Coordinated plant adaptation involves the interplay of multiple traits driven by habitat-specific selection pressures. Pleiotropic effects, wherein genetic variants of a single gene control multiple traits, can expedi...Coordinated plant adaptation involves the interplay of multiple traits driven by habitat-specific selection pressures. Pleiotropic effects, wherein genetic variants of a single gene control multiple traits, can expedite such adaptations. Until present, only a limited number of genes have been reported to exhibit pleiotropy. Here, we create a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from two Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana) ecotypes originating from divergent habitats. Using this RIL population, we identify an allelic variation in a MADS-box transcription factor, SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE (SVP), which exerts a pleiotropic effect on leaf size and drought-versus-humidity tolerance. Further investigation reveals that a natural null variant of the SVP protein disrupts its normal regulatory interactions with target genes, including GRF3, CYP707A1/3, and AtBG1, leading to increased leaf size, enhanced tolerance to humid conditions, and changes in flowering time of humid conditions in A. thaliana. Remarkably, polymorphic variations in this gene have been traced back to early A. thaliana populations, providing a genetic foundation and plasticity for subsequent colonization of diverse habitats by influencing multiple traits. These findings advance our understanding of how plants rapidly adapt to changing environments by virtue of the pleiotropic effects of individual genes on multiple trait alterations.展开更多
The digestive tract plays an important role in digestion and the acquisition of food energy. Understanding the impact of abiotic environments on digestive tract morphology is especially important for evolution of dige...The digestive tract plays an important role in digestion and the acquisition of food energy. Understanding the impact of abiotic environments on digestive tract morphology is especially important for evolution of digestive tract across different environments. Here, we investigated altitudinal variation in digestive tract length in the Yunnan Pond Frog （Pelophylaxpleuraden） across five populations ranging from 1413 m to 1935 m a.s.1, in Ningnan County, Sichuan province in western China. Frogs were collected during the breeding season, from 1-5 June 2012. Our results revealed that females had longer digestive tract and relative digestive tract （i.e. digestive tract length / body size） lengths in com- parison to males, on average, but the differences between them decreased with increasing altitude. Digestive tract and relative digestive tract lengths increased with increasing altitude suggesting that a higher proportion of indigestible ma- terials may be consumed at high-altitude sites and result in a relative increase in digestive tract dimensions.展开更多
Submergence stress tolerance is a complex trait governed by multiple loci.Because of its wide distribution across arid and humid regions,Arabidopsis thaliana offers an opportunity to explore the genetic components and...Submergence stress tolerance is a complex trait governed by multiple loci.Because of its wide distribution across arid and humid regions,Arabidopsis thaliana offers an opportunity to explore the genetic components and their action mechanisms underlying plant adaptation to submergence stress.In this study,using map-based cloning we identified WRKY22 that activates RAP2.12,a locus previously identified to contribute to the submergence stress response,to regulate plant humid adaptation possibly through ethylene signal transduction in Arabidopsis.WRKY22 expression is inhibited by ARABIDOPSIS RESPONSE REGULATORs(ARRs)but activated by the WRKY70 transcription factor.In accessions from humid environments,a two-nucleotide deletion in the WRKY22 promoter region prevents binding of phosphorylated ARRs,thereby maintaining its high expression.Loss of the ARR-binding element in the WRKY22 promoter underwent strong positive selection during colonization of A.thaliana in the humid Yangtze River basin.However,the WRKY70-binding motif in the WRKY22 promoter shows no variation between accessions from humid and arid regions.These findings together establish a novel signaling axis wherein WRKY22 plays a key role in regulating the adaptive response that enables A.thaliana to colonize contrasting habitats.Notably,we further showed functional conservation of this locus in Brassica napus,suggesting that modulating this axis might be useful in the breeding of flood-tolerant crop varieties.展开更多
ACYL-CoA-BINDING PROTEINs(ACBPs)play crucial regulatory roles during plant response to hypoxia,but their molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood.Our study reveals that ACBP4 serves as a positive regulator of the...ACYL-CoA-BINDING PROTEINs(ACBPs)play crucial regulatory roles during plant response to hypoxia,but their molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood.Our study reveals that ACBP4 serves as a positive regulator of the plant hypoxia response by interacting with WRKY70,influencing its nucleocytoplasmic shuttling in Arabidopsis thaliana.Furthermore,we demonstrate the direct binding of WRKY70 to the ACBP4 promoter,resulting in its upregulation and suggesting a positive feedback loop.Additionally,we pinpointed a phosphorylation site at Ser638 of ACBP4,which enhances submergence tolerance,potentially by facilitating WRKY70's nuclear shuttling.Surprisingly,a natural variation in this phosphorylation site of ACBP4 allowed A.thaliana to adapt to humid conditions during its historical demographic expansion.We further observed that both phosphorylated ACBP4 and oleoyl-Co A can impede the interaction between ACBP4 and WRKY70,thus promoting WRKY70's nuclear translocation.Finally,we found that the overexpression of orthologous Bna C5.ACBP4and Bna A7.WRKY70 in Brassica napus increases submergence tolerance,indicating their functional similarity across genera.In summary,our research not only sheds light on the functional significance of the ACBP4 gene in hypoxia response,but also underscores its potential utility in breeding flooding-tolerant oilseed rape varieties.展开更多
基金This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China(32030006 and 32270302)the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDB31000000)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2020SCUNL207 and SCU2022D003)。
文摘Coordinated plant adaptation involves the interplay of multiple traits driven by habitat-specific selection pressures. Pleiotropic effects, wherein genetic variants of a single gene control multiple traits, can expedite such adaptations. Until present, only a limited number of genes have been reported to exhibit pleiotropy. Here, we create a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from two Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana) ecotypes originating from divergent habitats. Using this RIL population, we identify an allelic variation in a MADS-box transcription factor, SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE (SVP), which exerts a pleiotropic effect on leaf size and drought-versus-humidity tolerance. Further investigation reveals that a natural null variant of the SVP protein disrupts its normal regulatory interactions with target genes, including GRF3, CYP707A1/3, and AtBG1, leading to increased leaf size, enhanced tolerance to humid conditions, and changes in flowering time of humid conditions in A. thaliana. Remarkably, polymorphic variations in this gene have been traced back to early A. thaliana populations, providing a genetic foundation and plasticity for subsequent colonization of diverse habitats by influencing multiple traits. These findings advance our understanding of how plants rapidly adapt to changing environments by virtue of the pleiotropic effects of individual genes on multiple trait alterations.
