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Jang GJ, Payne-Dwyer AL, Maple R, Wu Z, Liu F, Lopez SG, Wang Y, Fang X, Leake MC, Dean C. Modular in vivo assembly of Arabidopsis FCA oligomers into condensates competent for RNA 3' processing. EMBO J 2025; 44:2056-2074. [PMID: 39994485 PMCID: PMC11962161 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-025-00394-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2024] [Revised: 01/26/2025] [Accepted: 02/06/2025] [Indexed: 02/26/2025] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of the functional requirements underpinning biomolecular condensation in vivo is still relatively poor. The Arabidopsis RNA binding protein FLOWERING CONTROL LOCUS A (FCA) is found in liquid-like nuclear condensates that function in transcription termination, promoting proximal polyadenylation at many target genes in the Arabidopsis genome. To further understand the properties of these condensates in vivo, we used single-particle tracking experiments on FCA reporters stably expressed at endogenous levels in plant nuclei. SEC-MALS analyses suggested that FCA forms a core oligomer consistent with a size of four molecules; in vivo particle tracking indicated that this core molecule multimerizes into higher-order particles. The ensuing assemblies coalesce into macromolecular condensates via the coiled-coil protein FLL2, which is genetically required for FCA function. Accordingly, FLL2 predominately co-localizes with FCA in larger-sized condensates. A missense mutation in the FCA RRM domain, also genetically required for FCA function, reduced average size of both FCA particles and condensates, but did not perturb the core oligomer. Our work points to a modular structure for FCA condensates, involving multimerization of core oligomers assembled into functional macromolecular condensates via associated RNA and FLL2 interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geng-Jen Jang
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Alex L Payne-Dwyer
- School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, University of York, York, UK
| | - Robert Maple
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Zhe Wu
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Fuquan Liu
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
- Institute of Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Sergio G Lopez
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Yanning Wang
- Center for Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaofeng Fang
- Center for Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Mark C Leake
- School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, University of York, York, UK
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK
| | - Caroline Dean
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK.
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2
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Lalchand P, Ashley DD, Pan X. Biomolecular condensates at the plasma membrane: Insights into plant cell signaling. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2025; 84:102697. [PMID: 39999604 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2025] [Revised: 01/31/2025] [Accepted: 02/04/2025] [Indexed: 02/27/2025]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates, often formed through liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), are increasingly recognized as a critical mechanism for cellular compartmentalization across diverse biological systems. Although traditionally considered membrane-less entities, recent discoveries highlight their dynamic interactions with membranes, where they regulate various processes, including signal transduction. Signaling lipids are observed in condensates. Despite these advancements, our understanding of such condensates in plant biology remains limited. This review highlights recent studies involving membrane-associated condensates in plants, focusing particularly on their interactions with the plasma membrane (PM) and their potential roles in PM-based signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Punita Lalchand
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, M1C 1A4 Canada; Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G5 Canada
| | - Didier-Deschamps Ashley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, M1C 1A4 Canada; Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G5 Canada
| | - Xue Pan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, M1C 1A4 Canada; Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G5 Canada.
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3
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Staacke T, Mueller‐Roeber B, Balazadeh S. Stress resilience in plants: the complex interplay between heat stress memory and resetting. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2025; 245:2402-2421. [PMID: 39853503 PMCID: PMC11840417 DOI: 10.1111/nph.20377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2024] [Accepted: 12/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2025]
Abstract
Heat stress (HS) poses a major challenge to plants and agriculture, especially during climate change-induced heatwaves. Plants have evolved mechanisms to combat HS and remember past stress. This memory involves lasting changes in specific stress responses, enabling plants to better anticipate and react to future heat events. HS memory is a multi-layered cellular phenomenon that, in addition to epigenetic modifications, involves changes in protein quality control, metabolic pathways and broader physiological adjustments. An essential aspect of modulating stress memory is timely resetting, which restores defense responses to baseline levels and optimizes resource allocation for growth. Balancing stress memory with resetting enables plants to withstand stress while maintaining growth and reproductive capacity. In this review, we discuss mechanisms and regulatory layers of HS memory and resetting, highlighting their critical balance for enhancing stress resilience and plant fitness. We primarily focus on the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana due to the limited research on other species and outline key areas for future study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Staacke
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Sylvius LaboratoryLeiden UniversitySylviusweg 72Leiden2333 BEthe Netherlands
| | - Bernd Mueller‐Roeber
- Institute of Biochemistry and BiologyUniversity of PotsdamKarl‐Liebknecht‐Straße 24‐25, Haus 20Potsdam14476Germany
| | - Salma Balazadeh
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Sylvius LaboratoryLeiden UniversitySylviusweg 72Leiden2333 BEthe Netherlands
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4
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Cox KL, Pardi SA, O'Connor L, Klebanovych A, Huss D, Nusinow DA, Meyers BC, Czymmek KJ. ExPOSE: a comprehensive toolkit to perform expansion microscopy in plant protoplast systems. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2025; 121:e70049. [PMID: 40051203 PMCID: PMC11885898 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.70049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2024] [Revised: 01/31/2025] [Accepted: 02/05/2025] [Indexed: 03/10/2025]
Abstract
