Methylation of phytohormones by the SABATH methyltransferases

In plants, one of the most common modifications of secondary metabolites is methylation catalyzed by various methyltransferases. Recently, a new class of methyltransferases, the SABATH family of methyltransferases, was found to modify phytohormones and other small molecules. The SABATH methyltransferases share little sequence similarity with other well characterized methyl-transferases. Arabidopsis has 24 members of the SABATH methyltransferase genes, and a subset of them has been shown to cat-alyze the formation of methyl esters with phytohormones and other small molecules. Physiological and genetic analyses show that methylation of phytohormones plays important roles in regulating various biological processes in plants, including stress responses, leaf development, and seed maturation/germination. In this review, we focus on phytohormone methylation by the SABATH family methyltransferases and the implication of these modifications in plant development.     

The epigenetic involvement in plant hormone signaling

The biosynthesis and signaling of plant hormones play a critical role in almost all biological processes. It is well-documented that phytohormones cross-talk with each other. Epigenetic mechanisms were suggested to regulate expression of downstream targets in hormone signaling pathways that help implement hormone functions. This new layer of complexities that integrate epigenetic information such as DNA methylation, chromatin remodeling, histone modification, microRNAs and siRNAs with plant hormone signaling and regulations of gene expression, has been gradually revealed. In this short review, the author tries to assemble recent progress to establish a molecular linkage between these two large and momentum research fields and also to help readers digest the literature.     

A novel putative auxin carrier family regulates intracellular auxin homeostasis in plants

The phytohormone auxin acts as a prominent signal, providing, by its local accumulation or depletion in selected cells, a spatial and temporal reference for changes in the developmental program. The distribution of auxin depends on both auxin metabolism (biosynthesis, conjugation and degradation) and cellular auxin transport. We identified in silico a novel putative auxin transport facilitator family, called PIN-LIKES (PILS). Here we illustrate that PILS proteins are required for auxin-dependent regulation of plant growth by determining the cellular sensitivity to auxin. PILS proteins regulate intracellular auxin accumulation at the endoplasmic reticulum and thus auxin availability for nuclear auxin signalling. PILS activity affects the level of endogenous auxin indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), presumably via intracellular accumulation and metabolism. Our findings reveal that the transport machinery to compartmentalize auxin within the cell is of an unexpected molecular complexity and demonstrate this compartmentalization to be functionally important for a number of developmental processes.     

A petunia ABC protein controls strigolactone-dependent symbiotic signalling and branching

Strigolactones were originally identified as stimulators of the germination of root-parasitic weeds that pose a serious threat to resource-limited agriculture. They are mostly exuded from roots and function as signalling compounds in the initiation of arbuscular mycorrhizae, which are plant-fungus symbionts with a global effect on carbon and phosphate cycling. Recently, strigolactones were established to be phytohormones that regulate plant shoot architecture by inhibiting the outgrowth of axillary buds. Despite their importance, it is not known how strigolactones are transported. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, however, are known to have functions in phytohormone translocation. Here we show that the Petunia hybrida ABC transporter PDR1 has a key role in regulating the development of arbuscular mycorrhizae and axillary branches, by functioning as a cellular strigolactone exporter. P. hybrida pdr1 mutants are defective in strigolactone exudation from their roots, resulting in reduced symbiotic interactions. Above ground, pdr1 mutants have an enhanced branching phenotype, which is indicative of impaired strigolactone allocation. Overexpression of Petunia axillaris PDR1 in Arabidopsis thaliana results in increased tolerance to high concentrations of a synthetic strigolactone, consistent with increased export of strigolactones from the roots. PDR1 is the first known component in strigolactone transport, providing new opportunities for investigating and manipulating strigolactone-dependent processes.     

