1
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Brooks CJ, Atamian HS, Harmer SL. Multiple light signaling pathways control solar tracking in sunflowers. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002344. [PMID: 37906610 PMCID: PMC10617704 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Sunflowers are famous for their ability to track the sun throughout the day and then reorient at night to face east the following morning. This occurs by differential growth patterns, with the east sides of stems growing more during the day and the west sides of stems growing more at night. This process, termed heliotropism, is generally believed to be a specialized form of phototropism; however, the underlying mechanism is unknown. To better understand heliotropism, we compared gene expression patterns in plants undergoing phototropism in a controlled environment and in plants initiating and maintaining heliotropic growth in the field. We found the expected transcriptome signatures of phototropin-mediated phototropism in sunflower stems bending towards monochromatic blue light. Surprisingly, the expression patterns of these phototropism-regulated genes are quite different in heliotropic plants. Most genes rapidly induced during phototropism display only minor differences in expression across solar tracking stems. However, some genes that are both rapidly induced during phototropism and are implicated in growth responses to foliar shade are rapidly induced on the west sides of stems at the onset of heliotropism, suggesting a possible role for red light photoreceptors in solar tracking. To test the involvement of different photoreceptor signaling pathways in heliotropism, we modulated the light environment of plants initiating solar tracking. We found that depletion of either red and far-red light or blue light did not hinder the initiation or maintenance of heliotropism in the field. Together, our results suggest that the transcriptional regulation of heliotropism is distinct from phototropin-mediated phototropism and likely involves inputs from multiple light signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J. Brooks
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Hagop S. Atamian
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California, United States of America
| | - Stacey L. Harmer
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
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2
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Temporal and spatial niche complementarity in sunflower pollinator communities and pollination function. Basic Appl Ecol 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2023.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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3
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Gao Y, Lu Y, Song Y, Jing L. Analysis of codon usage bias of WRKY transcription factors in Helianthus annuus. BMC Genom Data 2022; 23:46. [PMID: 35725374 PMCID: PMC9210703 DOI: 10.1186/s12863-022-01064-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
The phenomenon of codon usage bias is known to exist in many genomes and is mainly determined by mutation and selection. Codon usage bias analysis is a suitable strategy for identifying the principal evolutionary driving forces in different organisms. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is an annual crop that is cultivated worldwide as ornamentals, food plants and for their valuable oil. The WRKY family genes in plants play a central role in diverse regulation and multiple stress responses. Evolutionary analysis of WRKY family genes of H. annuus can provide rich genetic information for developing hybridization resources of the genus Helianthus.
Results
Bases composition analysis showed the average GC content of WRKY genes of H. annuus was 43.42%, and the average GC3 content was 39.60%, suggesting that WRKY gene family prefers A/T(U) ending codons. There were 29 codons with relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) greater than 1 and 22 codons ending with A and U base. The effective number of codons (ENC) and codon adaptation index (CAI) in WRKY genes ranged from 43.47–61.00 and 0.14–0.26, suggesting that the codon bias was weak and WRKY genes expression level was low. Neutrality analysis found a significant correlation between GC12 and GC3. ENC-plot showed most genes on or close to the expected curve, suggesting that mutational bias played a major role in shaping codon usage. The Parity Rule 2 plot (PR2) analysis showed that the usage of AT and GC was disproportionate. A total of three codons were identified as the optimal codons.
Conclusion
Apart from natural selection effects, most of the genetic evolution in the H. annuus WRKY genome might be driven by mutation pressure. Our results provide a theoretical foundation for elaborating the genetic architecture and mechanisms of H. annuus and contributing to enrich H. annuus genetic resources.
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4
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Hoopes GM, Zarka D, Feke A, Acheson K, Hamilton JP, Douches D, Buell CR, Farré EM. Keeping time in the dark: Potato diel and circadian rhythmic gene expression reveals tissue-specific circadian clocks. PLANT DIRECT 2022; 6:e425. [PMID: 35844780 PMCID: PMC9277033 DOI: 10.1002/pld3.425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The circadian clock is an internal molecular oscillator and coordinates numerous physiological processes through regulation of molecular pathways. Tissue-specific clocks connected by mobile signals have previously been found to run at different speeds in Arabidopsis thaliana tissues. However, tissue variation in circadian clocks in crop species is unknown. In this study, leaf and tuber global gene expression in cultivated potato under cycling and constant environmental conditions was profiled. In addition, we used a circadian-regulated luciferase reporter construct to study tuber gene expression rhythms. Diel and circadian expression patterns were present among 17.9% and 5.6% of the expressed genes in the tuber. Over 500 genes displayed differential tissue specific diel phases. Intriguingly, few core circadian clock genes had circadian expression patterns, while all such genes were circadian rhythmic in cultivated tomato leaves. Furthermore, robust diel and circadian transcriptional rhythms were observed among detached tubers. Our results suggest alternative regulatory mechanisms and/or clock composition is present in potato, as well as the presence of tissue-specific independent circadian clocks. We have provided the first evidence of a functional circadian clock in below-ground storage organs, holding important implications for other storage root and tuberous crops.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel Zarka
- Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial SciencesMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - Ann Feke
- Department of Plant BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - Kaitlyn Acheson
- Department of Plant BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - John P. Hamilton
- Department of Plant BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - David Douches
- Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial SciencesMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - C. Robin Buell
- Department of Plant BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- Michigan State University AgBioResearchMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - Eva M. Farré
- Department of Plant BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
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5
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Takács P, Slíz‐Balogh J, Száz D, Horváth G. East-facing Helianthus annuus has maximal number and mass of kernel-filled seeds: Seed traits versus head orientation. PLANT-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS (HOBOKEN, N.J.) 2022; 3:130-139. [PMID: 37284427 PMCID: PMC10168033 DOI: 10.1002/pei3.10083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
After anthesis, the majority of mature sunflower (Helianthus annuus) inflorescences face constantly East, which direction ensures maximal light energy absorbed by the inflorescences in regions where afternoons are on average cloudier than mornings. Several theories have tried to explain the function(s) of this eastward orientation. Their common assumption is that eastward facing has certain advantages for sunflowers. In sunflower plantations, the capitulum of many plants can also face North, South, or upward. Large deviations from the conducive East direction can decrease the plant's reproductive fitness. A larger mass and number of seeds, for example, can guarantee safer seed germination and better early development of more offspring. Thus, our hypothesis was that the East facing of sunflower inflorescences ensures a larger seed number and mass compared to disoriented inflorescences. This idea was tested in a sunflower plantation, where we compared the number and mass of seeds in plants, the inflorescences of which were naturally or artificially oriented northward, eastward, southward, westward, or upward. Our study tested head diameter, seed weight, and seed number in a normal agronomic field setting being different from earlier investigations. The other difference was that we tested five head orientations and only East showed significantly increased seed weight and number. Using radiational computations, we showed that East facing ensures more absorbed light energy than other orientations, except upward. This finding can be one of the reasons for the maximal seed number and mass in East-facing sunflower capitula. Although upward-facing horizontal inflorescences absorbed maximal light energy, they had the fewest and lightest seeds probably because of the larger temperature and humidity as well as the too much sunlight, all three factors impairing the normal seed development. This study is the first that compares the seed traits of all head orientations of Helianthus annuus and proposes that the absorbed radiation could play a major role in the maximal seed number and mass of east-facing heads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Péter Takács
- Department of Biological PhysicsELTE Eötvös Loránd UniversityBudapestHungary
| | - Judit Slíz‐Balogh
- Department of Biological PhysicsELTE Eötvös Loránd UniversityBudapestHungary
| | - Dénes Száz
- Department of Biological PhysicsELTE Eötvös Loránd UniversityBudapestHungary
| | - Gábor Horváth
- Department of Biological PhysicsELTE Eötvös Loránd UniversityBudapestHungary
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6
