Growth Performance and Root Transcriptome Remodeling of Arabidopsis in Response to Mars-Like Levels of Magnesium Sulfate

Martian regolith (unconsolidated surface material) is a potential medium for plant growth in bioregenerative life support systems during manned missions on Mars. However, hydrated magnesium sulfate mineral levels in the regolith of Mars can reach as high as 10 wt%, and would be expected to be highly inhibitory to plant growth. at 180 min. after initiation of treatment. mutants exhibit partial tolerance to magnesium sulfate, and by elucidating a small subset (500 vs. >10,000) of candidate genes for mutation or metabolic engineering that will enhance tolerance to magnesium sulfate soils

Nuclear localised more sulphur accumulation1 epigenetically regulates sulphur homeostasis in Arabidopsis thaliana

Sulphur (S) is an essential element for all living organisms. The uptake, assimilation and metabolism of S in plants are well studied. However, the regulation of S homeostasis remains largely unknown. Here, we report on the identification and characterisation of the more sulphur accumulation1 (msa1-1) mutant. The MSA1 protein is localized to the nucleus and is required for both S adenosylmethionine (SAM) production and DNA methylation. Loss of function of the nuclear localised MSA1 leads to a reduction in SAM in roots and a strong S-deficiency response even at ample S supply, causing an over- accumulation of sulphate, sulphite, cysteine and glutathione. Supplementation with SAM suppresses this high S phenotype. Furthermore, mutation of MSA1 affects genome-wide DNA methylation, including the methylation of S-deficiency responsive genes. Elevated S accumulation in msa1-1 requires the increased expression of the sulphate transporter genes SULTR1;1 and SULTR1;2 which are also differentially methylated in msa1-1. Our results suggest a novel function for MSA1 in the nucleus in regulating SAM biosynthesis and maintaining S homeostasis epigenetically via DNA methylation

Remobilization of leaf S compounds and senescence in response to restricted sulphate supply during the vegetative stage of oilseed rape are affected by mineral N availability

The impact of sulphur limitation on the remobilization of endogenous S compounds during the rosette stage of oilseed rape, and the interactions with N availability on these processes, were examined using a long-term 34SO42− labelling method combined with a study of leaf senescence progression (using SAG12/Cab as a molecular indicator) and gene expression of the transporters, BnSultr4;1 and BnSultr4;2, involved in vacuolar sulphate efflux. After 51 d on hydroponic culture at 0.3 mM 34SO42− (1 atom% excess), the labelling was stopped and plants were subject for 28 d to High S-High N (HS-HN, control), Low S-High N (LS-HN) or Low S-Low N (LS-LN) conditions. Compared with the control, LS-HN plants showed delayed leaf senescence and, whilst the shoot growth and the foliar soluble protein amounts were not affected, S, 34S, and SO42− amounts in the old leaves declined rapidly and were associated with the up-regulation of BnSultr4;1. In LS-LN plants, shoot growth was reduced, leaf senescence was accelerated, and the rapid S mobilization in old leaves was accompanied by decreased 34S and SO42−, higher protein mobilization, and up-regulation of BnSultr4;2, but without any change of expression of BnSultr4;1. The data suggest that to sustain the S demand for growth under S restriction (i) vacuolar SO42− is specifically remobilized in LS-HN conditions without any acceleration of leaf senescence, (ii) SO42− mobilization is related to an up-regulation of BnSultr4;1 and/or BnSultr4;2 expression, and (iii) the relationship between sulphate mobilization and up-regulation of expression of BnSultr4 genes is specifically dependent on the N availability

Expression profiles of differentially regulated genes during the early stages of apple flower infection with Erwinia amylovora

To identify genes involved in the response to the fire blight pathogen Erwinia amylovora in apple (Malus×domestica), expression profiles were investigated using an apple oligo (70-mer) array representing 40, 000 genes. Blossoms of a fire blight-susceptible apple cultivar Gala were collected from trees growing in the orchard, placed on a tray in the laboratory, and spray-inoculated with a suspension of E. amylovora at a concentration of 108 cfu ml−1. Uninoculated detached flowers served as controls at each time point. Expression profiles were captured at three different time points post-inoculation at 2, 8, and 24 h, together with those at 0 h (uninoculated). A total of about 3500 genes were found to be significantly modulated in response to at least one of the three time points. Among those, a total of 770, 855, and 1002 genes were up-regulated, by 2-fold, at 2, 8, and 24 h following inoculation, respectively; while, 748, 1024, and 1455 genes were down-regulated, by 2-fold, at 2, 8, and 24 h following inoculation, respectively. Over the three time points post-inoculation, 365 genes were commonly up-regulated and 374 genes were commonly down-regulated. Both sets of genes were classified based on their functional categories. The majority of up-regulated genes were involved in metabolism, signal transduction, signalling, transport, and stress response. A number of transcripts encoding proteins/enzymes known to be up-regulated under particular biotic and abiotic stress were also up-regulated following E. amylovora treatment. Those up- or down-regulated genes encode transcription factors, signaling components, defense-related, transporter, and metabolism, all of which have been associated with disease responses in Arabidopsis and rice, suggesting similar response pathways are involved in apple blossoms

