Circadian oscillations of cytosolic and chloroplastic free calcium in plants

Acidic Stress Induces Cytosolic Free Calcium Oscillation, and an Appropriate Low pH Helps Maintain the Circadian Clock in Arabidopsis

Acidic stress is a formidable environmental factor that exerts adverse effects on plant growth and development, ultimately leading to a potential reduction in agricultural productivity. A low pH triggers Ca2+ influx across the plasma membrane (PM), eliciting distinct responses under various acidic pH levels. However, the underlying mechanisms by which Arabidopsis plant cells generate stimulus-specific Ca2+ signals in response to acidic stress remain largely unexplored. The experimentally induced stimulus may elicit spikes in cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) spikes or complex [Ca2+]i oscillations that persist for 20 min over a long-term of 24 h or even several days within the plant cytosol and chloroplast. This study investigated the increase in [Ca2+]i under a gradient of low pH stress ranging from pH 3.0 to 6.0. Notably, the peak of [Ca2+]i elevation was lower at pH 4.0 than at pH 3.0 during the initial 8 h, while other pH levels did not significantly increase [Ca2+]i compared to low acidic stress conditions. Lanthanum chloride (LaCl3) can effectively suppress the influx of [Ca2+]i from the apoplastic to the cytoplasm in plants under acid stress, with no discernible difference in intracellular calcium levels observed in Arabidopsis. Following 8 h of acid treatment in the darkness, the intracellular baseline Ca2+ levels in Arabidopsis were significantly elevated when exposed to low pH stress. A moderately low pH, specifically 4.0, may function as a spatial-temporal input into the circadian clock system. These findings suggest that acid stimulation can exert a continuous influence on intracellular calcium levels, as well as plant growth and development.

An Arabidopsis Cell Culture With Weak Circadian Rhythms Under Constant Light Compared With Constant Dark Can Be Rescued by ELF3

Callus and cell suspension culture techniques are valuable tools in plant biotechnology and are widely used in fundamental and applied research. For studies in callus and cell suspension cultures to be relevant, it is essential to know if the underlying biochemistry is similar to intact plants. This study examined the expression of core circadian genes in Arabidopsis callus from the cell suspension named AT2 and found that the circadian rhythms were impaired. The circadian waveforms were like intact plants in the light/dark cycles, but the circadian expression in the AT2 callus became weaker in the free-running, constant light conditions. Temperature cycles could drive the rhythmic expression in constant conditions, but there were novel peaks at the point of temperature transitions unique to each clock gene. We found that callus freshly induced from seedlings had normal oscillations, like intact plants, suggesting that the loss of the circadian oscillation in the AT2 callus was specific to this callus. We determined that neither the media composition nor the source of the AT2 callus caused this disruption. We observed that ELF3 expression was not differentially expressed between dawn and dusk in both entrained, light-dark cycles and constant light conditions. Overexpression of AtELF3 in the AT2 callus partially recovers the circadian oscillation in the AT2 callus. This work shows that while callus and cell suspension cultures can be valuable tools for investigating plant responses, careful evaluation of their phenotype is important. Moreover, the altered circadian rhythms under constant light and temperature cycles in the AT2 callus could be useful backgrounds to understand the connections driving circadian oscillators and light and temperature sensing at the cellular level.

Arabidopsis thaliana GLYCINE RICH RNA-BINDING PROTEIN 7 interaction with its iCLIP target LHCB1.1 correlates with changes in RNA stability and circadian oscillation

The importance of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) for plant responses to environmental stimuli and development is well documented. Insights into the portfolio of RNAs they recognize, however, clearly lack behind the understanding gathered in non-plant model organisms. Here, we characterize binding of the circadian clock-regulated Arabidopsis thaliana GLYCINE-RICH RNA-BINDING PROTEIN 7 (AtGRP7) to its target transcripts. We identified novel RNA targets from individual-nucleotide resolution UV crosslinking and immunoprecipitation (iCLIP) data using an improved bioinformatics pipeline that will be broadly applicable to plant RBP iCLIP data. 2705 transcripts with binding sites were identified in plants expressing AtGRP7-GFP that were not recovered in plants expressing an RNA-binding dead variant or GFP alone. A conserved RNA motif enriched in uridine residues was identified at the AtGRP7 binding sites. NMR titrations confirmed the preference of AtGRP7 for RNAs with a central U-rich motif. Among the bound RNAs, circadian clock-regulated transcripts were overrepresented. Peak abundance of the LHCB1.1 transcript encoding a chlorophyll-binding protein was reduced in plants overexpressing AtGRP7 whereas it was elevated in atgrp7 mutants, indicating that LHCB1.1 was regulated by AtGRP7 in a dose-dependent manner. In plants overexpressing AtGRP7, the LHCB1.1 half-life was shorter compared to wild-type plants whereas in atgrp7 mutant plants, the half-life was significantly longer. Thus, AtGRP7 modulates circadian oscillations of its in vivo binding target LHCB1.1 by affecting RNA stability.

Circadian regulation of metabolism across photosynthetic organisms

Circadian regulation produces a biological measure of time within cells. The daily cycle in the availability of light for photosynthesis causes dramatic changes in biochemical processes in photosynthetic organisms, with the circadian clock having crucial roles in adaptation to these fluctuating conditions. Correct alignment between the circadian clock and environmental day-night cycles maximizes plant productivity through its regulation of metabolism. Therefore, the processes that integrate circadian regulation with metabolism are key to understanding how the circadian clock contributes to plant productivity. This forms an important part of exploiting knowledge of circadian regulation to enhance sustainable crop production. Here, we examine the roles of circadian regulation in metabolic processes in source and sink organ structures of Arabidopsis. We also evaluate possible roles for circadian regulation in root exudation processes that deposit carbon into the soil, and the nature of the rhythmic interactions between plants and their associated microbial communities. Finally, we examine shared and differing aspects of the circadian regulation of metabolism between Arabidopsis and other model photosynthetic organisms, and between circadian control of metabolism in photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic organisms. This synthesis identifies a variety of future research topics, including a focus on metabolic processes that underlie biotic interactions within ecosystems.

Calredoxin regulates the chloroplast NADPH-dependent thioredoxin reductase in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Calredoxin (CRX) is a calcium (Ca2+)-dependent thioredoxin (TRX) in the chloroplast of Chlamydomonas (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii) with a largely unclear physiological role. We elucidated the CRX functionality by performing in-depth quantitative proteomics of wild-type cells compared with a crx insertional mutant (IMcrx), two CRISPR/Cas9 KO mutants, and CRX rescues. These analyses revealed that the chloroplast NADPH-dependent TRX reductase (NTRC) is co-regulated with CRX. Electron transfer measurements revealed that CRX inhibits NADPH-dependent reduction of oxidized chloroplast 2-Cys peroxiredoxin (PRX1) via NTRC and that the function of the NADPH-NTRC complex is under strict control of CRX. Via non-reducing SDS-PAGE assays and mass spectrometry, our data also demonstrated that PRX1 is more oxidized under high light (HL) conditions in the absence of CRX. The redox tuning of PRX1 and control of the NADPH-NTRC complex via CRX interconnect redox control with active photosynthetic electron transport and metabolism, as well as Ca2+ signaling. In this way, an economic use of NADPH for PRX1 reduction is ensured. The finding that the absence of CRX under HL conditions severely inhibited light-driven CO2 fixation underpins the importance of CRX for redox tuning, as well as for efficient photosynthesis.

