Yew Lee

Hormone- and light-regulated nucleocytoplasmic transport in plants: current status

The gene regulation mechanisms underlying hormone- and light-induced signal transduction in plants rely not only on post-translational modification and protein degradation, but also on selective inclusion and exclusion of proteins from the nucleus. For example, plant cells treated with light or hormones actively transport many signalling regulatory proteins, transcription factors, and even photoreceptors and hormone receptors into the nucleus, while actively excluding other proteins. The nuclear envelope (NE) is the physical and functional barrier that mediates this selective partitioning, and nuclear transport regulators transduce hormone- or light-initiated signalling pathways across the membrane to mediate nuclear activities. Recent reports revealed that mutating the proteins regulating nuclear transport through the pores, such as nucleoporins, alters the plants response to a stimulus. In this review, recent works are introduced that have revealed the importance of regulated nucleocytoplasmic partitioning. These important findings deepen our understanding about how co-ordinated plant hormone and light signal transduction pathways facilitate communication between the cytoplasm and the nucleus. The roles of nucleoporin components within the nuclear pore complex (NPC) are also emphasized, as well as nuclear transport cargo, such as Ran/TC4 and its binding proteins (RanBPs), in this process. Recent findings concerning these proteins may provide a possible direction by which to characterize the regulatory potential of hormone- or light-triggered nuclear transport.

Brassinazole resistant 1 (BZR1)-dependent brassinosteroid signalling pathway leads to ectopic activation of quiescent cell division and suppresses columella stem cell differentiation

Highlight Brassinosteroids (BRs) lead to ectopic activation of quiescent centre division as well as modulation of the columella stem cells differentiation in Arabidopsis roots in a BR concentration- and BZR1-/BES1-dependent manner.

Phytochrome-mediated differential gene expression of plant Ran/TC4 small G-proteins

Ran/TC4 is the only known member of the family of small GTP-binding proteins primarily localized inside the nucleus. We cloned a pea Ran gene (PsRan1) and characterized its expression in tissues, and under different light sources. PsRan1 is a member of a highly homologous multigene family, and it encodes a protein containing plant-specific amino acids in its sequence. It is ubiquitously expressed in pea tissues with high expression in radicles. The amount of total mRNA transcripts representing multiple Ran family members increased in response to very low-fluence R, while the amount of mRNA transcript encoding PsRan1 specifically was not affected by various light treatments. In addition, Ran genes in Arabidopsis were also differentially expressed in various mutants defective in phytochromes or the light-responding HY5 protein, such as phyA, phyB, and hy5. AtRan1 and AtRan3 gene expression was significantly reduced in the phyA mutant background compared to that in Ler-0 wild type plants. AtRan1 expression was also decreased in the phyB background. In contrast, the expression of AtRan2 did not vary in the hy5 and phytochrome mutant backgrounds examined. Interestingly, expression of AtRan1 was significantly reduced in hy5 plants, while AtRan3 expression was increased in the same plants. From these results, we conclude that Ran gene expression is differentially regulated by various light sources and phytochrome-mediated signaling pathways.

Cell type identity inArabidopsis roots is altered by both ascorbic acid-induced changes in the redox environment and the resultant endogenous auxin response

Redox plays a critical role in controlling many cellular processes of plant growth and development. To understand the effect of changes in redox on cell-type determination in the root meristem, we examined the influence of a strong reducing agent -ascorbic acid (AA) - on both the expression patterns of several cell type-specific promoters and the endogenous auxin sensitivity of auxin-responsive DR5::GUS transgenic plants. AA treatment altered the regular expression of columella-specific markers. Moreover, when the same treatment was applied to the DR5::GUS lines, normal expression of the GUS reporter was completely abolished in the auxin maximum, while exogenous auxin restored AA-driven depletion of that maximum. Interestingly, the level of DHA (dehydroascorbate, an oxidized form of AA) in the AA-treated roots was greatly increased. This indicates that changes in cell-type specificity and the sensitivity to endogenous auxin may result from an increase in the cellular DHA that is metabolized from exogenously supplied AA. Therefore, we propose that redox changes in the root meristem alter auxin homeostasis, perhaps causing a change in cell types within the root meristem.

Ethylene-induced opposite redistributions of calcium and auxin are essential components in the development of tomato petiolar epinastic curvature.

Calcium has been suggested as an important mediator of gravity signaling transduction within the root cap statocyte. In a horizontally-placed root, it is redistributed in the direction of the gravity vector (i.e. it moves downward) and its redistribution is closely correlated with auxin downward movement. However, the involvement of calcium in the regulation of ethylene-induced epinasty and auxin movement is not known. In this report, we examined the involvement of calcium in lateral auxin transport during ethylene-induced epinasty in an effort to understand the relationship among calcium, auxin, and ethylene. Ethylene-induced epinasty was further stimulated by exogenously applied Ca2+, the calcium effect being the strongest among divalent cations tested. Pretreatment with NPA, an auxin transport inhibitor, negated the promotive effect of calcium ions on the petiolar epinasty. Ethylene caused redistribution/differential accumulation of 45Ca2+ toward the morphologically lower (abaxial) side of the leaf petioles, an effect opposite to that of 14C-IAA redistribution. Verapamil, a Ca2+ channel blocker, inhibited ethylene-induced epinasty, as well as the redistribution of 14C-IAA and 45Ca2+. When the petiole was inverted in the presence or absence of ethylene, the direction of 45Ca2+ differential accumulation was still toward the morphologically abaxial side of the petiole during epinastic movement regardless of gravitational direction. These results suggest that gravity-insensitive, ethylene-induced Ca2+ redistribution and accumulation toward the abaxial side are closely coupled to the adaxial auxin redistribution/accumulation and, in turn, to the petiolar epinasty.

