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The apical hook is a transient structure that functions to protect the vulnerable apical meristem from damage when the seedling penetrates the soil. Although some of the molecular players regulating its development have been identified, many aspects have remained opaque, including how an early auxin asymmetry in the hypocotyl is established. A paper in Development now provides a link between hormone signalling and the gravitropic response of the seedling's growing root in apical hook development. We caught up with co-first authors Qiang Zhu and Marçal Gallemí and their supervisor Eva Benková, Professor at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria in Klosterneuberg, to find out more about the project.

The plant-specific VQ gene family participates in diverse physiological processes but little information is available on their role in leaf senescence. Here, we show that the VQ motif-containing proteins, Arabidopsis SIGMA FACTOR BINDING PROTEIN1 (SIB1) and SIB2 are negative regulators of abscisic acid (ABA)-mediated leaf senescence. Loss of SIB1 and SIB2 function resulted in increased sensitivity of ABA-induced leaf senescence. In contrast, overexpression of SIB1 significantly delayed this process. Moreover, biochemical studies revealed that SIBs interact with WRKY75 transcription factor. Loss of WRKY75 function decreased sensitivity to ABA-induced leaf senescence, while overexpression of WRKY75 significantly accelerated this process. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that WRKY75 directly binds to the promoters of GOLDEN 2-LIKE1(GLK1) and GLK2, to repress their expression. SIBs repress the transcriptional function of WRKY75 and negatively regulate ABA-induced leaf senescence in a WRKY75-dependent manner. In contrast, WRKY75 positively modulates ABA-mediated leaf senescence in a GLK-dependent manner. In addition, SIBs inhibit WRKY75 function in ABA-mediated seed germination. These results demonstrate that SIBs can form a complex with WRKY75 to regulate ABA-mediated leaf senescence and seed germination., SIBs function as repressors of WRKY75 and regulate expression of GLKs in ABA-mediated leaf senescence and seed germination.

Summary Pre‐harvest sprouting (PHS), the germination of grain before harvest, is a serious problem resulting in wheat yield and quality losses.Here, we mapped the PHS resistance gene PHS‐3D from synthetic hexaploid wheat to a 2.4 Mb presence–absence variation (PAV) region and found that its resistance effect was attributed to the pleiotropic Myb10‐D by integrated omics and functional analyses.Three haplotypes were detected in this PAV region among 262 worldwide wheat lines and 16 Aegilops tauschii, and the germination percentages of wheat lines containing Myb10‐D was approximately 40% lower than that of the other lines. Transcriptome and metabolome profiling indicated that Myb10‐D affected the transcription of genes in both the flavonoid and abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis pathways, which resulted in increases in flavonoids and ABA in transgenic wheat lines. Myb10‐D activates 9‐cis‐epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED) by biding the secondary wall MYB‐responsive element (SMRE) to promote ABA biosynthesis in early wheat seed development stages.We revealed that the newly discovered function of Myb10‐D confers PHS resistance by enhancing ABA biosynthesis to delay germination in wheat. The PAV harboring Myb10‐D associated with grain color and PHS will be useful for understanding and selecting white grained PHS resistant wheat cultivars.

Summary Plant stomata play a crucial role in leaf function, controlling water transpiration in response to environmental stresses and modulating the gas exchange necessary for photosynthesis. The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) promotes stomatal closure and inhibits light‐induced stomatal opening. The Arabidopsis thaliana E3 ubiquitin ligase COP1 functions in ABA‐mediated stomatal closure. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still not fully understood.Yeast two‐hybrid assays were used to identify ABA signaling components that interact with COP1, and biochemical, molecular and genetic studies were carried out to elucidate the regulatory role of COP1 in ABA signaling.The cop1 mutants are hyposensitive to ABA‐triggered stomatal closure under light and dark conditions. COP1 interacts with and ubiquitinates the Arabidopsis clade A type 2C phosphatases (PP2Cs) ABI/HAB group and AHG3, thus triggering their degradation. Abscisic acid enhances the COP1‐mediated degradation of these PP2Cs. Mutations in ABI1 and AHG3 partly rescue the cop1 stomatal phenotype and the phosphorylation level of OST1, a crucial SnRK2‐type kinase in ABA signaling.Our data indicate that COP1 is part of a novel signaling pathway promoting ABA‐mediated stomatal closure by regulating the stability of a subset of the Clade A PP2Cs. These findings provide novel insights into the interplay between ABA and the light signaling component in the modulation of stomatal movement.

Fungal polypeptide-induced callose priming restricts the cell-to-cell movement of tobacco mosaic virus in N. benthamiana via the ABA biosynthetic pathway., The polypeptide extract of the dry mycelium of Penicillium chrysogenum (PDMP) can protect tobacco plants from tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), although the mechanism underlying PDMP-mediated TMV resistance remains unknown. In our study, we analysed a potential mechanism via RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and found that the abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthetic pathway and β-1,3-glucanase, a callose-degrading enzyme, might play an important role in PDMP-induced priming of resistance to TMV. To test our hypothesis, we successfully generated a Nicotiana benthamiana ABA biosynthesis mutant and evaluated the role of the ABA pathway in PDMP-induced callose deposition during resistance to TMV infection. Our results suggested that PDMP can induce callose priming to defend against TMV movement. PDMP inhibited TMV movement by increasing callose deposition around plasmodesmata, but this phenomenon did not occur in the ABA biosynthesis mutant; moreover, these effects of PDMP on callose deposition could be rescued by treatment with exogenous ABA. Our results suggested that callose deposition around plasmodesmata in wild-type plants is mainly responsible for the restriction of TMV movement during the PDMP-induced defensive response to TMV infection, and that ABA biosynthesis apparently plays a crucial role in PDMP-induced callose priming for enhancing defence against TMV.

Summary Abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonic acid (JA) both inhibit seed germination, but their interactions during this process remain elusive. Here, we report the identification of a ‘SAPK10‐bZIP72‐AOC’ pathway, through which ABA promotes JA biosynthesis to synergistically inhibit rice seed germination.Using biochemical interaction and phosphorylation assays, we show that SAPK10 exhibits autophosphorylation activity on the 177th serine, which enables it to phosphorylate bZIP72 majorly on 71st serine. The SAPK10‐dependent phosphorylation enhances bZIP72 protein stability as well as the DNA‐binding ability to the G‐box cis‐element of AOC promoter, thereby elevating the AOC transcription and the endogenous concentration of JA.Blocking of JA biosynthesis significantly alleviated the ABA sensitivity on seed germination, suggesting that ABA‐imposed inhibition partially relied on the elevated concentration of JA.Our findings shed a novel insight into the molecular networks of ABA–JA synergistic interaction during rice seed germination.

Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (CBGP), The evolutionary success of plants relies to a large extent on their extraordinary ability to adapt to changes in their environment. These adaptations require that plants balance their growth with their stress responses. Plant hormones are crucial mediators orchestrating the underlying adaptive processes. However, whether and how the growth-related hormone auxin and the stress-related hormones jasmonic acid, salicylic acid, and abscisic acid (ABA) are coordinated remains largely elusive. Here, we analyse the physiological role of AMIDASE 1 (AMI1) in Arabidopsis plant growth and its possible connection to plant adaptations to abiotic stresses. AMI1 contributes to cellular auxin homeostasis by catalysing the conversion of indole-acetamide into the major plant auxin indole-3-acetic acid. Functional impairment of AMI1 increases the plant's stress status rendering mutant plants more susceptible to abiotic stresses. Transcriptomic analysis of ami1 mutants disclosed the reprogramming of a considerable number of stress-related genes, including jasmonic acid and ABA biosynthesis genes. The ami1 mutants exhibit only moderately repressed growth but an enhanced ABA accumulation, which suggests a role for AMI1 in the crosstalk between auxin and ABA. Altogether, our results suggest that AMI1 is involved in coordinating the trade-off between plant growth and stress responses, balancing auxin and ABA homeostasis., This research was supported by grants from the German Research Foundation (DFG, SFB480/A10) and the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (MINECO, BFU2017-82826-R to SP and a grant from the Swedish Research Council (VR) to HA. JM was supported by the ‘Severo Ochoa Program for Centers of Excellence in R&D’ from the Agencia Estatal de Investigación of Spain, grant SEV-2016-0672 (2017-2021) to the CBGP., 17 Pág.

