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Pandey SS. The Role of Iron in Phytopathogenic Microbe-Plant Interactions: Insights into Virulence and Host Immune Response. Plants (Basel) 2023; 12:3173. [PMID: 37687419 PMCID: PMC10563075 DOI: 10.3390/plants12173173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Iron is an essential element required for the growth and survival of nearly all forms of life. It serves as a catalytic component in multiple enzymatic reactions, such as photosynthesis, respiration, and DNA replication. However, the excessive accumulation of iron can result in cellular toxicity due to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) through the Fenton reaction. Therefore, to maintain iron homeostasis, organisms have developed a complex regulatory network at the molecular level. Besides catalyzing cellular redox reactions, iron also regulates virulence-associated functions in several microbial pathogens. Hosts and pathogens have evolved sophisticated strategies to compete against each other over iron resources. Although the role of iron in microbial pathogenesis in animals has been extensively studied, mechanistic insights into phytopathogenic microbe-plant associations remain poorly understood. Recent intensive research has provided intriguing insights into the role of iron in several plant-pathogen interactions. This review aims to describe the recent advances in understanding the role of iron in the lifestyle and virulence of phytopathogenic microbes, focusing on bacteria and host immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheo Shankar Pandey
- Life Sciences Division, Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), Guwahati 781035, India; ; Tel.: +91-361-2270095 (ext. 216)
- Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Lake Alfred, FL 33850, USA
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2
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Shafiq F, Ahmad A, Anwar S, Nisa MU, Iqbal M, Raza SH, Mahmood A, Ashraf M. Spinel nanocomposite (nMnZnFe 2O 4) synchronously promotes grain yield and Fe-Zn biofortification in non-aromatic rice. Plant Physiol Biochem 2023; 201:107830. [PMID: 37352697 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2023.107830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
Soils deficient in essential micro-nutrients produce nutritionally starved crops that do not fulfill human nutritional requirements. This is getting serious since progressively increasing nutritional disorders are being diagnosed in residents of third-world countries like Pakistan. During this study, we synthesized a spinel nanocomposite (nMnZnFe2O4) and investigated its effectiveness in improving the micronutrient status and yield traits of rice. The nMnZnFe2O4 exhibited a cubic structure at the most prominent peak (311); a crystallite size of 44 nm, and an average grain size ranging from 7 to 9 μm. Foliar application of this nanocomposite was performed to 45 days old plants at concentrations 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 mg L-1, and data from rice plant parts (straw, husk, and grain) was recorded at maturity. Agronomic traits like the number of tillers, straw dry weight, root dry biomass, and grain yield per plant were improved by nMnZnFe2O4 application (+34.4% yield). Whereas some biochemical traits like amino acids, soluble sugars, flavonoids, and phenolics varied significantly in rice plant parts compared to the control. Above all, the maximum Zn and Fe concentrations in rice grain were recorded through foliar application of spinel nanocomposite (40 and 50 mg L-1). Therefore, results indicated that micronutrient supply in the form of a nanocomposite could positively regulate nutritional quality and rice grain yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahad Shafiq
- Department of Botany, Government College University Lahore, Pakistan.
