Biologia plantarum, 2015 (vol. 59), issue 4

Reviews

Signal transduction during aluminum-induced secretion of organic acids in plants

H. He, L. He, M. Gu

Biologia plantarum 59:601-608, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0537-7

An excess of aluminum (Al) is a major factor limiting crop production in acidic soils. Secretion of organic acids (OAs) from the root apex of diverse plant species or genotypes via activation of anion channels has been recognized as the most important mechanism of Al exclusion. Citric, oxalic, and malic acids are the most effective OAs in detoxifying Al. In this review, we summarize biochemical properties of OAs secreted by plants. We also highlight the molecular mechanisms of Al signal perception, Al transport, signal regulators associated with OAs secretion, as well as interactions between Al and hormone signaling pathways. Based on a comprehensive...

Proline: a key player in plant abiotic stress tolerance

G. Kaur, B. Asthir

Biologia plantarum 59:609-619, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0549-3

Dramatic accumulation of proline is a common physiological response in plants exposed to various abiotic stresses. Accumulation of proline could be due to de novo synthesis, decreased degradation, lower utilization, or hydrolysis of proteins. Extensive intercellular proline transport occurs between the cytosol, chloroplasts, and mitochondria due to its compartmentalized metabolism. Although all functions of proline in stress tolerance are still a matter of debate, it is suggested that proline contributes to stabilization of sub-cellular structures, scavenging free radicals, and buffering cellular redox potential. It also chelates heavy metals,...

Mechanisms of heat tolerance in crop plants

B. Asthir

Biologia plantarum 59:620-628, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0539-5

Due to possible climate changes, heat stress has obtained a serious concern all over the world. Tolerance to this stress via knowledge of metabolic pathways will help us in engineering heat tolerant plants. A group of proteins called heat shock proteins are synthesized following stress and their synthesis is regulated by transcription factors. Under high temperature (HT), reactive oxygen species (ROS) are often induced and can cause damage to lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. To scavenge the ROS and maintain cell membrane stability, synthesis of antioxidants, osmolytes, and heat shock proteins is of a vital importance. In view of above mentioned,...

Original Papers

Isolation of GhMYB9 gene promoter and characterization of its activity in transgenic cotton

Z. Y. Zhang, J. Zhao, Y. Hu, T. Z. Zhang

Biologia plantarum 59:629-636, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0545-7

The GhMYB9 encodes a R2R3 MYB transcription factor in the upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) genome. Our studies show that GhMYB9 predominantly expressed in flowers and fibers. To gain a better understanding of its regulatory mechanism, we isolated the 5'-flanking region of GhMYB9 which was 1 487 bp in length. The cis-acting element prediction shows that this region contained the basic structure of the core promoter elements (TATA-box, CAAT-box) and the transcription start site (TSS). Other motifs, such as defense and stress responsiveness (TC-rich repeats), anaerobic induction (ARE), and MYB binding sites involved...

Analysis of the flanking sequences of the heterochromatic JNK region in Secale vavilovii chromosomes

A. Kalinka, M. Achrem

Biologia plantarum 59:637-644, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0531-0

The JNK motif is repeated 4 000 times in an additional heterochromatin band. Flanking sequences of a JNK region, which form extra heterochromatin in 2R rye (Secale vavilovii Grossh.) chromosomes, were studied using a genome walking technique. The results clearly indicate that there were blocks of JNK sequences adjacent to the R173 family of repeated sequences. Moreover, it appears that the R173 are sequences flanking in both directions, i.e., upstream and downstream. Downstream, the R173 is adjacent to the JNKs in an anti-parallel orientation, whereas upstream it is adjacent in a parallel orientation. In order to confirm the presence...

Molecular cloning and characterization of the chloride channel gene family in trifoliate orange

Q. J. Wei, Q. Q. Gu, N. N. Wang, C. Q. Yang, S. A. Peng

Biologia plantarum 59:645-653, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0532-z

Chloride channels (CLCs) play pivotal roles in plant development and anion transport. However, little research has been conducted about the CLC in fruit-bearing plants. Here we provide an insight into the evolution and expression patterns of CLC gene family members in various tissues of trifoliate orange [Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf.] and their responses to several treatments. Genome-wide analysis identified six PtrCLC genes. The predicted proteins had similar numbers of amino acids, but shared a low sequence identity. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that PtrCLC were classified into two separate subgroups, and PtrCLC4 and PtrCLC6...

