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Borràs D, Barchi L, Schulz K, Moglia A, Acquadro A, Kamranfar I, Balazadeh S, Lanteri S. Transcriptome-Based Identification and Functional Characterization of NAC Transcription Factors Responsive to Drought Stress in Capsicum annuum L. Front Genet 2021; 12:743902. [PMID: 34745217 PMCID: PMC8570119 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.743902] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Capsicum annuum L. is one of the most cultivated Solanaceae species, and in the open field, water limitation leading to drought stress affects its fruit quality, fruit setting, fruit size and ultimately yield. We identified stage-specific and a common core set of differentially expressed genes, following RNA-seq transcriptome analyses of a breeding line subjected to acute drought stress followed by recovery (rewatering), at three stages of plant development. Among them, two NAC transcription factor (TF) genes, i.e., CaNAC072 and CaNAC104, were always upregulated after drought stress and downregulated after recovery. The two TF proteins were observed to be localized in the nucleus following their transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. The expression of the two NACs was also induced by NaCl, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments, suggesting that CaNAC072 is an early, while CaNAC104 is a late abiotic stress-responsive gene. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of CaNAC104 did not affect the pepper plantlet’s tolerance to drought stress, while VIGS of CaNAC072 increased drought tolerance. Heterologous expression of CaNAC072 in Arabidopsis thaliana as well as in plants mutated for its homolog ANAC072 did not increase drought stress tolerance. This highlights a different role of the two NAC homologs in the two species. Here, we discuss the complex role of NACs as transcriptional switches in the response to drought stress in bell pepper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dionis Borràs
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Plant Genetics and Breeding, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Barchi
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Plant Genetics and Breeding, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Karina Schulz
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Andrea Moglia
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Plant Genetics and Breeding, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Alberto Acquadro
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Plant Genetics and Breeding, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Iman Kamranfar
- Department Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Salma Balazadeh
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam, Germany.,Plant Sciences and Natural Products, Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL), Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Sergio Lanteri
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Plant Genetics and Breeding, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
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Borràs D, Plazas M, Moglia A, Lanteri S. The influence of acute water stresses on the biochemical composition of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) berries. J Sci Food Agric 2021; 101:4724-4734. [PMID: 33491780 DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.11118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Crops are exposed to recurrent and acute drought stress episodes during their vegetative and reproductive cycles, and these episodes are increasingly frequent due to ongoing climate change. Sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum), alias bell pepper, is one of the most widely cultivated vegetables and is grown in open fields worldwide. Here we assessed the effect of acute water stress, applied to a breeding line of sweet pepper at three stages of plant development: five true-leaves (Stage 1), production of the third flower (Stage 2) and setting of the first fruit (Stage 3), on the production and biochemical composition of its ripe fruits. RESULTS The water stress at Stages 1 and 2 induced a delay in fruit ripening, while at Stage 3 caused a drop in production. The biochemical composition of ripe fruits was assessed by quantifying their content in vitamin C, sugars, organic acids, flavonoids as well as 190 volatile organic compounds, mainly belonging to the chemical classes of hydrocarbons, alcohols, ketones, esters, terpenes, aldehydes and ethers. Our results highlight that, at different stages of plant development, acute water stresses modulate differently the accumulation of bioactive compounds in fruits, which play a key role in setting the redox-status and osmotic adjustment of the plant. This was also the case for volatile compounds since, within each chemical class, different compounds varied their content in ripe fruits. CONCLUSIONS On the whole, our results demonstrate that water stresses potentially affect the organoleptic and sensory qualities of bell pepper fruits depending on when they occur. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dionis Borràs
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Plant Genetics and Breeding, University of Torino, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Mariola Plazas
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Plant Genetics and Breeding, University of Torino, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Andrea Moglia
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Plant Genetics and Breeding, University of Torino, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Sergio Lanteri
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Plant Genetics and Breeding, University of Torino, Grugliasco, Italy
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del Río R, Monerris M, Miquel M, Borràs D, Calvete C, Estrada R, Lucientes J, Miranda M. Collection of Culicoides spp. with four light trap models during different seasons in the Balearic Islands. Vet Parasitol 2013; 195:150-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2013.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2012] [Revised: 02/11/2013] [Accepted: 02/17/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Miranda MA, Rincón C, Borràs D. Seasonal abundance of Culicoides imicola and C. obsoletus in the Balearic islands. Vet Ital 2004; 40:292-295. [PMID: 20419681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
An outbreak of bluetongue (BT) was declared on the Balearic islands of Spain in September and October 2000. In 2001 and 2002, an intensive survey was conducted on cattle farms in Majorca and Minorca for the principal vectors in the Mediterranean Basin, Culicoides imicola and C. obsoletus. Adult Culicoides were collected once a week between June 2001 and December 2002 using CDC light traps. The results from 348 light-trap collections revealed that, in addition to other species of the genus Culicoides, both C. imicola and C. obsoletus appear to be well established on both Majorca and Minorca. Furthermore, both species showed a different seasonal abundance pattern: peak adult populations of C. obsoletus occurred in July, while those of C. imicola peaked in October. These findings indicate that the principal vector in the outbreak of BT in the Balearic islands in 2000 was probably C. imicola.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Miranda
- Department of Biology, University of the Balearic Islands, Cra. Valldemosa km 7.5, Palma de Majorca, Spain
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Sales
- Centre Veterinari Anima'ls, carrer de Felip II 279, 08016 Barcelona, Spain
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Miranda MA, Borràs D, Rincón C, Alemany A. Presence in the Balearic Islands (Spain) of the midges Culicoides imicola and Culicoides obsoletus group. Med Vet Entomol 2003; 17:52-54. [PMID: 12680925 DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2915.2003.00405.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
An outbreak of the livestock viral disease bluetongue (BT) was detected during September and October 2000 in the Balearic Islands, Spain. Due to the lack of information about the species of Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) reported in the affected area, six farms in Majorca, four in Minorca and one in Ibiza were selected to carry out surveillance of Culicoides adults using light traps. Here, for the first time, we report the presence in the Balearic Islands of Culicoides imicola Keiffer, the main vector of BT, and the Culicoides obsoletus Meigen group.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Miranda
- Laboratory of Zoology, University of the Balearic Islands, Spain.