USB1, an exoribonuclease catalyzing U6 production for spliceosome assembly, negatively regulates, cooperatively with SOAR1, ABA signaling in early seedling development, probably by affecting spliceosome assembly., Signaling by the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) involves pre-mRNA splicing, a key process of post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. However, the regulatory mechanism of alternative pre-mRNA splicing in ABA signaling remains largely unknown. We previously identified a pentatricopeptide repeat protein SOAR1 (suppressor of the ABAR-overexpressor 1) as a crucial player downstream of ABAR (putative ABA receptor) in ABA signaling. In this study, we identified a SOAR1 interaction partner USB1, which is an exoribonuclease catalyzing U6 production for spliceosome assembly. We reveal that together USB1 and SOAR1 negatively regulate ABA signaling in early seedling development. USB1 and SOAR1 are both required for the splicing of transcripts of numerous genes, including those involved in ABA signaling pathways, suggesting that USB1 and SOAR1 collaborate to regulate ABA signaling by affecting spliceosome assembly. These findings provide important new insights into the mechanistic control of alternative pre-mRNA splicing in the regulation of ABA-mediated plant responses to environmental cues.

Water stress is a primary trigger for reducing grain number per spike in wheat during the reproductive period. However, under stress conditions, the responses of plant organs and the interactions between them at the molecular and physiological levels remain unclear. In this study, when water stress occurred at the young microspore stage, RNA-seq data indicated that the spike had 970 differentially expressed genes, while the stem, comprising the two internodes below the spike (TIS), had 382. Abscisic acid (ABA) signal transduction genes were down-regulated by water stress in both these tissues, although to a greater extent in the TIS than in the spike. A reduction in sucrose was observed, and was accompanied by increases in cell wall invertase (CWIN) and sucrose:sucrose 1-fructosyl-transferase (1-SST) activities. Hexose and fructan were increased in the TIS but decreased in the spike. ABA was increased in the spike and TIS, and showed significant positive correlation with CWIN and 1-SST activities in the TIS. Overall, our results suggest that water stress induces the conversion of sucrose to hexose by CWIN, and to fructan by 1-SST, due to increased down-regulation of ABA signal transduction related-genes in the TIS; this leads to deficient sucrose supply to the spike and a decrease in grain number., Deficient sucrose and weak expression of ABA signal transduction genes in the spike may be the major reasons for the decrease in grain number under water stress.

PPC2, together with ABI5 and ABA, is involved in plant acclimation to low CO2 through linking photorespiratory metabolism with primary metabolism., Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) plays a pivotal role in the photosynthetic CO2 fixation of C4 plants. However, the functions of PEPCs in C3 plants are less well characterized, particularly in relation to low atmospheric CO2 levels. Of the four genes encoding PEPC in Arabidopsis, PPC2 is considered as the major leaf PEPC gene. Here we show that the ppc2 mutants suffered a growth arrest when transferred to low atmospheric CO2 conditions, together with decreases in the maximum efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm) and lower levels of leaf abscisic acid (ABA) and carbohydrates. The application of sucrose, malate, or ABA greatly rescued the growth of ppc2 lines under low CO2 conditions. Metabolite profiling analysis revealed that the levels of glycine and serine were increased in ppc2 leaves, while the abundance of photosynthetic metabolites was decreased under these conditions. The transcript levels of encoding enzymes involved in glycine or serine metabolism was decreased in ppc2 in an ABI5-dependent manner. Like the ppc2 mutants, abi5-1 mutants had lower photosynthetic rates and Fv/Fm compared with the wild type under photorespiratory conditions (i.e. low CO2 availability). However, the growth of these mutants was similar to that of the wild type under non-photorespiratory (low O2) conditions. The constitutive expression of ABI5 prevented the growth arrest of ppc2 lines under low CO2 conditions. These findings demonstrate that PPC2 plays an important role in the acclimation of Arabidopsis plants to low CO2 availability by linking photorespiratory metabolism to primary metabolism, and that this is mediated, at least in part, through ABA- and ABI5-dependent processes.

Abscisic acid plays a positive role in regulating the OsSAPK9–OsbZIP20 pathway and elevating antioxidant and GS/GOGAT activities in rice to increase tolerance to high-NH4+ stress., Ammonium (NH4+) is one of the principal nitrogen (N) sources in soils, but is typically toxic already at intermediate concentrations. The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) plays a pivotal role in responses to environmental stresses. However, the role of ABA under high-NH4+ stress in rice (Oryza sativa L.) is only marginally understood. Here, we report that elevated NH4+ can significantly accelerate tissue ABA accumulation. Mutants with high (Osaba8ox) and low levels of ABA (Osphs3-1) exhibit elevated tolerance or sensitivity to high-NH4+ stress, respectively. Furthermore, ABA can decrease NH4+-induced oxidative damage and tissue NH4+ accumulation by enhancing antioxidant and glutamine synthetase (GS)/glutamate synthetasae (GOGAT) enzyme activities. Using RNA sequencing and quantitative real-time PCR approaches, we ascertain that two genes, OsSAPK9 and OsbZIP20, are induced both by high NH4+ and by ABA. Our data indicate that OsSAPK9 interacts with OsbZIP20, and can phosphorylate OsbZIP20 and activate its function. When OsSAPK9 or OsbZIP20 are knocked out in rice, ABA-mediated antioxidant and GS/GOGAT activity enhancement under high-NH4+ stress disappear, and the two mutants are more sensitive to high-NH4+ stress compared with their wild types. Taken together, our results suggest that ABA plays a positive role in regulating the OsSAPK9–OsbZIP20 pathway in rice to increase tolerance to high-NH4+ stress.

Transcription factors (TFs) help plants respond to environmental stresses by regulating gene expression. Up till now, studies on the MYB family of TFs have mainly focused on the highly abundant R2R3-subtype. While the less well-known 1R-subtype has been generally shown to enhance abscisic acid (ABA) sensitivity by acting as transcriptional activators, the mechanisms of their functions are unclear. Here we identified an ABA sensitivity-associated gene from soybean, ABA-Sensitive 1 (GmABAS1), of the 1R-subtype of MYB. Using the GFP-GmABAS1 fusion protein, we demonstrated that GmABAS1 is localized in the nucleus, and with yeast reporter systems, we showed that it is a transcriptional repressor. We then identified the target gene of GmABAS1 to be Glyma.01G060300, an annotated ABI five-binding protein 3 and showed that GmABAS1 binds to the promoter of Glyma.01G060300 both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, Glyma.01G060300 and GmABAS1 exhibited reciprocal expression patterns under osmotic stress, inferring that GmABAS1 is a transcriptional repressor of Glyma.01G060300. As a further confirmation, AtAFP2, an orthologue of Glyma.01G060300, was down-regulated in GmABAS1-transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana, enhancing the plant’s sensitivity to ABA. This is the first time a 1R-subtype of MYB from soybean has been reported to enhance ABA sensitivity by acting as a transcriptional repressor., ABAS1 negatively regulates the expression of a soybean AFP3 homologue and enhances ABA sensitivity. This is the first report on the transcriptional repressor activity of a 1R-subtype MYB from soybean.

Combined heat and drought stress can enhance phytohormone-dependent defenses of wheat against aphids and decrease aphid fitness, providing new insights on plant–insect interactions under conditions of complex stress., Plants are routinely subjected simultaneously to different abiotic and biotic stresses, such as heat, drought, and insect infestation. Plant–insect interactions in such complex stress situations are poorly understood. We evaluated the performance of the grain aphid (Sitobion avenae) in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) exposed to a combination of heat and drought stresses. We also performed assays of the relative water content, nutritional quality, and responses of phytohormone signaling pathways. Lower relative water content and accumulation of soluble sugars and amino acids were observed in plants exposed to combined heat and drought stress. These conditions increased abscisic acid levels in the absence of aphids, as well as leading to higher levels of jasmonate-dependent transcripts. The grain aphid infestation further increased abscisic acid levels and the abundance of jasmonic acid- and salicylic acid-dependent defenses under the combined stress conditions. Aphids reared on plants grown under drought stress alone showed lower net reproductive rates, intrinsic rates of increase, and finite rates of increase compared with aphids reared on plants in the absence of stress. The heat-treated plants also showed a decreased aphid net reproductive rate. These findings demonstrate that exposure to a combination of stresses enhances plant defense responses against aphids as well as altering nutritional quality.

