Yubing Liu

An ATP-binding cassette subfamily G full transporter is essential for the retention of leaf water in both wild barley and rice

Land plants have developed a cuticle preventing uncontrolled water loss. Here we report that an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) subfamily G (ABCG) full transporter is required for leaf water conservation in both wild barley and rice. A spontaneous mutation, eibi1.b, in wild barley has a low capacity to retain leaf water, a phenotype associated with reduced cutin deposition and a thin cuticle. Map-based cloning revealed that Eibi1 encodes an HvABCG31 full transporter. The gene was highly expressed in the elongation zone of a growing leaf (the site of cutin synthesis), and its gene product also was localized in developing, but not in mature tissue. A de novo wild barley mutant named “eibi1.c,” along with two transposon insertion lines of rice mutated in the ortholog of HvABCG31 also were unable to restrict water loss from detached leaves. HvABCG31 is hypothesized to function as a transporter involved in cutin formation. Homologs of HvABCG31 were found in green algae, moss, and lycopods, indicating that this full transporter is highly conserved in the evolution of land plants.

Molecular characterization of RsMPK2, a C1 subgroup mitogen-activated protein kinase in the desert plant Reaumuria soongorica

Reaumuria soongorica (Pall.) Maxim. is a short woody shrub widely found in semi-arid areas of China, and can survive severe environmental stresses. To understand its potential signaling transduction pathway in stress tolerance, we investigated the participation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) as possible mediators of abiotic stresses. A novel MAP kinase cDNA (RsMPK2) that encodes a 374 amino acid protein was isolated from R. soongorica. RsMPK2 belongs to the C1 subgroup, which is still functionally uncharacterized compared to groups A and B; and contains all 11 of the conserved MAPK subdomains and the TEY phosphorylation motif. RsMPK2 is expressed in vegetative (root, stem, leaf and callus) and reproductive (flower) organs. The transcripts of RsMPK2 were rapidly accumulated at high levels when R. soongorica was subjected to dehydration, salinity conditions and treatment with abscisic acid or hydrogen peroxide. Growth analysis of Escherichia coli (srl::Tn10) cells transformed with pPROEXHT-RsMPK2 showed that the expression products of RsMPK2 do not act as an osmoprotectant. But, the inhibition of RsMPK2 expression by the inhibitor U0126 induced a decrease of antioxidant enzyme activity under stresses, indicating that RsMPK2 is involved in the regulation of the antioxidant defense system in the response to stress signaling.

Seedlings growth and antioxidative enzymes activities in leaves under heavy metal stress differ between two desert plants: a perennial ( Peganum harmala ) and an annual ( Halogeton glomeratus ) grass

The present study showed the toxicity caused by heavy metal and its detoxification responses in two desert plants: perennial Peganum harmala and annual Halogeton glomeratus. In pot experiments, 1-month-old seedlings were grown under control and three levels of combined heavy metal stress. Seedling growth as well as heavy metal accumulation, antioxidative enzymes [superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX)] activities and the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in leaves was examined after 2 months of heavy metal exposure. Compared with H. glomeratus, growth of P. harmala was more severely inhibited. In leaves, the heavy metal accumulation pattern in both the plants was dose-dependent, being more in H. glomeratus. H. glomeratus exhibited a typical antioxidative defense mechanism, as evidenced by the elevated activities of all the three enzymes tested. P. harmala exhibited a different enzyme response pattern, with a significant reduction in CAT activity, and elevated SOD and APX activities, but significantly elevated APX activity was only at the lowest heavy metal concentration. MDA and H2O2 contents were significantly enhanced in leaves of heavy metal-treated P. harmala, but in H. glomeratus were elevated only at the highest heavy metal treatment. These results indicated that H. glomeratus had a greater capacity than P. harmala to adapt to oxidative stress caused by heavy metal stress, and antioxidative defense in H. glomeratus might play an important role in heavy metal tolerance.

Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes in Leaf of Reaumuria soongorica under PEG-Induced Drought Stress by Digital Gene Expression Profiling

Reaumuria soongorica (Pall.) Maxim., a resurrection semi-shrub, is a typical constructive and dominant species in desert ecosystems in northwestern China. However, the gene expression characteristics of R. soongorica under drought stress have not been elucidated. Digital gene expression analysis was performed using Illumina technique to investigate differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between control and PEG-treated samples of R. soongorica. A total of 212,338 and 211,052 distinct tags were detected in the control and PEG-treated libraries, respectively. A total of 1,325 genes were identified as DEGs, 379 (28.6%) of which were up-regulated and 946 (71.4%) were down-regulated in response to drought stress. Functional annotation analysis identified numerous drought-inducible genes with various functions in response to drought stress. A number of regulatory proteins, functional proteins, and proteins induced by other stress factors in R. soongorica were identified. Alteration in the regulatory proteins (transcription factors and protein kinase) may be involved in signal transduction. Functional proteins, including flavonoid biosynthetic proteins, late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins, small heat shock proteins (sHSP), and aquaporin and proline transporter may play protective roles in response to drought stress. Flavonoids, LEA proteins and sHSP function as reactive oxygen species scavenger or molecular chaperone. Aquaporin and proline transporters regulate the distribution of water and proline throughout the whole plant. The tolerance ability of R. soongorica may be gained through effective signal transduction and enhanced protection of functional proteins to reestablish cellular homeostasis. DEGs obtained in this study may provide useful insights to help further understand the drought-tolerant mechanism of R. soongorica.

