research--maize, Flaveria or Cleome?

C4 photosynthesis has evolved multiple times among the angiosperms: the spatial rearrangement of the photosynthetic apparatus, combined with alterations to the leaf structure, allows CO2 to be concentrated around Rubisco. Higher CO2 concentrations at Rubisco decrease the rate of oxygenation and therefore reduce the amount of energy lost through photorespiration. C4 plants are particularly prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions because they can sustain higher rates of net photosynthesis; they also represent some of our most productive crops. To date, most progress in identifying genes crucial for C4 photosynthesis has been made using maize and Flaveria. We propose that Cleome, the most closely related genus containing C4 species to the C3 model Arabidopsis, be used together with Arabidopsis resources to accelerate our progress in elucidating the genetic basis of C4 photosynthesis.

The role of KNOX genes in the evolution of morphological novelty in Streptocarpus

The genus Streptocarpus comprises species with diverse body plans. Caulescent species produce leaves from a conventional shoot apical meristem (SAM), whereas acaulescent species lack a conventional SAM and produce only a single leaf (the unifoliate form) or clusters of leaves from the base of more mature leaves (the rosulate form). These distinct morphologies reflect fundamental differences in the role of the SAM and the process of leaf specification. A subfamily of KNOTTED-like homeobox (KNOX) genes are known to be important in regulating meristem function and leaf development in model species with conventional morphologies. To test the involvement of KNOX genes in Streptocarpus evolution, two parologous KNOX genes (SSTM1 and SSTM2) were isolated from species with different growth forms. Their phylogenetic analysis suggested a gene duplication before the subgeneric split of Streptocarpus and resolved species relationships, supporting multiple evolutionary origins of the rosulate and unifoliate morphologies. In S. saxorum, a caulescent species with a conventional SAM, KNOX proteins were expressed in the SAM and transiently downregulated in incipient leaf primordia. The ability of acaulescent species to initiate leaves from existing leaves was found to correlate with SSTM1 expression and KNOX protein accumulation in leaves and to reflect genetic differences at two loci. Neither locus corresponded to SSTM1, suggesting that cis-acting differences in SSTM1 regulation were not responsible for evolution of the rosulate and unifoliate forms. However, the involvement of KNOX proteins in leaf formation in rosulate species suggests that they have played an indirect role in the development of morphological diversity in Streptocarpus.

GLK gene pairs regulate chloroplast development in diverse plant species

Chloroplast biogenesis is a complex process that requires close co-ordination between two genomes. Many of the proteins that accumulate in the chloroplast are encoded by the nuclear genome, and the developmental transition from proplastid to chloroplast is regulated by nuclear genes. Here we show that a pair of Golden 2-like (GLK) genes regulates chloroplast development in Arabidopsis. The GLK proteins are members of the GARP superfamily of transcription factors, and phylogenetic analysis demonstrates that the maize, rice and Arabidopsis GLK gene pairs comprise a distinct group within the GARP superfamily. Further phylogenetic analysis suggests that the gene pairs arose through separate duplication events in the monocot and dicot lineages. As in rice, AtGLK1 and AtGLK2 are expressed in partially overlapping domains in photosynthetic tissue. Insertion mutants demonstrate that this expression pattern reflects a degree of functional redundancy as single mutants display normal phenotypes in most photosynthetic tissues. However, double mutants are pale green in all photosynthetic tissues and chloroplasts exhibit a reduction in granal thylakoids. Products of several genes involved in light harvesting also accumulate at reduced levels in double mutant chloroplasts. GLK genes therefore regulate chloroplast development in diverse plant species.

Gene-associated CpG islands in plants as revealed by analyses of genomic sequences

We screened plant genome sequences, primarily from rice and Arabidopsis thaliana, for CpG islands, and identified DNA segments rich in CpG dinucleotides within these sequences. These CpG-rich clusters appeared in the analysed sequences as discrete peaks and occurred at the frequencies of one per 4.7 kb in rice and one per 4.0 kb in A. thaliana. In rice and A. thaliana, most of the CpG-rich clusters were associated with genes, which suggests that these clusters are useful landmarks in genome sequences for identifying genes in plants with small genomes. In contrast, in plants with larger genomes, only a few of the clusters were associated with genes. These plant CpG-rich clusters satisfied the criteria used for identifying human CpG islands, which suggests that these CpG clusters may be regarded as plant CpG islands. The position of each island relative to the 5'-end of its associated gene varied considerably. Genes in the analysed sequences were grouped into five classes according to the position of the CpG islands within their associated genes. A large proportion of the genes belonged to one of two classes, in which a CpG island occurred near the 5'-end of the gene or covered the whole gene region. The position of a plant CpG island within its associated gene appeared to be related to the extent of tissue-specific expression of the gene; the CpG islands of most of the widely expressed rice genes occurred near the 5'-end of the genes.

