Chromatin modifications and remodeling in plant abiotic stress responses

Sensing environmental changes and initiating a gene expression response are important for plants as sessile autotrophs. The ability of epigenetic status to alter rapidly and reversibly could be a key component to the flexibility of plant responses to the environment. The involvement of epigenetic mechanisms in the response to environmental cues and to different types of abiotic stresses has been documented. Different environmental stresses lead to altered methylation status of DNA as well as modifications of nucleosomal histones. Understanding how epigenetic mechanisms are involved in plant response to environmental stress is highly desirable, not just for a better understanding of molecular mechanisms of plant stress response but also for possible application in the genetic manipulation of plants. In this review, we highlight our current understanding of the epigenetic mechanisms of chromatin modifications and remodeling, with emphasis on the roles of specific modification enzymes and remodeling factors in plant abiotic stress responses. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Plant gene regulation in response to abiotic stress.     

植物响应联合胁迫机制的研究进展

自然界中, 植物通常面对多重联合胁迫。在全球气候变化日益加剧的背景下, 多重联合胁迫对植物生长发育及作物产量形成的不利影响日益显著。阐明植物响应和适应联合胁迫的生理与分子机制, 对人们理解植物对自然环境的适应机理, 及培育耐受联合胁迫的新品种有重要意义。研究表明, 植物响应联合胁迫的机制是特异的, 不能简单地从单一胁迫响应叠加来推断。植物遭受联合胁迫时, 各种生理、代谢和信号途径相互作用, 使得植物响应联合胁迫非常复杂。该文综述了植物响应联合胁迫的生理与分子机理的最新进展, 并阐述了植物响应联合胁迫的研究方法。     

植物响应联合胁迫机制的研究进展

自然界中, 植物通常面对多重联合胁迫。在全球气候变化日益加剧的背景下, 多重联合胁迫对植物生长发育及作物产量形成的不利影响日益显著。阐明植物响应和适应联合胁迫的生理与分子机制, 对人们理解植物对自然环境的适应机理, 及培育耐受联合胁迫的新品种有重要意义。研究表明, 植物响应联合胁迫的机制是特异的, 不能简单地从单一胁迫响应叠加来推断。植物遭受联合胁迫时, 各种生理、代谢和信号途径相互作用, 使得植物响应联合胁迫非常复杂。该文综述了植物响应联合胁迫的生理与分子机理的最新进展, 并阐述了植物响应联合胁迫的研究方法。     

NAC转录因子在植物抗病和抗非生物胁迫反应中的作用

NAC转录因子是植物特有的一类转录因子,其共同特点是在N端含有一段高度保守、由约150个氨基酸组成的NAC结构域,而C端为高度变异的转录调控区。研究表明,NAC转录因子不仅参与植物生长发育的调控,而且在植物抗逆反应中具有重要的调控作用。文章着重介绍NAC转录因子在植物抗逆反应中的作用及其调控机制,并简要讨论NAC转录因子生物学功能的研究方向。     

Responses to environmental stresses in woody plants: key to survive and longevity

Environmental stresses have adverse effects on plant growth and productivity, and are predicted to become more severe and widespread in decades to come. Especially, prolonged and repeated severe stresses affecting growth and development would bring down long-lasting effects in woody plants as a result of its long-term growth period. To counteract these effects, trees have evolved specific mechanisms for acclimation and tolerance to environmental stresses. Plant growth and development are regulated by the integration of many environmental and endogenous signals including plant hormones. Acclimation of land plants to environmental stresses is controlled by molecular cascades, also involving cross-talk with other stresses and plant hormone signaling mechanisms. This review focuses on recent studies on molecular mechanisms of abiotic stress responses in woody plants, functions of plant hormones in wood formation, and the interconnection of cell wall biosynthesis and the mechanisms shown above. Understanding of these mechanisms in depth should shed light on the factors for improvement of woody plants to overcome severe environmental stress conditions.     

植物HD-Zip转录因子的生物学功能

HD-Zip转录因子属于Homeobox蛋白家族, 是植物特异转录因子, 由高度保守的HD(Homeodomain)结构域和Leu zipper(Zip)元件组成, 前者与DNA特异结合, 后者介导蛋白二聚体的形成。HD-Zip转录因子家族包括4个亚家族(HD-Zip Ⅰ-Ⅳ), 其成员通过与其他蛋白互作、参与激素介导的信号途径, 从而调控植物生长发育、光形态建成、花发育、果实发育和植物对逆境应答等生物学过程。文章对近几年关于植物HD-Zip转录因子参与上述生物学功能方面的研究进行了综述, 以期对新功能基因的挖掘和应用研究以及HD-Zip调控机制的阐明奠定基础。     

Improvement of plant abiotic stress tolerance through modulation of the polyamine pathway FA简

Polyamines （mainly putrescine （Put）, spermidine （Spd）, and spermine （Spin）） have been widely found in a range of physiological processes and in almost all diverse environ- mental stresses. In various plant species, abiotic stresses modulated the accumulation of polyamines and related gene expression. Studies using loss-of-function mutants and transgenic overexpression plants modulating polyamine metabolic pathways confirmed protective roles of polyamines during plant abiotic stress responses, and indicated the possibility to improve plant tolerance through genetic manipulation of the polyamine pathway. Additionally, puta- tive mechanisms of polyamines involved in plant abiotic stress tolerance were thoroughly discussed and crosstalks among polyamine, abscisic acid, and nitric oxide in plant responses to abiotic stress were emphasized. Special attention was paid to the interaction between polyamine and reactive oxygen species, ion channels, amino acid and carbon metabolism, and other adaptive responses. Further studies are needed to elucidate the polyamine signaling pathway, especially polyamine-regulated downstream tar- gets and the connections between polyamines and other stress responsive molecules.     

WRKY转录因子与植物逆境响应

WRKY转录因子是高等植物特有的一类转录调控因子,也是植物生命活动中不可或缺的调控枢纽。研究发现,WRKY转录因子参与植物生长发育过程及多种生物与非生物逆境响应。本文分析了WRKY转录因子的分类及结构,对其多种作用机制包括上游调控、下游调控、蛋白质相互作用等进行了归类,总结了近年来在各类植物上发现的WRKY转录因子调控植物生长发育和参与植物响应生物及非生物逆境的多重功能。并针对目前WRKY转录因子的研究所存在的问题,提出部分意见,为进一步挖掘WRKY家族的功能机制奠定了基础。     

类受体蛋白激酶与植物非生物胁迫应答

类受体蛋白激酶(receptor-like protein kinase,RLK)是植物信号转导网络中的重要成员,参与介导生长、发育以及逆境胁迫应答等多种细胞代谢过程．在植物细胞中已发现和克隆了富含亮氨酸重复区型(LRR)、凝集素型(lectin-like)和细胞壁相联型(WAK)等不同的RLK亚家族．这些RLK能够感受多种发育和外界环境胁迫信号, 并在植物对非生物胁迫的响应过程中发挥重要的调控作用．本文结合当今国内外研究进展,简述植物RLK的典型结构域特征,详细介绍多种RLK在植物逆境信号识别与转导中发挥的作用,同时对RLK在非生物胁迫应答中的具体作用机制进行了探讨．