Dual localization of plant glutamate receptor AtGLR3.4 to plastids and plasmamembrane

Channels of Evolution: Unveiling Evolutionary Patterns in Diatom Ca2+ Signalling

Diatoms are important primary producers in marine and freshwater environments, but little is known about the signalling mechanisms they use to detect changes in their environment. All eukaryotic organisms use Ca2+ signalling to perceive and respond to environmental stimuli, employing a range of Ca2+-permeable ion channels to facilitate the movement of Ca2+ across cellular membranes. We investigated the distribution of different families of Ca2+ channels in diatom genomes, with comparison to other members of the stramenopile lineage. The four-domain voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (Cav) are present in some centric diatoms but almost completely absent in pennate diatoms, whereas single-domain voltage-gated EukCatA channels were found in all diatoms. Glutamate receptors (GLRs) and pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) also appear to have been lost in several pennate species. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are present in all diatoms, but have not undergone the significant expansion seen in brown algae. All diatom species analysed lacked the mitochondrial uniporter (MCU), a highly conserved channel type found in many eukaryotes, including several stramenopile lineages. These results highlight the unique Ca2+-signalling toolkit of diatoms and indicate that evolutionary gains or losses of different Ca2+ channels may contribute to differences in cellular-signalling mechanisms between species.

Unveiling orphan receptor-like kinases in plants: novel client discovery using high-confidence library predictions in the Kinase-Client (KiC) assay

Plants are remarkable in their ability to adapt to changing environments, with receptor-like kinases (RLKs) playing a pivotal role in perceiving and transmitting environmental cues into cellular responses. Despite extensive research on RLKs from the plant kingdom, the function and activity of many kinases, i.e., their substrates or "clients", remain uncharted. To validate a novel client prediction workflow and learn more about an important RLK, this study focuses on P2K1 (DORN1), which acts as a receptor for extracellular ATP (eATP), playing a crucial role in plant stress resistance and immunity. We designed a Kinase-Client (KiC) assay library of 225 synthetic peptides, incorporating previously identified P2K phosphorylated peptides and novel predictions from a deep-learning phosphorylation site prediction model (MUsite) and a trained hidden Markov model (HMM) based tool, HMMER. Screening the library against purified P2K1 cytosolic domain (CD), we identified 46 putative substrates, including 34 novel clients, 27 of which may be novel peptides, not previously identified experimentally. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis among phosphopeptide candidates revealed proteins associated with important biological processes in metabolism, structure development, and response to stress, as well as molecular functions of kinase activity, catalytic activity, and transferase activity. We offer selection criteria for efficient further in vivo experiments to confirm these discoveries. This approach not only expands our knowledge of P2K1's substrates and functions but also highlights effective prediction algorithms for identifying additional potential substrates. Overall, the results support use of the KiC assay as a valuable tool in unraveling the complexities of plant phosphorylation and provide a foundation for predicting the phosphorylation landscape of plant species based on peptide library results.

UMAMIT44 is a key player in glutamate export from Arabidopsis chloroplasts

Selective partitioning of amino acids among organelles, cells, tissues, and organs is essential for cellular metabolism and plant growth. Nitrogen assimilation into glutamine and glutamate and de novo biosynthesis of most protein amino acids occur in chloroplasts; therefore, various transport mechanisms must exist to accommodate their directional efflux from the stroma to the cytosol and feed the amino acids into the extraplastidial metabolic and long-distance transport pathways. Yet, Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) transporters functioning in plastidial export of amino acids remained undiscovered. Here, USUALLY MULTIPLE ACIDS MOVE IN AND OUT TRANSPORTER 44 (UMAMIT44) was identified and shown to function in glutamate export from Arabidopsis chloroplasts. UMAMIT44 controls glutamate homeostasis within and outside of chloroplasts and influences nitrogen partitioning from leaves to sinks. Glutamate imbalances in chloroplasts and leaves of umamit44 mutants impact cellular redox state, nitrogen and carbon metabolism, and amino acid (AA) and sucrose supply of growing sinks, leading to negative effects on plant growth. Nonetheless, the mutant lines adjust to some extent by upregulating alternative pathways for glutamate synthesis outside the plastids and by mitigating oxidative stress through the production of other amino acids and antioxidants. Overall, this study establishes that the role of UMAMIT44 in glutamate export from chloroplasts is vital for controlling nitrogen availability within source leaf cells and for sink nutrition, with an impact on growth and seed yield.

In Silico Analysis of Glutamate Receptors in Capsicum chinense: Structure, Evolution, and Molecular Interactions

Plant glutamate receptors (GLRs) are integral membrane proteins that function as non-selective cation channels, involved in the regulation of developmental events crucial in plants. Knowledge of these proteins is restricted to a few species and their true agonists are still unknown in plants. Using tomato SlGLRs, a search was performed in the pepper database to identify GLR sequences in habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.). Structural, phylogenetic, and orthology analysis of the CcGLRs, as well as molecular docking and protein interaction networks, were conducted. Seventeen CcGLRs were identified, which contained the characteristic domains of GLR. The variation of conserved residues in the M2 transmembrane domain between members suggests a difference in ion selectivity and/or conduction. Also, new conserved motifs in the ligand-binding regions are reported. Duplication events seem to drive the expansion of the species, and these were located in the evolution by using orthologs. Molecular docking analysis allowed us to identify differences in the agonist binding pocket between CcGLRs, which suggest the existence of different affinities for amino acids. The possible interaction of some CcGLRs with proteins leads to suggesting specific functions for them within the plant. These results offer important functional clues for CcGLR, probably extrapolated to other Solanaceae.

Genome-wide identification of the glutamate receptor-like gene family in Vanilla planifolia and their response to Fusarium oxysporum infection

Glutamate receptor-like genes (GLRs) are essential for plant growth and development and for coping with environmental (biological and non-biological) stresses. In this study, 13 GLR members were identified in the Vanilla planifolia genome and attributed to two subgroups (Clade I and Clade III) based on their physical relationships. Cis-acting element analysis and Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) annotations indicated the GLR gene regulation's complexity and their functional diversity. Expression analysis revealed a relatively higher and more general expression pattern of Clade III members compared to the Clade I subgroup in tissues. Most GLRs showed significant differences in expression during Fusarium oxysporum infection. This suggested that GLRs play a critical role in the response of V. planifolia to pathogenic infection. These results provide helpful information for further functional research and crop improvement of VpGLRs.

Genome-wide identification of glutamate receptor-like gene family in soybean

Glutamate receptor-like genes (GLRs) are essential in the growth and development of plants and many physiological and biochemical processes; however, related information in soybean is lacking. In this study, 105 GLRs, including 67 Glycine soja and 38 Glycine max GLRs, were identified and divided into two clades (Clades II and III) according to their phylogenetic relationships. GLR members in the same branch had a relatively conservative motif composition and genetic structure. Furthermore, the soybean GLR family mainly experienced purification selection during evolution. Cis-acting element analysis, gene ontology, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomic annotations indicated the complexity of the gene regulation and functional diversity of the soybean GLR. Moreover, transcriptome data analysis showed that these GLRs had different expression profiles in different tissues, and Clade III members had higher and more common expression patterns. Additionally, the expression profiles under jasmonic acid treatment and salt stress indicate that the GLR participated in the jasmonic acid signaling pathway and plays a role in salt treatment. This study provides information for a comprehensive understanding of the soybean GLR family and a reference for further functional research and genetic improvement.

