Barley transcription factor HvNLP2 mediates nitrate signaling and affects nitrogen use efficiency.

Plants have evolved complex mechanisms to adapt to the changing nitrogen levels in the environment. In Arabidopsis, more than a dozen nitrate signaling regulatory genes have been characterized, including the NODULE INCEPTION-LIKE PROTEIN (AtNLP) genes, which play essential roles in nitrate signaling. However, whether NLP genes in the Triticeae crops are involved in nitrate regulation and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) remains unknown.

CPSF30-L-mediated recognition of mRNA mA modification controls alternative polyadenylation of nitrate signaling-related gene transcripts in Arabidopsis.

N-methyladenosine (mA), a ubiquitous internal modification of eukaryotic mRNAs, plays a vital role in almost every aspect of mRNA metabolism. However, there is little evidence documenting the role of mA in regulating alternative polyadenylation (APA) in plants. APA is controlled by a large protein-RNA complex with many components, including CLEAVAGE AND POLYADENYLATION SPECIFICITY FACTOR30 (CPSF30).