A non-cell-autonomous circadian rhythm of bioluminescence reporter activities in individual duckweed cells

The circadian clock is responsible for the temporal regulation of various physiological processes in plants. Individual cells contain a circadian oscillator consisting of a clock gene circuit that coordinates physiological rhythms within the plant body in an orderly manner. The coordination of time information has been studied from the perspective of cell-cell local coupling and long-distance communication between tissues based on the view that the behavior of circadian oscillators represents physiological rhythms. Here, we report the cellular circadian rhythm of bioluminescence reporters that are not governed by the clock gene circuit in expressing cells. We detected cellular bioluminescence rhythms with different free-running periods in the same cells using a dual-color bioluminescence monitoring system in duckweed (Lemna minor) transfected with Arabidopsis CIRCADIAN CLOCK ASSOCIATED 1::luciferace+ (AtCCA1::LUC+) and Cauliflower mosaic virus 35S::modified click-beetle red-color luciferase (CaMV35S::PtRLUC) reporters. Co-transfection experiments with the two reporters and a clock gene-overexpressing effector revealed that the AtCCA1::LUC+ rhythm, but not the CaMV35S::PtRLUC rhythm, was altered in cells with a dysfunctional clock gene circuit. This indicated that the AtCCA1::LUC+ rhythm is a direct output of the cellular circadian oscillator, whereas the CaMV35S::PtRLUC rhythm is not. After plasmolysis, the CaMV35S::PtRLUC rhythm disappeared, whereas the AtCCA1::LUC+ rhythm persisted. This suggests that the CaMV35S::PtRLUC bioluminescence has a symplast/apoplast-mediated circadian rhythm generated at the organismal level. The CaMV35S::PtRLUC-type bioluminescence rhythm was also observed when other bioluminescence reporters were expressed. These results reveal that the plant circadian system consists of both cell-autonomous and noncell-autonomous rhythms that are unaffected by cellular oscillators.

The captivating role of calcium in plant-microbe interaction

Plant immune response is fascinating due to the complete absence of a humoral system. The adaptive immune response in plants relies on the intracellular orchestration of signalling molecules or intermediates associated with transcriptional reprogramming. Plant disease response phenomena largely depend on pathogen recognition, signal perception, and intracellular signal transduction. The pathogens possess specific pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP) or microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMP), which are first identified by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) of host plants for successful infection. After successful pathogen recognition, the defence response is initiated within plants. The first line of non-specific defence response is called PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI), followed by the specific robust signalling is called effector-triggered immunity (ETI). Calcium plays a crucial role in both PTI and ETI. The biphasic induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is inevitable in any plant-microbe interaction. Calcium ions play crucial roles in the initial oxidative burst and ROS induction. Different pathogens can induce calcium accumulation in the cytosol ([Ca²⁺]_Cyt), called calcium signatures. These calcium signatures further control the diverse defence-responsive proteins in the intracellular milieu. These calcium signatures then activate calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs), calcium calmodulins (CaMs), calcineurin B-like proteins (CBLs), etc., to impart intricate defence signalling within the cell. Decoding this calcium ionic map is imperative to unveil any plant microbe interplay and modulate defence-responsive pathways. Hence, the present review is unique in developing concepts of calcium signature in plants and their subsequent decoding mechanism. This review also intends to articulate early sensing of calcium oscillation, signalling events, and comprehensive mechanistic roles of calcium within plants during pathogenic ingression. This will accumulate and summarize the exciting roles of calcium ions in plant immunity and provide the foundation for future research.

New perspectives on the molecular mechanisms of stress signalling by the nucleotide guanosine tetraphosphate (ppGpp), an emerging regulator of photosynthesis in plants and algae

The nucleotides guanosine tetraphosphate and guanosine pentaphosphate (together (p)ppGpp) are found in a wide range of prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms where they are associated with stress signalling. In this review, we will discuss recent research highlighting the role of (p)ppGpp signalling as a conserved regulator of photosynthetic activity in the chloroplasts of plants and algae, and the latest discoveries that open up new perspectives on the emerging roles of (p)ppGpp in acclimation to environmental stress. We explore how rapid advances in the study of (p)ppGpp signalling in prokaryotes are now revealing large gaps in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of signalling by (p)ppGpp and related nucleotides in plants and algae. Filling in these gaps is likely to lead to the discovery of conserved as well as new plant- and algal-specific (p)ppGpp signalling mechanisms that will offer new insights into the taming of the chloroplast and the regulation of stress tolerance.

The key clock component ZEITLUPE (ZTL) negatively regulates ABA signaling by degradation of CHLH in Arabidopsis

Ubiquitination-mediated protein degradation plays important roles in ABA signal transduction and delivering responses to chloroplast stress signals in plants, but additional E3 ligases of protein ubiquitination remain to be identified to understand the complex signaling network. Here we reported that ZEITLUPE (ZTL), an F-box protein, negatively regulates abscisic acid (ABA) signaling during ABA-inhibited early seedling growth and ABA-induced stomatal closure in Arabidopsis thaliana. Using molecular biology and biochemistry approaches, we demonstrated that ZTL interacts with and ubiquitinates its substrate, CHLH/ABAR (Mg-chelatase H subunit/putative ABA receptor), to modulate CHLH stability via the 26S proteasome pathway. CHLH acts genetically downstream of ZTL in ABA and drought stress signaling. Interestingly, ABA conversely induces ZTL phosphorylation, and high levels of ABA also induce CHLH proteasomal degradation, implying that phosphorylated ZTL protein may enhance the affinity to CHLH, leading to the increased degradation of CHLH after ABA treatment. Taken together, our results revealed a possible mechanism of reciprocal regulation between ABA signaling and the circadian clock, which is thought to be essential for plant fitness and survival.

Distinctive in vitro ATP Hydrolysis Activity of AtVIPP1, a Chloroplastic ESCRT-III Superfamily Protein in Arabidopsis

Vesicle-inducing protein in plastid 1 (VIPP1), characteristic to oxygenic photosynthetic organisms, is a membrane-remodeling factor that forms homo-oligomers and functions in thylakoid membrane formation and maintenance. The cyanobacterial VIPP1 structure revealed a monomeric folding pattern similar to that of endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) III. Characteristic to VIPP1, however, is its own GTP and ATP hydrolytic activity without canonical domains. In this study, we found that histidine-tagged Arabidopsis VIPP1 (AtVIPP1) hydrolyzed GTP and ATP to produce GDP and ADP in vitro, respectively. Unexpectedly, the observed GTPase and ATPase activities were biochemically distinguishable, because the ATPase was optimized for alkaline conditions and dependent on Ca²⁺ as well as Mg²⁺, with a higher affinity for ATP than GTP. We found that a version of AtVIPP1 protein with a mutation in its nucleotide-binding site, as deduced from the cyanobacterial structure, retained its hydrolytic activity, suggesting that Arabidopsis and cyanobacterial VIPP1s have different properties. Negative staining particle analysis showed that AtVIPP1 formed particle or rod structures that differed from those of cyanobacteria and Chlamydomonas. These results suggested that the nucleotide hydrolytic activity and oligomer formation of VIPP1 are common in photosynthetic organisms, whereas their properties differ among species.

