Bioavailability of Nutritional Resources From Cells Killed by Oxidation Supports Expansion of Survivors in Ustilago maydis Populations

After heavy exposure of Ustilago maydis cells to clastogens, a great increase in viability was observed if the treated cells were kept under starvation conditions. This restitution of viability is based on cell multiplication at the expense of the intracellular compounds freed from the damaged cells. Analysis of the effect of the leaked material on the growth of undamaged cells revealed opposing biological activity, indicating that U. maydis must possess cellular mechanisms involved not only in reabsorption of the released compounds from external environment but also in contending with their treatment-induced toxicity. From a screen for mutants defective in the restitution of viability, we identified four genes (adr1, did4, kel1, and tbp1) that contribute to the process. The mutants in did4, kel1, and tbp1 exhibited sensitivity to different genotoxic agents implying that the gene products are in some overlapping fashion involved in the protection of genome integrity. The genetic determinants identified by our analysis have already been known to play roles in growth regulation, protein turnover, cytoskeleton structure, and transcription. We discuss ecological and evolutionary implications of these results

Two metallothionein gene family members in buckwheat: Expression analysis in flooding stress using Real Time RT-PCR technology

Metalotioneini (MT) pripadaju velikoj grupi proteina male molekulske težine bogatih cisteinom, izražene sposobnosti za vezivanje jona metala, uključenih u procese održavanja homeostaze metalnih jona i detoksifikacije od teških metala. U radu je analizirana struktura dva transkripta gena za MT tipa 3 poreklom iz semena heljde u razviću. Razlike su nađene pre svega u okviru 3’- UTR sekvenci. Nakon analiza sekvenci urađena je analiza ekspresije tokom hipoksije korišćenjem tehnologije Real Tme RT-PCR.Metallothioneins (MTs) are an extensive and diverse family of small cysteine-rich proteins with metal-binding ability that are involved in metal homeostasis and detoxification. Two cDNA clones of the MT3 type, differing in 3’ UTRs, were isolated from the developing buckwheat seed cDNA library. Following sequence analyses, expression profiles during flooding stress were monitored by Real Time RT PCR technology

LAMMER kinase contributes to genome stability in Ustilago maydis

PMCID: PMC4526389Here we report identification of the lkh1 gene encoding a LAMMER kinase homolog (Lkh1) from a screen for DNA repair-deficient mutants in Ustilago maydis. The mutant allele isolated results from a mutation at glutamine codon 488 to a stop codon that would be predicted to lead to truncation of the carboxy-terminal kinase domain of the protein. This mutant (lkh1Q488*) is highly sensitive to ultraviolet light, methyl methanesulfonate, and hydroxyurea. In contrast, a null mutant (lkh1Δ) deleted of the entire lkh1 gene has a less severe phenotype. No epistasis was observed when an lkh1Q488* rad51Δ double mutant was tested for genotoxin sensitivity. However, overexpressing the gene for Rad51, its regulator Brh2, or the Brh2 regulator Dss1 partially restored genotoxin resistance of the lkh1Δ and lkh1Q488* mutants. Deletion of lkh1 in a chk1Δ mutant enabled these double mutant cells to continue to cycle when challenged with hydroxyurea. lkh1Δ and lkh1Q488* mutants were able to complete the meiotic process but exhibited reduced heteroallelic recombination and aberrant chromosome segregation. The observations suggest that Lkh1 serves in some aspect of cell cycle regulation after DNA damage or replication stress and that it also contributes to proper chromosome segregation in meiosis.This work was supported in part by National Institutes of Health grants GM042482 and GM079859 to WKH. MM, DBN and MK were supported in part by grant 173005 from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Republic of Serbia. J P-M was supported in part by grant BIO2014-55398-R from the Spanish government.Peer Reviewe

Data_Sheet_1_Bioavailability of Nutritional Resources From Cells Killed by Oxidation Supports Expansion of Survivors in Ustilago maydis Populations.DOCX

<p>After heavy exposure of Ustilago maydis cells to clastogens, a great increase in viability was observed if the treated cells were kept under starvation conditions. This restitution of viability is based on cell multiplication at the expense of the intracellular compounds freed from the damaged cells. Analysis of the effect of the leaked material on the growth of undamaged cells revealed opposing biological activity, indicating that U. maydis must possess cellular mechanisms involved not only in reabsorption of the released compounds from external environment but also in contending with their treatment-induced toxicity. From a screen for mutants defective in the restitution of viability, we identified four genes (adr1, did4, kel1, and tbp1) that contribute to the process. The mutants in did4, kel1, and tbp1 exhibited sensitivity to different genotoxic agents implying that the gene products are in some overlapping fashion involved in the protection of genome integrity. The genetic determinants identified by our analysis have already been known to play roles in growth regulation, protein turnover, cytoskeleton structure, and transcription. We discuss ecological and evolutionary implications of these results.</p

Liming of anthropogenically acidified soil promotes phosphorus acquisition in the rhizosphere of wheat

We studied the effect of liming and P fertilization of extremely acid soil (accidently acidified by sulfidic mining waste) on P availability and the subsequent adaptive responses of wheat roots. The wheat plants were grown in rhizoboxes allowing precise sampling of rhizosphere and bulk soil for sequential extraction of P fractions and determination of exchangeable Al. Root exudates were collected by pieces of paper for electrophoresis and subjected to HPLC analysis. Expression of organic anions and P-i transporter genes was analyzed by a real-time quantitative PCR. The concomitant application of lime with P fertilization increased the concentrations of plant-available P fractions in both rhizosphere and bulk compartments. The applied soil amendments strongly affected plant growth, biomass partitioning and shoot P accumulation. Liming enhanced root exudation of citrate in P unfertilized plants, while the high malate efflux was maintained until both P deficiency and Al toxicity were eliminated by the amendments. We showed the importance of liming for recovering of P acquisition potential of wheat roots, which can be strongly impaired in acid soils. Our results clearly demonstrated that P-deficient roots not subjected to Al stress in the limed soil can maintain high efflux of malate and even increase efflux of citrate along with the enhanced expression of related anion transporters (TaMATE1 and TaALMT1)

LAMMER kinase contributes to genome stability in Ustilago maydis

Here we report identification of the lkh1 gene encoding a LAMMER kinase homolog (Lkh1) from a screen for DNA repair-deficient mutants in Ustilago maydis. The mutant allele isolated results from a mutation at glutamine codon 488 to a stop codon that would be predicted to lead to truncation of the carboxy-terminal kinase domain of the protein. This mutant (lkh1(Q488(②))) is highly sensitive to ultraviolet light, methyl methanesulfonate, and hydroxyurea. In contrast, a null mutant (lkh1Δ) deleted of the entire lkh1 gene has a less severe phenotype. No epistasis was observed when an lkh1(Q488(②)) rad51Δ double mutant was tested for genotoxin sensitivity. However, overexpressing the gene for Rad51, its regulator Brh2, or the Brh2 regulator Dss1 partially restored genotoxin resistance of the lkh1Δ and lkh1(Q488(②)) mutants. Deletion of lkh1 in a chk1Δ mutant enabled these double mutant cells to continue to cycle when challenged with hydroxyurea. lkh1Δ and lkh1(Q488(②)) mutants were able to complete the meiotic process but exhibited reduced heteroallelic recombination and aberrant chromosome segregation. The observations suggest that Lkh1 serves in some aspect of cell cycle regulation after DNA damage or replication stress and that it also contributes to proper chromosome segregation in meiosis