Plants of Artemisia annua produce artemisinin, a sesquiterpene lactone widely used in malaria treatment. Amorpha-4,11-diene synthase （ADS）, a sesquiterpene synthase, and CYP71AV1, a P450 monooxygenase, are two key e...Plants of Artemisia annua produce artemisinin, a sesquiterpene lactone widely used in malaria treatment. Amorpha-4,11-diene synthase （ADS）, a sesquiterpene synthase, and CYP71AV1, a P450 monooxygenase, are two key enzymes of the artemisinin biosynthesis pathway. Accumulation of artemisinin can be induced by the phytohormone jasmonate （JA）. Here, we report the characterization of two JA-responsive AP2 family transcription factors-AaERF1 and AaERF2-from A. annua L. Both genes were highly expressed in inflorescences and strongly induced by JA. Yeast one- hybrid and electrophoretic mobility shift assay （EMSA） showed that they were able to bind to the CRTDREHVCBF2 （CBF2） and RAVlAAT （RAA） motifs present in both ADS and CYP71AV1 promoters. Transient expression of either AaERF1 or AaERF2 in tobacco induced the promoter activities of ADS or CYP71AV1, and the transgenic A. annua plants overexpressing either transcription factor showed elevated transcript levels of both ADS and CYP71AV1, resulting in increased accumulation of artemisinin and artemisinic acid. By contrast, the contents of these two metabolites were reduced in the RNAi transgenic lines in which expression of AaERF1 or AaERF2 was suppressed. These results demonstrate that AaERF1 and AaERF2 are two positive regulators of artemisinin biosynthesis and are of great value in genetic engineering of arte- misinin production.展开更多
Jasmonates （JAs） are plant hormones with essential roles in plant defense and development. The basic- helix-loop-helix （bHLH） transcription factor （TF） MYC2 has recently emerged as a master regulator of most asp...Jasmonates （JAs） are plant hormones with essential roles in plant defense and development. The basic- helix-loop-helix （bHLH） transcription factor （TF） MYC2 has recently emerged as a master regulator of most aspects of the jasmonate （JA） signaling pathway in Arabidopsis. MYC2 coordinates JA-mediated defense responses by antagonistically regulating two different branches of the JA signaling pathway that determine resistance to pests and pathogens, respectively. MYC2 is required for induced systemic resistance （ISR） triggered by beneficial soil microbes while MYC2 function is targeted by pathogens during effector-mediated suppression of innate immunity in roots. Another notable function of MYC2 is the regulation of crosstalk between the signaling pathways of JA and those of other phytohormones such as abscisic acid （ABA）, salicylic acid （SA）, gibberellins （GAs）, and auxin （IAA）. MYC2 also regulates interactions between JA signaling and light, phytochrome signaling, and the circadian clock, MYC2 is involved in JA-regulated plant development, lateral and adventitious root formation, flowering time, and shade avoidance syndrome. Related bHLH TFs MYC3 and MYC4 also regulate both overlapping and distinct MYC2-regulated functions in Arabidopsis while MYC2 orthologs act as ＇master switches＇ that regulate JA-mediated biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Here, we briefly review recent studies that revealed mechanistic new insights into the mode of action of this versatile TF.展开更多
Growth-defense tradeoffs are thought to occur in plants due to resource restrictions, which demand prior- itization towards either growth or defense, depending on external and internal factors. These tradeoffs have pr...Growth-defense tradeoffs are thought to occur in plants due to resource restrictions, which demand prior- itization towards either growth or defense, depending on external and internal factors. These tradeoffs have profound implications in agriculture and natural ecosystems, as both processes are vital for plant survival, reproduction, and, ulti- mately, plant fitness. While many of the molecular mechanisms underlying growth and defense tradeoffs remain to be elucidated, hormone crosstalk has emerged as a major player in regulating tradeoffs needed to achieve a balance. In this review, we cover recent advances in understanding growth-defense tradeoffs in plants as well as what is known regard- ing the underlying molecular mechanisms. Specifically, we address evidence supporting the growth-defense tradeoff concept, as well as known interactions between defense signaling and growth signaling. Understanding the molecular basis of these tradeoffs in plants should provide a foundation for the development of breeding strategies that optimize the growth-defense balance to maximize crop yield to meet rising global food and biofuel demands.展开更多
Biotic and abiotic stress lead to elevated levels of jasmonic acid （JA） and its derivatives and activation of the biosynthesis of nicotine and related pyridine alkaloids in cultivated tobacco （Nicotiana tabacum L....Biotic and abiotic stress lead to elevated levels of jasmonic acid （JA） and its derivatives and activation of the biosynthesis of nicotine and related pyridine alkaloids in cultivated tobacco （Nicotiana tabacum L.）. Among the JA- responsive genes is NtPMTla, encoding putrescine N-methyl transferase, a key regulatory enzyme in nicotine formation. We have characterized three genes （NtMYC2a, b, c） encoding basic helix-loop-helix （bHLH） transcription factors （TFs） whose expression is rapidly induced by JA and that specifically activate JA-inducible NtPMTla expression by binding a G-box motif within the NtPMTla promoter in in vivo and in vitro assays. Using split-YFP assays, we further show that, in the absence of JA, NtMYC2a and NtMYC2b are present as nuclear complexes with the NtJAZ1 repressor. RNA interference （RNAi）-mediated knockdown of NtMYC2a and NtMYC2b expression results in significant decreases in JA-inducible NtPMTla transcript levels, as well as reduced levels of transcripts encoding other enzymes involved in nicotine and minor alkaloid biosynthesis, in- cluding an 80-90% reduction in the level of transcripts encoding the putative nicotine synthase gene NtA662. In contrast, ectopic overexpression of NtMYC2a and NtMYC2b had no effect on NtPMTla expression in the presence or absence of exogenously added JA. These data suggest that NtMYC2a, b, c are required components of JA-inducible expression of multiple genes in the nicotine biosynthetic pathway and may act additively in the activation of JA responses.展开更多