Circadian clock in plants: Linking timing to fitness

Endogenous circadian clock integrates cyclic signals of environment and daily and seasonal behaviors of organisms to achieve spatiotemporal synchronization, which greatly improves genetic diversity and fitness of species. This review addresses recent studies on the plant circadian system in the field of chronobiology, covering topics on molecular mechanisms, internal and external Zeitgebers, and hierarchical regulation of physiological outputs. The architecture of the circadian clock involves the autoregulatory transcriptional feedback loops, post-translational modifications of core oscillators, and epigenetic modifications of DNA and histones. Here, light, temperature, humidity, and internal elemental nutrients are summarized to illustrate the sensitivity of the circadian clock to timing cues. In addition, the circadian clock runs cell-autonomously, driving independent circadian rhythms in various tissues. The core oscillators responds to each other with biochemical factors including calcium ions, mineral nutrients, photosynthetic products, and hormones. We describe clock components sequentially expressed during a 24-h day that regulate rhythmic growth, aging, immune response, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Notably, more data have suggested the circadian clock links chrono-culture to key agronomic traits in crops.

CamelliA-based simultaneous imaging of Ca2+ dynamics in subcellular compartments

As a universal second messenger, calcium (Ca2+) transmits specific cellular signals via a spatiotemporal signature generated from its extracellular source and internal stores. Our knowledge of the mechanisms underlying the generation of a Ca2+ signature is hampered by limited tools for simultaneously monitoring dynamic Ca2+ levels in multiple subcellular compartments. To overcome the limitation and to further improve spatiotemporal resolutions, we have assembled a molecular toolset (CamelliA lines) in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) that enables simultaneous and high-resolution monitoring of Ca2+ dynamics in multiple subcellular compartments through imaging different single-colored genetically encoded calcium indicators. We uncovered several Ca2+ signatures in three types of Arabidopsis cells in response to internal and external cues, including rapid oscillations of cytosolic Ca2+ and apical plasma membrane Ca2+ influx in fast-growing Arabidopsis pollen tubes, the spatiotemporal relationship of Ca2+ dynamics in four subcellular compartments of root epidermal cells challenged with salt, and a shockwave-like Ca2+ wave propagating in laser-wounded leaf epidermis. These observations serve as a testimony to the wide applicability of the CamelliA lines for elucidating the subcellular sources contributing to the Ca2+ signatures in plants.

The circadian clock ticks in plant stress responses

The circadian clock, a time-keeping mechanism, drives nearly 24-h self-sustaining rhythms at the physiological, cellular, and molecular levels, keeping them synchronized with the cyclic changes of environmental signals. The plant clock is sensitive to external and internal stress signals that act as timing cues to influence the circadian rhythms through input pathways of the circadian clock system. In order to cope with environmental stresses, many core oscillators are involved in defense while maintaining daily growth in various ways. Recent studies have shown that a hierarchical multi-oscillator network orchestrates the defense through rhythmic accumulation of gene transcripts, alternative splicing of mRNA precursors, modification and turnover of proteins, subcellular localization, stimuli-induced phase separation, and long-distance transport of proteins. This review summarizes the essential role of circadian core oscillators in response to stresses in Arabidopsis thaliana and crops, including daily and seasonal abiotic stresses (low or high temperature, drought, high salinity, and nutrition deficiency) and biotic stresses (pathogens and herbivorous insects). By integrating time-keeping mechanisms, circadian rhythms and stress resistance, we provide a temporal perspective for scientists to better understand plant environmental adaptation and breed high-quality crop germplasm for agricultural production.

An endogenous basis for synchronisation characteristics of the circadian rhythm in proliferating Lemna minor plants

The circadian clock is a cell-autonomous system that functions through the coordination of time information in the plant body. Synchronisation of cellular clocks is based on coordination mechanisms; the synchronisation characteristics of proliferating plants remain unclear. The bioluminescence circadian rhythms of fronds (leaf-like plant units) of proliferating Lemna minor plants carrying a circadian bioluminescence reporter, AtCCA1:LUC, were spatiotemporally analysed at a cell-level resolution. We focused on spontaneous circadian organisation under constant light conditions for plants with light : dark treatment (LD grown) or without it (LL grown). Fronds developing even from an LL-grown parental frond showed coherent circadian rhythms among them. This allowed the maintenance of circadian rhythmicity in proliferating plants. Inside a frond, a centrifugal phase/period pattern was observed in LD-grown plants, whereas various phase patterns with travelling waves were formed in LL-grown plants. These patterns were model simulated by local coupling of heterogeneous cellular circadian oscillators with different initial synchronous states in fronds. Spatiotemporal analysis of the circadian rhythms in proliferating plants reveals spontaneous synchronisation manners that are associated with local cell-cell coupling, spatial phase patterns and developmental stages.

Illuminating the hidden world of calcium ions in plants with a universe of indicators

The tools available to carry out in vivo analysis of Ca²⁺ dynamics in plants are powerful and mature technologies that still require the proper controls.

Time Will Tell: Intercellular Communication in the Plant Clock

Multicellular organisms have evolved local and long-distance signaling mechanisms to synchronize development and response to stimuli among a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs. Biological timekeeping is one such activity that is suggested to be coordinated within an organism to anticipate and respond to daily and seasonal patterns in the environment. New research into the plant clock suggests circadian rhythms are communicated between cells and across long distances. However, further clarity is required on the nature of the signaling molecules and the mechanisms underlying signal translocation. Here we summarize the roles and properties of tissue-specific circadian rhythms, discuss the evidence for local and long-distance clock communication, and evaluate the potential signaling molecules and transport mechanisms involved in this system.

Cellular Calcium Levels Influenced by NCA-2 Impact Circadian Period Determination in Neurospora

Intracellular calcium signaling has been implicated in the control of a variety of circadian processes in animals and plants, but its role in microbial clocks has remained largely cryptic. To examine the role of intracellular Ca²⁺ in the Neurospora clock, we screened mutants with knockouts of calcium transporter genes and identified a gene encoding a calcium exporter, nca-2, uniquely as having significant period effects. The loss of NCA-2 results in an increase in the cytosolic calcium level, and this leads to hyper-phosphorylation of core clock components, FRQ and WC-1, and a short period, as measured by both the core oscillator and the overt clock. Genetic analyses showed that mutations in certain frq phospho-sites and in Ca²⁺-calmodulin-dependent kinase 2 (camk-2) are epistatic to nca-2 in controlling the pace of the oscillator. These data are consistent with a model in which elevated intracellular Ca²⁺ leads to the increased activity of CAMK-2, leading to enhanced FRQ phosphorylation, accelerated closure of the circadian feedback loop, and a shortened circadian period length. At a mechanistic level, some CAMKs undergo more auto-phosphorylations in the Δnca-2 mutant, consistent with high calcium levels in the Δnca-2 mutant influencing the enzymatic activities of CAMKs. NCA-2 interacts with multiple proteins, including CSP-6, a protein known to be required for circadian output. Most importantly, the expression of nca-2 is circadian clock-controlled at both the transcriptional and translational levels, and this in combination with the period effects seen in strains lacking NCA-2 firmly places calcium signaling within the larger circadian system, where it acts as both an input to and an output from the core clock.

