TY - JOUR A1 - Lisso, Janina A1 - Altmann, Thomas A1 - Müssig, Carsten T1 - The AtNFXL1 gene encodes a NF-X1 type zinc finger protein required for growth under salt stress JF - FEBS letters : the journal for rapid publication of short reports in molecular biosciences N2 - The human NF-X1 protein and homologous proteins in eukaryotes represent a class of transcription factors which are characterised. by NF-X1 type zinc finger motifs. The Arabidopsis genome encodes two NF-X1 homologs, which we termed AtNFXL1 and AtNFXL2. Growth and survival was impaired in atnfxl1 knock-out mutants and AtNFXL1-antisense plants under salt stress in comparison to wild-type plants. In contrast, 35S: :AtNFXL1 plants showed higher survival rates. The AtNFXL2 protein potentially plays an antagonistic role. The Arabidopsis NF-X1 type zinc finger proteins likely are part of regulatory mechanisms, which protect major processes such as photosynthesis. KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - NF-X1 KW - salt stress Y1 - 2006 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.febslet.2006.07.079 SN - 0014-5793 VL - 580 IS - 22 SP - 4851 EP - 4856 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - THES A1 - Bieniawska, Zuzanna T1 - Functional analysis of the sucrose synthase gene family in Arabidopsis thaliana T1 - Funktionelle Analyse der Saccharose Synthase Genfamilie in Arabidopsis thaliana N2 - Sucrose synthase (Susy) is a key enzyme of sucrose metabolism, catalysing the reversible conversion of sucrose and UDP to UDP-glucose and fructose. Therefore, its activity, localization and function have been studied in various plant species. It has been shown that Susy can play a role in supplying energy in companion cells for phloem loading (Fu and Park, 1995), provides substrates for starch synthesis (Zrenner et al., 1995), and supplies UDP-glucose for cell wall synthesis (Haigler et al., 2001). Analysis of the Arabidopsis genome identifies six Susy isoforms. The expression of these isoforms was investigated using promoter-reporter gene constructs (GUS) and real time RT-PCR. Although these isoforms are closely related at the protein level they have radically different spatial and temporal patterns of expression in the plant with no two isoforms showing the same distribution. More than one isoform is expressed in all organs examined. Some of them have high but specific expression in particular organs or developmental stages whilst others are constantly expressed throughout the whole plant and across various stages of development. The in planta function of the six Susy isoforms were explored through analysis of T-DNA insertion mutants and RNAi lines. Plants without the expression of individual isoforms show no differences in growth and development, and are not significantly different from wild type plants in soluble sugars, starch and cellulose contents under all growth conditions investigated. Analysis of T-DNA insertion mutant lacking Sus3 isoform that was exclusively expressed in stomata cells only had a minor influence on guard cell osmoregulation and/or bioenergetics. Although none of the sucrose synthases appear to be essential for normal growth under our standard growth conditions, they may be necessary for growth under stress conditions. Different isoforms of sucrose synthase respond differently to various abiotic stresses. It has been shown that oxygen deprivation up regulates Sus1 and Sus4 and increases total Susy activity. However, the analysis of the plants with reduced expression of both Sus1 and Sus4 revealed no obvious effects on plant performance under oxygen deprivation. Low temperature up regulates Sus1 expression but the loss of this isoform has no effect on the freezing tolerance of non acclimated and cold acclimated plants. These data provide a comprehensive overview of the expression of this gene family which supports some of the previously reported roles for Susy and indicates the involvement of specific isoforms in metabolism and/or signalling. N2 - Saccharose spielt eine zentrale Rolle in höheren Pflanzen. Es zählt zu den wichtigsten Kohlenhydraten und wird als Nährstoff, Speicherstoff (z.B. in Zuckerrüben, Zuckerrohr, Mohrrüben) oder auch als potentielles Signalmolekül verwendet. Saccharose ist eines der primären Endprodukte der Photosynthese in den grünen Blättern der Pflanzen, kann aber auch in nicht-photosynthetisch aktiven Geweben (z.B. in keimenden Samen) synthetisiert und verstoffwechselt werden. Die Saccharosesynthase (Susy) stellt ein Schlüsselenzym im Saccharosestoffwechsel dar. Es katalysiert die reversible Umwandlung von Saccharose zu UDP-Glukose und Fruktose. Die Aktivität, die Lokalisierung und die Funktionen der Susy wurden bereits in verschiedenen Pflanzenarten untersucht. Dabei hatte sich herausgestellt, daß die Susy eine wichtige Rolle in der Bereitstellung von Energie für Transportprozesse spielt. Außerdem stellt Susy die Substrate für die Stärkesynthese in Speichergeweben, sowie fast alle Substrate für die Zellwandsynthese bereit. Eine Untersuchung des Genoms von Arabidopsis thaliana ergab, daß die Ackerschmalwand sechs Isoformen der Susy besitzt. Die Expression dieser Isoformen wurde mittels Echtzeit RT-PCR analysiert. Obwohl die verschiedenen Isoformen auf Proteinebene in ihrer Sequenz sehr ähnlich sind, zeigen sie Unterschiede in ihrem zeitlichen und räumlichen Auftreten innerhalb der Pflanze. Einige der Isoformen sind hoch exprimiert in speziellen Organen oder Entwicklungsstufen der Pflanze. Andere hingegen sind gleichmäßig in der ganzen Pflanze und über verschiedene Entwicklungsstufen hinaus exprimiert. In allen untersuchten Organen der Pflanze ist mehr als eine Isoform exprimiert. Um die spezifische Funktion der einzelnen Isoformen aufzuklären, wurden für alle sechs Saccharosesynthasen Mutanten-Linien isoliert und analysiert. Alle Pflanzen, bei denen die Expression einer bestimmten Isoform fehlte, zeigten im Vergleich zu Wildtyppflanzen keine signifikanten Unterschiede in Wachstum und Entwicklung. Des Weiteren waren die Gehalte an Stärke, Saccharose und Zellulose in Blättern und Wurzeln im Vergleich zu Wildtyppflanzen unverändert. Mutanten, denen die ausschließlich in Schließzellen lokalisierte Isoform Sus3 fehlte, zeigten nur geringe Veränderungen in der Osmoregulation und/oder der Bioenergetik der Schließzellen. Daraus kann gefolgert werden, dass in dem Ackerunkraut Arabidopsis keine der Saccharosesynthasen essentiell für normales Wachstum unter Standardbedingungen ist. Es ist jedoch möglich, dass Saccharosesynthasen unter Stressbedingungen benötigt werden. Es war bereits bekannt, dass einzelne Isoformen der Susy auf Stress reagieren und in ihrer Expression verändert sind. Es konnte gezeigt werden, daß Sauerstoffmangel zu einer Erhöhung der Expression der Isoformen Sus1 und Sus4 und zu einer Zunahme der Susy Gesamtaktivität führt. Die Analyse von Pflanzen mit reduzierter Expression von Sus1 und Sus4 zeigte jedoch, dass Sauerstoffmangel keinen offensichtlichen Einfluss auf das Wachstum dieser Pflanzen hat. Niedrige Temperaturen führen zu einer Erhöhung der Sus1 Expression, aber auch ein Verlust dieser Isoform hat keinen Einfluss auf die Gefriertoleranz von normalen oder an Kälte akklimatisierten Pflanzen. Diese Ergebnisse bieten einen umfassenden Einblick in die Expression der Genfamilie der Saccharosesynthase; sie untermauern die genannten Funktionen der Saccharosesynthase und weisen auf eine mögliche Beteiligung mehrerer Isoformen am Saccharosestoffwechsel und/oder der Signaltransduktion hin. KW - Saccharose Synthase KW - Genfamilie KW - Ackerschmalwand KW - sucrose synthase KW - gene family KW - Arabidopsis thaliana Y1 - 2006 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-13132 ER - TY - THES A1 - Bielecka, Monika T1 - Analysis of transcription factors under sulphur deficiency stress T1 - Analyse von Transkriptionsfaktoren unter Schwefelstress N2 - Sulphur, a macronutrient essential for plant growth, is among the most versatile elements in living organisms. Unfortunately, little is known about regulation of sulphate uptake and assimilation by plants. Identification of sulphate signalling processes will allow to control sulphate acquisition and assimilation and may prove useful in the future to improve sulphur-use efficiency in agriculture. Many of genes involved in sulphate metabolism are regulated on transcriptional level by products of other genes called transcription factors (TF). Several published experiments revealed TF genes that respond to sulphate deprivation, but none of these have been so far been characterized functionally. Thus, we aimed at identifying and characterising transcription factors that control sulphate metabolism in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. To achieve that goal we postulated that factors regulating Arabidopsis responses to inorganic sulphate deficiency change their transcriptional levels under sulphur-limited conditions. By comparing TF transcript profiles from plants grown on different sulphate regimes, we identified TF genes that may specifically induce or repress changes in expression of genes that allow plants to adapt to changes in sulphate availability. Candidate genes obtained from this screening were tested by reverse genetics approaches. Transgenic plants constitutively overproducing selected TF genes and mutant plants, lacking functional selected TF genes (knock out), were used. By comparing metabolite and transcript profiles from transgenic and wild type plants we aimed at confirming the role of selected AP2 TF candidate genes in plant adaptation to sulphur unavailability. After preliminary characterisation of WRKY24 and MYB93 TF genes, we postulate that these factors are involved in a complex multifactorial regulatory network, in which WRKY24 and MYB93 would act as superior factors regulating other transcription factors directly involved in the regulation of S-metabolism genes. Results obtained for plants overproducing TOE1 and TOE2 TF genes suggests that these factors may be involved in a mechanism, which is promoting synthesis of an essential amino acid, methionine, over synthesis of another amino acid, cysteine. Thus, TOE1 and TOE2 genes might be a part of transcriptional regulation of methionine synthesis. Approaches creating genetically manipulated plants may produce plant phenotypes of immediate biotechnological interest, such as plants with increased sulphate or sulphate-containing amino acid content, or better adapted to the sulphate unavailability. N2 - Der fuer das Pflanzenwachstum essentielle Makro-Naehrstoff Schwefel gehoert zu den vielseitigsten Elementen in lebenden Organismen. Ungluecklicherweise ist nur wenig ueber die Regulation der Schwefel Aufnahme und Assimilation von Pflanzen bekannt. Die Identifizierung von Schwefel Signalweiterleitungsprozessen wird es erlauben, die Aufnahme und Assimilation von Schwefel zu kontrollieren und koennte sich in der Zukunft als nuetzlich erweisen, die Effizienz der Schwefel Nutzung in der Landwirtschaft zu verbessern. Viele Gene, die am Schwefel Metabolismus beteiligt sind, werden auf Transkriptionsebene durch die Produkte anderer Gene, sogenannter Transkriptionsfaktoren (TF), reguliert. Mehrere veroeffentlichte Versuche beschreiben TF Gene, die auf Schwefel Mangel reagieren, es wurde jedoch bisher keines dieser Gene funktionell charakterisiert. Daher war es unser Ziel die TF, die den Schwefel Metabolismus in der Modellpflanze Arabidopsis thaliana kontrollieren, zu identifizieren und charakterisieren. Um dies zu erreichen postulierten wir, dass die Faktoren, die die Reaktion von Arabidopsis auf den Mangel an anorganischem Schwefel regulieren, das Mass ihrer Transkription unter Schwefelmangel aendern. Durch den Vergleich von TF Transkriptionsprofilen von Pflanzen, die unter verschiedenen Schwefelbedingungen aufgezogen wurden, identifizierten wir TF Gene, die moeglicherweise spezifisch Aenderungen in der Expression von Genen, die den Pflanzen erlauben sich an Aenderungen der Schwefel Verfuegbarkeit anzupassen, induzieren oder reprimieren. Die bei dieser Untersuchung erhaltenen Kandidaten Gene wurden in einen „reverse genetics“ Ansatz getestet. Es wurden transgene Pflanzen, die ausgewaehlte TF Gene konstitutiv ueberproduzieren, und Mutanten, denen ausgewaehlte funktionierende TF Gene fehlen („knock out“), benutzt. Durch den Vergleich von Metabolisten und Transkript Profilen transgener und wildtyp Pflanzen zielten wir auf die Bestaetigung der Rolle ausgewaehlter AP2 TF Kandidaten Gene bei der Anpassung an Schwefel Unverfuegbarkeit ab. Nach vorlaeufiger Charakterisierung von WRKY24 und MYB93 TF Genen postulieren wir, dass diese Faktoren an einem komplexen multifaktoriellen Regulationsnetzwerk beteiligt sind, in dem WRKY24 und MYB93 als uebergeordnete Faktoren agieren und andere TF regulieren, die direkt an der Regulation von Schwefel Metabolismus Genen beteiligt sind. Ergebnisse von Untersuchungen an Pflanzen, die TOE1 und TOE2 TF Gene ueberproduzieren deuten darauf hin, dass diese Faktoren an einem Mechanismus beteiligt sein koennten, der die Synthese einer essentiellen Aminosaeure, Methionin, zu Ungunsten der Synthese einer anderen Aminosaeure, Cystein, foerdert. Daher koennten TOE1 und TOE2 Gene Teil der transkriptionellen Regulation der Methionin Synthese sein. Die Herstellung genetisch manipulierter Pflanzen koennte Pflanzenphaenotypen erzeugen, die von sofortigem biotechnologischen Interesse sind, beispielsweise Pflanzen mit erhoehtem Gehalt an Schwefel oder schwefelhaltigen Aminosaeuren, oder Pflanzen, die besser an Schwefel Unverfuegbarkeit angepasst sind. KW - Schwefel KW - Transkriptionsfaktoren KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - sulphur KW - transcription factors KW - Arabidopsis thaliana Y1 - 2007 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-14812 ER - TY - THES A1 - Kryvych, Sergiy T1 - Gene expression profiling in different stages of development of Arabidopsis thaliana leaftrichomes at the single cell level T1 - Genexpressionsanalyse basierend auf Einzelzelltechniken in ausgewählten Stadien der Trichomentwicklung von Arabidopsis thaliana N2 - Each organ of a multicellular organism is unique at the level of its tissues and cells. Furthermore, responses to environmental stimuli or developmental signals occur differentially at the single cell or tissue level. This underlines the necessity of precise investigation of the “building block of life” -the individual cell. Although recently large amount of data concerning different aspects of single cell performance was accumulated, our knowledge about development and differentiation of individual cell within specialized tissue are still far from being complete. To get more insight into processes that occur in certain individual cell during its development and differentiation changes in gene expression during life cycle of A. thaliana leaf hair cell (trichome) were explored in this work. After onset of trichome development this cell changes its cell cycle: it starts endoreduplication (a modified cell cycle in which DNA replication continues in the absence of mitosis and cytokinesis). This makes trichomes a suitable model for studying cell cycle regulation, regulation of cell development and differentiation. Cells of interest were sampled by puncturing them with glass microcapillaries. Each sample contained as few as ten single cells. At first time trichomes in initial stage of trichome development were investigated. To allow their sampling they were specifically labelled by green fluorescent protein (GFP). In total three cell types were explored: pavement cells, trichome initials and mature trichomes. Comparison of gene expression profiles of these cells allowed identification of the genes differentially expressed in subsequent stages of trichome development. Bioinformatic analysis of genes preferentially expressed in trichome initials showed their involvement in hormonal, metal, sulphur response and cell-cycle regulation. Expression pattern of three selected candidate genes, involved in hormonal response and early developmental processes was confirmed by independent method. Effects of mutations in these genes on both trichome and plant development as well as on plant metabolism were analysed. As an outcome of this work novel components in the sophisticated machinery of trichome development and cell cycle progression were identified. These factors could integrate hormone stimuli and network interactions between characterized and as yet unknown members of this machinery. I expect findings presented in this work to enhance and complement our current knowledge about cell cycle progression and trichome development, as well as about performance of the individual cell in general. N2 - Jedes Organ eines vielzelligen Organismus weißt einzigartige Merkmale auf seiner Gewebe und Zellebene auf. Darüber hinaus, werden entwicklungsabhängige sowie aus der Umwelt empfangene Signale zelltypspezifisch interpretiert. Aus dieser Spezialisierung einzelner Zellen ergibt sich somit unmittelbar die Notwendigkeit einzelne Zellen, als Bausteine komplexer Organe, individuell zu untersuchen. Obwohl in den letzten Jahrzehnten große Datenmengen über verschiedene Aspekte einzelner Zellen akkumuliert wurden, ist das Gesamtbild der Differenzierung und Entwicklung individueller Zellen in einem vielzelligen Organismus weitgehend unbekannt. Um der Frage nachzugehen, welche Prozesse sich in einer einzelnen Zelle während ihrer Differenzierung und Entwicklung abspielen, wurden Genexpressionsprofile einzelner Blatthaarzellen der Pflanze Arabidopsis thaliana in verschiedene Entwicklungsstadien erstellt. Nach dem Beginn der Entwicklung einer Protodermalzelle in ein Blatthaar (Trichom) kommt es zu einem Umschalten des Zellzyklus; Endoreduplikation setzt ein. Dies bedeutet, dass DNA repliziert wird, aber keine Zellteilung mehr stattfindet. Aus diesem Grunde eignen sich heranwachsende Trichome besonders gut Mechanismen zu erforschen, die in Verbindung mit der Zellzyklusregulation und Zellentwicklung stehen. Die Inhalte ausgewählter Einzelzellen wurden mit Glasmikrokapillaren extrahiert. Jeweils zehn derartige Einzelzellextrakte wurden daraufhin vereint. Als besonders hervorzuheben gilt, dass es uns in dieser Studie zum ersten mal überhaupt gelang die Inhalte einzelner Trichomzellen in ganz frühen Entwicklungsstadien zu extrahieren und anschließend zu analysieren. Um die Extraktion der Inhalte dieser frühen Zellstadien überhaupt zu ermöglichen, war es erforderlich diese mit dem grün fluoreszierenden Protein (GFP) zu markieren. Neben den