RAC/ROP GTPases and auxin signaling

Auxin functions as a key morphogen in regulating plant growth and development. Studies on auxin-regulated gene expression and on the mechanism of polar auxin transport and its asymmetric distribution within tissues have provided the basis for realizing the molecular mechanisms underlying auxin function. In eukaryotes, members of the Ras and Rho subfamilies of the Ras superfamily of small GTPases function as molecular switches in many signaling cascades that regulate growth and development. Plants do not have Ras proteins, but they contain Rho-like small G proteins called RACs or ROPs that, like fungal and metazoan Rhos, are regulators of cell polarity and may also undertake some Ras functions. Here, we discuss the advances made over the last decade that implicate RAC/ROPs as mediators for auxin-regulated gene expression, rapid cell surface-located auxin signaling, and directional auxin transport. We also describe experimental data indicating that auxin-RAC/ROP crosstalk may form regulatory feedback loops and theoretical modeling that attempts to connect local auxin gradients with RAC/ROP regulation of cell polarity. We hope that by discussing these experimental and modeling studies, this perspective will stimulate efforts to further refine our understanding of auxin signaling via the RAC/ROP molecular switch.     

拟南芥GEF14不独立参与ROP10介导的ABA信号转导途径

通过PCR扩增技术,从DNA和mRNA水平上鉴定出拟南芥GEF14基因的T-DNA插入纯合突变体gef14-1。不同浓度ABA处理拟南芥野生型(Col-0)及gef14-1的7 d龄幼苗,采用实时荧光定量PCR(Real-time quantitative PCR,Q-PCR)方法,分析小G蛋白ROP10的表达模式,结果表明gef14-1在不同浓度ABA处理下的ROP10的表达模式与Col-0中的一致;表型分析结果显示gef14-1与野生型并无明显区别。推测GEF14不参与ROP10介导的ABA信号转导途径或其调控与其他GEFs存在功能冗余。     

ROP GTPase-mediated auxin signaling regulates pavement cell interdigitation in Arabidopsis thaliana

In multicellular plant organs, cell shape formation depends on molecular switches to transduce developmental or environmental signals and to coordinate cell‐to‐cell communication. Plants have a specific subfamily of the Rho GT Pase family, usually called Rho of Plants(ROP), which serve as a critical signal transducer involved in many cellular processes. In the last decade, important advances in the ROP‐mediated regulation of plant cell morphogenesis have been made by using Arabidopsis thaliana leaf and cotyledon pavement cells.Especially, the auxin‐ROP signaling networks have been demonstrated to control interdigitated growth of pavement cells to form jigsaw‐puzzle shapes. Here, we review findings related to the discovery of this novel auxin‐signaling mechanism at the cell surface. This signaling pathway is to a large extent independent of the well‐known Transport Inhibitor Response(TIR)–Auxin Signaling F‐Box(AFB) pathway, and instead requires Auxin Binding Protein 1(ABP1) interaction with the plasma membrane‐localized, transmembrane kinase(TMK) receptor‐like kinase to regulate ROP proteins. Once activated, ROP influences cytoskeletal organization and inhibits endocytosis of the auxin transporter PIN1. The present review focuses on ROP signaling and its self‐organizing feature allowing ROP proteins to serve as a bustling signal decoder and integrator for plant cell morphogenesis.     

Arabidopsis thaliana plants differentially modulate auxin biosynthesis and transport during defense responses to the necrotrophic pathogen Alternaria brassicicola

? Although the role of auxin in biotrophic pathogenesis has been extensively studied, relatively little is known about its role in plant resistance to necrotrophs. ? Arabidopsis thaliana mutants defective in different aspects of the auxin pathway are generally more susceptible than wild-type plants to the necrotrophic pathogen Alternaria brassicicola. We show that A.?brassicicola infection up-regulates auxin biosynthesis and down-regulates the auxin transport capacities of infected plants, these effects being partially dependent on JA signaling. We also show that these effects of A.?brassicicola infection together lead to an enhanced auxin response in host plants. ? Application of IAA and MeJA together synergistically induces the expression of defense marker genes PDF1.2 (PLANT DEFENSIN 1.2) and HEL (HEVEIN-LIKE), suggesting that enhancement of JA-dependent defense signaling may be part of the auxin-mediated defense mechanism involved in resistance to necrotrophic pathogens. ? Our results provide molecular evidence supporting the hypothesis that JA and auxin interact positively in regulating plant resistance to necrotrophic pathogens and that activation of auxin signaling by JA may contribute to plant resistance to necrotrophic pathogens.     