Expansion microscopy (ExM) achieves nanoscale imaging by physical expansion of fixed biological tissues embedded in a swellable hydrogel, enhancing the resolution of any optical microscope several-fold. While ExM is commonly used in animal cells and tissues, there are few plant-specific protocols. Protoplasts are a widely used cell system across plant species, especially in studying biomolecule localization. Here, we present an approach to achieve robust expansion of plant protoplasts, termed Expansion microscopy in plant PrOtoplast SystEms (ExPOSE). We demonstrate that coupling ExPOSE with other imaging techniques, immunofluorescence and in situ hybridization chain reaction to visualize proteins and mRNAs, respectively, greatly enhances the spatial resolution of endogenous biomolecules. Additionally, in this study, we tested the effectiveness and versatility of this technique to observe biomolecular condensates in Arabidopsis protoplasts and transcription factors in maize protoplasts at increased resolution. ExPOSE can be relatively inexpensive, fast, and simple to implement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin L. Cox
- Donald Danforth Plant Science CenterSt. LouisMissouri63132USA
- Howard Hughes Medical InstituteChevy ChaseMaryland20815USA
- Plant and Microbial Biosciences Program, Division of Biology and Biomedical SciencesWashington University in Saint LouisSt. LouisMissouri63130USA
| | - Sarah A. Pardi
- Donald Danforth Plant Science CenterSt. LouisMissouri63132USA
- Plant and Microbial Biosciences Program, Division of Biology and Biomedical SciencesWashington University in Saint LouisSt. LouisMissouri63130USA
| | - Lily O'Connor
- Donald Danforth Plant Science CenterSt. LouisMissouri63132USA
- Plant and Microbial Biosciences Program, Division of Biology and Biomedical SciencesWashington University in Saint LouisSt. LouisMissouri63130USA
| | | | - David Huss
- Donald Danforth Plant Science CenterSt. LouisMissouri63132USA
| | | | - Blake C. Meyers
- Donald Danforth Plant Science CenterSt. LouisMissouri63132USA
- Division of Plant Science and TechnologyUniversity of MissouriColumbiaMissouri65211USA
- The Genome CenterUniversity of CaliforniaDavisDavisCalifornia95616USA
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaDavisDavisCalifornia95616USA
| | - Kirk J. Czymmek
- Donald Danforth Plant Science CenterSt. LouisMissouri63132USA
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5
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Pei G, Lyons H, Li P, Sabari BR. Transcription regulation by biomolecular condensates. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2025; 26:213-236. [PMID: 39516712 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-024-00789-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/30/2024] [Indexed: 11/16/2024]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates regulate transcription by dynamically compartmentalizing the transcription machinery. Classic models of transcription regulation focus on the recruitment and regulation of RNA polymerase II by the formation of complexes at the 1-10 nm length scale, which are driven by structured and stoichiometric interactions. These complexes are further organized into condensates at the 100-1,000 nm length scale, which are driven by dynamic multivalent interactions often involving domain-ligand pairs or intrinsically disordered regions. Regulation through condensate-mediated organization does not supersede the processes occurring at the 1-10 nm scale, but it provides regulatory mechanisms for promoting or preventing these processes in the crowded nuclear environment. Regulation of transcription by transcriptional condensates is involved in cell state transitions during animal and plant development, cell signalling and cellular responses to the environment. These condensate-mediated processes are dysregulated in developmental disorders, cancer and neurodegeneration. In this Review, we discuss the principles underlying the regulation of transcriptional condensates, their roles in physiology and their dysregulation in human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaofeng Pei
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Heankel Lyons
- Laboratory of Nuclear Organization, Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Pilong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Benjamin R Sabari
- Laboratory of Nuclear Organization, Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Division of Basic Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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6
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Cai J, Shen L, Kang H, Xu T. RNA modifications in plant adaptation to abiotic stresses. PLANT COMMUNICATIONS 2025; 6:101229. [PMID: 39709520 PMCID: PMC11897461 DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2024.101229] [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: 10/04/2024] [Revised: 11/15/2024] [Accepted: 12/19/2024] [Indexed: 12/23/2024]
Abstract
Epitranscriptomic chemical modifications of RNAs have emerged as potent regulatory mechanisms in the process of plant stress adaptation. Currently, over 170 distinct chemical modifications have been identified in mRNAs, tRNAs, rRNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs), and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Genetic and molecular studies have identified the genes responsible for addition and removal of chemical modifications from RNA molecules, which are known as "writers" and "erasers," respectively. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent chemical modification identified in eukaryotic mRNAs. Recent studies have identified m6A writers and erasers across different plant species, including Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), rice (Oryza sativa), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Accumulating discoveries have improved our understanding of the functions of RNA modifications in plant stress responses. This review highlights the latest research on RNA modification, emphasizing the biological and cellular roles of diverse chemical modifications of mRNAs, tRNAs, rRNAs, miRNAs, and lncRNAs in plant responses to environmental and hormonal signals. We also propose and discuss critical questions and future challenges for enhancing our understanding of the cellular and mechanistic roles of RNA modifications in plant stress responses. Integrating molecular insights into the regulatory roles of RNA modifications in stress responses with novel genome- and RNA-editing technologies will facilitate the breeding of stress-tolerant crops through precise engineering of RNA modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Cai
- Jiangsu International Joint Center of Genomics, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Comparative Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province 221116, China
| | - Ling Shen
- Jiangsu International Joint Center of Genomics, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Comparative Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province 221116, China
| | - Hunseung Kang
- Jiangsu International Joint Center of Genomics, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Comparative Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province 221116, China; Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, South Korea.
| | - Tao Xu
- Jiangsu International Joint Center of Genomics, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Comparative Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province 221116, China.