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Takács P, Kovács Z, Száz D, Egri Á, Bernáth B, Slíz-Balogh J, Nagy-Czirok M, Lengyel Z, Horváth G. Mature Sunflower Inflorescences Face Geographical East to Maximize Absorbed Light Energy: Orientation of Helianthus annuus Heads Studied by Drone Photography. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:842560. [PMID: 35371122 PMCID: PMC8969559 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.842560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Mature sunflower (Helianthus annuus) inflorescences, which no longer follow the Sun, face the eastern celestial hemisphere. Whether they orient toward the azimuth of local sunrise or the geographical east? It was recently shown that they absorb maximum light energy if they face almost exactly the geographical east, and afternoons are usually cloudier than mornings. However, the exact average and standard deviation (SD) of the azimuth angle of the normal vector of mature sunflower inflorescences have never been measured on numerous individuals. It is imaginable that they prefer the direction of sunrise rather than that of the geographical east. To decide between these two photobiological possibilities, we photographed mature inflorescences of 14 sunflower plantations using a drone and determined the average and SD of the azimuth angle of the normal vector of 2,800 sunflower heads. We found that the average azimuth αinflorescence = 89.5° ± 42.8° (measured clockwise from the geographical north) of inflorescences practically coincided with the geographical eastern direction (αeast = 90°) instead of the azimuth of local sunrise αsunrise = 56.14° - 57.55°. Although the SD of the orientation of individual inflorescences was large (± 42.8°), our finding experimentally corroborated the earlier theoretical prediction that the energetically ideal azimuth of sunflower inflorescences is east, if mornings are usually less cloudy than afternoons, which is typical for the domestication region of H. annuus. However, the average orientation of inflorescences of two plantations in hilly landscapes more or less differed from that of the majority of plantations in plane landscapes. The reason for this deviation may be that the illumination conditions in hilly sites more or less differed from those in plane landscapes. Furthermore, in a plantation, we observed a group of south-facing inflorescences that were in shadow for about 5 h both after sunrise and before sunset. This southern orientation can be explained by the southern maximum of total light energy absorbed by the partly shadowed inflorescences during the day, as computed by our software integrating both the diffuse skylight and the direct sunlight received by sunflower inflorescences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Péter Takács
- Department of Biological Physics, Environmental Optics Laboratory, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Kovács
- Department of Biological Physics, Environmental Optics Laboratory, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dénes Száz
- Department of Biological Physics, Environmental Optics Laboratory, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ádám Egri
- Department of Biological Physics, Environmental Optics Laboratory, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Centre for Ecological Research, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Balázs Bernáth
- Department of Biological Physics, Environmental Optics Laboratory, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Estrato Research and Development Ltd., Budapest, Hungary
| | - Judit Slíz-Balogh
- Department of Biological Physics, Environmental Optics Laboratory, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Astronomy, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | | | - Gábor Horváth
- Department of Biological Physics, Environmental Optics Laboratory, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
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7
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Brody DC. Open quantum dynamics for plant motions. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3042. [PMID: 35197530 PMCID: PMC8866431 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07102-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Stochastic Schrödinger equations that govern the dynamics of open quantum systems are given by the equations for signal processing. In particular, the Brownian motion that drives the wave function of the system does not represent noise, but provides purely the arrival of new information. Thus the wave function is guided by the optimal signal detection about the conditions of the environments under noisy observations. This behaviour is similar to biological systems that detect environmental cues, process this information, and adapt to them optimally by minimising uncertainties about the conditions of their environments. It is postulated that information-processing capability is a fundamental law of nature, and hence that models describing open quantum systems can equally be applied to biological systems to model their dynamics. For illustration, simple stochastic models are considered to capture heliotropic and gravitropic motions of plants. The advantage of such dynamical models is that they allow for the quantification of information processed by the plants. By considering the consequence of information erasure, it is argued that biological systems can process environmental signals relatively close to the Landauer limit of computation, and that loss of information must lie at the heart of ageing in biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorje C Brody
- Department of Mathematics, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, UK. .,St Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics, St Petersburg, Russia, 197101.
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8
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Geldhof B, Pattyn J, Eyland D, Carpentier S, Van de Poel B. A digital sensor to measure real-time leaf movements and detect abiotic stress in plants. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 187:1131-1148. [PMID: 34618089 PMCID: PMC8566216 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiab407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Plant and plant organ movements are the result of a complex integration of endogenous growth and developmental responses, partially controlled by the circadian clock, and external environmental cues. Monitoring of plant motion is typically done by image-based phenotyping techniques with the aid of computer vision algorithms. Here we present a method to measure leaf movements using a digital inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor. The lightweight sensor is easily attachable to a leaf or plant organ and records angular traits in real-time for two dimensions (pitch and roll) with high resolution (measured sensor oscillations of 0.36 ± 0.53° for pitch and 0.50 ± 0.65° for roll). We were able to record simple movements such as petiole bending, as well as complex lamina motions, in several crops, ranging from tomato to banana. We also assessed growth responses in terms of lettuce rosette expansion and maize seedling stem movements. The IMU sensors are capable of detecting small changes of nutations (i.e. bending movements) in leaves of different ages and in different plant species. In addition, the sensor system can also monitor stress-induced leaf movements. We observed that unfavorable environmental conditions evoke certain leaf movements, such as drastic epinastic responses, as well as subtle fading of the amplitude of nutations. In summary, the presented digital sensor system enables continuous detection of a variety of leaf motions with high precision, and is a low-cost tool in the field of plant phenotyping, with potential applications in early stress detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Batist Geldhof
- Department of Biosystems, Division of Crop Biotechnics, Molecular Plant Hormone Physiology Lab, University of Leuven, Leuven 3001, Belgium
| | - Jolien Pattyn
- Department of Biosystems, Division of Crop Biotechnics, Molecular Plant Hormone Physiology Lab, University of Leuven, Leuven 3001, Belgium
| | - David Eyland
- Department of Biosystems, Division of Crop Biotechnics, Tropical Crop Improvement Laboratory, University of Leuven, Leuven 3001, Belgium
| | - Sebastien Carpentier
- Department of Biosystems, Division of Crop Biotechnics, Tropical Crop Improvement Laboratory, University of Leuven, Leuven 3001, Belgium
- Bioversity International, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
| | - Bram Van de Poel
- Department of Biosystems, Division of Crop Biotechnics, Molecular Plant Hormone Physiology Lab, University of Leuven, Leuven 3001, Belgium
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9
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Liu Z, Zhou Z, Wu N, Zhang R, Zhu B, Jin H, Zhang Y, Zhu M, Chen Z. Hierarchical Photothermal Fabrics with Low Evaporation Enthalpy as Heliotropic Evaporators for Efficient, Continuous, Salt-Free Desalination. ACS NANO 2021; 15:13007-13018. [PMID: 34309381 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c01900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Solar-driven seawater evaporation is usually achieved on floating evaporators, but the performances are substantially limited by high evaporation enthalpy, solid salt crystallization, and reduced evaporation due to inclined sunlight. To solve these problems, we fabricated hierarchical polyacrylonitrile@copper sulfide (PAN@CuS) fabrics and proposed a prototype of heliotropic evaporator. Hierarchical PAN@CuS fabrics show significantly decreased water-evaporation enthalpy (1956.32 kJ kg-1, 40 °C), compared with that of pure water (2406.17 kJ kg-1, 40 °C), because of the disorganization of the hydrogen bonds at the CuS interfaces. Based on this fabric, a heliotropic evaporation model was developed, where seawater slowly flows from high to low in the fabric. Under solar irradiation (1.0 kW m-2), this model exhibits a high-rate evaporation (∼2.27 kg m-2 h-1) and saturated brine production without solid salt crystallization. In particular, under inclined sunlight (angle range: from -90° to +90°), the heliotropic model retains an almost unchanged solar evaporation rate, whereas the floating model shows severe evaporation reduction (83.9%). Therefore, our study provides a strategy for reducing the evaporation enthalpy, maximally utilizing solar energy and continuous salt-free desalination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zixiao Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Shanghai Belt and Road Joint Laboratory of Advanced Fiber and Low-Dimension Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Zhan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Shanghai Belt and Road Joint Laboratory of Advanced Fiber and Low-Dimension Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Naiyan Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Shanghai Belt and Road Joint Laboratory of Advanced Fiber and Low-Dimension Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Ruiqi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Shanghai Belt and Road Joint Laboratory of Advanced Fiber and Low-Dimension Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Bo Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Shanghai Belt and Road Joint Laboratory of Advanced Fiber and Low-Dimension Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Hong Jin
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Shanghai Belt and Road Joint Laboratory of Advanced Fiber and Low-Dimension Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Yumei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Shanghai Belt and Road Joint Laboratory of Advanced Fiber and Low-Dimension Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Meifang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Shanghai Belt and Road Joint Laboratory of Advanced Fiber and Low-Dimension Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Zhigang Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Shanghai Belt and Road Joint Laboratory of Advanced Fiber and Low-Dimension Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
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10
