独脚金内酯信号感知揭示配体-受体作用新机制

植物激素在调控细胞与细胞及细胞与环境的相互作用中起着至关重要的作用。作为一种信号分子, 植物激素如何被植物细胞感知一直是植物生物学研究的热点。与底物-酶相互作用的结果不同, 激素分子与受体结合后会触发信号转导, 但激素分子一般不会被受体修饰, 信号转导起始后激素分子通常会从复合体中释放出来被重新利用或降解。近期, 我国科学家通过对独脚金内酯及其受体复合体(AtD14-D3-ASK1)的结构学解析, 发现独脚金内酯的生物活性分子CLIM (covalently linked intermediate molecule)是独脚金内酯被其受体水解后得到的中间分子。研究表明, CLIM与受体AtD14的催化中心以共价键相结合, 进而激活其信号转导。该研究揭示了一种全新的“底物-酶-活性分子-受体”激素识别机制。这种配体-受体作用新机制的发现为植物激素研究开拓了新的视野。     

封面说明

<正>独脚金内酯(strigolactones,SLs)是一类新型植物激素,能够抑制植物分枝的生长发育。近年来,关于SLs合成与信号在调控水稻株型方面的研究取得了重要进展。研究发现,独脚金内酯不仅可以调控水稻的分蘖数目,而且可影响分蘖角度和株高,进而影响穗部形态和籽粒大小,对水稻的产量具有显著的影响。鉴于独脚金内酯对于水稻株型的综合调控功     

独脚金内酯调控侧枝发育的研究进展

植物通过内源激素或环境信号调控叶腋内腋芽的形成和发育,从而控制其分枝特性。独脚金内酯(strigolactones,SLs),一种产生于植物根部的类胡萝卜素衍生物,具有刺激寄生植物种子的萌发和促进丛枝菌根真菌菌丝分枝的作用,最近的研究表明,它还可以沿茎干向上运输,与生长素和细胞分裂素一起直接或间接抑制植物分枝,目前已经作为一种新的植物激素受到广泛认可。本文综述了独脚金内酯的结构、合成途径和生物活性,以及调控植物分枝的分子机理,并展望了其在抑制杂草或新型除草剂的研发、促进植物和有益真菌的共生,以及调控作物的分枝和株型等方面的应用前景。     

2016年中国植物科学若干领域重要研究进展

2016年中国植物科学持续稳步发展, 表现在中国植物科学家在国际主流高影响力学术期刊发表文章的数量稳中有升, 中国植物科学领域的期刊逆风出行, 进入研究性期刊世界前三甲行列。中国科学家在植物学诸多领域取得了丰硕的成果。水稻(Oryza sativa)产量性状杂种优势的分子遗传机制解析入选2016年中国科学十大进展; 植物受精过程中雌雄配子体信号识别机制的研究和独脚金内酯的受体感知机制入选2016年生命科学十大进展。我国植物科学, 特别是以水稻为代表的作物研究在国际学术界已占有一席之地。例如, 在水稻组学(如基因组和转录组等)资源和技术平台的建立、重测序的开发及功能基因的克隆和调控网络的解析方面取得了系列重要成果(如揭示了独脚金内酯信号转导的“去抑制化激活”机制、从分子水平上阐释了水稻籼粳杂种不育和广亲和性基因S5的作用机理及发现了控制水稻耐冷的基因组位点), 已经引领世界水稻乃至作物科学研究。该文对2016年中国本土植物科学若干领域取得的重要研究进展进行了概括性评述, 旨在全面追踪当前中国植物科学领域的发展前沿和研究热点, 与读者共享我国科学家所取得的杰出成就。     

生物传感检测独脚金内酯的研究与展望

独脚金内酯(strigolactones,SLs)是一类重要的植物激素和根际信号分子,在植物生长发育、根际真菌共生和寄生植物种子萌发等过程中都有重要作用.进一步探究SL的合成、运输和感知机制、调控植物生长发育的机理、与其他植物激素的交互作用及其类似物鉴定等,都需要定量检测方法学的辅助.目前,灵敏且高特异性的SL定量分析...     

