Simone D'Angeli

Auxin and cytokinin control formation of the quiescent centre in the adventitious root apex of arabidopsis

Background and Aims Adventitious roots (ARs) are part of the root system in numerous plants, and are required for successful micropropagation. In the Arabidopsis thaliana primary root (PR) and lateral roots (LRs), the quiescent centre (QC) in the stem cell niche of the meristem controls apical growth with the involvement of auxin and cytokinin. In arabidopsis, ARs emerge in planta from the hypocotyl pericycle, and from different tissues in in vitro cultured explants, e.g. from the stem endodermis in thin cell layer (TCL) explants. The aim of this study was to investigate the establishment and maintenance of the QC in arabidopsis ARs, in planta and in TCL explants, because information about this process is still lacking, and it has potential use for biotechnological applications. Methods Expression of PR/LR QC markers and auxin influx (LAX3)/efflux (PIN1) genes was investigated in the presence/absence of exogenous auxin and cytokinin. Auxin was monitored by the DR5::GUS system and cytokinin by immunolocalization. The expression of the auxin-biosynthetic YUCCA6 gene was also investigated by in situ hybridization in planta and in AR-forming TCLs from the indole acetic acid (IAA)-overproducing superroot2-1 mutant and its wild type. Key Results The accumulation of auxin and the expression of the QC marker WOX5 characterized the early derivatives of the AR founder cells, in planta and in in vitro cultured TCLs. By determination of PIN1 auxin efflux carrier and LAX3 auxin influx carrier activities, an auxin maximum was determined to occur at the AR tip, to which WOX5 expression was restricted, establishing the positioning of the QC. Cytokinin caused a restriction of LAX3 and PIN1 expression domains, and concomitantly the auxin biosynthesis YUCCA6 gene was expressed in the apex. Conclusions In ARs formed in planta and TCLs, the QC is established in a similar way, and auxin transport and biosynthesis are involved through cytokinin tuning.

Adventitious shoot regeneration from vegetative shoot apices in pear and putative role of cytokinin accumulation in the morphogenetic process

Adventitious shoot regeneration was obtained from callus produced from main vegetative apices of pear of in vitrogrown shoots of Italian cultivars Spadona and Precoce di Fiorano and wild pear genotypes ISF54 and ISF61. The highest morphogenetic response was obtained on a medium containing 8.8 μM 6-benzyladenine, 1.0 μM α-naphthaleneacetic acid and 250 mg l−1cefotaxime. The explants were maintained for 30 days in darkness and then transferred to an auxin-free medium and to the light. Histological studies revealed that the new vegetative buds originated from callus that completely altered the morphology of the explant tissues by the 30th day of culture. The in situ localisation of cytokinins, performed using antibodies with marked specificity against zeatin (Z) and isopentenyladenine, revealed an accumulation of Z in the cambiform cells of the leaf primordia and in the shell zone of the new forming buds showing a primary role of this cytokinin in cell differentiation of in vitro pear organogenesis.

Potato virus X movement in Nicotiana benthamiana: new details revealed by chimeric coat protein variants

Potato virus X coat protein is necessary for both cell-to-cell and phloem transfer, but it has not been clarified definitively whether it is needed in both movement phases solely as a component of the assembled particles or also of differently structured ribonucleoprotein complexes. To clarify this issue, we studied the infection progression of a mutant carrying an N-terminal deletion of the coat protein, which was used to construct chimeric virus particles displaying peptides selectively affecting phloem transfer or cell-to-cell movement. Nicotiana benthamiana plants inoculated with expression vectors encoding the wild-type, mutant and chimeric viral genomes were examined by microscopy techniques. These experiments showed that coat protein-peptide fusions promoting cell-to-cell transfer only were not competent for virion assembly, whereas long-distance movement was possible only for coat proteins compatible with virus particle formation. Moreover, the ability of the assembled PVX to enter and persist into developing xylem elements was revealed here for the first time.

