Loss of Multiple ABCB Auxin Transporters Recapitulates the Major twisted dwarf 1 Phenotypes in Arabidopsis thaliana

OsCYP22 Interacts With OsCSN5 to Affect Rice Root Growth and Auxin Signalling

Beyond structural support, plant root systems play crucial roles in the absorption of water and nutrients, fertiliser efficiency and crop yield. However, the molecular mechanism regulating root architecture in rice remains largely unknown. In this study, a short-root rice mutant was identified and named Oscyp22. Oscyp22 showed impairment in the growth of primary, adventitious and lateral roots. Histochemical and fluorescent staining analyses revealed reduced cell elongation and division activity in the root of Oscyp22. Further analysis showed that Oscyp22 displayed an impaired response to auxin treatment, indicating a disruption in the auxin signal transduction. Transcriptome analysis and auxin content measurement suggested that OsCYP22 might be involved in auxin synthesis and transport. Protein assays demonstrated that OsCYP22 could interact with OsCSN5 and induce its rapid degradation. Notably, Oscsn5 mutants also showed short root phenotypes and deficiencies in auxin response. These findings suggest that OsCYP22 plays a role in rice root growth potentially through auxin signalling and OsCSN5 stability.

A key residue of the extracellular gate provides quality control contributing to ABCG substrate specificity

For G-type ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, a hydrophobic "di-leucine motif" as part of a hydrophobic extracellular gate has been described to separate a large substrate-binding cavity from a smaller upper cavity and proposed to act as a valve controlling drug extrusion. Here, we show that an L704F mutation in the hydrophobic extracellular gate of Arabidopsis ABCG36/PDR8/PEN3 uncouples the export of the auxin precursor indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) from that of the defense compound camalexin (CLX). Molecular dynamics simulations reveal increased free energy for CLX translocation in ABCG36L704F and reduced CLX contacts within the binding pocket proximal to the extracellular gate region. Mutation L704Y enables export of structurally related non-ABCG36 substrates, IAA, and indole, indicating allosteric communication between the extracellular gate and distant transport pathway regions. An evolutionary analysis identifies L704 as a Brassicaceae family-specific key residue of the extracellular gate that controls the identity of chemically similar substrates. In summary, our work supports the conclusion that L704 is a key residue of the extracellular gate that provides a final quality control contributing to ABCG substrate specificity, allowing for balance of growth-defense trade-offs.

ABCB transporters: functionality extends to more than auxin transportation

MAIN CONCLUSION

ABCs transport diverse compounds; with plant's most abundant ABCG and ABCB subfamilies. ABCBs are multi-functional transporter proteins having role in plant adaptation. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) proteins have been known for the transportation of various structurally diverse compounds in all kingdoms of life. Plants possess a particularly high number of ABC transporters compared to other eukaryotes: the most abundant being ABCG followed by the ABCB subfamilies. While members of the ABCB subfamily are primarily known for auxin transportation, however, studies have shown their involvement in variety of other functions viz. growth and development, biotic and abiotic stresses, metal toxicity and homeostasis, cellular redox state stability, stomatal regulation, cell shape maintenance, and transport of secondary metabolites and phytohormones. These proteins are able to perform various biological processes due to their widespread localization in the plasma membrane, mitochondrial membrane, chloroplast, and tonoplast facilitating membrane transport influenced by various environmental and biological cues. The current review compiles published insights into the role of ABCB transporters, and also provides brief insights into the role of ABCB transporters in a medicinal plant, where the synthesis of its bioactive secondary metabolite is linked to the primary function of ABCBs, i.e., auxin transport. The review discusses ABCB subfamily members as multi-functional protein and comprehensively examines their role in various biological processes that help plants to survive under unfavorable environmental conditions.

Genome-Wide Analyses of the Soybean GmABCB Gene Family in Response to Salt Stress

BACKGROUND

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is a significant economic oilseed crop, and saline-alkali soils restrict soybean yield. Identifying salt-tolerant genes is a key strategy for enhancing soybean productivity under saline-alkali conditions. The roles of the GmABCB gene family in growth, development, and stress resistance remain incompletely understood.

METHODS

Bioinformatics approaches were employed to identify and analyze GmABCB genes. A total of 39 GmABCB genes were identified and analyzed in the soybean genome, focusing on their phylogenetic relationships, chromosomal distribution, gene structure, cis-acting elements, evolutionary history, and expression patterns under salt stress.