| | - Aqsa Ahmad
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore, 54590, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Sumera Anwar
- Department of Botany, Government College Women University Faisalabad, 38000, Faisalabad, Pakistan; Department of Biosciences, University of Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
| | - Mehr-Un Nisa
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore, 54590, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Iqbal
- Department of Botany, Government College University Faisalabad, 38000, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Syed Hammad Raza
- Department of Botany, Government College University Faisalabad, 38000, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Arslan Mahmood
- Department of Physics, Government College University Faisalabad, 38000, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ashraf
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore, 54590, Lahore, Pakistan
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3
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Liu XX, Zhu XF, Xue DW, Zheng SJ, Jin CW. Beyond iron-storage pool: functions of plant apoplastic iron during stress. Trends Plant Sci 2023; 28:941-954. [PMID: 37019715 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2023.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient for plants, and its storage in the apoplast represents an important Fe pool. Plants have developed various strategies to reutilize this apoplastic Fe pool to adapt to Fe deficiency. In addition, growing evidence indicates that the dynamic changes in apoplastic Fe are critical for plant adaptation to other stresses, including ammonium stress, phosphate deficiency, and pathogen attack. In this review, we discuss and scrutinize the relevance of apoplastic Fe for plant behavior changes in response to stress cues. We mainly focus on the relevant components that modulate the actions and downstream events of apoplastic Fe in stress signaling networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Xing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiao Fang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Da Wei Xue
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shao Jian Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chong Wei Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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4
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Mankotia S, Singh D, Monika K, Kalra M, Meena H, Meena V, Yadav RK, Pandey AK, Satbhai SB. ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 regulates BRUTUS and affects iron acquisition and homeostasis in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant J 2023; 114:1267-1284. [PMID: 36920240 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient for both plants and animals. Fe-limitation significantly reduces crop yield and adversely impacts on human nutrition. Owing to limited bioavailability of Fe in soil, plants have adapted different strategies that not only regulate Fe-uptake and homeostasis but also bring modifications in root system architecture to enhance survival. Understanding the molecular mechanism underlying the root growth responses will have critical implications for plant breeding. Fe-uptake is regulated by a cascade of basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) in plants. In this study, we report that HY5 (Elongated Hypocotyl 5), a member of the basic leucine zipper (bZIP) family of TFs, plays an important role in the Fe-deficiency signaling pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana. The hy5 mutant failed to mount optimum Fe-deficiency responses, and displayed root growth defects under Fe-limitation. Our analysis revealed that the induction of the genes involved in Fe-uptake pathway (FIT-FER-LIKE IRON DEFICIENCY-INDUCED TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR, FRO2-FERRIC REDUCTION OXIDASE 2 and IRT1-IRON-REGULATED TRANSPORTER1) is reduced in the hy5 mutant as compared with the wild-type plants under Fe-deficiency. Moreover, we also found that the expression of coumarin biosynthesis genes is affected in the hy5 mutant under Fe-deficiency. Our results also showed that HY5 negatively regulates BRUTUS (BTS) and POPEYE (PYE). Chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed direct binding of HY5 to the promoters of BTS, FRO2 and PYE. Altogether, our results showed that HY5 plays an important role in the regulation of Fe-deficiency responses in Arabidopsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samriti Mankotia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, SAS Nagar, Mohali, Punjab, 140306, India
| | - Dhriti Singh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, SAS Nagar, Mohali, Punjab, 140306, India
| | - Kumari Monika
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, SAS Nagar, Mohali, Punjab, 140306, India
| | - Muskan Kalra
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, SAS Nagar, Mohali, Punjab, 140306, India
| | - Himani Meena
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, SAS Nagar, Mohali, Punjab, 140306, India
| | - Varsha Meena
- Department of Biotechnology, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, Sector 81, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, 140306, India
| | - Ram Kishor Yadav
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, SAS Nagar, Mohali, Punjab, 140306, India
| | - Ajay Kumar Pandey
- Department of Biotechnology, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, Sector 81, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, 140306, India
| | - Santosh B Satbhai
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, SAS Nagar, Mohali, Punjab, 140306, India
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5
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Abstract
Iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient for plant growth and development, participating in many significant biological processes including photosynthesis, respiration, and nitrogen fixation. Although abundant in the earth's crust, most Fe is oxidized and difficult for plants to absorb under aerobic and alkaline pH conditions. Plants, therefore, have evolved complex means to optimize their Fe-acquisition efficiency. In the past two decades, regulatory networks of transcription factors and ubiquitin ligases have proven to be essential for plant Fe uptake and translocation. Recent studies in Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) suggest that in addition to the transcriptional network, IRON MAN/FE-UPTAKE-INDUCING PEPTIDE (IMA/FEP) peptide interacts with a ubiquitin ligase, BRUTUS (BTS)/BTS-LIKE (BTSL). Under Fe-deficient conditions, IMA/FEP peptides compete with IVc subgroup bHLH transcription factors (TFs) to interact with BTS/BTSL. The resulting complex inhibits the degradation of these TFs by BTS/BTSL, which is important for maintaining the Fe-deficiency response in roots. Furthermore, IMA/FEP peptides control systemic Fe signaling. By organ-to-organ communication in Arabidopsis, Fe deficiency in one part of a root drives the upregulation of a high-affinity Fe-uptake system in other root regions surrounded by sufficient levels of Fe. IMA/FEP peptides regulate this compensatory response through Fe-deficiency-triggered organ-to-organ communication. This mini-review summarizes recent advances in understanding how IMA/FEP peptides function in the intracellular signaling of the Fe-deficiency response and systemic Fe signaling to regulate Fe acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Tabata