叶绿体巯基亚硝基化修饰蛋白质组学研究进展

蛋白质S-亚硝基化是NO与蛋白质的半胱氨酸残基共价连接形成S-亚硝基硫醇的过程.叶绿体内快速变化的氧化还原环境容易导致蛋白质S-亚硝基化修饰发生.综述了植物逆境应答过程中叶绿体蛋白质S-亚硝基化参与调节的光合电子传递、卡尔文循环、抗氧化系统、蛋白质合成、蛋白质加工与周转、Ca~(2+)介导的信号转导、氮同化、硫同化,以及四吡咯化合物合成等途径,为全面理解植物逆境应答过程的NO调控网络机制提供了线索.     

云南松苗期生长对激素浸种的响应

 云南松苗期生长极其缓慢,尤其是造林3a内具有严重的蹲苗现象.为此,研究试图通过IAA,IBA浸种对其实施促成培育.试验采用3×3回归设计并在田间排列上汲取拉丁方和随机排列的特点进行优化布设,从而建立了最优激素效应方程,据此探讨了激素效应规律、确定了激素最佳用量及最佳配比.结果表明:① 生长量及生物量与激素用量之间的关系呈钟形曲面模式,即各生长指标均存在一个产量峰值.峰值以前,各生长指标随激素用量的增大而提高;峰值以后,各生长指标随激素用量的增大而下降.② 不同生长指标对激素用量及其配比的响应规律具有一定差异,IAA,IBA配合浸种对生物量积累的促进作用依次为树干、叶片和根系,而较高比例的IBA有利于树干的高生长和根系发育、更高比例的IBA有利于树干的粗生长以及树干和叶片的生物量积累.③ 根据激素效应方程,求得最大时的最佳激素用量及最佳配比.其中,最佳IAA用量分别为50,57,53,49,45mg/kg,最佳IBA用量分别为86,143,88,99,107mg/kg,最佳IAA:IBA配比质量分别为1:1.72,1:2.51,1:1.67,1:2.03和1:2.37,对应的苗高、地径生长量及根、干和叶片生物量理论最高产量分别为8.00cm,0.51cm,0.380g,0.387g,1.230g,分别较对照提高了22.64%,66.12%,62.40%,198.00%,83.30%.     

胀果甘草细胞的悬浮培养

切取胀果甘草(Glycyrrhiza inflate)无菌苗的子叶、下胚轴和根段外植体进行愈伤组织的诱导和悬浮细胞培养,建立了胀果甘草细胞悬浮培养体系,测定了悬浮培养细胞的生长曲线,并且研究了接种量、条件培养和激素组合对胀果甘草悬浮细胞生长的影响.结果表明子叶来源的愈伤组织最适合作为胀果甘草细胞悬浮培养的起始培养物;悬浮培养的最佳接种量为 35 g/L;条件培养基的最佳用量为总培养体积的1/3;最适合胀果甘草悬浮细胞生长的培养基是附加了 NAA 1.0 mg/L + KT 0.5 mg/L 激素组合的 MS 培养基.     

Nitric oxide: A potential key point of the signaling network leading to plant secondary metabolite biosynthesis

The endogenous signaling network of plants plays important roles in mediating the exogenous factor-induced biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Nitric oxide (NO) has emerged as a key signaling molecule in plants recently. Numerous studies demonstrated that the main signaling molecules such as salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and NO were not only involved in regulating plant secondary metabolite biosynthesis but also interacted to form a complex signaling network by mutual inhibition and/or synergy. The recent progress in the signal network of plant secondary metabolite biosynthesis has been discussed in this paper. Furthermore, we propose a hypothetical model to show that NO might act as a potential molecular switch in the signaling network leading to plant secondary metabolite biosynthesis.     

Nitric oxide:A potential key point of the signaling network leading to plant secondary metabolite biosynthesis

The endogenous signaling network of plants plays important roles in mediating the exogenous factor-induced biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Nitric oxide (NO) has emerged as a key signaling molecule in plants recently. Numerous studies demonstrated that the main signaling molecules such as salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and NO were not only involved in regulating plant secondary metabolite biosynthesis but also interacted to form a complex signaling network by mutual inhibition and/or synergy. The recent progress in the signal network of plant secondary metabolite biosynthesis has been discussed in this paper. Furthermore, we propose a hypothetical model to show that NO might act as a potential molecular switch in the signaling network leading to plant secondary metabolite biosynthesis.     