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7
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Yang Y, Kong Q, Ma Z, Lim PK, Singh SK, Pattanaik S, Mutwil M, Miao Y, Yuan L, Ma W. Phase separation of MYB73 regulates seed oil biosynthesis in Arabidopsis. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2025; 197:kiae674. [PMID: 39704290 PMCID: PMC11803632 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiae674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2024] [Revised: 11/24/2024] [Accepted: 11/26/2024] [Indexed: 12/21/2024]
Abstract
MYB family transcription factors (TFs) play crucial roles in plant development, metabolism, and responses to various stresses. However, whether MYB TFs are involved in regulating fatty acid biosynthesis in seeds remains largely elusive. Here, we demonstrated that transgenic Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plants overexpressing MYB73 exhibit altered FATTY ACID ELONGATION1 (FAE1) expression, seed oil content, and seed fatty acid composition. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that FAE1 is a direct target of MYB73, and functional assays revealed that MYB73 represses FAE1 promoter activity. Transcriptomic analysis of the MYB73-overexpressing plants detected significant changes in the expression of genes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis and triacylglycerol assembly. Furthermore, MYB73 expression was responsive to abscisic acid (ABA), and ABA-responsive element binding factor 2 directly bound to the ABA-responsive element in the MYB73 promoter to activate its expression. Additionally, we determined that MYB73 exhibits the hallmarks of an intrinsically disordered protein and forms phase-separated condensates with liquid-like characteristics, which are important in regulating target gene expression. Together, our findings suggest that MYB73 condensate formation likely fine-tunes seed oil biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzhou Yang
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | - Que Kong
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | - Zhiming Ma
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | - Peng Ken Lim
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | - Sanjay K Singh
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA
| | - Sitakanta Pattanaik
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA
| | - Marek Mutwil
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | - Yansong Miao
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | - Ling Yuan
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA
| | - Wei Ma
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore
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8
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Ma J, Li S, Wang T, Tao Z, Huang S, Lin N, Zhao Y, Wang C, Li P. Cooperative condensation of RNA-DIRECTED DNA METHYLATION 16 splicing isoforms enhances heat tolerance in Arabidopsis. Nat Commun 2025; 16:433. [PMID: 39762263 PMCID: PMC11704304 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-55850-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/02/2025] [Indexed: 01/11/2025] Open
Abstract
Dissecting the mechanisms underlying heat tolerance is important for understanding how plants acclimate to heat stress. Here, we identify a heat-responsive gene in Arabidopsis thaliana, RNA-DIRECTED DNA METHYLATION 16 (RDM16), which encodes a pre-mRNA splicing factor. Knockout mutants of RDM16 are hypersensitive to heat stress, which is associated with impaired splicing of the mRNAs of 18 out of 20 HEAT SHOCK TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR (HSF) genes. RDM16 forms condensates upon exposure to heat. The arginine residues in intrinsically disordered region 1 (IDR1) of RDM16 are responsible for RDM16 condensation and its function in heat stress tolerance. Notably, RDM16 produces two alternatively spliced transcripts designated RDM16-LONG (RDL) and RDM16-SHORT (RDS). RDS also forms condensates and can promote RDL condensation to improve heat tolerance. Our findings provide insight into the cooperative condensation of the two RDM16 isoforms encoded by RDM16 splice variants in enhancing heat tolerance in Arabidopsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Ma
- The National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Shuai Li
- The National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Tengyue Wang
- The National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Zhen Tao
- The National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Shijie Huang
- The National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Ning Lin
- The National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Yibing Zhao
- The National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Chuanhong Wang
- The National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China.
| | - Peijin Li
- The National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China.
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9
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Xuan L, Li J, Jiang Y, Shi M, Zhu Y, Bao X, Gong Q, Xue HW, Yu H, Liu L. MCTP controls nucleocytoplasmic partitioning of AUXIN RESPONSE FACTORs during lateral root development. Dev Cell 2024; 59:3229-3244.e5. [PMID: 39423818 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.09.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 09/19/2024] [Indexed: 10/21/2024]
Abstract
The plant hormone auxin orchestrates almost all aspects of plant growth and development. AUXIN RESPONSE FACTORs (ARFs) control the transcription of auxin-responsive genes, forming cytoplasmic condensates to modulate auxin sensitivity and diversify auxin response regulation. However, the dynamic control of ARF distribution across different subcellular compartments remains largely obscure. Here, we show that three MULTIPLE C2 DOMAIN AND TRANSMEMBRANE REGION PROTEINs (MCTPs), MCTP3, MCTP4, and MCTP6, control ARF nucleocytoplasmic partitioning and determine lateral root development. MCTP3/4/6 are highly expressed in lateral roots and specifically interact with ARF7 and ARF19 to dissolve their cytoplasmic condensates. This promotes ARF nuclear localization in lateral root primordia and enhances auxin signaling during lateral root formation. Our findings confer MCTP as a key switch to modulate auxin responses and outline an MCTP-ARF signaling cascade that is crucial for the establishment of the plant root system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijie Xuan
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds/Joint Center for Single Cell Biology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jiayi Li
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds/Joint Center for Single Cell Biology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yupeng Jiang
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds/Joint Center for Single Cell Biology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Meiqi Shi
