Chemical regulators of plant hormones and their applications in basic research and agriculture*

Plant hormones are small molecules that play versatile roles in regulating plant growth, development, and responses to the environment. Classic methodologies, including genetics, analytic chemistry, biochemistry, and molecular biology, have contributed to the progress in plant hormone studies. In addition, chemical regulators of plant hormone functions have been important in such studies. Today, synthetic chemicals, including plant growth regulators, are used to study and manipulate biological systems, collectively referred to as chemical biology. Here, we summarize the available chemical regulators and their contributions to plant hormone studies. We also pose questions that remain to be addressed in plant hormone studies and that might be solved with the help of chemical regulators.     

植物虫瘿

虫瘿是造瘿昆虫诱导植物组织不正常生长产生的,它们通过释放某些酶或者植物激素刺激寄主植物细胞增大或增殖产生了特异形态的虫瘿,而这种特异形态就是造瘿昆虫遗传基因的体外表达。但虫瘿产生的分子机制不是十分清楚,文章主要对目前植物虫瘿的形态特征、形成机制等方面进行综述。     

Auxin: a master regulator in plant root development

The demand for increased crop productivity and the predicted challenges related to plant survival under adverse environmental conditions have renewed the interest in research in root biology. Various physiological and genetic studies have provided ample evidence in support of the role of plant growth regulators in root development. The biosynthesis and transport of auxin and its signaling play a crucial role in controlling root growth and development. The univocal role of auxin in root development has established it as a master regulator. Other plant hormones, such as cytokinins, brassinosteroids, ethylene, abscisic acid, gibberellins, jasmonic acid, polyamines and strigolactones interact either synergistically or antagonistically with auxin to trigger cascades of events leading to root morphogenesis and development. In recent years, the availability of biological resources, development of modern tools and experimental approaches have led to the advancement of knowledge in root development. Research in the areas of hormone signal perception, understanding network of events involved in hormone action and the transport of plant hormones has added a new dimension to root biology. The present review highlights some of the important conceptual developments in the interplay of auxin and other plant hormones and associated downstream events affecting root development.     

植物激素研究中的化学生物学思路与应用

植物激素是植物生长发育过程中必不可少的重要调节物质, 它们直接或间接参与调控从种子萌发到成熟的各个发育阶段以及对生物/非生物胁迫的响应。随着利用小分子化合物探究生物体生理代谢分子机制的不断发展, 植物生物学与化学之间一个新的前沿交叉学科——化学生物学随之诞生, 并在短时间内取得了重要进展。化学生物学的思路与方法在植物激素研究领域中起到了不可替代的作用, 尤其是在激素合成及信号转导研究领域。该文概述了主要植物激素的小分子类似物及其在植物生长发育和生物/非生物胁迫响应等方面的作用机制, 并讨论了激素类似物在实际生产中的应用潜力及未来的研究方向。     

植物激素受体研究进展

植物激素对植物的生长发育以及在植物应对逆境方面具有重要的调节作用,植物激素受体是植物激素信号转导途径中的一个关键环节,倍受关注。近年来,由于生物化学与分子生物学和遗传学结合,使得植物激素受体的研究取得了很大进展。综述了5种经典植物激素受体以及油菜素内酯和茉莉酸受体在生物化学、遗传学和分子生物学三个层面上的研究成果,旨在为进一步研究植物激素作用机制提供参考资料。     

Signs of change: hormone receptors that regulate plant development

Hormonal signalling plays a pivotal role in almost every aspect of plant development, and of high priority has been to identify the receptors that perceive these hormones. In the past seven months, the receptors for the plant hormones auxin, gibberellins and abscisic acid have been identified. These join the receptors that have previously been identified for ethylene, brassinosteroids and cytokinins. This review therefore comes at an exciting time for plant developmental biology, as the new findings shed light on our current understanding of the structure and function of the various hormone receptors, their related signalling pathways and their role in regulating plant development.     