The Arabidopsis Jasmonate ZIM-domain proteins （JAZs） act as substrates of SCF complex to repress their downstream targets, which are essential for JA-regulated plant development and defense. The bHLH transcription f...The Arabidopsis Jasmonate ZIM-domain proteins （JAZs） act as substrates of SCF complex to repress their downstream targets, which are essential for JA-regulated plant development and defense. The bHLH transcription factor MYC2 was found to interact with JAZs and mediate JA responses including JA-inhibitory root growth. Here, we identified another bHLH transcription factor MYC3 which directly interacted with JAZs by virtue of its N-terminal region to regulate JA responses. The transgenic plants with overexpression of MYC3 exhibited hypersensitivity in JA-inhibitory root elon- gation and seedling development. The JAZ-interacting pattern and the JA-induced expression pattern of MYC3 were distinguishable from those of MYC2. We speculate that MYC3 and MYC2 may have redundant but also distinguishable functions in regulation of JA responses.展开更多
Old leaves of wild-type rice plants （Oryza sativa L. cv. Nipponbare） are more resistant to blast fungus （Magnaporthe grisea） than new leaves. In contrast, both old and new leaves of the rice phytochrome triple mut...Old leaves of wild-type rice plants （Oryza sativa L. cv. Nipponbare） are more resistant to blast fungus （Magnaporthe grisea） than new leaves. In contrast, both old and new leaves of the rice phytochrome triple mutant （phyAphyBphyC） are susceptible to blast fungus. We demonstrate that pathogenesis-related class 1 （PR1） proteins are rapidly and strongly induced during M. grisea infection and following exogenous jasmonate （JA） or salicylic acid （SA） exposure in the old leaves, but not in the new leaves of the wild-type. In contrast, the accumulation of PR1 proteins was significantly attenuated in old and new leaves of the phyAphyBphyC mutant. These results suggest that phytochromes are required for the induction of PR1 proteins in rice. Basal transcription levels of PRla and PRlb were substantially higher in the wildtype as compared to the phyAphyBphyC mutant, suggesting that phytochromes also are required for basal expression of PR1 genes. Moreover, the transcript levels of genes known to function in SA- or JA-dependent defense pathways were regulated by leaf age and functional phytochromes. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that phytochromes are required in rice for age-related resistance to M. grisea and may indirectly increase PR1 gene expression by regulating SA- and JA-dependent defense pathways.展开更多
Proper stamen development is essential for plants to achieve their life cycles. Defects in stamen development will cause male sterility. A vast array of research efforts have been made to understand stamen development...Proper stamen development is essential for plants to achieve their life cycles. Defects in stamen development will cause male sterility. A vast array of research efforts have been made to understand stamen developmental processes and reg- ulatory mechanisms over the past decades. It is so far reported that phytohormones, including jasmonate, auxin, gibberellin, brassinosteroid, and cytokinin, play essential roles in regulation of stamen development. This review will briefly summarize the molecular basis for coordinated regulation of stamen development by jasmonate, auxin, and gibberellin in Arabidopsis.展开更多
Jasmonates （JAs）, which include jasmonic acid and its cyclopentane derivatives are synthesized from the octadecanoid pathway and widely distributed throughout the plant kingdom. JAs modulate the expression of numero...Jasmonates （JAs）, which include jasmonic acid and its cyclopentane derivatives are synthesized from the octadecanoid pathway and widely distributed throughout the plant kingdom. JAs modulate the expression of numerous genes and mediate responses to stress, wounding, insect attack, pathogen infection, and UV damage. They also affect a variety of processes in many plant developmental processes. The JA signal pathway involves two important events： the biosynthesis of JA and the transduction of JA signal. Several important Arabidopsis mutants in jasmonate signal pathway were described in this review.展开更多
Zhaohui peaches(Prunus persica Batsch)were treated with 0(CK), 1, 10 or 100 μmol L-1 methyl jasmonate(MeJA)vapor at 20℃ for 24 h before stored at 0℃ for 35 d. The untreated fruits showed chilling injury(CD symptoms...Zhaohui peaches(Prunus persica Batsch)were treated with 0(CK), 1, 10 or 100 μmol L-1 methyl jasmonate(MeJA)vapor at 20℃ for 24 h before stored at 0℃ for 35 d. The untreated fruits showed chilling injury(CD symptoms after 4 wk of storage, as indicated by increased fruit firmness and reduced ex-tractable juice, which is referred as leatheriness. Treatment with 1 and 10 μmol L-1 MeJA promoted normal ripening and softening, maintained higher levels of extractable juice, titratable acidity, pectinesterase(PE)and polygalacturonase(PC)activities, inhibited increases in fruit fresh weight loss, decay incidence, electrolyte leakage and MDA content, and improved color development, thereby preventing chilling injury symptoms development and maintaining edible quality. MeJA treatment also delayed the climacteric rise in respiratory rate, but promoted ethylene production during the later period of cold storage, suggesting that ethylene may involve in CI development of peaches. These results indicate that 1 and 10 μmol L-1 MeJA treatments could be used to reduce CI development and decay incidence in peaches.展开更多