ACC氧化酶基因研究进展

乙烯作为植物的五大类激素之一,在植物的生长发育过程中发挥着重要作用.而乙烯在植物体内的生物合成主要是由ACC合成酶和ACC氧化酶这2个限速酶来控制的,通过调节它们的表达能有效地调节乙烯的合成量.本文就ACC氧化酶基因克隆及表达调控进行了综述,并对其应用前景进行了展望.     

复杂泄漏方式下的海上溢油行为归宿数值模拟及应用

为对海洋溢油风险及其生态环境损害影响进行评估,及时制订溢油事故应急反应决策,基于油粒子追踪法建立多源泄漏、移动泄漏等复杂泄漏方式下海上溢油行为归宿的数值模拟方法,包括海面溢油在风和海流作用下的迁移、扩散、蒸发、溶解、乳化、分散等行为动态和风化过程,并以接连发生在大连新港附近的两起船舶溢油事故作为多源泄漏的典型案例进行应用研究.结果表明,海面油膜时空分布模拟结果与调查监测数据符合较好,油污影响范围与观测报道结果基本吻合.     

Auxin transport inhibitors block PIN1 cycling and vesicle trafficking

Polar transport of the phytohormone auxin mediates various processes in plant growth and development, such as apical dominance, tropisms, vascular patterning and axis formation. This view is based largely on the effects of polar auxin transport inhibitors. These compounds disrupt auxin efflux from the cell but their mode of action is unknown. It is thought that polar auxin flux is caused by the asymmetric distribution of efflux carriers acting at the plasma membrane. The polar localization of efflux carrier candidate PIN1 supports this model. Here we show that the seemingly static localization of PIN1 results from rapid actin-dependent cycling between the plasma membrane and endosomal compartments. Auxin transport inhibitors block PIN1 cycling and inhibit trafficking of membrane proteins that are unrelated to auxin transport. Our data suggest that PIN1 cycling is of central importance for auxin transport and that auxin transport inhibitors affect efflux by generally interfering with membrane-trafficking processes. In support of our conclusion, the vesicle-trafficking inhibitor brefeldin A mimics physiological effects of auxin transport inhibitors.     

试论我国高校扩招、合并的经济学动因

本文运用规制经济学的相关理论和方法，对近年来我国高等教育招生体制改革中出现的高校扩招、合并现象进行了分析。认为决定一个地区高等学校应否扩招、合并以及扩招、合并的规模应建立在对该地区高等教育产业成本劣加性进行分析的基础上，由此修正和深化了以往研究此问题时所运用的教育规模经济理论，为我们深入研究和思考这一热点问题提供了一种新的理论工具和方法论视角。     

Auxin promotes Arabidopsis root growth by modulating gibberellin response

The growth of plant organs is influenced by a stream of the phytohormone auxin that flows from the shoot apex to the tip of the root. However, until now it has not been known how auxin regulates the cell proliferation and enlargement that characterizes organ growth. Here we show that auxin controls the growth of roots by modulating cellular responses to the phytohormone gibberellin (GA). GA promotes the growth of plants by opposing the effects of nuclear DELLA protein growth repressors, one of which is Arabidopsis RGA (for repressor of gal-3). GA opposes the action of several DELLA proteins by destabilizing them, reducing both the concentration of detectable DELLA proteins and their growth-restraining effects. We also show that auxin is necessary for GA-mediated control of root growth, and that attenuation of auxin transport or signalling delays the GA-induced disappearance of RGA from root cell nuclei. Our observations indicate that the shoot apex exerts long-distance control on the growth of plant organs through the effect of auxin on GA-mediated DELLA protein destabilization.     