Shading of the soybean mother plant during seed development promotes subsequent germination by mediating the biosynthesis of pro-anthocyanidins, fatty acids, and the phytohormones ABA and GA., The effect of shading during seed development on subsequent germination remains largely unknown. In this study, two soybean (Glycine max) seed production systems, monocropping (MC) and maize–soybean intercropping (IC), were employed to examine the effects of shading of the mother plant on subsequent seed germination. Compared to the MC soybean seeds, which received light, the developing IC seeds were exposed to shade resulting from the taller neighboring maize plants. The IC seeds germinated faster than the MC seeds, although there was no significant difference in the thickness of the seed coat. The concentration of soluble pro-anthocyanidin in the IC seed coat was significantly lower than that in the MC seed coat. Changes in the concentrations of several types of fatty acids in IC seeds were also observed, the nature of which were consistent with the effect on germination. The expression levels of genes involved in abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis were down-regulated in IC seeds, while the transcription levels of the genes related to gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis were up-regulated. This was consistently reflected in decreased ABA concentrations and increased active GA4 concentrations in IC seeds, resulting in an increased GA4/ABA ratio. Our results thus indicated that shading of the mother plant during seed development in soybean promoted subsequent germination by mediating the biosynthesis of pro-anthocyanidins, fatty acids, and phytohormones.

Iron (Fe) is vital for plant growth. Plants balance the beneficial and toxic effects of this micronutrient, and tightly control Fe uptake and allocation. Here, we review the role of the basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factor FIT (FER-LIKE FE DEFICIENCY-INDUCED TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR) in Fe acquisition. FIT is not only essential, it is also a central regulatory hub in root cells to steer and adjust the rate of Fe uptake by the root in a changing environment. FIT regulates a subset of root Fe deficiency (–Fe) response genes. Based on a combination of co-expression network and FIT-dependent transcriptome analyses, we defined a set of FIT-dependent and FIT-independent gene expression signatures and co-expression clusters that encode specific functions in Fe regulation and Fe homeostasis. These gene signatures serve as markers to integrate novel regulatory factors and signals into the –Fe response cascade. FIT forms a complex with bHLH subgroup Ib transcription factors. Furthermore, it interacts with key regulators from different signaling pathways that either activate or inhibit FIT function to adjust Fe acquisition to growth and environmental constraints. Co-expression clusters and FIT protein interactions suggest a connection of –Fe with ABA responses and root cell elongation processes that can be explored in future studies., FIT-dependent gene signatures and FIT protein interactions highlight links to developmental and stress signaling, and suggest a connection with abscisic acid responses and root cell elongation.

Abscisic acid (ABA) signaling regulates plant growth and development and participates in response to abiotic stressors. However, details about the PYL-PP2C-SnRK2 gene family, which is the core component of ABA signaling in Camellia sinensis, are unknown. In this work, we identified 14 pyrabactin resistance-likes (PYLs), 84 type 2C protein phosphatase (PP2Cs), and 8 SNF1-related protein kinase 2s (SnRK2s) from C. sinensis. The transcriptomic analysis indicated that PYL-PP2C-SnRK2s were associated with changes of leaf color and the response of C. sinensis to drought and salt stressors. Changes of the expression of Snrk2s were not significant in the process of leaf color change or drought and salt stress response, suggesting that PYLs and PP2Cs may not interact with SnRK2s in C. sinensis during these processes. Finally, Gene Regulatory Network (GRN) construction and interaction networks analysis demonstrated that PYLs and PP2Cs were associated with multiple metabolic pathways during the changes of leaf color., Graphical Abstract

Ethylene controls post-germination starch degradation and seedling growth, but not radicle protrusion, in wheat through spatiotemporal alteration of the balance between abscisic acid and gibberellin., This study aimed to gain insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of ethylene in regulating germination and seedling growth in wheat by combining pharmacological, molecular, and metabolomics approaches. Our study showed that ethylene does not affect radicle protrusion but controls post-germination endospermic starch degradation through transcriptional regulation of specific α-amylase and α-glucosidase genes, and this effect is mediated by alteration of endospermic bioactive gibberellin (GA) levels, and GA sensitivity via expression of the GA signaling gene, TaGAMYB. Our data implicated ethylene as a positive regulator of embryo axis and coleoptile growth through transcriptional regulation of specific TaEXPA genes. These effects were associated with modulation of GA levels and sensitivity, through expression of GA metabolism (TaGA20ox1, TaGA3ox2, and TaGA2ox6) and signaling (TaGAMYB) genes, respectively, and/or the abscisic acid (ABA) level and sensitivity, via expression of specific ABA metabolism (TaNCED2 or TaCYP707A1) and signaling (TaABI3) genes, respectively. Ethylene appeared to regulate the expression of TaEXPA3 and thereby root growth through its control of coleoptile ABA metabolism, and root ABA signaling via expression of TaABI3 and TaABI5. These results show that spatiotemporal modulation of ABA/GA balance mediates the role of ethylene in regulating post-germination storage starch degradation and seedling growth in wheat.

In Arabidopsis leaves, the stress-induced production of abscisic acid from its inactive glucose conjugate involves dynamic changes in the endoplasmic reticulum., The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) is produced via a multistep de novo biosynthesis pathway or via single-step hydrolysis of inactive ABA-glucose ester (ABA-GE). The hydrolysis reaction is catalyzed by β-glucosidase (BG, or BGLU) isoforms localized to various organelles, where they become activated upon stress, but the mechanisms underlying this organelle-specific activation remain unclear. We investigated the relationship between the subcellular distribution and stress-induced activation of BGLU18 (BG1), an endoplasmic reticulum enzyme critical for abiotic stress responses, in Arabidopsis thaliana leaves. High BGLU18 levels were present in leaf petioles, primarily in endoplasmic reticulum bodies. These Brassicaceae-specific endoplasmic reticulum-derived organelles responded dynamically to abiotic stress, particularly drought-induced dehydration, by changing in number and size. Under stress, BGLU18 distribution shifted toward microsomes, which was accompanied by increasing BGLU18-mediated ABA-GE hydrolytic activity and ABA levels in leaf petioles. Under non-stress conditions, impaired endoplasmic reticulum body formation caused a microsomal shift of BGLU18 and increased its enzyme activity; however, ABA levels increased only under stress, probably because ABA-GE is supplied to the endoplasmic reticulum only under these conditions. Loss of BGLU18 delayed dehydration-induced ABA accumulation, suggesting that ABA-GE hydrolysis precedes the biosynthesis. We propose that dynamics of the endoplasmic reticulum modulate ABA homeostasis and abiotic stress responses by activating BGLU18-mediated ABA-GE hydrolysis.

The dormancy-associated MADS-box (DAM) genes PpDAM5 and PpDAM6 have been shown to play important roles in bud endodormancy; however, their molecular regulatory mechanism in peach is unclear. In this study, by use of yeast one-hybrid screening, we isolated a TEOSINTE BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA/PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR transcription factor, PpTCP20, in the peach cultivar ‘Zhongyou 4’ (Prunus persica var. nectarina). The protein was localized in the nucleus and was capable of forming a homodimer. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that PpTCP20 binds to a GCCCR element in the promoters of PpDAM5 and PpDAM6, and transient dual luciferase experiments showed that PpTCP20 inhibited the expression of PpDAM5 and PpDAM6 as the period of the release of flower bud endodormancy approached. In addition, PpTCP20 interacted with PpABF2 to form heterodimers to regulate bud endodormancy, and the content of abscisic acid decreased with the release of endodormancy. PpTCP20 also inhibited expression of PpABF2 to regulate endodormancy. Taken together, our results suggest that PpTCP20 regulates peach flower bud endodormancy by negatively regulating the expression of PpDAM5 and PpDAM6, and by interacting with PpABF2, thus revealing a novel regulatory mechanism in a perennial deciduous tree., PpTCP20 controls the release of endodormancy in peach flower buds by negatively regulating the expression of PpDAM5 and PpDAM6, and by interacting with PpABF2.