Layers of crosstalk between circadian regulation and environmental signalling in plants

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.

Osmotic stress alters circadian cytosolic Ca2+ oscillations and OSCA1 is required in circadian gated stress adaptation

The circadian clock is a universal timing system that involved in plant physical responses to abiotic stresses. Moreover, OSCA1 is an osmosensor responsible for [Ca2+]i increases induced by osmotic stress in plants. However, there is little information on osmosensor involved osmotic stress-triggered circadian clock responses. Using an aequorin-based Ca2+ imaging assay, we found the gradient (0 mM, 200 mM, 500 mM) osmotic stress (induced by sorbitol) both altered the primary circadian parameter of WT and osca1 mutant. This means the plant switch to a fast day/night model to avoid energy consumption. In contrast, the period of WT and osca1 mutant became short since the sorbitol concentration increased from 0 mM to 500 mM. As the sorbitol concentration increased, the phase of the WT becomes more extensive compared with osca1 mutant, which means WT is more capable of coping with the environmental change. Moreover, the amplitude of WT also becomes broader than osca1 mutant, especially in high (500 mM) sorbitol concentration, indicate the WT shows more responses in high osmotic stress. In a word, the WT has much more flexibility to cope with the osmotic stress than osca1 mutant. It implies the OSCA1 might be involved in the circadian gated plant adaptation to the environmental osmotic stress, which opens an avenue to study Ca2+ processes with other circadian signaling pathways.

Intraorganellar calcium imaging in Arabidopsis seedling roots using the GCaMP variants GCaMP6m and R-CEPIA1er

Ca²⁺ acts as a universal second messenger in eukaryotes. In animals, a wide variety of environmental and developmental stimuli trigger Ca²⁺ dynamics in organelles, such as the cytoplasm, nucleus, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER). However, ER Ca²⁺ ([Ca²⁺]_er) homeostasis and its contributions in cytosolic and/or nucleosolic Ca²⁺ dynamics in plants remain elusive. GCaMPs are comprised of a circularly permutated form of enhanced green fluorescent protein fused to calmodulin and myosin light-chain kinase M13 and used for monitoring Ca²⁺ dynamics in mammalian cells. Here, we targeted a high-affinity variant of GCaMP with nuclear export signal in the cytoplasm (NES-GCaMP6m), with a nuclear-localised signal in the nucleus (NLS-GCaMP6m), and a low-affinity variant of GCaMP, also known as calcium-measuring organelle-entrapped protein indicators (CEPIA), with a signal peptide sequence of the ER-localised protein Calreticulin 1a in the ER lumen (CRT1a-R-CEPIA1er) for intraorganellar Ca²⁺ imaging in Arabidopsis. We found that cytosolic Ca²⁺ ([Ca²⁺]_cyt) increases induced by 250 mM sorbitol as an osmotic stress stimulus, 50 μM abscisic acid (ABA), or 1 mM carbachol (CCh) were mainly due to extracellular Ca²⁺ influx, whereas nucleosolic Ca²⁺ ([Ca²⁺]_nuc) increases triggered by osmotic stress, ABA, or CCh were contributed by [Ca²⁺]_er release. In addition, [Ca²⁺]_er dynamics presented specific patterns in response to different stimuli such as osmotic stress, ABA, or CCh, indicating that Ca²⁺ signalling occurs in the ER in plants. These results provide valuable insights into subcellular Ca²⁺ dynamics in response to different stresses in Arabidopsis root cells and prove that GCaMP imaging is a useful tool for furthering our understanding of plant organelle functions.

Circadian gating of dark-induced increases in chloroplast- and cytosolic-free calcium in Arabidopsis

Changes in the spatiotemporal concentration of free Ca²⁺ ([Ca²⁺ ]) in different organelles of the cell contribute to responses of plants to physiological and environmental stimuli. One example are [Ca²⁺ ] increases in the stroma of chloroplasts during light-to-dark transitions; however, the function and mechanisms responsible are unknown, in part because there is a disagreement in the literature concerning whether corresponding dark-induced changes in cytosolic [Ca²⁺ ] ([Ca²⁺ ]_cyt ) can be detected. We have measured changes in [Ca²⁺ ]_cyt upon darkness in addition to the already known dark-induced increases in [Ca²⁺ ]_stroma in the aerial part of the Arabidopsis thaliana plant. These [Ca²⁺ ]_cyt transients depend on the photoperiod and time of day, peaking at anticipated dusk, and are superimposed on daily 24 h oscillations in [Ca²⁺ ]_cyt . We also find that the magnitude of the dark-induced increases in Ca²⁺ in both the cytosol and chloroplasts are gated by the nuclear circadian oscillator. The modulation of the magnitude of dark-induced increases in [Ca²⁺ ]_stroma and [Ca²⁺ ]_cyt by transcriptional regulators in the nucleus that are part of the circadian oscillator demonstrates a new role for the circadian system in subcellular Ca²⁺ signalling, in addition to its role in driving circadian oscillations of [Ca²⁺ ] in the cytosol and chloroplasts.

Chloroplast Calcium Signaling in the Spotlight

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

Increases in Absolute Temperature Stimulate Free Calcium Concentration Elevations in the Chloroplast

Plants need to sense increases in temperature to be able to adapt their physiology and development to survive; however, the mechanisms of heat perception are currently relatively poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that in response to elevated temperature, the free calcium concentration of the stroma of chloroplasts increases. This response is specific to the chloroplast, as no corresponding increase in calcium is seen in the cytosol. The chloroplast calcium response is dose dependent above a threshold. The magnitude of this calcium response is dependent upon absolute temperature, not the rate of heating. This response is dynamic: repeated stimulation leads to rapid attenuation of the response, which can be overcome by sensitization at a higher temperature. More long-term acclimation to different temperatures resets the basal sensitivity of the system, such that plants acclimated to lower temperatures are more sensitive than those acclimated to higher temperatures. The heat-induced chloroplast calcium response was partially dependent upon the calcium-sensing receptor CAS which has been shown previously to regulate other chloroplast calcium signaling responses. Taken together, our data demonstrate the ability of chloroplasts to sense absolute high temperature and produce commensurately quantitative stromal calcium response, the magnitude of which is a function of both current temperature and stress history.