Genome-wide analysis of glutamate receptor gene family in allopolyploid Brassica napus and its diploid progenitors

Ionotropic glutamate receptors are ligand-gated nonselective cation channels that mediate neurotransmission in the central nervous system of animals. Plants possess homologous proteins called glutamate receptor-like channels (GLRs) which are involved in vital physiological processes including seed germination, long-distance signaling, chemotaxis, Ca2+ signaling etc. Till now, a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of the GLR gene family members in different economically important species of Brassica is missing. Considering the origin of allotetraploid Brassica napus from the hybridization between the diploid Brassica oleracea and Brassica rapa, we have identified 11, 27 and 65 GLR genes in B. oleracea, B. rapa and B. napus, respectively showing an expansion of this gene family in B. napus. Chromosomal locations revealed several tandemly duplicated GLR genes in all the three species. Moreover, the gene family expanded in B. napus after allopolyploidization. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the 103 GLRs are classified into three main groups. The exon-intron structures of these genes are not very conserved and showed wide variation in intron numbers. However, protein sequences are much conserved as shown by the presence of ten short amino acid sequence motifs. Predicted cis-acting elements in 1 kb promoters of GLR genes are mainly involved in light, stress and hormone responses. RNA-seq analysis showed that in B. oleracea and B. rapa, some GLRs are more tissue specific than others. In B. napus, some GLRs are downregulated under cold stress, while others are upregulated. In summary, this bioinformatic study of the GLR gene family of the three Brassica species provides evidence for the expansion of this gene family in B. napus and also provided useful information for in-depth studies of their biological functions in Brassica.

Comparative analysis of wild-type and chloroplast MCU-deficient plants reveals multiple consequences of chloroplast calcium handling under drought stress

Introduction

Chloroplast calcium homeostasis plays an important role in modulating the response of plants to abiotic and biotic stresses. One of the greatest challenges is to understand how chloroplast calcium-permeable pathways and sensors are regulated in a concerted manner to translate specific information into a calcium signature and to elucidate the downstream effects of specific chloroplast calcium dynamics. One of the six homologs of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) was found to be located in chloroplasts in the leaves and to crucially contribute to drought- and oxidative stress-triggered uptake of calcium into this organelle.

Methods

In the present study we integrated comparative proteomic analysis with biochemical, genetic, cellular, ionomic and hormone analysis in order to gain an insight into how chloroplast calcium channels are integrated into signaling circuits under watered condition and under drought stress.

Results

Altogether, our results indicate for the first time a link between chloroplast calcium channels and hormone levels, showing an enhanced ABA level in the cmcu mutant already in well-watered condition. Furthermore, we show that the lack of cMCU results in an upregulation of the calcium sensor CAS and of enzymes of chlorophyll synthesis, which are also involved in retrograde signaling upon drought stress, in two independent KO lines generated in Col-0 and Col-4 ecotypes.

Conclusions

These observations point to chloroplasts as important signaling hubs linked to their calcium dynamics. Our results obtained in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana are discussed also in light of our limited knowledge regarding organellar calcium signaling in crops and raise the possibility of an involvement of such signaling in response to drought stress also in crops.

Glutamate receptor like channels: Emerging players in calcium mediated signaling in plants

Glutamate receptors like channels (GLRs) are ligand gated non-selective cation channels and are multigenic in nature. They are homologs of mammalian ionic glutamate receptors (iGLRs) that play an important role in neurotransmission. It has been more than 25 years of discovery of plant GLRs, since then, significant progress has been made to unravel their structure and function in plants. Recently, the first crystal structure of plant GLR has been resolved that suggests that, though, plant GLRs contain the conserved signature domains of iGLRs, their unique features enable agonist/antagonist-dependent change in their activity. GLRs exhibit diverse subcellular localization and undergo dynamic expression variation in response to developmental and environmental stress conditions in plants. The combined use of genetic, electrophysiology and calcium imaging using different genetically encoded calcium indicators has revealed that GLRs are involved in generating calcium (Ca²⁺) influx across the plasma membrane and are involved in shaping the Ca²⁺ signature in response to different developmental and environmental stimuli. These findings indicate that GLRs influence cytosolic Ca²⁺ dynamics, thus, highlighting "GLR-Ca²⁺-crosstalk (GCC)" in developmental and stress-responsive signaling pathways. With this background, the present review summarises the recent developments pertaining to GLR function, in the broader context of regulation of stress tolerance in plants.

Calcium-dependent protein kinase CDPK16 phosphorylates serine-856 of glutamate receptor-like GLR3.6 protein leading to salt-responsive root growth in Arabidopsis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023;14:1093472. [PMID: 36818849 PMCID: PMC9935832 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1093472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0]

Calcium-permeable channels in the plasma membrane play vital roles in plant growth, development, and response to environmental stimuli. Arabidopsis possesses 20 glutamate receptor-like proteins that share similarities with animal ionotropic glutamate receptors and mediate Ca²⁺ influx in plants. Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) phosphorylate serine (Ser)-860 of glutamate receptor-like (GLR)3.7 protein, which interacts with 14-3-3ω and plays an essential role in salt and abscisic acid response in Arabidopsis by modulating Ca²⁺ signaling. However, the significance of CDPK- mediated phosphorylation status of Ser residues of GLR3.6 with regard to the functioning of GLR3.6 remains to be elucidated. In this study, we performed an in vitro kinase assay using CDPK16 and peptides containing the 14-3-3ω interacting domain of GLR3.6. We showed that Ser861/862 of GLR3.6 are required for the interaction with 14-3-3ω and that Ser856 of GLR3.6 is specifically phosphorylated by CDPK16 but not by CDPK3 and CDPK34. In addition, the expression of GLR3.6 was quickly downregulated by salt stress, and plants of glr3.6 mutants and GLR3.6-overexpression lines presented shorter and longer root lengths, respectively, under normal growth conditions than Col. Overexpression of the GLR3.6-Ser856 to Ala mutation resulted in a less sensitive phenotype in response to salt stress similar to glr3.6. Our results indicated that the Ser861/862 residues of GLR3.6 are required for interaction with 14-3-3ω. Additionally, the phosphorylation status of Ser856 residue of GLR3.6, which is mediated specifically by CDPK16, regulates root growth in normal and salt stress and conditions.

News about amino acid metabolism in plant-microbe interactions

Plants constantly come into contact with a diverse mix of pathogenic and beneficial microbes. The ability to distinguish between them and to respond appropriately is essential for plant health. Here we review recent progress in understanding the role of amino acid sensing, signaling, transport, and metabolism during plant-microbe interactions. Biochemical pathways converting individual amino acids into active compounds have recently been elucidated, and comprehensive large-scale approaches have brought amino acid sensors and transporters into focus. These findings show that plant central amino acid metabolism is closely interwoven with stress signaling and defense responses at various levels. The individual biochemical mechanisms and the interconnections between the different processes are just beginning to emerge and might serve as a foundation for new plant protection strategies.