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
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Huertas R, Karpinska B, Ngala S, Mkandawire B, Maling'a J, Wajenkeche E, Kimani PM, Boesch C, Stewart D, Hancock RD, Foyer CH. Biofortification of common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) with iron and zinc: Achievements and challenges. Food Energy Secur 2023; 12:e406. [PMID: 38440694 PMCID: PMC10909572 DOI: 10.1002/fes3.406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Micronutrient deficiencies (hidden hunger), particularly in iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn), remain one of the most serious public health challenges, affecting more than three billion people globally. A number of strategies are used to ameliorate the problem of micronutrient deficiencies and to improve the nutritional profile of food products. These include (i) dietary diversification, (ii) industrial food fortification and supplements, (iii) agronomic approaches including soil mineral fertilisation, bioinoculants and crop rotations, and (iv) biofortification through the implementation of biotechnology including gene editing and plant breeding. These efforts must consider the dietary patterns and culinary preferences of the consumer and stakeholder acceptance of new biofortified varieties. Deficiencies in Zn and Fe are often linked to the poor nutritional status of agricultural soils, resulting in low amounts and/or poor availability of these nutrients in staple food crops such as common bean. This review describes the genes and processes associated with Fe and Zn accumulation in common bean, a significant food source in Africa that plays an important role in nutritional security. We discuss the conventional plant breeding, transgenic and gene editing approaches that are being deployed to improve Fe and Zn accumulation in beans. We also consider the requirements of successful bean biofortification programmes, highlighting gaps in current knowledge, possible solutions and future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raul Huertas
- Environmental and Biochemical SciencesThe James Hutton InstituteDundeeUK
| | - Barbara Karpinska
- School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of BirminghamEdgbastonUK
| | - Sophia Ngala
- Department of Plant Science and Crop Protection, College of Agriculture and Veterinary SciencesUniversity of NairobiNairobiKenya
| | - Bertha Mkandawire
- The Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN)PretoriaSouth Africa
| | - Joyce Maling'a
- Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO)Food Crops Research InstituteKitaleKenya
| | - Elizabeth Wajenkeche
- Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO)Food Crops Research InstituteKitaleKenya
| | - Paul M. Kimani
- Department of Plant Science and Crop Protection, College of Agriculture and Veterinary SciencesUniversity of NairobiNairobiKenya
| | | | - Derek Stewart
- Environmental and Biochemical SciencesThe James Hutton InstituteDundeeUK
- School of Engineering and Physical SciencesHeriot‐Watt UniversityEdinburghUK
| | | | - Christine H. Foyer
- School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of BirminghamEdgbastonUK
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7
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Zhang Y, Liu B, Kong F, Chen L. Nutrient-mediated modulation of flowering time. Front Plant Sci 2023; 14:1101611. [PMID: 36743493 PMCID: PMC9894683 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1101611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Nutrition affects plant growth and development, including flowering. Flowering represents the transition from the vegetative period to the reproduction period and requires the consumption of nutrients. Moreover, nutrients (e.g., nitrate) act as signals that affect flowering. Regulation of flowering time is therefore intimately associated with both nutrient-use efficiency and crop yield. Here, we review current knowledge of the relationships between nutrients (primarily nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) and flowering, with the goal of deepening our understanding of how plant nutrition affects flowering.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Liyu Chen
- *Correspondence: Liyu Chen, ; Fanjiang Kong,
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8
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Zuo ZF, Lee HY, Kang HG. Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors: Regulators for Plant Growth Development and Abiotic Stress Responses. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021419. [PMID: 36674933 PMCID: PMC9867082 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors are involved in many physiological processes, and they play important roles in the abiotic stress responses. The literature related to genome sequences has increased, with genome-wide studies on the bHLH transcription factors in plants. Researchers have detailed the functionally characterized bHLH transcription factors from different aspects in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, such as iron homeostasis and abiotic stresses; however, other important economic crops, such as rice, have not been summarized and highlighted. The bHLH members in the same subfamily have similar functions; therefore, unraveling their regulatory mechanisms will help us to identify and understand the roles of some of the unknown bHLH transcription factors in the same subfamily. In this review, we summarize the available knowledge on functionally characterized bHLH transcription factors according to four categories: plant growth and development; metabolism synthesis; plant signaling, and abiotic stress responses. We also highlight the roles of the bHLH transcription factors in some economic crops, especially in rice, and discuss future research directions for possible genetic applications in crop breeding.
