Project description:We analyzed global transcriptional changes in both shoots and roots of root-flooded Arabidopsis seedlings by microarrays. We also interpreted the significance of the systemic communication between roots and shoots by functional classification of affected genes. We performed genetic analysis with an ethylene signaling mutant, ein2-5, to correlate systemic flooding responses with ethylene signaling. We identified a class of genes that were up- or downregulated in shoots, but not affected in roots, under hypoxic conditions. A comprehensive managing program of carbohydrate metabolism was observed, providing an example of how systemic communications might facilitate the survival of plants under flooding. A proportion of long-distance hypoxic regulation was altered in ein2-5.
Project description:We analyzed global transcriptional changes in both shoots and roots of root-flooded Arabidopsis seedlings by microarrays. We also interpreted the significance of the systemic communication between roots and shoots by functional classification of affected genes. We performed genetic analysis with an ethylene signaling mutant, ein2-5, to correlate systemic flooding responses with ethylene signaling. We identified a class of genes that were up- or downregulated in shoots, but not affected in roots, under hypoxic conditions. A comprehensive managing program of carbohydrate metabolism was observed, providing an example of how systemic communications might facilitate the survival of plants under flooding. A proportion of long-distance hypoxic regulation was altered in ein2-5. Time course experiments (0.5, 1, 3, 6, and 12h for Columbia; 0.5, 3, and 6h for ein2-5). Tissues from root-flooded seedlings vs. Tissues from un-flooded seedlings. Biological replicates: 4 replicates for each time point, independently grown, treated, and harvested. One replicate per array. 2 of 4 replicates are dye-swapped.
Project description:Survival of plants depends on their ability to adapt to ever-changing environmental conditions. Chloroplasts sense different stimuli and respond to ion fluxes in the cytosol triggering systemic responses under stress conditions. Indeed, changes in calcium and magnesium ion concentration in the chloroplast stroma impact the immune response against pathogens and adapt the photosynthetic machinery under fluctuating light conditions. Here we investigated the link between di-valent cations, calcium, magnesium and manganese and the protein kinase activity in Arabidopsis chloroplasts. Our results show that overall, manganese ions are the strongest activator of kinase activity in chloroplasts followed by magnesium ions, whereas calcium ions have seemingly no effect. Additionally, when comparing the phosphorylation pattern from Arabidopsis wild type and a cmt1 mutant, which is defective in manganese import into chloroplasts, the phosphorylation of specific protein bands is strongly reduced in the mutant chloroplasts supporting the notion that chloroplasts contain manganese-dependent protein kinases. These findings provide insights for the future characterization of chloroplast protein kinases activity regarding in-vitro assays and potential target proteins.
Project description:Plant volatiles can mediate plant-plant communication in the sense that plants attacked by herbivores can signal their unattacked neighbors of danger by emitting HIPVs. We call this the priming effect. Since the plant defense response is a systematic process involving numerous pathways and genes,to characterize the priming process, a time course study using a genome-wide microarray may provide more accurate information about the priming process. Furthermore, to what extent do the priming process and direct defense share similar gene expression profiles or pathways are also not clear. We used microarray to detect the priming effect of plant volatiles to healthy Arabidopsis thaliana, and the effect of direct leafminer feeding to Arabidopsis thalianas.
Project description:Heterotrimeric G proteins mediate crucial and diverse signaling pathways in eukaryotes. To gain insights into the regulatory modes of the G protein and the co-regulatory modes of the G protein and the stress hormone abscisic acid (ABA), we generated and analyzed gene expression in G protein subunit single and double mutants of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Through a Boolean modeling approach, our analysis reveals novel modes of heterotrimeric G protein action. Keywords: transcriptome analysis; G protein subunit mutants; abscisic acid (ABA)
Project description:Arabidopsis thaliana is a well-established model system for the analysis of the basic physiological and metabolic pathways of plants. The presented model is a new semi-quantitative mathematical model of the metabolism of Arabidopsis thaliana. The Petri net formalism was used to express the complex reaction system in a mathematically unique manner. To verify the model for correctness and consistency concepts of network decomposition and network reduction such as transition invariants, common transition pairs, and invariant transition pairs were applied. Based on recent knowledge from literature, including the Calvin cycle, glycolysis and citric acid cycle, glyoxylate cycle, urea cycle, sucrose synthesis, and the starch metabolism, the core metabolism of Arabidopsis thaliana was formulated. Each reaction (transition) is experimentally proven. The complete Petri net model consists of 134 metabolites, represented by places, and 243 reactions, represented by transitions. Places and transitions are connected via 572 edges.