Sulfite Reductase Co-suppression in Tobacco Reveals Detoxification Mechanisms and Downstream Responses Comparable to Sulfate Starvation.

Sulfite reductase (SIR) is a key enzyme in higher plants in the assimilatory sulfate reduction pathway. SIR, being exclusively localized in plastids, catalyzes the reduction of sulfite (SO ) to sulfide (S) and is essential for plant life. We characterized transgenic plants leading to co-suppression of the gene in tobacco ( Samsun NN).

Multiple circadian clock outputs regulate diel turnover of carbon and nitrogen reserves.

Plants accumulate reserves in the daytime to support growth at night. Circadian regulation of diel reserve turnover was investigated by profiling starch, sugars, glucose 6-phosphate, organic acids, and amino acids during a light-dark cycle and after transfer to continuous light in Arabidopsis wild types and in mutants lacking dawn (lhy cca1), morning (prr7 prr9), dusk (toc1, gi), or evening (elf3) clock components. The metabolite time series were integrated with published time series for circadian clock transcripts to identify circadian outputs that regulate central metabolism.

Exploring traditional aus-type rice for metabolites conferring drought tolerance.

Background: Traditional varieties and landraces belonging to the aus-type group of rice (Oryza sativa L.) are known to be highly tolerant to environmental stresses, such as drought and heat, and are therefore recognized as a valuable genetic resource for crop improvement. Using two aus-type (Dular, N22) and two drought intolerant irrigated varieties (IR64, IR74) an untargeted metabolomics analysis was conducted to identify drought-responsive metabolites associated with tolerance.

Sulfur deficiency-induced repressor proteins optimize glucosinolate biosynthesis in plants.

Glucosinolates (GSLs) in the plant order of the Brassicales are sulfur-rich secondary metabolites that harbor antipathogenic and antiherbivory plant-protective functions and have medicinal properties, such as carcinopreventive and antibiotic activities. Plants repress GSL biosynthesis upon sulfur deficiency (-S); hence, field performance and medicinal quality are impaired by inadequate sulfate supply. The molecular mechanism that links -S to GSL biosynthesis has remained understudied.

The Interplay between Sulfur and Iron Nutrition in Tomato.

Plant response mechanisms to deficiency of a single nutrient, such as sulfur (S) or iron (Fe), have been described at agronomic, physiological, biochemical, metabolomics, and transcriptomic levels. However, agroecosystems are often characterized by different scenarios, in which combined nutrient deficiencies are likely to occur. Soils are becoming depleted for S, whereas Fe, although highly abundant in the soil, is poorly available for uptake because of its insolubility in the soil matrix.

Medicago truncatula Mtha1-2 mutants loose metabolic responses to mycorrhizal colonization.

Bidirectional nutrient transfer is one of the key features of the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. Recently we were able to identify a Medicago truncatula mutant (mtha1-2) that is defective in the uptake of phosphate from the periarbuscular space due to a lack of the energy providing proton gradient provided by the symbiosis specific proton ATPase MtHA1 In order to further characterize the impact of fungal colonization on the plant metabolic status, without the beneficial aspect of improved mineral nutrition, we performed leaf ion analyses in mutant and wildtype plants with and without fungal colonization. Although frequency of fungal colonization was unaltered, the mutant did not show a positive growth response to mycorrhizal colonization.

Plant cysteine oxidases control the oxygen-dependent branch of the N-end-rule pathway.

In plant and animal cells, amino-terminal cysteine oxidation controls selective proteolysis via an oxygen-dependent branch of the N-end rule pathway. It remains unknown how the N-terminal cysteine is specifically oxidized. Here we identify plant cysteine oxidase (PCO) enzymes that oxidize the penultimate cysteine of ERF-VII transcription factors by using oxygen as a co-substrate, thereby controlling the lifetime of these proteins.

The sucrose-trehalose 6-phosphate (Tre6P) nexus: specificity and mechanisms of sucrose signalling by Tre6P.

Trehalose 6-phosphate (Tre6P), the intermediate of trehalose biosynthesis, has a profound influence on plant metabolism, growth, and development. It has been proposed that Tre6P acts as a signal of sugar availability and is possibly specific for sucrose status. Short-term sugar-feeding experiments were carried out with carbon-starved Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings grown in axenic shaking liquid cultures.

The deep permafrost carbon pool of the Yedoma region in Siberia and Alaska.

[1] Estimates for circumpolar permafrost organic carbon (OC) storage suggest that this pool contains twice the amount of current atmospheric carbon. The Yedoma region sequestered substantial quantities of OC and is unique because its deep OC, which was incorporated into permafrost during ice age conditions. Rapid inclusion of labile organic matter into permafrost halted decomposition and resulted in a deep long-term sink.

Salt-responsive ERF1 regulates reactive oxygen species-dependent signaling during the initial response to salt stress in rice.