Gene regulation is central for growth, development, and adaptation to environmental changes in all living organisms. Many genes are induced by environmental cues, and the expression of these inducible genes is often repressed under normal conditions. Here, we show that the SHINY2 (SHI2) gene is important for repressing salt-inducible genes and also plays a role in cold response. The shi2 mutant displayed hypersensitivity to cold, abscisic acid (ABA), and LiCl. Map-based cloning demonstrates that SHI2 encodes a DEAD- (Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp) box RNA helicase with similarity to a yeast splicing factor. Transcriptomic analysis of the shi2 mutant in response to cold revealed that the shi2 mutation decreased the number of cold-responsive genes and the magnitude of their response, and resulted in the mis-splicing of some cold-responsive genes. Under salt stress, however, the shi2 mutation increased the number of salt-responsive genes but had a negligible effect on mRNA splicing. Our results suggest that SHI2 is a component in a ready-for-transcription repressor complex important for gene repression under normal conditions, and for gene activation and transcription under stress conditions. In addition, SHI2 also serves as a splicing factor required for proper splicing of cold-responsive genes and affects 5' capping and polyadenylation site selection., The DEAD-box RNA helix SHI2 represses expression of salt-inducible genes and modulates splicing of cold-responsive genes. SHI2 participates in transcription and post-transcriptional processes in response to stress conditions.

Summary During drought, abscisic acid (ABA) induces closure of stomata via a signaling pathway that involves the calcium (Ca2+)‐independent protein kinase OST1, as well as Ca2+‐dependent protein kinases. However, the interconnection between OST1 and Ca2+ signaling in ABA‐induced stomatal closure has not been fully resolved.ABA‐induced Ca2+ signals were monitored in intact Arabidopsis leaves, which express the ratiometric Ca2+ reporter R‐GECO1‐mTurquoise and the Ca2+‐dependent activation of S‐type anion channels was recorded with intracellular double‐barreled microelectrodes.ABA triggered Ca2+ signals that occurred during the initiation period, as well as in the acceleration phase of stomatal closure. However, a subset of stomata closed in the absence of Ca2+ signals. On average, stomata closed faster if Ca2+ signals were elicited during the ABA response. Loss of OST1 prevented ABA‐induced stomatal closure and repressed Ca2+ signals, whereas elevation of the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration caused a rapid activation of SLAC1 and SLAH3 anion channels.Our data show that the majority of Ca2+ signals are evoked during the acceleration phase of stomatal closure, which is initiated by OST1. These Ca2+ signals are likely to activate Ca2+‐dependent protein kinases, which enhance the activity of S‐type anion channels and boost stomatal closure.

The phytohormones jasmonates (JAs) act as important molecules of elicitors for the chlorophyll degradation and anthocyanin biosynthesis. JAs do usually not act independently but integrate in complex networks linking to other hormonal signaling transduction. Here, the crosstalk was detected between the JAs (jasmonic acid) and abscisic acid (ABA) signaling pathways in the mediation of chlorophyll degradation and anthocyanin biosynthesis. In this study, we found that the ABA receptor mutants, pyr1pyl1pyl2pyl4 (1124) and pyr1pyl1ply2pyl4pyl5pyl8 (112458) showed less level of chlorophyll and anthocyanin than the wild-type plants, while gain-of-function of RCAR13 transgenic lines inhibited chlorophyll degradation and enhanced anthocyanin accumulation after MeJA treatment. The amidohydrolases, including ILL6 and IAR3 and cytochrome P450 (CYP94B3), encoding JA-Ile catabolism were markedly depressed by ABA receptors. While transcripts of the enzymes for activation of anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway were analyzed, the results indicating that JA biosynthetic genes, including allene oxide synthase (AOS), LOX3 and LOX4 were enhanced by the link of JAs and ABA receptors. Moreover, the ABA receptors are also involved in JAs signal transduction through the regulation of COI, JAZ and MYC2 transcripts. These findings elucidate a connection between a core component of the ABA signaling pathway and JA responses.

Auxin herbicides trigger a rapid down-regulation of photosynthetic-related gene expression and an up-regulation of abscisic acid biosynthesis independent of other plant hormones in Erigeron., The perception pathway for endogenous auxin has been well described, yet the mode of action of synthetic auxin herbicides, used for >70 years, remains uncharacterized. We utilized transcriptomics and targeted physiological studies to investigate the unknown rapid response to synthetic auxin herbicides in the globally problematic weed species Erigeron canadensis. Synthetic auxin herbicide application consistently and rapidly down-regulated the photosynthetic machinery. At the same time, there was considerable perturbation to the expression of many genes related to phytohormone metabolism and perception. In particular, auxin herbicide application enhanced the expression of the key abscisic acid biosynthetic gene, 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid deoxygenase (NCED). The increase in NCED expression following auxin herbicide application led to a rapid biosynthesis of abscisic acid (ABA). This increase in ABA levels was independent of a loss of cell turgor or an increase in ethylene levels, both proposed triggers for rapid ABA biosynthesis. The levels of ABA in the leaf after auxin herbicide application continued to increase as plants approached death, up to >3-fold higher than in the leaves of plants that were drought stressed. We propose a new model in which synthetic auxin herbicides trigger plant death by the whole-scale, rapid, down-regulation of photosynthetic processes and an increase in ABA levels through up-regulation of NCED expression, independent of ethylene levels or a loss of cell turgor.

This study examined contents of nine plant hormones in developing seeds of field-grown wheat varieties (Triticum aestivum L.) with different seed dormancy using liquid chromatography—mass spectrometry. The varieties showed marked diversity in germination indices at 15°C and 20°C. Contents of the respective hormones in seeds showed a characteristic pattern during seed maturation from 30-day post anthesis to 60-day post anthesis. Principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis revealed that plant hormone profiles were not correlated with dormancy levels, indicating that hormone contents were not associated with preharvest sprouting (PHS) susceptibility. Indole acetic acid (IAA) contents of mature seeds showed positive correlation with the germination index, but no other hormone. Response of embryo-half seeds to exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) indicates that ABA sensitivity is correlated with whole-seed germinability, which can be explained in part by genotypes of MOTHER OF FT AND TFL (MFT) allele modulating ABA signaling of wheat seeds. These results demonstrate that variation in wheat seed dormancy is attributable to ABA sensitivity of mature seeds, but not to ABA contents in developing seeds.

The closely related sulphonamide safeners, metcamifen and cyprosulfamide, were tested for their ability to protect rice from clodinafop-propargyl, a herbicide normally used in wheat. While demonstrating that both compounds were equally bioavailable in planta, only metcamifen prevented clodinafop from damaging seedlings, and this was associated with the enhanced detoxification of the herbicide. Transcriptome studies in rice cultures demonstrated that whereas cyprosulfamide had a negligible effect on gene expression over a 4 h exposure, metcamifen perturbed the abundance of 590 transcripts. Changes in gene expression with metcamifen could be divided into three phases, corresponding to inductions occurring over 30 min, 1.5 h and 4 h. The first phase of gene induction was dominated by transcription factors and proteins of unknown function, the second by genes involved in herbicide detoxification, while the third was linked to cellular homeostasis. Analysis of the inducible genes suggested that safening elicited similar gene families to those associated with specific biotic and abiotic stresses, notably those elicited by abscisic acid, salicylic acid, and methyl jasmonate. Subsequent experiments with safener biomarker genes induced in phase 1 and 2 in rice cell cultures provided further evidence of similarities in signalling processes elicited by metcamifen and salicylic acid., Protection against herbicide damage afforded by the safener metcamifen in rice is associated with a phased induction of genes involved in signalling, xenobiotic detoxification, and cell homeostasis.

Activation of the kiwifruit suberin biosynthesis gene AchnFHT is coordinately controlled via repression by AchnMYB4 and promotion by AchnABF2, AchnMYB41, and AchnMYB107., Suberin is a cell-wall biopolymer with aliphatic and aromatic domains that is synthesized in the wound tissues of plants in order to restrict water loss and pathogen infection. ω-hydroxyacid/fatty alcohol hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (FHT) is required for cross-linking of the aliphatic and aromatic domains. ABA is known to play a positive role in suberin biosynthesis but it is not known how it interacts with FHT. In this study, the kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) AchnFHT gene was isolated and was found to be localized in the cytosol. Transient overexpression of AchnFHT in leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana induced massive production of ferulate, ω-hydroxyacids, and primary alcohols, consistent with the in vitro ability of AchnFHT to catalyse acyl-transfer from feruloyl-CoA to ω-hydroxypalmitic acid and 1-tetradecanol. A regulatory function of four TFs (AchnABF2, AchnMYB4, AchnMYB41, and AchnMYB107) on AchnFHT was identified. These TFs localized in the nucleus and directly interacted with the AchnFHT promoter in yeast one-hybrid assays. Dual-luciferase analysis indicated that AchnABF2, AchnMYB41, and AchnMYB107 activated the AchnFHT promoter while AchnMYB4 repressed it. These findings were supported by the results of transient overexpression in N. benthamiana, in which AchnABF2, AchnMYB41, and AchnMYB107 induced expression of suberin biosynthesis genes (including FHT) and accumulation of suberin monomers, whilst AchnMYB4 had the opposite effect. Exogenous ABA induced the expression of AchnABF2, AchnMYB41, AchnMYB107, and AchnFHT and induced suberin monomer formation, but it inhibited AchnMYB4 expression. In addition, fluridone (an inhibitor of ABA biosynthesis) was found to counter the inductive effects of ABA. Activation of suberin monomer biosynthesis by AchnFHT was therefore controlled in a coordinated way by both repression of AchnMYB4 and promotion of AchnABF2, AchnMYB41, and AchnMYB107.

