Structural variations in wheat HKT1;5 underpin differences in Na+ transport capacity

An important trait associated with the salt tolerance of wheat is the exclusion of sodium ions ( Na⁺) from the shoot. We have previously shown that the sodium transporters TmHKT1;5-A and TaHKT1;5-D, from Triticum monoccocum (Tm) and Triticum aestivum (Ta), are encoded by genes underlying the major shoot Na⁺- exclusion loci Nax1 and Kna1, respectively. Here, using heterologous expression, we show that the affinity (Km) for the Na⁺ transport of TmHKT1;5-A, at 2.66 mM, is higher than that of TaHKT1;5-D at 7.50 mM. Through 3D structural modelling, we identify residues D⁴⁷¹/a gap and D⁴⁷⁴/ G⁴⁷³ that contribute to this property. We identify four additional mutations in amino acid residues that inhibit the transport activity of TmHKT1;5-A, which are predicted to be the result of an occlusion of the pore. We propose that the underlying transport properties of TmHKT1;5-A and TaHKT1;5-D contribute to their unique ability to improve Na⁺ exclusion in wheat that leads to an improved salinity tolerance in the field.Bo Xu, Shane Waters, Caitlin S. Byrt, Darren Plett, Stephen D. Tyerman, Mark Tester, Rana Munns, Maria Hrmova, Matthew Gilliha

An initial event in insect innate immune response: structural and biological studies of interactions between β-1,3-glucan and the N-terminal domain of β-1,3-glucan recognition protein

In response to invading microorganisms, insect β-1,3-glucan recognition protein (βGRP), a soluble receptor in the hemolymph, binds to the surfaces of bacteria and fungi and activates serine protease cascades that promote destruction of pathogens by means of melanization or expression of antimicrobial peptides. Here we report on the NMR solution structure of the N-terminal domain of βGRP (N-βGRP) from Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella), which is sufficient to activate the prophenoloxidase (proPO) pathway resulting in melanin formation. NMR and isothermal calorimetric titrations of N-βGRP with laminarihexaose, a glucose hexamer containing β-1,3 links, suggest a weak binding of the ligand. However, addition of laminarin, a glucose polysaccharide (~ 6 kDa) containing β-1,3 and β-1,6 links that activates the proPO pathway, to N-βGRP results in the loss of NMR cross-peaks from the backbone 15N-1H groups of the protein, suggesting the formation of a large complex. Analytical ultra centrifugation (AUC) studies of formation of N-βGRP:laminarin complex show that ligand-binding induces sel-fassociation of the protein:carbohydrate complex into a macro structure, likely containing six protein and three laminarin molecules (~ 102 kDa). The macro complex is quite stable, as it does not undergo dissociation upon dilution to sub-micromolar concentrations. The structural model thus derived from the present studies for N-βGRP:laminarin complex in solution differs from the one in which a single N-βGRP molecule has been proposed to bind to a triple helical form of laminarin on the basis of an X-ray crystallographic structure of N-βGRP:laminarihexaose complex [Kanagawa, M., Satoh, T., Ikeda, A., Adachi, Y., Ohno, N., and Yamaguchi, Y. (2011) J. Biol. Chem. 286, 29158-29165]. AUC studies and phenoloxidase activation measurements carried out with the designed mutants of N-βGRP indicate that electrostatic interactions involving Asp45, Arg54, and Asp68 between the ligand-bound protein molecules contribute in part to the stability of N-βGRP:laminarin macro complex and that a decreased stability is accompanied by a reduced activation of the proPO pathway. Increased β-1,6 branching in laminarin also results in destabilization of the macro complex. These novel findings suggest that ligand-induced self-association of βGRP:β-1,3-glucan complex may form a platform on a microbial surface for recruitment of downstream proteases, as a means of amplification of the initial signal of pathogen recognition for the activation of the proPO pathway

Constitutive overexpression of the TaNF-YB4 gene in transgenic wheat significantly improves grain yield

First published online: July 27, 2015Heterotrimeric nuclear factors Y (NF-Ys) are involved in regulation of various vital functions in all eukaryotic organisms. Although a number of NF-Y subunits have been characterized in model plants, only a few have been functionally evaluated in crops. In this work, a number of genes encoding NF-YB and NF-YC subunits were isolated from drought-tolerant wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. RAC875), and the impact of the overexpression of TaNF-YB4 in the Australian wheat cultivar Gladius was investigated. TaNF-YB4 was isolated as a result of two consecutive yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) screens, where ZmNF-YB2a was used as a starting bait. A new NF-YC subunit, designated TaNF-YC15, was isolated in the first Y2H screen and used as bait in a second screen, which identified two wheat NF-YB subunits, TaNF-YB2 and TaNF-YB4. Three-dimensional modelling of a TaNF-YB2/TaNF-YC15 dimer revealed structural determinants that may underlie interaction selectivity. The TaNF-YB4 gene was placed under the control of the strong constitutive polyubiquitin promoter from maize and introduced into wheat by biolistic bombardment. The growth and yield components of several independent transgenic lines with up-regulated levels of TaNF-YB4 were evaluated under well-watered conditions (T1-T3 generations) and under mild drought (T2 generation). Analysis of T2 plants was performed in large deep containers in conditions close to field trials. Under optimal watering conditions, transgenic wheat plants produced significantly more spikes but other yield components did not change. This resulted in a 20-30% increased grain yield compared with untransformed control plants. Under water-limited conditions transgenic lines maintained parity in yield performance.Dinesh Yadav, Yuri Shavrukov, Natalia Bazanova, Larissa Chirkova, Nikolai Borisjuk, Nataliya Kovalchuk, Ainur Ismagul, Boris Parent, Peter Langridge, Maria Hrmova and Sergiy Lopat