Light is emerging as a central regulator of plant immune responses against herbivores and pathogens. Solar UVoB radiation plays an important role as a positive modulator of plant defense. However, since UV-B photons c...Light is emerging as a central regulator of plant immune responses against herbivores and pathogens. Solar UVoB radiation plays an important role as a positive modulator of plant defense. However, since UV-B photons can interact with a wide spectrum of molecular targets in plant tissues, the mechanisms that mediate their effects on plant defense have remained elusive. Here, we show that ecologically meaningful doses of UV-B radiation increase Arabidopsis resis- tance to the necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea and that this effect is mediated by the photoreceptor UVR8. The UV-B effect on plant resistance was conserved in mutants impaired in jasmonate （JA） signaling （jar1-1 and P35S：JAZlO.4） or metabolism of tryptophan-derived defense compounds （pen2-1, pacl3-1, pen2 pad3）, suggesting that neither regulation of the JA pathway nor changes in levels of indolic glucosinolates （iGS） or camalexin are involved in this response. UV-B radiation, acting through UVR8, increased the levels of flavonoids and sinapates in leaf tissue. The UV-B effect on pathogen resistance was still detectable in tt4-1, a mutant deficient in chalcone synthase and therefore impaired in the synthesis of flavonoids, but was absent in fahl-7, a mutant deficient in ferulic acid 5-hydroxylase, which is essential for sinapate bio- synthesis. Collectively, these results indicate that UVR8 plays an important role in mediating the effects of UV-B radiation on pathogen resistance by controlling the expression of the sinapate biosynthetic pathway.展开更多
The transcription factor WRKY70 was previously reported to be a common component in salicylic acid （SA） and jasmonate （JA） mediated signal pathways in Arabidopsis. Here, we present that the inactivation of the WRK...The transcription factor WRKY70 was previously reported to be a common component in salicylic acid （SA） and jasmonate （JA） mediated signal pathways in Arabidopsis. Here, we present that the inactivation of the WRKY70 gene in wrky70-1 mutant does not alter the responses of both JA and SA, and that wrky70 mutation is unable to restore the coil mutant in JA responses. However, overexpression of WRKY70 reduces JA responses such as expression of JA-induced genes and JA-inhibitory root growth, and activates expression of SA-inducible PR1. These data indicate that the WRKY70 is important but not indispensable for JA and SA signaling, and that other regulators may display the redundant role with WRKY70 in modulation of JA and SA responses in Arabidopsis. Furthermore, we showed that JA inhibits expression of WRKY70 and PR1 by both COi1-dependent and COi1-independent pathways.展开更多
Insects have long been the most abundant herbivores, and plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to defend against their attack, In particular, plants can perceive specific patterns of tissue damage associated wi...Insects have long been the most abundant herbivores, and plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to defend against their attack, In particular, plants can perceive specific patterns of tissue damage associated with insect herbivory. Some plant species can perceive certain elicitors in insect oral secretions （OS） that enter wounds during feeding, and rapidly activate a series of intertwined signaling pathways to orchestrate the biosynthesis of various defensive metabolites. Mitogen-activated protein kinases （MAPKs）, common to all eukaryotes, are involved in the orchestration of many cellular processes, including development and stress responses. In plants, at least two MAPKs, salicylic acid-induced protein kinase （SIPK） and wound-induced protein kinase （WlPK）, are rapidly activated by wounding or insect 0S; importantly, genetic studies us- ing transgenic or mutant plants impaired in MAPK signaling indicated that MAPKs play critical roles in regulating the herbivory-induced dynamics of phytohormones, such as jasmonic acid, ethylene and salicylic acid, and MAPKs are also required for transcriptional activation of herbivore defense-related genes and accumulation of defensive metabolites. In this review, we summarize recent developments in understanding the functions of MAPKs in plant resistance to insect herbivores.展开更多
The contents of seven different phenolic acids such as gallic acid, catechinic acid, pyrocatechol, caffeic acid, coumaric acid, ferulic acid and benzoic acid in the poplar leaves （Populus Simonii×Populus Pyramib...The contents of seven different phenolic acids such as gallic acid, catechinic acid, pyrocatechol, caffeic acid, coumaric acid, ferulic acid and benzoic acid in the poplar leaves （Populus Simonii×Populus Pyramibalis c.v and Populus deltoids） suffocated by Methyl jasmonate （MeJA） and Methyl salicylate （MeSA） were monitored for analyzing their functions in interplant communications by using high-pressure liquid chromatography （HPLC）.The results showed that the contents of phenolic acids had obviously difference in leaves exposed to either MeSA or MeJA.When P.deltoides leaves exposed to MeJA or MeSA, the level of gallic acid, coumaric acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid and benzoic acid was increased, gallic acid in leaves treated with MeJA comes to a peak at 24 h while to a peak at 12-d having leaves treated with MeSA.When P.Simonii ×P.Pyramibalis c.v leaves were exposed to MeJA or MeSA, the level of gallic acid, pyrocatechol and ferulic acid was increased; The catechinic acid and benzoic acid had a little drop; The caffeic acid and coumaric acid were undetected in both suffocated and control leaves.This changed pattern indicated that MeJA and MeSA can act as airborne signals to induce defense response of plants.展开更多
