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The SnRK2 family in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.): genome-wide identification and expression analyses during fruit development and under abiotic stress.
Wu, Z, Cheng, J, Hu, F, Qin, C, Xu, X, Hu, K
Genes & genomics. 2020;(10):1117-1130
Abstract
Plant-specific SnRK2 (sucrose nonfermenting-1-related protein kinase 2) genes play crucial roles in the coordination of plant growth and development and responses to stress. However, comprehensive studies have not been performed for this gene family in pepper (Capsicum annuum), a very important Solanaceous vegetable worldwide. To fully understand the status of SnRK2s in chili pepper, a total of 9 putative SnRK2 genes (named CaSnRK2.1-2.9) were identified in pepper in the present study. These genes were located on 7 different chromosomes and classified into three subfamilies based on the phylogenetic tree. Their conserved motif compositions and exon-intron structures were systematically analyzed, and the results strongly supported the classification. Furthermore, a total of 81 putative cis-elements were found in the promoter regions, and the cis-elements related to hormone and stress signaling were abundant. Finally, the CaSnRK2 gene expression profiles among different tissues, especially developing fruit tissue, and under various abiotic stresses were investigated to identify tissue-specific or stress-responsive candidates. This study was the first to comprehensively investigate the SnRK2 family in pepper, and the results provide important clues for further functional analyses of fruit development and abiotic stress responses.
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Is REDD1 a metabolic double agent? Lessons from physiology and pathology.
Britto, FA, Dumas, K, Giorgetti-Peraldi, S, Ollendorff, V, Favier, FB
American journal of physiology. Cell physiology. 2020;(5):C807-C824
Abstract
The Akt/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway governs macromolecule synthesis, cell growth, and metabolism in response to nutrients and growth factors. Regulated in development and DNA damage response (REDD)1 is a conserved and ubiquitous protein, which is transiently induced in response to multiple stimuli. Acting like an endogenous inhibitor of the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, REDD1 protein has been shown to regulate cell growth, mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Recent studies also indicate that timely REDD1 expression limits Akt/mTOR-dependent synthesis processes to spare energy during metabolic stresses, avoiding energy collapse and detrimental consequences. In contrast to this beneficial role for metabolic adaptation, REDD1 chronic expression appears involved in the pathogenesis of several diseases. Indeed, REDD1 expression is found as an early biomarker in many pathologies including inflammatory diseases, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, depression, diabetes, and obesity. Moreover, prolonged REDD1 expression is associated with cell apoptosis, excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and inflammation activation leading to tissue damage. In this review, we decipher several mechanisms that make REDD1 a likely metabolic double agent depending on its duration of expression in different physiological and pathological contexts. We also discuss the role played by REDD1 in the cross talk between the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway and the energetic metabolism.
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Mechanisms of sensing and response to proteotoxic stress.
Santiago, AM, Gonçalves, DL, Morano, KA
Experimental cell research. 2020;(2):112240
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Abstract
Cells are continuously subject to various stresses, battling both exogenous insults as well as toxic by-products of normal cellular metabolism and nutrient deprivation. Throughout the millennia, cells developed a core set of general stress responses that promote survival and reproduction under adverse circumstances. Past and current research efforts have been devoted to understanding how cells sense stressors and how that input is deciphered and transduced, resulting in stimulation of stress management pathways. A prime element of cellular stress responses is the increased transcription and translation of proteins specialized in managing and mitigating distinct types of stress. In this review, we focus on recent developments in our understanding of cellular sensing of proteotoxic stressors that impact protein synthesis, folding, and maturation provided by the model eukaryote the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with reference to similarities and differences with other model organisms and humans.
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Brassinosteroids: Multidimensional Regulators of Plant Growth, Development, and Stress Responses.
Nolan, TM, Vukašinović, N, Liu, D, Russinova, E, Yin, Y
The Plant cell. 2020;(2):295-318
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Abstract
Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a group of polyhydroxylated plant steroid hormones that are crucial for many aspects of a plant's life. BRs were originally characterized for their function in cell elongation, but it is becoming clear that they play major roles in plant growth, development, and responses to several stresses such as extreme temperatures and drought. A BR signaling pathway from cell surface receptors to central transcription factors has been well characterized. Here, we summarize recent progress toward understanding the BR pathway, including BR perception and the molecular mechanisms of BR signaling. Next, we discuss the roles of BRs in development and stress responses. Finally, we show how knowledge of the BR pathway is being applied to manipulate the growth and stress responses of crops. These studies highlight the complex regulation of BR signaling, multiple points of crosstalk between BRs and other hormones or stress responses, and the finely tuned spatiotemporal regulation of BR signaling.
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Molecular Mapping and Genomics of Grain Yield in Durum Wheat: A Review.
Arriagada, O, Marcotuli, I, Gadaleta, A, Schwember, AR
International journal of molecular sciences. 2020;(19)
Abstract
Durum wheat is the most relevant cereal for the whole of Mediterranean agriculture, due to its intrinsic adaptation to dryland and semi-arid environments and to its strong historical cultivation tradition. It is not only relevant for the primary production sector, but also for the food industry chains associated with it. In Mediterranean environments, wheat is mostly grown under rainfed conditions and the crop is frequently exposed to environmental stresses, with high temperatures and water scarcity especially during the grain filling period. For these reasons, and due to recurrent disease epidemics, Mediterranean wheat productivity often remains under potential levels. Many studies, using both linkage analysis (LA) and a genome-wide association study (GWAS), have identified the genomic regions controlling the grain yield and the associated markers that can be used for marker-assisted selection (MAS) programs. Here, we have summarized all the current studies identifying quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and/or candidate genes involved in the main traits linked to grain yield: kernel weight, number of kernels per spike and number of spikes per unit area.