独脚金内酯调控植物根系发育的分子机制研究的进展

独脚金内酯(strigolactones,SLs)是近年来发现的新型植物激素,参与调控植物生长发育过程,SLs在调控根系形态方面具有重要的作用。该文重点综述了SLs对植物主根、侧根、根毛及不定根的调节,特别是SLs与其他信号分子如生长素、乙烯、NO等的相互作用,以及SLs在氮磷胁迫条件下对根系调控的研究进展,为进一步深入了解SLs对植物生长和发育的调节奠定基础。     

植物激素对分枝发育的协同调控作用研究进展

植物分枝与其适应环境、生存竞争能力及产量形成密切相关。近年的研究表明植物激素信号在调控植物分枝发育过程中起关键作用。文章主要介绍了生长素、细胞分裂素以及独脚金内酯协同调控植物分枝发育的研究进展,为深入了解植物分枝发育的调控机制提供参考。     

植物激素调控丛枝菌根发育的作用机制研究进展

丛枝菌根（arbuscular mycorrhiza,AM）是土壤中AM真菌和绝大多数维管植物根系长期进化过程中相互识别、相互作用形成的互利共生体。AM的发育与功能效应依赖AM真菌-寄主植物之间精准的“分子对话”,同时受到环境条件特别是土壤养分水平、干旱和盐渍化的制约。植物激素作为低浓度的小分子有机物,是参与调控AM共生过程的重要信号分子。其中,主要有9种植物激素参与AM发育过程且分工各有不同：独脚金内酯（strigolactones,SLs）参与AM真菌-寄主植物之间最初的共生识别,脱落酸（abscisic acid,ABA）和油菜素内酯（brassinosteroid,BR）促进前期的菌丝入侵,但水杨酸（salicylic acid,SA）和乙烯（ethylene,ET）抑制前期的菌丝入侵,生长素（auxin,Aux）、ABA和BR促进随后的丛枝形成而ET和赤霉素（gibberellin,GA）的作用则相反,茉莉酸（jasmonic acid,JA）对菌丝入侵与丛枝形成均可能存在正调控或负调控作用。目前细胞分裂素（cytokinin,CTK）在AM发育中的作用尚不明确。更为复杂的是,通常植物激素信号之间的交叉互作决定AM的发育进程。本文针对AM发育过程总结了不同植物激素的调控作用特点和不同植物激素信号之间的互作（协同或拮抗）,以及胁迫条件下不同植物激素信号的可能调控机制。深入研究和系统阐明植物激素调控AM真菌-寄主植物共生的生理/分子机制,将有助于促进生物共生学理论研究及菌根技术的应用。     

油菜素内酯对水稻根系发育的调控作用

在油菜素甾醇(brassinosteroids,BRs)化合物中,油菜素内酯(brassinolide,BL)具有活性最高、广谱和无毒等显著特点,而且具有改良植物株型、提高抗逆性等功效。根系是植物吸收水分和矿质元素的主要器官,因此阐明油菜素内酯调控根系发育的遗传、生理和生化机制,有利于更有效地利用BRs激素,实现株型的定向设计。该研究利用叶面喷施的方法分析油菜素内酯对根系侧根、根毛发育的影响;利用植物显微技术分析油菜素内酯对根系侧根结构及发育的作用;利用高压液相色谱法检测油菜素内酯对根系内其他植物激素含量的影响;利用蛋白质组学技术鉴定受油菜素内酯调控的蛋白质,分析油菜素内酯调控根系发育的生化机制。研究表明,一定浓度的油菜素内酯促进种子根、侧根、根毛的发生;提高根系细胞分裂素和赤霉素含量;可能通过调控逆境相关蛋白质来提高植物的抗逆性。     