异戊二烯类植物激素赤霉素和脱落酸的代谢调控

赤霉素和脱落酸在植物生理过程中具有重要的调控作用,其生物合成途径迄今已基本阐明。赤霉素与类胡萝卜素的生物合成途径具有共同前体牻牛儿基牻牛儿基二磷酸,而脱落酸则直接来自于类胡萝卜素。参与这两种植物激素和类胡萝卜素代谢过程的大多数酶基因已经从不同植物中获得克隆;各种调控方式也随着分子生物学的研究工作而得到鉴定。本文就近年来对赤霉素和脱落酸等代谢调控机制及其与植物类胡萝卜素代谢之间关系的研究工作做简要回顾。     

Mammalian sex hormones in plants

The occurrence of mammalian sex hormones and their physiological role in plants is reviewed. These hormones, such as 17beta-estradiol, androsterone, testosterone or progesterone, were present in 60-80% of the plant species investigated. Enzymes responsible for their biosynthesis and conversion were also found in plants. Treatment of the plants with sex hormones or their precursors influenced plant development: cell divisions, root and shoot growth, embryo growth, flowering, pollen tube growth and callus proliferation. The regulatory abilities of mammalian sex hormones in plants makes possible their use in practice, especially in plant in vitro culture.     

The Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plant 1,3-β-D-Glucanases and 1,3;1,4-β-D-Glucanases

This review covers the physiology and molecular biology of the plant β-glucanases possessing either endo-1,3-β-D-glucanase (EC 3.2.1.39) or endo-1,3;1,4-β-D-glucanase (EC 3.2.1.73) activity. These β-glucanases are structurally related enzymes that are believed to be involved in many important aspects of plant physiology and development, such as germination, growth, defense against pathogens, flowering, cellular and tissue development and differentiation, and probably other roles. They also are regulated by numerous plant hormones, biotic and abiotic elicitors and stresses, and they exhibit complex tissue- and developmental-specific gene expression.     

Strigolactones are regulators of root development

Strigolactones (SLs) have been defined as a new group of plant hormones or their derivatives that suppress lateral shoot branching. Recently, a new role for SLs was discovered, in the regulation of root development. Strigolactones were shown to alter root architecture and affect root-hair elongation. Here, I review the recent findings regarding the effects of SLs on root growth and development, and their association with changes in auxin flux. The networking between SLs and other plant hormones that regulate root development is also presented. Strigolactone regulation of plant development suggests that they are coordinators of shoot and root development and mediators of plant responses to environmental conditions.     

Integrating hormone signaling and patterning mechanisms in plant development

Plant growth and development are driven by the bustling integration of a vast number of signals, among which plant hormones dominate. Understanding the role of hormones in particular developmental events requires their integration with developmental regulators known to be specific to those events. Using the increasing number of tools that can be utilized to probe hormone biosynthesis, transport and response, several recent studies have taken such an integrative approach, and in so doing have contributed to a clearer picture of precisely how hormones control plant development.     

Molecular Aspects of MicroRNAs and Phytohormonal Signaling in Response to Drought Stress: A Review

Phytohormones play an essential role in plant growth and development in response to environmental stresses. However, plant hormones require a complex signaling network combined with other signaling pathways to perform their proper functions. Thus, multiple phytohormonal signaling pathways are a prerequisite for understanding plant defense mechanism against stressful conditions. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are master regulators of eukaryotic gene expression and are also influenced by a wide range of plant development events by suppressing their target genes. In recent decades, the mechanisms of phytohormone biosynthesis, signaling, pathways of miRNA biosynthesis and regulation were profoundly characterized. Recent findings have shown that miRNAs and plant hormones are integrated with the regulation of environmental stress. miRNAs target several components of phytohormone pathways, and plant hormones also regulate the expression of miRNAs or their target genes inversely. In this article, recent developments related to molecular linkages between miRNAs and phytohormones were reviewed, focusing on drought stress.     

On plant growth regulators and their metabolites: a changing perspective

From seed germination to vegetative growth and flowering virtually all aspects of plant growth and development are influenced by structurally relatively simple substances, termed phytohormones. It has ben argued that the wide range of responses elicited by these substances requires a mode of action that is radically different from those of animal hormones. In contrast to animal hormones, it is often very difficult to distinguish between the site of synthesis and the site of action of phytohormones. Hence, plants may have developed their own mechanisms for synthesis, sequestration and release of active hormones. Current evidence indicates that enzymes that can synthesize and modify phytohormones and their antagonists or hydrolyze phytohormone conjugates to release active hormones which play a role in initiating important regulatory pathways. They are also likely to provide invaluable tools for studying the mechanisms underlying growth and development in plants.     