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Class III peroxidase: an indispensable enzyme for biotic/abiotic stress tolerance and a potent candidate for crop improvement.
Kidwai, M, Ahmad, IZ, Chakrabarty, D
Plant cell reports. 2020;(11):1381-1393
Abstract
Class III peroxidases are secretory enzymes which belong to a ubiquitous multigene family in higher plants and have been identified to play role in a broad range of physiological and developmental processes. Potentially, it is involved in generation and detoxification of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and their subcellular localization reflects through three different cycles, namely peroxidative cycle, oxidative and hydroxylic cycles to maintain the ROS level inside the cell. Being an antioxidant, class III peroxidases are an important initial defence adapted by plants to cope with biotic and abiotic stresses. Both these stresses have become a major concern in the field of agriculture due to their devastating effect on plant growth and development. Despite numerous studies on plant defence against both the stresses, only a handful role of class III peroxidases have been uncovered by its functional characterization. This review will cover our current understanding on class III peroxidases and the signalling involved in their regulation under both types of stresses. The review will give a view of class III peroxidases and highlights their indispensable role under stress conditions. Its future application will be discussed to showcase their importance in crop improvement by genetic manipulation and by transcriptome analysis.
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Molecular Regulation of Plant Responses to Environmental Temperatures.
Ding, Y, Shi, Y, Yang, S
Molecular plant. 2020;(4):544-564
Abstract
Temperature is a key factor governing the growth and development, distribution, and seasonal behavior of plants. The entire plant life cycle is affected by environmental temperatures. Plants grow rapidly and exhibit specific changes in morphology under mild average temperature conditions, a response termed thermomorphogenesis. When exposed to chilling or moist chilling low temperatures, flowering or seed germination is accelerated in some plant species; these processes are known as vernalization and cold stratification, respectively. Interestingly, once many temperate plants are exposed to chilling temperatures for some time, they can acquire the ability to resist freezing stress, a process termed cold acclimation. In the face of global climate change, heat stress has emerged as a frequent challenge, which adversely affects plant growth and development. In this review, we summarize and discuss recent progress in dissecting the molecular mechanisms regulating plant thermomorphogenesis, vernalization, and responses to extreme temperatures. We also discuss the remaining issues that are crucial for understanding the interactions between plants and temperature.
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Enhancing Salt Tolerance of Plants: From Metabolic Reprogramming to Exogenous Chemical Treatments and Molecular Approaches.
Patel, MK, Kumar, M, Li, W, Luo, Y, Burritt, DJ, Alkan, N, Tran, LP
Cells. 2020;(11)
Abstract
Plants grow on soils that not only provide support for root anchorage but also act as a reservoir of water and nutrients important for plant growth and development. However, environmental factors, such as high salinity, hinder the uptake of nutrients and water from the soil and reduce the quality and productivity of plants. Under high salinity, plants attempt to maintain cellular homeostasis through the production of numerous stress-associated endogenous metabolites that can help mitigate the stress. Both primary and secondary metabolites can significantly contribute to survival and the maintenance of growth and development of plants on saline soils. Existing studies have suggested that seed/plant-priming with exogenous metabolites is a promising approach to increase crop tolerance to salt stress without manipulation of the genome. Recent advancements have also been made in genetic engineering of various metabolic genes involved in regulation of plant responses and protection of the cells during salinity, which have therefore resulted in many more basic and applied studies in both model and crop plants. In this review, we discuss the recent findings of metabolic reprogramming, exogenous treatments with metabolites and genetic engineering of metabolic genes for the improvement of plant salt tolerance.
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The Many Roles of the Bacterial Second Messenger Cyclic di-AMP in Adapting to Stress Cues.
Zarrella, TM, Bai, G
Journal of bacteriology. 2020;(1)
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Abstract
Bacteria respond to changes in environmental conditions through adaptation to external cues. Frequently, bacteria employ nucleotide signaling molecules to mediate a specific, rapid response. Cyclic di-AMP (c-di-AMP) was recently discovered to be a bacterial second messenger that is essential for viability in many species. In this review, we highlight recent work that has described the roles of c-di-AMP in bacterial responses to various stress conditions. These studies show that depending on the lifestyle and environmental niche of the bacterial species, the c-di-AMP signaling network results in diverse outcomes, such as regulating osmolyte transport, controlling plant attachment, or providing a checkpoint for spore formation. c-di-AMP achieves this signaling specificity through expression of different classes of synthesis and catabolic enzymes as well as receptor proteins and RNAs, which will be summarized.
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Interplay between Hormones and Several Abiotic Stress Conditions on Arabidopsis thaliana Primary Root Development.
López-Ruiz, BA, Zluhan-Martínez, E, Sánchez, MP, Álvarez-Buylla, ER, Garay-Arroyo, A
Cells. 2020;(12)
Abstract
As sessile organisms, plants must adjust their growth to withstand several environmental conditions. The root is a crucial organ for plant survival as it is responsible for water and nutrient acquisition from the soil and has high phenotypic plasticity in response to a lack or excess of them. How plants sense and transduce their external conditions to achieve development, is still a matter of investigation and hormones play fundamental roles. Hormones are small molecules essential for plant growth and their function is modulated in response to stress environmental conditions and internal cues to adjust plant development. This review was motivated by the need to explore how Arabidopsis thaliana primary root differentially sense and transduce external conditions to modify its development and how hormone-mediated pathways contribute to achieve it. To accomplish this, we discuss available data of primary root growth phenotype under several hormone loss or gain of function mutants or exogenous application of compounds that affect hormone concentration in several abiotic stress conditions. This review shows how different hormones could promote or inhibit primary root development in A. thaliana depending on their growth in several environmental conditions. Interestingly, the only hormone that always acts as a promoter of primary root development is gibberellins.