独脚金内酯信号途径的新发现——抑制子也是转录因子

植物激素信号传导途径中的抑制子(repressor) DELLA、AUX/IAA、JAZ和D53/SMXL均结合下游转录因子并抑制其转录活性,从而阻遏激素响应基因的表达;激素分子则激活信号传导链降解抑制子、释放转录因子,从而诱导响应基因表达并介导相应的生物学功能。中国科学院遗传与发育生物学研究所李家洋研究团队最新的研究发现,独脚金内酯(SL)信号途径中的SMXL6、SMXL7和SMXL8是具有抑制子和转录因子双重功能的新型抑制子,他们还通过研究SL转录调控网络发现了大量新的SL响应基因,揭示了SL调控植物分枝、叶片伸长和花色素苷积累的分子机制。这些重要发现为探索植物激素作用机理提供了新思路,具有重要科学意义和应用前景。     

Chirality and stereochemical recognition in DNA-phytohormone interactions: A model approach

Space-filling molecular models of selected phytohormones and DNA, employed as described herein, illustrate possiblein vivo stereochemical recognition between nucleic acids and intercalated phytohormones. In this regard, the absolute chirality of certain phytohormones, and that of DNA may be essential for the recognition process. It is speculated further that the specific interactions shown by molecular models have significance in the evolution of plant regulatory mechanisms.     

Humic substances biological activity at the plant-soil interface: From environmental aspects to molecular factors

Humic substances (HS) represent the organic material mainly widespread in nature. HS have positive effects on plant physiology by improving soil structure and fertility and by influencing nutrient uptake and root architecture. The biochemical and molecular mechanisms underlying these events are only partially known. HS have been shown to contain auxin and an “auxin-like” activity of humic substances has been proposed, but support to this hypothesis is fragmentary. In this review article, we are giving an overview of available data concerning molecular structures and biological activities of humic substances, with special emphasis on their hormone-like activities.Key words: auxin, humic substances, root, soil, sustainable agriculture     

Auxin in action: signalling, transport and the control of plant growth and development

Hormones have been at the centre of plant physiology research for more than a century. Research into plant hormones (phytohormones) has at times been considered as a rather vague subject, but the systematic application of genetic and molecular techniques has led to key insights that have revitalized the field. In this review, we will focus on the plant hormone auxin and its action. We will highlight recent mutagenesis and molecular studies, which have delineated the pathways of auxin transport, perception and signal transduction, and which together define the roles of auxin in controlling growth and patterning.     

The role of phytohormone signaling in ozone-induced cell death in plants

Ozone is the main photochemical oxidant that causes leaf damage in many plant species, and can thereby significantly decrease the productivity of crops and forests. When ozone is incorporated into plants, it produces reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as superoxide radicals and hydrogen peroxide. These ROS induce the synthesis of several plant hormones, such as ethylene, salicylic acid, and jasmonic acid. These phytohormones are required for plant growth, development, and defense responses, and regulate the extent of leaf injury in ozone-fumigated plants. Recently, responses to ozone have been studied using genetically modified plants and mutants with altered hormone levels or signaling pathways. These researches have clarified the roles of phytohormones and the complexity of their signaling pathways. The present paper reviews the biosynthesis of the phytohormones ethylene, salicylic acid, and jasmonic acid, their roles in plant responses to ozone, and multiple interactions between these phytohormones in ozone-exposed plants.Key words: cross-talk, ethylene, jasmonic acid, ozone, phytohormones, programmed cell death, salicylic acid, signaling pathways     

Strigolactones in plant adaptation to abiotic stresses: An emerging avenue of plant research

Phytohormones play central roles in boosting plant tolerance to environmental stresses, which negatively affect plant productivity and threaten future food security. Strigolactones (SLs), a class of carotenoid‐derived phytohormones, were initially discovered as an “ecological signal” for parasitic seed germination and establishment of symbiotic relationship between plants and beneficial microbes. Subsequent characterizations have described their functional roles in various developmental processes, including root development, shoot branching, reproductive development, and leaf senescence. SLs have recently drawn much attention due to their essential roles in the regulation of various physiological and molecular processes during the adaptation of plants to abiotic stresses. Reports suggest that the production of SLs in plants is strictly regulated and dependent on the type of stresses that plants confront at various stages of development. Recently, evidence for crosstalk between SLs and other phytohormones, such as abscisic acid, in responses to abiotic stresses suggests that SLs actively participate within regulatory networks of plant stress adaptation that are governed by phytohormones. Moreover, the prospective roles of SLs in the management of plant growth and development under adverse environmental conditions have been suggested. In this review, we provide a comprehensive discussion pertaining to SL‐mediated plant responses and adaptation to abiotic stresses.     