Abscisic acid (ABA) regulates fruit ripening, yet little is known about the exact roles of ABA receptors in fruit. In this study, we reveal the role of SlPYL9, a tomato pyrabactin resistance (PYR)/pyrobactin resistance-like (PYL)/regulatory component of ABA receptors (RCAR) protein, as a positive regulator of ABA signaling and fruit ripening. SlPYL9 inhibits protein phosphatase-type 2C (PP2C2/6) in an ABA dose-dependent way, and it interacts physically with SlPP2C2/3/4/5 in an ABA-dependent manner. Expression of SlPYL9 was observed in the seeds, flowers, and fruits. Overexpression and suppression of SlPYL9 induced a variety of phenotypes via altered expression of ABA signaling genes (SlPP2C1/2/9, SlSnRK2.8, SlABF2), thereby affecting expression of ripening-related genes involved in ethylene release and cell wall modification. SlPYL9-OE/RNAi plants showed a typical ABA hyper-/hypo-sensitive phenotype in terms of seed germination, primary root growth, and response to drought. Fruit ripening was significantly accelerated in SlPYL9-OE by 5–7 d as a result of increased endogenous ABA accumulation and advanced release of ethylene compared with the wild-type. In the SlPYL9-RNAi lines, fruit ripening was delayed, mesocarp thickness was enhanced, and petal abscission was delayed compared with the wild-type, resulting in conical/oblong and gourd-shaped fruits. These results suggest that SlPYL9 is involved in ABA signaling, thereby playing a role in the regulation of flower abscission and fruit ripening in tomato., ABA receptor PYL9 plays a role in the regulation of flower abscission and fruit ripening in tomato by modulating ABA signaling components, which regulates expression of related genes.

Plant aquaporins and hormones regulate root water uptake in mildly stressed poplar together with the participation of fungal aquaporins from the ectomycorrhizal fungus Laccaria bicolor., The relatively better performance of mycorrhizal plants subjected to drought stress has commonly been linked to improved root water uptake through the fungal regulation of plant aquaporins and hormones. In this study, we examined the role of ectomycorrhizal fungi in plant water relations and plant hormonal balance under mild drought using split-root seedlings of Populus trichocarpa × deltoides either with or without inoculation with Laccaria bicolor. The root compartments where the drought treatment was applied had higher ABA and lower cytokinin tZR contents, and greater expression of the plant aquaporins PtPIP1;1, PtPIP1;2, PtPIP2;5, and PtPIP2;7. On the other hand, the presence of L. bicolor within the roots down-regulated PtPIP1;4, PtPIP2;3, and PtPIP2;10, and reduced the abundance of PIP2 proteins. In addition, expression of the fungal aquaporins JQ585595 and JQ585596 were positively correlated with root ABA content, while tZR content was positively correlated with PtPIP1;4 and negatively correlated with PtPIP2;7. The results demonstrate a coordinated plant–fungal system that regulates the different mechanisms involved in water uptake in ectomycorrhizal poplar plants.

ZmPTF1 regulates drought tolerance in maize by promoting root development and ABA synthesis, by binding to the G-box in the promoter and activating the expression of NCEDs, CBF4, NAC081, and NAC30., Drought stress is the most important environmental stress limiting maize production. ZmPTF1, a phosphate starvation-induced basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor, contributes to root development and low-phosphate tolerance in maize. Here, ZmPTF1 expression, drought tolerance, and the underlying mechanisms were studied by using maize ZmPTF1 overexpression lines and mutants. ZmPTF1 was found to be a positive regulator of root development, ABA synthesis, signalling pathways, and drought tolerance. ZmPTF1 was also found to bind to the G-box element within the promoter of 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED), C-repeat-binding factor (CBF4), ATAF2/NAC081, NAC30, and other transcription factors, and to act as a positive regulator of the expression of those genes. The dramatically upregulated NCEDs led to increased abscisic acid (ABA) synthesis and activation of the ABA signalling pathway. The up-regulated transcription factors hierarchically regulate the expression of genes involved in root development, stress responses, and modifications of transcriptional regulation. The improved root system, increased ABA content, and activated ABA-, CBF4-, ATAF2-, and NAC30-mediated stress responses increased the drought tolerance of the ZmPTF1 overexpression lines, while the mutants showed opposite trends. This study describes a useful gene for transgenic breeding and helps us understand the role of a bHLH protein in plant root development and stress responses.

Overexpression of a novel peanut CLAVATA1-like gene significantly enhanced the resistance to Ralstonia solanacearum in tobacco via defense response signaling associated with EDS1-mediated R-gene pathways., Bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum is a devastating disease affecting hundreds of plant species, yet the host factors remain poorly characterized. The leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase gene AhRLK1, characterized as CLAVATA1, was found to be up-regulated in peanut upon inoculation with R. solanacearum. The AhRLK1 protein was localized in the plasma membrane and cell wall. qPCR results showed AhRLK1 was induced in a susceptible variety but little changed in a resistant cultivar after inoculated with R. solanacearum. Hormones such as salicylic acid, abscisic acid, methyl jasmonate, and ethephon induced AhRLK1 expression. In contrast, AhRLK1 expression was down-regulated under cold and drought treatments. Transient overexpression of AhRLK1 led to a hypersensitive response (HR) in Nicotiana benthamiana. Furthermore, AhRLK1 overexpression in tobacco significantly increased the resistance to R. solanacearum. Besides, the transcripts of most representative defense responsive genes in HR and hormone signal pathways were significantly increased in the transgenic lines. EDS1 and PAD4 in the R gene signaling pathway were also up-regulated, but NDR1 was down-regulated. Accordingly, AhRLK1 may increase the defense response to R. solanacearum via HR and hormone defense signaling, in particular through the EDS1 pathway of R gene signaling. These results provide a new understanding of the CLAVATA1 function and will contribute to genetic enhancement of peanut.

Mango productivity is affected mainly by irregular flowering, proportion of bisexual flowers, poor pollination and fertilization and fruit drop. Poor fruit set in some of the varieties may be associated with the lower pollen viability. The present experiment was initiated to assess the viability of pollen grains and their metabolites in three mango cultivars Amrapali, Alphonso and Totapuri which are differing in their fruit set intensity. The profiling of sugars, amino acids and some of the phytohormones were analysed using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Assessment of pollen grains in three mango cultivars indicated that free sugars such as fructose and glucose, and available amino acids including serine, proline, lysine, phenylalanine, alanine and glutamic acid were predominantly higher in all the cultivars. Phytohormones like IAA, IBA, ABA, GA,zeatin, jasmonic acid and salicylic acid were significantly different in low fruit setting cultivars Alphonso and Totapuri compared to high fruit setting cultivar Amrapali. In cv. Alphonso all the metabolites were higher at anthesis but later decreased drastically compared to cvs. Totapuri and Amrapali. Pollen viability percentage was significantly higher in cv. Amrapali than in cvs. Totapuri, Alphonso. Among all the cultivars, Amrapali maintained better chemical composition at anthesis and also at two hours after anthesis compared to cvs. Totapuri and Alphonso.

