The microRNA miR393 re-directs secondary metabolite biosynthesis away from camalexin and towards glucosinolates

flg22 treatment increases levels of miR393, a microRNA that targets auxin receptors. Over-expression of miR393 renders plants more resistant to biotroph pathogens and more susceptible to necrotroph pathogens. In contrast, over-expression of AFB1, an auxin receptor whose mRNA is partially resistant to miR393 degradation, renders the plant more susceptible to biotroph pathogens. Here we investigate the mechanism by which auxin signalling and miR393 influence plant defence. We show that auxin signalling represses SA levels and signalling. We also show that miR393 represses auxin signalling, preventing it from antagonizing SA signalling. In addition, over-expression of miR393 increases glucosinolate levels and decreases the levels of camalexin. Further studies on pathogen interactions in auxin signalling mutants revealed that ARF1 and ARF9 negatively regulate glucosinolate accumulation, and that ARF9 positively regulates camalexin accumulation. We propose that the action of miR393 on auxin signalling triggers two complementary responses. First, it prevents suppression of SA levels by auxin. Second, it stabilizes ARF1 and ARF9 in inactive complexes. As a result, the plant is able to mount a full SA response and to re-direct metabolic flow toward the most effective anti-microbial compounds for biotroph resistance. We propose that miR393 levels can fine-tune plant defences and prioritize resources.     

缺磷条件下白羽扇豆排根发育与生长素及miR164的关系

以缺磷条件下白羽扇豆为材料,观察了外源生长素NAA和生长素运输的抑制剂NPA 对白羽扇豆排根形成及其活性的影响,同时运用基因芯片与RT-PCR的方法分析了生长素信号转导途径中转录因子NAC1以及调控NAC1表达的上游microRNA164(miR164)在不同发育阶段排根中的表达变化,以探讨白羽扇豆在缺磷时排根形成与发育的调控机制.结果表明,缺磷胁迫下排根大量形成与生长素及其运输有关,排根NAC1的表达在初生阶段上调,成熟后下调,并受其上游的miR164的负调控,而排根衰老后则上述基因的表达都减弱.研究发现,在缺磷诱导的排根发生至发育成熟过程中,miR164、NAC1、生长素与排根发育之间很可能组成了一个级联系统,从而控制排根的发生与发育.     

Transgenic creeping bentgrass overexpressing Osa‐miR393a exhibits altered plant development and improved multiple stress tolerance

MicroRNA393 (miR393) has been implicated in plant growth, development and multiple stress responses in annual species such as Arabidopsis and rice. However, the role of miR393 in perennial grasses remains unexplored. Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) is an environmentally and economically important C3 cool‐season perennial turfgrass. Understanding how miR393 functions in this representative turf species would allow the development of novel strategies in genetically engineering grass species for improved abiotic stress tolerance. We have generated and characterized transgenic creeping bentgrass plants overexpressing rice pri‐miR393a (Osa‐miR393a). We found that Osa‐miR393a transgenics had fewer, but longer tillers, enhanced drought stress tolerance associated with reduced stomata density and denser cuticles, improved salt stress tolerance associated with increased uptake of potassium and enhanced heat stress tolerance associated with induced expression of small heat‐shock protein in comparison with wild‐type controls. We also identified two targets of miR393, AsAFB2 and AsTIR1, whose expression is repressed in transgenics. Taken together, our results revealed the distinctive roles of miR393/target module in plant development and stress responses between creeping bentgrass and other annual species, suggesting that miR393 would be a promising candidate for generating superior crop cultivars with enhanced multiple stress tolerance, thus contributing to agricultural productivity.     

miR164c和miR168b的表达与水稻种子活力的相关性研究

目的:探讨miRNA的表达差异与水稻种子活力的相关性。方法:通过人工老化处理获得不同活力的水稻种子,然后运用real time qPCR技术,对不同活力种子的胚中miR164c和miR168b的表达量进行相对定量分析。结果:水稻种子随活力下降至丧失活力以前,miR164c的表达量也相应下降;但丧失活力的种子中,miR164c的表达量显著回升。miR168b的表达量则随着种子活力的降低而呈先升后降的模式;在死种子中,miR168b的表达量维持在较低的水平。结论:初步推测miR164c和miR168b的表达量与调控水稻种子活力的变化相关,但它们的调控机制可能存在差异。     

Recent development and new insight of diversification and symbiosis specificity of legume rhizobia: mechanism and application

Currently, symbiotic rhizobia (sl., rhizobium) refer to the soil bacteria in α- and β-Proteobacteria that can induce root and/or stem nodules on some legumes and a few of nonlegumes. In the nodules, rhizobia convert the inert dinitrogen gas (N₂) into ammonia (NH₃) and supply them as nitrogen nutrient to the host plant. In general, this symbiotic association presents specificity between rhizobial and leguminous species, and most of the rhizobia use lipochitooligosaccharides, so called Nod factor (NF), for cooperating with their host plant to initiate the formation of nodule primordium and to inhibit the plant immunity. Besides NF, effectors secreted by type III secretion system (T3SS), exopolysaccharides and many microbe-associated molecular patterns in the rhizobia also play important roles in nodulation and immunity response between rhizobia and legumes. However, the promiscuous hosts like Glycine max and Sophora flavescens can nodulate with various rhizobial species harbouring diverse symbiosis genes in different soils, meaning that the nodulation specificity/efficiency might be mainly determined by the host plants and regulated by the soil conditions in a certain cases. Based on previous studies on rhizobial application, we propose a ‘1+n−N’ model to promote the function of symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF) in agricultural practice, where ‘1’ refers to appreciate rhizobium; ‘+n’ means the addition of multiple trace elements and PGPR bacteria; and ‘−N’ implies the reduction of chemical nitrogen fertilizer. Finally, open questions in the SNF field are raised to future think deeply and researches.     