Tapetum and middle layer control male fertility in Actinidia deliciosa

Background and Aims Dioecism characterizes many crop species of economic value, including kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa). Kiwifruit male sterility occurs at the microspore stage. The cell walls of the microspores and the pollen of the male-sterile and male-fertile flowers, respectively, differ in glucose and galactose levels. In numerous plants, pollen formation involves normal functioning and degeneration timing of the tapetum, with calcium and carbohydrates provided by the tapetum essential for male fertility. The aim of this study was to determine whether the anther wall controls male fertility in kiwifruit, providing calcium and carbohydrates to the microspores. Methods The events occurring in the anther wall and microspores of male-fertile and male-sterile anthers were investigated by analyses of light microscopy, epifluorescence, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL assay) and transmission electron microscopy coupled with electron spectroscopy. The possibility that male sterility was related to anther tissue malfunctioning with regard to calcium/glucose/galactose provision to the microspores was also investigated by in vitro anther culture. Key Results Both tapetum and the middle layer showed secretory activity and both degenerated by programmed cell death (PCD), but PCD was later in male-sterile than in male-fertile anthers. Calcium accumulated in cell walls of the middle layer and tapetum and in the exine of microspores and pollen, reaching higher levels in anther wall tissues and dead microspores of male-sterile anthers. A specific supply of glucose and calcium induced normal pollen formation in in vitro-cultured anthers of the male-sterile genotype. Conclusions The results show that male sterility in kiwifruit is induced by anther wall tissues through prolonged secretory activity caused by a delay in PCD, in the middle layer in particular. In vitro culture results support the sporophytic control of male fertility in kiwifruit and open the way to applications to overcome dioecism and optimize kiwifruit production.

Factors affecting in vitro shoot formation from vegetative shoot apices of apple and relationship between organogenic response and cytokinin localisation

ABSTRACT The effects of macro- and micro-elements, benzyladenine (BA) concentration, and the period of auxin application on adventitious shoot formation from callus originating from vegetative shoot apices were tested on apple (Malus domestica Borkh) rootstock Jork 9. The putative relationship between organogenic response and cytokinin localisation was also studied by an immunolocalisation technique for in situ determination of free cytokinins. The use of MS (Murashige & Skoog, 1962) salts in the medium instead of those of LP (Quoirin & Lepoivre, 1977) had a strong positive effect both on shoot formation rate and on the number of shoots produced. The highest organogenic response from callus was induced using 17.8 μM BA in the presence of 2.7 μM NAA and by maintaining the explants for 20 days in darkness, then transferring them to fresh auxin-free medium and to the light. The in situ localisation studies, performed using antibodies with a marked specificity against zeatin and isopentenyladenine, revealed changes in the localisation of free zeatin in the tissues during the shoot-forming process, in particular during the active cell division phase leading to callus formation, and in the initial phase of bud formation. Changes in zeatin distribution in the tissues of the vegetative shoot apex during shoot formation may indicate a role for this cytokinin free base in cell differentiation and organogenesis.

The rolD oncogene promotes axillary bud and adventitious root meristems in Arabidopsis.

The expression of the Agrobacterium rhizogenes rolD oncogene induces precocious floral transition and strong flowering potential in tobacco and tomato. Here, we describe specific developmental effects induced by expression of rolD in Arabidopsis. We show that floral transition, as histologically monitored, occurred in rolD- plants earlier than in wild type, and this was coupled with a premature and enhanced formation of vegetative and reproductive axillary bud meristems. Furthermore, CYP79F1/SUPERSHOOT/BUSHY (SPS), a gene that negatively controls shoot branching in Arabidopsis and involved in glucosinolate metabolism and in cytokinin and auxin homeostasis, was down-regulated in rolD plants. The multiplication of post-embryonic meristems was also observed in the root system, with enhanced adventitious root formation. This result was confirmed by thin cell layer response in vitro, both under hormone-free and standard rooting conditions. However, the formation of lateral root meristems was not affected by rolD expression. Our results show that rolD accelerates and enhances specific post-embryonic meristems in Arabidopsis.