Characterization of transgenic Poncirus trifoliata overexpressing the ferric chelate reductase gene CjFRO2 from Citrus junos

A. H. Peng, X. F. Liu, Y. R. He, L. Z. Xu, T. G. Lei, L. X. Yao, L. Cao, S. C. Chen

Biologia plantarum 59:654-660, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0543-9

Iron deficiency chlorosis occurs frequently in calcareous soils. The transformation of plants with ferric chelate reductase genes (FROs) provides a potential strategy to alleviate plant chlorosis under iron deficiency. A CjFRO2 gene isolated from Citrus junos Sieb. ex Tanaka was introduced into Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The transgene integration and expression were confirmed by PCR, Southern blot, and real-time PCR analyses. Hydroponic- and soil-grown transgenic plants were tested for their tolerance to iron deficiency. Compared with nontransgenic (NT) P. trifoliata...

Unravelling genome dynamics in Arabidopsis synthetic auto and allopolyploid species

M. Bento, D. Tomás, W. Viegas, M. Silva

Biologia plantarum 59:661-670, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0536-8

Polyploidization is a major genome modification that results in plant species with multiple chromosome sets. Parental genome adjustment to co-habit a new nuclear environment results in additional innovation outcomes. We intended to assess genomic changes in polyploid model species with small genomes using inter retrotransposons amplified polymorphism (IRAP) and retrotransposon microsatellite amplified polymorphism (REMAP). Comparative analysis among diploid and autotetraploid A. thaliana and A. suecica lines with their parental lines revealed a marginal fraction of novel bands in both polyploids, and a vast loss of parental bands in allopolyploids....

Possible involvement of DNA methylation in regulating ZmGRP3 tissue-specific expression in maize

Y. -G. Song, W. Dong

Biologia plantarum 59:671-676, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0535-9

Cytosine methylation (C meth) is a ubiquitous regulator of gene transcription. The maize gene ZmGRP3 is a notable marker for root initiation, but how its root-specific transcription is regulated is not understood. Here, bisulfite sequencing and a C meth sensitive Southern blot assay were used to show that the transcription of ZmGRP3 was promoted by a reduction in the extent of C meth both in its promoter and in the vicinity of its translation start site. The result was validated by revealing the effect of 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine on the C meth status in various seedling organs. An analysis of methylation patterns indicates that the C meth...

RNAi-mediated silencing and overexpression of the FaMYB1 gene and its effect on anthocyanin accumulation in strawberry fruit

Y. Kadomura-Ishikawa, K. Miyawaki, A. Takahashi, S. Noji

Biologia plantarum 59:677-685, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0548-4

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) contains anthocyanins which are important secondary metabolites and key contributors to the antioxidant capacity and nutritional value of the fruit. Anthocyanin biosynthetic genes have been identified. However, the detailed mechanism responsible for anthocyanin accumulation and regulation of biosynthetic genes during strawberry fruit ripening remain unclear. In the present study, we examined the effect of a Fragaria × ananassa myeloblastosis 1 homolog, FaMYB1, on anthocyanin accumulation in the strawberry fruit receptacle. Expression analysis shows that FaMYB1 transcripts increased...

Development and validation of minisatellite markers for Carica papaya

G. A. F. Oliveira, J. L. L. Dantas, E. J. Oliveira

Biologia plantarum 59:686-694, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0551-9

Whereas microsatellite markers are well described, there are few studies investigating minisatellites. Therefore, this study aimed to identify, characterize, and validate minisatellite loci for papaya (Carica papaya L.). The entire papaya genome, which covers 330 Mb, was used to mine minisatellites with motifs ranging from 6 to 500 bp, and at least six replicates and 82 loci were validated in a set of 24 accessions. A total of 1 730 minisatellite loci were identified, located in 695 sequences, with an average of one minisatellite every 156 kb. Variation in GC content ranged from 0.00 to 83.84 % with an average of 28.84 % indicating that these...

Identification of hydrogen peroxide responsive ESTs involved in phenylethanoid glycoside biosynthesis in Cistanche salsa cell culture

J. Chen, Y. -X. Yan, Z. -G. Guo

Biologia plantarum 59:695-700, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0541-y

Hydrogen peroxide is an effective abiotic elicitor that can induce secondary metabolite biosynthesis in plants. We show that in cell suspension culture of a salt-tolerant medicinal plant Cistanche salsa, the production of bioactive components phenylethanoid glycosides (PeGs) was increased after an H₂O₂ treatment. To identify genes related to PeGs biosynthesis affected by H₂O₂, we constructed a suppression subtractive hybridization library of H₂O₂ responsive genes using a C. salsa cell line and identified 105 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) and 85 genes. EST library functional...