To control gene expression by directly responding to hormone concentrations, both animal and plant cells have exploited comparable mechanisms to sense small-molecule hormones in nucleus. Whether nuclear entry of these...To control gene expression by directly responding to hormone concentrations, both animal and plant cells have exploited comparable mechanisms to sense small-molecule hormones in nucleus. Whether nuclear entry of these hormones is actively transported or passively diffused, as conventionally postulated, through the nuclear pore complex, remains enigmatic. Here, we identified and characterized a jasmonate transporter in Arabidopsis thaliana, AtJAT1/AtABCG16, which exhibits an unexpected dual localization at the nuclear envelope and plasma membrane. We show that AtJAT1/AtABCG16 controls the cytoplasmic and nuclear partition of jasmonate phytohormones by mediating both cellular efflux of jasmonic acid （JA） and nuclear influx of jasmonoyl-isoleucine （JA-Ile）, and is essential for maintaining a critical nuclear JA-Ile concentration to activate JA signaling. These results illustrate that transporter-mediated nuclear entry of small hormone molecules is a new mechanism to regulate nuclear hormone signaling. Our findings provide an avenue to develop pharmaceutical agents targeting the nuclear entry of small molecules.展开更多
Jasmonic acid（JA） and related metabolites play a key role in plant defense and growth. JA carboxyl methyltransferase（JMT） may be involved in plant defense and development by methylating JA to methyl jasmonate（Me...Jasmonic acid（JA） and related metabolites play a key role in plant defense and growth. JA carboxyl methyltransferase（JMT） may be involved in plant defense and development by methylating JA to methyl jasmonate（Me JA） and thus influencing the concentrations of JA and related metabolites. However, no JMT gene has been well characterized in monocotyledon defense and development at the molecular level. After we cloned a rice JMT gene,Os JMT1, whose encoding protein was localized in the cytosol, we found that the recombinant Os JMT1 protein catalyzed JA to Me JA. Os JMT1 is up-regulated in response to infestation with the brown planthopper（BPH; Nilaparvata lugens）. Plants in which Os JMT1 had been overexpressed（oeJMT plants） showed reduced height and yield. These oe-JMT plants also exhibited increased Me JA levels but reduced levels of herbivore-induced JA and jasmonoyl-isoleucine（JAIle）. The oe-JMT plants were more attractive to BPH female adults but showed increased resistance to BPH nymphs,probably owing to the different responses of BPH female adults and nymphs to the changes in levels of H_2O_2 and Me JA in oe-JMT plants. These results indicate that Os JMT1,by altering levels of JA and related metabolites, plays a role in regulating plant development and herbivore-induced defense responses in rice.展开更多
Jasmonate and salicylatemediated signaling pathways play significant roles in induced plant defenses, but there is no sufficient evidence for their roles in monocots against aphids. We exogenously applied methyl jasmo...Jasmonate and salicylatemediated signaling pathways play significant roles in induced plant defenses, but there is no sufficient evidence for their roles in monocots against aphids. We exogenously applied methyl jasmonate （MeJA） and salicylic acid （SA） on wheat seedlings and examined biochemical responses in wheat and effects on the grain aphid, Sitobion avenae （Fab.）. Application of MeJA significantly increased levels of wheat＇s polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase and proteinase inhibitor 1, 2 and 6 days after treatment. In twochoice tests, adult aphids preferred control wheat leaves to MeJA or SA treated leaves. Electrical penetration graph （EPG） recordings of aphid probing behavior revealed that on MeJAtreated plants, the duration of aphid＇s first probe was significantly shorter and number of probes was significantly higher than those on control plants. Also total duration of probing on MeJAtreated plants was significantly shorter than on control plants. Total duration of salivation period on SAtreated plants was significantly longer, while mean phloem ingestion period was significantly shorter than on control plants. However, no significant difference in total duration of phloem sap ingestion period was observed among treatments. The EPG data suggest that MeJAdependent resistance factors might be due to feeding deterrents in mesophyll, whereas the SAmediated resistance may be phloembased. We did not observe any significant difference of MeJA and SA application on aphid development, daily fecundity, intrinsic growth rate and population growth. The results indicate that both MeJA and SAinduced defenses in wheat deterred S. avenae colonization processes and feeding behavior, but had no significant effects on its performance.展开更多