Rooting blockage in the tobacco rac mutant occurs at the initiation phase, and induces diversion to xylem differentiation

ABSTRACT The rac mutant of Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Xanthii is impaired in adventitious root formation. The objective of the present study was to determine whether or not the root induction phase occurs in the rac mutant, and if so, to determine what causes the induced cells to become incapable of organising root primordia. To this end, rac and wild-type shoots were cultured in vitro for 7 days under conditions suitable for obtaining roots in the wild-type (i.e., exposure to 5 µM indole-3-butyric acid for 4 h, and then transfer to hormone-free medium), and then histologically and biochemically analysed during culture. The variations in peroxidase activity, and in cellular levels of auxins and polyamines revealed that the induction phase occurs in rac shoots, although it lasts longer than in the wild-type ones. Furthermore, both auxin and polyamines were consistently higher in rac shoots compared to the wild-type. After induction, auxin and putrescine levels abruptly decreased in the wild-type shoots, whereas they decreased much more slowly in the rac mutant. The histological analysis of the wild-type shoots showed that the abrupt decrease in auxin and polyamine levels were correlated with a normal initiation phase. In fact, wild-type shoots showed cell divisions in the procambium already at day 2, resulting in the formation of root primordia at day 4, and in root emergence between days 5 and 7. In rac shoots, despite the fact that the procambium cells were activated to undergo cell division, the initiation phase was highly perturbed, and the procambial cells developed tracheary elements instead of adventitious roots. The different morphogenic responses of the two genotypes are discussed in the light of the differences in auxin content after the induction phase.

A chimeric Potato virus X encoding a heterologous peptide affects Nicotiana benthamiana chloroplast structure

Abstract The cytopathology of a Potato virus X (PVX) recombinant variant (encoding as fusion of an epitope of immunological interest with the N‐terminus of the coat protein, PVXSmaP18DD) has been compared with that induced by the wild‐type virus (PVX wt) in Nicotiana benthamiana plants. Both PVX wt and PVXSmaP18DD caused similar ultrastructural alterations, characterized by the presence of laminated inclusion components and bulk virus accumulations in mesophyll cells. However, some striking differences were observed not only in the morphology of these accumulations (typically ordered in PVX wt infection and disordered in PVXSmaP18DD infection) but also because the chimeric virus caused peculiar alterations in chloroplasts structure. Abbreviations: CP, coat protein; d.p.i., days post inoculation; LIC, laminated inclusion components; PVX, Potato virus X

Long-sized oligogalacturonides inhibit, whereas spermidine enhances, xylogenesis in tobacco leaf explants

Abstract Long-sized oligogalacturonides (OGs) are plant cell wall fragments involved in defence responses and developmental processes. A hormone/OG interaction in the control of different organogenic processes is known. However, hormones also modulate polyamine (PA) effects on organogenesis. Furthermore, OGs are known to affect mitotic activity leading to specific morphogenic events, and PAs are known to affect mitotic activity leading to xylogenesis. Thus, it may be reasonable to assume that OGs and PAs affect mitotic activity in the same cell types, and in the same hormone-induced morphogenic processes, e.g., xylogenesis. To gain further insight into this aspect, the effects of OGs, and of putrescine (Put) and spermidine (Spd), on auxin (indoleacetic acid, IAA) plus benzyladenine (BA)-induced morphogenesis in tobacco leaf explants were investigated histologically. The effect of PA biosynthetic inhibitors in the culture medium was also monitored, as well as the combined application of the inhibitor with the corresponding PA. Results show that vascular mitoses consistently occurred in the control (IAA+BA-treated) explants, leading exclusively to xylogenic nodule formation. The application of OGs resulted in an inhibition of vascular mitoses, and into a strong reduction of vascular nodule formation. By contrast, Spd enhanced both vascular mitoses and nodule formation, and Put was less effective than Spd on both events. Taken together, the results reveal a new biological activity of OGs and Spd in morphogenesis, obtained under the same hormonal conditions, and in the same tissue (i.e., the vascular parenchyma), namely the inhibition of xylogenesis by OGs, and its promotion by Spd. The fact that the effects of Spd and OGs on this morphogenic event may involve a different relationship with auxin is discussed.