Differential gene expression in two contrasting wheat cultivars under cadmium stress

N. Kumari, P. Parmar, V. Sharma

Biologia plantarum 59:701-707, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0550-x

The present study investigated differences in cadmium resistance of two wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars. The cvs. RAJ 4161 (Cd resistant) and PBW 343 (Cd sensitive) were treated with 200 mg(Cd) kg^-1(soil) for 3, 5, 7, and 10 d. The effect of the Cd stress was estimated by measuring growth parameters, accumulation of cadmium, sulphur, and glutathione (GSH), and by expression of some defence genes [phytochelatin synthase (PCS), glutathione reductase (GR), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX)]. The Cd treatment resulted in a significant reduction in plant growth and in an increase in the accumulation of S and GSH....

Application of ISSR-PCR, IRAP-PCR, REMAP-PCR, and ITAP-PCR in the assessment of genomic changes in the early generation of triticale

I. Szućko, S. M. Rogalska

Biologia plantarum 59:708-714, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0553-7

Analysis of structural changes of octoploid triticale genomes was conducted in F₂ and F₃ generations. The plants were derived from crosses of five cultivars and breeding lines of hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) with one cultivar of rye (Secale cereale L). The study used four marker systems: inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR), inter-retrotransposon amplified polymorphism (IRAP), retrotransposon-microsatellite amplified polymorphism (REMAP), and a technique named inter-transposon amplified polymorphism (ITAP) developed by the authors. Most frequently, elimination of specific bands was observed, especially of...

Use of silencing reporter and agroinfiltration transient assays to evaluate the potential of hpRNA construct to induce multiple tospovirus resistance

H. J. Debat, M. Grabiele, D. A. Ducasse, P. M. López Lambertini

Biologia plantarum 59:715-725, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0530-1

Tospoviruses are devastating plant viruses causing severe economic losses in a diverse range of crops worldwide. Here, we describe the development and evaluation of an RNA interference (RNAi) broad-spectrum virus resistance strategy based on a unique and short hairpin-RNA-generating construct (pNhpRNA). This construct was designed from a region of the nucleocapsid gene (N) of Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) that showed a high sequence identity to the corresponding region in the related species Groundnut ringspot virus (GRSV) and Tomato chlorotic spot virus (TCSV). To test the effectiveness of the pNhpRNA construct, we developed...

The possible role of chilling in floral and vegetative bud dormancy release in Pyrus pyrifolia

S. Hussain, Q. Niu, F. Yang, N. Hussain, Y. Teng

Biologia plantarum 59:726-734, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0547-5

The role of chilling in bud dormancy release and biochemical changes in different organs were evaluated in stem cuttings of pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) cv. Cuiguan selected at the leaf fall. The cuttings were exposed to 5 °C for 0, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, and 700 chilling hours (named positive chill units; PCU). A 50 % bud break was observed in floral and vegetative bud cuttings at 300 and 600 PCU, respectively. A mean time to bud break was inversely proportional to the chilling treatment. The low-temperature stimulated starch hydrolysis accompanied with sucrose accumulation in all organs. Sucrose and sorbitol content increased substantially...

Roles for NO and ROS signalling in pollen germination and pollen-tube elongation in Cupressus arizonica

S. Pasqualini, M. Cresti, C. Del Casino, C. Faleri, G. Frenguelli, E. Tedeschini, L. Ederli

Biologia plantarum 59:735-744, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0538-6

Roles for nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) during pollen-tube growth have been well established in angiosperms, but there remains lack of information regarding their potential signalling roles in pollen tubes in gymnosperms. Here, the pollen-tube elongation of Arizona cypress (Cupressus arizonica Greene) was investigated. Nitric oxide, ROS, and actin were detected using their respective fluorescent probes. Both NO and ROS were observed in the nuclei of generative cells and pollen-tube cells, and in the cytoplasm in the tip region. An intracellular NO content in the pollen cells was lowered using an NO scavenger or an NO-synthase...

Roles of exogenous glutathione in antioxidant defense system and methylglyoxal detoxification during salt stress in mung bean

K. Nahar, M. Hasanuzzaman, M. M. Alam, M. Fujita

Biologia plantarum 59:745-756, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0542-x

The protective roles of glutathione (GSH) applied on salt stress-affected mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) seedlings were studied. The salt stress (200 mM NaCl) significantly increased the malondialdehyde (MDA), methylglyoxal (MG), H₂O₂, and proline (Pro) content, O₂ ^.- generation rate, and lipoxygenase (LOX) activity and reduced the leaf relative water content (RWC) and chlorophyll (Chl) content. The salt stress also significantly reduced the ascorbate (AsA) content, increased the endogenous GSH and glutathione disulfide (GSSG) content, and reduced the GSH/GSSG ratio. The activities of mono-dehydroascorbate...