Key message The hormonal ratios along the barley spike regulate the development, atrophy and abortion of the spikelets and could be the mechanism by which the barley spike adapts its yield potential. Abstract Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is one of the oldest cereal crops known to be cultivated since about 10,000 years. The inflorescence of cultivated barley is an indeterminate spike that produces three single-flowered spikelets at each rachis node which make it unique among the grasses. The yield production in barley is predominantly controlled by very important parameters such as number of tillers and number of spikelets per spike. These two parameters are negatively correlated. Therefore, studying the biological and genetics of the spikelet development during the spike developmental stages is essential for breeding programs. Here we summarize our current understanding of the crosstalk between hormones such as auxin, cytokinin, gibberellin and abscisic acid along the spike and what is their role in regulating spike and spikelet development in barley. We conclude that the hormonal ratios at the apical, central, and basal sections of the spike not only regulate the spike developmental stages, but also the development, atrophy, and abortion of the spikelets. This hormonal dependent modification of the grain number along the spike could be the mechanism by which the barley spike adapts its yield potential.

The APETALA1 (AP1)/FRUITFULL (FUL)-like transcription factor OsMADS18 plays diverse functions in rice development, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are far from fully understood. Here, we report that down-regulation of OsMADS18 expression in RNAi lines caused a delay in seed germination and young seedling growth, whereas the overexpression of OsMADS18 produced plants with fewer tillers. In targeted OsMADS18 genome-edited mutants (osmads18-cas9), an increased number of tillers, altered panicle size, and reduced seed setting were observed. The EYFP-OsMADS18 (full-length) protein was localized to the nucleus and plasma membrane but the EYFP-OsMADS18-N (N-terminus) protein mainly localized to the nucleus. The expression of OsMADS18 could be stimulated by abscisic acid (ABA), and ABA stimulation triggered the cleavage of HA-OsMADS18 and the translocation of OsMADS18 from the plasma membrane to the nucleus. The inhibitory effect of ABA on seedling growth was less effective in the OsMADS18-overexpressing plants. The expression of a set of ABA-responsive genes was significantly reduced in the overexpressing plants. The phenotypes of transgenic plants expressing EYFP-OsMADS18-N resembled those observed in the osmads18-cas9 mutants. Analysis of the interaction of OsMADS18 with OsMADS14, OsMADS15, and OsMADS57 strongly suggests an essential role for OsMADS18 in rice development., OsMADS18 plays an essential role in rice development, including seed maturation and germination, tiller formation, and the response to ABA

In contrast to the light requirement for Arabidopsis seed germination, the germination of several Aethionema arabicum accessions is inhibited by light, due to antipodal transcriptional regulation of hormone balance., The timing of seed germination is crucial for seed plants and is coordinated by internal and external cues, reflecting adaptations to different habitats. Physiological and molecular studies with lettuce and Arabidopsis thaliana have documented a strict requirement for light to initiate germination and identified many receptors, signaling cascades, and hormonal control elements. In contrast, seed germination in several other plants is inhibited by light, but the molecular basis of this alternative response is unknown. We describe Aethionema arabicum (Brassicaceae) as a suitable model plant to investigate the mechanism of germination inhibition by light, as this species has accessions with natural variation between light-sensitive and light-neutral responses. Inhibition of germination occurs in red, blue, or far-red light and increases with light intensity and duration. Gibberellins and abscisic acid are involved in the control of germination, as in Arabidopsis, but transcriptome comparisons of light- and dark-exposed A. arabicum seeds revealed that, upon light exposure, the expression of genes for key regulators undergo converse changes, resulting in antipodal hormone regulation. These findings illustrate that similar modular components of a pathway in light-inhibited, light-neutral, and light-requiring germination among the Brassicaceae have been assembled in the course of evolution to produce divergent pathways, likely as adaptive traits.

MYB-type transcription factors (TFs) play important roles in plant growth and development, and in the responses to several abiotic stresses. In rice (Oryza sativa), the roles of MYB-related TFs in leaf senescence are not well documented. Here, we examined rice MYB TF gene OsMYB102 and found that an OsMYB102 T-DNA activation-tagged line (termed osmyb102-D), which constitutively expresses OsMYB102 under the control of four tandem repeats of the 35S promoter, and OsMYB102-overexpressing transgenic lines (35S:OsMYB102 and 35S:GFP-OsMYB102) maintain green leaves much longer than the wild-type under natural, dark-induced, and abscisic acid (ABA)-induced senescence conditions. Moreover, an osmyb102 knockout mutant showed an accelerated senescence phenotype under dark-induced and ABA-induced leaf senescence conditions. Microarray analysis showed that a variety of senescence-associated genes (SAGs) were down-regulated in the osmyb102-D line. Further studies demonstrated that overexpression of OsMYB102 controls the expression of SAGs, including genes associated with ABA degradation and ABA signaling (OsABF4, OsNAP, and OsCYP707A6), under dark-induced senescence conditions. OsMYB102 inhibits ABA accumulation by directly activating the transcription of OsCYP707A6, which encodes the ABA catabolic enzyme ABSCISIC ACID 8′-HYDROXYLASE. OsMYB102 also indirectly represses ABA-responsive genes, such as OsABF4 and OsNAP. Collectively, these results demonstrate that OsMYB102 plays a critical role in leaf senescence by down-regulating ABA accumulation and ABA signaling responses., Rice transcription factor OsMYB102 delays leaf senescence by decreasing ABA accumulation through up-regulation of OsCYP707A6, which encodes an ABA catalytic enzyme.

Carbohydrate accumulation in inferior grains in rice panicles subjected to moderate post-anthesis water stress is regulated by NAC transcription factors that activate the expression of WAXY., Moderate soil drying imposed at the post-anthesis stage significantly increases starch accumulation in inferior grains of rice, but how this process is regulated at the level of gene expression remains unclear. In this study, we applied moderate drying (MD) treatments to the soil at the post-anthesis stage and followed the dynamics of the conversion process of soluble sugars to starch in inferior grains using RNA-seq analysis. An elevated level of ABA induced by MD was consistently associated with down-regulation of ABA8ox2, suggesting that lower expression of this gene may be responsible for the higher ABA content, potentially resulting in better filling in inferior grains. In addition, MD treatments up-regulated genes encoding five key enzymes involved sucrose-to-starch conversion and increased the activities of enzymes responsible for soluble-sugar reduction and starch accumulation in inferior grains. Differentially expressed transcription factors, including NAC, GATA, WRKY, and M-type MADS, were predicted to interact with other proteins in mediating filling of inferior grains as a response to MD. Transient expression analysis showed that NAC activated WAXY expression by binding to its promoter, indicating that NAC played a key role in starch synthesis of inferior grains under MD treatment. Our results provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms that regulate grain filling in inferior grains of rice under moderate soil drying.

Strigolactones positively regulate defense against infection by root-knot nematode in tomato through a process that is dependent on MYC2 integrating SL, ABA, and JA signaling, Strigolactones (SLs) are carotenoid-derived phytohormones that are known to influence various aspects of plant growth and development. As root-derived signals, SLs can enhance symbiosis between plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). However, little is known about the roles of SLs in plant defense against soil-borne pathogens. Here, we determined that infection with root-knot nematodes (RKNs; Meloidogyne incognita) induced SL biosynthesis in roots of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Silencing of SL biosynthesis genes compromised plant defense against RKNs, whilst application of the SL analog racGR24 enhanced it. Accumulation of endogenous jasmonic acid (JA) and abscisic acid (ABA) in the roots in response to RKN infection was enhanced by silencing of SL biosynthetic genes and was suppressed by application of racGR24. Genetic evidence showed that JA was a positive regulator of defense against RKNs while ABA was a negative regulator. In addition, racGR24 enhanced the defense against nematode in a JA-deficient mutant but not in an ABA-deficient mutant. Silencing of SL biosynthetic genes resulted in up-regulation of MYC2, which negatively regulated defense against RKNs. Our results demonstrate that SLs play a positive role in nematode defense in tomato and that MYC2 negatively regulates this defense, potentially by mediating hormone crosstalk among SLs, ABA and JA.