Another building block in the plant cell wall: Barley xyloglucan xyloglucosyl transferases link covalently xyloglucan and anionic oligosaccharides derived from pectin

Published online 16 August 2020.We report on the homo‐ and hetero‐transglycosylation activities of the HvXET3 and HvXET4 xyloglucan xyloglucosyl transferases (XET; EC 2.4.1.207) from barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), and the visualisation of these activities in young barley roots using Alexa Fluor 488‐labelled oligosaccharides. We discover that these isozymes catalyse the transglycosylation reactions with the chemically defined donor and acceptor substrates, specifically with the xyloglucan donor and the penta‐galacturonide [α(1‐4)GalAp]5 acceptor – the homogalacturonan (pectin) fragment. This activity is supported by 3D molecular models of HvXET3 and HvXET4 with the docked XXXG donor and [α(1‐4)GalAp]5 acceptor substrates at the ‐4 to +5 subsites in the active sites. Comparative sequence analyses of barley isoforms and seed‐localised TmXET6.3 from nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus L.) permitted the engineering of mutants of TmXET6.3 that could catalyse the hetero‐transglycosylation reaction with the xyloglucan/[α(1‐4)GalAp]5 substrate pair, while wild‐type TmXET6.3 lacked this activity. Expression data obtained by real‐time quantitative PCR of HvXET transcripts and a clustered heatmap of expression profiles of the gene family revealed that HvXET3 and HvXET6 co‐expressed but did not share the monophyletic origin. Conversely, HvXET3 and HvXET4 shared this relationship, when we examined the evolutionary history of 419 glycoside hydrolase 16 family members, spanning monocots, eudicots, and a basal Angiosperm. The discovered hetero‐transglycosylation activity in HvXET3 and HvXET4 with the xyloglucan/[α(1‐4)GalAp]5 substrate pair is discussed against the background of roles of xyloglucan‐pectin heteropolymers and how they may participate in spatial patterns of cell wall formation and re‐modelling, and affect the structural features of walls.Barbora Stratilová, Sergej Šesták, Jozef Mravec, Soňa Garajová, Zuzana Pakanová, Kristína Vadinová, Danica Kučerová, Stanislav Kozmon, Julian G. Schwerdt, Neil Shirley Eva Stratilová and Maria Hrmov

Generation of an integrated Hieracium genomic and transcriptomic resource enables exploration of small RNA pathways during apomixis initiation

Background: Application of apomixis, or asexual seed formation, in crop breeding would allow rapid fixation of complex traits, economizing improved crop delivery. Identification of apomixis genes is confounded by the polyploid nature, high genome complexity and lack of genomic sequence integration with reproductive tissue transcriptomes in most apomicts. Results: A genomic and transcriptomic resource was developed for Hieracium subgenus Pilosella (Asteraceae) which incorporates characterized sexual, apomictic and mutant apomict plants exhibiting reversion to sexual reproduction. Apomicts develop additional female gametogenic cells that suppress the sexual pathway in ovules. Disrupting small RNA pathways in sexual Arabidopsis also induces extra female gametogenic cells; therefore, the resource was used to examine if changes in small RNA pathways correlate with apomixis initiation. An initial characterization of small RNA pathway genes within Hieracium was undertaken, and ovary-expressed ARGONAUTE genes were identified and cloned. Comparisons of whole ovary transcriptomes from mutant apomicts, relative to the parental apomict, revealed that differentially expressed genes were enriched for processes involved in small RNA biogenesis and chromatin silencing. Small RNA profiles within mutant ovaries did not reveal large-scale alterations in composition or length distributions; however, a small number of differentially expressed, putative small RNA targets were identified. Conclusions: The established Hieracium resource represents a substantial contribution towards the investigation of early sexual and apomictic female gamete development, and the generation of new candidate genes and markers. Observed changes in small RNA targets and biogenesis pathways within sexual and apomictic ovaries will underlie future functional research into apomixis initiation in Hieracium. research into apomixis initiation in Hieracium.David S. Rabiger, Jennifer M. Taylor, Andrew Spriggs, Melanie L. Hand, Steven T. Henderson, Susan D. Johnson, Karsten Oelkers, Maria Hrmova, Keisuke Saito, Go Suzuki, Yasuhiko Mukai, Bernard J. Carroll, and Anna M. G. Koltuno