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Orellana D, Machuca D, Ibeas MA, Estevez JM, Poupin MJ. Plant-growth promotion by proteobacterial strains depends on the availability of phosphorus and iron in Arabidopsis thaliana plants. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1083270. [PMID: 36583055 PMCID: PMC9792790 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1083270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Phosphorus (as phosphate, Pi) and iron (Fe) are critical nutrients in plants that are often poorly available in the soil and can be microbially affected. This work aimed to evaluate how plant-rhizobacteria interaction changes due to different Pi or Fe nutritional scenarios and to study the underlying molecular mechanisms of the microbial modulation of these nutrients in plants. Thus, three proteobacteria (Paraburkholderia phytofirmans PsJN, Azospirillum brasilense Sp7, and Pseudomonas putida KT2440) were used to inoculate Arabidopsis seeds. Additionally, the seeds were exposed to a nutritional factor with the following levels for each nutrient: sufficient (control) or low concentrations of a highly soluble source or sufficient concentrations of a low solubility source. Then, the effects of the combinatorial factors were assessed in plant growth, nutrition, and genetic regulation. Interestingly, some bacterial effects in plants depended on the nutrient source (e.g., increased aerial zones induced by the strains), and others (e.g., decreased primary roots induced by Sp7 or KT2440) occurred regardless of the nutritional treatment. In the short-term, PsJN had detrimental effects on plant growth in the presence of the low-solubility Fe compound, but this was not observed in later stages of plant development. A thorough regulation of the phosphorus content was detected in plants independent of the nutritional treatment. Nevertheless, inoculation with KT2440 increased P content by 29% Pi-deficiency exposed plants. Conversely, the inoculation tended to decrease the Fe content in plants, suggesting a competition for this nutrient in the rhizosphere. The P-source also affected the effects of the PsJN strain in a double mutant of the phosphate starvation response (PSR). Furthermore, depending on the nutrient source, PsJN and Sp7 strains differentially regulated PSR and IAA- associated genes, indicating a role of these pathways in the observed differential phenotypical responses. In the case of iron, PsJN and SP7 regulated iron uptake-related genes regardless of the iron source, which may explain the lower Fe content in inoculated plants. Overall, the plant responses to these proteobacteria were not only influenced by the nutrient concentrations but also by their availabilities, the elapsed time of the interaction, and the specific identities of the beneficial bacteria. Graphical AbstractThe effects of the different nutritional and inoculation treatments are indicated for plant growth parameters (A), gene regulation (B) and phosphorus and iron content (C). Figures created with BioRender.com with an academic license.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Orellana
- Laboratorio de Bioingeniería, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile,Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Santiago, Chile,ANID - Millennium Science Initiative Program - Millennium Nucleus for the Development of Super Adaptable Plants (MN-SAP), Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniel Machuca
- Laboratorio de Bioingeniería, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile,Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Santiago, Chile
| | - Miguel Angel Ibeas
- ANID - Millennium Science Initiative Program - Millennium Nucleus for the Development of Super Adaptable Plants (MN-SAP), Santiago, Chile,Centro de Biotecnología Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - José Manuel Estevez
- ANID - Millennium Science Initiative Program - Millennium Nucleus for the Development of Super Adaptable Plants (MN-SAP), Santiago, Chile,Centro de Biotecnología Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile,Fundación Instituto Leloir and IIBBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Josefina Poupin
- Laboratorio de Bioingeniería, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile,Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Santiago, Chile,ANID - Millennium Science Initiative Program - Millennium Nucleus for the Development of Super Adaptable Plants (MN-SAP), Santiago, Chile,*Correspondence: María Josefina Poupin,
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10
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Abstract