光皮桦miR164及其靶基因NAC1在低氮胁迫中的表达分析

氮是植物生长发育所必需的大量营养元素,植物缺氮后严重影响地上部分生物量的积累,因此,揭示植物如何抵抗或适应低氮胁迫的分子机制具有重要意义。杨树(Populus tremula × P. alba)NAC1(NAM, ATAF, CUC 1)基因位于调控网络上游,在低氮环境下调控下游关键基因的表达,进而调控根系生长以抵抗低氮胁迫。本文以光皮桦(Betula luminifera)G49-3无性系组培苗为材料,探讨了miR164及其靶基因NAC1对低氮胁迫的响应。通过RACE技术克隆了光皮桦NAC1基因(GenBank登录号：KT900889),全长1497 bp,编码358个氨基酸,N端具有高度保守的NAM结构域;运用5′-RACE验证了NAC1为miR164靶基因,切割位点在第10和11位碱基之间;采用qRT-PCR分析miR164与靶基因NAC1在低氮胁迫时的表达模式,发现miR164表达在根中的低氮处理前期(4 d)受到抑制,而后升高,而茎叶中表达模式与根不同;靶基因NAC1与miR164表达水平呈负相关,且在恢复实验组(重新添加全营养液)中,根中miR164表达上升,NAC1显示出相应的表达变化,暗示miR164及其靶基因NAC1可能在低氮胁迫响应中发挥调控功能。本研究结果有助于揭示miR164对NAC1在低氮胁迫响应中转录后水平的分子调控机制,为进一步研究miR164-NAC1在低氮胁迫响应中的功能提供有价值的信息。     

The microRNA miR171h modulates arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization of Medicago truncatula by targeting NSP2

Most land plants live symbiotically with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Establishment of this symbiosis requires signals produced by both partners: strigolactones in root exudates stimulate pre‐symbiotic growth of the fungus, which releases lipochito‐oligosaccharides (Myc‐LCOs) that prepare the plant for symbiosis. Here, we have investigated the events downstream of this early signaling in the roots. We report that expression of miR171h, a microRNA that targets NSP2, is up‐regulated in the elongation zone of the root during colonization by Rhizophagus irregularis (formerly Glomus intraradices) and in response to Myc‐LCOs. Fungal colonization was much reduced by over‐expressing miR171h in roots, mimicking the phenotype of nsp2 mutants. Conversely, in plants expressing an NSP2 mRNA resistant to miR171h cleavage, fungal colonization was much increased and extended into the elongation zone of the roots. Finally, phylogenetic analyses revealed that miR171h regulation of NSP2 is probably conserved among mycotrophic plants. Our findings suggest a regulatory mechanism, triggered by Myc‐LCOs, that prevents over‐colonization of roots by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi by a mechanism involving miRNA‐mediated negative regulation of NSP2.     

Nitric oxide is required for, and promotes auxin-mediated activation of, cell division and embryogenic cell formation but does not influence cell cycle progression in alfalfa cell cultures

It is now well established that nitric oxide (NO) serves as a signaling molecule in plant cells. In this paper experimental data are presented which indicate that NO can stimulate the activation of cell division and embryogenic cell formation in leaf protoplast-derived cells of alfalfa in the presence of auxin. It was found that various NO-releasing compounds promoted auxin-dependent division (as shown by incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine) of leaf protoplast-derived alfalfa cells. In contrast, application of NO scavenger or NO synthesis inhibitor inhibited the same process. Both the promotion and the inhibition of cell cycle activation correlated with the amount and activity of the cognate alfalfa p34cdc2 protein Medsa;CDKA;1,2. The effect of l-NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) was transient, and protoplast-derived cells spending more than 3 days in culture become insensitive to the inhibitor as far as cell cycle progression was concerned. L-NMMA had no effect on the cell cycle parameters of cycling suspension-cultured cells, but had a moderate transient inhibitory effect on cells re-entering the cell cycle following phosphate starvation. Cycling cultured cells, however, could respond to NO, as indicated by the sodium nitroprusside (SNP)- and 2-phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (PTIO)-dependent accumulation of the ferritin protein. Based on these observations, it is hypothesized that L-NMMA-sensitive generation of NO is involved in the activation, but not the progression of the plant cell division cycle. In addition, SNP promoted and L-NMMA delayed the exogenous auxin [2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)] concentration-dependent formation of embryogenic cell clusters expressing the MsSERK1 gene; this further supports a link between auxin- and NO-dependent signaling pathways in plant cells.