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Abstract
Neuronal DNA fragmentation, as revealed with the method of in situ end-labeling of nuclear DNA fragmentation (TUNEL), has been reported in both the canine and human brains in normal ageing, and in some human age-related neurodegenerative diseases. These results have suggested that apoptosis plays an important role in age-related neuronal loss. It is not clear, however, whether the TUNEL method is highly specific for apoptosis, as DNA fragmentation also occurs in the late stages o necrosis. In this study we have examined 27 dogs aged from 8 to 18 years, to investigate the occurrence of nuclear DNA fragmentation. An autolysis index based on current histological criteria was assigned to each animal to evaluate the effects of autolysis on nuclear DNA integrity. Our results have shown that neuronal nuclear DNA fragmentation is frequent in aged dogs, although it is not accompanied by apoptotic morphology. Yet, a positive relation between TUNEL labelling and the degree of tissue autolysis was observed. In contrast, no TUNEL labelling was detected in young control dogs despite autolysis indices being similar to those in aged dogs. Taken together, these results suggest that neuronal nuclear DNA fragmentation is an age-related phenomenon, not due to apoptosis, whenever other factors render neuronal DNA more susceptible to autolytic fragmentation. We confirm the effect of autolysis in a subpopulation of neurons in the aged canine brain, inducing nuclear DNA fragmentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Borràs
- Department of Pathology and Animal Production, School of Veterinary, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain.
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Abstract
Although many age-related changes have been described in the nervous system of different species, few authors have specifically studied the topic. Knowledge of such changes is essential to veterinary pathologists, who must distinguish the lesions of specific pathologic processes from those arising as a result of normal aging. The brains of 20 old dogs, ranging in age from 8 to 18 years, were compared with those of 10 young dogs using routine staining techniques (hematoxilin and eosin, periodic acid-Schiff), special staining techniques (periodic acid-methenamine silver stain), and immunohistochemical techniques to detect glial fibrillary acid protein, neurofilaments, ubiquitin, and beta-amyloid. Changes affected meninges and choroid plexuses, meningeal and parenchymal vessels, neurons, and glial cells. Of special interest was the presence of polyglucosan bodies, cerebrovascular amyloid deposition, senile plaques, and ubiquitinated bodies. Some of the age-related changes found, particularly lipofuscin, polyglucosan bodies, and beta-amyloid protein deposition, may play a role in the pathogenesis of the canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome. The dog could be used as a natural animal model for the study of normal aging and human neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Borràs
- Department of Pathology and Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.
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López S, Borràs D, Juan-Sallés C, Prats N, Domingo M, Marco AJ. Immunohistochemical detection of adhesion molecules intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and E-selectin in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded mouse tissues. J Transl Med 1997; 77:543-4. [PMID: 9389798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- S López
- Department of Pathology and Animal Productions, Veterinary School, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
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Abstract
Fetal neosporosis-associated myeloencephalitis was diagnosed in a 4-month-old Napolitan mastiff dog from Spain. Neospora caninum tachyzoites and tissue cysts were observed in lesions in the central nervous system and the diagnosis was confirmed by immunohistochemical staining with anti-N. caninum monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Pumarola
- Department of Pathology and Animal Productions, School of Veterinary Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
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Abstract
A malignant epithelioid schwannoma was diagnosed affecting the trigeminal nerve of an 11-year-old dog. Neurologic abnormalities included an altered mental status, ataxia, left head tilt, postural reaction deficits of all four limbs, a pronounced left masticatory muscle atrophy, and absent left facial sensation. Histologically, a densely arranged epithelioid population with a very high mitotic index was surrounded by a spindle-shaped cell proliferation characteristic of schwannomas. Both cell populations stained positively for vimentin, but only spindle cells were occassionally positive for S-100 protein. The histologic and immunohistochemical features of this tumor were consistent with those found in human epithelioid schwannomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Pumarola
- Department of Pathology and Animal Production, School of Veterinary Medicine, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
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