Chemical Perturbation of Chloroplast Ca2+ Dynamics in Arabidopsis thaliana Suspension Cell Cultures and Seedlings

Ca²⁺ signaling is part of universal signal transduction pathways to respond to external and internal stimuli or stress and in plants plays a central role in chloroplasts, such as in the regulation of photosynthetic enzymes or the transition from light to dark. Only recently, the underlying molecular machinery, e.g., transporters and channels that enable chloroplast Ca²⁺ fluxes, has started to be elucidated. However, chemical tools to specifically perturb these chloroplast Ca²⁺ fluxes are largely lacking. Here, we describe an efficient aequorin-based system in Arabidopsis thaliana suspension cell cultures to screen for chemicals that alter light-to-dark-induced chloroplast stroma Ca²⁺ signals. Subsequently, the effect of the hits on chloroplast Ca²⁺ signals is validated in Arabidopsis seedlings. The research lays a foundation for the identification of novel proteins involved in Ca²⁺ transport in chloroplast stroma under light-to-dark transition and for investigating the interaction of chloroplast Ca²⁺ signaling with photosynthesis in general.

The signatures of organellar calcium

Recent insights about the transport mechanisms involved in the in and out of calcium ions in plant organelles, and their role in the regulation of cytosolic calcium homeostasis in different signaling pathways.

Transport, functions, and interaction of calcium and manganese in plant organellar compartments

Calcium (Ca2+) and manganese (Mn2+) are essential elements for plants and have similar ionic radii and binding coordination. They are assigned specific functions within organelles, but share many transport mechanisms to cross organellar membranes. Despite their points of interaction, those elements are usually investigated and reviewed separately. This review takes them out of this isolation. It highlights our current mechanistic understanding and points to open questions of their functions, their transport, and their interplay in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), vesicular compartments (Golgi apparatus, trans-Golgi network, pre-vacuolar compartment), vacuoles, chloroplasts, mitochondria, and peroxisomes. Complex processes demanding these cations, such as Mn2+-dependent glycosylation or systemic Ca2+ signaling, are covered in some detail if they have not been reviewed recently or if recent findings add to current models. The function of Ca2+ as signaling agent released from organelles into the cytosol and within the organelles themselves is a recurrent theme of this review, again keeping the interference by Mn2+ in mind. The involvement of organellar channels [e.g. glutamate receptor-likes (GLR), cyclic nucleotide-gated channels (CNGC), mitochondrial conductivity units (MCU), and two-pore channel1 (TPC1)], transporters (e.g. natural resistance-associated macrophage proteins (NRAMP), Ca2+ exchangers (CAX), metal tolerance proteins (MTP), and bivalent cation transporters (BICAT)], and pumps [autoinhibited Ca2+-ATPases (ACA) and ER Ca2+-ATPases (ECA)] in the import and export of organellar Ca2+ and Mn2+ is scrutinized, whereby current controversial issues are pointed out. Mechanisms in animals and yeast are taken into account where they may provide a blueprint for processes in plants, in particular, with respect to tunable molecular mechanisms of Ca2+ versus Mn2+ selectivity.

Adaptive Responses of Citrus grandis Leaves to Copper Toxicity Revealed by RNA-Seq and Physiology

Copper (Cu)-toxic effects on Citrus grandis growth and Cu uptake, as well as gene expression and physiological parameters in leaves were investigated. Using RNA-Seq, 715 upregulated and 573 downregulated genes were identified in leaves of C. grandis seedlings exposed to Cu-toxicity (LCGSEC). Cu-toxicity altered the expression of 52 genes related to cell wall metabolism, thus impairing cell wall metabolism and lowering leaf growth. Cu-toxicity downregulated the expression of photosynthetic electron transport-related genes, thus reducing CO₂ assimilation. Some genes involved in thermal energy dissipation, photorespiration, reactive oxygen species scavenging and cell redox homeostasis and some antioxidants (reduced glutathione, phytochelatins, metallothioneins, l-tryptophan and total phenolics) were upregulated in LCGSEC, but they could not protect LCGSEC from oxidative damage. Several adaptive responses might occur in LCGSEC. LCGSEC displayed both enhanced capacities to maintain homeostasis of Cu via reducing Cu uptake by leaves and preventing release of vacuolar Cu into the cytoplasm, and to improve internal detoxification of Cu by accumulating Cu chelators (lignin, reduced glutathione, phytochelatins, metallothioneins, l-tryptophan and total phenolics). The capacities to maintain both energy homeostasis and Ca homeostasis might be upregulated in LCGSEC. Cu-toxicity increased abscisates (auxins) level, thus stimulating stomatal closure and lowering water loss (enhancing water use efficiency and photosynthesis).

Architecture and function of NMDA receptors: an evolutionary perspective

Ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) are a major class of ligand-gated ion channels that are widespread in the living kingdom. Their critical role in excitatory neurotransmission and brain function of arthropods and vertebrates has made them a compelling subject of interest for neurophysiologists and pharmacologists. This is particularly true for NMDA receptor (NMDARs), a subclass of iGluRs that act as central drivers of synaptic plasticity in the CNS. How and when the unique properties of NMDARs arose during evolution, and how they relate to the evolution of the nervous system, remain open questions. Recent years have witnessed a boom in both genomic and structural data, such that it is now possible to analyse the evolution of iGluR genes on an unprecedented scale and within a solid molecular framework. In this review, combining insights from phylogeny, atomic structure and physiological and mechanistic data, we discuss how evolution of NMDAR motifs and sequences shaped their architecture and functionalities. We trace differences and commonalities between NMDARs and other iGluRs, emphasizing a few distinctive properties of the former regarding ligand binding and gating, permeation, allosteric modulation and intracellular signalling. Finally, we speculate on how specific molecular properties of iGuRs arose to supply new functions to the evolving structure of the nervous system, from early metazoan to present mammals.

Chloroplast Calcium Signaling in the Spotlight

Calcium has long been known to regulate the metabolism of chloroplasts, concerning both light and carbon reactions of photosynthesis, as well as additional non photosynthesis-related processes. In addition to undergo Ca²⁺ regulation, chloroplasts can also influence the overall Ca²⁺ signaling pathways of the plant cell. Compelling evidence indicate that chloroplasts can generate specific stromal Ca²⁺ signals and contribute to the fine tuning of cytoplasmic Ca²⁺ signaling in response to different environmental stimuli. The recent set up of a toolkit of genetically encoded Ca²⁺ indicators, targeted to different chloroplast subcompartments (envelope, stroma, thylakoids) has helped to unravel the participation of chloroplasts in intracellular Ca²⁺ handling in resting conditions and during signal transduction. Intra-chloroplast Ca²⁺ signals have been demonstrated to occur in response to specific environmental stimuli, suggesting a role for these plant-unique organelles in transducing Ca²⁺-mediated stress signals. In this mini-review we present current knowledge of stimulus-specific intra-chloroplast Ca²⁺ transients, as well as recent advances in the identification and characterization of Ca²⁺-permeable channels/transporters localized at chloroplast membranes. In particular, the potential role played by cMCU, a chloroplast-localized member of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) family, as component of plant environmental sensing is discussed in detail, taking into account some specific structural features of cMCU. In summary, the recent molecular identification of some players of chloroplast Ca²⁺ signaling has opened new avenues in this rapidly developing field and will hopefully allow a deeper understanding of the role of chloroplasts in shaping physiological responses in plants.