Methyl jasmonate （MeJA） and its free-acid form, jasmonic acid （JA） are naturally occurring plant growth regulators widely distributed in higher plants. In order to improve the sensitivity for the analysis of MeJA ...Methyl jasmonate （MeJA） and its free-acid form, jasmonic acid （JA） are naturally occurring plant growth regulators widely distributed in higher plants. In order to improve the sensitivity for the analysis of MeJA at low levels in small amounts of plant samples, a monoclonal antibody （MAb） （designated as MAb 3E5D7C4B6） against MeJA was derived from a JA- bovine serum albumin （BSA） conjugate as an immunogen. The antibody belongs to the IgG1 subclass with a κ type light chain and has a dissociation constant of approximately 6.07 ×10^-9 M. MAb3E5D7C4B6 is very specific to MeJA. It was used to develop a direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （dcELISA）, conventional and simplified indirect competitive ELISAs （icELISA）. JA was derivatized into MeJA for the ELISA analysis. The IC50 value and detection range for MeJA were, respectively, 34 and 4-257 nglmL by the conventional icELISA, 21 and 3-226 nglmL by the simplified icELISA and 5.0 and 0.7-97.0 nglmL by the dcELISA. The dcELISA was more sensitive than either the conventional or simplified icELISA. The assays were used to measure the content of jasmonates as MeJA in tobacco leaves under drought stress or inoculated with tobacco mosaic virus and tomato leaves inoculated with tomato mosaic virus or Lirioinyza sativae Blanchard as compared with the corresponding healthy leaves. The increased jasmonates content indicated its role in response to the drought stress and pathogens.展开更多
基金This research was supported by State Key Basic Research Program of China （2007CB108800）, the National Natural Science Foundation of China （30630008）, and the National HighTech Program of China （2007AA021501 ）.ACKNO WLEDGMENTS We thank CYP71AV1. discussions Ke-Xuan Tang for supplying the promoter sequence of We thank Ji-Rong Huang and Gao-Jie Hong for he pfu No conflict of interest declared
文摘Plants of Artemisia annua produce artemisinin, a sesquiterpene lactone widely used in malaria treatment. Amorpha-4,11-diene synthase （ADS）, a sesquiterpene synthase, and CYP71AV1, a P450 monooxygenase, are two key enzymes of the artemisinin biosynthesis pathway. Accumulation of artemisinin can be induced by the phytohormone jasmonate （JA）. Here, we report the characterization of two JA-responsive AP2 family transcription factors-AaERF1 and AaERF2-from A. annua L. Both genes were highly expressed in inflorescences and strongly induced by JA. Yeast one- hybrid and electrophoretic mobility shift assay （EMSA） showed that they were able to bind to the CRTDREHVCBF2 （CBF2） and RAVlAAT （RAA） motifs present in both ADS and CYP71AV1 promoters. Transient expression of either AaERF1 or AaERF2 in tobacco induced the promoter activities of ADS or CYP71AV1, and the transgenic A. annua plants overexpressing either transcription factor showed elevated transcript levels of both ADS and CYP71AV1, resulting in increased accumulation of artemisinin and artemisinic acid. By contrast, the contents of these two metabolites were reduced in the RNAi transgenic lines in which expression of AaERF1 or AaERF2 was suppressed. These results demonstrate that AaERF1 and AaERF2 are two positive regulators of artemisinin biosynthesis and are of great value in genetic engineering of arte- misinin production.
文摘Jasmonates （JAs） are plant hormones with essential roles in plant defense and development. The basic- helix-loop-helix （bHLH） transcription factor （TF） MYC2 has recently emerged as a master regulator of most aspects of the jasmonate （JA） signaling pathway in Arabidopsis. MYC2 coordinates JA-mediated defense responses by antagonistically regulating two different branches of the JA signaling pathway that determine resistance to pests and pathogens, respectively. MYC2 is required for induced systemic resistance （ISR） triggered by beneficial soil microbes while MYC2 function is targeted by pathogens during effector-mediated suppression of innate immunity in roots. Another notable function of MYC2 is the regulation of crosstalk between the signaling pathways of JA and those of other phytohormones such as abscisic acid （ABA）, salicylic acid （SA）, gibberellins （GAs）, and auxin （IAA）. MYC2 also regulates interactions between JA signaling and light, phytochrome signaling, and the circadian clock, MYC2 is involved in JA-regulated plant development, lateral and adventitious root formation, flowering time, and shade avoidance syndrome. Related bHLH TFs MYC3 and MYC4 also regulate both overlapping and distinct MYC2-regulated functions in Arabidopsis while MYC2 orthologs act as ＇master switches＇ that regulate JA-mediated biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Here, we briefly review recent studies that revealed mechanistic new insights into the mode of action of this versatile TF.
文摘Growth-defense tradeoffs are thought to occur in plants due to resource restrictions, which demand prior- itization towards either growth or defense, depending on external and internal factors. These tradeoffs have profound implications in agriculture and natural ecosystems, as both processes are vital for plant survival, reproduction, and, ulti- mately, plant fitness. While many of the molecular mechanisms underlying growth and defense tradeoffs remain to be elucidated, hormone crosstalk has emerged as a major player in regulating tradeoffs needed to achieve a balance. In this review, we cover recent advances in understanding growth-defense tradeoffs in plants as well as what is known regard- ing the underlying molecular mechanisms. Specifically, we address evidence supporting the growth-defense tradeoff concept, as well as known interactions between defense signaling and growth signaling. Understanding the molecular basis of these tradeoffs in plants should provide a foundation for the development of breeding strategies that optimize the growth-defense balance to maximize crop yield to meet rising global food and biofuel demands.