A simulated geomagnetic storm unsynchronizes with diurnal geomagnetic variation affecting calpain activity in roach and great pond snail

It has been suggested that geomagnetic storms could be perceived by organisms via disruption of naturally occurring diurnal geomagnetic variation. This variation, in turn, is viewed by way of a zeitgeber for biological circadian rhythms. The biological effects of a geomagnetic storm, therefore, could depend on the local time of day when its main phase occurs. We have assessed calpain activity in tissues of roach (Rutilus rutilus) and great pond snail (Limnaea stagnalis) after exposure to a simulated geomagnetic storm, reproduced at different times of day, in order to evaluate this hypothesis. Significant decrease in calpain activity was observed in organisms exposed to the simulated geomagnetic storm whose main phase, and initial period of a recovery phase, did not coincide with the expected peak of diurnal geomagnetic variation. The results obtained are considered an experimental confirmation of the aforementioned hypothesis. Improvement of a correlative approach for the assessment of biological effects of geomagnetic activity can be achieved by considering information on the synchronization of geomagnetic storm's main phase with diurnal geomagnetic variation.

On the move through time - a historical review of plant clock research

The circadian clock is an important regulator of growth and development that has evolved to help organisms to anticipate the predictably occurring events on the planet, such as light-dark transitions, and adapt growth and development to these. This review looks back in history on how knowledge about the endogenous biological clock has been acquired over the centuries, with a focus on discoveries in plants. Key findings at the physiological, genetic and molecular level are described and the role of the circadian clock in important molecular processes is reviewed.

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

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

NMDA Receptor-mediated Ca2+ Influx in the Absence of Mg2+ Block Disrupts Rest: Activity Rhythms in Drosophila

Study Objectives

The correlated activation of pre- and postsynaptic neurons is essential for the NMDA receptor-mediated Ca2+ influx by removing Mg2+ from block site and NMDA receptors have been implicated in phase resetting of circadian clocks. So we assessed rest:activity rhythms in Mg2+ block defective animals.

Methods

Using Drosophila locomotor monitoring system, we checked circadian rest:activity rhythms of different mutants under constant darkness (DD) and light:dark (LD) conditions. We recorded NMDA receptor-mediated currents or Ca2+ increase in neurons using patch-clamp and Ca2+ imaging techniques.

Results

We found that Mg2+ block defective mutant flies were completely arrhythmic under DD. To further understand the role of Mg2+ block in daily circadian rest:activity, we observed the mutant files under LD cycles, and we found severely reduced morning anticipation and advanced evening peak compared to control flies. We also used tissue-specific expression of Mg2+ block defective NMDA receptors and demonstrated pigment-dispersing factor receptor (PDFR)-expressing circadian neurons were implicated in mediating the circadian rest:activity deficits. Endogenous functional NMDA receptors are expressed in most Drosophila neurons, including in a subgroup of dorsal neurons (DN1s). Subsequently, we determined that the uncorrelated extra Ca2+ influx may act in part through Ca2+/Calmodulin (CaM)-stimulated PDE1c pathway leading to morning behavior phenotypes.

Conclusions

These results demonstrate that Mg2+ block of NMDA receptors at resting potential is essential for the daily circadian rest:activity rhythms and we propose that Mg2+ block functions to suppress CaM-stimulated PDE1c activation at resting potential, thus regulating Ca2+ and cyclic AMP oscillations in circadian and sleep circuits.

Nitrogen Metabolism is Affected in the Nitrogen-Deficient Rice Mutant esl4 with a Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinase Gene Mutation

Calcium-dependent protein kinases are involved in various biological processes, including hormone response, growth and development, abiotic stress response, disease resistance, and nitrogen metabolism. We identified a novel mutant of a calcium-dependent protein-kinase-encoding gene, esl4, by performing map cloning. The esl4 mutant was nitrogen deficient, and expression and enzyme activities of genes related to nitrogen metabolism were down-regulated. ESL4 was mainly expressed in the vascular bundles of roots, stems, leaves, and sheaths. The ESL4 protein was localized in the cell membranes. Enzyme activity and physiological index analyzes and analysis of the expression of nitrogen metabolism and senescence-related genes indicated that ESL4 was involved in nitrogen metabolism. ESL4 overexpression in transgenic homozygous T2 plants increased nitrogen-use efficiency, improving yields when little nitrogen was available. The seed-set rates, yields per plant, numbers of grains per plant, grain nitrogen content ratios, and total nitrogen content per plant were significantly or very significantly higher for two ESL4 overexpression lines than for the control plants. These results suggest that ESL4 may function upstream of nitrogen-metabolism genes. The results will allow ESL4 to be used to breed novel cultivars for growing in low-nitrogen conditions.

Circadian oscillations of cytosolic free calcium regulate the Arabidopsis circadian clock

In the last decade, the view of circadian oscillators has expanded from transcriptional feedback to incorporate post-transcriptional, post-translational, metabolic processes and ionic signalling. In plants and animals, there are circadian oscillations in the concentration of cytosolic free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]cyt), though their purpose has not been fully characterized. We investigated whether circadian oscillations of [Ca2+]cyt regulate the circadian oscillator of Arabidopsis thaliana. We report that in Arabidopsis, [Ca2+]cyt circadian oscillations can regulate circadian clock function through the Ca2+-dependent action of CALMODULIN-LIKE24 (CML24). Genetic analyses demonstrate a linkage between CML24 and the circadian oscillator, through pathways involving the circadian oscillator gene TIMING OF CAB2 EXPRESSION1 (TOC1).

Parallel analysis of Arabidopsis circadian clock mutants reveals different scales of transcriptome and proteome regulation

The circadian clock regulates physiological processes central to growth and survival. To date, most plant circadian clock studies have relied on diurnal transcriptome changes to elucidate molecular connections between the circadian clock and observable phenotypes in wild-type plants. Here, we have integrated RNA-sequencing and protein mass spectrometry data to comparatively analyse the lhycca1, prr7prr9, gi and toc1 circadian clock mutant rosette at the end of day and end of night. Each mutant affects specific sets of genes and proteins, suggesting that the circadian clock regulation is modular. Furthermore, each circadian clock mutant maintains its own dynamically fluctuating transcriptome and proteome profile specific to subcellular compartments. Most of the measured protein levels do not correlate with changes in their corresponding transcripts. Transcripts and proteins that have coordinated changes in abundance are enriched for carbohydrate- and cold-responsive genes. Transcriptome changes in all four circadian clock mutants also affect genes encoding starch degradation enzymes, transcription factors and protein kinases. The comprehensive transcriptome and proteome datasets demonstrate that future system-driven research of the circadian clock requires multi-level experimental approaches. Our work also shows that further work is needed to elucidate the roles of post-translational modifications and protein degradation in the regulation of clock-related processes.