Root Exudation of Primary Metabolites: Mechanisms and Their Roles in Plant Responses to Environmental Stimuli

Root exudation is an important process determining plant interactions with the soil environment. Many studies have linked this process to soil nutrient mobilization. Yet, it remains unresolved how exudation is controlled and how exactly and under what circumstances plants benefit from exudation. The majority of root exudates including primary metabolites (sugars, amino acids, and organic acids) are believed to be passively lost from the root and used by rhizosphere-dwelling microbes. In this review, we synthetize recent advances in ecology and plant biology to explain and propose mechanisms by which root exudation of primary metabolites is controlled, and what role their exudation plays in plant nutrient acquisition strategies. Specifically, we propose a novel conceptual framework for root exudates. This framework is built upon two main concepts: (1) root exudation of primary metabolites is driven by diffusion, with plants and microbes both modulating concentration gradients and therefore diffusion rates to soil depending on their nutritional status; (2) exuded metabolite concentrations can be sensed at the root tip and signals are translated to modify root architecture. The flux of primary metabolites through root exudation is mostly located at the root tip, where the lack of cell differentiation favors diffusion of metabolites to the soil. We show examples of how the root tip senses concentration changes of exuded metabolites and translates that into signals to modify root growth. Plants can modify the concentration of metabolites either by controlling source/sink processes or by expressing and regulating efflux carriers, therefore challenging the idea of root exudation as a purely unregulated passive process. Through root exudate flux, plants can locally enhance concentrations of many common metabolites, which can serve as sensors and integrators of the plant nutritional status and of the nutrient availability in the surrounding environment. Plant-associated micro-organisms also constitute a strong sink for plant carbon, thereby increasing concentration gradients of metabolites and affecting root exudation. Understanding the mechanisms of and the effects that environmental stimuli have on the magnitude and type of root exudation will ultimately improve our knowledge of processes determining soil CO₂ emissions, ecosystem functioning, and how to improve the sustainability of agricultural production.

Chloroplast-localized BICAT proteins shape stromal calcium signals and are required for efficient photosynthesis

The photosynthetic machinery of plants must be regulated to maximize the efficiency of light reactions and CO₂ fixation. Changes in free Ca²⁺ in the stroma of chloroplasts have been observed at the transition between light and darkness, and also in response to stress stimuli. Such Ca²⁺ dynamics have been proposed to regulate photosynthetic capacity. However, the molecular mechanisms of Ca²⁺ fluxes in the chloroplasts have been unknown. By employing a Ca²⁺ reporter-based approach, we identified two chloroplast-localized Ca²⁺ transporters in Arabidopsis thaliana, BICAT1 and BICAT2, that determine the amplitude of the darkness-induced Ca²⁺ signal in the chloroplast stroma. BICAT2 mediated Ca²⁺ uptake across the chloroplast envelope, and its knockout mutation strongly dampened the dark-induced [Ca²⁺ ]_stroma signal. Conversely, this Ca²⁺ transient was increased in knockout mutants of BICAT1, which transports Ca²⁺ into the thylakoid lumen. Knockout mutation of BICAT2 caused severe defects in chloroplast morphology, pigmentation and photosynthetic light reactions, rendering bicat2 mutants barely viable under autotrophic growth conditions, while bicat1 mutants were less affected. These results show that BICAT transporters play a role in chloroplast Ca²⁺ homeostasis. They are also involved in the regulation of photosynthesis and plant productivity. Further work will be required to reveal whether the effect on photosynthesis is a direct result of their role as Ca²⁺ transporters.

Identification of cell populations necessary for leaf-to-leaf electrical signaling in a wounded plant

Numerous modes of long-distance electrical signaling exist in nature. The best known of these, axonal conduction, requires one primary cell population, i.e., neurons. In contrast, the cell types that mediate leaf-to-leaf electrical signaling in wounded plants have not been defined rigorously. Using genetic approaches, we find that two distinct populations of cells in the vasculature matrix are needed to perform this function. Surprisingly, these cells do not contact each other directly. As we further defined the plant wound response, we found that wound-induced membrane depolarizations preceded large intravasculature calcium fluxes. We reveal a two-cell-type mode of electrical signaling in leaves and discuss parallels and differences in electrical signaling outside the plant kingdom.

The identity of the cell files necessary for the leaf-to-leaf transmission of wound signals plants has been debated for decades. In Arabidopsis, wounding initiates the glutamate receptor-like (GLR)–dependent propagation of membrane depolarizations that lead to defense gene activation. Using a vein extraction procedure we found pools of GLR-fusion proteins in endomembranes in phloem sieve elements and/or in xylem contact cells. Strikingly, only double mutants that eliminated GLRs from both of these spatially separated cell types strongly attenuated leaf-to-leaf electrical signaling. glr3.3 mutants were also compromised in their defense against herbivores. Since wounding is known to cause increases in cytosolic calcium, we monitored electrical signals and Ca²⁺ transients simultaneously. This revealed that wound-induced membrane depolarizations in the wild-type preceded cytosolic Ca²⁺ maxima. The axial and radial distributions of calcium fluxes were differentially affected in each glr mutant. Resolving a debate over which cell types are necessary for electrical signaling between leaves, we show that phloem sieve elements and xylem contact cells function together in this process.

Pharmacological Strategies for Manipulating Plant Ca2+ Signalling

Calcium is one of the most pleiotropic second messengers in all living organisms. However, signalling specificity is encoded via spatio-temporally regulated signatures that act with surgical precision to elicit highly specific cellular responses. How this is brought about remains a big challenge in the plant field, in part due to a lack of specific tools to manipulate/interrogate the plant Ca2+ toolkit. In many cases, researchers resort to tools that were optimized in animal cells. However, the obviously large evolutionary distance between plants and animals implies that there is a good chance observed effects may not be specific to the intended plant target. Here, we provide an overview of pharmacological strategies that are commonly used to activate or inhibit plant Ca2+ signalling. We focus on highlighting modes of action where possible, and warn for potential pitfalls. Together, this review aims at guiding plant researchers through the Ca2+ pharmacology swamp.

The contribution of organelles to plant intracellular Calcium signalling

Calcium (Ca2+) is among the most important intracellular messengers in living organisms. Understanding of the players and dynamics of Ca2+ signalling pathways in plants may help to unravel the molecular basis of their exceptional flexibility to respond and to adapt to different stimuli. In the present review we focus on new tools that have recently revolutionized our view of organellar Ca2+ signalling as well as on the current knowledge regarding the pathways mediating Ca2+ fluxes across intracellular membranes. The contribution of organelles and cellular subcompartments to the orchestrated response via Ca2+ signalling within a cell is also discussed, underlining the fact that one of the greatest challenges in the field is the elucidation of how influx and efflux Ca2+ transporters/channels are regulated in a concerted manner to translate specific information into a Ca2+ signature.

Comparing Plant and Animal Glutamate Receptors: Common Traits but Different Fates?

Animal ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) are ligand-gated channels whose evolution is intimately linked to the one of the nervous system, where the agonist glutamate and co-agonists glycine/D-serine act as neuro-transmitters or -modulators. While iGluRs are specialized in neuronal communication, plant glutamate receptor-like (GLR) homologues have evolved many plant-specific physiological functions, such as sperm signaling in moss, pollen tube growth, root meristem proliferation, innate immune and wound responses. GLRs have been associated with Ca2+ signaling by directly channeling its extracellular influx into the cytosol. Nevertheless, very limited information on functional properties of GLRs is available, and we mostly rely on structure/function data obtained for animal iGluRs to interpret experimental results obtained for plant GLRs. Yet, a deeper characterization and better understanding of plant GLRs is progressively unveiling original and different mode of functions when compared to their mammalian counterparts. Here, we review the function of plant GLRs comparing their predicted structure and physiological roles to the well-documented ones of iGluRs. We conclude that interpreting GLR function based on comparison to their animal counterparts calls for caution, especially when presuming physiological roles and mode of action for plant GLRs from comparison to iGluRs in peripheral, non-neuronal tissues.