Early detection of salt stress is vital for plant survival and growth. Still, the molecular processes controlling early salt stress perception and signaling are not fully understood. Here, we identified salt-responsive ERF1 (SERF1), a rice (Oryza sativa) transcription factor (TF) gene that shows a root-specific induction upon salt and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) treatment.

Local and systemic regulation of sulfur homeostasis in roots of Arabidopsis thaliana.

Nutrients are limiting for plant growth and vigour. Hence, nutrient uptake and homeostasis must be adjusted to the needs of the plant according to developmental stages and environmental conditions. A split-root system was applied to analyse the systemic and local response of Arabidopsis thaliana to sulfur starvation.

Additional role of O-acetylserine as a sulfur status-independent regulator during plant growth.

O-acetylserine (OAS) is one of the most prominent metabolites whose levels are altered upon sulfur starvation. However, its putative role as a signaling molecule in higher plants is controversial. This paper provides further evidence that OAS is a signaling molecule, based on computational analysis of time-series experiments and on studies of transgenic plants conditionally displaying increased OAS levels.

Perturbation of Arabidopsis amino acid metabolism causes incompatibility with the adapted biotrophic pathogen Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis.

Reliance of biotrophic pathogens on living plant tissues to propagate implies strong interdependence between host metabolism and nutrient uptake by the pathogen. However, factors determining host suitability and establishment of infection are largely unknown. We describe a loss-of-inhibition allele of ASPARTATE KINASE2 and a loss-of-function allele of DIHYDRODIPICOLINATE SYNTHASE2 identified in a screen for Arabidopsis thaliana mutants with increased resistance to the obligate biotrophic oomycete Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis (Hpa).

Elemental formula annotation of polar and lipophilic metabolites using (13) C, (15) N and (34) S isotope labelling, in combination with high-resolution mass spectrometry.

The unbiased and comprehensive analysis of metabolites in any organism presents a major challenge if proper peak annotation and unambiguous assignment of the biological origin of the peaks are required. Here we provide a comprehensive multi-isotope labelling-based strategy using fully labelled (13) C, (15) N and (34) S plant tissues, in combination with a fractionated metabolite extraction protocol. The extraction procedure allows for the simultaneous extraction of polar, semi-polar and hydrophobic metabolites, as well as for the extraction of proteins and starch.

The impact of different soil parameters on the community structure of dominant bacteria from nine different soils located on Livingston Island, South Shetland Archipelago, Antarctica.

Microorganisms inhabit very different soil habitats in the ice-free areas of Antarctica, playing a major role in nutrient cycling in cold environments. We studied the soil characteristics and the dominant bacterial composition from nine different soil profiles located on Livingston Island (maritime Antarctica). The total carbon (TC) and total nitrogen (TN) values were high for the vegetated soils, decreasing with depth, whereas the values for the mineral soils were generally low.

A high-performance, safer and semi-automated approach for the delta18O analysis of diatom silica and new methods for removing exchangeable oxygen.

The determination of the oxygen isotope composition of diatom silica in sediment cores is important for paleoclimate reconstruction, especially in non-carbonate sediments, where no other bioindicators such as ostracods and foraminifera are available. Since most currently available analytical techniques are time-consuming and labour-intensive, we have developed a new, safer, faster and semi-automated online approach for measuring oxygen isotopes in biogenic silica. Improvements include software that controls the measurement procedures and a video camera that remotely records the reaction of the samples under BrF(5) with a CO(2) laser.

Identification of Arabidopsis mutants impaired in the systemic regulation of root nitrate uptake by the nitrogen status of the plant.

Nitrate uptake by the roots is under systemic feedback repression by high nitrogen (N) status of the whole plant. The NRT2.1 gene, which encodes a NO(3)(-) transporter involved in high-affinity root uptake, is a major target of this N signaling mechanism.

General regulatory patterns of plant mineral nutrient depletion as revealed by serat quadruple mutants disturbed in cysteine synthesis.

Sulfate is an essential macronutrient for plants. Plants have developed strategies to cope with sulfate deficiency, and other nutrient ion limitations. However, the regulation of these adaptive responses and the coordinating signals that underlie them are still poorly characterized.

Supply of sulphur to S-deficient young barley seedlings restores their capability to cope with iron shortage.

The effect of the S nutritional status on a plant's capability to cope with Fe shortage was studied in solution cultivation experiments in barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Europa).

Isotope studies of hydrogen and oxygen in ground ice-experiences with the equilibration technique.

Equilibration technique suitable for a large amount of samples is described for hydrogen and oxygen isotope analyses of ground ice, especially ice wedges, including the sampling strategy and the analytical procedure as well as the calibration of the Finnigan MAT Delta-S mass spectrometer in June, 1999. Since for future analyses of ice wedges, a higher sampling resolution with limited sample volume is required, the limit of the equilibration technique for small water sample sizes of between 0.05 and 5 ml was checked.