基金Financial support was provided by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (31101633)
文摘The digestive tract plays an important role in digestion and the acquisition of food energy. Understanding the impact of abiotic environments on digestive tract morphology is especially important for evolution of digestive tract across different environments. Here, we investigated altitudinal variation in digestive tract length in the Yunnan Pond Frog （Pelophylaxpleuraden） across five populations ranging from 1413 m to 1935 m a.s.1, in Ningnan County, Sichuan province in western China. Frogs were collected during the breeding season, from 1-5 June 2012. Our results revealed that females had longer digestive tract and relative digestive tract （i.e. digestive tract length / body size） lengths in com- parison to males, on average, but the differences between them decreased with increasing altitude. Digestive tract and relative digestive tract lengths increased with increasing altitude suggesting that a higher proportion of indigestible ma- terials may be consumed at high-altitude sites and result in a relative increase in digestive tract dimensions.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32270302 and No.32030006)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2020SCUNL207 and SCU2022D003)+1 种基金Natural Science Foundation of Sichuan Province(2024NSFSC0340 and 25QNJJ4460)Sichuan Forage Innovation Team Program(SCCXTD-2024-16).
文摘Submergence stress tolerance is a complex trait governed by multiple loci.Because of its wide distribution across arid and humid regions,Arabidopsis thaliana offers an opportunity to explore the genetic components and their action mechanisms underlying plant adaptation to submergence stress.In this study,using map-based cloning we identified WRKY22 that activates RAP2.12,a locus previously identified to contribute to the submergence stress response,to regulate plant humid adaptation possibly through ethylene signal transduction in Arabidopsis.WRKY22 expression is inhibited by ARABIDOPSIS RESPONSE REGULATORs(ARRs)but activated by the WRKY70 transcription factor.In accessions from humid environments,a two-nucleotide deletion in the WRKY22 promoter region prevents binding of phosphorylated ARRs,thereby maintaining its high expression.Loss of the ARR-binding element in the WRKY22 promoter underwent strong positive selection during colonization of A.thaliana in the humid Yangtze River basin.However,the WRKY70-binding motif in the WRKY22 promoter shows no variation between accessions from humid and arid regions.These findings together establish a novel signaling axis wherein WRKY22 plays a key role in regulating the adaptive response that enables A.thaliana to colonize contrasting habitats.Notably,we further showed functional conservation of this locus in Brassica napus,suggesting that modulating this axis might be useful in the breeding of flood-tolerant crop varieties.
基金the Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32270302 and No.32030006)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(SCU2022D003)。
文摘ACYL-CoA-BINDING PROTEINs(ACBPs)play crucial regulatory roles during plant response to hypoxia,but their molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood.Our study reveals that ACBP4 serves as a positive regulator of the plant hypoxia response by interacting with WRKY70,influencing its nucleocytoplasmic shuttling in Arabidopsis thaliana.Furthermore,we demonstrate the direct binding of WRKY70 to the ACBP4 promoter,resulting in its upregulation and suggesting a positive feedback loop.Additionally,we pinpointed a phosphorylation site at Ser638 of ACBP4,which enhances submergence tolerance,potentially by facilitating WRKY70's nuclear shuttling.Surprisingly,a natural variation in this phosphorylation site of ACBP4 allowed A.thaliana to adapt to humid conditions during its historical demographic expansion.We further observed that both phosphorylated ACBP4 and oleoyl-Co A can impede the interaction between ACBP4 and WRKY70,thus promoting WRKY70's nuclear translocation.Finally,we found that the overexpression of orthologous Bna C5.ACBP4and Bna A7.WRKY70 in Brassica napus increases submergence tolerance,indicating their functional similarity across genera.In summary,our research not only sheds light on the functional significance of the ACBP4 gene in hypoxia response,but also underscores its potential utility in breeding flooding-tolerant oilseed rape varieties.