拟南芥CARK3与RCAR12相互作用的研究

植物激素ABA是植物应对非生物胁迫的响应因子,广泛参与了植物生长发育的调控.ABA结合其受体后抑制PP2Cs的磷酸酶活性,释放SnRK2s,从而启动ABA信号转导途径.本文采用酵母双杂交系统,GST-pull down技术研究蛋白质激酶CARK3与ABA受体RCAR12在体外的相互作用,结果显示CARK3和RCAR12共转入酵母后,在三缺平板上能够正常生长;经His-Tag抗体检测,CARK3与RCAR12出现明显且单一的条带.同时,采用双分子荧光互补实验研究CARK3与RCAR12在体内的相互作用,结果显示CARK3与RCAR12共转化烟草后能观察到较强的荧光.体内外实验表明,CARK3与RCAR12存在明显的相互作用,CARK3可能通过直接磷酸化ABA受体RCAR12来调控ABA信号途径的生理应答.     

不同氮源形态和植物激素对小球藻USTB01生长及叶黄素含量的效应

在光照条件下,分别研究了氯化铵、尿素和硝酸钾3种氮源,以及吲哚乙酸（IAA）和吲哚丁酸（IBA）2种植物激素对小球藻生长及叶黄素含量的效应.结果表明,葡萄糖和硝酸钾分别作为唯一碳源和氮源可以支持小球藻快速持续生长;尿素作为唯一氮源时小球藻生长缓慢,而氯化铵作为唯一氮源时因使培养物中的pH快速降低而抑制了小球藻的进一步生长.与尿素和氯化铵相比,硝酸钾是促进小球藻生物合成叶黄素的最好氮源,小球藻细胞中的叶黄素含量可以达到0.85 mg/g.在葡萄糖为碳源和硝酸钾为氦源条件下,加入植物激素IAA、IBA非但不能明显促进小球藻的生长,反而明显抑制了小球藻对叶黄素的生物合成.     

The Mg-chelatase H subunit is an abscisic acid receptor

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a vital phytohormone that regulates mainly stomatal aperture and seed development, but ABA receptors involved in these processes have yet to be determined. We previously identified from broad bean an ABA-binding protein (ABAR) potentially involved in stomatal signalling, the gene for which encodes the H subunit of Mg-chelatase (CHLH), which is a key component in both chlorophyll biosynthesis and plastid-to-nucleus signalling. Here we show that Arabidopsis ABAR/CHLH specifically binds ABA, and mediates ABA signalling as a positive regulator in seed germination, post-germination growth and stomatal movement, showing that ABAR/CHLH is an ABA receptor. We show also that ABAR/CHLH is a ubiquitous protein expressed in both green and non-green tissues, indicating that it might be able to perceive the ABA signal at the whole-plant level.     

外加植物生长调节剂和钙调素对白芷悬浮培养细胞增殖效应的关系

利用３ＨＴｄＲ标记ＤＮＡ合成的方法研究了外加植物生长调节剂和钙调素对白芷悬浮培养细胞增殖的影响．ＭＳ培养基中有和无植物生长调节剂时,钙调素对细胞增殖的促进效应分别为４１％和４３％．结果表明外加钙调素对细胞增殖的效应与培养介质中的激素浓度可能无关     

Lateral relocation of auxin efflux regulator PIN3 mediates tropism in Arabidopsis

Long-standing models propose that plant growth responses to light or gravity are mediated by asymmetric distribution of the phytohormone auxin. Physiological studies implicated a specific transport system that relocates auxin laterally, thereby effecting differential growth; however, neither the molecular components of this system nor the cellular mechanism of auxin redistribution on light or gravity perception have been identified. Here, we show that auxin accumulates asymmetrically during differential growth in an efflux-dependent manner. Mutations in the Arabidopsis gene PIN3, a regulator of auxin efflux, alter differential growth. PIN3 is expressed in gravity-sensing tissues, with PIN3 protein accumulating predominantly at the lateral cell surface. PIN3 localizes to the plasma membrane and to vesicles that cycle in an actin-dependent manner. In the root columella, PIN3 is positioned symmetrically at the plasma membrane but rapidly relocalizes laterally on gravity stimulation. Our data indicate that PIN3 is a component of the lateral auxin transport system regulating tropic growth. In addition, actin-dependent relocalization of PIN3 in response to gravity provides a mechanism for redirecting auxin flux to trigger asymmetric growth.