RESULTS

A total of 39 GmABCB genes were identified. These genes are unevenly distributed across the soybean genome, with 21 segmental duplication events identified. Several cis-acting elements associated with abiotic stress responses were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

The GmABCB gene family likely regulates growth, development, and stress tolerance in soybean.

New insights into uranium stress responses of Arabidopsis roots through membrane- and cell wall-associated proteome analysis

Uranium (U) is a non-essential and toxic metal for plants. In Arabidopsis thaliana plants challenged with uranyl nitrate, we showed that U was mostly (64-71% of the total) associated with the root insoluble fraction containing membrane and cell wall proteins. Therefore, to uncover new molecular mechanisms related to U stress, we used label-free quantitative proteomics to analyze the responses of the root membrane- and cell wall-enriched proteome. Of the 2,802 proteins identified, 458 showed differential accumulation (≥1.5-fold change) in response to U. Biological processes affected by U include response to stress, amino acid metabolism, and previously unexplored functions associated with membranes and the cell wall. Indeed, our analysis supports a dynamic and complex reorganization of the cell wall under U stress, including lignin and suberin synthesis, pectin modification, polysaccharide hydrolysis, and Casparian strips formation. Also, the abundance of proteins involved in vesicular trafficking and water flux was significantly altered by U stress. Measurements of root hydraulic conductivity and leaf transpiration indicated that U significantly decreased the plant's water flux. This disruption in water balance is likely due to a decrease in PIP aquaporin levels, which may serve as a protective mechanism to reduce U toxicity. Finally, the abundance of transporters and metal-binding proteins was altered, suggesting that they may be involved in regulating the fate and toxicity of U in Arabidopsis. Overall, this study highlights how U stress impacts the insoluble root proteome, shedding light on the mechanisms used by plants to mitigate U toxicity.

Identification and functional characterization of ABC transporters for selenium accumulation and tolerance in soybean

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters were crucial for various physiological processes like nutrition, development, and environmental interactions. Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient for humans, and its role in plants depends on applied dosage. ABC transporters are considered to participate in Se translocation in plants, but detailed studies in soybean are still lacking. We identified 196 ABC genes in soybean transcriptome under Se exposure using next-generation sequencing and single-molecule real-time sequencing technology. These proteins fell into eight subfamilies: 8 GmABCA, 51 GmABCB, 39 GmABCC, 5 GmABCD, 1 GmABCE, 10 GmABCF, 74 GmABCG, and 8 GmABCI, with amino acid length 121-3022 aa, molecular weight 13.50-341.04 kDa, and isoelectric point 4.06-9.82. We predicted a total of 15 motifs, some of which were specific to certain subfamilies (especially GmABCB, GmABCC, and GmABCG). We also found predicted alternative splicing in GmABCs: 60 events in selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs)-treated, 37 in sodium selenite (Na2SeO3)-treated samples. The GmABC genes showed differential expression in leaves and roots under different application of Se species and Se levels, most of which are belonged to GmABCB, GmABCC, and GmABCG subfamilies with functions in auxin transport, barrier formation, and detoxification. Protein-protein interaction and weighted gene co-expression network analysis suggested functional gene networks with hub ABC genes, contributing to our understanding of their biological functions. Our results illuminate the contributions of GmABC genes to Se accumulation and tolerance in soybean and provide insight for a better understanding of their roles in soybean as well as in other plants.

Expression of auxin transporter genes in flax (Linum usitatissimum) fibers during gravity response