Cloning and characterization of a specific UDP-glycosyltransferase gene induced by DON and Fusarium graminearum

TaUGT5: can reduce the proliferation and destruction of F. graminearum and enhance the ability of FHB resistance in wheat. Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most important toxins produced by Fusarium species that enhances the spread of the pathogen in the host. As a defense, the UDP-glycosyltransferase (UGT) family has been deduced to transform DON into the less toxic form DON-3-O-glucoside (D3G), but the specific gene member in wheat that is responsible for Fusarium head blight (FHB) resistance has been little investigated and proved. In this study, a DON and Fusarium graminearum responsive gene TaUGT5, which is specific for resistant cultivars, was cloned with a 1431 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding 476 amino acids in Sumai3. TaUGT5 is located on chromosome 2B, which has been confirmed in nulli-tetrasomic lines of Chinese Spring (CS) and is solely expressed among three homologs on the A, B and D genomes. Over-expression of this gene in Arabidopsis conferred enhanced tolerance when grown on agar plates that contain DON. Similarly, the coleoptiles of wheat over-expressing TaUGT5 showed more resistance to F. graminearum, evidencing reduced proliferation and destruction of plant tissue by the pathogen. However, the disease resistance in spikes was not as significant as that on coleoptile compared with wild-type plants. A subcellular localization analysis revealed that TaUGT5 was localized on the plasma membrane of tobacco leaf epidermal cells. It is possible that TaUGT5 could enhance tolerance to DON, protect the plant cell from the pathogen infection and result in better maintenance of the cell structure, which slows down pathogen proliferation in plant tissue.

Impact of the ion transportome of chloroplasts on the optimization of photosynthesis

Ions play fundamental roles in all living cells, and their gradients are often essential to fuel transport, regulate enzyme activities, and transduce energy within cells. Regulation of their homeostasis is essential for cell metabolism. Recent results indicate that modulation of ion fluxes might also represent a useful strategy to regulate one of the most important physiological processes taking place in chloroplasts, photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is highly regulated, due to its unique role as a cellular engine for growth in the light. Controlling the balance between ATP and NADPH synthesis is a critical task, and availability of these molecules can limit the overall photosynthetic yield. Photosynthetic organisms optimize photosynthesis in low light, where excitation energy limits CO2 fixation, and minimize photo-oxidative damage in high light by dissipating excess photons. Despite extensive studies of these phenomena, the mechanism governing light utilization in plants is still poorly understood. In this review, we provide an update of the recently identified chloroplast-located ion channels and transporters whose function impacts photosynthetic efficiency in plants.

How do plants sense their nitrogen status?

The primary processes that contribute to the efficient capture of soil nitrate are the development of a root system that effectively explores the soil and the expression of high-affinity nitrate uptake systems in those roots. Both these processes are highly regulated to take into account the availability and distribution of external nitrate pools and the endogenous N status of the plant. While significant progress has been made in elucidating the early steps in sensing and responding to external nitrate, there is much less clarity about how the plant monitors its N status. This review specifically addresses the questions of what N compounds are sensed and in which part of the plant, as well as the identity of the signalling pathways responsible for their detection. Candidates that are considered for the role of N sensory systems include the target of rapamycin (TOR) signalling pathway, the general control non-derepressible 2 (GCN2) pathway, the plastidic PII-dependent pathway, and the family of glutamate-like receptors (GLRs). However, despite significant recent progress in elucidating the function and mode of action of these signalling systems, there is still much uncertainty about the extent to which they contribute to the process by which plants monitor their N status. The possibility is discussed that the large GLR family of Ca2+ channels, which are gated by a wide range of different amino acids and expressed throughout the plant, could act as amino acid sensors upstream of a Ca2+-regulated signalling pathway, such as the TOR pathway, to regulate the plant's response to changes in N status.

Altered expression of polyamine transporters reveals a role for spermidine in the timing of flowering and other developmental response pathways

Changes in the levels of polyamines are correlated with the activation or repression of developmental response pathways, but the role of polyamine transporters in the regulation of polyamine homeostasis and thus indirectly gene expression, has not been previously addressed. Here we show that the A. thaliana and rice transporters AtPUT5 and OsPUT1 were localized to the ER, while the AtPUT2, AtPUT3, and OsPUT3 were localized to the chloroplast by transient expression in N. benthamiana. A. thaliana plants that were transformed with OsPUT1 under the control the PUT5 promoter were delayed in flowering by 16days. In contrast, put5 mutants flowered four days earlier than WT plants. The delay of flowering was associated with significantly higher levels of spermidine and spermidine conjugates in the leaves prior to flowering. A similar delay in flowering was also noted in transgenic lines with constitutive expression of either OsPUT1 or OsPUT3. All three transgenic lines had larger rosette leaves, thicker flowering stems, and produced more siliques than wild type plants. In contrast, put5 plants had smaller leaves, thinner flowering stems, and produced fewer siliques. Constitutive expression of PUTs was also associated with an extreme delay in both plant senescence and maturation rate of siliques. These experiments provide the first genetic evidence of polyamine transport in the timing of flowering, and indicate the importance of polyamine transporters in the regulation of flowering and senescence pathways.

Dual-targeting of Arabidopsis DMP1 isoforms to the tonoplast and the plasma membrane

The reports of dual-targeted proteins in plants have steadily increased over the past years. The vast majority of these proteins are soluble proteins distributed between compartments of the non-secretory pathway, predominantly chloroplasts and mitochondria. In contrast, dual-targeted transmembrane proteins, especially of the secretory pathway, are rare and the mechanisms leading to their differential targeting remain largely unknown. Here, we report dual-targeting of the Arabidopsis DUF679 Membrane Protein 1 (DMP1) to the tonoplast (TP) and the plasma membrane (PM). In Arabidopsis and tobacco two equally abundant DMP1 isoforms are synthesized by alternative translation initiation: a full length protein, DMP1.1, and a truncated one, DMP1.2, which lacks the N-terminal 19 amino acids including a TP-targeting dileucine motif. Accumulation of DMP1.1 and DMP1.2 in the TP and the PM, respectively, is Brefeldin A-sensitive, indicating transit via the Golgi. However, DMP1.2 interacts with DMP1.1, leading to extensive rerouting of DMP1.2 to the TP and “eclipsed” localization of DMP1.2 in the PM where it is barely visible by confocal laser scanning microscopy but clearly detectable by membrane fractionation. It is demonstrated that eGFP fusion to either DMP1 terminus can cause mistargeting artifacts: C-terminal fusion to DMP1.1 or DMP1.2 results in altered ER export and N-terminal fusion to DMP1.1 causes mistargeting to the PM, presumably by masking of the TP targeting signal. These results illustrate how the interplay of alternative translation initiation, presence or absence of targeting information and rerouting due to protein-protein interaction determines the ultimate distribution of a transmembrane protein between two membranes.

Heterologous Expression and Functional Analysis of Rice GLUTAMATE RECEPTOR-LIKE Family Indicates its Role in Glutamate Triggered Calcium Flux in Rice Roots

BACKGROUND

Tremendous progress has been made in understanding the functions of the GLUTAMATE RECEPTOR-LIKE (GLR) family in Arabidopsis. Still, the functions of OsGLRs in rice, especially the ion channel activities, are largely unknown.