Trichominitialzellen wurden ausgewachsene Trichomzellen sowie Epidermiszellen (Pavementzellen) mittels der Einzelzelltechnik untersucht. Ein Vergleich der erstellten Genexpressionsprofile dieser drei Zelltypen ermöglichte es Gene zu identifizieren, die in den ausgewählten Entwicklungsstadien der Trichombildung differentiell induziert wurden. Mittels bioinformatischer Analysemethoden gelang es, Gruppen von Genen zu identifieren, die exklusiv in Trichominitialzellen exprimiert sind und den Kategorien, Hormonregulation, Metallhomeostase, Schwefelstoffwechesol sowie Zellzyklusregulation zuzuordnen sind. Weiterhin wurde das Expressionsmuster dreier ausgewählter Kandidatengene mit alternativen Techniken verifiziert. Die ausgewählten Kandidatengene gehörten den Katergorien, Hormonrespons sowie frühe Entwicklungsprozesse, an. Darüber hinaus wurden Mutanten in allen drei Gene erzeugt und der Einfluss dieser Mutationen auf die Trichomentwicklung analysiert. Ein weiterer Aspekt der Mutantenanalyse lag in der Erstellung von Metabolitenprofilen ausgewählter Mutanten. Als ein wesentliches Ziel dieser Arbeit gelang es mir bisher unbekannte Komponenten in der Trichomentwicklung und damit der Zellzyklusregulation zu identifizieren. Diese neu identifizierten Komponenten führen zu einer Integration der hormonellen Kontrolle der Zellteilung und Entwicklung mit bisher unbekannten Faktoren. Ich erwarte, dass die von mir erbrachten Ergebnisse zu einem tieferen Verständnis der Prozesse, die an der Trichomentwicklung sowie an der Zellzyklusregulation beteiligt sind, beitragen. Insbesondere, zu einem erweiterten Verständnis des Verhaltens individueller Zellen in einem vielzelligen Organismus. KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - Single cell level KW - Gene expression profiling KW - Cell cycle KW - Plant hormones KW - Leaf trichomes KW - Trichome initial cells Y1 - 2007 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-17474 ER - TY - THES A1 - Castro Marin, Inmaculada T1 - Nitrate: metabolism and development T1 - Charakterisierung der Glutamatdehydrogenase-Familie, einem Schlüsselenzym der Kohlenstoff-Stickstoffinteraktion von Metaboliten und Studie der Regulierung der Blütezeit durch Stickstoff BT - characterization of the glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) family, an enzyme at the cross-roads of carbon-nitrogen interaction metabolites and study of the regulation of flowering by nitrogen N2 - The major aim of this thesis was to study the effect of nitrate on primary metabolism and in development of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. The present work has two separate topics. First, to investigate the GDH family, a small gene family at the interface between nitrogen and carbon metabolisms. Second, to investigate the mechanisms whereby nitrogen is regulating the transition to flowering time in Arabidopsis thaliana. To gain more insights into the regulation of primary metabolism by the functional characterization of the glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) family, an enzyme putatively involved in the metabolism of amino acids and thus suggested to play different and essential roles in carbon and nitrogen metabolism in plants, knock out mutants and transgenic plants carrying RNA interference construct were generated and characterized. The effect of silencing GDH on carbon and nitrogen metabolisms was investigated, especially the level of carbohydrates and the amino acid pool were further analysed. It has been shown that GDH expression is regulated by light and/or sugar status therefore, phenotypic and metabolic analysis were developed in plants grown at different points of the diurnal rhythm and in response to an extended night period. In addition, we are interested in the effect of nutrient availability in the transition from vegetative growth to flowering and especially in nitrate as a metabolite that triggers widespread and coordinated changes in metabolism and development. Nutrient availability has a dramatic effect on flowering time, with a marked delay of flowering when nitrate is supplied (Stitt, 1999). The use of different mutants and transgenic plants impaired in flowering signalling pathways was crucial to evaluate the impact of different nitrate concentrations on flowering time and to better understand the interaction of nitrate-dependent signals with other main flowering signalling pathways. Plants were grown on glutamine as a constitutive source of nitrogen, and the nitrate supply varied. Low nitrate led to earlier flowering. The response to nitrate is accentuated in short days and in the CONSTANS deficient co2 mutant, whereas long days or overexpression of CONSTANS overrides the nitrate response. These results indicate that nitrates acts downstream of the known flowering signalling pathways for photoperiod, autonomy, vernalization and gibberellic acid. Global analyses of gene expression of two independent flowering systems, a light impaired mutant (co2tt4) and a constitutive over-expresser of the potent repressor of flowering (35S::FLC), were to be investigated under two different concentrations of nitrate in order to identify candidate genes that may be involved in the regulation of flowering time by nitrate. N2 - Das Hauptziel dieser Doktorarbeit war die Untersuchung des Effekts von Stickstoff auf den Primärmetabolisms und auf die Entwicklung der Modellpflanze Arabidopsis thaliana. Die vorliegende Arbeit hat zwei Unterthemen: Auf der einen Seite wurde die GDH Familie untersucht, eine kleine Genfamilie an der Schnittstelle zwischen Stick –und Kohlenstoffmetabolismus. Auf der anderen Seite wurde der Mechanismus, bei dem Stickstoff die Blütezeit in Arabidopsis thaliana kontrolliert, untersucht. Um einen tieferen Einblick in die Regulierung des Primärmetabolismus zu erhalten, wurde eine funktionelle Charakterisierung der Glutamatdehydrogenase-Familie (GDH) mit Hilfe von knock-out Mutanten und transgenen Pflanzen, die ein RNA Interferenzkonstrukt tragen, durchgeführt. GDH ist höchstwahrscheinlich am Aminosäuremetabolismus beteiligt, wobei vermutet wird, dass es verschiedene wichtige Aufgaben im Pflanzenkohlen –und stickstoffmetabolismus übernimmt. Dabei wurde der Effekt des GDH Silencing auf den Kohlen- sowie Stickstoffmetabolismus untersucht und insbesondere die Anteile von Kohlenhydraten und Aminosäuren eingehend analysiert. In vorhergehenden Studien zeigte sich, dass die GDH-Expression durch Licht und/oder die Zuckerverfügbarkeit reguliert wird. Deshalb wurden phenotypische und metabolische Analysen an Pflanzen entwickelt, die zu verschiedenen Zeitpunkten des diurnalen Rhythmus und nach einer längeren Nachtperiode gezüchtet wurden. Ausserdem interesssiert uns der Effekt der Nährstoffverfügbarkeit im Übergang vom vegetativen Wachstum zur Blüte, und vor allen Dingen Nitrat als Metabolit, welches weitreichende und koordinierte Veränderungen im Metabolismus und in der Entwicklung hervorruft. Die Nährstoffverfügbarkeit hat einen dramatischen Effekt auf die Blütezeit, insbesondere führt eine Nitratzugabe zu einer deutlichen Verzögerung der Blüte (Stitt, 1999). Der Einsatz von verschiedenen Mutanten und transgenen Pflanzen, die eine Blockade im Blüte-Signalweg aufwiesen, war ausschlaggebend, um den Einfluss von unterschiedlichen Nitratkonzentrationen auf die Blütezeit zu beurteilen, und um zu einem besserem Verständnis des Zusammenspiels von nitratabhängigen Signalen und anderen Blüte-Signalwegen zu gelangen. Die Pflanzen wuchsen auf Glutamin, das als konstitutive Stickstoffquelle diente, wobei die Nitratversorgung variierte. Niedriger Nitratanteil führte zu einer früheren Blüte. Bei kurzer Tageslänge und bei CONSTANS defizienten Mutanten (co2) ist die Reaktion auf Nitratzugabe erhöht, wohingegen bei fortgeschrittener Tageslänge oder bei Überexpression von CONSTANS die Reaktion auf Nitrat unterbleibt. Diese Ergebnisse verdeutlichen, dass Nitrat unterhalb der bekannten Blüte-Signalwege für Photoperiode, Autonomie, Vernalisierung und Gibberelinsäure fungiert. Globale Expressionsanalysen von zwei unterschiedlichen Blütensystemen, eine licht-unempfindliche Mutante (co2tt4) und eine Mutante mit konstitutiver Expression eines potentiellen Blüte-Repressors (35S::FLC), wurden bei zwei verschiedenen Nitratkonzentrationen durchgeführt, um Kandidatengene zu identifizieren, die eine wichtige Rolle in der Regulation der Blütezeit durch Nitrat spielen könnten. KW - Nitrat KW - Stoffwechsel KW - Entwicklung KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - Nitrate KW - Metabolism KW - Development KW - Arabidopsis thaliana Y1 - 2007 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-18827 ER - TY - THES A1 - Skirycz, Aleksandra T1 - Functional analysis of selected DOF transcription factors in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana T1 - Funktionsanalyse ausgewählter DOF-Transkriptionsfaktoren bei der Modellpflanze Arabidopsis thaliana N2 - Transcription factors (TFs) are global regulators of gene expression playing essential roles in almost all biological processes, and are therefore of great scientific and biotechnological interest. This project focused on functional characterisation of three DNA-binding-with-one-zinc-finger (DOF) TFs from the genetic model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, namely OBP1, OBP2 and AtDOF4;2. These genes were selected due to severe growth phenotypes conferred upon their constitutive over-expression. To identify biological processes regulated by OBP1, OBP2 and AtDOF4;2 in detail molecular and physiological characterization of transgenic plants with modified levels of OBP1, OBP2 and AtDOF4;2 expression (constitutive and inducible over-expression, RNAi) was performed using both targeted and profiling technologies. Additionally expression patterns of studied TFs and their target genes were analyzed using promoter-GUS lines and publicly available microarray data. Finally selected target genes were confirmed by chromatin immuno-precipitation and electrophoretic-mobility shift assays. This combinatorial approach revealed distinct biological functions of OBP1, OBP2 and AtDOF4;2. Specifically OBP2 controls indole glucosinolate / auxin homeostasis by directly regulating the enzyme at the branch of these pathways; CYP83B1 (Skirycz et al., 2006). Glucosinolates are secondary compounds important for defence against herbivores and pathogens in the plants order Caparales (e.g. Arabidopsis, canola and broccoli) whilst auxin is an essential plant hormone. Hence OBP2 is important for both response to biotic stress and plant growth. Similarly to OBP2 also AtDOF4;2 is involved in the regulation of plant secondary metabolism and affects production of various phenylpropanoid compounds in a tissue and environmental specific manner. It was found that under certain stress conditions AtDOF4;2 negatively regulates flavonoid biosynthetic genes whilst in certain tissues it activates hydroxycinnamic acid production. It was hypothesized that this dual function is most likely related to specific interactions with other proteins; perhaps other TFs (Skirycz et al., 2007). Finally OBP1 regulates both cell proliferation and cell expansion. It was shown that OBP1 controls cell cycle activity by directly targeting the expression of core cell cycle genes (CYCD3;3 and KRP7), other TFs and components of the replication machinery. Evidence for OBP1 mediated activation of cell cycle during embryogenesis and germination will be presented. Additionally and independently on its effects on cell proliferation OBP1 negatively affects cell expansion via reduced expression of cell wall loosening enzymes. Summing up this work provides an important input into our knowledge on DOF TFs function. Future work will concentrate on establishing exact regulatory networks of OBP1, OBP2 and AtDOF4;2 and their possible biotechnological applications. N2 - Biologische Prozesse, wie beispielsweise das Wachstum von Organen und ganzen Organismen oder die Reaktion von Lebewesen auf ungünstige Umweltbedingungen, unterliegen zahlreichen Regulationsmechanismen. Besonders wichtige Regulatoren sind die sogenannten Transkriptionsfaktoren. Dabei handelt es sich um Proteine, die die Aktivität von Erbeinheiten, den Genen, beeinflussen. In Pflanzen gibt es etwa 2000 solcher Regulatoren. Da sie wichtige Kontrollelemente darstellen, sind sie von großem wissenschaftlichen und biotechnologischen Interesse. Im Rahmen der Doktorarbeit sollte die Funktion von drei Transkriptionsfaktoren, genannt OBP1, OBP2 und AtDOF4;2, untersucht werden. Sie wurden bei der Suche nach neuen Wachstumsregulatoren identifiziert. Als Untersuchungsobjekt diente die in der Öffentlichkeit kaum bekannte Pflanze Ackerschmalwand, lateinisch als Arabidopsis thaliana bezeichnet. Um die Funktion der Regulatoren zu entschlüsseln, wurden an der Modellpflanze genetische Veränderungen durchgeführt und die Pflanzen dann mit molekularbiologischen und physiologischen Methoden analysiert. Es zeigte sich, dass OBP1 an der Regulation der Zellteilung beteiligt ist. Alle Lebewesen sind aus Zellen aufgebaut. Gelingt es, die Zellteilung gezielt zu steuern, kann damit beispielsweise die Produktion von pflanzlicher Biomasse verbessert werden. Das OBP1-Protein übt auch einen Einfluss auf die Zellstreckung aus und beeinflusst auch auf diesem Wege das pflanzliche Wachstum. Die beiden anderen Proteine steuern Prozesse, die im Zusammenhang mit der Bildung von Pflanzeninhaltsstoffen stehen. OBP2 ist Teil eines zellulären Netzwerkes, dass die Synthese von sogenannten Glucosinolaten steuert. Glucosinolate kommen unter anderem in Broccoli und Kohl vor. Sie fungieren als Abwehrstoffe gegen Fraßinsekten. Einigen Glucosinolaten wird auch gesundheitsfördernde Wirkung zugesprochen. Das Protein AtDOF4;2 ist Komponente eines anderen Netzwerkes, dass die Bildung von Phenylpropanoiden steuert. Diese Substanzen haben strukturelle Funktion und spielen darüber hinaus eine Rolle bei der pflanzlichen Toleranz gegenüber tiefen Temperaturen. Mit der Doktorarbeit konnte das Wissen über die Transkriptionsfaktoren erheblich erweitert und die Grundlage für interessante zukünftige Arbeiten gelegt werden. Von großer Bedeutung wird es dabei sein, die Netzwerke, in die die Transkriptionsfaktoren eingebunden sind, noch besser zu verstehen. Dann wird es möglich sein, auch Teilnetzwerke gezielt zu beeinflussen, was für biotechnologische Anwendungen, beispielsweise bei der Präzisionszüchtung von nachwachsenden Rohstoffen, von zentraler Bedeutung ist. KW - Transkriptionsfaktoren KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - transcription factors KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - cell cycle KW - secondary metabolism Y1 - 2007 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-16987 ER - TY - THES A1 - Lisec, Jan T1 - Identification and characterization of metabolic Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) in Arabidopsis thaliana T1 - Identifizierung und Charakterisierung von metabolischen Loci quantitativer Merkmale (QTL) in Arabidopsis thaliana N2 - Plants are the primary producers of biomass and thereby the basis of all life. Many varieties are cultivated, mainly to produce food, but to an increasing amount as a source of renewable energy. Because of the limited acreage available, further improvements of cultivated species both with respect to yield and composition are inevitable. One approach to further progress in developing improved plant cultivars is a systems biology oriented approach. This work aimed to investigate the primary metabolism of the model plant A.thaliana and its relation to plant growth using quantitative genetics methods. A special focus was set on the characterization of heterosis, the deviation of hybrids from their parental means for certain traits, on a metabolic level. More than 2000 samples of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) and introgression lines (ILs) developed from the two accessions Col-0 and C24 were analyzed for 181 metabolic traces using gas-chromatography/ mass-spectrometry (GC-MS). The observed variance allowed the detection of 157 metabolic quantitative trait loci (mQTL), genetic regions carrying genes, which are relevant for metabolite abundance. By analyzing several hundred test crosses of RILs and ILs it was further possible to identify 385 heterotic metabolic QTL (hmQTL). Within the scope of this work a robust method for large scale GC-MS analyses was developed. A highly significant canonical correlation between biomass and metabolic profiles (r = 0.73) was found. A comparable analysis of the results of the two independent experiments using RILs and ILs showed a large agreement. The confirmation rate for RIL QTL in ILs was 56 % and 23 % for mQTL and hmQTL respectively. Candidate genes from available databases could be identified for 67 % of the mQTL. To validate some of these candidates, eight genes were re-sequenced and in total 23 polymorphisms could be found. In the hybrids, heterosis is small for most metabolites (< 20%). Heterotic QTL gave rise to less candidate genes and a lower overlap between both populations than was determined for mQTL. This hints that regulatory loci and epistatic effects contribute to metabolite heterosis. The data described in this thesis present a rich source for further investigation and annotation of relevant genes and may pave the way towards a better understanding of plant biology on a system level. N2 - Pflanzen sind die Primärproduzenten von Biomasse und damit Grundlage allen Lebens. Sie werden nicht nur zur Gewinnung von Nahrungsmitteln, sondern zunehmend auch als Quelle erneuerbarer Energien kultiviert. Aufgrund der Begrenztheit der weltweit zu Verfügung stehenden Anbaufläche ist eine zielgerichtete Selektion und Verbesserung der verwendeten Sorten unabdingbar. Um solch eine kontinuierliche Verbesserung zu gewährleisten, ist ein grundlegendes Verständnis des biologischen Systems Pflanze nötig. Diese Arbeit hatte zum Ziel, den Primärmetabolismus der Modellpflanze A. thaliana mit Methoden der quantitativen Genetik zu untersuchen und in Beziehung zu Wachstum und Biomasse zu stellen. Insbesondere sollte Heterosis, die Abweichung von Hybriden in ihren Merkmalen vom Mittelwert der Eltern, auf Stoffwechselebene charakterisiert werden. Mit Hilfe der Gas Chromatographie/ Massen Spektrometrie (GC-MS) wurden über 2000 Proben von rekombinanten Inzucht Linien (RIL) und Introgressions Linien (IL) der Akzessionen Col 0 und C24 bezüglich des Vorkommens von 181 Metaboliten untersucht. Die beobachtete Varianz erlaubte die Bestimmung von 157 metabolischen QTL (mQTL), genetischen Regionen, die für die Metabolitkonzentrationen relevante Gene enthalten. Durch die Untersuchung von Testkreuzungen der RILs und ILs konnten weiterhin 385 heterotische metabolische QTL (hmQTL) identifiziert werden. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurde eine robuste Methode zur Auswertung von GC-MS Analysen entwickelt. Es wurde eine hoch signifikante kanonische Korrelation (r=0.73) zwischen Biomasse und Metabolitprofilen gefunden. Die unterschiedlichen Ansätze zur QTL Analyse, RILs und ILs, wurden verglichen. Dabei konnte gezeigt werden, daß die Methoden komplementär sind, da mit RILs gefundene mQTL zu 56% und hmQTL zu 23% in ILs bestätigt wurden. Durch den Vergleich mit Datenbanken wurden für 67% der mQTL Kandidatengene identifiziert. Um diese zu überprüfen wurden acht dieser Gene resequenziert und insgesamt 23 Polymorphismen darin bestimmt. Die Heterosis in den Hybriden ist für die meisten Metabolite gering (<20%). Für hmQTL konnten weniger Kandidatengene als für mQTL bestimmt werden und sie zeigten eine geringere Übereinstimmung in den beiden Populationen. Dies deutet darauf hin, daß regulatorische Loci und epistatische Effekte einen wichtigen Beitrag zur Heterosis besteuern. Die gewonnenen Daten stellen eine reiche Quelle für die weitergehende Untersuchung und Annotation relevanter Gene dar und ebnen den Weg für ein besseres Verständnis des Systems Pflanze. KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - Metabolomics KW - QTL Analyse KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - Metabolomics KW - QTL mapping Y1 - 2008 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-25903 ER - TY - THES A1 - Nikolovski, Nino T1 - Pectin: New insights from an old polymer through pectinase-based genetic screens T1 - Pektin: Neue Einblicke in ein altes Polymer durch Pektinase-basierte genetische Screens N2 - Pectic polysaccharides, a class of plant cell wall polymers, form one of the most complex networks known in nature. Despite their complex structure and their importance in plant biology, little is known about the molecular mechanism of their biosynthesis, modification, and turnover, particularly their structure-function relationship. One way to gain insight into pectin metabolism is the identification of mutants with an altered pectin structure. Those were obtained by a recently developed pectinase-based genetic screen. Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings grown in liquid medium containing pectinase solutions exhibited particular phenotypes: they were dwarfed and slightly chlorotic. However, when genetically different A. thaliana seed populations (random T-DNA insertional populations as well as EMS-mutagenized populations and natural variations) were subjected to this treatment, individuals were identified that exhibit a different visible phenotype compared to wild type or other ecotypes and may thus contain a different pectin structure (pec-mutants). After confirming that the altered phenotype occurs only when the pectinase is present, the EMS mutants were subjected to a detailed cell wall analysis with particular emphasis on pectins. This suite of mutants identified in this study is a valuable resource for further analysis on how the pectin network is regulated, synthesized and modified. Flanking sequences of some of the T-DNA lines have pointed toward several interesting genes, one of which is PEC100. This gene encodes a putative sugar transporter gene, which, based on our data, is implicated in rhamnogalacturonan-I synthesis. The subcellular localization of PEC100 was studied by GFP fusion and this protein was found to be localized to the Golgi apparatus, the organelle where pectin biosynthesis occurs. Arabidopsis ecotype C24 was identified as a susceptible one when grown with pectinases in liquid culture and had a different oligogalacturonide mass profile when compared to ecotype Col-0. Pectic oligosaccharides have been postulated to be signal molecules involved in plant pathogen defense mechanisms. Indeed, C24 showed elevated accumulation of reactive oxygen species upon pectinase elicitation and had altered response to the pathogen Alternaria brassicicola in comparison to Col-0. Using a recombinant inbred line population three major QTLs were identified to be responsible for the susceptibility of C24 to pectinases. In a reverse genetic approach members of the qua2 (putative pectin methyltransferase) family were tested for potential target genes that affect pectin methyl-esterification. The list of these genes was determined by in silico study of the pattern of expression and co-expression of all 34 members of this family resulting in 6 candidate genes. For only for one of the 6 analyzed genes a difference in the oligogalacturonide mass profile was observed in the corresponding knock-out lines, confirming the hypothesis that the methyl-esterification pattern of pectin is fine tuned by members of this gene family. This study of pectic polysaccharides through forward and reverse genetic screens gave new insight into how pectin structure is regulated and modified, and how these modifications could influence pectin mediated signalling and pathogenicity. N2 - Pektin Polysaccharide, eine Klasse pflanzlicher Zellwand Polymere, formen eine der komplexesten natürlichen Strukturen. Trotz seiner immensen Bedeutung in der Biologie der Pflanzen sind die Kenntisse über die molekularen Mechanismen der Pektin Biosynthese, dessen Modifikation und Abbau überraschend gering. Eine Möglichkeit neue Einblicke in den pflanzlichen Pektin Metabolismus zu erhalten, ist die Identifizierung von Mutanten mit veränderter Pektinstruktur. Solche Mutanten konnten durch ein neuatiges Selektionsverfahren gefunden werden. Zieht man Keimlinge der Ackerschmalwand (Arabidopsis thaliana) in Flüssigmedium mit Pektinase an, so lässt sich ein typischer Phänotyp beobachten: Die Pflanzen sind kleinwüchsig und leicht chlorotisch. Diesem Verfahren wurden Populationen verschiedener Genotypen (Insertions Linien, EMS Mutanten, natürlich vorkommende Varianten) ausgesetzt. Auf diese Weise wurden Individuen identifiziert, die gegenüber der Pektinase Behandlung eine verminderte oder erhöhte Resistenz aufweisen, was auf eine veränderte Pektinstruktur hindeutet. Die EMS Mutanten wurden einer detaillierten Zellwand Analyse unterzogen. die so in dieser Arbeit identifizierte Kollektion von Mutanten stellt eine wertvolle Ressource für weitere Forschungsansätze zur Regulation, Biosynthese und Modifikation des Pektins dar. Die Lokalisation der Insertionen in den T-DNA Linien führte zur Identifikation interessanter Gene, zu denen der putative Zuckertransporter PEC100 gehört. Dieses Gen steht vermutlich in Verbindung mit der Synthese von Rhamnogalakturonan-I, einem Bestandteil des Pektins. In dieser Arbeit konnte PEC100 im Golgi Apparat, dem Ort der Pektin Biosynthese, lokalisiert werden. Die natürlich vorkommende Variante C24 ist besonders empfindlich gegenüber der Pektinase. Diese Empfindlichkeit konnte anhand rekombinanter Inzucht Linien auf drei bedeutende quantitative Merkmalsloci (QTL) eingegrenzt werden. C24 zeigte zudem ein gegenüber der Referenz verändertes Massenprofil der Oligogalakturonide. Diese werden derzeit als Signalmoleküle in der pflanzlichen Pathogenabwehr diskutiert, was mit der in dieser Arbeit geseigten Resistenz von C24 gegenüber Schwarzfleckigkeit verursachende Pilz (Alternaria brassicicola) korreliert. In einem revers-genetischen Ansatz wurden zudem Mitglieder der Pektin Methyltransferase Familie als potentielle Enzyme getestet, die die Pektin Methylesterifikation beeinflussen könnten. Diese Mutation in einer dieser Methyltransferasen führte zu Veränderungen des Oligogalakturonid Massenprofils. Dies bestätigt die Hypothese, dass Mitglieder dieser Genfamilie an der Regulation der Methylesterifikation von Pektin beteiligt sind. Die vorliegende Studie, in der ein genetishen Selektionverfahren und Methoden der reversen Genetik kombiniert wurden, hat neue Einblicke in die Regulation und Modifikation von Pektin geliefert. KW - Pektin KW - Pektinase KW - genetischer Screen KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - Zellwand KW - pectin KW - pectinase KW - genetic screen KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - cell wall Y1 - 2009 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-35255 ER - TY - THES A1 - Krebs, Jonas T1 - Molecular and physiological characterisation of selected DOF transcription factors in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana T1 - Molekulare und physiologische Charakterisierung ausgewählter DOF Transkriptionsfaktoren in der Modellpflanze Arabidopsis thaliana N2 - About 2,000 of the more than 27,000 genes of the genetic model plant Arabidopsis thaliana encode for transcription factors (TFs), proteins that bind DNA in the promoter region of their target genes and thus act as transcriptional activators and repressors. Since TFs play essential roles in nearly all biological processes, they are of great scientific and biotechnological interest. This thesis concentrated on the functional characterisation of four selected members of the Arabidopsis DOF-family, namely DOF1.2, DOF3.1, DOF3.5 and DOF5.2, which were selected because of their specific expression pattern in the root tip, a region that comprises the stem cell niche and cells for the perception of environmental stimuli. DOF1.2, DOF3.1 and DOF3.5 are previously uncharacterized members of the Arabidopsis DOF-family, while DOF5.2 has been shown to be involved in the phototrophic flowering response. However, its role in root development has not been described so far. To identify biological processes regulated by the four DOF proteins in detail, molecular and physiological characterization of transgenic plants with modified levels of DOF1.2, DOF3.1, DOF3.5 and DOF5.2 expression (constitutive and inducible over-expression, artificial microRNA) was performed. Additionally expression patterns of the TFs and their target genes were analyzed using promoter-GUS lines and publicly available microarray data. Finally putative protein-protein interaction partners and upstream regulating TFs were identified using the yeast two-hybrid and one-hybrid system. This combinatorial approach revealed distinct biological functions of DOF1.2, DOF3.1, DOF3.5 and DOF5.2 in the context of root development. DOF1.2 and DOF3.5 are specifically and exclusively expressed in the root cap, including the central root cap (columella) and the lateral root cap, organs which are essential to direct oriented root growth. It could be demonstrated that both genes work in the plant hormone auxin signaling pathway and have an impact on distal cell differentiation. Altered levels of gene expression lead to changes in auxin distribution, abnormal cell division patterns and altered root growth orientation. DOF3.1 and DOF5.2 share a specific expression pattern in the organizing centre of the root stem cell niche, called the quiescent centre. Both genes redundantly control cell differentiation in the root´s proximal meristem and unravel a novel transcriptional regulation pathway for genes enriched in the QC cells. Furthermore this work revealed a novel bipartite nuclear localisation signal being present in the protein sequence of the DOF TF family from all sequenced plant species. Summing up, this work provides an important input into our knowledge about the role of DOF TFs during root development. Future work will concentrate on revealing the exact regulatory networks of DOF1.2, DOF3.1, DOF3.5 and DOF5.2 and their possible biotechnological applications. N2 - Mehr noch als Tiere, die ihren Lebensraum unter widrigen Umständen verlassen können, sind Pflanzen mit einem festen Standort auf ihre Anpassungsfähigkeit angewiesen. Einen entscheidenden Beitrag dazu leistet die Genregulation, d.h. das gezielte An- und Ausschalten von Erbanlagen, den Genen. Vermittelt wird dieser Regulationsprozess unter anderem durch Transkriptionsfaktoren: Proteine, die die Fähigkeit besitzen, an bestimmte Regionen der Gene zu binden und damit deren Aktivität zu beeinflussen. In der Ackerschmalwand (Arabidopsis thaliana), die als Modellpflanze in der Genetik verwendet wird, existieren etwa 2000 solcher Transkriptionsfaktoren, eingeteilt in Familien, von denen einige auch in tierischen Organismen auftreten, andere pflanzenspezifisch sind. Auf Grund ihrer Funktion als wichtige Kontrollelemente sind sie von großem wissenschaftlichem und biotechnologischem Interesse. Im Rahmen dieser Doktorarbeit sollte die Funktion von vier pflanzenspezifischen Transkriptionsfaktoren, genannt DOF1.2, DOF3.1, DOF3.5 und DOF5.2, untersucht werden, welche durch ihre spezifische Aktivität in der Wurzelspitze der Ackerschmalwand identifiziert wurden. Um die Funktion dieser vier Regulatoren aufzuklären, wurden an der Modellpflanze gentechnische Veränderungen durchgeführt und die so veränderten, auch als transgen bezeichneten Pflanzen mit molekularbiologischen und physiologischen Methoden untersucht. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass DOF1.2 und DOF3.5 eine wesentliche Funktion beim gerichteten Wurzelwachstum spielen und ein seitliches Wachsen der Wurzel aufgrund veränderter Umwelteinflüsse verhindern, bzw. hervorrufen können. Die beiden anderen Proteine DOF3.1 und DOF5.2 erfüllen ihre Funktion in der Stammzellnische der Wurzel. Vergleichbar mit tierischen Stammzellen sind auch pflanzliche Stammzellen nicht zu einem bestimmten Zelltyp herangereift, sondern verbleiben in einem sogenannten undifferenzierten Zustand. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass DOF3.1 und DOF5.2 zum Erhalt dieses Zustands benötigt werden, da nach Inaktivierung beider Proteine Zellspezialisierungen auftreten, die bei gentechnisch unveränderten Pflanzen nicht auftreten. Desweiteren konnte in dieser Arbeit geklärt werden, welcher Proteinabschnitt der DOF-Proteine für ihren Transport in den Zellkern notwendig ist. Denn da die pflanzlichen Erbanlagen im Zellkern vorliegen, muss für eine Einflussnahme auf deren Aktivität zunächst ein Transport der Regulationsproteine in den Zellkern stattfinden. Zusammengenommen konnte mit dieser Doktorarbeit das Wissen über Transkriptionsfaktoren und Entwicklungsprozesse der Wurzel erheblich erweitert werden. Zudem ist die Grundlage für interessante zukünftige Arbeiten gelegt worden. Dabei wird es von zentraler Bedeutung sein, komplexe Regulationsnetzwerke verstehen zu lernen und durch gezielte Manipulationen biotechnologisch nutzen zu können. KW - DOF Transkriptionsfaktoren KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - Wurzel KW - Ruhezentrum KW - Columella KW - DOF transcription factors KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - root KW - quiescent center KW - columella Y1 - 2009 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-41831 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Riano-Pachon, Diego Mauricio A1 - Nagel, Axel A1 - Neigenfind, Jost A1 - Wagner, Robert A1 - Basekow, Rico A1 - Weber, Elke A1 - Müller-Röber, Bernd A1 - Diehl, Svenja A1 - Kersten, Birgit T1 - GabiPD : the GABI primary database - a plant integrative "omics" database N2 - The GABI Primary Database, GabiPD (http:// www.gabipd.org/), was established in the frame of the German initiative for Genome Analysis of the Plant Biological System (GABI). The goal of GabiPD is to collect, integrate, analyze and visualize primary information from GABI projects. GabiPD constitutes a repository and analysis platform for a wide array of heterogeneous data from high-throughput experiments in several plant species. Data from different ‘omics’ fronts are incorporated (i.e. genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics), originating from 14 different model or crop species. We have developed the concept of GreenCards for textbased retrieval of all data types in GabiPD (e.g. clones, genes, mutant lines). All data types point to a central Gene GreenCard, where gene information is integrated from genome projects or NCBI UniGene sets. The centralized Gene GreenCard allows visualizing ESTs aligned to annotated transcripts as well as displaying identified protein domains and gene structure. Moreover, GabiPD makes available interactive genetic maps from potato and barley, and protein 2DE gels from Arabidopsis thaliana and Brassica napus. Gene expression and metabolic-profiling data can be visualized through MapManWeb. By the integration of complex data in a framework of existing knowledge, GabiPD provides new insights and allows for new interpretations of the data. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe - paper 137 KW - Phosphorylation sites KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - Information KW - Proteins KW - Families Y1 - 2009 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-45075 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schwarte, Sandra A1 - Tiedemann, Ralph T1 - A Gene Duplication/Loss Event in the Ribulose-1,5-Bisphosphate-Carboxylase/Oxygenase (Rubisco) Small Subunit Gene Family among Accessions of Arabidopsis thaliana JF - Molecular biology and evolution N2 - Rubisco (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase; EC 4.1.1.39), the most abundant protein in nature, catalyzes the assimilation of CO(2) (worldwide about 10(11) t each year) by carboxylation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate. It is a hexadecamer consisting of eight large and eight small subunits. Although the Rubisco large subunit (rbcL) is encoded by a single gene on the multicopy chloroplast genome, the Rubisco small subunits (rbcS) are encoded by a family of nuclear genes. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the rbcS gene family comprises four members, that is, rbcS-1a, rbcS-1b, rbcS-2b, and rbcS-3b. We sequenced all Rubisco genes in 26 worldwide distributed A. thaliana accessions. In three of these accessions, we detected a gene duplication/loss event, where rbcS-1b was lost and substituted by a duplicate of rbcS-2b (called rbcS-2b*). By screening 74 additional accessions using a specific polymerase chain reaction assay, we detected five additional accessions with this duplication/loss event. In summary, we found the gene duplication/loss in 8 of 100 A. thaliana accessions, namely, Bch, Bu, Bur, Cvi, Fei, Lm, Sha, and Sorbo. We sequenced an about 1-kb promoter region for all Rubisco genes as well. This analysis revealed that the gene duplication/loss event was associated with promoter alterations (two insertions of 450 and 850 bp, one deletion of 730 bp) in rbcS-2b and a promoter deletion (2.3 kb) in rbcS-2b* in all eight affected accessions. The substitution of rbcS-1b by a duplicate of rbcS-2b (i.e., rbcS-2b*) might be caused by gene conversion. All four Rubisco genes evolve under purifying selection, as expected for central genes of the highly conserved photosystem of green plants. We inferred a single positive selected site, a tyrosine to aspartic acid substitution at position 72 in rbcS-1b. Exactly the same substitution compromises carboxylase activity in the cyanobacterium Anacystis nidulans. In A. thaliana, this substitution is associated with an inferred recombination. Functional implications of the substitution remain to be evaluated. KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - Arabidopsis lyrata KW - Rubisco KW - gene duplication KW - positive selection Y1 - 2011 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msr008 SN - 0737-4038 VL - 28 IS - 6 SP - 1861 EP - 1876 PB - Oxford Univ. Press CY - Oxford ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Fettke, Jörg A1 - Nunes-Nesi, Adriano A1 - Fernie, Alisdair R. A1 - Steup, Martin T1 - Identification of a novel heteroglycan-interacting protein, HIP 1.3, from Arabidopsis thaliana JF - Journal of plant physiology : biochemistry, physiology, molecular biology and biotechnology of plants N2 - Plastidial degradation of transitory starch yields mainly maltose and glucose. Following the export into the cytosol, maltose acts as donor for a glucosyl transfer to cytosolic heteroglycans as mediated by a cytosolic transglucosidase (DPE2; EC 2.4.1.25) and the second glucosyl residue is liberated as glucose. The cytosolic phosphorylase (Pho2/PHS2; EC 2.4.1.1) also interacts with heteroglycans using the same intramolecular sites as DPE2. Thus, the two glucosyl transferases interconnect the cytosolic pools of glucose and glucose 1-phosphate. Due to the complex monosaccharide pattern, other heteroglycan-interacting proteins (Hips) are expected to exist. Identification of those proteins was approached by using two types of affinity chromatography. Heteroglycans from leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana (Col-0) covalently bound to Sepharose served as ligands that were reacted with a complex mixture of buffer-soluble proteins from Arabidopsis leaves. Binding proteins were eluted by sodium chloride. For identification, SDS-PAGE, tryptic digestion and MALDI-TOF analyses were applied. A strongly interacting polypeptide (approximately 40 kDa; designated as HIP1.3) was observed as product of locus At1g09340. Arabidopsis mutants deficient in HIP1.3 were reduced in growth and contained heteroglycans displaying an altered monosaccharide pattern. Wild type plants express HIP1.3 most strongly in leaves. As revealed by immuno fluorescence, HIP1.3 is located in the cytosol of mesophyll cells but mostly associated with the cytosolic surface of the chloroplast envelope membranes. In an HIP1.3-deficient mutant the immunosignal was undetectable. Metabolic profiles from leaves of this mutant and wild type plants as well were determined by GC-MS. As compared to the wild type control, more than ten metabolites, such as ascorbic acid, fructose, fructose bisphosphate, glucose, glycine, were elevated in darkness but decreased in the light. Although the biochemical function of HIP1.3 has not yet been elucidated, it is likely to possess an important function in the central carbon metabolism of higher plants. KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - Carbohydrate binding proteins KW - Cytosolic heteroglycans KW - Maltose metabolism KW - Starch metabolism Y1 - 2011 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jplph.2010.09.008 SN - 0176-1617 VL - 168 IS - 12 SP - 1415 EP - 1425 PB - Elsevier CY - Jena ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Parlitz, Steffi A1 - Kunze, Reinhard A1 - Müller-Röber, Bernd A1 - Balazadeh, Salma T1 - Regulation of photosynthesis and transcription factor expression by leaf shading and re-illumination in Arabidopsis thaliana leaves JF - Journal of plant physiology : biochemistry, physiology, molecular biology and biotechnology of plants N2 - Leaf senescence of annual plants is a genetically programmed developmental phase. The onset of leaf senescence is however not exclusively determined by tissue age but is modulated by various environmental factors. Shading of individual attached leaves evokes dark-induced senescence. The initiation and progression of dark-induced senescence depend on the plant and the age of the affected leaf, however. In several plant species dark-induced senescence is fully reversible upon re-illumination and the leaves can regreen, but the regreening ability depends on the duration of dark incubation. We studied the ability of Arabidopsis thaliana leaves to regreen after dark-incubation with the aim to identify transcription factors (TFs) that are involved in the regulation of early dark-induced senescence and regreening. Two days shading of individual attached leaves triggers the transition into a pre-senescence state from which the leaves can largely recover. Longer periods of darkness result in irreversible senescence. Large scale qRT-PCR analysis of 1872 TF genes revealed that 649 of them are regulated in leaves during normal development, upon shading or re-illumination. Leaf shading triggered upregulation of 150 TF genes, some of which are involved in controlling senescence. Of those, 39 TF genes were upregulated after two days in the dark and regained pre-shading expression level after two days of re-illumination. Furthermore, a larger number of 422 TF genes were down regulated upon shading. In TF gene clusters with different expression patterns certain TF families are over-represented. KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - Dark-induced senescence KW - Expression profiling KW - Regreening KW - Transcription factor Y1 - 2011 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jplph.2011.02.001 SN - 0176-1617 VL - 168 IS - 12 SP - 1311 EP - 1319 PB - Elsevier CY - Jena ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Meyer, Rhonda C. A1 - Witucka-Wall, Hanna A1 - Becher, Martina A1 - Blacha, Anna Maria A1 - Boudichevskaia, Anastassia A1 - Dörmann, Peter A1 - Fiehn, Oliver A1 - Friedel, Svetlana A1 - von Korff, Maria A1 - Lisec, Jan A1 - Melzer, Michael A1 - Repsilber, Dirk A1 - Schmidt, Renate A1 - Scholz, Matthias A1 - Selbig, Joachim A1 - Willmitzer, Lothar A1 - Altmann, Thomas T1 - Heterosis manifestation during early Arabidopsis seedling development is characterized by intermediate gene expression and enhanced metabolic activity in the hybrids JF - The plant journal N2 - Heterosis-associated cellular and molecular processes were analyzed in seeds and seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana accessions Col-0 and C24 and their heterotic hybrids. Microscopic examination revealed no advantages in terms of hybrid mature embryo organ sizes or cell numbers. Increased cotyledon sizes were detectable 4 days after sowing. Growth heterosis results from elevated cell sizes and numbers, and is well established at 10 days after sowing. The relative growth rates of hybrid seedlings were most enhanced between 3 and 4 days after sowing. Global metabolite profiling and targeted fatty acid analysis revealed maternal inheritance patterns for a large proportion of metabolites in the very early stages. During developmental progression, the distribution shifts to dominant, intermediate and heterotic patterns, with most changes occurring between 4 and 6 days after sowing. The highest incidence of heterotic patterns coincides with establishment of size differences at 4 days after sowing. In contrast, overall transcript patterns at 4, 6 and 10 days after sowing are characterized by intermediate to dominant patterns, with parental transcript levels showing the largest differences. Overall, the results suggest that, during early developmental stages, intermediate gene expression and higher metabolic activity in the hybrids compared to the parents lead to better resource efficiency, and therefore enhanced performance in the hybrids. KW - heterosis KW - seedlings KW - metabolite profiling KW - transcript profiling KW - morphological analysis KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - biomass Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-313X.2012.05021.x SN - 0960-7412 VL - 71 IS - 4 SP - 669 EP - 683 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Gonzalez, Wendy A1 - Riedelsberger, Janin A1 - Morales-Navarro, Samuel E. A1 - Caballero, Julio A1 - Alzate-Morales, Jans H. A1 - Gonzalez-Nilo, Fernando D. A1 - Dreyer, Ingo T1 - The pH sensor of the plant K+-uptake channel KAT1 is built from a sensory cloud rather than from single key amino acids JF - The biochemical journal N2 - The uptake of potassium ions (K+) accompanied by an acidification of the apoplasm is a prerequisite for stomatal opening. The acidification (approximately 2-2.5 pH units) is perceived by voltage-gated inward potassium channels (K-in) that then can open their pores with lower energy cost. The sensory units for extracellular pH in stomatal K-in channels are proposed to be histidines exposed to the apoplasm. However, in the Arabidopsis thaliana stomatal K-in channel KAT1, mutations in the unique histidine exposed to the solvent (His(267)) do not affect the pH dependency. We demonstrate in the present study that His(267) of the KAT1 channel cannot sense pH changes since the neighbouring residue Phe(266) shifts its pK(a) to undetectable values through a cation-pi interaction. Instead, we show that Glu(240) placed in the extracellular loop between transmembrane segments S5 and S6 is involved in the extracellular acid activation mechanism. Based on structural models we propose that this region may serve as a molecular link between the pH- and the voltage-sensor. Like Glu(240), several other titratable residues could contribute to the pH-sensor of KAT1, interact with each other and even connect such residues far away from the voltage-sensor with the gating machinery of the channel. KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - channel protein structure KW - channel protein-proton interaction KW - KAT1 KW - pH regulation KW - potassium chanel Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1042/BJ20111498 SN - 0264-6021 VL - 442 IS - 7 SP - 57 EP - 63 PB - Portland Press CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Christian, Jan-Ole A1 - Braginets, Rostyslav A1 - Schulze, Waltraud X. A1 - Walther, Dirk T1 - Characterization and prediction of protein phosphorylation hotspots in Arabidopsis thaliana JF - Frontiers in plant science N2 - The regulation of protein function by modulating the surface charge status via sequence-locally enriched phosphorylation sites (P-sites) in so called phosphorylation "hotspots" has gained increased attention in recent years. We set out to identify P-hotspots in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. We analyzed the spacing of experimentally detected P-sites within peptide-covered regions along Arabidopsis protein sequences as available from the PhosPhAt database. Confirming earlier reports (Schweiger and Lanial, 2010), we found that, indeed, P-sites tend to cluster and that distributions between serine and threonine P-sites to their respected closest next P-site differ significantly from those for tyrosine P-sites. The ability to predict P-hotspots by applying available computational P-site prediction programs that focus on identifying single P-sites was observed to be severely compromised by the inevitable interference of nearby P-sites. We devised a new approach, named HotSPotter, for the prediction of phosphorylation hotspots. HotSPotter is based primarily on local amino acid compositional preferences rather than sequence position-specific motifs and uses support vector machines as the underlying classification engine. HotSPotter correctly identified experimentally determined phosphorylation hotspots in A. thaliana with high accuracy. Applied to the Arabidopsis proteome, HotSPotter-predicted 13,677 candidate P-hotspots in 9,599 proteins corresponding to 7,847 unique genes. Hotspot containing proteins are involved predominantly in signaling processes confirming the surmised modulating role of hotspots in signaling and interaction events. Our study provides new bioinformatics means to identify phosphorylation hotspots and lays the basis for further investigating novel candidate P-hotspots. All phosphorylation hotspot annotations and predictions have been made available as part of the PhosPhAt database at http://phosphat.mpimp-golm.mpg.de. KW - protein phosphorylation KW - hotspots KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - support vector machines KW - regulation Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2012.00207 SN - 1664-462X VL - 3 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Benina, Maria A1 - Obata, Toshihiro A1 - Mehterov, Nikolay A1 - Ivanov, Ivan A1 - Petrov, Veselin A1 - Toneva, Valentina A1 - Fernie, Alisdair R. A1 - Gechev, Tsanko S. T1 - Comparative metabolic profiling of Haberlea rhodopensis, Thellungiella halophyla, and Arabidopsis thaliana exposed to low temperature JF - Frontiers in plant science N2 - Haberlea rhodopensis is a resurrection species with extreme resistance to drought stress and desiccation but also with ability to withstand low temperatures and freezing stress. In order to identify biochemical strategies which contribute to Haberlea's remarkable stress tolerance, the metabolic reconfiguration of H. rhodopensis during low temperature (4 degrees C) and subsequent return to optimal temperatures (21 degrees C) was investigated and compared with that of the stress tolerant Thellungiella halophyla and the stress sensitive Arabidopsis thaliana. Metabolic analysis by GC-MS revealed intrinsic differences in the metabolite levels of the three species even at 21 degrees C. H. rhodopensis had significantly more raffinose, melibiose, trehalose, rhamnose, myo-inositol, sorbitol, galactinol, erythronate, threonate, 2-oxoglutarate, citrate, and glycerol than the other two species. A. thaliana had the highest levels of putrescine and fumarate, while T halophila had much higher levels of several amino acids, including alanine, asparagine, beta-alanine, histidine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, serine, threonine, and valine. In addition, the three species responded differently to the low temperature treatment and the subsequent recovery, especially with regard to the sugar metabolism. Chilling induced accumulation of maltose in H. rhodopensis and raffinose in A. thaliana but the raffinose levels in low temperature exposed Arabidopsis were still much lower than these in unstressed Haberlea. While all species accumulated sucrose during chilling, that accumulation was transient in H. rhodopensis and A. thaliana but sustained in T halophila after the return to optimal temperature. Thus, Haberlea's metabolome appeared primed for chilling stress but the low temperature acclimation induced additional stress-protective mechanisms. A diverse array of sugars, organic acids, and polyols constitute Haberlea's main metabolic defence mechanisms against chilling, while accumulation of amino acids and amino acid derivatives contribute to the low temperature acclimation in Arabidopsis and Thellungiella. Collectively, these results show inherent differences in the metabolomes under the ambient temperature and the strategies to respond to low temperature in the three species. KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - Haberlea rhodopensis KW - low temperature stress KW - metabolite profiling KW - Thellungiella halophila Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2013.00499 SN - 1664-462X VL - 4 IS - 1 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER - TY - GEN A1 - Schwarte, Sandra A1 - Brust, Henrike A1 - Steup, Martin A1 - Tiedemann, Ralph T1 - Intraspecific sequence variation and differential expression in starch synthase genes of Arabidopsis thaliana T2 - BMC Research Notes N2 - Background Natural accessions of Arabidopsis thaliana are a well-known system to measure levels of intraspecific genetic variation. Leaf starch content correlates negatively with biomass. Starch is synthesized by the coordinated action of many (iso)enzymes. Quantitatively dominant is the repetitive transfer of glucosyl residues to the non-reducing ends of α-glucans as mediated by starch synthases. In the genome of A. thaliana, there are five classes of starch synthases, designated as soluble starch synthases (SSI, SSII, SSIII, and SSIV) and granule-bound synthase (GBSS). Each class is represented by a single gene. The five genes are homologous in functional domains due to their common origin, but have evolved individual features as well. Here, we analyze the extent of genetic variation in these fundamental protein classes as well as possible functional implications on transcript and protein levels. Findings Intraspecific sequence variation of the five starch synthases was determined by sequencing the entire loci including promoter regions from 30 worldwide distributed accessions of A. thaliana. In all genes, a considerable number of nucleotide polymorphisms was observed, both in non-coding and coding regions, and several amino acid substitutions were identified in functional domains. Furthermore, promoters possess numerous polymorphisms in potentially regulatory cis-acting regions. By realtime experiments performed with selected accessions, we demonstrate that DNA sequence divergence correlates with significant differences in transcript levels. Conclusions Except for AtSSII, all starch synthase classes clustered into two or three groups of haplotypes, respectively. Significant difference in transcript levels among haplotype clusters in AtSSIV provides evidence for cis-regulation. By contrast, no such correlation was found for AtSSI, AtSSII, AtSSIII, and AtGBSS, suggesting trans-regulation. The expression data presented here point to a regulation by common trans-regulatory transcription factors which ensures a coordinated action of the products of these four genes during starch granule biosynthesis. The apparent cis-regulation of AtSSIV might be related to its role in the initiation of de novo biosynthesis of granules. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe - 400 KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - starch synthases KW - genetic variation KW - transcript level Y1 - 2017 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-401128 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sharma, Tripti A1 - Dreyer, Ingo A1 - Riedelsberger, Janin T1 - The role of K+ channels in uptake and redistribution of potassium in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana JF - Frontiers in plant science N2 - Potassium (K+) is inevitable for plant growth and development. It plays a crucial role in the regulation of enzyme activities, in adjusting the electrical membrane potential and the cellular turgor, in regulating cellular homeostasis and in the stabilization of protein synthesis. Uptake of K+ from the soil and its transport to growing organs is essential for a healthy plant development. Uptake and allocation of K+ are performed by K+ channels and transporters belonging to different protein families. In this review we summarize the knowledge on the versatile physiological roles of plant K+ channels and their behavior under stress conditions in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. KW - plant potassium channel KW - Shaker KW - TPK KW - K-ir-like KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - voltage-dependent KW - voltage-independent Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2013.00224 SN - 1664-462X VL - 4 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Nguyen, Hung M. A1 - Schippers, Jos H. M. A1 - Goni-Ramos, Oscar A1 - Christoph, Mathias P. A1 - Dortay, Hakan A1 - van der Hoorn, Renier A. L. A1 - Müller-Röber, Bernd T1 - An upstream regulator of the 26S proteasome modulates organ size in Arabidopsis thaliana JF - The plant journal N2 - In both animal and plant kingdoms, body size is a fundamental but still poorly understood attribute of biological systems. Here we report that the Arabidopsis NAC transcription factor Regulator of Proteasomal Gene Expression' (RPX) controls leaf size by positively modulating proteasome activity. We further show that the cis-element recognized by RPX is evolutionarily conserved between higher plant species. Upon over-expression of RPX, plants exhibit reduced growth, which may be reversed by a low concentration of the pharmacological proteasome inhibitor MG132. These data suggest that the rate of protein turnover during growth is a critical parameter for determining final organ size. KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - organ size KW - evolution KW - leaf development KW - proteasome KW - gene regulatory network Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.12097 SN - 0960-7412 VL - 74 IS - 1 SP - 25 EP - 36 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Matallana-Ramirez, Lilian P. A1 - Rauf, Mamoona A1 - Farage-Barhom, Sarit A1 - Dortay, Hakan A1 - Xue, Gang-Ping A1 - Droege-Laser, Wolfgang A1 - Lers, Amnon A1 - Balazadeh, Salma A1 - Müller-Röber, Bernd T1 - NAC Transcription Factor ORE1 and Senescence-Induced BIFUNCTIONAL NUCLEASE1 (BFN1) Constitute a Regulatory Cascade in Arabidopsis JF - Molecular plant N2 - The NAC transcription factor ORE1 is a key regulator of senescence in Arabidopsis thaliana. Here, we demonstrate that senescence-induced and cell death-associated BIFUNCTIONAL NUCLEASE1 (BFN1) is a direct downstream target of ORE1, revealing a previously unknown regulatory cascade.Senescence is a highly regulated process that involves the action of a large number of transcription factors. The NAC transcription factor ORE1 (ANAC092) has recently been shown to play a critical role in positively controlling senescence in Arabidopsis thaliana; however, no direct target gene through which it exerts its molecular function has been identified previously. Here, we report that BIFUNCTIONAL NUCLEASE1 (BFN1), a well-known senescence-enhanced gene, is directly regulated by ORE1. We detected elevated expression of BFN1 already 2 h after induction of ORE1 in estradiol-inducible ORE1 overexpression lines and 6 h after transfection of Arabidopsis mesophyll cell protoplasts with a 35S:ORE1 construct. ORE1 and BFN1 expression patterns largely overlap, as shown by promoterreporter gene (GUS) fusions, while BFN1 expression in senescent leaves and the abscission zones of maturing flower organs was virtually absent in ore1 mutant background. In vitro binding site assays revealed a bipartite ORE1 binding site, similar to that of ORS1, a paralog of ORE1. A bipartite ORE1 binding site was identified in the BFN1 promoter; mutating the cis-element within the context of the full-length BFN1 promoter drastically reduced ORE1-mediated transactivation capacity in transiently transfected Arabidopsis mesophyll cell protoplasts. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) demonstrates in vivo binding of ORE1 to the BFN1 promoter. We also demonstrate binding of ORE1 in vivo to the promoters of two other senescence-associated genes, namely SAG29/SWEET15 and SINA1, supporting the central role of ORE1 during senescence. KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - senescence KW - transcription factor KW - ORE1 KW - BFN1 KW - promoter Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1093/mp/sst012 SN - 1674-2052 VL - 6 IS - 5 SP - 1438 EP - 1452 PB - Oxford Univ. Press CY - Oxford ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Lukoszek, Radoslaw A1 - Müller-Röber, Bernd A1 - Ignatova, Zoya T1 - Interplay between polymerase II- and polymerase III-assisted expression of overlapping genes JF - FEBS letters : the journal for rapid publication of short reports in molecular biosciences N2 - Up to 15% of the genes in different genomes overlap. This architecture, although beneficial for the genome size, represents an obstacle for simultaneous transcription of both genes. Here we analyze the interference between RNA-polymerase II (Pol II) and RNA-polymerase III (Pol III) when transcribing their target genes encoded on opposing strands within the same DNA fragment in Arabidopsis thaliana. The expression of a Pol II-dependent protein-coding gene negatively correlated with the transcription of a Pol III-dependent, tRNA-coding gene set. We suggest that the architecture of the overlapping genes introduces an additional layer of control of gene expression. (C) 2013 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. KW - Gene expression KW - Transcription KW - tRNA KW - Nested and overlapping genes KW - Arabidopsis thaliana Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.febslet.2013.09.033 SN - 0014-5793 SN - 1873-3468 VL - 587 IS - 22 SP - 3692 EP - 3695 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mahlow, Sebastian A1 - Hejazi, Mahdi A1 - Kuhnert, Franziska A1 - Garz, Andreas A1 - Brust, Henrike A1 - Baumann, Otto A1 - Fettke, Jörg T1 - Phosphorylation of transitory starch by -glucan, water dikinase during starch turnover affects the surface properties and morphology of starch granules JF - New phytologist : international journal of plant science N2 - Glucan, water dikinase (GWD) is a key enzyme of starch metabolism but the physico-chemical properties of starches isolated from GWD-deficient plants and their implications for starch metabolism have so far not been described. Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants with reduced or no GWD activity were used to investigate the properties of starch granules. In addition, using various in vitro assays, the action of recombinant GWD, -amylase, isoamylase and starch synthase 1 on the surface of native starch granules was analysed. The internal structure of granules isolated from GWD mutant plants is unaffected, as thermal stability, allomorph, chain length distribution and density of starch granules were similar to wild-type. However, short glucan chain residues located at the granule surface dominate in starches of transgenic plants and impede GWD activity. A similarly reduced rate of phosphorylation by GWD was also observed in potato tuber starch fractions that differ in the proportion of accessible glucan chain residues at the granule surface. A model is proposed to explain the characteristic morphology of starch granules observed in GWD transgenic plants. The model postulates that the occupancy rate of single glucan chains at the granule surface limits accessibility to starch-related enzymes. KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - glucan KW - water dikinase (GWD) KW - sex1-8 KW - starch granule surface KW - starch phosphorylation Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.12801 SN - 0028-646X SN - 1469-8137 VL - 203 IS - 2 SP - 495 EP - 507 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Omidbakhshfard, Mohammad Amin A1 - Winck, Flavia Vischi A1 - Arvidsson, Samuel Janne A1 - Riano-Pachon, Diego M. A1 - Müller-Röber, Bernd T1 - A step-by-step protocol for formaldehyde-assisted isolation of regulatory elements from Arabidopsis thaliana JF - Journal of integrative plant biology N2 - The control of gene expression by transcriptional regulators and other types of functionally relevant DNA transactions such as chromatin remodeling and replication underlie a vast spectrum of biological processes in all organisms. DNA transactions require the controlled interaction of proteins with DNA sequence motifs which are often located in nucleosome-depleted regions (NDRs) of the chromatin. Formaldehyde-assisted isolation of regulatory elements (FAIRE) has been established as an easy-to-implement method for the isolation of NDRs from a number of eukaryotic organisms, and it has been successfully employed for the discovery of new regulatory segments in genomic DNA from, for example, yeast, Drosophila, and humans. Until today, however, FAIRE has only rarely been employed in plant research and currently no detailed FAIRE protocol for plants has been published. Here, we provide a step-by-step FAIRE protocol for NDR discovery in Arabidopsis thaliana. We demonstrate that NDRs isolated from plant chromatin are readily amenable to quantitative polymerase chain reaction and next-generation sequencing. Only minor modification of the FAIRE protocol will be needed to adapt it to other plants, thus facilitating the global inventory of regulatory regions across species. KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - chromatin KW - cis-regulatory elements KW - epigenomics KW - FAIRE-qPCR KW - FAIRE-seq KW - gene expression KW - gene regulatory network KW - transcription factor Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/jipb.12151 SN - 1672-9072 SN - 1744-7909 VL - 56 IS - 6 SP - 527 EP - 538 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schwarte, Sandra A1 - Wegner, Fanny A1 - Havenstein, Katja A1 - Groth, Detlef A1 - Steup, Martin A1 - Tiedemann, Ralph T1 - Sequence variation, differential expression, and divergent evolution in starch-related genes among accessions of Arabidopsis thaliana JF - Plant molecular biology : an international journal of fundamental research and genetic engineering N2 - Transitory starch metabolism is a nonlinear and highly regulated process. It originated very early in the evolution of chloroplast-containing cells and is largely based on a mosaic of genes derived from either the eukaryotic host cell or the prokaryotic endosymbiont. Initially located in the cytoplasm, starch metabolism was rewired into plastids in Chloroplastida. Relocation was accompanied by gene duplications that occurred in most starch-related gene families and resulted in subfunctionalization of the respective gene products. Starch-related isozymes were then evolutionary conserved by constraints such as internal starch structure, posttranslational protein import into plastids and interactions with other starch-related proteins. 25 starch-related genes in 26 accessions of Arabidopsis thaliana were sequenced to assess intraspecific diversity, phylogenetic relationships, and modes of selection. Furthermore, sequences derived from additional 80 accessions that are publicly available were analyzed. Diversity varies significantly among the starch-related genes. Starch synthases and phosphorylases exhibit highest nucleotide diversities, while pyrophosphatases and debranching enzymes are most conserved. The gene trees are most compatible with a scenario of extensive recombination, perhaps in a Pleistocene refugium. Most genes are under purifying selection, but disruptive selection was inferred for a few genes/substitutiones. To study transcript levels, leaves were harvested throughout the light period. By quantifying the transcript levels and by analyzing the sequence of the respective accessions, we were able to estimate whether transcript levels are mainly determined by genetic (i.e., accession dependent) or physiological (i.e., time dependent) parameters. We also identified polymorphic sites that putatively affect pattern or the level of transcripts. KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - Divergent evolution KW - Intraspecific genetic variation KW - Positive selection KW - Starch metabolizing enzymes KW - Transcript levels Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s11103-015-0293-2 SN - 0167-4412 SN - 1573-5028 VL - 87 IS - 4-5 SP - 489 EP - 519 PB - Springer CY - Dordrecht ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Apelt, Federico A1 - Breuer, David A1 - Nikoloski, Zoran A1 - Stitt, Mark A1 - Kragler, Friedrich T1 - Phytotyping(4D): a light-field imaging system for non-invasive and accurate monitoring of spatio-temporal plant growth JF - The plant journal N2 - Integrative studies of plant growth require spatially and temporally resolved information from high-throughput imaging systems. However, analysis and interpretation of conventional two-dimensional images is complicated by the three-dimensional nature of shoot architecture and by changes in leaf position over time, termed hyponasty. To solve this problem, Phytotyping(4D) uses a light-field camera that simultaneously provides a focus image and a depth image, which contains distance information about the object surface. Our automated pipeline segments the focus images, integrates depth information to reconstruct the three-dimensional architecture, and analyses time series to provide information about the relative expansion rate, the timing of leaf appearance, hyponastic movement, and shape for individual leaves and the whole rosette. Phytotyping(4D) was calibrated and validated using discs of known sizes, and plants tilted at various orientations. Information from this analysis was integrated into the pipeline to allow error assessment during routine operation. To illustrate the utility of Phytotyping(4D), we compare diurnal changes in Arabidopsis thaliana wild-type Col-0 and the starchless pgm mutant. Compared to Col-0, pgm showed very low relative expansion rate in the second half of the night, a transiently increased relative expansion rate at the onset of light period, and smaller hyponastic movement including delayed movement after dusk, both at the level of the rosette and individual leaves. Our study introduces light-field camera systems as a tool to accurately measure morphological and growth-related features in plants. Significance Statement Phytotyping(4D) is a non-invasive and accurate imaging system that combines a 3D light-field camera with an automated pipeline, which provides validated measurements of growth, movement, and other morphological features at the rosette and single-leaf level. In a case study in which we investigated the link between starch and growth, we demonstrated that Phytotyping(4D) is a key step towards bridging the gap between phenotypic observations and the rich genetic and metabolic knowledge. KW - plant growth KW - hyponasty KW - 3D imaging KW - light-field camera KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - pgm KW - technical advance Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.12833 SN - 0960-7412 SN - 1365-313X VL - 82 IS - 4 SP - 693 EP - 706 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Hoboken ER - TY - THES A1 - Nietzsche, Madlen T1 - Identifizierung und Charakterisierung neuer Komponenten der SnRK1-Signaltransduktion in Arabidopsis thaliana T1 - Identification and characterization of novel components of SnRK1-Signalling in Arabidopsis thaliana N2 - Für alle Organismen ist die Aufrechterhaltung ihres energetischen Gleichgewichts unter fluktuierenden Umweltbedingungen lebensnotwendig. In Eukaryoten steuern evolutionär konservierte Proteinkinasen, die in Pflanzen als SNF1-RELATED PROTEIN KINASE1 (SnRK1) bezeichnet werden, die Adaption an Stresssignale aus der Umwelt und an die Limitierung von Nährstoffen und zellulärer Energie. Die Aktivierung von SnRK1 bedingt eine umfangreiche transkriptionelle Umprogrammierung, die allgemein zu einer Repression energiekonsumierender Prozesse wie beispielsweise Zellteilung und Proteinbiosynthese und zu einer Induktion energieerzeugender, katabolischer Stoffwechselwege führt. Wie unterschiedliche Signale zu einer generellen sowie teilweise gewebe- und stressspezifischen SnRK1-vermittelten Antwort führen ist bisher noch nicht ausreichend geklärt, auch weil bislang nur wenige Komponenten der SnRK1-Signaltransduktion identifiziert wurden. In dieser Arbeit konnte ein Protein-Protein-Interaktionsnetzwerk um die SnRK1αUntereinheiten aus Arabidopsis AKIN10/AKIN11 etabliert werden. Dadurch wurden zunächst Mitglieder der pflanzenspezifischen DUF581-Proteinfamilie als Interaktionspartner der SnRK1α-Untereinheiten identifiziert. Diese Proteine sind über ihre konservierte DUF581Domäne, in der ein Zinkfinger-Motiv lokalisiert ist, fähig mit AKIN10/AKIN11 zu interagieren. In planta Ko-Expressionsanalysen zeigten, dass die DUF581-Proteine eine Verschiebung der nucleo-cytoplasmatischen Lokalisierung von AKIN10 hin zu einer nahezu ausschließlichen zellkernspezifischen Lokalisierung begünstigen sowie die Ko-Lokalisierung von AKIN10 und DUF581-Proteinen im Nucleus. In Bimolekularen Fluoreszenzkomplementations-Analysen konnte die zellkernspezifische Interaktion von DUF581-Proteinen mit SnRK1α-Untereinheiten in planta bestätigt werden. Außerhalb der DUF581-Domäne weisen die Proteine einander keine große Sequenzähnlichkeit auf. Aufgrund ihrer Fähigkeit mit SnRK1 zu interagieren, dem Fehlen von SnRK1Phosphorylierungsmotiven sowie ihrer untereinander sehr variabler gewebs-, entwicklungs- und stimulusspezifischer Expression wurde für DUF581-Proteine eine Funktion als Adaptoren postuliert, die unter bestimmten physiologischen Bedingungen spezifische Substratproteine in den SnRK1-Komplex rekrutieren. Auf diese Weise könnten DUF581Proteine die Interaktion von SnRK1 mit deren Zielproteinen modifizieren und eine Feinjustierung der SnRK1-Signalweiterleitung ermöglichen. Durch weiterführende Interaktionsstudien konnten DUF581-interagierende Proteine darunter Transkriptionsfaktoren, Proteinkinasen sowie regulatorische Proteine gefunden werden, die teilweise ebenfalls Wechselwirkungen mit SnRK1α-Untereinheiten aufzeigten. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurde eines dieser Proteine für das eine Beteiligung an der SnRK1Signalweiterleitung als Transkriptionsregulator vermutet wurde näher charakterisiert. STKR1 (STOREKEEPER RELATED 1), ein spezifischer Interaktionspartner von DUF581-18, gehört zu einer pflanzenspezifischen Leucin-Zipper-Transkriptionsfaktorfamilie und interagiert in Hefe sowie in planta mit SnRK1. Die zellkernspezifische Interaktion von STKR1 und AKIN10 in Pflanzen unterstützt die Vermutung der kooperativen Regulation von Zielgenen. Weiterhin stabilisierte die Anwesenheit von AKIN10 die Proteingehalte von STKR1, das wahrscheinlich über das 26S Proteasom abgebaut wird. Da es sich bei STKR1 um ein Phosphoprotein mit SnRK1-Phosphorylierungsmotiv handelt, stellt es sehr wahrscheinlich ein SnRK1-Substrat dar. Allerdings konnte eine SnRK1-vermittelte Phosphorylierung von STKR1 in dieser Arbeit nicht gezeigt werden. Der Verlust von einer Phosphorylierungsstelle beeinflusste die Homo- und Heterodimerisierungsfähigkeit von STKR1 in Hefeinteraktionsstudien, wodurch eine erhöhte Spezifität der Zielgenregulation ermöglicht werden könnte. Außerdem wurden Arabidopsis-Pflanzen mit einer veränderten STKR1-Expression phänotypisch, physiologisch und molekularbiologisch charakterisiert. Während der Verlust der STKR1-Expression zu Pflanzen führte, die sich kaum von Wildtyp-Pflanzen unterschieden, bedingte die konstitutive Überexpression von STKR1 ein stark vermindertes Pflanzenwachstum sowie Entwicklungsverzögerungen hinsichtlich der Blühinduktion und Seneszenz ähnlich wie sie auch bei SnRK1α-Überexpression beschrieben wurden. Pflanzen dieser Linien waren nicht in der Lage Anthocyane zu akkumulieren und enthielten geringere Gehalte an Chlorophyll und Carotinoiden. Neben einem erhöhten nächtlichen Stärkeumsatz waren die Pflanzen durch geringere Saccharosegehalte im Vergleich zum Wildtyp gekennzeichnet. Eine Transkriptomanalyse ergab, dass in den STKR1-überexprimierenden Pflanzen unter Energiemangelbedingungen, hervorgerufen durch eine verlängerte Dunkelphase, eine größere Anzahl an Genen im Vergleich zum Wildtyp differentiell reguliert war als während der Lichtphase. Dies spricht für eine Beteiligung von STKR1 an Prozessen, die während der verlängerten Dunkelphase aktiv sind. Ein solcher ist beispielsweise die SnRK1-Signaltransduktion, die unter energetischem Stress aktiviert wird. Die STKR1Überexpression führte zudem zu einer verstärkten transkriptionellen Induktion von Abwehrassoziierten Genen sowie NAC- und WRKY-Transkriptionsfaktoren nach verlängerter Dunkelphase. Die Transkriptomdaten deuteten auf eine stimulusunabhängige Induktion von Abwehrprozessen hin und konnten eine Erklärung für die phänotypischen und physiologischen Auffälligkeiten der STKR1-Überexprimierer liefern. N2 - For all living organism maintenance of energy homeostasis under changing environmental conditions is indispensable. In eukaryotes, evolutionary conserved protein kinases, such as the SNF1-RELATED PROTEIN KINASE1 (SnRK1) in plants, integrate environmental stress signals, nutrient availability and energy depletion during adaptational responses. Activation of SnRK1 triggers a broad transcriptional reprogramming, which in general represses energy consuming processes such as proliferation and protein biosynthesis and induces energy producing catabolic pathways. Although SnRK1 acts as a convergent point for many different environmental and metabolic signals to control growth and development, it is currently unknown how these many different signals could be translated into a cell-type or stimulusspecific response. This is also due to the fact that only a few proteins participating in SnRK1 signal transduction have yet been identified. In this work, a protein-protein interaction network of the Arabidopsis SnRK1α-subunits AKIN10/AKIN11 was established. Thereby, members of the plant specific DUF581 protein family were identified as SnRK1α interacting proteins. The highly conserved DUF581 domain possesses a zinc finger motif and mediates the interaction with AKIN10/AKIN11. In planta co-expression of AKIN10 with DUF581 proteins leads to a shift of subcellular localization from a nucleo-cytoplasmic distribution of both proteins to a nearly exclusive nuclear localization and show that AKIN10 and DUF581 proteins co-localize in nuclei of plant cells. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation analysis revealed that SnRK1α-subunits interact with DUF581 proteins in plants. Apart from their DUF581 domain there is no strong sequence similarity between DUF581 proteins. Because of their ability to interact with SnRK1, the absence of SnRK1-target motifs and their highly variable transcriptional regulation in a tissue-, development- or stimuli-specific manner, it is possible that DUF581 proteins act as adaptor proteins recruiting substrate proteins into the SnRK1 complex under defined physiological conditions. That said, DUF581 could modify the interaction of SnRK1 with its target proteins and facilitate fine-tuning of SnRK1 signal transduction. Additional interaction studies revealed further DUF581 interacting proteins such as transcription factors, protein kinases and regulatory proteins that in part were also able to interact with SnRK1α. One of these proteins which is supposed to be involved in SnRK1 signaling as a transcriptional regulator was characterized in more detail: Arabidopsis STKR1 (STOREKEPPER RELATED 1) a DUF581-18 interaction partner belongs to a plant specific leucine zipper transcription factor family and is able to interact with SnRK1 in yeast and in planta. Co-operative regulation of target genes by STKR1 and AKIN10 is supported by the specific interaction of these proteins inside the plant nucleus. Furthermore, AKIN10 seems to stabilize protein levels of STKR1 in that it attenuates its proteasomal turnover. Due to the fact that STKR1 is a phosphoprotein with putative SnRK1 target motives it is likely a SnRK1 substrate. However, SnRK1 mediated phosphorylation of STKR1 could not be shown in this work. Though, interaction studies in yeast revealed that a loss of putative phosphorylation sites influences the ability of homo- and hetero-dimerization of STKR1, possibly allowing a higher specificity during target gene regulation. Another part of this work was the phenotypic, physiological and molecular characterization of Arabidopsis plants with altered expression of STKR1. Whereas the absence of STKR1 expression results in plants without strong phenotypic abnormality compared to wildtype the overexpression leads to a strong decrease in plant growth as well as developmental retardations regarding to the induction of flowering and senescence reminiscent of SnRK1overexpressing plants. Plants of these lines were not able to accumulate anthocyanins and also contain reduced levels of chlorophyll and carotenoids. Besides a higher starch turnover in dark, these plants displayed lower sucrose contents. Microarray analysis revealed that under energy deficit stress, induced by extended darkness, a higher number of genes were differentially regulated in plants overexpressing STKR1 compared to wildtype than during the light period. This observation argues for a participation of STKR1 in processes, which are active under extended darkness, being the case for SnRK1 signaling which is strongly activated under energy deficient stress. Overexpression of STKR1 also leads to transcriptional induction of genes associated with defense like NAC and WRKY transcription factors after an extended dark. Results of transcriptome data analysis indicate a stimulus independent induction of defense associated processes and are suitable to explain phenotypical and physiological abnormality of the STKR1 overexpressing lines. KW - SnRK1 KW - Proteinkinase KW - Phosphorylierung KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - Energiemangel KW - phosphorylation KW - energy starvation KW - protein kinase Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-98678 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ud-Din, Aziz A1 - Rauf, Mamoona A1 - Ghafoor, S. A1 - Khattak, M. N. K. A1 - Hameed, M. W. A1 - Shah, H. A1 - Jan, S. A1 - Muhammad, K. A1 - Rehman, A. A1 - Inamullah, T1 - Efficient use of artificial micro-RNA to downregulate the expression of genes at the post-transcriptional level in Arabidopsis thaliana JF - Genetics and molecular research N2 - Micro-RNAs are cellular components regulating gene expression at the post-transcription level. In the present study, artificial micro-RNAs were used to decrease the transcript level of two genes, AtExpA8 (encoding an expansin) and AHL25 (encoding an AT-hook motif nuclear localized protein) in Arabidopsis thaliana. The backbone of the Arabidopsis endogenous MIR319a micro-RNA was used in a site-directed mutagenesis approach for the generation of artificial micro-RNAs targeting two genes. The recombinant cassettes were expressed under the control of the CaMV 35S promoter in individual A. thaliana plants. Transgenic lines of the third generation were tested by isolating total RNA and by subsequent cDNA synthesis using oligo-dT18 primers and mRNAs as templates. The expression of the two target genes was checked through quantitative realtime polymerase chain reaction to confirm reduced transcript levels for AtExpA8 and AHL25. Downregulation of AtExpA8 resulted in the formation of short hypocotyls compared with those of the wild-type control in response to low pH and high salt concentration. This technology could be used to prevent the expression of exogenous and invading genes posing a threat to the normal cellular physiology of the host plant. KW - Artificial micro-RNA KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - qRT-PCR KW - AtExpA8 KW - AHL25 Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.4238/gmr.15027439 SN - 1676-5680 VL - 15 PB - FUNPEC CY - Ribeirao Preto ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Czesnick, Hjördis A1 - Lenhard, Michael T1 - Antagonistic control of flowering time by functionally specialized poly(A) polymerases in Arabidopsis thaliana JF - The plant journal N2 - Polyadenylation is a critical 3-end processing step during maturation of pre-mRNAs, and the length of the poly(A) tail affects mRNA stability, nuclear export and translation efficiency. The Arabidopsis thaliana genome encodes three canonical nuclear poly(A) polymerase (PAPS) isoforms fulfilling specialized functions, as reflected by their different mutant phenotypes. While PAPS1 affects several processes, such as the immune response, organ growth and male gametophyte development, the roles of PAPS2 and PAPS4 are largely unknown. Here we demonstrate that PAPS2 and PAPS4 promote flowering in a partially redundant manner. The enzymes act antagonistically to PAPS1, which delays the transition to flowering. The opposite flowering-time phenotypes in paps1 and paps2 paps4 mutants are at least partly due to decreased or increased FLC activity, respectively. In contrast to paps2 paps4 mutants, plants with increased PAPS4 activity flower earlier than the wild-type, concomitant with reduced FLC expression. Double mutant analyses suggest that PAPS2 and PAPS4 act independently of the autonomous pathway components FCA, FY and CstF64. The direct polyadenylation targets of the three PAPS isoforms that mediate their effects on flowering time do not include FLC sense mRNA and remain to be identified. Thus, our results uncover a role for canonical PAPS isoforms in flowering-time control, raising the possibility that modulating the balance of the isoform activities could be used to fine tune the transition to flowering. Significance Statement The length of the poly(A) tail affects mRNA stability, nuclear export and translation efficiency. Arabidopsis has three isoforms of nuclear poly(A) polymerase (PAPS): PAPS1 plays a major role in organ growth and plant defence. Here we show that PAPS2 and PAPS4 redundantly promote flowering and act antagonistically to PAPS1, which delays flowering. We suggest that modulating the activity of these isoforms fine-tunes the transition to flowering. KW - polyadenylation KW - 3-end processing KW - poly(A) polymerase KW - flowering time KW - autonomous pathway KW - Arabidopsis thaliana Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.13280 SN - 0960-7412 SN - 1365-313X VL - 88 SP - 570 EP - 583 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Smirnova, Julia A1 - Fernie, Alisdair R. A1 - Spahn, Christian M. T. A1 - Steup, Martin T1 - Photometric assay of maltose and maltose-forming enzyme activity by using 4-alpha-glucanotransferase (DPE2) from higher plants JF - Analytical biochemistry : methods in the biological sciences N2 - Maltose frequently occurs as intermediate of the central carbon metabolism of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Various mutants possess elevated maltose levels. Maltose exists as two anomers, (alpha- and beta-form) which are rapidly interconverted without requiring enzyme-mediated catalysis. As maltose is often abundant together with other oligoglucans, selective quantification is essential. In this communication, we present a photometric maltose assay using 4-alpha-glucanotransferase (AtDPE2) from Arabidopsis thaliana. Under in vitro conditions, AtDPE2 utilizes maltose as glucosyl donor and glycogen as acceptor releasing the other hexosyl unit as free glucose which is photometrically quantified following enzymatic phosphorylation and oxidation. Under the conditions used, DPE2 does not noticeably react with other di- or oligosaccharides. Selectivity compares favorably with that of maltase frequently used in maltose assays. Reducing end interconversion of the two maltose anomers is in rapid equilibrium and, therefore, the novel assay measures total maltose contents. Furthermore, an AtDPE2-based continuous photometric assay is presented which allows to quantify beta-amylase activity and was found to be superior to a conventional test. Finally, the AtDPE2-based maltose assay was used to quantify leaf maltose contents of both Arabidopsis wild type and AtDPE2-deficient plants throughout the light-dark cycle. These data are presented together with assimilatory starch levels. (C) 2017 Published by Elsevier Inc. KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - beta-amylase assay KW - Disproportionating isozyme 2 (DPE2) dpe2-deficient plants KW - Maltose assay KW - Leaf maltose content Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ab.2017.05.026 SN - 0003-2697 SN - 1096-0309 VL - 532 SP - 72 EP - 82 PB - Elsevier CY - San Diego ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sakuraba, Yasuhito A1 - Bülbül, Selin A1 - Piao, Weilan A1 - Choi, Giltsu A1 - Paek, Nam-Chon T1 - Arabidopsis EARLY FLOWERING3 increases salt tolerance by suppressing salt stress response pathways JF - The plant journal KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - salt stress response KW - EARLY FLOWERING3 (ELF3) KW - reactive oxygen species KW - PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR4 (PIF4) KW - JUNGBRUNNEN1 (JUB1/ANAC042) KW - ORESARA1 (ORE1/ANAC092) KW - SAG29 Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.13747 SN - 0960-7412 SN - 1365-313X VL - 92 SP - 1106 EP - 1120 PB - Wiley CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Poxson, David J. A1 - Karady, Michal A1 - Gabrielsson, Roger A1 - Alkattan, Aziz Y. A1 - Gustavsson, Anna A1 - Doyle, Siamsa M. A1 - Robert, Stephanie A1 - Ljung, Karin A1 - Grebe, Markus A1 - Simon, Daniel T. A1 - Berggren, Magnus T1 - Regulating plant physiology with organic electronics JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America N2 - The organic electronic ion pump (OEIP) provides flow-free and accurate delivery of small signaling compounds at high spatio-temporal resolution. To date, the application of OEIPs has been limited to delivery of nonaromatic molecules to mammalian systems, particularly for neuroscience applications. However, many long-standing questions in plant biology remain unanswered due to a lack of technology that precisely delivers plant hormones, based on cyclic alkanes or aromatic structures, to regulate plant physiology. Here, we report the employment of OEIPs for the delivery of the plant hormone auxin to induce differential concentration gradients and modulate plant physiology. We fabricated OEIP devices based on a synthesized dendritic polyelectrolyte that enables electrophoretic transport of aromatic substances. Delivery of auxin to transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings in vivo was monitored in real time via dynamic fluorescent auxin-response reporters and induced physiological responses in roots. Our results provide a starting point for technologies enabling direct, rapid, and dynamic electronic interaction with the biochemical regulation systems of plants. KW - auxin KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - dendritic polymer KW - bioelectronics KW - polyelectrolyte Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1617758114 SN - 0027-8424 VL - 114 SP - 4597 EP - 4602 PB - National Acad. of Sciences CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Naseri, Gita A1 - Balazadeh, Salma A1 - Machens, Fabian A1 - Kamranfar, Iman A1 - Messerschmidt, Katrin A1 - Müller-Röber, Bernd T1 - Plant-Derived Transcription Factors for Orthologous Regulation of Gene Expression in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae JF - ACS synthetic biology N2 - Control of gene expression by transcription factors (TFs) is central in many synthetic biology projects for which a tailored expression of one or multiple genes is often needed. As TFs from evolutionary distant organisms are unlikely to affect gene expression in a host of choice, they represent excellent candidates for establishing orthogonal control systems. To establish orthogonal regulators for use in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), we chose TFs from the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. We established a library of 106 different combinations of chromosomally integrated TFs, activation domains (yeast GAL4 AD, herpes simplex virus VP64, and plant EDLL) and synthetic promoters harboring cognate cis regulatory motifs driving a yEGFP reporter. Transcriptional output of the different driver/reporter combinations