The RNA N6-methyladenosine demethylase ALKBH9B modulates ABA responses in Arabidopsis

The mRNA modification N⁶-methyladenosine(m⁶A)plays vital roles in plant development and biotic and abiotic stress responses.The RNA m⁶A demethylase ALKBH9 B can remove m⁶A in alfalfa mosaic virus RNA and plays roles in alfalfa mosaic virus infection in Arabidopsis.However,it is unknown whether ALKBH9 B also exhibits demethylation activity and has a biological role in endogenous plant mRNA.We demonstrated here that mRNA m⁶A modification is in...     

ROP11 GTPase Negatively Regulates ABA Signaling by Protecting ABI1 Phosphatase Activity from Inhibition by the ABA Receptor RCAR1/PYL9 in Arabidopsis

The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) regulates many key processes in plants, such as seed germina- tion, seedling growth, and abiotic stress tolerance. In recent years, a minimal set of core components of a major ABA signaling pathway has been discovered. These components include a RCAR/PYR/PYL family of ABA receptors, a group of PP2C phosphatases, and three SnRK2 kinases. However, how the interactions between the receptors and their targets are regulated by other proteins remains largely unknown. In a companion paper published in this issue, we showed that ROP11, a member of the plant- specific Rho-like small GTPase family, negatively regulates multiple ABA responses in Arabidopsis. The current work demonstrated that the constitutively active ROP11 (CA-ROP11) can modulate the RCAR1/PYL9-mediated ABA signaling pathway based on reconstitution assays in Arabidopsis thaliana protoplasts. Furthermore, using luciferase complementation imaging, yeast two-hybrid assays, co- immunoprecipitation assays in Nicotiana benthamiana and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays, we demonstrated that CA-ROP11 directly interacts with ABI1, a signaling component downstream of RCAR1/PYL9. Finally, we provided biochemical evidence that CA-ROP11 protects ABI1 phosphatase activity from inhibition by RCAR1/PYL9 and thus negatively regulates ABA signaling in plant cells. A model of how ROP11 acts to negatively regulate ABA signaling is presented.     

Ethylene–auxin interactions regulate lateral root initiation and emergence in Arabidopsis thaliana

Plant root systems display considerable plasticity in response to endogenous and environmental signals. Auxin stimulates pericycle cells within elongating primary roots to enter de novo organogenesis, leading to the establishment of new lateral root meristems. Crosstalk between auxin and ethylene in root elongation has been demonstrated, but interactions between these hormones in root branching are not well characterized. We find that enhanced ethylene synthesis, resulting from the application of low concentrations of the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), promotes the initiation of lateral root primordia. Treatment with higher doses of ACC strongly inhibits the ability of pericycle cells to initiate new lateral root primordia, but promotes the emergence of existing lateral root primordia: behaviour that is also seen in the eto1 mutation. These effects are correlated with decreased pericycle cell length and increased lateral root primordia cell width. When auxin is applied simultaneously with ACC, ACC is unable to prevent the auxin stimulation of lateral root formation in the root tissues formed prior to ACC exposure. However, in root tissues formed after transfer to ACC, in which elongation is reduced, auxin does not rescue the ethylene inhibition of primordia initiation, but instead increases it by several fold. Mutations that block auxin responses, slr1 and arf7 arf19, render initiation of lateral root primordia insensitive to the promoting effect of low ethylene levels, and mutations that inhibit ethylene-stimulated auxin biosynthesis, wei2 and wei7 , reduce the inhibitory effect of higher ethylene levels, consistent with ethylene regulating root branching through interactions with auxin.     

Aluminum induces low phosphate adaptive responses and modulates primary and lateral root growth by differentially affecting auxin signaling in Arabidopsis seedlings

Aims

The aims of this work were to investigate the aluminum (Al) and phosphate (P) interactions in the regulation of root system architecture of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings and the contribution of auxin signaling in primary and lateral root growth in response to Al toxicity.

Methods

Detailed analyses of root system architecture and cell division were performed in Arabidopsis WT seedlings and in low phosphorus insensitive mutants lpi1-3 and lpr1-1 lpr2-1 in response to Al. Expression studies of P-deficiency regulated phosphate transporter AtPT2 were also conducted. The role of auxin as a mediator of root morphogenetic changes by Al was evaluated by using the auxin-signaling mutants tir1, tir1 afb2 afb3, and arf7 arf19.