RESULTS

Using the aequorin-based luminescence imaging system, we screened the specificity of amino acids involved in the induction of Ca(2+) flux in rice roots. Of all the amino acids tested, glutamate (Glu) was the only one to trigger Ca(2+) flux significantly in rice roots. Detailed analysis showed a dose response of Ca(2+) increase to different concentrations of Glu. In addition, the Ca(2+) spike response to Glu was rapid, within 20 s after the application. A desensitization assay and pharmacological tests showed that the Glu-triggered Ca(2+) flux is mediated by OsGLRs. Whole genome analysis identified 13 OsGLR genes in rice, and these genes have various expression patterns in different tissues. Subcellular localization studies showed that all the OsGLRs examined are likely localized to the plasma membrane. Bacteria growth assays showed that at least OsGLR2.1 and OsGLR3.2 have the potential to mediate ion uptake in bacteria. Further analysis using Fura-2-based Ca(2+) imaging revealed a Glu-triggered Ca(2+) increase in OsGLR2.1-expressing human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Our work provides a molecular basis for investigating mechanisms of Glu-triggered Ca(2+) flux in rice.

Evolutionary insight into the ionotropic glutamate receptor superfamily of photosynthetic organisms

Photosynthetic eukaryotes have a complex evolutionary history shaped by multiple endosymbiosis events that required a tight coordination between the organelles and the rest of the cell. Plant ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGLRs) form a large superfamily of proteins with a predicted or proven non-selective cation channel activity regulated by a broad range of amino acids. They are involved in different physiological processes such as C/N sensing, resistance against fungal infection, root and pollen tube growth and response to wounding and pathogens. Most of the present knowledge is limited to iGLRs located in plasma membranes. However, recent studies localized different iGLR isoforms to mitochondria and/or chloroplasts, suggesting the possibility that they play a specific role in bioenergetic processes. In this work, we performed a comparative analysis of GLR sequences from bacteria and various photosynthetic eukaryotes. In particular, novel types of selectivity filters of bacteria are reported adding new examples of the great diversity of the GLR superfamily. The highest variability in GLR sequences was found among the algal sequences (cryptophytes, diatoms, brown and green algae). GLRs of land plants are not closely related to the GLRs of green algae analyzed in this work. The GLR family underwent a great expansion in vascular plants. Among plant GLRs, Clade III includes sequences from Physcomitrella patens, Marchantia polymorpha and gymnosperms and can be considered the most ancient, while other clades likely emerged later. In silico analysis allowed the identification of sequences with a putative target to organelles. Sequences with a predicted localization to mitochondria and chloroplasts are randomly distributed among different type of GLRs, suggesting that no compartment-related specific function has been maintained across the species.

Dissecting stimulus-specific Ca2+ signals in amyloplasts and chloroplasts of Arabidopsis thaliana cell suspension cultures

Calcium is used by plants as an intracellular messenger in the detection of and response to a plethora of environmental stimuli and contributes to a fine-tuned internal regulation. Interest in the role of different subcellular compartments in Ca(2+) homeostasis and signalling has been growing in recent years. This work has evaluated the potential participation of non-green plastids and chloroplasts in the plant Ca(2+) signalling network using heterotrophic and autotrophic cell suspension cultures from Arabidopsis thaliana plant lines stably expressing the bioluminescent Ca(2+) reporter aequorin targeted to the plastid stroma. Our results indicate that both amyloplasts and chloroplasts are involved in transient Ca(2+) increases in the plastid stroma induced by several environmental stimuli, suggesting that these two functional types of plastids are endowed with similar mechanisms for handling Ca(2+) A comparison of the Ca(2+) trace kinetics recorded in parallel in the plastid stroma, the surface of the outer membrane of the plastid envelope, and the cytosol indicated that plastids play an essential role in switching off different cytosolic Ca(2+) signals. Interestingly, a transient stromal Ca(2+) signal in response to the light-to-dark transition was observed in chloroplasts, but not amyloplasts. Moreover, significant differences in the amplitude of specific plastidial Ca(2+) changes emerged when the photosynthetic metabolism of chloroplasts was reactivated by light. In summary, our work highlights differences between non-green plastids and chloroplasts in terms of Ca(2+) dynamics in response to environmental stimuli.

Ion Channels in Plant Bioenergetic Organelles, Chloroplasts and Mitochondria: From Molecular Identification to Function

Recent technical advances in electrophysiological measurements, organelle-targeted fluorescence imaging, and organelle proteomics have pushed the research of ion transport a step forward in the case of the plant bioenergetic organelles, chloroplasts and mitochondria, leading to the molecular identification and functional characterization of several ion transport systems in recent years. Here we focus on channels that mediate relatively high-rate ion and water flux and summarize the current knowledge in this field, focusing on targeting mechanisms, proteomics, electrophysiology, and physiological function. In addition, since chloroplasts evolved from a cyanobacterial ancestor, we give an overview of the information available about cyanobacterial ion channels and discuss the evolutionary origin of chloroplast channels. The recent molecular identification of some of these ion channels allowed their physiological functions to be studied using genetically modified Arabidopsis plants and cyanobacteria. The view is emerging that alteration of chloroplast and mitochondrial ion homeostasis leads to organelle dysfunction, which in turn significantly affects the energy metabolism of the whole organism. Clear-cut identification of genes encoding for channels in these organelles, however, remains a major challenge in this rapidly developing field. Multiple strategies including bioinformatics, cell biology, electrophysiology, use of organelle-targeted ion-sensitive probes, genetics, and identification of signals eliciting specific ion fluxes across organelle membranes should provide a better understanding of the physiological role of organellar channels and their contribution to signaling pathways in plants in the future.

Calcium-dependent regulation of photosynthesis

The understanding of calcium as a second messenger in plants has been growing intensively over the last decades. Recently, attention has been drawn to the organelles, especially the chloroplast but focused on the stromal Ca2+ transients in response to environmental stresses. Herein we will expand this view and discuss the role of Ca2+ in photosynthesis. Moreover we address of how Ca2+ is delivered to chloroplast stroma and thylakoids. Thereby, new light is shed on the regulation of photosynthetic electron flow and light-dependent metabolism by the interplay of Ca2+, thylakoid acidification and redox status. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Chloroplast biogenesis.

Signalling via glutamate and GLRs in Arabidopsis thaliana

The genome of Arabidopsis thaliana (L. Heynh.) contains 20 coding sequences for homologues of animal ionotropic glutamate receptors. These glutamate receptor-like receptors act as sensors and mediators of a multitude of exogenous as well as endogenous signals and are found in all analysed plant species. Their molecular structure clearly indicates a function as integral membrane proteins with a ligand-gated ion channel activity. Altered gene expressions and the occurrence of mRNA splice variants confer a high flexibility on the gene as well as on the RNA level. An individual glutamate receptor of A. thaliana is able to bind two different ligands (most probable amino acids and their derivatives), whereas a functional receptor complex is likely to consist of four single proteins. These features enable an immense number of sensitivities against various local and temporal stimuli. This review encompasses the last 15 years of research concerning glutamate signalling and glutamate receptors in plants. It is aimed at summarising their major characteristics and involvements to obtain a broader and farer reaching perspective of these fundamental components of plant signal transduction.