Genetic approach towards the identification of auxin-cytokinin crosstalk components involved in root development

Phytohormones are important plant growth regulators that control many developmental processes, such as cell division, cell differentiation, organogenesis and morphogenesis. They regulate a multitude of apparently unrelated physiological processes, often with overlapping roles, and they mutually modulate their effects. These features imply important synergistic and antagonistic interactions between the various plant hormones. Auxin and cytokinin are central hormones involved in the regulation of plant growth and development, including processes determining root architecture, such as root pole establishment during early embryogenesis, root meristem maintenance and lateral root organogenesis. Thus, to control root development both pathways put special demands on the mechanisms that balance their activities and mediate their interactions. Here, we summarize recent knowledge on the role of auxin and cytokinin in the regulation of root architecture with special focus on lateral root organogenesis, discuss the latest findings on the molecular mechanisms of their interactions, and present forward genetic screen as a tool to identify novel molecular components of the auxin and cytokinin crosstalk.     

Environmental,developmental, and genetic factors controlling root system architecture

A better understanding of the development and architecture of roots is essential to develop strategies to increase crop yield and optimize agricultural land use. Roots control nutrient and water uptake, provide anchoring and mechanical support and can serve as important storage organs. Root growth and development is under tight genetic control and modulated by developmental cues including plant hormones and the environment. This review focuses on root architecture and its diversity and the role of environment, nutrient, and water as well as plant hormones and their interactions in shaping root architecture.     

Genetic approach towards the identification of auxin–cytokinin crosstalk components involved in root development

Phytohormones are important plant growth regulators that control many developmental processes, such as cell division, cell differentiation, organogenesis and morphogenesis. They regulate a multitude of apparently unrelated physiological processes, often with overlapping roles, and they mutually modulate their effects. These features imply important synergistic and antagonistic interactions between the various plant hormones. Auxin and cytokinin are central hormones involved in the regulation of plant growth and development, including processes determining root architecture, such as root pole establishment during early embryogenesis, root meristem maintenance and lateral root organogenesis. Thus, to control root development both pathways put special demands on the mechanisms that balance their activities and mediate their interactions. Here, we summarize recent knowledge on the role of auxin and cytokinin in the regulation of root architecture with special focus on lateral root organogenesis, discuss the latest findings on the molecular mechanisms of their interactions, and present forward genetic screen as a tool to identify novel molecular components of the auxin and cytokinin crosstalk.     

植物激素在苔藓生长发育与逆境响应过程中的作用机制研究进展

植物激素是由植物自身代谢产生的一类从产生部位移动到作用部位发挥调控功能的微量小分子有机物质,在植物生长发育、响应环境胁迫过程中起到关键作用.苔藓植物作为早期登陆的非维管植物,处于陆生植物进化早期的阶段,具有许多不同于维管植物的形态和生理特征.大部分苔藓中普遍存在8种主要的植物激素及其衍生物(包括ABA、JA、ET、SA...     

Rhizobacterial mediation of plant hormone status

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria are commonly found in the rhizosphere (adjacent to the root surface) and may promote plant growth via several diverse mechanisms, including the production or degradation of the major groups of plant hormones that regulate plant growth and development. Although rhizobacterial production of plant hormones seems relatively widespread (as judged from physico-chemical measurements of hormones in bacterial culture media), evidence continues to accumulate, particularly from seedlings grown under gnotobiotic conditions, that rhizobacteria can modify plant hormone status. Since many rhizobacteria can impact on more than one hormone group, bacterial mutants in hormone production/degradation and plant mutants in hormone sensitivity have been useful to establish the importance of particular signalling pathways. Although plant roots exude many potential substrates for rhizobacterial growth, including plant hormones or their precursors, limited progress has been made in determining whether root hormone efflux can select for particular rhizobacterial traits. Rhizobacterial mediation of plant hormone status not only has local effects on root elongation and architecture, thus mediating water and nutrient capture, but can also affect plant root-to-shoot hormonal signalling that regulates leaf growth and gas exchange. Renewed emphasis on providing sufficient food for a growing world population, while minimising environmental impacts of agriculture because of overuse of fertilisers and irrigation water, will stimulate the commercialisation of rhizobacterial inoculants (including those that alter plant hormone status) to sustain crop growth and yield. Combining rhizobacterial traits (or species) that impact on plant hormone status thereby modifying root architecture (to capture existing soil resources) with traits that make additional resources available (e.g. nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilisation) may enhance the sustainability of agriculture.