Nitrogen forms modulate effects of benzothiadiazole and arbutin on cucumber sugar metabolism

M. Skłodowska, M. Naliwajski, M. Wielanek, E. Gajewska, E. Kuźniak

Biologia plantarum 59:757-766, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0552-8

The effect of benzothiadiazole (BTH) and arbutin (ARB) on sugar metabolism and plant fitness in cucumber growing hydroponically in media with different doses of NO₃ ^- and urea as nitrogen sources (100 % NO₃ ^-, 75 % NO₃ ^- + 25 % urea, and 50 % NO₃ ^- + 50 % urea) was studied on the 7^th and 14^th day after the treatment. The glucose, sucrose, and chlorophyll (Chl) content, acid and alkaline invertases and lactate dehydrogenase activities, as well as leaf area of the 3^rd and 5^th leaves were determined. Urea changed the plant...

Actinidia kolomikta leaf colour and optical characteristics

Z. -X. Wang, S. -T. Fan, L. Chen, Y. Zhao, Y. -M. Yang, J. Ai, X. -Y. Li, Y. -X. Liu, H. -Y. Qin

Biologia plantarum 59:767-772, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0544-8

Actinidia kolomikta (Rupr. & Maxim.) Maxim. leaves showed dramatic colour changes during plant growth phases, and we studied structure and optical properties of variegated leaves. Leaf surface cells were smooth, and there were no surface appendages (wax or trichomes) observed in variegated leaves. Palisade tissue cells in white and pink leaves were looser and contained relatively fewer chloroplasts. White leaves contained many intercellular spaces between the epidermal and mesophyll cells or within the palisade cell layer. Variegated leaves had three distinct radiation reflection patterns: a bright white area, a spotted pattern, and a polygonal...

The Jatropha curcas KASIII gene alters fatty acid composition of seeds in Arabidopsis thaliana

N. Yu, W. F. Xiao, J. Zhu, X. Y. Chen, C. C. Peng

Biologia plantarum 59:773-782, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0555-5

Jatropha curcas L. is a perennial, drought-resistant, and non-food oilseed crop. The fatty acid composition of seed oil, especially the ratio of 16- to 18-carbon fatty acids, has a direct impact on the biodiesel quality. In plants, fatty acid chain lengths are mainly determined by the plastidial fatty acid synthase complex which includes three β-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthases (KASs), KASI, KASII, and KASIII. The KASIII is thought to play a rate-limiting role in fatty acid synthesis. Here, we report the functional characterization of a putative JcKASIII gene from Jatropha curcas using Arabidopsis thaliana L....

Brief Communications

Gene expression and enzyme activities of the D-mannose/L-galactose pathway influence L-ascorbic acid content in Myrciaria dubia

J. C. Castro, M. Cobos, J. D. Maddox, S. A. Imán, A. Egoavil, J. Torres, F. Gutierrez

Biologia plantarum 59:783-787, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0540-z

The aim of this work was to elucidate the molecular and biochemical mechanisms that control L-ascorbic acid (AsA) content variation in Myrciaria dubia. The AsA was quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography, gene expression by real-time quantitative PCR, and enzyme activities by spectrophotometric methods from leaves and immature fruits of two genotypes (Md-60,06 and Md-02,04) with pronounced (about 2 times) differences in the AsA content. In either genotype, the fruit peel had ∼ 1.5 times more AsA than the fruit pulp and ∼ 15.0 times more than the leaf. All tissues examined demonstrated the capability for AsA...

Sufficient sulfur supply promotes seedling growth, alleviates oxidation stress, and regulates iron uptake and translocation in rice

Z. Wu, C. Zhang, C. Dai, Y. Ge

Biologia plantarum 59:788-792, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0554-6

We investigated the effect of sulfur (S) supply on growth, oxidative stress, and iron uptake and transport in rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings using a hydroponic culture with four S concentrations (0, 1.75, 3.5, and 7.0 mM). The length and fresh mass of seedlings were enhanced with the increased S concentration. In addition, the content of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in rice leaves was the highest when no S was added to the nutrition solution and gradually declined with the increasing S supply. The higher S nutrition reduced the amount of Fe plaque on rice roots and increased Fe content in roots and leaves. The content of...

Effect of low temperature on profilins and ADFs transcription and actin cytoskeleton reorganization in Arabidopsis

T. T. Fan, J. J. Ni, W. C. Dong, L. Z. An, Y. Xiang, S. Q. Cao

Biologia plantarum 59:793-796, 2015 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-015-0546-6

In the present study, we found that the expression patterns of the vegetative profilins and actin depolymerizing factors (ADFs) were specifically altered under low temperature (17 °C) stress using a real-time PCR. Our results show that also reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton was triggered by a low temperature. Facilitation of microfilament (MF) assembly by phalloidin treatment resulted in an enhanced low temperature stress tolerance, whereas blocking MF assembly with latrunculin B resulted in enhanced low temperature stress sensitivity. Our results show that the specific members of the vegetative profilins and ADFs might participate...