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Fanelli V, Ngo KJ, Thompson VL, Silva BR, Tsai H, Sabetta W, Montemurro C, Comai L, Harmer SL. A TILLING by sequencing approach to identify induced mutations in sunflower genes. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9885. [PMID: 33972605 PMCID: PMC8110748 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89237-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The Targeting Induced Local Lesions in Genomes (TILLING) technology is a reverse genetic strategy broadly applicable to every kind of genome and represents an attractive tool for functional genomic and agronomic applications. It consists of chemical random mutagenesis followed by high-throughput screening of point mutations in targeted genomic regions. Although multiple methods for mutation discovery in amplicons have been described, next-generation sequencing (NGS) is the tool of choice for mutation detection because it quickly allows for the analysis of a large number of amplicons. The aim of the present work was to screen a previously generated sunflower TILLING population and identify alterations in genes involved in several important and complex physiological processes. Twenty-one candidate sunflower genes were chosen as targets for the screening. The TILLING by sequencing strategy allowed us to identify multiple mutations in selected genes and we subsequently validated 16 mutations in 11 different genes through Sanger sequencing. In addition to addressing challenges posed by outcrossing, our detection and validation of mutations in multiple regulatory loci highlights the importance of this sunflower population as a genetic resource.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Fanelli
- grid.7644.10000 0001 0120 3326Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences (DiSSPA), University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy ,grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Kathie J. Ngo
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Veronica L. Thompson
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Brennan R. Silva
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Helen Tsai
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Wilma Sabetta
- grid.5326.20000 0001 1940 4177National Research Council, Institute of Bioscience and BioResources-IBBR, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Cinzia Montemurro
- grid.7644.10000 0001 0120 3326Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences (DiSSPA), University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Luca Comai
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Stacey L. Harmer
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 USA
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11
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Paajanen P, Lane de Barros Dantas L, Dodd AN. Layers of crosstalk between circadian regulation and environmental signalling in plants. Curr Biol 2021; 31:R399-R413. [PMID: 33905701 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.03.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Circadian regulation has a pervasive influence upon plant development, physiology and metabolism, impacting upon components of fitness and traits of agricultural importance. Circadian regulation is inextricably connected to the responses of plants to their abiotic environments, from the cellular to whole plant scales. Here, we review the crosstalk that occurs between circadian regulation and responses to the abiotic environment from the intracellular scale through to naturally fluctuating environments. We examine the spatial crosstalk that forms part of plant circadian regulation, at the subcellular, tissue, organ and whole-plant scales. This includes a focus on chloroplast and mitochondrial signalling, alternative splicing, long-distance circadian signalling and circadian regulation within natural environments. We also consider mathematical models for plant circadian regulation, to suggest future areas for advancing understanding of roles for circadian regulation in plant responses to environmental cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pirita Paajanen
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | | | - Antony N Dodd
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.
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12
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Comparative Evaluation of Some Quality Characteristics of Sunflower Oilseeds (Helianthus annuus L.) Through Machine Learning Classifiers. FOOD ANAL METHOD 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12161-021-02002-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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13
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Moulton DE, Oliveri H, Goriely A. Multiscale integration of environmental stimuli in plant tropism produces complex behaviors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:32226-32237. [PMID: 33273121 PMCID: PMC7768784 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2016025117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant tropism refers to the directed movement of an organ or organism in response to external stimuli. Typically, these stimuli induce hormone transport that triggers cell growth or deformation. In turn, these local cellular changes create mechanical forces on the plant tissue that are balanced by an overall deformation of the organ, hence changing its orientation with respect to the stimuli. This complex feedback mechanism takes place in a three-dimensional growing plant with varying stimuli depending on the environment. We model this multiscale process in filamentary organs for an arbitrary stimulus by explicitly linking hormone transport to local tissue deformation leading to the generation of mechanical forces and the deformation of the organ in three dimensions. We show, as examples, that the gravitropic, phototropic, nutational, and thigmotropic dynamic responses can be easily captured by this framework. Further, the integration of evolving stimuli and/or multiple contradictory stimuli can lead to complex behavior such as sun following, canopy escape, and plant twining.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek E Moulton
- Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6GG, United Kingdom
| | - Hadrien Oliveri
- Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6GG, United Kingdom
| | - Alain Goriely
- Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6GG, United Kingdom
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14
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Horváth G, Slíz-Balogh J, Horváth Á, Egri Á, Virágh B, Horváth D, Jánosi IM. Sunflower inflorescences absorb maximum light energy if they face east and afternoons are cloudier than mornings. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21597. [PMID: 33299003 PMCID: PMC7725789 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78243-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The mature inflorescence of sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) orients eastward after its anthesis (the flowering period, especially the maturing of the stamens), from which point it no longer tracks the Sun. Although several hypothetical explanations have been proposed for the ecological functions of this east facing, none have been tested. Here we propose an atmospheric-optical explanation. Using (i) astronomical data of the celestial motion of the Sun, (ii) meteorological data of diurnal cloudiness for Boone County located in the region from which domesticated sunflowers originate, (iii) time-dependent elevation angle of mature sunflower heads, and (iv) absorption spectra of the inflorescence and the back of heads, we computed the light energy absorbed separately by the inflorescence and the back between anthesis and senescence. We found that the inflorescences facing east absorb the maximum radiation, being advantageous for seed production and maturation, furthermore west facing would be more advantageous than south facing. The reason for these is that afternoons are cloudier than mornings in the cultivation areas of sunflowers. Since the photosynthesizing green back of mature heads absorbs maximal energy when the inflorescence faces west, maximizing the energy absorbed by the back cannot explain the east facing of inflorescences. The same results were obtained for central Italy and Hungary, where mornings are also less cloudy than afternoons. In contrast, in south Sweden, where mornings are cloudier than afternoons, west-facing mature inflorescences would absorb the maximum light energy. We suggest that the domesticated Helianthus annuus developed an easterly final orientation of its mature inflorescence, because it evolved in a region with cloudier afternoons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gábor Horváth
- Environmental Optics Laboratory, Department of Biological Physics, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány sétány 1, 1117, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Judit Slíz-Balogh
- Environmental Optics Laboratory, Department of Biological Physics, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány sétány 1, 1117, Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Astronomy, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány sétány 1, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ákos Horváth
- Meteorological Institute, Universität Hamburg, Bundesstrasse 55, 20146, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ádám Egri
- Danube Research Institute, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Karolina út 29-31, 1113, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Balázs Virágh
- Environmental Optics Laboratory, Department of Biological Physics, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány sétány 1, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dániel Horváth
- Environmental Optics Laboratory, Department of Biological Physics, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány sétány 1, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Imre M Jánosi
- Department of Physics of Complex Systems, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány sétány 1, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
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15
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Greene PR, Greene VA. Photo-sensitive "flip-flop" characteristics of the developing Narcissus plant (daffodil phototropism). PLANTA 2020; 252:33. [PMID: 32761382 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-020-03441-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The developing Narcissus pseudonarcissus plant (daffodil) is shown to face towards a preferential direction (east, south, west, or north, in that order) before flowering. Said directionality is accomplished by stem bending, a phototropic response mechanism, which is sensitive to partial blocking of the available sunlight from the local environmental. Polar distribution diagrams show that with partial environmental shading from the north, east, south, or west, the developing daffodil plant always excludes facing in that direction, to absorb maximum available sunlight. Stem buckling experiments, equivalent to stem bending, are presented measuring the Euler buckling exponent n = - 2.1 for daffodil flower stems, in good agreement with theory, r = 0.99. Individual flower stems are capable of generating 2-3 lbf of vertical force, which explains the plants ability to penetrate frozen ground cover. Results from 193 daffodil flower stems are presented, showing that 61.7% face East [95% CI 54-70%], 17.1% face South, 15.0% face West, and only 6.2% face North [95% CI 2-10%], depending strongly on the partial shading effect of the surrounding environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter R Greene
- BGKT Consulting Ltd., Bioengineering, Huntington, NY, 11743, USA.
