Root diffusion barrier control by a vasculature-derived peptide binding to the SGN3 receptor.

The root endodermis forms its extracellular diffusion barrier by developing ringlike impregnations called Casparian strips. A factor responsible for their establishment is the SCHENGEN3/GASSHO1 (SGN3/GSO1) receptor-like kinase. Its loss of function causes discontinuous Casparian strips. SGN3 also mediates endodermal overlignification of other Casparian strip mutants. Yet, without ligand, SGN3 function remained elusive. Here we report that schengen2 (sgn2) is defective in an enzyme sulfating peptide ligands. On the basis of this observation, we identified two stele-expressed peptides (CASPARIAN STRIP INTEGRITY FACTORS, CIF1/2) that complement sgn2 at nanomolar concentrations and induce Casparian strip mislocalization as well as overlignification-all of which depend on SGN3. Direct peptide binding to recombinant SGN3 identifies these peptides as SGN3 ligands. We speculate that CIF1/2-SGN3 is part of a barrier surveillance system, evolved to guarantee effective sealing of the supracellular Casparian strip network

Bacterial medium-chain 3-hydroxy fatty acid metabolites trigger immunity in <em>Arabidopsis</em> plants.

In plants, cell-surface immune receptors sense molecular non-self-signatures. Lipid A of Gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide is considered such a non-self-signature. The receptor kinase LIPOOLIGOSACCHARIDE-SPECIFIC REDUCED ELICITATION (LORE) mediates plant immune responses to Pseudomonas and Xanthomonas but not enterobacterial lipid A or lipopolysaccharide preparations. Here, we demonstrate that synthetic and bacterial lipopolysaccharide-copurified medium-chain 3-hydroxy fatty acid (mc-3-OH-FA) metabolites elicit LORE-dependent immunity. The mc-3-OH-FAs are sensed in a chain length- and hydroxylation-specific manner, with free (R)-3-hydroxydecanoic acid [(R)-3-OH-C10:0] representing the strongest immune elicitor. By contrast, bacterial compounds comprising mc-3-OH-acyl building blocks but devoid of free mc-3-OH-FAs-including lipid A or lipopolysaccharide, rhamnolipids, lipopeptides, and acyl-homoserine-lactones-do not trigger LORE-dependent responses. Hence, plants sense low-complexity bacterial metabolites to trigger immune responses

The prospective areas and resources of metal ores and chemical raw materials in Poland on the maps at a scale of 1 : 200,000 with their resource assessment in relation to environmental and spatial conflicts

As part of the tasks performed by the Polish Geological Survey (Polish Geological Institute - National Research Institute), 260 prospective maps (MOP) at a scale of 1 : 200,000 have been developed in the period of 2013-2015. These maps were designed for metal ores (Cu-Ag, Zn-Pb, Mo-W, Ni, Sn, Au, Pt, Pd and Zn oxide ore - galmans) and chemical raw materials (rock and potash salts, gypsum, anhydrite and native sulphur), in relation to the assessment of raw materials resources and environmental restrictions and land use planning. The total surface of prospective teritories projected onto the surface area is ~15.25 thousand km2 for metal ores and ca. 52.5 thousand km2 for chemical raw materials. The estimated resources of predicted ore deposits (prognostic and prospective) are approx. 42.2 million Mg of Cu and 75 thousands Mg of Ag (12 prospective areas), ca. 20 million Mg of Zn-Pb ores (in 4 prospective areas), 32 million Mg of Ni ores of weathering type (10 prospective areas), from 9.4 to 21.5 Mg of Au encountered by orogenic vein and metasomatic deposits (7 prospective areas), and ca. 22 million Mg of Sn ores. The estimated prognostic and prospective resources of chemical raw materials (at a depth of not more than 2000 m) are: ca. 4.059 trillion Mg of rock salt (68 prospective areas) and ca. 3638.1 million Mg of potash (12 prospective areas), as well as ca. 575.6 billion Mg of gypsum and anhydrite, and 202 million Mg of native sulphur (prognostic resources). In the assessment of environmental conflicts and land use planning, 125 information data sheets developed environmental conditions for prospective areas (with the exception of rock salts, which are discussed in the regional aspect). Development of the designated prospective areas may be important in the future to ensure the availability of raw material safety, not only for Poland, but also for the European Union, thus contributing positively to economic growth and prosperity of local communities

Trading direct for indirect defense? Phytochrome B inactivation in tomato attenuates direct anti-herbivore defenses whilst enhancing volatile-mediated attraction of predators

Under conditions of competition for light, which lead to the inactivation of the photoreceptor phytochrome B (phyB), the growth of shade-intolerant plants is promoted and the accumulation of direct anti-herbivore defenses is down-regulated. Little is known about the effects of phyB on emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which play a major role as informational cues in indirect defense. We investigated the effects of phyB on direct and indirect defenses in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) using two complementary approaches to inactivate phyB: illumination with a low red to far-red ratio, simulating competition, and mutation of the two PHYB genes present in the tomato genome. Inactivation of phyB resulted in low levels of constitutive defenses and down-regulation of direct defenses induced by methyl jasmonate (MeJA). Interestingly, phyB inactivation also had large effects on the blends of VOCs induced by MeJA. Moreover, in two-choice bioassays using MeJA-induced plants, the predatory mirid bug Macrolophus pygmaeus preferred VOCs from plants in which phyB was inactivated over VOCs from control plants. These results suggest that, in addition to repressing direct defense, phyB inactivation has consequences for VOC-mediated tritrophic interactions in canopies, presumably attracting predators to less defended plants, where they are likely to find more abundant prey.Fil: Cortés, Leandro Emanuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Biología Agrícola de Mendoza. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Instituto de Biología Agrícola de Mendoza; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura; ArgentinaFil: Weldegergis, Berhane T.. Wageningen University; Países BajosFil: Boccalandro, Hernan Esteban. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Biología Agrícola de Mendoza. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Instituto de Biología Agrícola de Mendoza; ArgentinaFil: Dicke, Marcel. Wageningen University; Países BajosFil: Ballare, Carlos Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas ; Argentin