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds/Joint Center for Single Cell Biology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yunke Zhu
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds/Joint Center for Single Cell Biology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Xinru Bao
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds/Joint Center for Single Cell Biology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Qingqiu Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism & Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Hong-Wei Xue
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds/Joint Center for Single Cell Biology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Hao Yu
- Department of Biological Sciences and Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Lu Liu
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds/Joint Center for Single Cell Biology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
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10
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Nguyen TKH, Kang H. Reading m 6A marks in mRNA: A potent mechanism of gene regulation in plants. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 66:2586-2599. [PMID: 39364713 PMCID: PMC11622538 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2024] [Revised: 08/26/2024] [Accepted: 09/09/2024] [Indexed: 10/05/2024]
Abstract
Modifications to RNA have recently been recognized as a pivotal regulator of gene expression in living organisms. More than 170 chemical modifications have been identified in RNAs, with N6-methyladenosine (m6A) being the most abundant modification in eukaryotic mRNAs. The addition and removal of m6A marks are catalyzed by methyltransferases (referred to as "writers") and demethylases (referred to as "erasers"), respectively. In addition, the m6A marks in mRNAs are recognized and interpreted by m6A-binding proteins (referred to as "readers"), which regulate the fate of mRNAs, including stability, splicing, transport, and translation. Therefore, exploring the mechanism underlying the m6A reader-mediated modulation of RNA metabolism is essential for a much deeper understanding of the epigenetic role of RNA modification in plants. Recent discoveries have improved our understanding of the functions of m6A readers in plant growth and development, stress response, and disease resistance. This review highlights the latest developments in m6A reader research, emphasizing the diverse RNA-binding domains crucial for m6A reader function and the biological and cellular roles of m6A readers in the plant response to developmental and environmental signals. Moreover, we propose and discuss the potential future research directions and challenges in identifying novel m6A readers and elucidating the cellular and mechanistic role of m6A readers in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thi Kim Hang Nguyen
- Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture and Life SciencesChonnam National UniversityGwangju61186Korea
| | - Hunseung Kang
- Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture and Life SciencesChonnam National UniversityGwangju61186Korea
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11
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Jiang B. Light-induced cryptochrome 2 liquid-liquid phase separation and mRNA methylation. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 244:2163-2169. [PMID: 39434460 DOI: 10.1111/nph.20201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 09/09/2024] [Indexed: 10/23/2024]
Abstract
Light is essential not only for photosynthesis but also for the regulation of various physiological and developmental processes in plants. While the mechanisms by which light regulates transcription and protein stability are well established, the effects of light on RNA methylation and their subsequent impact on plant growth and development are less understood. Upon exposure to blue light, the photoreceptor cryptochromes form nuclear speckles or nuclear bodies, termed CRY photobodies. The CRY2 photobodies undergo light-induced homo-oligomerization and liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), which are crucial for their physiological activity. Recent studies have proposed that blue light-induced CRY2 LLPS increases the local concentration or directly enhances the biochemical activities of RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methyltransferases, thus, to regulate circadian clock and maintain Chl homeostasis through processes of RNA decay or translation. This review aimed to elucidate the functions of CRY2 and LLPS in RNA methylation, focusing on the light-controlled reversible phase transitions regulon and the outstanding questions that remain in RNA methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bochen Jiang
- School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
- Sycamore Research Institute of Life Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
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12
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Chan C, Liao YJ, Chiou SP. Stress induced factor 2 is a dual regulator for defense and seed germination in Arabidopsis. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 347:112200. [PMID: 39038707 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2024.112200] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
Receptor-like kinases (RLKs) constitute a diverse superfamily of proteins pivotal for various plant physiological processes, including responses to pathogens, hormone perception, growth, and development. Their ability to recognize conserved epitopes for general elicitors and specific pathogens marked significant advancements in plant pathology research. Emerging evidence suggests that RLKs and associated components also act as modulators in hormone signaling and cellular trafficking, showcasing their multifunctional roles in growth and development. Notably, STRESS INDUCED FACTOR 2 (SIF2) stands out as a representative with distinct expression patterns in different Arabidopsis organs. Our prior work highlighted the specific induction of SIF2 expression in guard cells, emphasizing its positive contribution to stomatal immunity. Expanding on these findings, our present study delves into the diverse functions of SIF2 expression in root tissues. Utilizing comprehensive physiology, molecular biology, protein biochemistry, and genetic analyses, we reveal that SIF2 modulates abscisic acid (ABA) signaling in Arabidopsis roots. SIF2 is epistatic with key regulators in the ABA signaling pathway, thereby governing the expression of genes crucial for dormancy release and, consequently, Arabidopsis seed germination. This study sheds light on the intricate roles of SIF2 as a multi-functional RLK, underscoring its organ-specific contributions to plant immunity, hormonal regulation, and seed germination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching Chan
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 11677, Taiwan.