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16
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Schmal C, Herzel H, Myung J. Clocks in the Wild: Entrainment to Natural Light. Front Physiol 2020; 11:272. [PMID: 32300307 PMCID: PMC7142224 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Entrainment denotes a process of coordinating the internal circadian clock to external rhythmic time-cues (Zeitgeber), mainly light. It is facilitated by stronger Zeitgeber signals and smaller period differences between the internal clock and the external Zeitgeber. The phase of entrainment ψ is a result of this process on the side of the circadian clock. On Earth, the period of the day-night cycle is fixed to 24 h, while the periods of circadian clocks distribute widely due to natural variation within and between species. The strength and duration of light depend locally on season and geographic latitude. Therefore, entrainment characteristics of a circadian clock vary under a local light environment and distribute along geoecological settings. Using conceptual models of circadian clocks, we investigate how local conditions of natural light shape global patterning of entrainment through seasons. This clock-side entrainment paradigm enables us to predict systematic changes in the global distribution of chronotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Schmal
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Institute for Theoretical Biology, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hanspeter Herzel
- Department Basic Sciences, Institute for Theoretical Biology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jihwan Myung
- Graduate Institute of Mind, Brain, and Consciousness, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Brain and Consciousness Research Centre, Taipei Medical University-Shuang Ho Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, New Taipei City, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Computational Neuroscience Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
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17
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Muszynski E, Malaterre C. Best behaviour: A proposal for a non-binary conceptualization of behaviour in biology. STUDIES IN HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES 2020; 79:101222. [PMID: 31740227 DOI: 10.1016/j.shpsc.2019.101222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Behaviour is a widespread object of research in biology, yet it is often left undefined, and the variety of existing definitions have not led to a consensus. We argue that the fundamental problem in defining behaviour has been the assumption that the concept must be categorical: either a phenomenon is a behaviour or it is not. We propose instead that 'behaviour' is best understood as a spectrum concept. We have identified three major characteristics of phenomena which, we argue, fuel the intuitions of biologists regarding the classification of cases as behaviour. All are related to the mechanistic explanations put forth to account for the phenomena, and are (i) the complexity of the mechanism, (ii) the stability of the constitutive entities, and (iii) the quantity and significance of the inputs to the underlying mechanism. We illustrate this new conceptualisation through a three-dimensional behaviour-space which highlights the apparently different conceptualizations of behaviour attributed to humans, animals and plants, showing that they, in fact, all partake of a unified, malleable understanding of a single concept.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Muszynski
- Département de philosophie and Centre interuniversitaire de recherche sur la science et la technologie (CIRST), Université du Québec à Montréal, 455 Boulevard René-Lévesque Est, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Christophe Malaterre
- Département de philosophie and Centre interuniversitaire de recherche sur la science et la technologie (CIRST), Université du Québec à Montréal, 455 Boulevard René-Lévesque Est, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3P8, Canada.
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18
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Cezan SD, Baytekin HT, Baytekin B. Self-Regulating Plant Robots: Bioinspired Heliotropism and Nyctinasty. Soft Robot 2020; 7:444-450. [PMID: 31990639 DOI: 10.1089/soro.2019.0036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-regulation (or so-called homeostasis) is a property of all living organisms to maintain an internal stable state through specialized biofeedback mechanisms under varying external and internal conditions. Although these feedback mechanisms in living organisms are complex networks and hard to implement one-to-one in artificial systems, the new approaches in soft robotics may benefit from the concept of self-regulation-especially in the new endeavors of making untethered, autonomous soft robots. In this study, we show a simple system, in which plant robots display heliotropism (sun tracking) and nyctinasty (leaf opening) through artificial self-regulation attained through a bioinspired transpiration mechanism. The feedback involves dehydration/hydration and transpiration events that keep the stem continuously in a metastable position, which maximizes light on plant leaves and the efficiency of light harvesting when solar panels are attached on leaves. We also demonstrate that this artificial feedback can be regulated by doping with light-absorbing chemicals or by changing the geometry of the system, and it can further be expanded to other lightweight systems. Implementing self-regulation into (soft) robots through bioinspired material feedback is beneficial not only for energy efficiency and harvesting but also for achieving embodied intelligence in autonomous soft robots.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Bilge Baytekin
- Department of Chemistry, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey.,UNAM-Materials Science and Nanotechnology Institute, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
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19
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Panter PE, Muranaka T, Cuitun-Coronado D, Graham CA, Yochikawa A, Kudoh H, Dodd AN. Circadian Regulation of the Plant Transcriptome Under Natural Conditions. Front Genet 2019; 10:1239. [PMID: 31850080 PMCID: PMC6895068 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.01239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Circadian rhythms produce a biological measure of the time of day. In plants, circadian regulation forms an essential adaptation to the fluctuating environment. Most of our knowledge of the molecular aspects of circadian regulation in plants is derived from laboratory experiments that are performed under controlled conditions. However, it is emerging that the circadian clock has complex roles in the coordination of the transcriptome under natural conditions, in both naturally occurring populations of plants and in crop species. In this review, we consider recent insights into circadian regulation under natural conditions. We examine how circadian regulation is integrated with the acute responses of plants to the daily and seasonally fluctuating environment that also presents environmental stresses, in order to coordinate the transcriptome and dynamically adapt plants to their continuously changing environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige E. Panter
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | | | - David Cuitun-Coronado
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, United Kingdom
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Calum A. Graham
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, United Kingdom
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Aline Yochikawa
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Hiroshi Kudoh
- Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Otsu, Japan
| | - Antony N. Dodd
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, United Kingdom
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20
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van Wyk AS, Prinsloo G. Challenging current interpretation of sunflower movements. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2019; 70:6049-6056. [PMID: 31504705 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erz381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In the literature, Helianthus annuus L. (sunflower) movements are generally described as heliotropic. It is generally believed that the leaves and flowers of the growing H. annuus plant track the sun as the sun moves across the sky from east to west. This paper, however, challenges current interpretation regarding H. annuus movements, as the literature generally excludes the rotation of the earth around its own axis, gravity, and the possible role of gravitation. The general exclusion of the earth's rotation in the literature may also have resulted in flawed research design in studies conducted on H. annuus movements, which in turn may have directed researchers towards the misinterpretation of results. This paper aims to include the possible role of the Earth's rotation, gravity, and gravitation when describing H. annuus movements and to provide possible alternative explanations for the results achieved by researchers. This paper further includes concepts and examples relevant to plant movements, such as the rhythms often associated with plant movements, the physiology of plant movements, referring to turgor pressure as the main force behind plant movements, and plant rhythmic clocks and their characteristics, in order to explain the alternative views and to relate them to H. annuus movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne S van Wyk
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Florida campus, Florida, South Africa
| | - Gerhard Prinsloo
- Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, University of South Africa, Florida campus, Florida, South Africa
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21
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Vandenbrink JP, Herranz R, Poehlman WL, Alex Feltus F, Villacampa A, Ciska M, Javier Medina F, Kiss JZ. RNA-seq analyses of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings after exposure to blue-light phototropic stimuli in microgravity. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2019; 106:1466-1476. [PMID: 31709515 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Plants synthesize information from multiple environmental stimuli when determining their direction of growth. Gravity, being ubiquitous on Earth, plays a major role in determining the direction of growth and overall architecture of the plant. Here, we utilized the microgravity environment on board the International Space Station (ISS) to identify genes involved influencing growth and development of phototropically stimulated seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana. METHODS Seedlings were grown on the ISS, and RNA was extracted from 7 samples (pools of 10-15 plants) grown in microgravity (μg) or Earth gravity conditions (1-g). Transcriptomic analyses via RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) of differential gene expression was performed using the HISAT2-Stringtie-DESeq2 RNASeq pipeline. Differentially expressed genes were further characterized by using Pathway Analysis and enrichment for Gene Ontology classifications. RESULTS For 296 genes that were found significantly differentially expressed between plants in microgravity compared to 1-g controls, Pathway Analysis identified eight molecular pathways that were significantly affected by reduced gravity conditions. Specifically, light-associated pathways (e.g., photosynthesis-antenna proteins, photosynthesis, porphyrin, and chlorophyll metabolism) were significantly downregulated in microgravity. CONCLUSIONS Gene expression in A. thaliana seedlings grown in microgravity was significantly altered compared to that of the 1-g control. Understanding how plants grow in conditions of microgravity not only aids in our understanding of how plants grow and respond to the environment but will also help to efficiently grow plants during long-range space missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua P Vandenbrink