Cytosine methylation of plastid genome in higher plants. Fact or artefact?

DNA methylation of chloroplast genome has been studied in a large variety of angiosperm species using restriction enzyme analysis of three genomic loci (totally encompassing about 10% of chloroplast genome) and bisulfite genomic sequencing of tobacco ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (large subunit) gene (rbcL). Except for CCWGG (W=A or T) sites that were partially refractory to the cleavage with methylation sensitive EcoRII in all loci, no cytosine methylation was found at the CCGG (MspI/HpaII) and several other restriction sites tested. However, EcoRII was unable to completely digest an unmethylated CCWGG site in the cloned rbcL gene on plasmid. Further a bisulfite genomic sequencing performed on EcoRII-restricted DNA failed to show any 5-methylcytosine either within or outside inspected EcoRII sites along the 3' end of rbcL coding region. In conclusion our results do not support evidence for methylated cytosine residues in plant chloroplast genomes and we suggest that results obtained with EcoRII should be interpreted with great care especially when small differences in methylation levels are analysed.

Light-regulated transcription of genes encoding peridinin chlorophyll a proteins and the major intrinsic light-harvesting complex proteins in the dinoflagellate amphidinium carterae hulburt (Dinophycae). Changes In cytosine methylation accompany photoadaptation

In the dinoflagellate Amphidinium carterae, photoadaptation involves changes in the transcription of genes encoding both of the major classes of light-harvesting proteins, the peridinin chlorophyll a proteins (PCPs) and the major a/c-containing intrinsic light-harvesting proteins (LHCs). PCP and LHC transcript levels were increased up to 86- and 6-fold higher, respectively, under low-light conditions relative to cells grown at high illumination. These increases in transcript abundance were accompanied by decreases in the extent of methylation of CpG and CpNpG motifs within or near PCP- and LHC-coding regions. Cytosine methylation levels in A. carterae are therefore nonstatic and may vary with environmental conditions in a manner suggestive of involvement in the regulation of gene expression. However, chemically induced undermethylation was insufficient in activating transcription, because treatment with two methylation inhibitors had no effect on PCP mRNA or protein levels. Regulation of gene activity through changes in DNA methylation has traditionally been assumed to be restricted to higher eukaryotes (deuterostomes and green plants); however, the atypically large genomes of dinoflagellates may have generated the requirement for systems of this type in a relatively "primitive" organism. Dinoflagellates may therefore provide a unique perspective on the evolution of eukaryotic DNA-methylation systems.

A contiguous 60 kb genomic stretch from barley reveals molecular evidence for gene islands in a monocot genome

The contiguous DNA sequence of a 60 kb genomic interval of barley chromosome 4HL has been assembled. The region harbours a single and novel gypsy -like retrotransposon, designated BAGY-1. Only three genes appear to reside in the genomic stretch. One predicts a plant homologue of ribophorin I, a subunit of the oligosaccharyltransferase-protein complex located in the rough endoplasmatic reticulum. The second is similar to the Drosophila g1 gene encoding a ring finger protein involved in developmental processes. The observed gene density is approximately 5-fold lower than in the best characterized dicot genome of Arabidopsis but 6- to 10-fold higher than expected from an equidistant gene distribution in the complex barley genome. Our data suggest that the 60 kb genomic interval represents part of a gene island, a seemingly distinctive feature of grass genomes.

PHOSPHOENOLPYRUVATE CARBOXYLASE: A Ubiquitous, Highly Regulated Enzyme in Plants

Since plant phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) was last reviewed in the Annual Review of Plant Physiology over a decade ago (O'Leary 1982), significant advances have been made in our knowledge of this oligomeric, cytosolic enzyme. This review highlights this exciting progress in plant PEPC research by focusing on the three major areas of recent investigation: the enzymology of the protein; its posttranslational regulation by reversible protein phosphorylation and opposing metabolite effectors; and the structure, expression, and molecular evolution of the nuclear PEPC genes. It is hoped that the next ten years will be equally enlightening, especially with respect to the three-dimensional structure of the plant enzyme, the molecular analysis of its highly regulated protein-Ser/Thr kinase, and the elucidation of its associated signal-transduction pathways in various plant cell types.

Endosperm-specific demethylation and activation of specific alleles of alpha-tubulin genes of Zea mays L

We have investigated the methylation status of the alpha-tubulin genes, and the degree of accumulation of their mRNAs in endosperm, embryo and seedling tissues of Zea mays L. We have found that many of the alpha-tubulin genes are differentially demethylated in the endosperm relative to the embryo and seedling. However, only for tub alpha 2 and tub alpha 4 could a correlation between DNA demethylation and increased RNA accumulation be detected. By analyzing the inbred lines W64A and A69Y and their reciprocal crosses, we have also identified in the endosperm two alpha-tubulin genes, tub alpha 3 and tub alpha 4, that are differentially demethylated if transmitted by the maternal germline, but that remain hypermethylated when transmitted by the paternal germline.

