Conserved expression profiles of circadian clock-related genes in two Lemna species showing long-day and short-day photoperiodic flowering responses

The Lemna genus is a group of monocotyledonous plants with tiny, floating bodies. Lemna gibba G3 and L. paucicostata 6746 were once intensively analyzed for physiological timing systems of photoperiodic flowering and circadian rhythms since they showed obligatory and sensitive photoperiodic responses of a long-day and a short-day plant, respectively. We attempted to approach the divergence of biological timing systems at the molecular level using these plants. We first employed molecular techniques to study their circadian clock systems. We developed a convenient bioluminescent reporter system to monitor the circadian rhythms of Lemna plants. As in Arabidopsis, the Arabidopsis CCA1 promoter produced circadian expression in Lemna plants, though the phases and the sustainability of bioluminescence rhythms were somewhat diverged between them. Lemna homologs of the Arabidopsis clock-related genes LHY/CCA1, GI, ELF3 and PRRs were then isolated as candidates for clock-related genes in these plants. These genes showed rhythmic expression profiles that were basically similar to those of Arabidopsis under light-dark conditions. Results from co-transfection assays using the bioluminescence reporter and overexpression effectors suggested that the LHY and GI homologs of Lemna can function in the circadian clock system like the counterparts of Arabidopsis. All these results suggested that the frame of the circadian clock appeared to be conserved not only between the two Lemna plants but also between monocotyledons and dicotyledons. However, divergence of gene numbers and expression profiles for LHY/CCA1 homologs were found between Lemna, rice and Arabidopsis, suggesting that some modification of clock-related components occurred through their evolution.     

A self-regulatory circuit of CIRCADIAN CLOCK-ASSOCIATED1 underlies the circadian clock regulation of temperature responses in Arabidopsis

The circadian clock synchronizes biological processes to daily cycles of light and temperature. Clock components, including CIRCADIAN CLOCK-ASSOCIATED1 (CCA1), are also associated with cold acclimation. However, it is unknown how CCA1 activity is modulated in coordinating circadian rhythms and cold acclimation. Here, we report that self-regulation of Arabidopsis thaliana CCA1 activity by a splice variant, CCA1β, links the clock to cold acclimation. CCA1β interferes with the formation of CCA1α-CCA1α and LATE ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL (LHY)-LHY homodimers, as well as CCA1α-LHY heterodimers, by forming nonfunctional heterodimers with reduced DNA binding affinity. Accordingly, the periods of circadian rhythms were shortened in CCA1β-overexpressing transgenic plants (35S:CCA1β), as observed in the cca1 lhy double mutant. In addition, the elongated hypocotyl and leaf petiole phenotypes of CCA1α-overexpressing transgenic plants (35S:CCA1α) were repressed by CCA1β coexpression. Notably, low temperatures suppressed CCA1 alternative splicing and thus reduced CCA1β production. Consequently, whereas the 35S:CCA1α transgenic plants exhibited enhanced freezing tolerance, the 35S:CCA1β transgenic plants were sensitive to freezing, indicating that cold regulation of CCA1 alternative splicing contributes to freezing tolerance. On the basis of these findings, we propose that dynamic self-regulation of CCA1 underlies the clock regulation of temperature responses in Arabidopsis.     

Comparative overviews of clock-associated genes of Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa

In higher plants, circadian rhythms are highly relevant to a wide range of biological processes. To such circadian rhythms, the clock (oscillator) is central, and recent intensive studies on the model higher plant Arabidopsis thaliana have begun to shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying the functions of the central clock. Such representative clock-associated genes of A. thaliana are the homologous CCA1 and LHY genes, and five PRR genes that belong to a small family of pseudo-response regulators including TOC1. Others are GI, ZTL, ELF3, ELF4, LUX/PCL1, etc. In this context, a simple question arose as to whether or not the molecular picture of the model Arabidopsis clock is conserved in other higher plants. Here we made an effort to answer the question with special reference to Oryza sativa, providing experimental evidence that this model monocot also has a set of highly conserved clock-associated genes, such as those designated as OsCCA1, OsPRR-series including OsTOC1/OsPRR1, OsZTLs, OsPCL1 as well as OsGI. These results will provide us with insight into the general roles of plant circadian clocks, such as those for the photoperiodic control of flowering time that has a strong impact on the reproduction and yield in many higher plants.     

Phylogenetic footprint of the plant clock system in angiosperms: evolutionary processes of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudo-Response Regulator</Emphasis>s

Background  

Plant circadian clocks regulate many photoperiodic and diurnal responses that are conserved among plant species. The plant circadian clock system has been uncovered in the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, using genetics and systems biology approaches. However, it is still not clear how the clock system had been organized in the evolutionary history of plants. We recently revealed the molecular phylogeny of LHY/CCA1 genes, one of the essential components of the clock system. The aims of this study are to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships of angiosperm clock-associated PRR genes, the partner of the LHY/CCA1 genes, and to clarify the evolutionary history of the plant clock system in angiosperm lineages.     