- School of Biological Sciences, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA, 71272, USA
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, 27402, USA
| | - Raul Herranz
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, E28040, Spain
| | - William L Poehlman
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA
| | - F Alex Feltus
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA
| | | | - Malgorzata Ciska
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, E28040, Spain
| | - F Javier Medina
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, E28040, Spain
| | - John Z Kiss
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, 27402, USA
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22
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Ge Y, Lai Q, Luo P, Liu X, Chen W. Transcriptome profiling of Gerbera hybrida reveals that stem bending is caused by water stress and regulation of abscisic acid. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:600. [PMID: 31331262 PMCID: PMC6647082 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5961-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2018] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gerbera hybrida is one of the most popular cut flowers in the world; however, stem bending, which always happens when gerbera flower harvested from the field, greatly limits its vase life. To date the molecular mechanisms underlying stem bending remain poorly understood. Results In this study, we performed high-throughput transcriptome sequencing of gerbera during stem bending using the Illumina sequencing technology. Three cDNA libraries constructed from mRNAs of gerbera stem at stem bending stage 0, 2 and 4 were sequenced. More than 300 million high-quality reads were generated and assembled into 96,492 unigenes. Among them, 34,166 unigenes were functionally annotated based on similarity search with known protein. Sequences derived from plants at different stem bending stages were mapped to the assembled transcriptome, and 9,406 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Through Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, specific pathways were identified during the stem bending process, such as phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway, phenylalanine metabolism pathway, starch and sucrose metabolism pathway, and plant hormone signal transduction pathway. A total of 211 transcription factors (TFs), including TF families involved in plant senescence, such as NAC, MYB, WRKY, and AP2/ERF members, as well as TFs related to water stress tolerance, were shown to be regulated during stem bending. Gene Onotology (GO) functional enrichment analysis indicated that key genes involved in responses to osmotic and oxidative stresses were also varied in expression during this process. Furthermore, analysis of DEGs involved in the hormone signaling pathways and determination of endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) content showed that stem bending may be an ethylene-independent process, but regulated by ABA. In short, our findings suggested that the stem bending of cut gerbera may be caused by the involvement of water stress and regulation of ABA during the postharvest life. Conclusions The transcriptome sequences provide a valuable resource in revealing the molecular mechanism underlying stem bending of cut flower and offer novel genes that can be used to guide future studies for ornamental plant breeding. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-019-5961-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yafei Ge
- The Key Laboratory for Quality Improvement of Agricultural Products of Zhejiang Province, School of Agriculture and Food Science, Zhejiang Agriculture & Forestry University, Lin'an, China
| | - Qixian Lai
- The Key Laboratory of Creative Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Rural Development Institute, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ping Luo
- The Key Laboratory for Quality Improvement of Agricultural Products of Zhejiang Province, School of Agriculture and Food Science, Zhejiang Agriculture & Forestry University, Lin'an, China
| | - Xiaojing Liu
- Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Wen Chen
- The Key Laboratory for Quality Improvement of Agricultural Products of Zhejiang Province, School of Agriculture and Food Science, Zhejiang Agriculture & Forestry University, Lin'an, China.
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23
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Herranz R, Vandenbrink JP, Villacampa A, Manzano A, Poehlman WL, Feltus FA, Kiss JZ, Medina FJ. RNAseq Analysis of the Response of Arabidopsis thaliana to Fractional Gravity Under Blue-Light Stimulation During Spaceflight. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:1529. [PMID: 31850027 PMCID: PMC6889863 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.01529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Traveling to nearby extraterrestrial objects having a reduced gravity level (partial gravity) compared to Earth's gravity is becoming a realistic objective for space agencies. The use of plants as part of life support systems will require a better understanding of the interactions among plant growth responses including tropisms, under partial gravity conditions. Materials and Methods: Here, we present results from our latest space experiments on the ISS, in which seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana were germinated, and seedlings grew for six days under different gravity levels, namely micro-g, several intermediate partial-g levels, and 1g, and were subjected to irradiation with blue light for the last 48 h. RNA was extracted from 20 samples for subsequent RNAseq analysis. Transcriptomic analysis was performed using the HISAT2-Stringtie-DESeq pipeline. Differentially expressed genes were further characterized for global responses using the GEDI tool, gene networks and for Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment. Results: Differential gene expression analysis revealed only one differentially expressed gene (AT4G21560, VPS28-1 a vacuolar protein) across all gravity conditions using FDR correction (q < 0.05). However, the same 14 genes appeared differentially expressed when comparing either micro-g, low-g level (< 0.1g) or the Moon g-level with 1g control conditions. Apart from these 14-shared genes, the number of differentially expressed genes was similar in microgravity and the Moon g-level and increased in the intermediate g-level (< 0.1g), but it was then progressively reduced as the difference with the Earth gravity became smaller. The GO groups were differentially affected at each g-level: light and photosynthesis GO under microgravity, genes belonged to general stress, chemical and hormone responses under low-g, and a response related to cell wall and membrane structure and function under the Moon g-level. Discussion: Transcriptional analyses of plants under blue light stimulation suggests that root blue-light phototropism may be enough to reduce the gravitational stress response caused by the lack of gravitropism in microgravity. Competition among tropisms induces an intense perturbation at the micro-g level, which shows an extensive stress response that is progressively attenuated. Our results show a major effect on cell wall/membrane remodeling (detected at the interval from the Moon to Mars gravity), which can be potentially related to graviresistance mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raúl Herranz
- Plant Microgravity Lab, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Raúl Herranz,
| | - Joshua P. Vandenbrink
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United States
- School of Biological Sciences, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA, United States
| | - Alicia Villacampa
- Plant Microgravity Lab, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Aránzazu Manzano
- Plant Microgravity Lab, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - William L. Poehlman
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, United States
| | - Frank Alex Feltus
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, United States
| | - John Z. Kiss
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United States
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24
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Haverkamp A, Li X, Hansson BS, Baldwin IT, Knaden M, Yon F. Flower movement balances pollinator needs and pollen protection. Ecology 2019; 100:e02553. [PMID: 30411786 PMCID: PMC7378942 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 09/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Flower signaling and orientation are key characteristics that determine a flower's pollinator guild. However, many flowers actively move during their daily cycle, changing both their detectability and accessibility to pollinators. The flowers of the wild tobacco Nicotiana attenuata orientate their corolla upward at sunset and downward after sunrise. Here, we investigated the effect of different flower orientations on a major pollinator of N. attenuata, the hawkmoth Manduca sexta. We found that although flower orientation influenced the flight altitude of the moth in respect to the flower, it did not alter the moth's final flower choice. These behavioral observations were consistent with the finding that orientation did not systematically change the spatial distribution of floral volatiles, which are major attractants for the moths. Moreover, hawkmoths invested the same amount of time into probing flowers at different orientations, even though they were only able to feed and gather pollen from horizontally and upward-oriented flowers, but not from downward-facing flowers. The orientation of the flower was hence crucial for a successful interaction between N. attenuata and its hawkmoth pollinator. Additionally, we also investigated potential adverse effects of exposing flowers at different orientations to natural daylight levels, finding that anther temperature of upward-oriented flowers was more than 7°C higher than for downward-oriented flowers. This increase in temperature likely caused the significantly reduced germination success that was observed for pollen grains from upward-oriented flowers in comparison to those of downward and horizontally oriented flowers. These results highlight the importance of flower reorientation to balance pollen protection and a successful interaction of the plant with its insect pollinators by maintaining the association between flower volatiles and flower accessibility to the pollinator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Haverkamp
