Biologia plantarum, 2017 (vol. 61), issue 4

ReviewsOriginal PapersBrief Communications

Original Papers

Cloning and characterization of four TpSnRK2s from dwarf Polish wheat

Y. Jiang, Y. Wang, Z. Huang, H. Kang, L. Sha, X. Fan, H. Zhang, S. Gao, Y. Zhou, X. Yu

Biologia plantarum 61:601-610, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-017-0719-6

Protein phosphorylation/dephosphorylation is a major signalling event induced by abiotic stresses in plants. Sucrose nonfermenting 1-related protein kinase 2 (SnRK2) plays important roles in response to osmotic stress. In the present study, four SnRK2s, TpSnRK2.1/3/7/8, were cloned and characterized from Triticum polonicum L. (dwarf Polish wheat, DPW, AABB). All of these were individually located on 2AL, 1AL, 2AL, and 5BL. Two spliced isoforms of TpSnRK2.8 (TpSnRK2.8a and TpSnRK2.8b) were observed. TpSnRK2.1 and TpSnRK2.3 were classified into the group II; TpSnRK2.7 was classified into the group I; and...

Two novel WRKY genes from Juglans regia, JrWRKY6 and JrWRKY53, are involved in abscisic acid-dependent stress responses

G. Y. Yang, W. H. Zhang, Y. D. Sun, T. T. Zhang, D. Hu, M. Z. Zhai

Biologia plantarum 61:611-621, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-017-0723-x

Genes encoding plant WRKY transcription factors are important for stress response. In the current study, two WRKY transcription factor genes (JrWRKY6 and JrWRKY53) were identified from walnut (Juglans regia L.), and their function and involvement in stress responses were characterized. Under NaCl stress, JrWRKY6 and JrWRKY53 were upregulated in a short time (within 6 h of seedling exposure to salt) except in roots, in which the highest induction occurred at 24 and 48 h of salt exposure. The gene expression patterns under polyethylene glycol stress were similar to those under NaCl stress. Under heat stress,...

Effect of salicylic acid on freezing injury in peach floral organs and the expressions of CBF genes

B. B. Zhang, L. Guo, Z. Z. Song, M. L. Yu, R. J. Ma

Biologia plantarum 61:622-630, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-017-0730-y

We used flowering branches at the budding stage of two peach cultivars Xiahui 6 and Xiacui with different cold resistance to explore the effect of exogenous salicylic acid (SA) on the freezing injury of peach floral organs and the molecular mechanism. Using water application as the negative control, the effects of spraying with SA at concentrations of 20 or 100 mg dm^-3 on stigma receptivity, frost damage characteristics of floral organs, and the expressions of C-repeat-binding factor (PpCBF) gene family members were investigated at 0 °C. No significant frost damage was observed on petals in all treatments. No frost damage was seen...

The identification of almond GIGANTEA gene and its expression under cold stress, variable photoperiod, and seasonal dormancy

P. M. Barros, S. Cherian, M. Costa, H. Sapeta, N. J. M. Saibo, M. M. Oliveira

Biologia plantarum 61:631-640, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-017-0711-1

Seasonal growth is characteristic for many tree species including almond. Varying conditions during the season are responsible for growth cessation, bud set, dormancy entry, cold hardening, and bud burst. Here, we report the characterization of an almond homologue of the Arabidopsis GIGANTEA (AtGI) gene (designated as PdGI, GenBank accession No. KJ502316). We propose a role for this gene in the transition to dormancy and cold acclimation. The complementary DNA (cDNA) sequence of PdGI was 4 322 bp long and contained an open reading frame of 3 512 bp. The deduced amino acid sequence of PdGI shared 76 % identity with AtGI. The expression...