Fluorescent Protein Aided Insights on Plastids and their Extensions: A Critical Appraisal

Multi-colored fluorescent proteins targeted to plastids have provided new insights on the dynamic behavior of these organelles and their interactions with other cytoplasmic components and compartments. Sub-plastidic components such as thylakoids, stroma, the inner and outer membranes of the plastid envelope, nucleoids, plastoglobuli, and starch grains have been efficiently highlighted in living plant cells. In addition, stroma filled membrane extensions called stromules have drawn attention to the dynamic nature of the plastid and its interactions with the rest of the cell. Use of dual and triple fluorescent protein combinations has begun to reveal plastid interactions with mitochondria, the nucleus, the endoplasmic reticulum and F-actin and suggests integral roles of plastids in retrograde signaling, cell to cell communication as well as plant-pathogen interactions. While the rapid advances and insights achieved through fluorescent protein based research on plastids are commendable it is necessary to endorse meaningful observations but subject others to closer scrutiny. Here, in order to develop a better and more comprehensive understanding of plastids and their extensions we provide a critical appraisal of recent information that has been acquired using targeted fluorescent protein probes.

Alternative splicing-mediated targeting of the Arabidopsis GLUTAMATE RECEPTOR3.5 to mitochondria affects organelle morphology

Since the discovery of 20 genes encoding for putative ionotropic glutamate receptors in the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) genome, there has been considerable interest in uncovering their physiological functions. For many of these receptors, neither their channel formation and/or physiological roles nor their localization within the plant cells is known. Here, we provide, to our knowledge, new information about in vivo protein localization and give insight into the biological roles of the so-far uncharacterized Arabidopsis GLUTAMATE RECEPTOR3.5 (AtGLR3.5), a member of subfamily 3 of plant glutamate receptors. Using the pGREAT vector designed for the expression of fusion proteins in plants, we show that a splicing variant of AtGLR3.5 targets the inner mitochondrial membrane, while the other variant localizes to chloroplasts. Mitochondria of knockout or silenced plants showed a strikingly altered ultrastructure, lack of cristae, and swelling. Furthermore, using a genetically encoded mitochondria-targeted calcium probe, we measured a slightly reduced mitochondrial calcium uptake capacity in the knockout mutant. These observations indicate a functional expression of AtGLR3.5 in this organelle. Furthermore, AtGLR3.5-less mutant plants undergo anticipated senescence. Our data thus represent, to our knowledge, the first evidence of splicing-regulated organellar targeting of a plant ion channel and identify the first cation channel in plant mitochondria from a molecular point of view.

Ions channels/transporters and chloroplast regulation

Ions play fundamental roles in all living cells and their gradients are often essential to fuel transports, to regulate enzyme activities and to transduce energy within and between cells. Their homeostasis is therefore an essential component of the cell metabolism. Ions must be imported from the extracellular matrix to their final subcellular compartments. Among them, the chloroplast is a particularly interesting example because there, ions not only modulate enzyme activities, but also mediate ATP synthesis and actively participate in the building of the photosynthetic structures by promoting membrane-membrane interaction. In this review, we first provide a comprehensive view of the different machineries involved in ion trafficking and homeostasis in the chloroplast, and then discuss peculiar functions exerted by ions in the frame of photochemical conversion of absorbed light energy.

Calcium signaling in plant endosymbiotic organelles: mechanism and role in physiology

Recent studies have demonstrated that chloroplasts and mitochondria evoke specific Ca(2+) signals in response to biotic and abiotic stresses in a stress-dependent manner. The identification of Ca(2+) transporters and Ca(2+) signaling molecules in chloroplasts and mitochondria implies that they play roles in controlling not only intra-organellar functions, but also extra-organellar processes such as plant immunity and stress responses. It appears that organellar Ca(2+) signaling might be more important to plant cell functions than previously thought. This review briefly summarizes what is known about the molecular basis of Ca(2+) signaling in plant mitochondria and chloroplasts.

Glutamate receptor-like channels in plants: a role as amino acid sensors in plant defence?

Plant glutamate receptor-like genes (GLRs) are homologous to the genes for mammalian ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs), after which they were named, but in the 16 years since their existence was first revealed, progress in elucidating their biological role has been disappointingly slow. Recently, however, studies from a number of laboratories focusing on the model plant species Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) have thrown new light on the functional properties of some members of the GLR gene family. One important finding has been that plant GLR receptors have a much broader ligand specificity than their mammalian iGluR counterparts, with evidence that some individual GLR receptors can be gated by as many as seven amino acids. These results, together with the ubiquity of their expression throughout the plant, open up the possibility that GLR receptors could have a pervasive role in plants as non-specific amino acid sensors in diverse biological processes. Addressing what one of these roles could be, recent studies examining the wound response and disease susceptibility in GLR knockout mutants have provided evidence that some members of clade 3 of the GLR gene family encode important components of the plant's defence response. Ways in which this family of amino acid receptors might contribute to the plant's ability to respond to an attack from pests and pathogens are discussed.

Glutamate signalling in roots

As a signalling molecule, glutamate is best known for its role as a fast excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian nervous system, a role that requires the activity of a family of ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs). The unexpected discovery in 1998 that Arabidopsis thaliana L. possesses a family of iGluR-related (GLR) genes laid the foundations for an assessment of glutamate's potential role as a signalling molecule in plants that is still in progress. Recent advances in elucidating the function of Arabidopsis GLR receptors has revealed similarities with iGluRs in their channel properties, but marked differences in their ligand specificities. The ability of plant GLR receptors to act as amino-acid-gated Ca(2+) channels with a broad agonist profile, combined with their expression throughout the plant, makes them strong candidates for a multiplicity of amino acid signalling roles. Although root growth is inhibited in the presence of a number of amino acids, only glutamate elicits a specific sequence of changes in growth, root tip morphology, and root branching. The recent finding that the MEKK1 gene is a positive regulator of glutamate sensitivity at the root tip has provided genetic evidence for the existence in plants of a glutamate signalling pathway analogous to those found in animals. This short review will discuss the most recent advances in understanding glutamate signalling in roots, considering them in the context of previous work in plants and animals.

Genome-wide expressional and functional analysis of calcium transport elements during abiotic stress and development in rice

Ca²⁺ homeostasis is required to maintain a delicate balance of cytosolic Ca²⁺ during normal and adverse growth conditions. Various Ca²⁺ transporters actively participate to maintain this delicate balance especially during abiotic stresses and developmental events in plants. In this study, we present a genome-wide account, detailing expression profiles, subcellular localization and functional analysis of rice Ca²⁺ transport elements. Exhaustive in silico data mining and analysis resulted in the identification of 81 Ca²⁺ transport element genes, which belong to various groups such as Ca²⁺-ATPases (pumps), exchangers, channels, glutamate receptor homologs and annexins. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that different Ca²⁺ transporters are evolutionarily conserved across different plant species. Comprehensive expression analysis by gene chip microarray and quantitative RT-PCR revealed that a substantial proportion of Ca²⁺ transporter genes were expressed differentially under abiotic stresses (salt, cold and drought) and reproductive developmental stages (panicle and seed) in rice. These findings suggest a possible role of rice Ca²⁺ transporters in abiotic stress and development triggered signaling pathways. Subcellular localization of Ca²⁺ transporters from different groups in Nicotiana benthamiana revealed their variable localization to different compartments, which could be their possible sites of action. Complementation of Ca²⁺ transport activity of K616 yeast mutant by Ca²⁺-ATPase OsACA7 and involvement in salt tolerance verified its functional behavior. This study will encourage detailed characterization of potential candidate Ca²⁺ transporters for their functional role in planta.