- Department of Evolutionary NeuroethologyMax Planck Institute for Chemical EcologyJenaGermany
- Present address:
Laboratory of EntomologyWageningen UniversityWageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Xiang Li
- Department of Molecular EcologyMax Planck Institute for Chemical EcologyJenaGermany
- Present address:
Aura Optik GmbHJenaGermany
| | - Bill S. Hansson
- Department of Evolutionary NeuroethologyMax Planck Institute for Chemical EcologyJenaGermany
| | - Ian T. Baldwin
- Department of Molecular EcologyMax Planck Institute for Chemical EcologyJenaGermany
| | - Markus Knaden
- Department of Evolutionary NeuroethologyMax Planck Institute for Chemical EcologyJenaGermany
| | - Felipe Yon
- Department of Evolutionary NeuroethologyMax Planck Institute for Chemical EcologyJenaGermany
- Department of Molecular EcologyMax Planck Institute for Chemical EcologyJenaGermany
- Present address:
CIEUniversidad Peruana Cayetano HerediaLimaPeru
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25
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Zhang Y, Li Y, Hu Y, Zhu X, Huang Y, Zhang Z, Rao S, Hu Z, Qiu W, Wang Y, Li G, Yang L, Li J, Wu D, Huang W, Qiu C, Chu J. Localized Self-Growth of Reconfigurable Architectures Induced by a Femtosecond Laser on a Shape-Memory Polymer. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2018; 30:e1803072. [PMID: 30259576 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201803072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Revised: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Architectures of natural organisms especially plants largely determine their response to varying external conditions. Nature-inspired shape transformation of artificial materials has motivated academic research for decades due to wide applications in smart textiles, actuators, soft robotics, and drug delivery. A "self-growth" method of controlling femtosecond laser scanning on the surface of a prestretched shape-memory polymer to realize microscale localized reconfigurable architectures transformation is introduced. It is discovered that microstructures can grow out of the original surface by intentional control of localized laser heating and ablation, and resultant structures can be further tuned by adopting an asymmetric laser scanning strategy. A distinguished paradigm of reconfigurable architectures is demonstrated by combining the flexible and programmable laser technique with a smart shape-memory polymer. Proof-of-concept experiments are performed respectively in information encryption/decryption, and microtarget capturing/release. The findings reveal new capacities of architectures with smart surfaces in various interdisciplinary fields including anti-counterfeiting, microstructure printing, and ultrasensitive detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yachao Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore, 117583, Singapore
| | - Yanlei Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
| | - Xuelin Zhu
- Centre for Micro and Nanoscale Research and Fabrication, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
| | - Yaowei Huang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore, 117583, Singapore
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Zhen Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
| | - Shenglong Rao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
| | - Zhijiang Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
| | - Weixin Qiu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
| | - Yulong Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
| | - Guoqiang Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
- Key Laboratory of Testing Technology for Manufacturing Process of Ministry of Education, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, 621010, China
| | - Liang Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
| | - Jiawen Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
| | - Dong Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
| | - Wenhao Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
| | - Chengwei Qiu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore, 117583, Singapore
| | - Jiaru Chu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
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Li G, Wang S, Liu Z, Liu Z, Xia H, Zhang C, Lu X, Jiang J, Zhao Y. 2D-to-3D Shape Transformation of Room-Temperature-Programmable Shape-Memory Polymers through Selective Suppression of Strain Relaxation. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2018; 10:40189-40197. [PMID: 30372013 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.8b16094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Although shape-memory polymers (SMPs) can alter their shapes upon stimulation of environmental signals, complex shape transformations are usually realized by using advanced processing technologies (four-dimensional printing) and complicated polymer structure design or localized activation. Herein, we demonstrate that stepwise controlled complex shape transformations can be obtained from a single flat piece of SMP upon uniform heating. The shape-memory blends prepared by solution casting of poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) exhibit excellent mechanical and room-temperature shape-memory behaviors, with fracture strain beyond 800% and both shape memory and shape recovery ratio higher than 90%. After plastic deformation by stretching under ambient conditions, the material is surface-patterned to induce the formation of an Fe3+-coordinated PAA network with gradually altered cross-linking density along the thickness direction at desired areas. Upon subsequent heating for shape recovery, strain release is restricted by the PAA network to different extents depending on the cross-linking density, which results in bending deformation toward the nonpatterned side and leads to three-dimensional shape transformation of the SMP. More interestingly, by sequentially dissociating the PAA network via UV or visible light-induced photoreduction of Fe3+ to Fe2+, residual strains can be removed in a spatially controlled manner. Using this approach, a series of origami shapes are obtained from a single SMP with a tailored two-dimensional initial shape. We also demonstrate that by incorporating polydopamine nanoparticles as photothermal fillers into the material, the whole shape transformation process can be carried out at room temperature by using near-infrared light.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guo Li
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Shaanxi Normal University , Xi'an , Shaanxi Province 710062 , China
| | - Shuwei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Shaanxi Normal University , Xi'an , Shaanxi Province 710062 , China
| | - Zhaotie Liu
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Shaanxi Normal University , Xi'an , Shaanxi Province 710062 , China
| | - Zhongwen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Shaanxi Normal University , Xi'an , Shaanxi Province 710062 , China
| | - Hesheng Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Polymer Research Institute , Sichuan University , Chengdu 610065 , China
| | - Chun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Polymer Research Institute , Sichuan University , Chengdu 610065 , China
| | - Xili Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Polymer Research Institute , Sichuan University , Chengdu 610065 , China
- Département de chimie , Université de Sherbrooke , Sherbrooke , Québec J1K 2R1 , Canada
| | - Jinqiang Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Shaanxi Normal University , Xi'an , Shaanxi Province 710062 , China
| | - Yue Zhao
- Département de chimie , Université de Sherbrooke , Sherbrooke , Québec J1K 2R1 , Canada
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27
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Rakocevic M, Müller M, Matsunaga FT, Neumaier N, Farias JRB, Nepomuceno AL, Fuganti-Pagliarini R. Daily heliotropic movements assist gas exchange and productive responses in DREB1A soybean plants under drought stress in the greenhouse. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 96:801-814. [PMID: 30118573 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Drought stress is one of the most severe environmental constraints on plant production. Under environmental pressures, complex daily heliotropic adjustments of leaflet angles in soybean can help to reduce transpiration losses by diminishing light interception (paraheliotropism), increase diurnal carbon gain in sparse canopies and reduce carbon gain in dense canopies by solar tracking (diaheliotropism). The plant materials studied were cultivar BR 16 and its genetically engineered isoline P58, ectopically overexpressing AtDREB1A, which is involved in abiotic stress responses. We aimed to follow the movements of central and lateral leaflets in vegetative stages V7-V10 and reproductive stages R4-R5, integrating the reversible morphogenetic changes into an estimate of daily plant photosynthesis using three-dimensional modeling, and to analyze the production parameters of BR 16 and P58. The patterns of daily movements of central leaflets of BR 16 in V7-V10 and R4-R5 were similar, expressing fewer diaheliotropic movements under drought stress than under non-limiting water conditions. Daily heliotropic patterns of lateral leaflets in V7-V10 and R4-R5 showed more diaheliotropic movements in drought-stressed P58 plants than in those grown under non-limiting water conditions. Leaf area in R4-R5 was generally higher in P58 than in BR 16. Drought significantly affected gas exchange and vegetative and reproductive architectural features. DREB1A could be involved in various responses to drought stress. Compared with the parental BR 16, P58 copes with drought through better compensation between diaheliotropic and paraheliotropic movements, finer tuning of water-use efficiency, a lower transpiration rate, higher leaf area and higher pod abortion to accomplish the maximum possible grain production under continued drought conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miroslava Rakocevic
- Embrapa Agricultural Informatics, Av. André Tosello 209, PO Box 6041, 13083-886, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Plant Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, R. Monteiro Lobato, 255, Cidade Universitária, 13083-862, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mariele Müller
- University of Passo Fundo, BR 285 Km 292, 99052-900, Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Fabio Takeshi Matsunaga
- Federal University of Technology of Paraná - UTFPR, Av. Alberto Carazzai, 1640, 86300-000, Cornélio Procópio, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Norman Neumaier