文摘Biotic and abiotic stress lead to elevated levels of jasmonic acid （JA） and its derivatives and activation of the biosynthesis of nicotine and related pyridine alkaloids in cultivated tobacco （Nicotiana tabacum L.）. Among the JA- responsive genes is NtPMTla, encoding putrescine N-methyl transferase, a key regulatory enzyme in nicotine formation. We have characterized three genes （NtMYC2a, b, c） encoding basic helix-loop-helix （bHLH） transcription factors （TFs） whose expression is rapidly induced by JA and that specifically activate JA-inducible NtPMTla expression by binding a G-box motif within the NtPMTla promoter in in vivo and in vitro assays. Using split-YFP assays, we further show that, in the absence of JA, NtMYC2a and NtMYC2b are present as nuclear complexes with the NtJAZ1 repressor. RNA interference （RNAi）-mediated knockdown of NtMYC2a and NtMYC2b expression results in significant decreases in JA-inducible NtPMTla transcript levels, as well as reduced levels of transcripts encoding other enzymes involved in nicotine and minor alkaloid biosynthesis, in- cluding an 80-90% reduction in the level of transcripts encoding the putative nicotine synthase gene NtA662. In contrast, ectopic overexpression of NtMYC2a and NtMYC2b had no effect on NtPMTla expression in the presence or absence of exogenously added JA. These data suggest that NtMYC2a, b, c are required components of JA-inducible expression of multiple genes in the nicotine biosynthetic pathway and may act additively in the activation of JA responses.
文摘The Arabidopsis Jasmonate ZIM-domain proteins （JAZs） act as substrates of SCF complex to repress their downstream targets, which are essential for JA-regulated plant development and defense. The bHLH transcription factor MYC2 was found to interact with JAZs and mediate JA responses including JA-inhibitory root growth. Here, we identified another bHLH transcription factor MYC3 which directly interacted with JAZs by virtue of its N-terminal region to regulate JA responses. The transgenic plants with overexpression of MYC3 exhibited hypersensitivity in JA-inhibitory root elon- gation and seedling development. The JAZ-interacting pattern and the JA-induced expression pattern of MYC3 were distinguishable from those of MYC2. We speculate that MYC3 and MYC2 may have redundant but also distinguishable functions in regulation of JA responses.
文摘Old leaves of wild-type rice plants （Oryza sativa L. cv. Nipponbare） are more resistant to blast fungus （Magnaporthe grisea） than new leaves. In contrast, both old and new leaves of the rice phytochrome triple mutant （phyAphyBphyC） are susceptible to blast fungus. We demonstrate that pathogenesis-related class 1 （PR1） proteins are rapidly and strongly induced during M. grisea infection and following exogenous jasmonate （JA） or salicylic acid （SA） exposure in the old leaves, but not in the new leaves of the wild-type. In contrast, the accumulation of PR1 proteins was significantly attenuated in old and new leaves of the phyAphyBphyC mutant. These results suggest that phytochromes are required for the induction of PR1 proteins in rice. Basal transcription levels of PRla and PRlb were substantially higher in the wildtype as compared to the phyAphyBphyC mutant, suggesting that phytochromes also are required for basal expression of PR1 genes. Moreover, the transcript levels of genes known to function in SA- or JA-dependent defense pathways were regulated by leaf age and functional phytochromes. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that phytochromes are required in rice for age-related resistance to M. grisea and may indirectly increase PR1 gene expression by regulating SA- and JA-dependent defense pathways.
基金The research is supported by the National Science Foundation of China，the Ministry of Scierce and Techno ogy
文摘Proper stamen development is essential for plants to achieve their life cycles. Defects in stamen development will cause male sterility. A vast array of research efforts have been made to understand stamen developmental processes and reg- ulatory mechanisms over the past decades. It is so far reported that phytohormones, including jasmonate, auxin, gibberellin, brassinosteroid, and cytokinin, play essential roles in regulation of stamen development. This review will briefly summarize the molecular basis for coordinated regulation of stamen development by jasmonate, auxin, and gibberellin in Arabidopsis.
基金Publication of this paper is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China （30624808） and Science Publication Foundation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
文摘Jasmonates （JAs）, which include jasmonic acid and its cyclopentane derivatives are synthesized from the octadecanoid pathway and widely distributed throughout the plant kingdom. JAs modulate the expression of numerous genes and mediate responses to stress, wounding, insect attack, pathogen infection, and UV damage. They also affect a variety of processes in many plant developmental processes. The JA signal pathway involves two important events： the biosynthesis of JA and the transduction of JA signal. Several important Arabidopsis mutants in jasmonate signal pathway were described in this review.
基金supported by the Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars,Education Ministry of China(2002-247)the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province,China(BK2001206).