This review describes zinc sensing and transcriptional regulation of the zinc deficiency response in Arabidopsis, and discusses how their evolutionary conservation in land plants facilitates translational approaches for improving the Zn nutritional value of crop species. Zinc is an essential micronutrient for all living organisms due to its presence in a large number of proteins, as a structural or catalytic cofactor. In plants, zinc homeostasis mechanisms comprise uptake from soil, transport and distribution throughout the plant to provide adequate cellular zinc availability. Here, I discuss the transcriptional regulation of the response to zinc deficiency and the zinc sensing mechanisms in Arabidopsis, and their evolutionary conservation in land plants. The Arabidopsis F-group basic region leucine-zipper (F-bZIP) transcription factors bZIP19 and bZIP23 function simultaneously as sensors of intracellular zinc status, by direct binding of zinc ions, and as the central regulators of the zinc deficiency response, with their target genes including zinc transporters from the ZRT/IRT-like Protein (ZIP) family and nicotianamine synthase enzymes that produce the zinc ligand nicotianamine. I note that this relatively simple mechanism of zinc sensing and regulation, together with the evolutionary conservation of F-bZIP transcription factors across land plants, offer important research opportunities. One of them is to use the F-bZIP-regulated zinc deficiency response as a tractable module for evolutionary and comparative functional studies. Another research opportunity is translational research in crop plants, modulating F-bZIP activity as a molecular switch to enhance zinc accumulation. This should become a useful plant-based solution to alleviate effects of zinc deficiency in soils, which impact crop production and crop zinc content, with consequences for human nutrition globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana G L Assunção
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1871, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
- CIBIO-InBIO, Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.
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Su J, Yao Z, Wu Y, Lee J, Jeong J. Minireview: Chromatin-based regulation of iron homeostasis in plants. Front Plant Sci 2022; 13:959840. [PMID: 36186078 PMCID: PMC9523571 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.959840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Plants utilize delicate mechanisms to effectively respond to changes in the availability of nutrients such as iron. The responses to iron status involve controlling gene expression at multiple levels. The regulation of iron deficiency response by a network of transcriptional regulators has been extensively studied and recent research has shed light on post-translational control of iron homeostasis. Although not as considerably investigated, an increasing number of studies suggest that histone modification and DNA methylation play critical roles during iron deficiency and contribute to fine-tuning iron homeostasis in plants. This review will focus on the current understanding of chromatin-based regulation on iron homeostasis in plants highlighting recent studies in Arabidopsis and rice. Understanding iron homeostasis in plants is vital, as it is not only relevant to fundamental biological questions, but also to agriculture, biofortification, and human health. A comprehensive overview of the effect and mechanism of chromatin-based regulation in response to iron status will ultimately provide critical insights in elucidating the complexities of iron homeostasis and contribute to improving iron nutrition in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Su
- Department of Biology, Amherst College, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Zhujun Yao
- Division of Natural and Applied Sciences, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, China
| | - Yixuan Wu
- Division of Natural and Applied Sciences, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, China
| | - Joohyun Lee
- Division of Natural and Applied Sciences, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, China
| | - Jeeyon Jeong
- Department of Biology, Amherst College, Amherst, MA, United States
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12
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Abstract
Iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient that affects the growth and development of plants because it participates as a cofactor in numerous physiological and biochemical reactions. As a transition metal, Fe is redox active. Fe often exists in soil in the form of insoluble ferric hydroxides that are not bioavailable to plants. Plants have developed sophisticated mechanisms to ensure an adequate supply of Fe in a fluctuating environment. Plants can sense Fe status and modulate the transcription of Fe uptake-associated genes, finally controlling Fe uptake from soil to root. There is a critical need to understand the molecular mechanisms by which plants maintain Fe homeostasis in response to Fe fluctuations. This review focuses on recent advances in elucidating the functions of Fe signaling components. Taking Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa as examples, this review begins by discussing the Fe acquisition systems that control Fe uptake from soil, the major components that regulate Fe uptake systems, and the perception of Fe status. Future explorations of Fe signal transduction will pave the way for understanding the regulatory mechanisms that underlie the maintenance of plant Fe homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Liang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China.
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