Rice small protein OsS1Fa1 participates in stress responses as an inner nuclear membrane protein.

The rice small protein OsS1Fa1, a homolog of spinach S1Fa, plays a significant role in drought tolerance, attributed to its transmembrane domain. In this study, we aim to further elucidate the potential roles of OsS1Fa1 in cold and biotic stresses as an inner nuclear membrane protein. Fluorescence analysis confirmed the localization of OsS1Fa1 to the inner nuclear membrane.

Genetic Control of Tolerance to Drought Stress in Wild Soybean () at the Vegetative and the Germination Stages.

Drought stress, which is becoming more prevalent due to climate change, is a significant abiotic factor that adversely impacts crop production and yield stability. Cultivated soybean (), a versatile crop for humans and animals, exhibits sensitivity to drought, resulting in reduced growth and development under drought conditions. However, few genetic studies have assessed wild soybean's () response to drought stress.

E3 SUMO ligase SIZ1 splicing variants localize and function according to external conditions.

SIZ1 (SAP and MIZ1) is a member of the Siz/PIAS-type RING family of E3 SUMO (small ubiquitin-related modifier) ligases that play key roles in growth, development, and stress responses in plant and animal systems. Nevertheless, splicing variants of SIZ1 have not yet been characterized. Here, we identified four splicing variants of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) SIZ1, which encode three different protein isoforms.

Arabidopsis COP1 guides stomatal response in guard cells through pH regulation.

Plants rely on precise regulation of their stomatal pores to effectively carry out photosynthesis while managing water status. The Arabidopsis CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC 1 (COP1), a critical light signaling repressor, is known to repress stomatal opening, but the exact cellular mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we show that COP1 regulates stomatal movement by controlling the pH levels in guard cells.

Arabidopsis retromer subunit AtVPS29 is involved in SLY1-mediated gibberellin signaling.

Retromer protein AtVPS29 upregulates the SLY1 protein and downregulates the RGA protein, positively stimulating the development of the root meristematic zone, which indicates an important role of AtVPS29 in gibberellin signaling. In plants, the large retromer complex is known to play roles in multiple development processes, including cell polarity, programmed cell death, and root hair growth in Arabidopsis. However, many of its roles in plant development remain unknown.

mutation causes low leaf temperature under various abiotic stresses in .

Stomata are microscopic pores on epidermal cells of leaves and stems that regulate water loss and gas exchange between the plant and its environment. Constitutive photomorphogenic 1 (COP1) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that is involved in plant growth and development and multiple abiotic stress responses by regulating the stability of various target proteins. However, little is known about how COP1 controls stomatal aperture and leaf temperature under various environmental conditions.

COP1 controls salt stress tolerance by modulating sucrose content.

The E3 ubiquitin ligase Constitutive Photomorphogenic 1 (COP1) plays evolutionarily conserved and divergent roles. In plants, COP1 regulates a large number of developmental processes including photomorphogenesis, seedling emergence, and gravitropism. Nevertheless, its function in abiotic stress tolerance remains largely unknown.

Intronic long noncoding RNA, RICE FLOWERING ASSOCIATED (RIFLA), regulates OsMADS56-mediated flowering in rice.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are known to play important roles in several plant processes such as flowering, organ development and stress response. However, studies exploring the diversity and complexity of lncRNAs and their mechanism of action in plants are far fewer that those in animals. Here, we show that an intronic lncRNA in rice (Oryza sativa L.

A mutation in the pPLA-IIα gene encoding PATATIN-RELATED PHOSPHOLIPASE a causes late flowering in Arabidopsis.

Arabidopsis PATATIN-RELATED PHOSPHOLIPASE 2A (pPLA-IIα) participates in the responses to various growth conditions. The factors affecting pPLA-IIα gene expression and pPLA-IIα protein activity for gycerolipids have been studied thoroughly, but the role of pPLA-IIα during the reproductive phase remains unclear. The effect of pPLA-IIα on flowering time was therefore investigated.

Ammonium-mediated reduction in salicylic acid content and recovery of plant growth in Arabidopsis mutants is modulated by NDR1 and NPR1.

The mutants exhibit high SA accumulation and consequently severe dwarfism. Although mutants exhibit growth recovery upon exogenous ammonium supply, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Here, we investigated the effect of ammonium on SA level and plant growth in SA-accumulating mutants.

Mutation of the gene affects heading date in rice.

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases play a critical role in protein synthesis by catalyzing the covalent attachment of amino acids to their cognate tRNAs. However, the role of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases in the transition from vegetative to reproductive growth in plants remains poorly understood. In this study, a rice () glycyl-tRNA synthetase 3, OsGlyRS3, was found to impact heading date in rice.

E3 SUMO ligase AtSIZ1 regulates the cruciferin content of Arabidopsis seeds.