The contribution of organelles to plant intracellular Calcium signalling

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

Advances and current challenges in calcium signaling

Content Summary 414 I. Introduction 415 II. Ca²⁺ importer and exporter in plants 415 III. The Ca²⁺ decoding toolkit in plants 415 IV. Mechanisms of Ca²⁺ signal decoding 417 V. Immediate Ca²⁺ signaling in the regulation of ion transport 418 VI. Ca²⁺ signal integration into long-term ABA responses 419 VII Integration of Ca²⁺ and hormone signaling through dynamic complex modulation of the CCaMK/CYCLOPS complex 420 VIII Ca²⁺ signaling in mitochondria and chloroplasts 422 IX A view beyond recent advances in Ca²⁺ imaging 423 X Modeling approaches in Ca²⁺ signaling 424 XI Conclusions: Ca²⁺ signaling a still young blooming field of plant research 424 Acknowledgements 425 ORCID 425 References 425 SUMMARY: Temporally and spatially defined changes in Ca²⁺ concentration in distinct compartments of cells represent a universal information code in plants. Recently, it has become evident that Ca²⁺ signals not only govern intracellular regulation but also appear to contribute to long distance or even organismic signal propagation and physiological response regulation. Ca²⁺ signals are shaped by an intimate interplay of channels and transporters, and during past years important contributing individual components have been identified and characterized. Ca²⁺ signals are translated by an elaborate toolkit of Ca²⁺ -binding proteins, many of which function as Ca²⁺ sensors, into defined downstream responses. Intriguing progress has been achieved in identifying specific modules that interconnect Ca²⁺ decoding proteins and protein kinases with downstream target effectors, and in characterizing molecular details of these processes. In this review, we reflect on recent major advances in our understanding of Ca²⁺ signaling and cover emerging concepts and existing open questions that should be informative also for scientists that are currently entering this field of ever-increasing breath and impact.

Both NaCl and H2O2 Long-Term Stresses Affect Basal Cytosolic Ca2+ Levels but Only NaCl Alters Cytosolic Ca2+ Signatures in Arabidopsis

Salinity is one of the formidable environmental factors that affect plant growth and development and constrain agricultural productivity. Experimentally imposed short-term NaCl treatment triggers a transient increase in cytosolic free Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i) via Ca²⁺ influx across the plasma membrane. Salinity stress, as well as other stresses, induces the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as H₂O₂. It is well established that short-term H₂O₂ treatment also triggers a transient increase in [Ca²⁺]_i. However, whether and how long-term NaCl and H₂O₂ treatments affect the basal levels of [Ca²⁺]_i as well as plant responses to additional NaCl and H₂O₂ stresses remain poorly understood. Using an aequorin-based Ca²⁺ imaging assay, we found that the long-term treatment of Arabidopsis seedlings with both moderate NaCl and H₂O₂ in the growth media reduced the basal [Ca²⁺]_i levels. Interestingly, we found that the long-term treatment with NaCl, but not H₂O_2, affected the responses of plants to additional NaCl stress, and remarkably the roots displayed enhanced responses while the leaves showed reduced responses. These findings suggest that plants adapt to the long-term NaCl stress, while H₂O₂ might be an integrator of many stresses.

Shining a light on the Arabidopsis circadian clock

The circadian clock provides essential timing information to ensure optimal growth to prevailing external environmental conditions. A major time-setting mechanism (zeitgeber) in clock synchronization is light. Differing light wavelengths, intensities, and photoperiodic duration are processed for the clock-setting mechanism. Many studies on light-input pathways to the clock have focused on Arabidopsis thaliana. Photoreceptors are specific chromic proteins that detect light signals and transmit this information to the central circadian oscillator through a number of different signalling mechanisms. The most well-characterized clock-mediating photoreceptors are cryptochromes and phytochromes, detecting blue, red, and far-red wavelengths of light. Ultraviolet and shaded light are also processed signals to the oscillator. Notably, the clock reciprocally generates rhythms of photoreceptor action leading to so-called gating of light responses. Intermediate proteins, such as Phytochrome interacting factors (PIFs), constitutive photomorphogenic 1 (COP1) and EARLY FLOWERING 3 (ELF3), have been established in signalling pathways downstream of photoreceptor activation. However, the precise details for these signalling mechanisms are not fully established. This review highlights both historical and recent efforts made to understand overall light input to the oscillator, first looking at how each wavelength of light is detected, this is then related to known input mechanisms and their interactions.

Within and beyond the stringent response-RSH and (p)ppGpp in plants

Plant RSH proteins are able to synthetize and/or hydrolyze unusual nucleotides called (p)ppGpp or alarmones. These molecules regulate nuclear and chloroplast transcription, chloroplast translation and plant development and stress response. Homologs of bacterial RelA/SpoT proteins, designated RSH, and products of their activity, (p)ppGpp-guanosine tetra-and pentaphosphates, have been found in algae and higher plants. (p)ppGpp were first identified in bacteria as the effectors of the stringent response, a mechanism that orchestrates pleiotropic adaptations to nutritional deprivation and various stress conditions. (p)ppGpp accumulation in bacteria decreases transcription-with exception to genes that help to withstand or overcome current stressful situations, which are upregulated-and translation as well as DNA replication and eventually reduces metabolism and growth but promotes adaptive responses. In plants, RSH are nuclei-encoded and function in chloroplasts, where alarmones are produced and decrease transcription, translation, hormone, lipid and metabolites accumulation and affect photosynthetic efficiency and eventually plant growth and development. During senescence, alarmones coordinate nutrient remobilization and relocation from vegetative tissues into seeds. Despite the high conservancy of RSH protein domains among bacteria and plants as well as the bacterial origin of plant chloroplasts, in plants, unlike in bacteria, (p)ppGpp promote chloroplast DNA replication and division. Next, (p)ppGpp may also perform their functions in cytoplasm, where they would promote plant growth inhibition. Furthermore, (p)ppGpp accumulation also affects nuclear gene expression, i.a., decreases the level of Arabidopsis defense gene transcripts, and promotes plants susceptibility towards Turnip mosaic virus. In this review, we summarize recent findings that show the importance of RSH and (p)ppGpp in plant growth and development, and open an area of research aiming to understand the function of plant RSH in response to stress.

Circadian and Light Regulated Expression of CBFs and their Upstream Signalling Genes in Barley

CBF (C-repeat binding factor) transcription factors show high expression levels in response to cold; moreover, they play a key regulatory role in cold acclimation processes. Recently, however, more and more information has led to the conclusion that, apart from cold, light-including its spectra-also has a crucial role in regulating CBF expression. Earlier, studies established that the expression patterns of some of these regulatory genes follow circadian rhythms. To understand more of this complex acclimation process, we studied the expression patterns of the signal transducing pathways, including signal perception, the circadian clock and phospholipid signalling pathways, upstream of the CBF gene regulatory hub. To exclude the confounding effect of cold, experiments were carried out at 22 °C. Our results show that the expression of genes implicated in the phospholipid signalling pathway follow a circadian rhythm. We demonstrated that, from among the tested CBF genes expressed in Hordeumvulgare (Hv) under our conditions, only the members of the HvCBF4-phylogenetic subgroup showed a circadian pattern. We found that the HvCBF4-subgroup genes were expressed late in the afternoon or early in the night. We also determined the expression changes under supplemental far-red illumination and established that the transcript accumulation had appeared four hours earlier and more intensely in several cases. Based on our results, we propose a model to illustrate the effect of the circadian clock and the quality of the light on the elements of signalling pathways upstream of the HvCBFs, thus integrating the complex regulation of the early cellular responses, which finally lead to an elevated abiotic stress tolerance.