A Systems Approach Uncovers Restrictions for Signal Interactions Regulating Genome-wide Responses to Nutritional Cues in Arabidopsis

As sessile organisms, plants must cope with multiple and combined variations of signals in their environment. However, very few reports have studied the genome-wide effects of systematic signal combinations on gene expression. Here, we evaluate a high level of signal integration, by modeling genome-wide expression patterns under a factorial combination of carbon (C), light (L), and nitrogen (N) as binary factors in two organs (O), roots and leaves. Signal management is different between C, N, and L and in shoots and roots. For example, L is the major factor controlling gene expression in leaves. However, in roots there is no obvious prominent signal, and signal interaction is stronger. The major signal interaction events detected genome wide in Arabidopsis roots are deciphered and summarized in a comprehensive conceptual model. Surprisingly, global analysis of gene expression in response to C, N, L, and O revealed that the number of genes controlled by a signal is proportional to the magnitude of the gene expression changes elicited by the signal. These results uncovered a strong constraining structure in plant cell signaling pathways, which prompted us to propose the existence of a “code” of signal integration

A transcriptional reference map of defence hormone responses in potato

Phytohormones are involved in diverse aspects of plant life including the regulation of plant growth, development and reproduction, as well as governing biotic and abiotic stress responses. We have generated a comprehensive transcriptional reference map of the early potato responses to exogenous application of the defence hormones abscisic acid, brassinolides (applied as epibrassinolide), ethylene (applied as the ethylene precursor aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid), salicylic acid and jasmonic acid (applied as methyl jasmonate). Of the 39000 predicted genes on the microarray, a total of 2677 and 2473 genes were significantly differentially expressed at 1 h and 6 h after hormone treatment, respectively. Specific marker genes newly identified for the early hormone responses in potato include: a homeodomain 20 transcription factor (DMG400000248) for abscisic acid; a SAUR gene (DMG400016561) induced in epibrassinolide treated plants; an osmotin gene (DMG400003057) specifically enhanced by aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid; a gene weakly similar to AtWRKY40 (DMG402007388) that was induced by salicylic acid; and a jasmonate ZIM-domain protein 1 (DMG400002930) which was specifically activated by methyl jasmonate. An online database has been set up to query the expression patterns of potato genes represented on the microarray that can also incorporate future microarray or RNAseq-based expression studies

Area 5 Influences Excitability within the Primary Motor Cortex in Humans

In non-human primates, Brodmann's area 5 (BA 5) has direct connectivity with primary motor cortex (M1), is largely dedicated to the representation of the hand and may have evolved with the ability to perform skilled hand movement. Less is known about human BA 5 and its interaction with M1 neural circuits related to hand control. The present study examines the influence of BA 5 on excitatory and inhibitory neural circuitry within M1 bilaterally before and after continuous (cTBS), intermittent (iTBS), and sham theta-burst stimulation (sham TBS) over left hemisphere BA 5. Using single and paired-pulse TMS, measurements of motor evoked potentials (MEPs), short interval intracortical inhibition (SICI), and intracortical facilitation (ICF) were quantified for the representation of the first dorsal interosseous muscle. Results indicate that cTBS over BA 5 influences M1 excitability such that MEP amplitudes are increased bilaterally for up to one hour. ITBS over BA 5 results in an increase in MEP amplitude contralateral to stimulation with a delayed onset that persists up to one hour. SICI and ICF were unaltered following TBS over BA 5. Similarly, F-wave amplitude and latency were unaltered following cTBS over BA 5. The data suggest that BA 5 alters M1 output directed to the hand by influencing corticospinal neurons and not interneurons that mediate SICI or ICF circuitry. Targeting BA 5 via cTBS and iTBS is a novel mechanism to powerfully modulate activity within M1 and may provide an avenue for investigating hand control in healthy populations and modifying impaired hand function in clinical populations