Arabidopsis thaliana E3 SUMO ligase SIZ1 (AtSIZ1) controls vegetative growth and development, including responses to nutrient deficiency and environmental stresses. Here, we analyzed the effect of AtSIZ1 and its E3 SUMO ligase activity on the amount of seed proteins. Proteomic analysis showed that the level of three major nutrient reservoir proteins, CRUCIFERIN1 (CRU1), CRU2, and CRU3, was reduced in the siz1-2 mutant compared with the wild type.

The rice SUMO conjugating enzymes OsSCE1 and OsSCE3 have opposing effects on drought stress.

Posttranslational modification of proteins by the small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) protein is involved in diverse cellular processes. In sumoylation, SUMO-conjugating enzyme (SCE) conjugates SUMO to substrate proteins. Similarly to yeast and animals, Arabidopsis encodes a single SCE gene, but other plants encode at least two SCE genes.

Biosynthesis of DDMP saponins in soybean is regulated by a distinct UDP-glycosyltransferase.

2,3-Dihydro-2,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one (DDMP) saponins are one of the major saponin groups that are widely distributed in legumes such as pea, barrel medic, chickpea, and soybean. The steps involved in DDMP saponin biosynthesis remain uncharacterized at the molecular level. We isolated two recessive mutants that lack DDMP saponins from an ethyl methanesulfonate-induced mutant population of soybean cultivar Pungsannamul.

Grain width 2 (GW2) and its interacting proteins regulate seed development in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

Background: Seed size has been extensively studied in crop plants, as it determines crop yield. However, the mechanism of seed development remains elusive. In this study, we explored the mechanism of seed development in rice (Oryza sativa L.

GW2 Functions as an E3 Ubiquitin Ligase for Rice Expansin-Like 1.

Seed size is one of the most important traits determining the yield of cereal crops. Many studies have been performed to uncover the mechanism of seed development. However, much remains to be understood, especially at the molecular level, although several genes involved in seed size have been identified.

Nitrate Reductases Are Relocalized to the Nucleus by AtSIZ1 and Their Levels Are Negatively Regulated by COP1 and Ammonium.

Nitrate reductases (NRs) catalyze the first step in the reduction of nitrate to ammonium. NR activity is regulated by sumoylation through the E3 ligase activity of AtSIZ1. However, it is not clear how NRs interact with AtSIZ1 in the cell, or how nitrogen sources affect NR levels and their cellular localization.

Nitrate Reductase Activity Assay from Crude Extracts.

Nitrate reductase (NR) reduces the major plant nitrogen source, NO-, into NO-. NR activity can be measured by its final product, nitrite through its absorbance under optimized condition. Here, we present a detailed protocol for measuring relative enzyme activity of NR from crude extracts.

Molecular elucidation of a new allelic variation at the Sg-5 gene associated with the absence of group A saponins in wild soybean.

In soybean, triterpenoid saponin is one of the major secondary metabolites and is further classified into group A and DDMP saponins. Although they have known health benefits for humans and animals, acetylation of group A saponins causes bitterness and gives an astringent taste to soy products. Therefore, several studies are being conducted to eliminate acetylated group A saponins.

COP1 regulates plant growth and development in response to light at the post-translational level.

Photoreceptors perceive different wavelengths of light and transduce light signals downstream via a range of proteins. COP1, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, regulates light signaling by mediating the ubiquitination and subsequent proteasomal degradation of photoreceptors such as phytochromes and cryptochromes, as well as various development-related proteins including other light-responsive proteins. COP1 is itself regulated by direct interactions with several signaling molecules that modulate its activity.

Post-translational modifications of Arabidopsis E3 SUMO ligase AtSIZ1 are controlled by environmental conditions.

Sumoylation regulates numerous cellular functions in plants as well as in other eukaryotic systems. However, the regulatory mechanisms controlling E3 small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) ligase are not well understood. Here, post-translational modification of the Arabidopsis E3 SUMO ligase AtSIZ1 was shown to be specifically controlled by abiotic stresses.

Post-translational modifications of FLOWERING LOCUS C modulate its activity.

Flowering Locus C (FLC) is a key floral repressor that precisely controls flowering time. The role of FLC has been extensively studied at the transcriptional level using molecular biological and epigenetic approaches. However, how FLC functions and how its stability is controlled at the post-translational level are only beginning to be understood.

COP1 Controls Abiotic Stress Responses by Modulating AtSIZ1 Function through Its E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Activity.

Ubiquitination and sumoylation are essential post-translational modifications that regulate growth and development processes in plants, including control of hormone signaling mechanisms and responses to stress. This study showed that COP1 (Constitutive photomorphogenic 1) regulated the activity of Arabidopsis E3 SUMO (Small ubiquitin-related modifier) ligase AtSIZ1 through its E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. Yeast two hybrid analysis demonstrated that COP1 and AtSIZ1 directly interacted with one another, and subcellular localization assays indicated that COP1 and AtSIZ1 co-localized in nuclear bodies.