Edward W. T. Tsang

Arabidopsis homolog of the yeast TREX-2 mRNA export complex: components and anchoring nucleoporin.

Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) are vital to nuclear-cytoplasmic communication in eukaryotes. The yeast NPC-associated TREX-2 complex, also known as the Thp1-Sac3-Cdc31-Sus1 complex, is anchored on the NPC via the nucleoporin Nup1, and is essential for mRNA export. Here we report the identification and characterization of the putative Arabidopsis thaliana TREX-2 complex and its anchoring nucleoporin. Physical and functional evidence support the identification of the Arabidopsis orthologs of yeast Thp1 and Nup1. Of three Arabidopsis homologs of yeast Sac3, two are putative TREX-2 components, but, surprisingly, none are required for mRNA export as they are in yeast. Physical association of the two Cdc31 homologs, but not the Sus1 homolog, with the TREX-2 complex was observed. In addition to identification of these TREX-2 components, direct interactions of the Arabidopsis homolog of DSS1, which is an established proteasome component in yeast and animals, with both the TREX-2 complex and the proteasome were observed. This suggests the possibility of a link between the two complexes. Thus this work has identified the putative Arabidopsis TREX-2 complex and provides a foundation for future studies of nuclear export in Arabidopsis.

The Arabidopsis BRAHMA chromatin-remodeling ATPase is involved in repression of seed maturation genes in leaves.

Synthesis and accumulation of seed storage proteins (SSPs) is an important aspect of the seed maturation program. Genes encoding SSPs are specifically and highly expressed in the seed during maturation. However, the mechanisms that repress the expression of these genes in leaf tissue are not well understood. To gain insight into the repression mechanisms, we performed a genetic screen for mutants that express SSPs in leaves. Here, we show that mutations affecting BRAHMA (BRM), a SNF2 chromatin-remodeling ATPase, cause ectopic expression of a subset of SSPs and other embryogenesis-related genes in leaf tissue. Consistent with the notion that such SNF2-like ATPases form protein complexes in vivo, we observed similar phenotypes for mutations of AtSWI3C, a BRM-interacting partner, and BSH, a SNF5 homolog and essential SWI/SNF subunit. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments show that BRM is recruited to the promoters of a number of embryogenesis genes in wild-type leaves, including the 2S genes, expressed in brm leaves. Consistent with its role in nucleosome remodeling, BRM appears to affect the chromatin structure of the At2S2 promoter. Thus, the BRM-containing chromatin-remodeling ATPase complex involved in many aspects of plant development mediates the repression of SSPs in leaf tissue.

The Arabidopsis C2H2 Zinc Finger INDETERMINATE DOMAIN1/ENHYDROUS Promotes the Transition to Germination by Regulating Light and Hormonal Signaling during Seed Maturation

This study investigates the function of ENHYDROUS (ENY), an Arabidopsis C2H2 zinc finger protein, during seed development. ENY promotes germination by counteracting aspects of seed maturation associated with abscisic acid. ENY may accomplish this partially through an interaction with the growth-restraining DELLA proteins and regulation of the gibberellin pathway. Seed development ends with a maturation phase that imparts desiccation tolerance, nutrient reserves, and dormancy degree. Here, we report the functional analysis of an Arabidopsis thaliana C2H2 zinc finger protein INDETERMINATE DOMAIN1 (IDD1)/ENHYDROUS (ENY). Ectopic expression of IDD1/ENY (2x35S:ENY) disrupted seed development, delaying endosperm depletion and testa senescence, resulting in an abbreviated maturation program. Consequently, mature 2x35S:ENY seeds had increased endosperm-specific fatty acids, starch retention, and defective mucilage extrusion. Using RAB18 promoter ENY lines (RAB18:ENY) to confine expression to maturation, when native ENY expression increased and peaked, resulted in mature seed with lower abscisic acid (ABA) content and decreased germination sensitivity to applied ABA. Furthermore, results of far-red and red light treatments of 2x35S:ENY and RAB18:ENY germinating seeds, and of artificial microRNA knockdown lines, suggest that ENY acts to promote germination. After using RAB18:ENY seedlings to induce ENY during ABA application, key genes in gibberellin (GA) metabolism and signaling were differentially regulated in a manner suggesting negative feedback regulation. Furthermore, GA treatment resulted in a skotomorphogenic-like phenotype in light-grown 2x35S:ENY and RAB18:ENY seedlings. The physical interaction of ENY with DELLAs and an ENY-triggered accumulation of DELLA transcripts during maturation support the conclusion that ENY mediates GA effects to balance ABA-promoted maturation during late seed development.