| | - Yi-Jun Liao
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 11677, Taiwan
| | - Shian-Peng Chiou
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 11677, Taiwan
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13
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Chung KK, Zhao Z, Law KC, Ma J, Chiang CH, Leung KH, Shrestha R, Wu Y, Li C, Lee KM, Feng L, Li X, Wong KB, Xu SL, Gao C, Zhuang X. Biomolecular condensation of ERC1 recruits ATG8 and NBR1 to drive autophagosome formation for plant heat tolerance. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.09.09.611939. [PMID: 39314317 PMCID: PMC11419021 DOI: 10.1101/2024.09.09.611939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
Macroautophagy (hereafter autophagy) is essential for cells to respond to nutrient stress by delivering cytosolic contents to vacuoles for degradation via the formation of a multi-layer vesicle named autophagosome. A set of autophagy-related (ATG) regulators are recruited to the phagophore assembly site for the initiation of phagophore, as well as its expansion and closure and subsequent delivery into the vacuole. However, it remains elusive that how the phagophore assembly is regulated under different stress conditions. Here, we described an unknown Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) cytosolic ATG8-interaction protein family (ERC1/2), that binds ATG8 and NBR1 to promote autophagy. ERC1 proteins translocate to the phagophore membrane and develop into classical ring-like autophagosomes upon autophagic induction. However, ERC1 proteins form large droplets together with ATG8e proteins when in the absence of ATG8 lipidation activity. We described the property of these structures as phase-separated membraneless condensates by solving the in vivo organization with spatial and temporal resolution. Moreover, ERC1 condensates elicits a strong recruitment of the autophagic receptor NBR1. Loss of ERC1 suppressed NBR1 turnover and attenuated plant tolerance to heat stress condition. This work provides novel insights into the mechanical principle of phagophore initiation via an unreported ERC1-mediated biomolecular condensation for heat tolerance in Arabidopsis .
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14
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Betz R, Heidt S, Figueira-Galán D, Hartmann M, Langner T, Requena N. Alternative splicing regulation in plants by SP7-like effectors from symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Nat Commun 2024; 15:7107. [PMID: 39160162 PMCID: PMC11333574 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51512-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Most plants in natural ecosystems associate with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi to survive soil nutrient limitations. To engage in symbiosis, AM fungi secrete effector molecules that, similar to pathogenic effectors, reprogram plant cells. Here we show that the Glomeromycotina-specific SP7 effector family impacts on the alternative splicing program of their hosts. SP7-like effectors localize at nuclear condensates and interact with the plant mRNA processing machinery, most prominently with the splicing factor SR45 and the core splicing proteins U1-70K and U2AF35. Ectopic expression of these effectors in the crop plant potato and in Arabidopsis induced developmental changes that paralleled to the alternative splicing modulation of a specific subset of genes. We propose that SP7-like proteins act as negative regulators of SR45 to modulate the fate of specific mRNAs in arbuscule-containing cells. Unraveling the communication mechanisms between symbiotic fungi and their host plants will help to identify targets to improve plant nutrition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Betz
- Joseph Kölreuter Institute for Plant Sciences. Molecular Phytopathology Department, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) - South Campus, Fritz-Haber-Weg 4, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Sven Heidt
- Joseph Kölreuter Institute for Plant Sciences. Molecular Phytopathology Department, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) - South Campus, Fritz-Haber-Weg 4, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - David Figueira-Galán
- Joseph Kölreuter Institute for Plant Sciences. Molecular Phytopathology Department, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) - South Campus, Fritz-Haber-Weg 4, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Meike Hartmann
- Joseph Kölreuter Institute for Plant Sciences. Molecular Phytopathology Department, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) - South Campus, Fritz-Haber-Weg 4, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Thorsten Langner
- Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen - Max-Planck-Ring 5, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Natalia Requena
- Joseph Kölreuter Institute for Plant Sciences. Molecular Phytopathology Department, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) - South Campus, Fritz-Haber-Weg 4, Karlsruhe, Germany.
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15
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Cocco E, Farci D, Guadalupi G, Manconi B, Maxia A, Piano D. The elongation factor 1-alpha as storage reserve and environmental sensor in Nicotiana tabacum L. seeds. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 345:112113. [PMID: 38729437 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2024.112113] [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: 11/25/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Given their critical role in plant reproduction and survival, seeds demand meticulous regulatory mechanisms to effectively store and mobilize reserves. Within seeds, the condition of storage reserves heavily depends on environmental stimuli and hormonal activation. Unlike non-protein reserves that commonly employ dedicated regulatory proteins for signaling, proteinaceous reserves may show a unique form of 'self-regulation', amplifying efficiency and precision in this process. Proteins rely on stability to carry out their functions. However, in specific physiological contexts, particularly in seed germination, protein instability becomes essential, fulfilling roles from signaling to regulation. In this study, the elongation factor 1-alpha has been identified as a main proteinaceous reserve in Nicotiana tabacum L. seeds and showed peculiar changes in stability based on tested chemical and physical conditions. A detailed biochemical analysis followed these steps to enhance our understanding of these protein attributes. The protein varied its behavior under different conditions of pH, temperature, and salt concentration, exhibiting shifts within physiological ranges. Notably, distinct solubility transitions were observed, with the elongation factor 1-alpha becoming insoluble upon reaching specific thresholds determined by the tested chemical and physical conditions. The findings are discussed within the context of seed signaling in response to environmental conditions during the key transitions of dormancy and germination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Cocco
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Photobiology, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Viale S. Ignazio da Laconi 13, Cagliari 09123, Italy; Laboratory of Economic and Pharmaceutical Botany, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Viale S. Ignazio da Laconi 13, Cagliari 09123, Italy
| | - Domenica Farci
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Photobiology, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Viale S. Ignazio da Laconi 13, Cagliari 09123, Italy; Department of Plant Physiology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Nowoursynowska Str.159, Warsaw 02-776, Poland.
| | - Giulia Guadalupi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari 09124, Italy
| | - Barbara Manconi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari 09124, Italy
| | - Andrea Maxia
- Laboratory of Economic and Pharmaceutical Botany, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Viale S. Ignazio da Laconi 13, Cagliari 09123, Italy
| | - Dario Piano
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Photobiology, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Viale S. Ignazio da Laconi 13, Cagliari 09123, Italy.