- Embrapa Soybean, Rodovia Carlos João Strass, Distrito de Warta, 86001-970, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
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28
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The sunflower genome provides insights into oil metabolism, flowering and Asterid evolution. Nature 2017; 546:148-152. [PMID: 28538728 DOI: 10.1038/nature22380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 394] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 04/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The domesticated sunflower, Helianthus annuus L., is a global oil crop that has promise for climate change adaptation, because it can maintain stable yields across a wide variety of environmental conditions, including drought. Even greater resilience is achievable through the mining of resistance alleles from compatible wild sunflower relatives, including numerous extremophile species. Here we report a high-quality reference for the sunflower genome (3.6 gigabases), together with extensive transcriptomic data from vegetative and floral organs. The genome mostly consists of highly similar, related sequences and required single-molecule real-time sequencing technologies for successful assembly. Genome analyses enabled the reconstruction of the evolutionary history of the Asterids, further establishing the existence of a whole-genome triplication at the base of the Asterids II clade and a sunflower-specific whole-genome duplication around 29 million years ago. An integrative approach combining quantitative genetics, expression and diversity data permitted development of comprehensive gene networks for two major breeding traits, flowering time and oil metabolism, and revealed new candidate genes in these networks. We found that the genomic architecture of flowering time has been shaped by the most recent whole-genome duplication, which suggests that ancient paralogues can remain in the same regulatory networks for dozens of millions of years. This genome represents a cornerstone for future research programs aiming to exploit genetic diversity to improve biotic and abiotic stress resistance and oil production, while also considering agricultural constraints and human nutritional needs.
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29
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Yon F, Kessler D, Joo Y, Cortés Llorca L, Kim SG, Baldwin IT. Fitness consequences of altering floral circadian oscillations for Nicotiana attenuata. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2017; 59:180-189. [PMID: 27957809 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.12511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Ecological interactions between flowers and pollinators are all about timing. Flower opening/closing and scent emissions are largely synchronized with pollinator activity, and a circadian clock regulates these rhythms. However, whether the circadian clock increases a plant's reproductive success by regulating these floral rhythms remains untested. Flowers of Nicotiana attenuata, a wild tobacco, diurnally and rhythmically open, emit scent and move vertically through a 140° arc to interact with nocturnal hawkmoths. We tethered flowers to evaluate the importance of flower positions for Manduca sexta-mediated pollinations; flower position dramatically influenced pollination. We examined the pollination success of phase-shifted flowers, silenced in circadian clock genes, NaZTL, NaLHY, and NaTOC1, by RNAi. Circadian rhythms in N. attenuata flowers are responsible for altered seed set from outcrossed pollen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Yon
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Danny Kessler
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Youngsung Joo
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Lucas Cortés Llorca
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Sang-Gyu Kim
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany
- Center for Genome Engineering, Institute for Basic Science, Yuseong-gu, 34047 Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Ian T Baldwin
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany
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Mora-García S, de Leone MJ, Yanovsky M. Time to grow: circadian regulation of growth and metabolism in photosynthetic organisms. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2017; 35:84-90. [PMID: 27912128 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2016.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2016] [Revised: 11/10/2016] [Accepted: 11/11/2016] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Circadian clocks are molecular devices that help adjust organisms to periodic environmental changes. Although formally described as self-sustaining oscillators that are synchronized by external cues and produce defined outputs, it is increasingly clear that physiological processes not only are regulated by, but also regulate the function of the clock. We discuss three recent examples of the intimate relationships between the function of the clock, growth and metabolism in photosynthetic organisms: the daily tracking of sun by sunflowers, the fine computations plants and cyanobacteria perform to manage carbon reserves and prevent starvation, and the changes in clock parameters that went along with domestication of tomato.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Mora-García
- Fundación Instituto Leloir, Av. Patricias Argentinas 435, 1405 Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - María José de Leone
- Fundación Instituto Leloir, Av. Patricias Argentinas 435, 1405 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marcelo Yanovsky
- Fundación Instituto Leloir, Av. Patricias Argentinas 435, 1405 Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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31
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Stolarz M, Dziubinska H. Osmotic and Salt Stresses Modulate Spontaneous and Glutamate-Induced Action Potentials and Distinguish between Growth and Circumnutation in Helianthus annuus Seedlings. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2017; 8:1766. [PMID: 29093722 DOI: 10.1007/s11738-017-2528-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/27/2017] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Action potentials (APs), i.e., long-distance electrical signals, and circumnutations (CN), i.e., endogenous plant organ movements, are shaped by ion fluxes and content in excitable and motor tissues. The appearance of APs and CN as well as growth parameters in seedlings and 3-week old plants of Helianthus annuus treated with osmotic and salt stress (0-500 mOsm) were studied. Time-lapse photography and extracellular measurements of electrical potential changes were performed. The hypocotyl length was strongly reduced by the osmotic and salt stress. CN intensity declined due to the osmotic but not salt stress. The period of CN in mild salt stress was similar to the control (~164 min) and increased to more than 200 min in osmotic stress. In sunflower seedlings growing in a hydroponic medium, spontaneous APs (SAPs) propagating basipetally and acropetally with a velocity of 12-20 cm min-1 were observed. The number of SAPs increased 2-3 times (7-10 SAPs 24 h-1plant-1) in the mild salt stress (160 mOsm NaCl and KCl), compared to the control and strong salt stress (3-4 SAPs 24 h-1 plant-1 in the control and 300 mOsm KCl and NaCl). Glutamate-induced series of APs were inhibited in the strong salt stress-treated seedlings but not at the mild salt stress and osmotic stress. Additionally, in 3-week old plants, the injection of the hypo- or hyperosmotic solution at the base of the sunflower stem evoked series of APs (3-24 APs) transmitted along the stem. It has been shown that osmotic and salt stresses modulate differently hypocotyl growth and CN and have an effect on spontaneous and evoked APs in sunflower seedlings. We suggested that potassium, sodium, and chloride ions at stress concentrations in the nutrient medium modulate sunflower excitability and CN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Stolarz
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Biology and Biochemistry, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin, Poland
| | - Halina Dziubinska
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Biology and Biochemistry, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin, Poland
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32
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Vandenbrink JP, Herranz R, Medina FJ, Edelmann RE, Kiss JZ. A novel blue-light phototropic response is revealed in roots of Arabidopsis thaliana in microgravity. PLANTA 2016; 244:1201-1215. [PMID: 27507239 PMCID: PMC5748516 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-016-2581-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Blue-light positive phototropism in roots is masked by gravity and revealed in conditions of microgravity. In addition, the magnitude of red-light positive phototropic curvature is correlated to the magnitude of gravity. Due to their sessile nature, plants utilize environmental cues to grow and respond to their surroundings. Two of these cues, light and gravity, play a substantial role in plant orientation and directed growth movements (tropisms). However, very little is currently known about the interaction between light- (phototropic) and gravity (gravitropic)-mediated growth responses. Utilizing the European Modular Cultivation System on board the International Space Station, we investigated the interaction between phototropic and gravitropic responses in three Arabidopsis thaliana genotypes, Landsberg wild type, as well as mutants of phytochrome A and phytochrome B. Onboard centrifuges were used to create a fractional gravity gradient ranging from reduced gravity up to 1g. A novel positive blue-light phototropic response of roots was observed during conditions of microgravity, and this response was attenuated at 0.1g. In addition, a red-light pretreatment of plants enhanced the magnitude of positive phototropic curvature of roots in response to blue illumination. In addition, a positive phototropic response of roots was observed when exposed to red light, and a decrease in response was gradual and correlated with the increase in gravity. The positive red-light phototropic curvature of hypocotyls when exposed to red light was also confirmed. Both red-light and blue-light phototropic responses were also shown to be affected by directional light intensity. To our knowledge, this is the first characterization of a positive blue-light phototropic response in Arabidopsis roots, as well as the first description of the relationship between these phototropic responses in fractional or reduced gravities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua P Vandenbrink
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University, Oxford, MS, 38677, USA
| | - Raul Herranz
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - John Z Kiss
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University, Oxford, MS, 38677, USA.