Update on Phosphorylation-Mediated Brassinosteroid Signaling Pathways

단백질 인산화는 세포의 활동을 조절하는 보편적인 과정이다. 브라시노스테로이드(brassinostreoid)에 의해 매개되는 신호전달은 브라시노스테로이드에 의해 활성화된 세포막상의 protein kinase 로부터 인산화되어 있는 전사 인자들을 탈인산화하는 연속적인 인산화/탈인산화 과정이다. 브라시노스테로이드에 의해 매개되는 신호전달의 연구는 인산화에 관여하는 kinase 기질상의 아미노산을 밝히고, 그와 관련된 돌연변이체의 표현형을 알아봄으로써 급속하게 발전하였다. BRI1과 BAK1의 자기인산화(autophosphorylation), 상호인산화(transphosphorylation), 타이로신 인산화(tyrosine phosphorylation)를 밝힘으로써 그들의 조절작용을 식물의 생리학적, 발생학적 과정을 더 이해할 수 있는 장이 열렸다. 브라시노스테로이드에 의한 인산화는 수용체에 의해 매개되는 세포 내 함입(endocytosis)과 그에 뒤따르는 수용체의 파괴현상에서도 볼 수 있다. 인산화/탈인산화 과정에 관련하여 브라시 노스테로이드에 의해 매개되는 신호전달은 더 연구할 여지가 많이 남아 있다. 이 총설은 단백질의 인산화/탈인산화 과정을 통한 브라시노스테로이드의 신호전달 연구의 최근 상황을 기술하였다.

Calcium Could Be Involved in Auxin-Regulated Maintenance of the Quiescent Center in the Arabidopsis Root

Ca2+ transduces hormone and environmental signals to the Ca2+ sensors and relays them to the downstream target effectors in cells. During the post-embryonic developmental process, auxin plays a critical role in maintaining the mitotically inactive status of the quiescent center (QC) and the root growth and development that follows. In this report, we demonstrate that Ca2+ plays an important role in the maintenance of the QC, probably by regulating PIN1-mediated auxin transport. Perturbation of the intracellular Ca2+ levels with chemicals that modify the Ca2+ level decreases the endogenous auxin level and the size of the auxin maximum in the root tip and, at the same time, activates QC cell division and expansion. This decreased level of auxin is almost completely restored to the control level by the treatment of exogenous auxin. Interestingly, treatment with Ca2+ level modifying chemicals significantly decreased the PIN1 expression in the root vasculature. Taken together, we suggest that balancing Ca2+ homeostasis is one of contributing factors in establishing the proper auxin maximum in the root tip and maintaining the QC identity.

The Roles of Phytohormones and AtEXPA3 Gene in Gravitropic Response of Arabidopsis thaliana

We focused on relationship between phytohormones and AtEXPA3 gene in gravitropic response of A. thaliana. RT-PCR analysis shows that AtEXPA3 was highly expressed in actively developing tissues such as leaf, rosette, root and flower tissues. AtEXPA3 gene expression was enhanced by gravistimulation, BR and IAA. Furthermore, decreased gravitropism was observed when treatment of AVG, an ethylene biosynthetic inhibitor, suggesting that ethylene has a gravistimulating effect itself as well as BRs and IAA. Inhibition of gravitropism in AtEXPA3 RNAi mutant suggests that BR, auxin and ethylene are playing roles as regulators of AtEXPA3. In addition, altered gravitropism in BRs signaling mutant (decreased in bri1-301, bak1, and increased BRI-GFP) indicated that BRs signaling mediated the gravitropism. In conclusion, gravitropic responses of Arabidopsis root resulting from root growth were mediated by increased expression of AtEXPA3 gene, which is stimulated by phytohormones.

Identification and Purification of New Brassinosteroid-Conjugates in Arabidopsis thaliana

Metabolism of -castasterone in the presence of -ATP was examined by an enzyme solution prepared from A. thaliana after a reversed phased HPLC, after which a polar metabolite labeled by both and was obtained, suggesting that -CS is phosphorylated by -ATP. To elucidate the structure of the phosphorylated CS, the same enzyme assay was carried out with non-isotopes labeled CS and ATP. In GC-MS analysis the metabolite gave a molecular ion at m/z 664 as a bismethanboronate, suggesting the metabolite is a CS phosphate. Treatment of wheat germ acid phosphatase that hydrolyzed phosphoester bond gave the same mass spectrum and GC retention time in GC-MS analyses, confirming that the metabolite is phosphorylated CS. This is the first example of phosphorylated conjugates of CS in plants.