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16
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Legen J, Lenzen B, Kachariya N, Feltgen S, Gao Y, Mergenthal S, Weber W, Klotzsch E, Zoschke R, Sattler M, Schmitz-Linneweber C. A prion-like domain is required for phase separation and chloroplast RNA processing during cold acclimation in Arabidopsis. THE PLANT CELL 2024; 36:2851-2872. [PMID: 38723165 PMCID: PMC11289645 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koae145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plants can produce photosynthetic tissue with active chloroplasts at temperatures as low as 4°C, and this process depends on the presence of the nuclear-encoded, chloroplast-localized RNA-binding protein CP29A. In this study, we demonstrate that CP29A undergoes phase separation in vitro and in vivo in a temperature-dependent manner, which is mediated by a prion-like domain (PLD) located between the two RNA recognition motif domains of CP29A. The resulting droplets display liquid-like properties and are found near chloroplast nucleoids. The PLD is required to support chloroplast RNA splicing and translation in cold-treated tissue. Together, our findings suggest that plant chloroplast gene expression is compartmentalized by inducible condensation of CP29A at low temperatures, a mechanism that could play a crucial role in plant cold resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Legen
- Molecular Genetics, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Philippstrasse 13, Berlin 10115, Germany
| | - Benjamin Lenzen
- Molecular Genetics, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Philippstrasse 13, Berlin 10115, Germany
| | - Nitin Kachariya
- Helmholtz Munich, Institute of Structural Biology, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1, Munich 85764, Germany
- Department of Bioscience, Bavarian NMR Center, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, Garching 85747, Germany
| | - Stephanie Feltgen
- Molecular Genetics, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Philippstrasse 13, Berlin 10115, Germany
| | - Yang Gao
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, Potsdam-Golm 14476, Germany
| | - Simon Mergenthal
- Institute for Biology, Experimental Biophysics/Mechanobiology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 42, Berlin 10115, Germany
| | - Willi Weber
- Institute for Biology, Experimental Biophysics/Mechanobiology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 42, Berlin 10115, Germany
| | - Enrico Klotzsch
- Institute for Biology, Experimental Biophysics/Mechanobiology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 42, Berlin 10115, Germany
| | - Reimo Zoschke
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, Potsdam-Golm 14476, Germany
| | - Michael Sattler
- Helmholtz Munich, Institute of Structural Biology, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1, Munich 85764, Germany
- Department of Bioscience, Bavarian NMR Center, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, Garching 85747, Germany
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17
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Chakraborty S. When the weather outside is frightful, let it condensate: How the phase separation of an RNA binding protein CP29A helps plants acclimatize to cold. THE PLANT CELL 2024; 36:2755-2756. [PMID: 38783750 PMCID: PMC11289630 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koae157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Sonhita Chakraborty
- Assistant Features Editor, The Plant Cell, American Society of Plant Biologists
- Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå Plant Science Centre, Umeå, Sweden
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18
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Meneses-Reyes GI, Rodriguez-Bustos DL, Cuevas-Velazquez CL. Macromolecular crowding sensing during osmotic stress in plants. Trends Biochem Sci 2024; 49:480-493. [PMID: 38514274 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2024.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Osmotic stress conditions occur at multiple stages of plant life. Changes in water availability caused by osmotic stress induce alterations in the mechanical properties of the plasma membrane, its interaction with the cell wall, and the concentration of macromolecules in the cytoplasm. We summarize the reported players involved in the sensing mechanisms of osmotic stress in plants. We discuss how changes in macromolecular crowding are perceived intracellularly by intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) in proteins. Finally, we review methods for dynamically monitoring macromolecular crowding in living cells and discuss why their implementation is required for the discovery of new plant osmosensors. Elucidating the osmosensing mechanisms will be essential for designing strategies to improve plant productivity in the face of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- G I Meneses-Reyes
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
| | - D L Rodriguez-Bustos
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
| | - C L Cuevas-Velazquez
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico.
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19
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Li Q, Duncan S, Li Y, Huang S, Luo M. Decoding plant specialized metabolism: new mechanistic insights. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 29:535-545. [PMID: 38072690 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2023.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2024]
Abstract
Secondary metabolite (SM) production provides biotic and abiotic stress resistance and enables plants to adapt to the environment. Biosynthesis of these metabolites involves a complex interplay between transcription factors (TFs) and regulatory elements, with emerging evidence suggesting an integral role for chromatin dynamics. Here we review key TFs and epigenetic regulators that govern SM biosynthesis in different contexts. We summarize relevant emerging technologies and results from the model species arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and outline aspects of regulation that may also function in food, feed, fiber, oil, or industrial crop plants. Finally, we highlight how effective translation of fundamental knowledge from model to non-model species can benefit understanding of SM production in a variety of ecological, agricultural, and pharmaceutical contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianqian Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany and Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Susan Duncan
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Yuping Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany and Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China
| | - Shuxian Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany and Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China
| | - Ming Luo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany and Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China.