A Putative Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Involved in Regulating Plant Growth and Development

We have functionally characterized an Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) gene AtHSD1 (At5g50600) that encodes a protein with homology to animal 11-β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD). Transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing AtHSD1 (designated AOHSD plants) under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter showed increased growth and seed yield as well as increased tolerance of saline stress and reduced seed dormancy. In canola (Brassica napus), transgenic plants overexpressing AtHSD1 also outgrew wild-type plants. AOHSD phenotypes were similar to those of plants that overproduced brassinosteroids (BRs) or overexpressed the BR receptor gene BRI1. A loss-of-function hsd mutant produced by RNA interference displayed a semidwarfed phenotype with reduced sensitivity to BRs. In contrast, AOHSD plants were hypersensitive to BRs and exhibited increased catabolism of abscisic acid (ABA). Germination of AOHSD seeds was less sensitive to ABA, while hsd seed was more sensitive to ABA during germination. AtHSD transcription was rapidly induced by BR treatment in wild type and was expressed widely in aerial plant parts, especially vascular tissues. This study demonstrates that AtHSD1 is involved in regulating growth and development in plants and is likely to promote or mediate BR effects. The gene has significant potential for improving growth and yield of canola and other agricultural crops.

MicroRNAs and their putative targets in Brassica napus seed maturation

BackgroundMicroRNAs (miRNAs) are 20–21 nucleotide RNA molecules that suppress the transcription of target genes and may also inhibit translation. Despite the thousands of miRNAs identified and validated in numerous plant species, only small numbers have been identified from the oilseed crop plant Brassica napus (canola) – especially in seeds.ResultsUsing next-generation sequencing technologies, we performed a comprehensive analysis of miRNAs during seed maturation at 9 time points from 10 days after flowering (DAF) to 50 DAF using whole seeds and included separate analyses of radicle, hypocotyl, cotyledon, embryo, endosperm and seed coat tissues at 4 selected time points. We identified more than 500 conserved miRNA or variant unique sequences with >300 sequence reads and also found 10 novel miRNAs. Only 27 of the conserved miRNA sequences had been previously identified in B. napus (miRBase Release 18). More than 180 MIRNA loci were identified/annotated using the B. rapa genome as a surrogate for the B.napus A genome. Numerous miRNAs were expressed in a stage- or tissue-specific manner suggesting that they have specific functions related to the fine tuning of transcript abundance during seed development. miRNA targets in B. napus were predicted and their expression patterns profiled using microarray analyses. Global correlation analysis of the expression patterns of miRNAs and their targets revealed complex miRNA-target gene regulatory networks during seed development. The miR156 family was the most abundant and the majority of the family members were primarily expressed in the embryo.ConclusionsLarge numbers of miRNAs with diverse expression patterns, multiple-targeting and co-targeting of many miRNAs, and complex relationships between expression of miRNAs and targets were identified in this study. Several key miRNA-target expression patterns were identified and new roles of miRNAs in regulating seed development are suggested. miR156, miR159, miR172, miR167, miR158 and miR166 are the major contributors to the network controlling seed development and maturation through their pivotal roles in plant development. miR156 may regulate the developmental transition to germination.

Synergistic repression of the embryonic programme by SET DOMAIN GROUP 8 and EMBRYONIC FLOWER 2 in Arabidopsis seedlings

The seed maturation programme occurs only during the late phase of embryo development, and repression of the maturation genes is pivotal for seedling development. However, mechanisms that repress the expression of this programme in vegetative tissues are not well understood. A genetic screen was performed for mutants that express maturation genes in leaves. Here, it is shown that mutations affecting SDG8 (SET DOMAIN GROUP 8), a putative histone methyltransferase, cause ectopic expression of a subset of maturation genes in leaves. Further, to investigate the relationship between SDG8 and the Polycomb Group (PcG) proteins, which are known to repress many developmentally important genes including seed maturation genes, double mutants were made and formation of somatic embryos was observed on mutant seedlings with mutations in both SDG8 and EMF2 (EMBRYONIC FLOWER 2). Analysis of histone methylation status at the chromatin sites of a number of maturation loci revealed a synergistic effect of emf2 and sdg8 on the deposition of the active histone mark which is the trimethylation of Lys4 on histone 3 (H3K4me3). This is consistent with high expression of these genes and formation of somatic embryos in the emf2 sdg8 double mutants. Interestingly, a double mutant of sdg8 and vrn2 (vernalization2), a paralogue of EMF2, grew and developed normally to maturity. These observations demonstrate a functional cooperative interplay between SDG8 and an EMF2-containing PcG complex in maintaining vegetative cell identity by repressing seed genes to promote seedling development. The work also indicates the functional specificities of PcG complexes in Arabidopsis.