Calcium Circadian Rhythmicity in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus: Cell Autonomy and Network Modulation

Circadian rhythms of mammalian physiology and behavior are coordinated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the hypothalamus. Within SCN neurons, various aspects of cell physiology exhibit circadian oscillations, including circadian clock gene expression, levels of intracellular Ca²⁺ ([Ca²⁺]_i), and neuronal firing rate. [Ca²⁺]_i oscillates in SCN neurons even in the absence of neuronal firing. To determine the causal relationship between circadian clock gene expression and [Ca²⁺]_i rhythms in the SCN, as well as the SCN neuronal network dependence of [Ca²⁺]_i rhythms, we introduced GCaMP3, a genetically encoded fluorescent Ca²⁺ indicator, into SCN neurons from PER2::LUC knock-in reporter mice. Then, PER2 and [Ca²⁺]_i were imaged in SCN dispersed and organotypic slice cultures. In dispersed cells, PER2 and [Ca²⁺]_i both exhibited cell autonomous circadian rhythms, but [Ca²⁺]_i rhythms were typically weaker than PER2 rhythms. This result matches the predictions of a detailed mathematical model in which clock gene rhythms drive [Ca²⁺]_i rhythms. As predicted by the model, PER2 and [Ca²⁺]_i rhythms were both stronger in SCN slices than in dispersed cells and were weakened by blocking neuronal firing in slices but not in dispersed cells. The phase relationship between [Ca²⁺]_i and PER2 rhythms was more variable in cells within slices than in dispersed cells. Both PER2 and [Ca²⁺]_i rhythms were abolished in SCN cells deficient in the essential clock gene Bmal1. These results suggest that the circadian rhythm of [Ca²⁺]_i in SCN neurons is cell autonomous and dependent on clock gene rhythms, but reinforced and modulated by a synchronized SCN neuronal network.

Real-time In Vivo Recording of Arabidopsis Calcium Signals During Insect Feeding Using a Fluorescent Biosensor

Calcium ions are predicted to be key signaling entities during biotic interactions, with calcium signaling forming an established part of the plant defense response to microbial elicitors and to wounding caused by chewing insects, eliciting systemic calcium signals in plants. However, the role of calcium in vivo during biotic stress is still unclear. This protocol describes the use of a genetically-encoded calcium sensor to detect calcium signals in plants during feeding by a hemipteran pest. Hemipterans such as aphids pierce a small number of cells with specialized, elongated sucking mouthparts, making them the ideal tool to study calcium dynamics when a plant is faced with a biotic stress, which is distinct from a wounding response. In addition, fluorescent biosensors are revolutionizing the measurement of signaling molecules in vivo in both animals and plants. Expressing a GFP-based calcium biosensor, GCaMP3, in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana allows for the real-time imaging of plant calcium dynamics during insect feeding, with a high spatial and temporal resolution. A repeatable and robust assay has been developed using the fluorescence microscopy of detached GCaMP3 leaves, allowing for the continuous measurement of cytosolic calcium dynamics before, during, and after insect feeding. This reveals a highly-localized rapid calcium elevation around the aphid feeding site that occurs within a few minutes. The protocol can be adapted to other biotic stresses, such as additional insect species, while the use of Arabidopsis thaliana allows for the rapid generation of mutants to facilitate the molecular analysis of the phenomenon.

The Glycosyltransferase QUA1 Regulates Chloroplast-Associated Calcium Signaling During Salt and Drought Stress in Arabidopsis

Cytoplasmic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]cyt) elevation induced by various signals is responsible for appropriate downstream responses. Through a genetic screen of Arabidopsis thaliana mutants defective in stress-induced [Ca2+]cyt elevation, the glycosyltransferase QUASIMODO1 (QUA1) was identified as a regulator of [Ca2+]cyt in response to salt stress. Compared with the wild type, the qua1-4 mutant exhibited a dramatically greater increase in [Ca2+]cyt under NaCl treatment. Functional analysis showed that QUA1 is a novel chloroplast protein that regulates cytoplasmic Ca2+ signaling. QUA1 was detected in chloroplast thylakoids, and the qua1-4 mutant exhibited irregularly stacked grana. The observed greater increase in [Ca2+]cyt was inhibited upon recovery of chloroplast function in the qua1-4 mutant. Further analysis showed that CAS, a thylakoid-localized calcium sensor, also displayed irregularly stacked grana, and the chloroplasts of the qua1-4 cas-1 double mutant were similar to those of cas-1 plants. In QUA1-overexpressing plants, the protein level of CAS was decreased, and CAS was readily degraded under osmotic stress. When CAS was silenced in the qua1-4 mutant, the large [Ca2+]cyt increase was blocked, and the higher expression of PLC3 and PLC4 was suppressed. Under osmotic stress, the qua1-4 mutant showed an even greater elevation in [Ca2+]cyt and was hypersensitive to drought stress. However, this sensitivity was inhibited when the increase in [Ca2+]cyt was repressed in the qua1-4 mutant. Collectively, our data indicate that QUA1 may function in chloroplast-dependent calcium signaling under salt and drought stresses. Additionally, CAS may function downstream of QUA1 to mediate these processes.

Cytosolic and Nucleosolic Calcium Signaling in Response to Osmotic and Salt Stresses Are Independent of Each Other in Roots of Arabidopsis Seedlings

Calcium acts as a universal second messenger in both developmental processes and responses to environmental stresses. Previous research has shown that a number of stimuli can induce [Ca²⁺] increases in both the cytoplasm and nucleus in plants. However, the relationship between cytosolic and nucleosolic calcium signaling remains obscure. Here, we generated transgenic plants containing a fusion protein, comprising rat parvalbumin (PV) with either a nuclear export sequence (PV-NES) or a nuclear localization sequence (NLS-PV), to selectively buffer the cytosolic or nucleosolic calcium. Firstly, we found that the osmotic stress-induced cytosolic [Ca²⁺] increase (OICI_cyt) and the salt stress-induced cytosolic [Ca²⁺] increase (SICI_cyt) were impaired in the PV-NES lines compared with the Arabidopsis wildtype (WT). Similarly, the osmotic stress-induced nucleosolic [Ca²⁺] increase (OICI_nuc) and salt stress-induced nucleosolic [Ca²⁺] increase (SICI_nuc) were also disrupted in the NLS-PV lines. These results indicate that PV can effectively buffer the increase of [Ca²⁺] in response to various stimuli in Arabidopsis. However, the OICI_cyt and SICI_cyt in the NLS-PV plants were similar to those in the WT, and the OICI_nuc and SICI_nuc in the PV-NES plants were also same as those in the WT, suggesting that the cytosolic and nucleosolic calcium dynamics are mutually independent. Furthermore, we found that osmotic stress- and salt stress-inhibited root growth was reduced dramatically in the PV-NES and NLS-PV lines, while the osmotic stress-induced increase of the lateral root primordia was higher in the PV-NES plants than either the WT or NLS-PV plants. In addition, several stress-responsive genes, namely CML37, DREB2A, MYB2, RD29A, and RD29B, displayed diverse expression patterns in response to osmotic and salt stress in the PV-NES and NLS-PV lines when compared with the WT. Together, these results imply that the cytosolic and nucleosolic calcium signaling coexist to play the pivotal roles in the growth and development of plants and their responses to environment stresses.