Responses of three different ecotypes of reed (Phragmites communis Trin.) to their natural habitats: Leaf surface micro-morphology, anatomy, chloroplast ultrastructure and physio-chemical characteristics

The adaptational characteristics due to long-term adaptation in the natural habitats of common reed (Phragmites communis Trin.) contrasted considerably among three different ecotypes: dune reed (DR), Gobi salt reed (GSR) and swamp reed (SR). The micromorphologies of leaf adaxial surfaces showed tapered setae and a non-smooth surface in DR, compound papillose structures with wax and hairs in GSR, but only papillose structures for the smooth surface of SR. Anatomical analysis showed that DR and GSR had higher bundle-sheath cell areas and a lower xylem/phloem ratio than SR. There were many sclerenchyma cells in vascular bundle of DR and GSR and crystal idioblasts in all ecotypes. Chloroplasts had ellipsoid shape in SR, but they were attached to the cell wall with oblong shape and contained many starch grains in DR and GSR. Higher concentrations of NO, H(2)O(2) and lipid peroxidation, higher ratio of carotenoids/chlorophyll and higher activities in T-AOC and SOD were found in DR and GSR. Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase and Ca(2+)/Mg(2+)-ATPase activities were greatest in GSR. All these data suggested that the greater relative stress tolerance of DR and GSR was due to a combination of morpho-anatomical adaptational characteristics and physio-chemical responses, and indicated the different mechanisms in their respective natural habitats.

Correction: Epidermal Micromorphology and Mesophyll Structure of Populus euphratica Heteromorphic Leaves at Different Development Stages.

Leaf epidermal micromorphology and mesophyll structure during the development of Populus euphratica heteromorphic leaves, including linear, lanceolate, ovate, dentate ovate, dentate rhombic, dentate broad-ovate and dentate fan-shaped leaves, were studied by using electron and light microscopy. During development of heteromorphic leaves, epidermal appendages (wax crystals and trichomes) and special cells (mucilage cells and crystal idioblasts) increased in all leaf types while chloroplast ultrastructure and stomatal characters show maximum photosynthetic activity in dentate ovate and rhombic leaves. Also, functional analysis by subordinate function values shows that the maximum adaptability to adverse stress was exhibited in the broad type of mature leaves. The 12 heteromorphic leaf types are classified into three major groups by hierarchical cluster analysis: young, developing and mature leaves. Mature leaves can effectively obtain the highest stress resistance by combining the protection of xerophytic anatomy from drought stress, regulation of water uptake in micro-environment by mucilage and crystal idioblasts, and assistant defense of transpiration reduction through leaf epidermal appendages, which improves photosynthetic activity under arid desert conditions. Our data confirms that the main leaf function is differentiated during the developing process of heteromorphic leaves.

Analysis of differentially expressed genes under UV-B radiation in the desert plant Reaumuria soongorica

Reaumuria soongorica is one of the typical desert plants that present excellent tolerance to adverse environments. However, its molecular response to UV-B radiation remains poorly understood. To test the response and tolerance mechanisms of R. soongorica to the increasing UV-B radiation, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were investigated between the control and UV-B radiation groups. A total of 2150 DEGs were detected between the two groups, of which 561 were up-regulated and 1589 were down-regulated. For functional analysis, DEGs were divided into three groups: (i) Chloroplast-localized proteins, including photosynthesis-associated proteins, ribulose-phosphate-3-epimerase, and ATP-dependent Clp protease. Their transcripts were inhibited, implying that the normal function of chloroplast was affected by UV-B radiation. (ii) Proteins involved in signaling transduction, such as phototropins and GTP-binding proteins. The transcriptional alternation of phototropins may reduce the penetration of UV-B radiation by regulating phototropism, stomatal opening, and chloroplast relocation. The down regulation of GTP-binding proteins may inhibit replication of potentially damaged DNA through preventing cell division; and (iii) proteins for lipid transfer and flavonoids biosynthesis. The up-regulation of these genes suggested that lipid transfer and flavonoids may have a protective function in response to UV-B radiation. Thus, UV-B radiation may lead to the disruption of chloroplasts function. The induction of genes for signal transduction and protective proteins may be a strategy for responding to UV-B radiation in R. soongorica.