varied over a wide spectrum, with EDLL being a considerably stronger transcription activation domain in yeast than the GAL4 activation domain, in particular when fused to Arabidopsis NAC TFs. Notably, the strength of several NAC-EDLL fusions exceeded that of the strong yeast TDH3 promoter by 6- to 10-fold. We furthermore show that plant TFs can be used to build regulatory systems encoded by centromeric or episomal plasmids. Our library of TF-DNA binding site combinations offers an excellent tool for diverse synthetic biology applications in yeast. KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - artificial transcription factor KW - NAC transcription factor KW - synthetic biology KW - plant Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1021/acssynbio.7b00094 SN - 2161-5063 VL - 6 SP - 1742 EP - 1756 PB - American Chemical Society CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hansen, Bjoern Oest A1 - Meyer, Etienne H. A1 - Ferrari, Camilla A1 - Vaid, Neha A1 - Movahedi, Sara A1 - Vandepoele, Klaas A1 - Nikoloski, Zoran A1 - Mutwil, Marek T1 - Ensemble gene function prediction database reveals genes important for complex I formation in Arabidopsis thaliana JF - New phytologist : international journal of plant science N2 - Recent advances in gene function prediction rely on ensemble approaches that integrate results from multiple inference methods to produce superior predictions. Yet, these developments remain largely unexplored in plants. We have explored and compared two methods to integrate 10 gene co-function networks for Arabidopsis thaliana and demonstrate how the integration of these networks produces more accurate gene function predictions for a larger fraction of genes with unknown function. These predictions were used to identify genes involved in mitochondrial complex I formation, and for five of them, we confirmed the predictions experimentally. The ensemble predictions are provided as a user-friendly online database, EnsembleNet. The methods presented here demonstrate that ensemble gene function prediction is a powerful method to boost prediction performance, whereas the EnsembleNet database provides a cutting-edge community tool to guide experimentalists. KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - co-function network KW - complex I KW - ensemble prediction KW - gene function prediction Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.14921 SN - 0028-646X SN - 1469-8137 VL - 217 IS - 4 SP - 1521 EP - 1534 PB - Wiley CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Liu, Hsiang-chin A1 - Lämke, Jörn A1 - Lin, Siou-ying A1 - Hung, Meng-Ju A1 - Liu, Kuan-Ming A1 - Charng, Yee-yung A1 - Bäurle, Isabel T1 - Distinct heat shock factors and chromatin modifications mediate the organ-autonomous transcriptional memory of heat stress JF - The plant journal N2 - Plants can be primed by a stress cue to mount a faster or stronger activation of defense mechanisms upon subsequent stress. A crucial component of such stress priming is the modified reactivation of genes upon recurring stress; however, the underlying mechanisms of this are poorly understood. Here, we report that dozens of Arabidopsis thaliana genes display transcriptional memory, i.e. stronger upregulation after a recurring heat stress, that lasts for at least 3 days. We define a set of transcription factors involved in this memory response and show that the transcriptional memory results in enhanced transcriptional activation within minutes of the onset of a heat stress cue. Further, we show that the transcriptional memory is active in all tissues. It may last for up to a week, and is associated during this time with histone H3 lysine 4 hypermethylation. This transcriptional memory is cis-encoded, as we identify a promoter fragment that confers memory onto a heterologous gene. In summary, heat-induced transcriptional memory is a widespread and sustained response, and our study provides a framework for future mechanistic studies of somatic stress memory in higher plants. KW - epigenetics KW - priming KW - heat stress KW - H3K4 methylation KW - transcriptional memory KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - HSF Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.13958 SN - 0960-7412 SN - 1365-313X VL - 95 IS - 3 SP - 401 EP - 413 PB - Wiley CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Bäurle, Isabel A1 - Brzezinka, Krzysztof A1 - Altmann, Simone T1 - BRUSHY1/TONSOKU/MGOUN3 is required for heat stress memory JF - Plant Cell & Environment N2 - Plants encounter biotic and abiotic stresses many times during their life cycle and this limits their productivity. Moderate heat stress (HS) primes a plant to survive higher temperatures that are lethal in the naïve state. Once temperature stress subsides, the memory of the priming event is actively retained for several days preparing the plant to better cope with recurring HS. Recently, chromatin regulation at different levels has been implicated in HS memory. Here, we report that the chromatin protein BRUSHY1 (BRU1)/TONSOKU/MGOUN3 plays a role in the HS memory in Arabidopsis thaliana. BRU1 is also involved in transcriptional gene silencing and DNA damage repair. This corresponds with the functions of its mammalian orthologue TONSOKU‐LIKE/NFΚBIL2. During HS memory, BRU1 is required to maintain sustained induction of HS memory‐associated genes, whereas it is dispensable for the acquisition of thermotolerance. In summary, we report that BRU1 is required for HS memory in A. thaliana, and propose a model where BRU1 mediates the epigenetic inheritance of chromatin states across DNA replication and cell division. KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - BRUSHY1 KW - chromatin KW - priming Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.13365 VL - 42 SP - 771 EP - 781 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tejos, Ricardo A1 - Rodriguez-Furlan, Cecilia A1 - Adamowski, Maciej A1 - Sauer, Michael A1 - Norambuena, Lorena A1 - Friml, Jiri T1 - PATELLINS are regulators of auxin-mediated PIN1 relocation and plant development in Arabidopsis thaliana JF - Journal of cell science N2 - Coordinated cell polarization in developing tissues is a recurrent theme in multicellular organisms. In plants, a directional distribution of the plant hormone auxin is at the core of many developmental programs. A feedback regulation of auxin on the polarized localization of PIN auxin transporters in individual cells has been proposed as a self-organizing mechanism for coordinated tissue polarization, but the molecular mechanisms linking auxin signalling to PIN-dependent auxin transport remain unknown. We used a microarray-based approach to find regulators of the auxin-induced PIN relocation in Arabidopsis thaliana root, and identified a subset of a family of phosphatidylinositol transfer proteins (PITPs), the PATELLINs (PATLs). Here, we show that PATLs are expressed in partially overlapping cell types in different tissues going through mitosis or initiating differentiation programs. PATLs are plasma membrane-associated proteins accumulated in Arabidopsis embryos, primary roots, lateral root primordia and developing stomata. Higher order patl mutants display reduced PIN1 repolarization in response to auxin, shorter root apical meristem, and drastic defects in embryo and seedling development. This suggests that PATLs play a redundant and crucial role in polarity and patterning in Arabidopsis. KW - PATELLIN KW - Auxin KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - Auxin transport KW - Canalization Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1242/jcs.204198 SN - 0021-9533 SN - 1477-9137 VL - 131 IS - 2 PB - Company of Biologists Limited CY - Cambridge ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Malinova, Irina A1 - Mahto, Harendra A1 - Brandt, Felix A1 - AL-Rawi, Shadha A1 - Qasim, Hadeel A1 - Brust, Henrike A1 - Hejazi, Mahdi A1 - Fettke, Jörg T1 - EARLY STARVATION1 specifically affects the phosphorylation action of starch-related dikinases JF - The plant journal N2 - Starch phosphorylation by starch-related dikinases glucan, water dikinase (GWD) and phosphoglucan, water dikinase (PWD) is a key step in starch degradation. Little information is known about the precise structure of the glucan substrate utilized by the dikinases and about the mechanisms by which these structures may be influenced. A 50-kDa starch-binding protein named EARLY STARVATION1 (ESV1) was analyzed regarding its impact on starch phosphorylation. In various invitro assays, the influences of the recombinant protein ESV1 on the actions of GWD and PWD on the surfaces of native starch granules were analyzed. In addition, we included starches from various sources as well as truncated forms of GWD. ESV1 preferentially binds to highly ordered, -glucans, such as starch and crystalline maltodextrins. Furthermore, ESV1 specifically influences the action of GWD and PWD at the starch granule surface. Starch phosphorylation by GWD is decreased in the presence of ESV1, whereas the action of PWD increases in the presence of ESV1. The unique alterations observed in starch phosphorylation by the two dikinases are discussed in regard to altered glucan structures at the starch granule surface. KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - EARLY STARVATION1 KW - glucan KW - phosphoglucan KW - starch granule surface KW - starch phosphorylation KW - water dikinase Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.13937 SN - 0960-7412 SN - 1365-313X VL - 95 IS - 1 SP - 126 EP - 137 PB - Wiley CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Malinova, Irina A1 - Kössler, Stella A1 - Orawetz, Tom A1 - Matthes, Ulrike A1 - Orzechowski, Slawomir A1 - Koch, Anke A1 - Fettke, Jörg T1 - Identification of two Arabidopsis thaliana plasma membrane transporters able to transport glucose 1-phosphate JF - Plant & cell physiology N2 - Primary carbohydrate metabolism in plants includes several sugar and sugar-derivative transport processes. Over recent years, evidences have shown that in starch-related transport processes, in addition to glucose 6-phosphate, maltose, glucose and triose-phosphates, glucose 1-phosphate also plays a role and thereby increases the possible fluxes of sugar metabolites in planta. In this study, we report the characterization of two highly similar transporters, At1g34020 and At4g09810, in Arabidopsis thaliana, which allow the import of glucose 1-phosphate through the plasma membrane. Both transporters were expressed in yeast and were biochemically analyzed to reveal an antiport of glucose 1-phosphate/phosphate. Furthermore, we showed that the apoplast of Arabidopsis leaves contained glucose 1-phosphate and that the corresponding mutant of these transporters had higher glucose 1-phosphate amounts in the apoplast and alterations in starch and starch-related metabolism. KW - apoplast KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - glucose 1-phosphate transport KW - starch metabolism KW - sugar transport Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1093/pcp/pcz206 SN - 0032-0781 SN - 1471-9053 VL - 61 IS - 2 SP - 381 EP - 392 PB - Oxford University Press CY - Oxford ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Pandey, Prashant K. A1 - Yu, Jing A1 - Omranian, Nooshin A1 - Alseekh, Saleh A1 - Vaid, Neha A1 - Fernie, Alisdair R. A1 - Nikoloski, Zoran A1 - Laitinen, Roosa A. E. T1 - Plasticity in metabolism underpins local responses to nitrogen in Arabidopsis thaliana populations JF - Plant Direct N2 - Nitrogen (N) is central for plant growth, and metabolic plasticity can provide a strategy to respond to changing N availability. We showed that two local A. thaliana populations exhibited differential plasticity in the compounds of photorespiratory and starch degradation pathways in response to three N conditions. Association of metabolite levels with growth-related and fitness traits indicated that controlled plasticity in these pathways could contribute to local adaptation and play a role in plant evolution. KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - natural variation KW - nitrogen availability KW - photorespiration KW - plasticity Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/pld3.186 SN - 2475-4455 VL - 3 IS - 11 PB - John Wiley & sonst LTD CY - Chichester ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zhang, Yunming A1 - Ramming, Anna A1 - Heinke, Lisa A1 - Altschmied, Lothar A1 - Slotkin, R. Keith A1 - Becker, Jörg D. A1 - Kappel, Christian A1 - Lenhard, Michael T1 - The poly(A) polymerase PAPS1 interacts with the RNA-directed DNA-methylation pathway in sporophyte and pollen development JF - The plant journal N2 - RNA-based processes play key roles in the regulation of eukaryotic gene expression. This includes both the processing of pre-mRNAs into mature mRNAs ready for translation and RNA-based silencing processes, such as RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM). Polyadenylation of pre-mRNAs is one important step in their processing and is carried out by three functionally specialized canonical nuclear poly(A) polymerases in Arabidopsis thaliana. Null mutations in one of these, termed PAPS1, result in a male gametophytic defect. Using a fluorescence-labelling strategy, we have characterized this defect in more detail using RNA and small-RNA sequencing. In addition to global defects in the expression of pollen-differentiation genes, paps1 null-mutant pollen shows a strong overaccumulation of transposable element (TE) transcripts, yet a depletion of 21- and particularly 24-nucleotide-long short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) targeting the corresponding TEs. Double-mutant analyses support a specific functional interaction between PAPS1 and components of the RdDM pathway, as evident from strong synergistic phenotypes in mutant combinations involving paps1, but not paps2 paps4, mutations. In particular, the double-mutant of paps1 and rna-dependent rna polymerase 6 (rdr6) shows a synergistic developmental phenotype disrupting the formation of the transmitting tract in the female gynoecium. Thus, our findings in A. thaliana uncover a potentially general link between canonical poly(A) polymerases as components of mRNA processing and RdDM, reflecting an analogous interaction in fission yeast. KW - poly(A) polymerase KW - RNA-directed DNA methylation KW - pollen development KW - siRNAs KW - transposable elements KW - gynoecium development KW - Arabidopsis thaliana Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.14348 SN - 0960-7412 SN - 1365-313X VL - 99 IS - 4 SP - 655 EP - 672 PB - Wiley CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Thirumalaikumar, Venkatesh P. A1 - Gorka, Michal A1 - Schulz, Karina A1 - Masclaux-Daubresse, Celine A1 - Sampathkumar, Arun A1 - Skirycz, Aleksandra A1 - Vierstra, Richard D. A1 - Balazadeh, Salma T1 - Selective autophagy regulates heat stress memory in Arabidopsis by NBR1-mediated targeting of HSP90.1 and ROF1 JF - Autophagy N2 - In nature, plants are constantly exposed to many transient, but recurring, stresses. Thus, to complete their life cycles, plants require a dynamic balance between capacities to recover following cessation of stress and maintenance of stress memory. Recently, we uncovered a new functional role for macroautophagy/autophagy in regulating recovery from heat stress (HS) and resetting cellular memory of HS inArabidopsis thaliana. Here, we demonstrated that NBR1 (next to BRCA1 gene 1) plays a crucial role as a receptor for selective autophagy during recovery from HS. Immunoblot analysis and confocal microscopy revealed that levels of the NBR1 protein, NBR1-labeled puncta, and NBR1 activity are all higher during the HS recovery phase than before. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis of proteins interacting with NBR1 and comparative proteomic analysis of annbr1-null mutant and wild-type plants identified 58 proteins as potential novel targets of NBR1. Cellular, biochemical and functional genetic studies confirmed that NBR1 interacts with HSP90.1 (heat shock protein 90.1) and ROF1 (rotamase FKBP 1), a member of the FKBP family, and mediates their degradation by autophagy, which represses the response to HS by attenuating the expression ofHSPgenes regulated by the HSFA2 transcription factor. Accordingly, loss-of-function mutation ofNBR1resulted in a stronger HS memory phenotype. Together, our results provide new insights into the mechanistic principles by which autophagy regulates plant response to recurrent HS. KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - heat stress KW - HSFA2 KW - HSP90.1 KW - NBR1 KW - ROF1 KW - selective autophagy KW - stress memory KW - stress recovery Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1080/15548627.2020.1820778 SN - 1554-8635 VL - 17 IS - 9 SP - 2184 EP - 2199 PB - Taylor & Francis CY - Abingdon ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Küken, Anika A1 - Gennermann, Kristin A1 - Nikoloski, Zoran T1 - Characterization of maximal enzyme catalytic rates in central metabolism of Arabidopsis thaliana JF - The plant journal N2 - Availability of plant-specific enzyme kinetic data is scarce, limiting the predictive power of metabolic models and precluding identification of genetic factors of enzyme properties. Enzyme kinetic data are measuredin vitro, often under non-physiological conditions, and conclusions elicited from modeling warrant caution. Here we estimate maximalin vivocatalytic rates for 168 plant enzymes, including photosystems I and II, cytochrome-b6f complex, ATP-citrate synthase, sucrose-phosphate synthase as well as enzymes from amino acid synthesis with previously undocumented enzyme kinetic data in BRENDA. The estimations are obtained by integrating condition-specific quantitative proteomics data, maximal rates of selected enzymes, growth measurements fromArabidopsis thalianarosette with and fluxes through canonical pathways in a constraint-based model of leaf metabolism. In comparison to findings inEscherichia coli, we demonstrate weaker concordance between the plant-specificin vitroandin vivoenzyme catalytic rates due to a low degree of enzyme saturation. This is supported by the finding that concentrations of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (phosphate), adenosine triphosphate and uridine triphosphate, calculated based on our maximalin vivocatalytic rates, and available quantitative metabolomics data are below reportedKMvalues and, therefore, indicate undersaturation of respective enzymes. Our findings show that genome-wide