Adaptations to biotic and abiotic stress: Macaranga-ant plants optimize investment in biotic defence

Obligate ant plants (myrmecophytes) in the genus Macaranga produce energy- and nutrient-rich food bodies (FBs) to nourish mutualistic ants which live inside the plants. These defend their host against biotic stress caused by herbivores and pathogens. Facultative, 'myrmecophilic' interactions are based on the provision of FBs and/or extrafloral nectar (EFN) to defending insects that are attracted from the vicinity. FB production by the myrmecophyte, M. triloba, was limited by soil nutrient content under field conditions and was regulated according to the presence or absence of an ant colony. However, increased FB production promoted growth of the ant colonies living in the plants. Ant colony size is an important defensive trait and is negatively correlated to a plant's leaf damage. Similar regulatory patterns occurred in the EFN production of the myrmecophilic M. tanarius. Nectar accumulation resulting from the absence of consumers strongly decreased nectar flow, which increased again when consumers had access to the plant. EFN flow could be induced via the octadecanoid pathway. Leaf damage increased levels of endogenous jasmonic acid (JA), and both leaf damage and exogenous JA application increased EFN flow. Higher numbers of nectary visiting insects and lower numbers of herbivores were present on JA-treated plants. In the long run, this decreased leaf damage significantly. Ant food production is controlled by different regulatory mechanisms which ensure that costs are only incurred when counterbalanced by defensive effects of mutualistic insects.     

Chromosome regions and stress-related sequences involved in resistance to abiotic stress in Triticeae

Drought, low temperature and salinity are the most important abiotic stress factors limiting crop productivity. A genomic map of major loci and QTLs affecting stress tolerance in Triticeae identified the crucial role of the group 5 chromosomes, where the highest concentration of QTLs and major loci controlling plant's adaptation to the environment (heading date, frost and salt tolerance) has been found. In addition, a conserved region with a major role in drought tolerance has been localized to the group 7 chromosomes. Extensive molecular biological studies have led to the cloning of many stress-related genes and responsive elements. The expression of some stress-related genes was shown to be linked to stress-tolerant QTLs, suggesting that these genes may represent the molecular basis of stress tolerance. The development of suitable genetic tools will allow the role of stress-related sequences and their relationship with stress-tolerant loci to be established in the near future.     

Salicylic acid and its location in response to biotic and abiotic stress

Salicylic acid (SA) is an important signal involved in the activation of plant defence responses against abiotic and biotic stress. SA may derive from the phenylpropanoid pathway or via isochorismate synthase as demonstrated in Nicotiana benthamiana, tomato and Arabidopsis thaliana. The phenylpropanoid pathway as well as isochorismate synthase are localized in the chloroplasts but it remains unknown if the end product SA is in the same organelle. We have studied the localization of SA in A. thaliana using the salicylate hydroxylase (NahG) gene expressed with a chloroplast targeting sequence. Plants expressing NahG in the chloroplasts are unable to accumulate SA induced after pathogen or UV exposure. Our data infer that SA is initially located in the chloroplasts.     

Hydrogen sulfide regulates abiotic stress tolerance and biotic stress resistance in Arabidopsis

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an important gaseous molecule in various plant developmental processes and plant stress responses. In this study, the transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants with modulated exp...     

14-3-3 proteins and the response to abiotic and biotic stress

14-3-3 proteins function as regulators of a wide range of target proteins in all eukaryotes by effecting direct protein-protein interactions. Primarily, interactions between 14-3-3 proteins and their targets are mediated by phosphorylation at specific sites on the target protein. Hence, interactions with 14-3-3s are subject to environmental control through signalling pathways which impact on 14-3-3 binding sites. Because 14-3-3 proteins regulate the activities of many proteins involved in signal transduction, there are multiple levels at which 14-3-3 proteins may play roles in stress responses in higher plants. In this article, we review evidence which implicates 14-3-3 proteins in responses to environmental, metabolic and nutritional stresses, as well as in defence responses to wounding and pathogen attack. This evidence includes stress-inducible changes in 14-3-3 gene expression, interactions between 14-3-3 proteins and signalling proteins and interactions between 14-3-3 proteins and proteins with defensive functions.     

Plant metabolomics in biotic and abiotic stress: a critical overview

Abiotic and biotic stresses affect plant physiology and growth. The development of metabolomics, along with other -omics technologies, allowed in depth analysis of the reactive processes characterizing plant stress as the result of the alteration of metabolites and gene expressions. Here, we organize and interpret data from 151 studies to provide an overview about metabolomic shift after exposure to either abiotic or biotic stresses including drought, salinity, heat, heavy metal, cold, pathogens and insects. Data showed that amino acids, organic acids, sugars, and sugar alcohols quantities are influenced by stresses. Proline for example, increased in almost every stress condition, while other molecules increased or decreased depending specifically on plant tissue, plant species and type of applied stress. We concluded that although it is difficult to predict precisely what a stress will cause, some general metabolic trends can be described and improve our understanding of plant response to biotic and abiotic stresses.

     

Identification of biotic and abiotic stress up-regulated ESTs in Gossypium arboreum

Asiatic desi cotton (Gossypium arboreum) shows great potential against biotic and abiotic stresses. The stress resistant nature makes it a best source for the identification of biotic and abiotic stress resistant genes. As in many plants same set of genes show responding behavior against the various abiotic and biotic stresses. Thus in the present study the ESTs from the G. arboreum drought stressed leaves were subjected to find the up-regulated ESTs in abiotic and biotic stresses through homology and in-silico analysis. A cDNA library has been constructed from the drought stressed G. arboreum plant. 778 clones were randomly picked and sequenced. All these sequences were subjected to in-silico identification of biotic and abiotic up-regulated ESTs. Total 39 abiotic and biotic up-regulated ESTs were identified. The results were further validated by real-time PCR; by randomly selection of ten ESTs. These findings will help to develop stress resistant crop varieties for better yield and growth performance under stresses.     