Structure of genes that encode isozymes of aspartate aminotransferase in Panicum miliaceum L., a C4 plant

The cytosolic and mitochondrial isozymes of aspartate aminotransferase (AspAT) function in the C4 photosynthetic cycle in NAD-malic enzyme-type C4 plants and are expressed at high levels in mesophyll cells and bundle sheath cells, respectively. We constructed a genomic library from Panicum miliaceum, a NAD-malic enzyme-type C4 plant, and cloned the genes for these isozymes. The sequence of the cloned gene for cytosolic AspAT spans 7800 bp and consists of 12 exons. The sequence of the cloned gene for mitochondrial AspAT spans 9000 bp and consists of 10 exons. The results of primer-extension analysis suggest that transcription may be initiated from multiple adjacent sites. Both genes have significant GC-rich regions around the site of initiation of transcription, and these regions showed no CpG suppression. The 5'- flanking regions of both genes include several short sequences similar to the regulatory elements found in other genes for components of the photosynthetic machinery. In particular, the cytosolic AspAT gene contains sequences similar to nuclear protein-binding sites in other mesophyll-expressed C4 photosynthetic genes and the mitochondrial AspAT gene contains elements for light-sensitive and constitutive expression of a bundle sheath-expressed gene. The results of Southern analysis indicated that there are at least two genes that encode each isozyme in the genome of P. miliaceum. A comparison of intron-insertion positions between AspAT genes of plants and animals revealed that several introns are located at identical positions. On the basis of a phylogenetic tree among AspATs and tyrosine aminotransferase, we have shown that the introns of aminotransferase genes antedate the divergence of eubacteria, archaebacteria, and eukaryotes.

Post-transcriptional control of cell type-specific gene expression in bundle sheath and mesophyll chloroplasts of Amaranthus hypochondriacus

Plants that utilize the highly efficient C4 photosynthetic pathway possess two types of specialized leaf cells, the mesophyll and bundle sheath. In mature leaves of amaranth, a dicotyledonous C4 plant, ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (Rubisco) is localized specifically to the chloroplasts of bundle sheath cells, and is not present in the chloroplasts of mesophyll cells. The cell type-specific expression of the chloroplast-encoded Rubisco large subunit (rbcL) gene, and other representative chloroplastic genes, was investigated by using separated bundle sheath and mesophyll chloroplasts prepared from mature amaranth leaves. One-dimensional SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed several differences in the polypeptide compositions of the two chloroplast types. Western analysis demonstrated that, as in the intact leaves, the Rubisco LSU polypeptide was present only in chloroplast preparations from bundle sheath cells. Pyruvate orthophosphate dikinase (PPdK), a nuclear-encoded chloroplastic enzyme, was found only in the mesophyll chloroplast preparations. rbcL mRNA was present only in the bundle sheath chloroplast preparations, whereas transcripts for the chloroplast-encoded psbA, psaA-B, and rpl2 genes were present in both chloroplast types. Although the rbcL message accumulated only in bundle sheath chloroplasts, run-on transcription analysis indicated that the rbcL gene was transcribed in both bundle sheath and mesophyll chloroplast preparations. Therefore, differential rbcL gene expression in the isolated C4 chloroplasts is regulated, at least in part, at the post-transcriptional level. Possibly this control is mediated by differential processing or stabilization of the rbcL transcript.

Sorghum phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase gene family: structure, function and molecular evolution

Although housekeeping functions have been shown for the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (EC 4.1.1.31, PEPC) in plants and in prokaryotes, PEPC is mainly known for its specific role in the primary photosynthetic CO2 fixation in C4 and CAM plants. We have shown that in Sorghum, a monocotyledonous C4 plant, the enzyme is encoded in the nucleus by a small multigene family. Here we report the entire nucleotide sequence (7.5 kb) of the third member (CP21) that completes the structure of the Sorghum PEPC gene family. Nucleotide composition, CpG islands and GC content of the three Sorghum PEPC genes are analysed with respect to their possible implications in the regulation of expression. A study of structure/function and phylogenetic relationships based on the compilation of all PEPC sequences known so far is presented. Data demonstrated that: (1) the different forms of plant PEPC have very similar primary structures, functional and regulatory properties, (2) neither apparent amino acid sequences nor phylogenetic relationships are specific for the C4 and CAM PEPCs and (3) expression of the different genes coding for the Sorghum PEPC isoenzymes is differently regulated (i.e. by light, nitrogen source) in a spatial and temporal manner. These results suggest that the main distinguishing feature between plant PEPCs is to be found at the level of genes expression rather than in their primary structure.