profiling of enzyme kinetic properties is feasible in plants, paving the way for understanding resource allocation. KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - constraint-based modeling KW - enzyme catalytic rates KW - kinetic parameter KW - metabolic network KW - turnover number Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.14890 SN - 0960-7412 SN - 1365-313X VL - 103 IS - 6 SP - 2168 EP - 2177 PB - Wiley CY - Oxford ER - TY - THES A1 - Schaarschmidt, Stephanie T1 - Evaluation and application of omics approaches to characterize molecular responses to abiotic stresses in plants T1 - Evaluierung und Anwendung von Omics-Methoden zur Charakterisierung von abiotischem Stress in Pflanzen auf molekularer Ebene N2 - Aufgrund des globalen Klimawandels ist die Gewährleistung der Ernährungssicherheit für eine wachsende Weltbevölkerung eine große Herausforderung. Insbesondere abiotische Stressoren wirken sich negativ auf Ernteerträge aus. Um klimaangepasste Nutzpflanzen zu entwickeln, ist ein umfassendes Verständnis molekularer Veränderungen in der Reaktion auf unterschiedlich starke Umweltbelastungen erforderlich. Hochdurchsatz- oder "Omics"-Technologien können dazu beitragen, Schlüsselregulatoren und Wege abiotischer Stressreaktionen zu identifizieren. Zusätzlich zur Gewinnung von Omics-Daten müssen auch Programme und statistische Analysen entwickelt und evaluiert werden, um zuverlässige biologische Ergebnisse zu erhalten. Ich habe diese Problemstellung in drei verschiedenen Studien behandelt und dafür zwei Omics-Technologien benutzt. In der ersten Studie wurden Transkript-Daten von den beiden polymorphen Arabidopsis thaliana Akzessionen Col-0 und N14 verwendet, um sieben Programme hinsichtlich ihrer Fähigkeit zur Positionierung und Quantifizierung von Illumina RNA Sequenz-Fragmenten („Reads“) zu evaluieren. Zwischen 92% und 99% der Reads konnten an die Referenzsequenz positioniert werden und die ermittelten Verteilungen waren hoch korreliert für alle Programme. Bei der Durchführung einer differentiellen Genexpressionsanalyse zwischen Pflanzen, die bei 20 °C oder 4 °C (Kälteakklimatisierung) exponiert wurden, ergab sich eine große paarweise Überlappung zwischen den Programmen. In der zweiten Studie habe ich die Transkriptome von zehn verschiedenen Oryza sativa (Reis) Kultivaren sequenziert. Dafür wurde die PacBio Isoform Sequenzierungstechnologie benutzt. Die de novo Referenztranskriptome hatten zwischen 38.900 bis 54.500 hoch qualitative Isoformen pro Sorte. Die Isoformen wurden kollabiert, um die Sequenzredundanz zu verringern und danach evaluiert z.B. hinsichtlich des Vollständigkeitsgrades (BUSCO), der Transkriptlänge und der Anzahl einzigartiger Transkripte pro Genloci. Für die hitze- und trockenheitstolerante Sorte N22 wurden ca. 650 einzigartige und neue Transkripte identifiziert, von denen 56 signifikant unterschiedlich in sich entwickelnden Samen unter kombiniertem Trocken- und Hitzestress exprimiert wurden. In der letzten Studie habe ich die Veränderungen in Metabolitprofilen von acht Reissorten gemessen und analysiert, die dem Stress hoher Nachttemperaturen (HNT) ausgesetzt waren und während der Trocken- und Regenzeit im Feld auf den Philippinen angebaut wurden. Es wurden jahreszeitlich bedingte Veränderungen im Metabolitspiegel sowie für agronomische Parameter identifiziert und mögliche Stoffwechselwege, die einen Ertragsrückgang unter HNT-Bedingungen verursachen, vorgeschlagen. Zusammenfassend konnte ich zeigen, dass der Vergleich der RNA-seq Programme den Pflanzenwissenschaftler*innen helfen kann, sich für das richtige Werkzeug für ihre Daten zu entscheiden. Die de novo Transkriptom-Rekonstruktion von Reissorten ohne Genomsequenz bietet einen gezielten, kosteneffizienten Ansatz zur Identifizierung neuer Gene, die durch verschiedene Stressbedingungen reguliert werden unabhängig vom Organismus. Mit dem Metabolomik-Ansatz für HNT-Stress in Reis habe ich stress- und jahreszeitenspezifische Metabolite identifiziert, die in Zukunft als molekulare Marker für die Verbesserung von Nutzpflanzen verwendet werden könnten. N2 - Due to global climate change providing food security for an increasing world population is a big challenge. Especially abiotic stressors have a strong negative effect on crop yield. To develop climate-adapted crops a comprehensive understanding of molecular alterations in the response of varying levels of environmental stresses is required. High throughput or ‘omics’ technologies can help to identify key-regulators and pathways of abiotic stress responses. In addition to obtain omics data also tools and statistical analyses need to be designed and evaluated to get reliable biological results. To address these issues, I have conducted three different studies covering two omics technologies. In the first study, I used transcriptomic data from the two polymorphic Arabidopsis thaliana accessions, namely Col-0 and N14, to evaluate seven computational tools for their ability to map and quantify Illumina single-end reads. Between 92% and 99% of the reads were mapped against the reference sequence. The raw count distributions obtained from the different tools were highly correlated. Performing a differential gene expression analysis between plants exposed to 20 °C or 4°C (cold acclimation), a large pairwise overlap between the mappers was obtained. In the second study, I obtained transcript data from ten different Oryza sativa (rice) cultivars by PacBio Isoform sequencing that can capture full-length transcripts. De novo reference transcriptomes were reconstructed resulting in 38,900 to 54,500 high-quality isoforms per cultivar. Isoforms were collapsed to reduce sequence redundancy and evaluated, e.g. for protein completeness level (BUSCO), transcript length, and number of unique transcripts per gene loci. For the heat and drought tolerant aus cultivar N22, I identified around 650 unique and novel transcripts of which 56 were significantly differentially expressed in developing seeds during combined drought and heat stress. In the last study, I measured and analyzed the changes in metabolite profiles of eight rice cultivars exposed to high night temperature (HNT) stress and grown during the dry and wet season on the field in the Philippines. Season-specific changes in metabolite levels, as well as for agronomic parameters, were identified and metabolic pathways causing a yield decline at HNT conditions suggested. In conclusion, the comparison of mapper performances can help plant scientists to decide on the right tool for their data. The de novo reconstruction of rice cultivars without a genome sequence provides a targeted, cost-efficient approach to identify novel genes responding to stress conditions for any organism. With the metabolomics approach for HNT stress in rice, I identified stress and season-specific metabolites which might be used as molecular markers for crop improvement in the future. KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - Oryza sativa KW - RNA-seq KW - PacBio IsoSeq KW - metabolomics KW - high night temperature KW - combined heat and drought stress KW - natural genetic variation KW - differential gene expression KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - Oryza sativa KW - PacBio IsoSeq KW - RNA-seq KW - kombinierter Hitze- und Trockenstress KW - erhöhte Nachttemperaturen KW - Differenzielle Genexpression KW - Metabolomik KW - natürliche genetische Variation Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-509630 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Merida, Angel A1 - Fettke, Jörg T1 - Starch granule initiation in Arabidopsis thaliana chloroplasts JF - The plant journal N2 - The initiation of starch granule formation and the mechanism controlling the number of granules per plastid have been some of the most elusive aspects of starch metabolism. This review covers the advances made in the study of these processes. The analyses presented herein depict a scenario in which starch synthase isoform 4 (SS4) provides the elongating activity necessary for the initiation of starch granule formation. However, this protein does not act alone; other polypeptides are required for the initiation of an appropriate number of starch granules per chloroplast. The functions of this group of polypeptides include providing suitable substrates (maltooligosaccharides) to SS4, the localization of the starch initiation machinery to the thylakoid membranes, and facilitating the correct folding of SS4. The number of starch granules per chloroplast is tightly regulated and depends on the developmental stage of the leaves and their metabolic status. Plastidial phosphorylase (PHS1) and other enzymes play an essential role in this process since they are necessary for the synthesis of the substrates used by the initiation machinery. The mechanism of starch granule formation initiation in Arabidopsis seems to be generalizable to other plants and also to the synthesis of long-term storage starch. The latter, however, shows specific features due to the presence of more isoforms, the absence of constantly recurring starch synthesis and degradation, and the metabolic characteristics of the storage sink organs. KW - starch granules KW - starch metabolism KW - starch granule initiation KW - starch KW - granule number per chloroplast KW - starch morphology KW - Arabidopsis thaliana Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.15359 SN - 0960-7412 SN - 1365-313X VL - 107 IS - 3 SP - 688 EP - 697 PB - Wiley CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wang, Meng A1 - Li, Panpan A1 - Ma, Yao A1 - Nie, Xiang A1 - Grebe, Markus A1 - Men, Shuzhen T1 - Membrane sterol composition in Arabidopsis thaliana affects root elongation via auxin biosynthesis JF - International journal of molecular sciences N2 - Plant membrane sterol composition has been reported to affect growth and gravitropism via polar auxin transport and auxin signaling. However, as to whether sterols influence auxin biosynthesis has received little attention. Here, by using the sterol biosynthesis mutant cyclopropylsterol isomerase1-1 (cpi1-1) and sterol application, we reveal that cycloeucalenol, a CPI1 substrate, and sitosterol, an end-product of sterol biosynthesis, antagonistically affect auxin biosynthesis. The short root phenotype of cpi1-1 was associated with a markedly enhanced auxin response in the root tip. Both were neither suppressed by mutations in polar auxin transport (PAT) proteins nor by treatment with a PAT inhibitor and responded to an auxin signaling inhibitor. However, expression of several auxin biosynthesis genes TRYPTOPHAN AMINOTRANSFERASE OF ARABIDOPSIS1 (TAA1) was upregulated in cpi1-1. Functionally, TAA1 mutation reduced the auxin response in cpi1-1 and partially rescued its short root phenotype. In support of this genetic evidence, application of cycloeucalenol upregulated expression of the auxin responsive reporter DR5:GUS (beta-glucuronidase) and of several auxin biosynthesis genes, while sitosterol repressed their expression. Hence, our combined genetic, pharmacological, and sterol application studies reveal a hitherto unexplored sterol-dependent modulation of auxin biosynthesis during Arabidopsis root elongation. KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - auxin KW - auxin biosynthesis KW - cycloeucalenol KW - CPI1 KW - sitosterol KW - sterol Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22010437 SN - 1422-0067 VL - 22 IS - 1 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Liu, Qingting A1 - Li, Xiaoping A1 - Fettke, Jörg T1 - Starch granules in Arabidopsis thaliana mesophyll and guard cells show similar morphology but differences in size and number JF - International journal of molecular sciences N2 - Transitory starch granules result from complex carbon turnover and display specific situations during starch synthesis and degradation. The fundamental mechanisms that specify starch granule characteristics, such as granule size, morphology, and the number per chloroplast, are largely unknown. However, transitory starch is found in the various cells of the leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana, but comparative analyses are lacking. Here, we adopted a fast method of laser confocal scanning microscopy to analyze the starch granules in a series of Arabidopsis mutants with altered starch metabolism. This allowed us to separately analyze the starch particles in the mesophyll and in guard cells. In all mutants, the guard cells were always found to contain more but smaller plastidial starch granules than mesophyll cells. The morphological properties of the starch granules, however, were indiscernible or identical in both types of leaf cells. KW - starch granules KW - starch granule number per chloroplast KW - starch morphology KW - mesophyll cell KW - guard cell KW - LCSM KW - Arabidopsis thaliana KW - starch granule initiation KW - starch metabolism Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22115666 SN - 1422-0067 SN - 1661-6596 VL - 22 IS - 11 PB - Molecular Diversity Preservation International CY - Basel ER - TY - GEN A1 - Liu, Qingting A1 - Li, Xiaoping A1 - Fettke, Jörg T1 - Starch granules in Arabidopsis thaliana mesophyll and guard cells show similar morphology but differences in size and number T2 - Postprints der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe N2 - Transitory starch granules result from complex carbon turnover and display specific situations during starch synthesis and degradation. The fundamental mechanisms that specify starch granule characteristics, such as granule size, morphology, and the number per chloroplast, are largely unknown. However, transitory starch is found in the various cells of the leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana, but comparative analyses are lacking. Here, we adopted a fast method of laser confocal scanning microscopy to analyze the starch granules in a series of Arabidopsis mutants with altered starch metabolism. This allowed us to separately analyze the starch particles in the mesophyll and in guard cells. In all mutants, the guard cells were always found to contain more but smaller plastidial starch granules than mesophyll cells. The morphological properties of the starch granules, however, were indiscernible or identical in both types of leaf cells. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe - 1143 KW - starch granules KW - starch metabolism KW - starch granule initiation KW - starch granule number per chloroplast KW - starch morphology KW - mesophyll cell KW - guard cell KW - LCSM KW - Arabidopsis thaliana Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-511067 SN - 1866-8372 IS - 1143 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Liu, Qingting A1 - Zhou, Yuan A1 - Fettke, Jörg T1 - Starch granule size and morphology of Arabidopsis thaliana starch-related mutants analyzed during diurnal rhythm and development T2 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe N2 - Transitory starch plays a central role in the life cycle of plants. Many aspects of this important metabolism remain unknown; however, starch granules provide insight into this persistent metabolic process. Therefore, monitoring alterations in starch granules with high temporal resolution provides one significant avenue to improve understanding. Here, a previously established method that combines LCSM and safranin-O staining for in vivo imaging of transitory starch granules in leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana was employed to demonstrate, for the first time, the alterations in starch granule size and morphology that occur both throughout the day and during leaf aging. Several starch-related mutants were included, which revealed differences among the generated granules. In ptst2 and sex1-8, the starch granules in old leaves were much larger than those in young leaves; however, the typical flattened discoid morphology was maintained. In ss4 and dpe2/phs1/ss4, the morphology of starch granules in young leaves was altered, with a more rounded shape observed. With leaf development, the starch granules became spherical exclusively in dpe2/phs1/ss4. Thus, the presented data provide new insights to contribute to the understanding of starch granule morphogenesis. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe - 1245 KW - starch metabolism KW - starch granule KW - starch granule size KW - starch granule morphology KW - LCSM KW - Arabidopsis thaliana Y1 - 2022 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-550291 SN - 1866-8372 VL - 26 SP - 1 EP - 9 PB - Universitätsverlag Potsdam CY - Potsdam ET - 19 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Liu, Qingting A1 - Zhou, Yuan A1 - Fettke, Jörg T1 - Starch granule size and morphology of Arabidopsis thaliana starch-related mutants analyzed during diurnal rhythm and development JF - Molecules : a journal of synthetic chemistry and natural product chemistry / Molecular Diversity Preservation International N2 - Transitory starch plays a central role in the life cycle of plants. Many aspects of this important metabolism remain unknown; however, starch granules provide insight into this persistent metabolic process. Therefore, monitoring alterations in starch granules with high temporal resolution provides one significant avenue to improve understanding. Here, a previously established method that combines LCSM and safranin-O staining for in vivo imaging of transitory starch granules in leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana was employed to demonstrate, for the first time, the alterations in starch granule size and morphology that occur both throughout the day and during leaf aging. Several starch-related mutants were included, which revealed differences among the generated granules. In ptst2 and sex1-8, the starch granules in old leaves were much larger than those in young leaves; however, the typical flattened discoid morphology was maintained. In ss4 and dpe2/phs1/ss4, the morphology of starch granules in young leaves was altered, with a more rounded shape observed. With leaf development, the starch granules became spherical exclusively in dpe2/phs1/ss4. Thus, the presented data provide new insights to contribute to the understanding of starch granule morphogenesis. KW - starch metabolism KW - starch granule KW - starch granule size KW - starch granule morphology KW - LCSM KW - Arabidopsis thaliana Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26195859 SN - 1420-3049 VL - 26 SP - 1 EP - 9 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz ET - 19 ER -