Results

Al inhibited primary root growth by affecting cell cycle progression and causing differentiation of cells in the root meristem. These effects were reduced in low phosphorus insensitive lpi1-3 and low phosphate resistant lpr1-1 lpr2-1 Arabidopsis mutants. Al also activated the expression of the low phosphate-induced P transporter AtPT2 in roots. Lateral root formation by Al decreased in tir1 afb2 afb3 while arf7 arf19 mutants were highly resistant to Al in both primary root inhibition and lateral root induction.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that lateral root formation in response to Al toxicity and P deficiency may involve common signaling mechanisms, while a pathway involving ARF7 and ARF19 is important for primary root growth inhibition by Al.     

Glucocorticosteroids differentially regulate MMP-9 and neutrophil elastase in COPD

Background

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is currently the fifth leading cause of death worldwide. Neutrophilic inflammation is prominent, worsened during infective exacerbations and is refractory to glucocorticosteroids (GCs). Deregulated neutrophilic inflammation can cause excessive matrix degradation through proteinase release. Gelatinase and azurophilic granules within neutrophils are a major source of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and neutrophil elastase (NE), respectively, which are elevated in COPD.

Methods

Secreted MMP-9 and NE activity in BALF were stratified according to GOLD severity stages. The regulation of secreted NE and MMP-9 in isolated blood neutrophils was investigated using a pharmacological approach. In vivo release of MMP-9 and NE in mice exposed to cigarette smoke (CS) and/or the TLR agonist lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the presence of dexamethasone (Dex) was investigated.

Results

Neutrophil activation as assessed by NE release was increased in severe COPD (36-fold, GOLD II vs. IV). MMP-9 levels (8-fold) and activity (21-fold) were also elevated in severe COPD, and this activity was strongly associated with BALF neutrophils (r = 0.92, p<0.001), but not macrophages (r = 0.48, p = 0.13). In vitro, release of NE and MMP-9 from fMLP stimulated blood neutrophils was insensitive to Dex and attenuated by the PI3K inhibitor, wortmannin. In vivo, GC resistant neutrophil activation (NE release) was only seen in mice exposed to CS and LPS. In addition, GC refractory MMP-9 expression was only associated with neutrophil activation.

Conclusions

As neutrophils become activated with increasing COPD severity, they become an important source of NE and MMP-9 activity, which secrete proteinases independently of TIMPs. Furthermore, as NE and MMP-9 release was resistant to GC, targeting of the PI3K pathway may offer an alternative pathway to combating this proteinase imbalance in severe COPD.     

A ROP GTPase-dependent auxin signaling pathway regulates the subcellular distribution of PIN2 in Arabidopsis roots

PIN-FORMED (PIN) protein-mediated auxin polar transport is critically important for development, pattern formation, and morphogenesis in plants. Auxin has been implicated in the regulation of polar auxin transport by inhibiting PIN endocytosis, but how auxin regulates this process is poorly understood. Our genetic screen identified the Arabidopsis SPIKE1 (SPK1) gene whose loss-of-function mutations increased lateral root density and retarded gravitropic responses, as do pin2 knockout mutations. SPK1 belongs to the conserved DHR2-Dock family of Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factors. The spk1 mutations induced PIN2 internalization that was not suppressed by auxin, as did the loss-of-function mutations for Rho-like GTPase from Plants 6 (ROP6)-GTPase or its effector RIC1. Furthermore, SPK1 was required for auxin induction of ROP6 activation. Our results have established a Rho GTPase-based auxin signaling pathway that maintains PIN2 polar distribution to the plasma membrane via inhibition of its internalization in Arabidopsis roots. Our findings provide new insights into signaling mechanisms that underlie the regulation of the dynamic trafficking of PINs required for long-distance auxin transport and that link auxin signaling to PIN-mediated pattern formation and morphogenesis.     

GOLVEN secretory peptides regulate auxin carrier turnover during plant gravitropic responses

Growth and development are coordinated by an array of intercellular communications. Known plant signaling molecules include phytohormones and hormone peptides. Although both classes can be implicated in the same developmental processes, little is known about the interplay between phytohormone action and peptide signaling within the cellular microenvironment. We show that genes coding for small secretory peptides, designated GOLVEN (GLV), modulate the distribution of the phytohormone auxin. The deregulation of the GLV function impairs the formation of auxin gradients and alters the reorientation of shoots and roots after a gravity stimulus. Specifically, the GLV signal modulates the trafficking dynamics of the auxin efflux carrier PIN-FORMED2 involved in root tropic responses and meristem organization. Our work links the local action of secretory peptides with phytohormone transport.