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20
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Todaka D, Quynh DTN, Tanaka M, Utsumi Y, Utsumi C, Ezoe A, Takahashi S, Ishida J, Kusano M, Kobayashi M, Saito K, Nagano AJ, Nakano Y, Mitsuda N, Fujiwara S, Seki M. Application of ethanol alleviates heat damage to leaf growth and yield in tomato. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1325365. [PMID: 38439987 PMCID: PMC10909983 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1325365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Chemical priming has emerged as a promising area in agricultural research. Our previous studies have demonstrated that pretreatment with a low concentration of ethanol enhances abiotic stress tolerance in Arabidopsis and cassava. Here, we show that ethanol treatment induces heat stress tolerance in tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L.) plants. Seedlings of the tomato cultivar 'Micro-Tom' were pretreated with ethanol solution and then subjected to heat stress. The survival rates of the ethanol-pretreated plants were significantly higher than those of the water-treated control plants. Similarly, the fruit numbers of the ethanol-pretreated plants were greater than those of the water-treated ones. Transcriptome analysis identified sets of genes that were differentially expressed in shoots and roots of seedlings and in mature green fruits of ethanol-pretreated plants compared with those in water-treated plants. Gene ontology analysis using these genes showed that stress-related gene ontology terms were found in the set of ethanol-induced genes. Metabolome analysis revealed that the contents of a wide range of metabolites differed between water- and ethanol-treated samples. They included sugars such as trehalose, sucrose, glucose, and fructose. From our results, we speculate that ethanol-induced heat stress tolerance in tomato is mainly the result of increased expression of stress-related genes encoding late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins, reactive oxygen species (ROS) elimination enzymes, and activated gluconeogenesis. Our results will be useful for establishing ethanol-based chemical priming technology to reduce heat stress damage in crops, especially in Solanaceae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Todaka
- Plant Genomic Network Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Do Thi Nhu Quynh
- Plant Genomic Network Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
- Agricultural Genetics Institute, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Maho Tanaka
- Plant Genomic Network Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
- Plant Epigenome Regulation Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Utsumi
- Plant Genomic Network Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Chikako Utsumi
- Plant Genomic Network Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Akihiro Ezoe
- Plant Genomic Network Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Satoshi Takahashi
- Plant Genomic Network Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
- Plant Epigenome Regulation Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | - Junko Ishida
- Plant Genomic Network Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
- Plant Epigenome Regulation Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | - Miyako Kusano
- Metabolomics Research Group, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- Tsukuba Plant Innovation Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Makoto Kobayashi
- Metabolomics Research Group, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kazuki Saito
- Metabolomics Research Group, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Atsushi J. Nagano
- Faculty of Agriculture, Ryukoku University, Otsu, Shiga, Japan
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Yamagata, Japan
| | - Yoshimi Nakano
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Nobutaka Mitsuda
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Sumire Fujiwara
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Motoaki Seki
- Plant Genomic Network Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
- Plant Epigenome Regulation Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, Wako, Saitama, Japan
- Kihara Institute for Biological Research, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama, Saitama, Japan
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21
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Hsiao AS. Protein Disorder in Plant Stress Adaptation: From Late Embryogenesis Abundant to Other Intrinsically Disordered Proteins. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1178. [PMID: 38256256 PMCID: PMC10816898 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25021178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Global climate change has caused severe abiotic and biotic stresses, affecting plant growth and food security. The mechanical understanding of plant stress responses is critical for achieving sustainable agriculture. Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are a group of proteins without unique three-dimensional structures. The environmental sensitivity and structural flexibility of IDPs contribute to the growth and developmental plasticity for sessile plants to deal with environmental challenges. This article discusses the roles of various disordered proteins in plant stress tolerance and resistance, describes the current mechanistic insights into unstructured proteins such as the disorder-to-order transition for adopting secondary structures to interact with specific partners (i.e., cellular membranes, membrane proteins, metal ions, and DNA), and elucidates the roles of liquid-liquid phase separation driven by protein disorder in stress responses. By comparing IDP studies in animal systems, this article provides conceptual principles of plant protein disorder in stress adaptation, reveals the current research gaps, and advises on the future research direction. The highlighting of relevant unanswered questions in plant protein disorder research aims to encourage more studies on these emerging topics to understand the mechanisms of action behind their stress resistance phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- An-Shan Hsiao
- Department of Biochemistry and Metabolism, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
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22
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Liu Q, Liu W, Niu Y, Wang T, Dong J. Liquid-liquid phase separation in plants: Advances and perspectives from model species to crops. PLANT COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 5:100663. [PMID: 37496271 PMCID: PMC10811348 DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2023.100663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Membraneless biomolecular condensates play important roles in both normal biological activities and responses to environmental stimuli in living organisms. Liquid‒liquid phase separation (LLPS) is an organizational mechanism that has emerged in recent years to explain the formation of biomolecular condensates. In the past decade, advances in LLPS research have contributed to breakthroughs in disease fields. By contrast, although LLPS research in plants has progressed over the past 5 years, it has been concentrated on the model plant Arabidopsis, which has limited relevance to agricultural production. In this review, we provide an overview of recently reported advances in LLPS in plants, with a particular focus on photomorphogenesis, flowering, and abiotic and biotic stress responses. We propose that many potential LLPS proteins also exist in crops and may affect crop growth, development, and stress resistance. This possibility presents a great challenge as well as an opportunity for rigorous scientific research on the biological functions and applications of LLPS in crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianwen Liu
- College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Wenxuan Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Yiding Niu