GhNAC83 inhibits corm dormancy release in Gladiolus hybridus by promoting ABA signaling and inhibiting CK biosynthesis., Corm dormancy is an important trait for breeding in many bulb flowers, including the most cultivated Gladiolus hybridus. Gladiolus corms are modified underground stems that function as storage organs and remain dormant to survive adverse environmental conditions. Unlike seed dormancy, not much is known about corm dormancy. Here, we characterize the mechanism of corm dormancy release (CDR) in Gladiolus. We identified an important ABA (abscisic acid) signaling regulator, GhPP2C1 (protein phosphatase 2C1), by transcriptome analysis of CDR. GhPP2C1 expression increased during CDR, and silencing of GhPP2C1 expression in dormant cormels delayed CDR. Furthermore, we show that GhPP2C1 expression is directly regulated by GhNAC83, which was identified by yeast one-hybrid library screening. In planta assays show that GhNAC83 is a negative regulator of GhPP2C1, and silencing of GhNAC83 promoted CDR. As expected, silencing of GhNAC83 decreased the ABA level, but also dramatically increased cytokinin (CK; zeatin) content in cormels. Binding assays demonstrate that GhNAC83 associates with the GhIPT (ISOPENTENYLTRANSFERASE) promoter and negatively regulates zeatin biosynthesis. Taken together, our results reveal that GhNAC83 promotes ABA signaling and synthesis, and inhibits CK biosynthesis pathways, thereby inhibiting CDR. These findings demonstrate that GhNAC83 regulates the ABA and CK pathways, and therefore controls corm dormancy.

ADF5 promotes stomatal closure by regulating actin filament dynamics, and members of the ABF/AREB transcription factor family may serve as potential upstream regulators of ADF5 in the drought stress/ABA signaling pathway., Stomatal movement plays an essential role in plant responses to drought stress, and the actin cytoskeleton and abscisic acid (ABA) are two important components of this process. Little is known about the mechanism underlying actin cytoskeleton remodeling and the dynamic changes occurring during stomatal movement in response to drought stress/ABA signaling. Actin-depolymerizing factors (ADFs) are conserved actin severing/depolymerizing proteins in eukaryotes, and in angiosperms ADFs have evolved actin-bundling activity. Here, we reveal that the transcriptional expression of neofunctionalized Arabidopsis ADF5 was induced by drought stress and ABA treatment. Furthermore, we demonstrated that ADF5 loss-of-function mutations increased water loss from detached leaves, reduced plant survival rates after drought stress, and delayed stomatal closure by regulating actin cytoskeleton remodeling via its F-actin-bundling activity. Biochemical assays revealed that an ABF/AREB transcription factor, DPBF3, could bind to the ADF5 promoter and activate its transcription via the ABA-responsive element core motif ACGT/C. Taken together, our findings indicate that ADF5 participates in drought stress by regulating stomatal closure, and may also serve as a potential downstream target of the drought stress/ABA signaling pathway via members of the ABF/AREB transcription factors family.

Light is an important environmental factor for plant growth and development. Phytochrome B (phyB), a classical red/far-red light receptor, plays vital role in controlling plant photomorphogenesis and light-induced stomatal opening. Phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) accumulates rapidly and triggers a series of physiological and molecular events during the responses to multiple abiotic stresses. Recent studies showed that phyB mutant synthesizes more ABA and exhibits improved tolerance to salt and cold stress, suggesting that a crosstalk exists between light and ABA signaling pathway. However, whether ABA signaling components mediate responses to light remains unclear. Here, we showed that SnRK2.6 (Sucrose Nonfermenting 1-Related Protein Kinase 2.6), a key regulator in ABA signaling, interacts with phyB and participates in light-induced stomatal opening. First, we checked the interaction between phyB and SnRK2s, and found that SnRK2.2/2.3/2.6 kinases physically interacted with phyB in yeast and in vitro. We also performed co-IP assay to support that SnRK2.6 interacts with phyB in plant. To investigate the role of SnRK2.6 in red light-induced stomatal opening, we obtained the snrk2.6 mutant and overexpression lines, and found that snrk2.6 mutant exhibited a significantly larger stomatal aperture under red light treatment, while the two independent overexpression lines showed significantly smaller stomatal aperture, indicative of a negative role for SnRK2.6 in red light-induced stomatal opening. The interaction of SnRK2.6 with red light receptor and the negative role of SnRK2.6 in red light-induced stomatal opening provide new evidence for the crosstalk between ABA and red light in guard cell signaling.

The prohibitins (PHB) are SPFH domain-containing proteins found in the prokaryotes to eukaryotes. The plant PHBs are associated with a wide range of biological processes, including senescence, development, and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. The PHB proteins are identified and characterized in the number of plant species, such as Arabidopsis, rice, maize, and soybean. However, no systematic identification of PHB proteins was performed in Solanum lycopersicum. In this study, we identified 16 PHB proteins in the tomato genome. The analysis of conserved motifs and gene structure validated the phylogenetic classification of tomato PHB proteins. It was observed that various members of tomato PHB proteins undergo purifying selection based on the Ka/Ks ratio and are targeted by four families of miRNAs. Moreover, SlPHB proteins displayed a very unique expression pattern in different plant parts including fruits at various development stages. It was found that SlPHBs processed various development-related and phytohormone responsive cis-regulatory elements in their promoter regions. Furthermore, the exogenous phytohormones treatments (Abscisic acid, indole-3-acetic acid, gibberellic acid, methyl jasmonate) salt and drought stresses induce the expression of SlPHB. Moreover, the subcellular localization assay revealed that SlPHB5 and SlPHB10 were located in the mitochondria. This study systematically summarized the general characterization of SlPHBs in the tomato genome and provides a foundation for the functional characterization of PHB genes in tomato and other plant species.

Summary Clarifying the coordination of leaf hydraulic traits with gas exchange across closely‐related species adapted to varying rainfall can provide insights into plant habitat distribution and drought adaptation.The leaf hydraulic conductance (K leaf), stomatal conductance (g s), net assimilation (A), vein embolism and abscisic acid (ABA) concentration during dehydration were quantified, as well as pressure–volume curve traits and vein anatomy in 10 Caragana species adapted to a range of mean annual precipitation (MAP) conditions and growing in a common garden.We found a positive correlation between Ψleaf at 50% loss of K leaf (K leaf P 50) and maximum K leaf (K leaf‐max) across species. Species from low‐MAP environments exhibited more negative K leaf P 50 and turgor loss point, and higher K leaf‐max and leaf‐specific capacity at full turgor, along with higher vein density and midrib xylem per leaf area, and a higher ratio of K leaf‐max : maximum g s. Tighter stomatal control mediated by higher ABA accumulation during dehydration in these species resulted in an increase in hydraulic safety and intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi) during drought.Our results suggest that high hydraulic safety and efficiency combined with greater stomatal sensitivity triggered by ABA production and leading to greater WUEi provides drought tolerance in Caragana species adapted to low‐MAP environments.

Plant root architecture dynamically adapts to various environmental conditions, such as salt‐containing soil. The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) is involved among others also in these developmental adaptations, but the underlying molecular mechanism remains elusive. Here, a novel branch of the ABA signaling pathway in Arabidopsis involving PYR/PYL/RCAR (abbreviated as PYLs) receptor‐protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) complex that acts in parallel to the canonical PYLs‐protein phosphatase 2C (PP2C) mechanism is identified. The PYLs‐PP2A signaling modulates root gravitropism and lateral root formation through regulating phytohormone auxin transport. In optimal conditions, PYLs ABA receptor interacts with the catalytic subunits of PP2A, increasing their phosphatase activity and thus counteracting PINOID (PID) kinase‐mediated phosphorylation of PIN‐FORMED (PIN) auxin transporters. By contrast, in salt and osmotic stress conditions, ABA binds to PYLs, inhibiting the PP2A activity, which leads to increased PIN phosphorylation and consequently modulated directional auxin transport leading to adapted root architecture. This work reveals an adaptive mechanism that may flexibly adjust plant root growth to withstand saline and osmotic stresses. It occurs via the cross‐talk between the stress hormone ABA and the versatile developmental regulator auxin., A novel branch of the ABA signaling pathway in Arabidopsis involving PYLs ABA receptor‐PP2A protein phosphatase complex, which modulates root gravitropism and lateral root formation through regulating phytohormone auxin transport, is identified. This work reveals an adaptive mechanism that may flexibly adjust plant root architecture to avoid the damage resulting from environmental stresses.