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, 27402, USA.
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33
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van der Kooi CJ. Plant Biology: Flower Orientation, Temperature Regulation and Pollinator Attraction. Curr Biol 2016; 26:R1143-R1145. [PMID: 27825450 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.08.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The reproductive performance of plants depends on the temperature of the flower. A recent study reports the mechanistic basis of flower head orientation in sunflowers and provides intriguing hints as to its functional significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casper J van der Kooi
- University of Lausanne, Department of Ecology and Evolution, CH 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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34
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Atamian HS, Creux NM, Brown RI, Garner AG, Blackman BK, Harmer SL. Circadian regulation of sunflower heliotropism, floral orientation, and pollinator visits. Science 2016; 353:587-90. [PMID: 27493185 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf9793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Young sunflower plants track the Sun from east to west during the day and then reorient during the night to face east in anticipation of dawn. In contrast, mature plants cease movement with their flower heads facing east. We show that circadian regulation of directional growth pathways accounts for both phenomena and leads to increased vegetative biomass and enhanced pollinator visits to flowers. Solar tracking movements are driven by antiphasic patterns of elongation on the east and west sides of the stem. Genes implicated in control of phototropic growth, but not clock genes, are differentially expressed on the opposite sides of solar tracking stems. Thus, interactions between environmental response pathways and the internal circadian oscillator coordinate physiological processes with predictable changes in the environment to influence growth and reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hagop S Atamian
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Nicky M Creux
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Robin Isadora Brown
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, PO Box 400328, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Austin G Garner
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, PO Box 400328, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Benjamin K Blackman
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, PO Box 400328, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA. Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, 111 Koshland Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Stacey L Harmer
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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35
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Yon F, Joo Y, Cortés Llorca L, Rothe E, Baldwin IT, Kim SG. Silencing Nicotiana attenuata LHY and ZTL alters circadian rhythms in flowers. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2016; 209:1058-66. [PMID: 26439540 PMCID: PMC5147715 DOI: 10.1111/nph.13681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2015] [Accepted: 08/22/2015] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The rhythmic opening/closing and volatile emissions of flowers are known to attract pollinators at specific times. That these rhythms are maintained under constant light or dark conditions suggests a circadian clock involvement. Although a forward and reverse genetic approach has led to the identification of core circadian clock components in Arabidopsis thaliana, the involvement of these clock components in floral rhythms has remained untested, probably because of the weak diurnal rhythms in A. thaliana flowers. Here, we addressed the role of these core clock components in the flowers of the wild tobacco Nicotiana attenuata, whose flowers open at night, emit benzyl acetone (BA) scents and move vertically through a 140° arc. We first measured N. attenuata floral rhythms under constant light conditions. The results suggest that the circadian clock controls flower opening, BA emission and pedicel movement, but not flower closing. We generated transgenic N. attenuata lines silenced in the homologous genes of Arabidopsis LATE ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL (LHY) and ZEITLUPE (ZTL), which are known to be core clock components. Silencing NaLHY and NaZTL strongly altered floral rhythms in different ways, indicating that conserved clock components in N. attenuata coordinate these floral rhythms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Yon
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Youngsung Joo
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Lucas Cortés Llorca
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Eva Rothe
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Ian T. Baldwin
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Sang-Gyu Kim
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany
- Center for Genome Engineering, Institute for Basic Science, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-811, South Korea
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36
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Kutschera U, Briggs WR. Phototropic solar tracking in sunflower plants: an integrative perspective. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2016; 117:1-8. [PMID: 26420201 PMCID: PMC4701145 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcv141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2015] [Accepted: 07/30/2015] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND One of the best-known plant movements, phototropic solar tracking in sunflower (Helianthus annuus), has not yet been fully characterized. Two questions are still a matter of debate. (1) Is the adaptive significance solely an optimization of photosynthesis via the exposure of the leaves to the sun? (2) Is shade avoidance involved in this process? In this study, these concepts are discussed from a historical perspective and novel insights are provided. SCOPE AND METHODS Results from the primary literature on heliotropic growth movements led to the conclusion that these responses cease before anthesis, so that the flowering heads point to the East. Based on observations on 10-week-old plants, the diurnal East-West oscillations of the upper fifth of the growing stem and leaves in relation to the position of the sun (inclusive of nocturnal re-orientation) were documented, and photon fluence rates on the leaf surfaces on clear, cloudy and rainy days were determined. In addition, the light-response curve of net CO2 assimilation was determined on the upper leaves of the same batch of plants, and evidence for the occurrence of shade-avoidance responses in growing sunflower plants is summarized. CONCLUSIONS Only elongating, vegetative sunflower shoots and the upper leaves perform phototropic solar tracking. Photon fluence response and CO2 assimilation measurements cast doubt on the 'photosynthesis-optimization hypothesis' as the sole explanation for the evolution of these plant movements. We suggest that the shade-avoidance response, which maximizes light-driven CO2 assimilation, plays a major role in solar tracking populations of competing sunflower plants, and an integrative scheme of these growth movements is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Kutschera
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Winslow R Briggs
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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37
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Vandenbrink JP, Kiss JZ, Herranz R, Medina FJ. Light and gravity signals synergize in modulating plant development. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2014; 5:563. [PMID: 25389428 PMCID: PMC4211383 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2014.00563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2014] [Accepted: 09/30/2014] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Tropisms are growth-mediated plant movements that help plants to respond to changes in environmental stimuli. The availability of water and light, as well as the presence of a constant gravity vector, are all environmental stimuli that plants sense and respond to via directed growth movements (tropisms). The plant response to gravity (gravitropism) and the response to unidirectional light (phototropism) have long been shown to be interconnected growth phenomena. Here, we discuss the similarities in these two processes, as well as the known molecular mechanisms behind the tropistic responses. We also highlight research done in a microgravity environment in order to decouple two tropisms through experiments carried out in the absence of a significant unilateral gravity vector. In addition, alteration of gravity, especially the microgravity environment, and light irradiation produce important effects on meristematic cells, the undifferentiated, highly proliferating, totipotent cells which sustain plant development. Microgravity produces the disruption of meristematic competence, i.e., the decoupling of cell proliferation and cell growth, affecting the regulation of the cell cycle and ribosome biogenesis. Light irradiation, especially red light, mediated by phytochromes, has an activating effect on these processes. Phytohormones, particularly auxin, also are key mediators in these alterations. Upcoming experiments on the International Space Station will clarify some of the mechanisms and molecular players of the plant responses to these environmental signals involved in tropisms and the cell cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John Z. Kiss
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, UniversityMS, USA
| | - Raul Herranz
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), MadridSpain
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