文摘Zhaohui peaches(Prunus persica Batsch)were treated with 0(CK), 1, 10 or 100 μmol L-1 methyl jasmonate(MeJA)vapor at 20℃ for 24 h before stored at 0℃ for 35 d. The untreated fruits showed chilling injury(CD symptoms after 4 wk of storage, as indicated by increased fruit firmness and reduced ex-tractable juice, which is referred as leatheriness. Treatment with 1 and 10 μmol L-1 MeJA promoted normal ripening and softening, maintained higher levels of extractable juice, titratable acidity, pectinesterase(PE)and polygalacturonase(PC)activities, inhibited increases in fruit fresh weight loss, decay incidence, electrolyte leakage and MDA content, and improved color development, thereby preventing chilling injury symptoms development and maintaining edible quality. MeJA treatment also delayed the climacteric rise in respiratory rate, but promoted ethylene production during the later period of cold storage, suggesting that ethylene may involve in CI development of peaches. These results indicate that 1 and 10 μmol L-1 MeJA treatments could be used to reduce CI development and decay incidence in peaches.
文摘Light is emerging as a central regulator of plant immune responses against herbivores and pathogens. Solar UVoB radiation plays an important role as a positive modulator of plant defense. However, since UV-B photons can interact with a wide spectrum of molecular targets in plant tissues, the mechanisms that mediate their effects on plant defense have remained elusive. Here, we show that ecologically meaningful doses of UV-B radiation increase Arabidopsis resis- tance to the necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea and that this effect is mediated by the photoreceptor UVR8. The UV-B effect on plant resistance was conserved in mutants impaired in jasmonate （JA） signaling （jar1-1 and P35S：JAZlO.4） or metabolism of tryptophan-derived defense compounds （pen2-1, pacl3-1, pen2 pad3）, suggesting that neither regulation of the JA pathway nor changes in levels of indolic glucosinolates （iGS） or camalexin are involved in this response. UV-B radiation, acting through UVR8, increased the levels of flavonoids and sinapates in leaf tissue. The UV-B effect on pathogen resistance was still detectable in tt4-1, a mutant deficient in chalcone synthase and therefore impaired in the synthesis of flavonoids, but was absent in fahl-7, a mutant deficient in ferulic acid 5-hydroxylase, which is essential for sinapate bio- synthesis. Collectively, these results indicate that UVR8 plays an important role in mediating the effects of UV-B radiation on pathogen resistance by controlling the expression of the sinapate biosynthetic pathway.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30630044,30671121,30770195 and 30771147).
文摘The transcription factor WRKY70 was previously reported to be a common component in salicylic acid （SA） and jasmonate （JA） mediated signal pathways in Arabidopsis. Here, we present that the inactivation of the WRKY70 gene in wrky70-1 mutant does not alter the responses of both JA and SA, and that wrky70 mutation is unable to restore the coil mutant in JA responses. However, overexpression of WRKY70 reduces JA responses such as expression of JA-induced genes and JA-inhibitory root growth, and activates expression of SA-inducible PR1. These data indicate that the WRKY70 is important but not indispensable for JA and SA signaling, and that other regulators may display the redundant role with WRKY70 in modulation of JA and SA responses in Arabidopsis. Furthermore, we showed that JA inhibits expression of WRKY70 and PR1 by both COi1-dependent and COi1-independent pathways.
文摘Insects have long been the most abundant herbivores, and plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to defend against their attack, In particular, plants can perceive specific patterns of tissue damage associated with insect herbivory. Some plant species can perceive certain elicitors in insect oral secretions （OS） that enter wounds during feeding, and rapidly activate a series of intertwined signaling pathways to orchestrate the biosynthesis of various defensive metabolites. Mitogen-activated protein kinases （MAPKs）, common to all eukaryotes, are involved in the orchestration of many cellular processes, including development and stress responses. In plants, at least two MAPKs, salicylic acid-induced protein kinase （SIPK） and wound-induced protein kinase （WlPK）, are rapidly activated by wounding or insect 0S; importantly, genetic studies us- ing transgenic or mutant plants impaired in MAPK signaling indicated that MAPKs play critical roles in regulating the herbivory-induced dynamics of phytohormones, such as jasmonic acid, ethylene and salicylic acid, and MAPKs are also required for transcriptional activation of herbivore defense-related genes and accumulation of defensive metabolites. In this review, we summarize recent developments in understanding the functions of MAPKs in plant resistance to insect herbivores.
基金This research is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.30170764)
文摘The contents of seven different phenolic acids such as gallic acid, catechinic acid, pyrocatechol, caffeic acid, coumaric acid, ferulic acid and benzoic acid in the poplar leaves （Populus Simonii×Populus Pyramibalis c.v and Populus deltoids） suffocated by Methyl jasmonate （MeJA） and Methyl salicylate （MeSA） were monitored for analyzing their functions in interplant communications by using high-pressure liquid chromatography （HPLC）.The results showed that the contents of phenolic acids had obviously difference in leaves exposed to either MeSA or MeJA.When P.deltoides leaves exposed to MeJA or MeSA, the level of gallic acid, coumaric acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid and benzoic acid was increased, gallic acid in leaves treated with MeJA comes to a peak at 24 h while to a peak at 12-d having leaves treated with MeSA.When P.Simonii ×P.Pyramibalis c.v leaves were exposed to MeJA or MeSA, the level of gallic acid, pyrocatechol and ferulic acid was increased; The catechinic acid and benzoic acid had a little drop; The caffeic acid and coumaric acid were undetected in both suffocated and control leaves.This changed pattern indicated that MeJA and MeSA can act as airborne signals to induce defense response of plants.