Plant calcium-permeable channels

Experimental and modeling breakthroughs will help establish the genetic identities of plant calcium channels.

Regulation of photosynthesis by ion channels in cyanobacteria and higher plants

Photosynthesis converts light energy into chemical energy, and supplies ATP and NADPH for CO2 fixation into carbohydrates and for the synthesis of several compounds which are essential for autotrophic growth. Oxygenic photosynthesis takes place in thylakoid membranes of chloroplasts and photosynthetic prokaryote cyanobacteria. An ancestral photoautotrophic prokaryote related to cyanobacteria has been proposed to give rise to chloroplasts of plants and algae through an endosymbiotic event. Indeed, photosynthetic complexes involved in the electron transport coupled to H(+) translocation and ATP synthesis are similar in higher plants and cyanobacteria. Furthermore, some of the protein and solute/ion conducting machineries also share common structure and function. Electrophysiological and biochemical evidence support the existence of ion channels in the thylakoid membrane in both types of organisms. By allowing specific ion fluxes across thylakoid membranes, ion channels have been hypothesized to either directly or indirectly regulate photosynthesis, by modulating the proton motive force. Recent molecular identification of some of the thylakoid-located channels allowed to obtain genetic proof in favor of such hypothesis. Furthermore, some ion channels of the envelope membrane in chloroplasts have also been shown to impact on this light-driven process. Here we give an overview of thylakoid/chloroplast located ion channels of higher plants and of cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. We focus on channels shown to be implicated in the regulation of photosynthesis and discuss the possible mechanisms of action.

A plant homolog of animal glutamate receptors is an ion channel gated by multiple hydrophobic amino acids

Ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) are ligand-gated cation channels that mediate neurotransmission in animal nervous systems. Homologous proteins in plants have been implicated in root development, ion transport, and several metabolic and signaling pathways. AtGLR3.4, a plant iGluR homolog from Arabidopsis thaliana, has ion channel activity and is gated by asparagine, serine, and glycine. Using heterologous expression in Xenopus oocytes, we found that another Arabidopsis iGluR homolog, AtGLR1.4, functioned as a ligand-gated, nonselective, Ca(2+)-permeable cation channel that responded to an even broader range of amino acids, none of which are agonists of animal iGluRs. Seven of the 20 standard amino acids--mainly hydrophobic ones--acted as agonists, with methionine being most effective and most potent. Nine amino acids were antagonists, and four, including glutamate and glycine, had no effect on channel activity. We constructed a model of this previously uncharacterized ligand specificity and used knockout mutants to show that AtGLR1.4 accounts for methionine-induced membrane depolarization in Arabidopsis leaves.

Wheat hypersensitive-induced reaction genes TaHIR1 and TaHIR3 are involved in response to stripe rust fungus infection and abiotic stresses

KEY MESSAGE : TaHIR1 and TaHIR3 play positive roles in resistance to the stripe rust fungus via inducing HR and regulating defense-related genes, but are negatively regulated by various abiotic stimuli. Plant hypersensitive-induced reaction (HIR) genes are known to be associated with the hypersensitive response and disease defense. In wheat, two HIR genes, TaHIR1 and TaHIR3, have been identified and found to be up-regulated after infection with the stripe rust fungus. Here, we further determined their roles in defense against abiotic stresses and the stripe rust pathogen, Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici. TaHIR1 and TaHIR3 proteins were localized in the plasma membrane of tobacco cells. The expression of TaHIR1 and TaHIR3 was reduced by the environmental stimuli, including low temperature, drought, and high salinity stresses. In addition, the expression of TaHIR1 and TaHIR3 was down-regulated by exogenously applied ethrel and abscisic acid, whereas expression was not affected by treatments with salicylic acid and methyl jasmonate. Furthermore, barley stripe mosaic virus-induced gene silencing of TaHIR1 and TaHIR3 reduced resistance in wheat cultivar Suwon11 against an avirulent stripe rust pathotype CYR23 and area of necrotic cells neighboring the infection sites, and altered the expression levels of defense-related genes. These results suggest that TaHIR1 and TaHIR3 function positively in the incompatible interaction of wheat-stripe rust fungus, but exhibit negative transcriptional response to abiotic stresses.

Glutamate receptor homologs in plants: functions and evolutionary origins

The plant glutamate-like receptor homologs (GLRs) are homologs of mammalian ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) which were discovered more than 10 years ago, and are hypothesized to be potential amino acid sensors in plants. Although initial progress on this gene family has been hampered by gene redundancy and technical issues such as gene toxicity; genetic, pharmacological, and electrophysiological approaches are starting to uncover the functions of this protein family. In parallel, there has been tremendous progress in elucidating the structure of animal glutamate receptors (iGluRs), which in turn will help understanding of the molecular mechanisms of plant GLR functions. In this review, we will summarize recent progress on the plant GLRs. Emerging evidence implicates plant GLRs in various biological processes in and beyond N sensing, and implies that there is some overlap in the signaling mechanisms of amino acids between plants and animals. Phylogenetic analysis using iGluRs from metazoans, plants, and bacteria showed that the plant GLRs are no more closely related to metazoan iGluRs as they are to bacterial iGluRs, indicating the separation of plant, other eukaryotic, and bacterial GLRs might have happened as early on as the last universal common ancestor. Structural similarities and differences with animal iGluRs, and the implication thereof, are also discussed.

The ins and outs of cellular Ca(2+) transport

The cytoplasmic Ca(2+) signals that participate in nearly all aspects of plant growth and development encode information as binary switches or information-rich signatures. They are the result of influx (thermodynamically passive) and efflux (thermodynamically active) activities mediated by membrane transport proteins. On the influx side, confirming the molecular identities of Ca(2+)-permeable channels is still a major research topic. Cyclic nucleotide-gated channels and glutamate receptor-like channels are candidates well supported by evidence. On the efflux side, CAX antiporters and P-type ATPase pumps are the principal molecular entities. Both of these active transporters load Ca(2+) into specific compartments and have the potential to reduce the magnitude and duration of a Ca(2+) transient. Recent studies indicate calmodulin-activated Ca(2+) pumps in endomembrane systems can dampen the magnitude and duration of a Ca(2+) transient that could otherwise grow into a Ca(2+) cell death signature. An important challenge following molecular characterization of the influx and efflux pathways is to understand how they are coordinately regulated to produce a Ca(2+) switch or encode specific information into a Ca(2+) signature.

Characterisation of 13 glutamate receptor-like genes encoded in the tomato genome by structure, phylogeny and expression profiles

Glutamate receptor-like genes (GLRs) are intimately associated with plant development, defence responses and signalling pathways. Structural and expression analyses of SlGLRs were performed to better characterise their roles in fruit development and metabolism. Utilising recently released tomato genomic sequence data, 15 GLRs were identified in the tomato genome (SlGLRs). Thirteen of these genes were represented by full-length sequences. Phylogenetic analysis of the SlGLRs and the AtGLRs indicates the occurrence of a tomato-specific clade (Clade I) that may have diverged prior to the evolving of other clades. Among the Clade II genes, five (SlGLR2.1, SlGLR2.2, SlGLR2.3, SlGLR2.4, and SlGLR2.5) were located proximally on chromosome 6, indicating possible gene duplication events. The expression level of four of these genes was low in all analysed samples. However, SlGLR2.2 expression level was notably higher, indicating that this gene may be functionally important. The results of this study may provide clues to the functions of the SlGLRs and enable future detailed characterisations of each gene.