- Key Laboratory of Forage and Endemic Crop Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
| | - Tao Wang
- College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jiangli Dong
- College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
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23
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Gutierrez-Beltran E, Strader L, Bozhkov PV. Focus on biomolecular condensates. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 35:3155-3157. [PMID: 37352160 PMCID: PMC10473217 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Emilio Gutierrez-Beltran
- Instituto de Bioquimica Vegetal y Fotosintesis, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC)-Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla 41092, Spain
- Departamento de Bioquimica Vegetal y Biologia Molecular, Facultad de Biologia, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla 41012, Spain
- Guest Editor, The Plant Cell, American Society of Plant Biologists, USA
| | - Lucia Strader
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Senior Editor, The Plant Cell, American Society of Plant Biologists, USA
| | - Peter V Bozhkov
- Guest Editor, The Plant Cell, American Society of Plant Biologists, USA
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Uppsala BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Linnean Center for Plant Biology, Uppsala 75007, Sweden
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24
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Taliansky ME, Love AJ, Kołowerzo-Lubnau A, Smoliński DJ. Cajal bodies: Evolutionarily conserved nuclear biomolecular condensates with properties unique to plants. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 35:3214-3235. [PMID: 37202374 PMCID: PMC10473218 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Proper orchestration of the thousands of biochemical processes that are essential to the life of every cell requires highly organized cellular compartmentalization of dedicated microenvironments. There are 2 ways to create this intracellular segregation to optimize cellular function. One way is to create specific organelles, enclosed spaces bounded by lipid membranes that regulate macromolecular flux in and out of the compartment. A second way is via membraneless biomolecular condensates that form due to to liquid-liquid phase separation. Although research on these membraneless condensates has historically been performed using animal and fungal systems, recent studies have explored basic principles governing the assembly, properties, and functions of membraneless compartments in plants. In this review, we discuss how phase separation is involved in a variety of key processes occurring in Cajal bodies (CBs), a type of biomolecular condensate found in nuclei. These processes include RNA metabolism, formation of ribonucleoproteins involved in transcription, RNA splicing, ribosome biogenesis, and telomere maintenance. Besides these primary roles of CBs, we discuss unique plant-specific functions of CBs in RNA-based regulatory pathways such as nonsense-mediated mRNA decay, mRNA retention, and RNA silencing. Finally, we summarize recent progress and discuss the functions of CBs in responses to pathogen attacks and abiotic stresses, responses that may be regulated via mechanisms governed by polyADP-ribosylation. Thus, plant CBs are emerging as highly complex and multifunctional biomolecular condensates that are involved in a surprisingly diverse range of molecular mechanisms that we are just beginning to appreciate.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrew J Love
- The James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee DD2 5DA, UK
| | - Agnieszka Kołowerzo-Lubnau
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Lwowska 1, 87-100 Torun, Poland
- Centre for Modern Interdisciplinary Technologies, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Wilenska 4, 87-100 Torun, Poland
| | - Dariusz Jan Smoliński
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Lwowska 1, 87-100 Torun, Poland
- Centre for Modern Interdisciplinary Technologies, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Wilenska 4, 87-100 Torun, Poland
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25
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Safi A, Smagghe W, Gonçalves A, Wang Q, Xu K, Fernandez AI, Cappe B, Riquet FB, Mylle E, Eeckhout D, De Winne N, Van De Slijke E, Persyn F, Persiau G, Van Damme D, Geelen D, De Jaeger G, Beeckman T, Van Leene J, Vanneste S. Phase separation-based visualization of protein-protein interactions and kinase activities in plants. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 35:3280-3302. [PMID: 37378595 PMCID: PMC10473206 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Protein activities depend heavily on protein complex formation and dynamic posttranslational modifications, such as phosphorylation. The dynamic nature of protein complex formation and posttranslational modifications is notoriously difficult to monitor in planta at cellular resolution, often requiring extensive optimization. Here, we generated and exploited the SYnthetic Multivalency in PLants (SYMPL)-vector set to assay protein-protein interactions (PPIs) (separation of phases-based protein interaction reporter) and kinase activities (separation of phases-based activity reporter of kinase) in planta, based on phase separation. This technology enabled easy detection of inducible, binary and ternary PPIs among cytoplasmic and nuclear proteins in plant cells via a robust image-based readout. Moreover, we applied the SYMPL toolbox to develop an in vivo reporter for SNF1-related kinase 1 activity, allowing us to visualize tissue-specific, dynamic SnRK1 activity in stable transgenic Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plants. The SYMPL cloning toolbox provides a means to explore PPIs, phosphorylation, and other posttranslational modifications with unprecedented ease and sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaeddine Safi
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wouter Smagghe
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Amanda Gonçalves
- Cell Death and Inflammation Unit, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research (IRC), Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology (DBMB), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB, Bioimaging Core, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Qing Wang
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ke Xu
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ana Ibis Fernandez
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Benjamin Cappe
- Cell Death and Inflammation Unit, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research (IRC), Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology (DBMB), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Franck B Riquet
- Cell Death and Inflammation Unit, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research (IRC), Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology (DBMB), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Université de Lille, CNRS, UMR 8523-PhLAM-Physique des Lasers Atomes et Molécules, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Evelien Mylle
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dominique Eeckhout
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nancy De Winne
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Eveline Van De Slijke
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Freya Persyn
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Geert Persiau
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Daniël Van Damme
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Danny Geelen
- Department of Plants and Crops, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Geert De Jaeger
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Tom Beeckman
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jelle Van Leene
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Steffen Vanneste
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Plants and Crops, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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