Na⁺/H⁺ and K⁺/H⁺ antiporters AtNHX1 and AtNHX3 from Arabidopsis improve salt and drought tolerance in transgenic poplar

L. Yang, H. Liu, S. M. Fu, H. M. Ge, R. J. Tang, Y. Yang, H. H. Wang, H. X. Zhang

Biologia plantarum 61:641-650, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-017-0724-9

The tonoplast and plasma membrane localized sodium (potassium)/proton antiporters have been shown to play an important role in plant resistance to salt stress. In this study, AtNHX1 and AtNHX3, two tonoplast Na⁺(K⁺)/H⁺ antiporter encoding genes from Arabidopsis thaliana, were expressed in poplar to investigate their biological functions in the resistance to abiotic stresses in woody plants. Transgenic poplar plants expressing either gene exhibited increased resistance to both salt and water-deficit stresses. Compared to the wild type (WT) plants, transgenic plants accumulated more sodium and potassium...

Transcription factor NnDREB1 from lotus improved drought tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana

L. B. Cheng, J. J. Yang, L. Yin, L. C. Hui, H. M. Qian, S. -Y. Li, L. -J. Li

Biologia plantarum 61:651-658, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-017-0718-7

Dehydration responsive element binding factor (DREB) is believed to be a stress-tolerance enhancer in plants. In the present study, a cold-binding factor (CBF)/DREB homologous gene NnDREB1 (XP_010242642.1) was isolated from lotus roots using rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) and reverse transcription (RT)-PCR methods. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence and phylogeny classified NnDREB1 into the A-1 group of the DREB1 subfamily. Expression profiling using a quantitative PCR method revealed that NnRDEB1 was significantly induced by NaCl, mannitol, and polyethylene glycol, but not by low temperature and abscisic acid. To evaluate...

A protoporphyrinogen oxidase gene expression influences responses of transgenic rice to oxyfluorfen

J. Park, L. H. Tran, S. Jung

Biologia plantarum 61:659-666, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-017-0732-9

We compared the defense against photoinhibitions and oxidative stress in transgenic rice expressing a modified Myxococcus xanthus protoporphyrinogen oxidase (MxProtox) gene and in wild-type (WT) rice. Although the MxProtox transgenic lines had higher content of protoporphyrin IX (Proto IX) than the untreated controls, they did not exhibit a drastic accumulation of Proto IX as in the WT after 2 d of 50 μM oxyfluorfen (OF) treatment. In the transgenic lines S4 and S11, the transcriptions of OsProtox and modified MxProtox genes were almost sustained in response to OF, although transcription of OsProtox was...

RNA-seq analysis reveals a key role of brassinolide-regulated pathways in NaCl-stressed cotton

H. M. Shu, S. Q. Guo, Y. Y. Gong, L. Jiang, J. W. Zhu, W. C. Ni

Biologia plantarum 61:667-674, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-017-0736-5

Brassinolide (BL) alleviates salt injury in cotton seedlings; however, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of this response. In this study, digital gene expression analysis was performed to better understand the regulatory pathways of BL in NaCl-stressed cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Compared with control plants (CK), a total of 1 162 and 7 659 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected in the leaves and roots of NaCl-treated plants, respectively. Most of the DEGs in NaCl-treated plants, compared to CK, were regulated by BL. Moreover, expression patterns of DEGs in BL+NaCl treated plants were similar to those in CK plants;...

Sulphur deficiency inhibits nitrogen assimilation and recycling in barley plants

C. G. Veliz, I. N. Roberts, M. V. Criado, C. Caputo

Biologia plantarum 61:675-684, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-017-0722-y

Sulphur (S) is incorporated into diverse primary and secondary metabolites that play important roles in proper growth and development of plants. In cereals, a fraction of the nitrogen (N) accumulated in developing grains is guaranteed by amino acid remobilization from vegetative tissues, a contribution that becomes critical when soil nutrients are deficient. Glutamine synthetase (GS) and amino acid transporters (AAT) are key components involved in N assimilation and recycling. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of S availability on the expressions of HvGS and several selected HvAAT genes in barley plants and on the...