Freeze-Etching and X-Ray Diffraction of the Isolated Double-Track Layer from the Cell Wall of a Gram-Negative Marine Pseudomonad

The isolated double-track layer of the cell wall of the gram-negative marine pseudomonad studied here contains a cleavage plane. This finding localizes the single cleavage plane of the cell wall and shows that the molecular architecture of this layer provides the lipid-enriched layer which cleaves preferentially in the frozen cell. The observation that the isolated double-track layer of the cell wall is sufficiently ordered at the molecular level to yield a well-defined X-ray diffraction pattern with a d-spacing of 0.44 nm shows that its molecular architecture is very similar to that of true membranes. This specific d-spacing is produced by the highly ordered packing of the hydrophobic portions of phospholipid molecules. Therefore, the double-track layer of the cell wall has been shown, by these two biophysical means, to have a molecular architecture which would allow it to function as the membrane-like “molecular sieve” layer, whose presence has been deduced from physiological data. This layer is important in the retention of cell wall-associated enzymes and in the control of the movement of large molecules through the cell wall.     

Plant nitrogen availability and crosstalk with phytohormones signallings and their biotechnology breeding application in crops

Nitrogen (N), one of the most important nutrients, limits plant growth and crop yields in sustainable agriculture system, in which phytohormones are known to play essential roles in N availability. Hence, it is not surprising that massive studies about the crosstalk between N and phytohormones have been constantly emerging. In this review, with the intellectual landscape of N and phytohormones crosstalk provided by the bibliometric analysis, we trace the research story of best-known crosstalk between N and various phytohormones over the last 20 years. Then, we discuss how N regulates various phytohormones biosynthesis and transport in plants. In reverse, we also summarize how phytohormones signallings modulate root system architecture (RSA) in response to N availability. Besides, we expand to outline how phytohormones signallings regulate uptake, transport, and assimilation of N in plants. Further, we conclude advanced biotechnology strategies, explain their application, and provide potential phytohormones-regulated N use efficiency (NUE) targets in crops. Collectively, this review provides not only a better understanding on the recent progress of crosstalk between N and phytohormones, but also targeted strategies for improvement of NUE to increase crop yields in future biotechnology breeding of crops.     

Phytohormone Priming: Regulator for Heavy Metal Stress in Plants

Phytohormones act as chemical messengers and, under a complex regulation, allow plants to sustain biotic and abiotic stresses. Thus, phytohormones are known for their regulatory role in plant growth and development. Heavy metals (HMs) play an important role in metabolism and have roles in plant growth and development as micronutrients. However, at a level above threshold, these HMs act as contaminants and pose a worldwide environmental threat. Thus, finding eco-friendly and economical deliverables to tackle this problem is a priority. In addition to physicochemical methods, exogenous application of phytohormones, i.e., auxins, cytokinins, and gibberellins, can positively influence the regulation of the ascorbate–glutathione cycle, transpiration rate, cell division, and the activities of nitrogen metabolism and assimilation, which improve plant growth activity. Brassinosteroids, ethylene and salicylic acid have been reported to enhance the level of the anti-oxidant system, decrease levels of ROS, lipid peroxidation and improve photosynthesis in plants, when applied exogenously under a HM effect. There is a crosstalk between phytohormones which is activated upon exogenous application. Research suggests that plants are primed by phytohormones for stress tolerance. Chemical priming has provided good results in plant physiology and stress adaptation, and phytohormone priming is underway. We have reviewed promising phytohormones, which can potentially confer enhanced tolerance when used exogenously. Exogenous application of phytohormones may increase plant performance under HM stress and can be used for agro-ecological benefits under environmental conditions with high HMs level.