Comparative Analysis of the Effect of Gamma-, Electron, and Proton Irradiation on Transcriptomic Profile of Hordeum vulgare L. Seedlings: In Search for Molecular Contributors to Abiotic Stress Resilience.

The development of adaptation strategies for crops under ever-changing climate conditions is a critically important food security issue. Studies of barley responses to ionising radiation showed that this evolutionarily ancient stress factor can be successfully used to identify molecular pathways involved in adaptation to a range of abiotic stressors. In order to identify potential molecular contributors to abiotic stress resilience, we examined the transcriptomic profiles of barley seedlings after exposure to γ-rays, electrons, and protons. A total of 553 unique differentially expressed genes with increased expression and 124 with decreased expression were detected. Among all types of radiation, the highest number of differentially expressed genes was observed in electron-irradiated samples (428 upregulated and 56 downregulated genes). Significant upregulation after exposure to the three types of radiation was shown by a set of ROS-responsive genes, genes involved in DNA repair, cell wall metabolism, auxin biosynthesis and signalling, as well as photosynthesis-related genes. Most of these genes are known to be involved in plant ROS-mediated responses to other abiotic stressors, especially with genotoxic components, such as heavy metals and drought. Ultimately, the modulation of molecular pathways of plant responses to ionising radiation may be a prospective tool for stress tolerance programmes.

Radiation Hormesis in Barley Manifests as Changes in Growth Dynamics Coordinated with the Expression of PM19L-like, CML31-like, and AOS2-like.

The stimulation of growth and development of crops using ionising radiation (radiation hormesis) has been reported by many research groups. However, specific genes contributing to the radiation stimulation of plant growth are largely unknown. In this work, we studied the impact of the low-dose γ-irradiation of barley seeds on the growth dynamics and gene expression of eight barley cultivars in a greenhouse experiment. Our findings confirmed that candidate genes of the radiation growth stimulation, previously established in barley seedlings (PM19L-like, CML31-like, and AOS2-like), are significant in radiation hormesis throughout ontogeny. In γ-stimulated cultivars, the expression of these genes was aligned with the growth dynamics, yield parameters, and physiological conditions of plants. We identified contrasting cultivars for future gene editing and found that the γ-stimulated cultivar possessed some specific abiotic stress-responsive elements in the promotors of candidate genes, possibly revealing a new level of radiation hormesis effect execution. These results can be used in creating new productive barley cultivars, ecological toxicology of radionuclides, and eustress biology studies.

White clover from the exclusion zone of the Chernobyl NPP: Morphological, biochemical, and genetic characteristics.

A comprehensive study of the biological effects of chronic radiation exposure (8 µGy/h) in populations of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) from the Chernobyl exclusion zone was carried out. White clover is one of the most important pasture legumes, having many agricultural applications. Studies at two reference and three radioactively contaminated plots showed no stable morphological effects in white clover at this level of radiation exposure. Increased activities of catalase and peroxidases were found in some impacted plots. Auxin concentration was enhanced in the radioactively contaminated plots. Genes involved in the maintenance of water homeostasis and photosynthetic processes (TIP1 and CAB1) were upregulated at radioactively contaminated plots.

Multifaceted effects of chronic radiation exposure in Japanese red pines from Fukushima prefecture.

Despite many studies carried out to date, the long-term effects of chronic exposure on plants and animals inhabiting the territories affected by the Fukushima Dai-Ichi NPP accident remain the subject of scientific discussions. Our investigations were performed on Japanese red pine, the native tree species that is widely spread in the radioactive contaminated areas. Earlier observations revealed the radiation-induced cancellation of the apical dominance in young trees of this species. To understand the mechanism of such transformation, we evaluated the morphometric parameters of needles, the frequency of cytogenetic abnormalities, and the concentrations of the major classes of phytohormones in several natural populations of young red pine trees growing under different exposure conditions in Fukushima prefecture. No significant relationships between the morphometric parameters of needles and dose rates at the experimental sites were revealed. The frequencies of aberrant cells in the needle's intercalary meristem and the frequencies of cancellation of the apical dominance in the young pine populations in the radioactive contaminated areas were significantly higher than in the reference population. However, only cytogenetic abnormalities increased with the dose rate. We have not found the relation between the frequency of cytogenetic abnormalities in needles and cancellation of the apical dominance in the individual trees. In this paper, for the first time, it is shown that chronic radiation exposure changes the concentration ratio of the major classes of phytohormones in the needles of Japanese red pine. Given the complete lack of information about the most important regulatory system of plants in chronically irradiated populations, this study fills a substantial gap in our knowledge. Finally, our findings indicated that the most probable causes of the cancellation of apical dominance observed in chronically exposed Japanese red pines are radiation damage to the apical meristems of the trees and changes in their phytohormonal balance.