BrEXL6, a GDSL lipase gene of Brassica rapa, functions in pollen development

R. Ji, H. Wang, X. Xin, S. Peng, Y. Hur, Z. Li, H. Feng

Biologia plantarum 61:685-692, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-017-0735-6

Multiple allele-inherited male sterility has been widely used by breeders of Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis, but the molecular mechanisms of male sterility are not yet clear. In this study, we isolated the full-length cDNA of a new gene (not included in the Brassica database). This gene, comprising 1 054 bp, encodes a 39.99 kDa protein with a Gly-Asp- Ser-Leu (GDSL)-lipase domain that is a member of the lipolytic protein GDSL family. The sequence of candidate gene is the most similar to extracellular lipase 6 (EXL6) of Arabidopsis and was therefore designated BrEXL6 and submitted to NCBI (accession...

Overexpression of ERF96, a small ethylene response factor gene, enhances salt tolerance in Arabidopsis

X. Wang, C. Hou, K. Zheng, Q. Li, S. Chen, S. Wang

Biologia plantarum 61:693-701, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-017-0734-7

Salt stress is one of the abiotic stresses limiting the yield of crops worldwide. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of plant response to salt stress are not completely elucidated. Ethylene response factors (ERFs) are a subfamily of the AP2 (APETALA2)/ERF transcription factor family that regulates multiple aspects of plant growth and development, and plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. ERF96 is one of the small ERFs that is involved in plant defense response and abscisic acid signaling in Arabidopsis. By using real time quantitative PCR, we found that the expression of ERF96 in the wild type Arabidopsis...

Non-thermal plasma modified growth and physiology in Triticum aestivum via generated signaling molecules and UV radiation

A. Iranbakhsh, M. Ghoranneviss, Z. Oraghi Ardebili, N. Oraghi Ardebili, S. Hesami Tackallou, H. Nikmaram

Biologia plantarum 61:702-708, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-016-0699-y

The current research was carried out to reveal the possible impacts of cold plasma on growth and physiology of wheat, as a new approach in plant science. Short and long-term impacts of different types of plasma (nitrogen and helium) with surface power density of 0.4 W cm^-2, exposure times (15, 30, 60, and 120 s), and repetitions (1, 2, and 4 times with 24 h intervals) were evaluated. Single-time applied helium or nitrogen derived plasma significantly promoted total root and shoot lengths, in contrast to four times application, and the root system was more sensitive than the shoot one. In addition, seedlings were more sensitive to nitrogen...

Picea asperata pioneer and fibrous roots have different physiological mechanisms in response to soil freeze-thaw in spring

C. Yin, Q. Xiao, Y. Sun, Q. Liu, X. Pang

Biologia plantarum 61:709-716, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-017-0728-5

About 70 % of the total land area in the world are affected by soil freeze and thaw (FT) cycles. Root is the first organ of plant to sense soil environment and it is unclear how it copes with the soil FT. Based on the different functions of firstorder pioneer and fibrous roots in woody plants, we hypothesize that pioneer and fibrous roots respond differently. The experiment was conducted in a growth chamber using Picea asperata seedlings. We designed the FT based on field observation data. The physiological responses in fibrous and pioneer roots were examined. Fibrous roots had higher root vitality and N content, whereas pioneer roots exhibited...

The cytotoxic targets of anatase or rutile + anatase nanoparticles depend on the plant species

S. Silva, H. Oliveira, A. M. S. Silva, C. Santos

Biologia plantarum 61:717-725, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-017-0733-8

The potential toxicity of nanoparticles (NPs) is under debate. Information about TiO₂ NPs phytotoxicity is still limited partly due to the different TiO₂ NP forms that may be found in the environment. The present work investigated the impact of different TiO₂ NPs forms (rutile and anatase) on germination, growth, cell cycle profile, ploidy level, and micronucleus formation in Lactuca sativa (lettuce) and Ocimum basilicum (basil). Seeds were exposed to anatase (ana) or rutile + anatase (rut+ana) at concentrations 5 - 150 mg dm^-3 for 5 d and after that different parameters were analyzed. Rut+ana...