Proteomic and functional analyses of Nelumbo nucifera annexins involved in seed thermotolerance and germination vigor

Annexins are multifunctional proteins characterized by their capacity to bind calcium ions and negatively charged lipids. Although there is increasing evidence implicating their importance in plant stress responses, their functions in seeds remain to be further studied. In this study, we identified a heat-induced annexin, NnANN1, from the embryonic axes of sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) using comparative proteomics approach. Moreover, the expression of NnANN1 increased considerably in response to high-temperature treatment. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed that the transcripts of NnANN1 were detected predominantly during seed development and germination in sacred lotus, implicating a role for NnANN1 in plant seeds. Ectopic expression of NnANN1 in Arabidopsis resulted in enhanced tolerance to heat stress in transgenic seeds. In addition, compared to the wild-type seeds, transgenic seeds ectopically expressing NnANN1 exhibited improved resistance to accelerated aging treatment used for assessing seed vigor. Furthermore, transgenic seeds showed enhanced peroxidase activities, accompanied with reduced lipid peroxidation and reduced ROS release levels compared to the wild-type seeds. Taken together, these results indicate that NnANN1 plays an important role in seed thermotolerance and germination vigor.

MicroRNA–Mediated Repression of the Seed Maturation Program during Vegetative Development in Arabidopsis

The seed maturation program only occurs during late embryogenesis, and repression of the program is pivotal for seedling development. However, the mechanism through which this repression is achieved in vegetative tissues is poorly understood. Here we report a microRNA (miRNA)–mediated repression mechanism operating in leaves. To understand the repression of the embryonic program in seedlings, we have conducted a genetic screen using a seed maturation gene reporter transgenic line in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) for the isolation of mutants that ectopically express seed maturation genes in leaves. One of the mutants identified from the screen is a weak allele of ARGONAUTE1 (AGO1) that encodes an effector protein for small RNAs. We first show that it is the defect in the accumulation of miRNAs rather than other small RNAs that causes the ectopic seed gene expression in ago1. We then demonstrate that overexpression of miR166 suppresses the derepression of the seed gene reporter in ago1 and that, conversely, the specific loss of miR166 causes ectopic expression of seed maturation genes. Further, we show that ectopic expression of miR166 targets, type III homeodomain-leucine zipper (HD-ZIPIII) genes PHABULOSA (PHB) and PHAVOLUTA (PHV), is sufficient to activate seed maturation genes in vegetative tissues. Lastly, we show that PHB binds the promoter of LEAFY COTYLEDON2 (LEC2), which encodes a master regulator of seed maturation. Therefore, this study establishes a core module composed of a miRNA, its target genes (PHB and PHV), and the direct target of PHB (LEC2) as an underlying mechanism that keeps the seed maturation program off during vegetative development.

NnHSP17.5, a cytosolic class II small heat shock protein gene from Nelumbo nucifera, contributes to seed germination vigor and seedling thermotolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis

In plants, small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) are unusually abundant and diverse proteins involved in various abiotic stresses, but their functions in seed vigor remain to be fully explored. In this study, we report the isolation and functional characterization of a sHSP gene, NnHSP17.5, from sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) in seed germination vigor and seedling thermotolerance. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis indicate that NnHSP17.5 is a cytosolic class II sHSP, which was further supported by the cytosolic localization of the NnHSP17.5-YFP fusion protein. NnHSP17.5 was specifically expressed in seeds under normal conditions, and was strongly up-regulated in germinating seeds upon heat and oxidative stresses. Transgenic Arabidopsis seeds ectopically expressing NnHSP17.5 displayed enhanced seed germination vigor and exhibited increased superoxide dismutase activity after accelerated aging treatment. In addition, improved basal thermotolerance was also observed in the transgenic seedlings. Taken together, this work highlights the importance of a plant cytosolic class II sHSP both in seed germination vigor and seedling thermotolerance.

Overexpression of Nelumbo nucifera metallothioneins 2a and 3 enhances seed germination vigor in Arabidopsis

Metallothioneins (MTs) are small, cysteine-rich and metal-binding proteins which are involved in metal homeostasis and scavenging of reactive oxygen species. Although plant MTs have been intensively studied, their roles in seeds remain to be clearly established. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of NnMT2a, NnMT2b and NnMT3 from sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) and their roles in seed germination vigor. The transcripts of NnMT2a, NnMT2b and NnMT3 were highly expressed in developing and germinating sacred lotus seeds, and were dramatically up-regulated in response to high salinity, oxidative stresses and heavy metals. Analysis of transformed Arabidopsis protoplasts showed that NnMT2a-YFP and NnMT3-YFP were localized in cytoplasm and nucleoplasm. Transgenic Arabidopsis seeds overexpressing NnMT2a and NnMT3 displayed improved resistance to accelerated aging (AA) treatment, indicating their significant roles in seed germination vigor. These transgenic seeds also exhibited higher superoxide dismutase activity compared to wild-type seeds after AA treatment. In addition, we showed that NnMT2a and NnMT3 conferred improved germination ability to NaCl and methyl viologen on transgenic Arabidopsis seeds. Taken together, these data demonstrate that overexpression of NnMT2a and NnMT3 in Arabidopsis significantly enhances seed germination vigor after AA treatment and under abiotic stresses.