The Plant Circadian Clock: From a Simple Timekeeper to a Complex Developmental Manager

The plant circadian clock allows organisms to anticipate the predictable changes in the environment by adjusting their developmental and physiological traits. In the last few years, it was determined that responses known to be regulated by the oscillator are also able to modulate clock performance. These feedback loops and their multilayer communications create a complex web, and confer on the clock network a role that exceeds the measurement of time. In this article, we discuss the current knowledge of the wiring of the clock, including the interplay with metabolism, hormone, and stress pathways in the model species Arabidopsis thaliana We outline the importance of this system in crop agricultural traits, highlighting the identification of natural alleles that alter the pace of the timekeeper. We report evidence supporting the understanding of the circadian clock as a master regulator of plant life, and we hypothesize on its relevant role in the adaptability to the environment and the impact on the fitness of most organisms.

Cardiomyocyte Circadian Oscillations Are Cell-Autonomous, Amplified by β-Adrenergic Signaling, and Synchronized in Cardiac Ventricle Tissue

Circadian clocks impact vital cardiac parameters such as blood pressure and heart rate, and adverse cardiac events such as myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death. In mammals, the central circadian pacemaker, located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus, synchronizes cellular circadian clocks in the heart and many other tissues throughout the body. Cardiac ventricle explants maintain autonomous contractions and robust circadian oscillations of clock gene expression in culture. In the present study, we examined the relationship between intrinsic myocardial function and circadian rhythms in cultures from mouse heart. We cultured ventricular explants or dispersed cardiomyocytes from neonatal mice expressing a PER2::LUC bioluminescent reporter of circadian clock gene expression. We found that isoproterenol, a β-adrenoceptor agonist known to increase heart rate and contractility, also amplifies PER2 circadian rhythms in ventricular explants. We found robust, cell-autonomous PER2 circadian rhythms in dispersed cardiomyocytes. Single-cell rhythms were initially synchronized in ventricular explants but desynchronized in dispersed cells. In addition, we developed a method for long-term, simultaneous monitoring of clock gene expression, contraction rate, and basal intracellular Ca2+ level in cardiomyocytes using PER2::LUC in combination with GCaMP3, a genetically encoded fluorescent Ca2+ reporter. In contrast to robust PER2 circadian rhythms in cardiomyocytes, we detected no rhythms in contraction rate and only weak rhythms in basal Ca2+ level. In summary, we found that PER2 circadian rhythms of cardiomyocytes are cell-autonomous, amplified by adrenergic signaling, and synchronized by intercellular communication in ventricle explants, but we detected no robust circadian rhythms in contraction rate or basal Ca2+.

Calcium Dynamics and Circadian Rhythms in Suprachiasmatic Nucleus Neurons

The hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) has a pivotal role in the mammalian circadian clock. SCN neurons generate circadian rhythms in action potential firing frequencies and neurotransmitter release, and the core oscillation is thought to be driven by “clock gene” transcription-translation feedback loops. Cytosolic Ca2+mobilization followed by stimulation of various receptors has been shown to reset the gene transcription cycles in SCN neurons, whereas contribution of steady-state cytosolic Ca2+levels to the rhythm generation is unclear. Recently, circadian rhythms in cytosolic Ca2+levels have been demonstrated in cultured SCN neurons. The circadian Ca2+rhythms are driven by the release of Ca2+from ryanodine-sensitive internal stores and resistant to the blockade of action potentials. These results raise the possibility that gene translation/transcription loops may interact with autonomous Ca2+oscillations in the production of circadian rhythms in SCN neurons.

Regulation of mitochondrial calcium in plants versus animals

Ca(2+) acts as an important cellular second messenger in eukaryotes. In both plants and animals, a wide variety of environmental and developmental stimuli trigger Ca(2+) transients of a specific signature that can modulate gene expression and metabolism. In animals, mitochondrial energy metabolism has long been considered a hotspot of Ca(2+) regulation, with a range of pathophysiology linked to altered Ca(2+) control. Recently, several molecular players involved in mitochondrial Ca(2+) signalling have been identified, including those of the mitochondrial Ca(2+) uniporter. Despite strong evidence for sophisticated Ca(2+) regulation in plant mitochondria, the picture has remained much less clear. This is currently changing aided by live imaging and genetic approaches which allow dissection of subcellular Ca(2+) dynamics and identification of the proteins involved. We provide an update on our current understanding in the regulation of mitochondrial Ca(2+) and signalling by comparing work in plants and animals. The significance of mitochondrial Ca(2+) control is discussed in the light of the specific metabolic and energetic needs of plant and animal cells.

Fruit Calcium: Transport and Physiology

Calcium has well-documented roles in plant signaling, water relations and cell wall interactions. Significant research into how calcium impacts these individual processes in various tissues has been carried out; however, the influence of calcium on fruit ripening has not been thoroughly explored. Here, we review the current state of knowledge on how calcium may impact the development, physical traits and disease susceptibility of fruit through facilitating developmental and stress response signaling, stabilizing membranes, influencing water relations and modifying cell wall properties through cross-linking of de-esterified pectins. We explore the involvement of calcium in hormone signaling integral to the physiological mechanisms behind common disorders that have been associated with fruit calcium deficiency (e.g., blossom end rot in tomatoes or bitter pit in apples). This review works toward an improved understanding of how the many roles of calcium interact to influence fruit ripening, and proposes future research directions to fill knowledge gaps. Specifically, we focus mostly on grapes and present a model that integrates existing knowledge around these various functions of calcium in fruit, which provides a basis for understanding the physiological impacts of sub-optimal calcium nutrition in grapes. Calcium accumulation and distribution in fruit is shown to be highly dependent on water delivery and cell wall interactions in the apoplasm. Localized calcium deficiencies observed in particular species or varieties can result from differences in xylem morphology, fruit water relations and pectin composition, and can cause leaky membranes, irregular cell wall softening, impaired hormonal signaling and aberrant fruit development. We propose that the role of apoplasmic calcium-pectin crosslinking, particularly in the xylem, is an understudied area that may have a key influence on fruit water relations. Furthermore, we believe that improved knowledge of the calcium-regulated signaling pathways that control ripening would assist in addressing calcium deficiency disorders and improving fruit pathogen resistance.

Transport Across Chloroplast Membranes: Optimizing Photosynthesis for Adverse Environmental Conditions

Chloroplasts are central to solar light harvesting and photosynthesis. Optimal chloroplast functioning is vitally dependent on a very intensive traffic of metabolites and ions between the cytosol and stroma, and should be attuned for adverse environmental conditions. This is achieved by an orchestrated regulation of a variety of transport systems located at chloroplast membranes such as porines, solute channels, ion-specific cation and anion channels, and various primary and secondary active transport systems. In this review we describe the molecular nature and functional properties of the inner and outer envelope and thylakoid membrane channels and transporters. We then discuss how their orchestrated regulation affects thylakoid structure, electron transport and excitation energy transfer, proton-motive force partition, ion homeostasis, stromal pH regulation, and volume regulation. We link the activity of key cation and anion transport systems with stress-specific signaling processes in chloroplasts, and discuss how these signals interact with the signals generated in other organelles to optimize the cell performance, with a special emphasis on Ca(2+) and reactive oxygen species signaling.