Application of X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy to the study of the effect of sulphur on selenium uptake and assimilation in wheat seedlings

Q. Q. Huang, Q. Wang, Y. N. Wan, Y. Yu, R. F. Jiang, H. F. Li

Biologia plantarum 61:726-732, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-016-0698-z

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for humans and animals. A hydroponic experiment was performed to study the effects of sulphur (S) on Se uptake, translocation, and assimilation in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings. Sulphur starvation had a positive effect on selenate uptake and the form of Se supplied greatly influenced Se speciation in plants. Compared with the control plants, Se uptake by the S-starved plants was enhanced by 4.81-fold in the selenate treatment, and selenate was readily transported from roots to shoots. By contrast, S starvation had no significant effect on selenite uptake, and selenite taken up by roots was...

Zinc-alleviating effects on iron-induced phytotoxicity in roots of Triticum aestivum

T. Ma, X. H. Duan, Y. Y. Yang, J. Yao, T. P. Gao

Biologia plantarum 61:733-740, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-017-0720-0

The mechanisms of growth inhibition and antioxidative response were investigated in wheat roots exposed to 300 μM iron together with different zinc concentrations (0, 50, and 250 μM). All Zn concentrations decreased Fe content but increased Zn content in the roots and leaves of Fe-treated seedlings. Compared with Fe stress alone, 50 or 250 μM Zn + Fe treatment stimulated root growth, and increased cell viability but decreased malondialdehyde content, which were correlated with the decreases of total and apoplastic hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion radical (O₂ ^.-) content along with apoplastic hydroxyl radical content....

Silicon enhances the tolerance of Poa annua to cadmium by inhibiting its absorption and oxidative stress

P. Li, C. Z. Zhao, Y. Q. Zhand, X. M. Wang, J. F. Wang, F. Wang, Y. R. Bi

Biologia plantarum 61:741-750, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-017-0731-x

Silicon (Si) could enhance plant tolerance to heavy metals; however, the mechanism of Si-mediated alleviation of cadmium (Cd) toxicity in Poa annua was not clear. In this study, we found that 100 μM Cd significantly inhibited the growth of Poa annua seedlings. Furthermore, Cd enhanced the H₂O₂ and malondialdehyde content. The activities of superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase were enhanced, but the catalase and peroxidase activities were reduced by Cd treatment. Cd also altered the activity and expression of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) in Poa annua roots. Application of Na₃PO₄,...

Utilization of urea by leaves of bromeliad Vriesea gigantea under water deficit: much more than a nitrogen source

A. Matiz, P. T. Mioto, M. P. M. Aidar, H. Mercier

Biologia plantarum 61:751-762, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-017-0721-z

Vriesea gigantea Gaudichaud is an epiphytic bromeliad with a high capacity to take up urea. In plants, urea is hydrolyzed by urease into ammonium and CO₂, providing nitrogen to the plant. Most studies of urea nutrition have focused only on nitrogen metabolism, whereas scarce attention has been given to CO₂ assimilation. Therefore, this study attempted to investigate whether urea could play an important role as a carbon source, which could be of a significant importance under water deficit conditions because of the limitation in atmospheric CO₂ influx into the leaves due to stomatal closure. In this study, detached...

Isolation and molecular characterization of pathogenesis related PR2 gene and its promoter from Brassica juncea

S. Ali, N. Chandrashekar, S. Rawat, N. M. C. Nayanakantha, Z. A. Mir, A. Manoharan, M. Sultana, A. Grover

Biologia plantarum 61:763-773, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-017-0726-7

Pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins play key roles in plant disease resistance. Here, we isolated and characterized pathogenesis-related PR2 gene encoding β-1,3-glucanase from Brassica juncea and named it BjPR2 (GenBank accession number DQ359125). The amino acid sequence of BjPR2 showed ~99 % similarity with β-1,3-glucanase of Brassica rapa, B. napus, and B. oleracea. BjPR2 transcription was rapidly increased after Alternaria brassicae infection, salicylic acid application, and wounding, but the induction was delayed in response to jasmonic acid. To investigate the transcriptional regulation...