Genetic linkages of the circadian clock-associated genes, TOC1, CCA1 and LHY, in the photoperiodic control of flowering time in Arabidopsis thaliana

In Arabidopsis thaliana, the flowering time is regulated through the circadian clock that measures day-length and modulates the photoperiodic CO-FT output pathway in accordance with the external coincidence model. Nevertheless, the genetic linkages between the major clock-associated TOC1, CCA1 and LHY genes and the canonical CO-FT flowering pathway are less clear. By employing a set of mutants including an extremely early flowering toc1 cca1 lhy triple mutant, here we showed that CCA1 and LHY act redundantly as negative regulators of the photoperiodic flowering pathway. The partly redundant CCA1/LHY functions are largely, but not absolutely, dependent on the upstream TOC1 gene that serves as an activator. The results of examination with reference to the expression profiles of CO and FT in the mutants indicated that this clock circuitry is indeed linked to the CO-FT output pathway, if not exclusively. For this linkage, the phase control of certain flowering-associated genes, GI, CDF1 and FKF1, appears to be crucial. Furthermore, the genetic linkage between TOC1 and CCA1/LHY is compatible with the negative and positive feedback loop, which is currently believed to be a core of the circadian clock. The results of this study suggested that the circadian clock might open an exit for a photoperiodic output pathway during the daytime. In the context of the current clock model, these results will be discussed in connection with the previous finding that the same clock might open an exit for the early photomorphogenic output pathway during the night-time.     

TIME FOR COFFEE encodes a nuclear regulator in the Arabidopsis thaliana circadian clock

The plant circadian clock is required for daily anticipation of the diurnal environment. Mutation in Arabidopsis thaliana TIME FOR COFFEE (TIC) affects free-running circadian rhythms. To investigate how TIC functions within the circadian system, we introduced markers for the evening and morning phases of the clock into tic and measured evident rhythms. The phases of evening clock genes in tic were all advanced under light/dark cycles without major expression level defects. With regard to morning-acting genes, we unexpectedly found that TIC has a closer relationship with LATE ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL (LHY) than with CIRCADIAN CLOCK ASSOCIATED1, as tic has a specific LHY expression level defect. Epistasis analysis demonstrated that there were no clear rhythms in double mutants of tic and evening-acting clock genes, although double mutants of tic and morning-acting genes exhibited a similar free-running period as tic. We isolated TIC and found that its mRNA expression is continuously present over the diurnal cycle, and the encoded protein appears to be strictly localized to the nucleus. Neither its abundance nor its cellular distribution was found to be clock regulated. We suggest that TIC encodes a nucleus-acting clock regulator working close to the central oscillator.     

Functional conservation of clock-related genes in flowering plants: overexpression and RNA interference analyses of the circadian rhythm in the monocotyledon Lemna gibba

Circadian rhythms are found in organisms from cyanobacteria to plants and animals. In flowering plants, the circadian clock is involved in the regulation of various physiological phenomena, including growth, leaf movement, stomata opening, and floral transitions. Molecular mechanisms underlying the circadian clock have been identified using Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana); the functions and genetic networks of a number of clock-related genes, including CIRCADIAN CLOCK ASSOCIATED1, LATE ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL (LHY), TIMING OF CAB EXPRESSION1, GIGANTEA (GI), and EARLY FLOWERING3 (ELF3), have been analyzed. The degree to which clock systems are conserved among flowering plants, however, is still unclear. We previously isolated homologs for Arabidopsis clock-related genes from monocotyledon Lemna plants. Here, we report the physiological roles of these Lemna gibba genes (LgLHYH1, LgLHYH2, LgGIH1, and LgELF3H1) in the circadian system. We studied the effects of overexpression and RNA interference (RNAi) of these genes on the rhythmic expression of morning- and evening-specific reporters. Overexpression of each gene disrupted the rhythmicity of either or both reporters, suggesting that these four homologs can be involved in the circadian system. RNAi of each of the genes except LgLHYH2 affected the bioluminescence rhythms of both reporters. These results indicated that these homologs are involved in the circadian system of Lemna plants and that the structure of the circadian clock is likely to be conserved between monocotyledons and dicotyledons. Interestingly, RNAi of LgGIH1 almost completely abolished the circadian rhythm; because this effect appeared to be much stronger than the phenotype observed in an Arabidopsis gi loss-of-function mutant, the precise role of each clock gene may have diverged in the clock systems of Lemna and Arabidopsis.     

硫化氢信号能够通过生物钟调控拟南芥对冷胁迫的响应

硫化氢(hydrogen sulfide, H_2S)是继一氧化氮(nitric oxide, NO)与一氧化碳(carbon oxide, CO)之后的第3种气体信号分子,在动植物中均发挥着重要的生理功能。生物钟是生物体的内在计时器,对动植物适应环境和生长发育至关重要。鉴于H_2S与生物钟调控的生理过程有较大的相关性,本文以拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)为实验材料,对二者之间的关系进行了探索。结果发现,外源NaHS(H_2S供体)处理能够上调生物钟相关基因CCA1(circadian clock associated 1)和PRR9(pseudo-response regulator 9)的表达,而且在H_2S生成关键酶编码基因缺失的双突变体lcd/des1中,CCA1与PRR9的峰值表达时间明显滞后。CBFs(c-repeat binding factors)是受CCA1调控的冷胁迫响应基因,其表达也受H_2S的调控。lcd/des1中CBF1和CBF3的峰值表达时间延迟,同时在lcd/des1中CBF1、CBF2和CBF3都下调表达。lcd/des1幼苗对冷胁迫表现出更高的敏感性。本文也对拟南芥内源H_2S生成关键酶L-半胱氨酸脱硫基酶(L-cysteine desulfhydrase, LCD)与脱硫基酶1(desulfhydrase 1, DES1)编码基因的转录水平节律性进行了初步的探索。LCD的表达在1 d内未见明显的变化,而DES1的表达有明显的节律性,在早上8:00达到峰值。综上所述,H_2S能够通过调节CCA1与PRR9基因的表达调控生物钟,进而影响下游靶标CBFs基因的表达以增加拟南芥对冷胁迫的耐受性。