Gravitropism is an adaptive reaction of plants associated with the ability of various plant organs to be located and to grow in a certain direction relative to the gravity vector, while usually the asymmetric distribution of the phytohormone auxin is a necessary condition for the gravitropical bending of plant organs. Earlier, we described significant morphological changes in phloem fibers with a thickened cell wall located on different sides of the stem in the area of the gravitropic curvature. The present study is the first work devoted to the identification of genes encoding auxin transporters in cells at different stages of development and during gravity response. In this study, the flax genes encoding the AUX1/LAX, PIN-FORMED, PIN-LIKES, and ABCB auxin transporters were identified. A comparative analysis of the expression of these genes in flax phloem fibers at different stages of development revealed increased expression of some of these genes at the stage of intrusive growth (LusLAX2 (A, B), LuxPIN1-D, LusPILS7 (C, D)), at the early stage of tertiary cell wall formation (LusAUX1 (A, D), LusABCB1 (A, B), LusABCB15-A, LusPIN1 (A, B), LusPIN4-A, and LusPIN5-A), and at the late stage of tertiary cell wall development (LusLAX3 (A, B)). It was shown that in the course of gravitropism, the expression of many genes, including those responsible for the influx of auxin in cells (LusAUX1-D), in the studied families increased. Differential expression of auxin transporter genes was revealed during gravity response in fibers located on different sides of the stem (upper (PUL) and lower (OPP)). The difference was observed due to the expression of genes, the products of which are responsible for auxin intracellular transport (LusPILS3, LusPILS7-A) and its efflux (LusABCB15-B, LusABCB19-B). It was noted that the increased expression of PIN genes and ABCB genes was more typical of fibers on the opposite side. The results obtained allow us to make an assumption about the presence of differential auxin content in the fibers of different sides of gravistimulated flax plants, which may be determined by an uneven outflow of auxin. This study gives an idea of auxin carriers in flax and lays the foundation for further studies of their functions in the development of phloem fiber and in gravity response.

The maize WRKY transcription factor ZmWRKY64 confers cadmium tolerance in Arabidopsis and maize (Zea mays L.)

KEY MESSAGE

ZmWRKY64 positively regulates Arabidopsis and maize Cd stress through modulating Cd uptake, translocation, and ROS scavenging genes expression. Cadmium (Cd) is a highly toxic heavy metal with severe impacts on crops growth and development. The WRKY transcription factor is a significant regulator influencing plant stress response. Nevertheless, the function of the WRKY protein in maize Cd stress response remains unclear. Here, we identified a maize WRKY gene, ZmWRKY64, the expression of which was enhanced in maize roots and leaves under Cd stress. ZmWRKY64 was localized in the nucleus and displayed transcriptional activity in yeast. Heterologous expression of ZmWRKY64 in Arabidopsis diminished Cd accumulation in plants by negatively regulating the expression of AtIRT1, AtZIP1, AtHMA2, AtNRAMP3, and AtNRAMP4, which are involved in Cd uptake and transport, resulting in Cd stress tolerance. Knockdown of ZmWRKY64 in maize led to excessive Cd accumulation in leaf cells and in the cytosol of the root cells, resulting in a Cd hypersensitive phenotype. Further analysis confirmed that ZmWRKY64 positively regulated ZmABCC4, ZmHMA3, ZmNRAMP5, ZmPIN2, ZmABCG51, ZmABCB13/32, and ZmABCB10, which may influence Cd translocation and auxin transport, thus mitigating Cd toxicity in maize. Moreover, ZmWRKY64 could directly enhance the transcription of ZmSRG7, a reported key gene regulating reactive oxygen species homeostasis under abiotic stress. Our results indicate that ZmWRKY64 is important in maize Cd stress response. This work provides new insights into the WRKY transcription factor regulatory mechanism under a Cd-polluted environment and may lead to the genetic improvement of Cd tolerance in maize.

ABCB-mediated shootward auxin transport feeds into the root clock

Although strongly influenced by environmental conditions, lateral root (LR) positioning along the primary root appears to follow obediently an internal spacing mechanism dictated by auxin oscillations that prepattern the primary root, referred to as the root clock. Surprisingly, none of the hitherto characterized PIN- and ABCB-type auxin transporters seem to be involved in this LR prepatterning mechanism. Here, we characterize ABCB15, 16, 17, 18, and 22 (ABCB15-22) as novel auxin-transporting ABCBs. Knock-down and genome editing of this genetically linked group of ABCBs caused strongly reduced LR densities. These phenotypes were correlated with reduced amplitude, but not reduced frequency of the root clock oscillation. High-resolution auxin transport assays and tissue-specific silencing revealed contributions of ABCB15-22 to shootward auxin transport in the lateral root cap (LRC) and epidermis, thereby explaining the reduced auxin oscillation. Jointly, these data support a model in which LRC-derived auxin contributes to the root clock amplitude.