Brief Communications

Nitric oxide donor SNP regulates the ascorbate and glutathione metabolism in Agropyron cristatum leaves through MEK1/2

C. Shan, N. Dong

Biologia plantarum 61:774-778, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-017-0712-0

This study investigated the role of the protein kinase MEK1/2 in the regulation of ascorbate and glutathione metabolism by nitric oxide in Agropyron cristatum leaves. The results showed that NO donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), induced the increased activities of ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase, L-galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase, and γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γ-ECS), the transcription of respective genes, and the content of reduced ascorbate, reduced glutathione, total ascorbate, and total glutathione. All the above increases, except the activity of...

Nitric oxide acts downstream of hydrogen peroxide in the regulation of ascorbate and glutathione metabolism by jasmonic acid in Agropyron cristatum leaves

C. Shan, T. Yang

Biologia plantarum 61:779-784, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-017-0708-9

The relationship between hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and nitric oxide (NO) in the regulation of ascorbate and glutathione metabolism by jasmonic acid (JA) in Agropyron cristatum leaves were studied. Results showed that JA increased the production of H₂O₂ and NO, the activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase (GR), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), L-galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase (GalLDH), and γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γ-ECS), as well as transcription of the respective genes and also the content of reduced ascorbate (AsA)...

Responses of Pinus massoniana seedlings to lead stress

L. L. Zhang, X. M. Zhu, Y. W. Kuang

Biologia plantarum 61:785-790, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-017-0710-2

To investigate the biochemical and physiological responses of Masson pine (Pinus massoniana Lamb.) seedlings to lead stress, needles, stems, and roots of two-year-old seedlings were treated with ²⁰⁷PbCO₃ for 33 d and then analyzed 1 and 7 d after the treatment was completed. Chlorophyll (Chl) b responded more sensitively than Chl a to needle Pb treatment, and the Chl content in the needles significantly decreased after Pb application to roots. The malondialdehyde and proline content remained almost unchanged, but superoxide dismutase and catalase activities increased on day 1 after all ways of Pb application....

Diurnal changes of subcellular glutathione content in Arabidopsis thaliana

B. Zechmann

Biologia plantarum 61:791-796, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-017-0729-4

The aim of this study was to investigate diurnal changes of subcellular glutathione content in leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana by immunohistochemistry and quantitative transmission electron microscopy. The results revealed major diurnal changes in glutathione content. The highest content was found within 2 - 3 h of exposure to light (increase of 489 % in mitochondria, 318 % in plastids, 857 % in nuclei, 511 % in peroxisomes, and 900 % in the cytosol when compared to that during darkness), followed by a strong drop (49 % in mitochondria and the cytosol, 53 % in plastids, 68 % in nuclei, 38 % in peroxisomes) within the next 1 - 2 h. Glutathione...

Ethanolamine induced modification in glycine betaine and proline metabolism in Nicotiana rustica under salt stress

S. Rajaeian, A. A. Ehsanpour, M. Javadi, B. Shojaee

Biologia plantarum 61:797-800, 2017 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-017-0704-0

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of ethanolamine on glycine betaine and proline metabolism in Nicotiana rustica under salt stress. The in vitro grown tobacco (Nicotiana rustica) plants were pretreated with ethanolamine (at concentrations 70, 130, 270, and 530 μM for biochemical analysis and only at the concentration of 530 μM for molecular analysis) and then transferred to Murashige and Skoog medium containing 200 mM NaCl for 3 weeks. Our results showed that ethanolamine promoted glycine betaine biosynthesis by an increase in betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH) gene expression and BADH enzymatic...