文摘To control gene expression by directly responding to hormone concentrations, both animal and plant cells have exploited comparable mechanisms to sense small-molecule hormones in nucleus. Whether nuclear entry of these hormones is actively transported or passively diffused, as conventionally postulated, through the nuclear pore complex, remains enigmatic. Here, we identified and characterized a jasmonate transporter in Arabidopsis thaliana, AtJAT1/AtABCG16, which exhibits an unexpected dual localization at the nuclear envelope and plasma membrane. We show that AtJAT1/AtABCG16 controls the cytoplasmic and nuclear partition of jasmonate phytohormones by mediating both cellular efflux of jasmonic acid （JA） and nuclear influx of jasmonoyl-isoleucine （JA-Ile）, and is essential for maintaining a critical nuclear JA-Ile concentration to activate JA signaling. These results illustrate that transporter-mediated nuclear entry of small hormone molecules is a new mechanism to regulate nuclear hormone signaling. Our findings provide an avenue to develop pharmaceutical agents targeting the nuclear entry of small molecules.
基金sponsored by the Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest (201403030)the China Agriculture Research System (CARS01-21)the National Program of Transgenic Variety Development of China (2011ZX08009-003-001)
文摘Jasmonic acid（JA） and related metabolites play a key role in plant defense and growth. JA carboxyl methyltransferase（JMT） may be involved in plant defense and development by methylating JA to methyl jasmonate（Me JA） and thus influencing the concentrations of JA and related metabolites. However, no JMT gene has been well characterized in monocotyledon defense and development at the molecular level. After we cloned a rice JMT gene,Os JMT1, whose encoding protein was localized in the cytosol, we found that the recombinant Os JMT1 protein catalyzed JA to Me JA. Os JMT1 is up-regulated in response to infestation with the brown planthopper（BPH; Nilaparvata lugens）. Plants in which Os JMT1 had been overexpressed（oeJMT plants） showed reduced height and yield. These oe-JMT plants also exhibited increased Me JA levels but reduced levels of herbivore-induced JA and jasmonoyl-isoleucine（JAIle）. The oe-JMT plants were more attractive to BPH female adults but showed increased resistance to BPH nymphs,probably owing to the different responses of BPH female adults and nymphs to the changes in levels of H_2O_2 and Me JA in oe-JMT plants. These results indicate that Os JMT1,by altering levels of JA and related metabolites, plays a role in regulating plant development and herbivore-induced defense responses in rice.
文摘Jasmonate and salicylatemediated signaling pathways play significant roles in induced plant defenses, but there is no sufficient evidence for their roles in monocots against aphids. We exogenously applied methyl jasmonate （MeJA） and salicylic acid （SA） on wheat seedlings and examined biochemical responses in wheat and effects on the grain aphid, Sitobion avenae （Fab.）. Application of MeJA significantly increased levels of wheat＇s polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase and proteinase inhibitor 1, 2 and 6 days after treatment. In twochoice tests, adult aphids preferred control wheat leaves to MeJA or SA treated leaves. Electrical penetration graph （EPG） recordings of aphid probing behavior revealed that on MeJAtreated plants, the duration of aphid＇s first probe was significantly shorter and number of probes was significantly higher than those on control plants. Also total duration of probing on MeJAtreated plants was significantly shorter than on control plants. Total duration of salivation period on SAtreated plants was significantly longer, while mean phloem ingestion period was significantly shorter than on control plants. However, no significant difference in total duration of phloem sap ingestion period was observed among treatments. The EPG data suggest that MeJAdependent resistance factors might be due to feeding deterrents in mesophyll, whereas the SAmediated resistance may be phloembased. We did not observe any significant difference of MeJA and SA application on aphid development, daily fecundity, intrinsic growth rate and population growth. The results indicate that both MeJA and SAinduced defenses in wheat deterred S. avenae colonization processes and feeding behavior, but had no significant effects on its performance.
文摘Methyl jasmonate （MeJA） and its free-acid form, jasmonic acid （JA） are naturally occurring plant growth regulators widely distributed in higher plants. In order to improve the sensitivity for the analysis of MeJA at low levels in small amounts of plant samples, a monoclonal antibody （MAb） （designated as MAb 3E5D7C4B6） against MeJA was derived from a JA- bovine serum albumin （BSA） conjugate as an immunogen. The antibody belongs to the IgG1 subclass with a κ type light chain and has a dissociation constant of approximately 6.07 ×10^-9 M. MAb3E5D7C4B6 is very specific to MeJA. It was used to develop a direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （dcELISA）, conventional and simplified indirect competitive ELISAs （icELISA）. JA was derivatized into MeJA for the ELISA analysis. The IC50 value and detection range for MeJA were, respectively, 34 and 4-257 nglmL by the conventional icELISA, 21 and 3-226 nglmL by the simplified icELISA and 5.0 and 0.7-97.0 nglmL by the dcELISA. The dcELISA was more sensitive than either the conventional or simplified icELISA. The assays were used to measure the content of jasmonates as MeJA in tobacco leaves under drought stress or inoculated with tobacco mosaic virus and tomato leaves inoculated with tomato mosaic virus or Lirioinyza sativae Blanchard as compared with the corresponding healthy leaves. The increased jasmonates content indicated its role in response to the drought stress and pathogens.