A mutation in CsABCB19 encoding an ATP-binding cassette auxin transporter leads to erect and compact leaf architecture in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Leaf architecture, including leaf position and leaf morphology, is a critical component of plant architecture that directly determines plant appearance, photosynthetic utilization, and ultimate productivity. The mechanisms regulating leaf petiole angle and leaf flatness in cucumber remain unclear. In this study, we identified an erect and compact leaf architecture mutant (ecla) from an EMS (ethyl methanesulfonate) -mutagenized cucumber population, which exhibited erect petioles and crinkled leaves. Histological examination revealed significant phenotypic variation in ecla was associated with asymmetric cell expansion. MutMap sequencing combined with genetic mapping revealed that CsaV3_5G037960 is the causative gene for the ecla mutant phenotype. Through protein sequence alignment and Arabidopsis genetic complementation, we identified this gene as a functional direct homolog encoding the ATP-binding cassette transporter AtABCB19, hence named CsABCB19. A nonsynonymous mutation in the eleventh exon of CsABCB19 leads to premature termination of translation. The expression level of CsABCB19 in the ecla mutant was significantly reduced in all tissues compared to the wild type (WT). Transcriptome analysis revealed that auxin and polarity-related genes were significantly differentially expressed in mutant petioles and leaves, compared with those in WT. Auxin assay and exogenous treatment further demonstrated that CsABCB19 regulates leaf architecture by mediating auxin accumulation and transport. Our research is the first report describing the role of the ABCB19 transporter protein in auxin transport controlling cucumber leaf development. Furthermore, this study provides recent insights into the genetic mechanisms conferring morphological diversity and regulation of petiole angle and leaf flattening. DATA AVAILABILITY: The RNA-seq data in this study have been deposited in the NCBI SRA under BioProject accession number PRJNA874548.

Data-Independent Acquisition Proteomics Reveals the Effects of Red and Blue Light on the Growth and Development of Moso Bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) Seedlings

Moso bamboo is a rapidly growing species with significant economic, social, and cultural value. Transplanting moso bamboo container seedlings for afforestation has become a cost-effective method. The growth and development of the seedlings is greatly affected by the quality of light, including light morphogenesis, photosynthesis, and secondary metabolite production. Therefore, studies on the effects of specific light wavelengths on the physiology and proteome of moso bamboo seedlings are crucial. In this study, moso bamboo seedlings were germinated in darkness and then exposed to blue and red light conditions for 14 days. The effects of these light treatments on seedling growth and development were observed and compared through proteomics analysis. Results showed that moso bamboo has higher chlorophyll content and photosynthetic efficiency under blue light, while it displays longer internode and root length, more dry weight, and higher cellulose content under red light. Proteomics analysis reveals that these changes under red light are likely caused by the increased content of cellulase CSEA, specifically expressed cell wall synthetic proteins, and up-regulated auxin transporter ABCB19 in red light. Additionally, blue light is found to promote the expression of proteins constituting photosystem II, such as PsbP and PsbQ, more than red light. These findings provide new insights into the growth and development of moso bamboo seedlings regulated by different light qualities.

Transcriptomic profiles of poplar (Populus simonii × P. nigra) cuttings during adventitious root formation

The formation of adventitious roots (ARs) is vital for the vegetative propagation of poplars. However, the relevant mechanisms remain unclear. To reveal the underlying molecular mechanism, we used RNA-seq to investigate the transcriptional alterations of poplar cuttings soaked in water for 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 d; 3,798 genes were differentially expressed at all the time points, including 2,448 upregulated and 1,350 downregulated genes. Biological processes including “cell cycle,” “photosynthesis,” “regulation of hormone levels,” and “auxin transport” were enriched in the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). KEGG results showed that the common DEGs were most enriched in the pathway of “Carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms” and “Starch and sucrose metabolism.” We further dissected 38 DEGs related to root and auxin, including two lateral root primordium 1 (LRP1), one root meristem growth factor (RGF9), one auxin-induced in the root (AIR12), three rooting-associated genes (AUR1 and AUR3), eight auxin transcription factors (ARFs and LBDs), 10 auxin respective genes (SAURs and GH3s), nine auxin transporters (PINs, ABCs, LAX2, and AUXs), and four auxin signal genes (IAAs and TIR1). We found that the rooting abilities of poplar cuttings with and without leaves are different. By applying different concentrations of IBA and sucrose to the top of cuttings without leaves, we found that 0.2 mg/ml IBA and 2 mg/ml sucrose had the best effect on promoting AR formation. The transcriptome results indicated photosynthesis may influence AR formation in poplar cuttings with leaves and revealed a potential regulatory mechanism of leafy cuttage from poplar cuttings. In addition, we provided a new perspective to resolve rooting difficulties in recalcitrant species.