In vivo role of nitric oxide in plant response to abiotic and biotic stress

Over the past few years, nitric oxide (NO) has emerged as an important regulator in many physiological events, especially in response to abiotic and biotic stress. However, the roles of NO were mostly derived from pharmacological studies or the mutants impaired NO synthesis unspecifically. In our recent study, we highlighted a novel strategy by expressing the rat neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) in Arabidopsis to explore the in vivo role of NO. Our results suggested that plants were able to perform well in the constitutive presence of nNOS, and provided a new class of plant experimental system with specific in vivo NO release. Furthermore, our findings also confirmed that the in vivo NO is essential for most of environmental abiotic stresses and disease resistance against pathogen infection. Proper level of NO may be necessary and beneficial, not only in plant response to the environmental abiotic stress, but also to biotic stress.     

ABA signal transduction at the crossroad of biotic and abiotic stress responses

Abscisic acid (ABA) regulates key processes relevant to seed germination, plant development, and biotic and abiotic stress responses. Abiotic stress conditions such as drought induce ABA biosynthesis initiating the signalling pathways that lead to a number of molecular and cellular responses, among which the best known are the expression of stress-related genes and stomatal closure. Stomatal closure also serves as a mechanism for pathogen defence, thereby acting as a platform for crosstalk between biotic and abiotic stress responses involving ABA action. Significant advances in our understanding of ABA signal transduction have been made with combination of approaches including genetics, biochemistry, electrophysiology and chemical genetics. Molecular components associated with the ABA signalling have been identified, and their relationship in the complex network of interactions is being dissected. We focused on the recent progress in ABA signal transduction, especially those studies related to identification of ABA receptors and downstream components that lead ABA signal to cellular response. In particular, we will describe a pathway model that starts with ABA binding to the PYR/PYL/RCAR family of receptors, followed by inactivation of 2C-type protein phosphatases and activation of SnRK2-type kinases, and eventually lead to activation of ion channels in guard cells and stomatal closure.     

Functions of the respiratory burst oxidase in biotic interactions, abiotic stress and development

The production of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) is among the earliest temporal events following pathogen recognition in plants. Initially, ROI were thought to be cell-death executioners. Emerging evidence, however, suggests a broader role for ROI as signals that mediate responses to infection, the abiotic environment, developmental cues, and programmed cell death in different cell types. The Respiratory burst oxidase homolog (Rboh) gene family encodes the key enzymatic subunit of the plant NADPH oxidase. Rboh proteins are the source of ROI produced following pathogen recognition and in a variety of other processes.     

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。     

Salicylic acid production in response to biotic and abiotic stress depends on isochorismate in Nicotiana benthamiana

Salicylic acid (SA) is an important signal involved in the activation of defence responses against abiotic and biotic stress. In tobacco, benzoic acid or glucosyl benzoate were proposed to be precursors of SA. This is in sharp contrast with studies in Arabidopsis thaliana, where SA derives from isochorismate. We have determined the importance of isochorismate for SA biosynthesis in Nicotiana benthamiana using virus-induced gene silencing of the isochorismate synthase (ICS) gene. Plants with silenced ICS expression do not accumulate SA after exposure to UV or to pathogen stress. Plants with silenced ICS expression also exhibit strongly decreased levels of phylloquinone, a product of isochorismate. Our data provide evidence for an isochorismate-derived synthesis of SA in N. benthamiana.     

Role of miRNAs and siRNAs in biotic and abiotic stress responses of plants

Small, non-coding RNAs are a distinct class of regulatory RNAs in plants and animals that control a variety of biological processes. In plants, several classes of small RNAs with specific sizes and dedicated functions have evolved through a series of pathways. The major classes of small RNAs include microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), which differ in their biogenesis. miRNAs control the expression of cognate target genes by binding to reverse complementary sequences, resulting in cleavage or translational inhibition of the target RNAs. siRNAs have a similar structure, function, and biogenesis as miRNAs but are derived from long double-stranded RNAs and can often direct DNA methylation at target sequences. Besides their roles in growth and development and maintenance of genome integrity, small RNAs are also important components in plant stress responses. One way in which plants respond to environmental stress is by modifying their gene expression through the activity of small RNAs. Thus, understanding how small RNAs regulate gene expression will enable researchers to explore the role of small RNAs in biotic and abiotic stress responses. This review focuses on the regulatory roles of plant small RNAs in the adaptive response to stresses. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Plant gene regulation in response to abiotic stress.     

Volatiles emitted from in vitro grown tomato shoots during abiotic and biotic stress

Different stress factors were applied to in vitro grown tomato shoots (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. `Moneymaker') to investigate the volatiles released in the headspace. Solid phase microextraction was used for the experiments with an abiotic stress factor (constant light) and automated dynamic sampling was used for the experiments with a biotic stress factor (Spodoptera littoralis caterpillar). Continuous light as stress factor induced constant emission of the sesquiterpene a-copaene. Constant emission was not found with any other sesquiterpene or with monoterpenes. Therefore, we hypothesize that this compound needs light for its biosynthesis and/ or emission. An attack by caterpillars caused an immediate higher emission of the constitutive compounds (mono-and sesquiterpenes) and the induced compounds (linalool and indole); the latter were emitted approximately 1 day after the attack and linalool was even emitted 2 days after removal of the caterpillar.