Summary Heteromorphic diaspores (fruits and seeds) are an adaptive bet‐hedging strategy to cope with spatiotemporally variable environments, particularly fluctuations in favourable temperatures and unpredictable precipitation regimes in arid climates.We conducted comparative analyses of the biophysical and ecophysiological properties of the two distinct diaspores (mucilaginous seed (M+) vs indehiscent (IND) fruit) in the dimorphic annual Aethionema arabicum (Brassicaceae), linking fruit biomechanics, dispersal aerodynamics, pericarp‐imposed dormancy, diaspore abscisic acid (ABA) concentration, and phenotypic plasticity of dimorphic diaspore production to its natural habitat and climate.Two very contrasting dispersal mechanisms of the A. arabicum dimorphic diaspores were revealed. Dehiscence of large fruits leads to the release of M+ seed diaspores, which adhere to substrata via seed coat mucilage, thereby preventing dispersal (antitelechory). IND fruit diaspores (containing nonmucilaginous seeds) disperse by wind or water currents, promoting dispersal (telechory) over a longer range.The pericarp properties confer enhanced dispersal ability and degree of dormancy on the IND fruit morph to support telechory, while the M+ seed morph supports antitelechory. Combined with the phenotypic plasticity to produce more IND fruit diaspores in colder temperatures, this constitutes a bet‐hedging survival strategy to magnify the prevalence in response to selection pressures acting over hilly terrain.

This review focuses on recent advances relating to H2S signaling mechanisms, and highlights interconnections between H2S and H2O2 at the post-translational modification level and with ABA in stomatal movement., Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a signaling molecule that regulates critical processes and allows plants to adapt to adverse conditions. The molecular mechanism underlying H2S action relies on its chemical reactivity, and the most-well characterized mechanism is persulfidation, which involves the modification of protein thiol groups, resulting in the formation of persulfide groups. This modification causes a change of protein function, altering catalytic activity or intracellular location and inducing important physiological effects. H2S cannot react directly with thiols but instead can react with oxidized cysteine residues; therefore, H2O2 signaling through sulfenylation is required for persulfidation. A comparative study performed in this review reveals 82% identity between sulfenylome and persulfidome. With regard to abscisic acid (ABA) signaling, widespread evidence shows an interconnection between H2S and ABA in the plant response to environmental stress. Proteomic analyses have revealed persulfidation of several proteins involved in the ABA signaling network and have shown that persulfidation is triggered in response to ABA. In guard cells, a complex interaction of H2S and ABA signaling has also been described, and the persulfidation of specific signaling components seems to be the underlying mechanism.

Molecular–genetic analysis of Arabidopsis mutants revealed a novel role for abscisic acid in promoting auxin-induced somatic embryogenesis at three different levels: biosynthesis, signalling, and downstream transcription., Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is a type of induced cell totipotency where embryos develop from vegetative tissues of the plant instead of from gamete fusion after fertilization. SE can be induced in vitro by exposing explants to growth regulators, such as the auxinic herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) has been proposed to be a downstream signalling component at the intersection between 2,4-D- and stress-induced SE, but it is not known how these pathways interact to induce cell totipotency. Here we show that 2,4-D-induced SE from the shoot apex of germinating Arabidopsis thaliana seeds is characterized by transcriptional maintenance of an ABA-dependent seed maturation pathway. Molecular–genetic analysis of Arabidopsis mutants revealed a role for ABA in promoting SE at three different levels: ABA biosynthesis, ABA receptor complex signalling, and ABA-mediated transcription, with essential roles for the ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE 3 (ABI3) and ABI4 transcription factors. Our data suggest that the ability of mature Arabidopsis embryos to maintain the ABA seed maturation environment is an important first step in establishing competence for auxin-induced cell totipotency. This finding provides further support for the role of ABA in directing processes other than abiotic stress response.

Drought stress impacts seedling establishment, survival and whole-plant productivity. Molecular responses to drought stress have been most extensively studied in herbaceous species, mostly considering only aboveground tissues. Coniferous tree species dominate boreal forests, which are predicted to be exposed to more frequent and acute drought as a result of ongoing climate change. The associated impact at all stages of the forest tree life cycle is expected to have large-scale ecological and economic impacts. However, the molecular response to drought has not been comprehensively profiled for coniferous species. We assayed the physiological and transcriptional response of Picea abies (L.) H. Karst seedling needles and roots after exposure to mild and severe drought. Shoots and needles showed an extensive reversible plasticity for physiological measures indicative of drought-response mechanisms, including changes in stomatal conductance (gs), shoot water potential and abscisic acid (ABA). In both tissues, the most commonly observed expression profiles in response to drought were highly correlated with the ABA levels. Still, root and needle transcriptional responses contrasted, with extensive root-specific down-regulation of growth. Comparison between previously characterized Arabidopsis thaliana L. drought-response genes and P. abies revealed both conservation and divergence of transcriptional response to drought. In P. abies, transcription factors belonging to the ABA responsive element(ABRE) binding/ABRE binding factors ABA-dependent pathway had a more limited role. These results highlight the importance of profiling both above- and belowground tissues, and provide a comprehensive framework to advance the understanding of the drought response of P. abies. The results demonstrate that a short-term, severe drought induces severe physiological responses coupled to extensive transcriptome modulation and highlight the susceptibility of Norway spruce seedlings to such drought events.

Carotenoids are important isoprenoids produced in the plastids of photosynthetic organisms that play key roles in photoprotection and antioxidative processes. β-Carotene is generated from lycopene by lycopene β-cyclase (LCYB). Previously, we demonstrated that the introduction of the Daucus carota (carrot) DcLCYB1 gene into tobacco (cv. Xanthi) resulted in increased levels of abscisic acid (ABA) and especially gibberellins (GAs), resulting in increased plant yield. In order to understand this phenomenon prior to exporting this genetic strategy to crops, we generated tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Petit Havana) mutants that exhibited a wide range of LCYB expression. Transplastomic plants expressing DcLCYB1 at high levels showed a wild-type-like growth, even though their pigment content was increased and their leaf GA1 content was reduced. RNA interference (RNAi) NtLCYB lines showed different reductions in NtLCYB transcript abundance, correlating with reduced pigment content and plant variegation. Photosynthesis (leaf absorptance, Fv/Fm, and light-saturated capacity of linear electron transport) and plant growth were impaired. Remarkably, drastic changes in phytohormone content also occurred in the RNAi lines. However, external application of phytohormones was not sufficient to rescue these phenotypes, suggesting that altered photosynthetic efficiency might be another important factor explaining their reduced biomass. These results show that LCYB expression influences plant biomass by different mechanisms and suggests thresholds for LCYB expression levels that might be beneficial or detrimental for plant growth., A lycopene β-cyclase expression threshold influences plant biomass, development, and metabolism by modulating pigment and phytohormone content in transplastomic and RNAi tobacco lines.

Structural components of second messenger signaling (nucleotides and associated enzyme systems) within plant and animal cells have more in common than the hormones that initiate metabolic and functional changes. Neurotransmitters and hormones of mammalian pharmacologic classes relate to purine nucleotides in respect of chemical structure and the molecular changes they initiate. This study compares the molecular structures of purine nucleotides with compounds from the abscisic acid, auxin, brassinosteroid, cytokinin, gibberellin, and jasmonate classes by means of a computational program. The results illustrate how phytohomones relate to each other through the structures of nucleotides and cyclic nucleotides. Molecular similarity within the phytohormone structures relates to synergism, antagonism and the modulation of nucleotide function that regulates germination and plant development. As with the molecular evolution of mammalian hormones, cell signaling and cross-talk within the phytohormone classes is purine nucleotide centered.

Background Mangoes are tropical fruits appreciated worldwide but are extremely perishable, being susceptible to decay, pest infestation and fungal diseases. Using the flavorful and highly valued 'Manila' cultivar, we examined the effect of second-generation chitosan coatings on shelf-life, phenolic compound variation, phytohormones, pest infestation by fruit flies (Anastrepha obliqua) and anthracnose disease caused by the fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Results We observed almost total elimination of A. obliqua eggs with 10 and 20 g L-1 chitosan in diluted acetic acid and a five- to sixfold reduction in anthracnose damage. Treatment with 20 g L-1 chitosan also extended the shelf-life. External (skin) and internal (pulp) discoloration processes were delayed. Fruit firmness was higher when compared with control and acetic acid treatments, and total soluble solids were lower in chitosan-treated fruit. Targeted and non-targeted metabolomics analyses on chitosan-coated fruit identified some phenolic compounds related to the tannin pathway. In addition, abscisic acid and jasmonic acid in the peel were downregulated in chitosan-coated mango peels. Both phytohormones and phenolic content may explain the reduced susceptibility of mangoes to anthracnose development and A. obliqua egg eclosion or larval development. Conclusions We conclude that chitosan coatings represent an effective postharvest treatment that significantly reduces anthracnose disease, inhibits A. obliqua egg eclosion and significantly extends 'Manila' mango shelf-life, a key factor currently inhibiting large-scale commercialization of this valuable fruit. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.