Cadmium accumulation dynamics in the rice endosperm during grain filling revealed by autoradiography.

Cadmium (Cd) is one of the environmental pollutants contaminated in our food. Several previous reports showed that rice polishing cannot be efficient to reduce Cd content in white rice, implying the characteristic Cd distribution in rice grain. However, Cd distribution has not been fully elucidated so far. Herein, 109Cd radiotracer experiment was performed using the rice seedlings at various time points after flowering to obtain autoradiographs of the brown rice to visually understand the Cd transport and distribution during the grain-filling process. It was shown that 109Cd accumulated in the outermost area of the brown rice, and also in the middle part of the starchy endosperm, resulting in the appearance of the double circle distribution pattern, which was not observed in the autoradiographs of 65Zn. The inner circle of 109Cd located around the center of the endosperm was developed particularly at around 8 and 10 days after flowering. After this period, 109Cd started to deposit at the outer part of the endosperm, which was also found in the autoradiograph of 14C-sucrose. Considering the physiology of grain development, the contribution of water transport and protein synthesis in the endosperm on the characteristic Cd distribution pattern was hypothesized.

A fungal sesquiterpene biosynthesis gene cluster critical for mutualist-pathogen transition in Colletotrichum tofieldiae.

Plant-associated fungi show diverse lifestyles from pathogenic to mutualistic to the host; however, the principles and mechanisms through which they shift the lifestyles require elucidation. The root fungus Colletotrichum tofieldiae (Ct) promotes Arabidopsis thaliana growth under phosphate limiting conditions. Here we describe a Ct strain, designated Ct3, that severely inhibits plant growth. Ct3 pathogenesis occurs through activation of host abscisic acid pathways via a fungal secondary metabolism gene cluster related to the biosynthesis of sesquiterpene metabolites, including botrydial. Cluster activation during root infection suppresses host nutrient uptake-related genes and changes mineral contents, suggesting a role in manipulating host nutrition state. Conversely, disruption or environmental suppression of the cluster renders Ct3 beneficial for plant growth, in a manner dependent on host phosphate starvation response regulators. Our findings indicate that a fungal metabolism cluster provides a means by which infectious fungi modulate lifestyles along the parasitic-mutualistic continuum in fluctuating environments.

Phosphate starvation response precedes abscisic acid response under progressive mild drought in plants.

Drought severely damages crop production, even under conditions so mild that the leaves show no signs of wilting. However, it is unclear how field-grown plants respond to mild drought. Here, we show through six years of field trials that ridges are a useful experimental tool to mimic mild drought stress in the field. Mild drought reduces inorganic phosphate levels in the leaves to activate the phosphate starvation response (PSR) in soybean plants in the field. Using Arabidopsis thaliana and its mutant plants grown in pots under controlled environments, we demonstrate that PSR occurs before abscisic acid response under progressive mild drought and that PSR plays a crucial role in plant growth under mild drought. Our observations in the field and laboratory using model crop and experimental plants provide insight into the molecular response to mild drought in field-grown plants and the relationship between nutrition and drought stress response.

Nicotiana benthamiana XYLEM CYSTEINE PROTEASE genes facilitate tracheary element formation in interfamily grafting.

Grafting is a plant propagation technique widely used in agriculture. A recent discovery of the capability of interfamily grafting in Nicotiana has expanded the potential combinations of grafting. In this study, we showed that xylem connection is essential for the achievement of interfamily grafting and investigated the molecular basis of xylem formation at the graft junction. Transcriptome and gene network analyses revealed gene modules for tracheary element (TE) formation during grafting that include genes associated with xylem cell differentiation and immune response. The reliability of the drawn network was validated by examining the role of the Nicotiana benthamiana XYLEM CYSTEINE PROTEASE (NbXCP) genes in TE formation during interfamily grafting. Promoter activities of NbXCP1 and NbXCP2 genes were found in differentiating TE cells in the stem and callus tissues at the graft junction. Analysis of a Nbxcp1;Nbxcp2 loss-of-function mutant indicated that NbXCPs control the timing of de novo TE formation at the graft junction. Moreover, grafts of the NbXCP1 overexpressor increased the scion growth rate as well as the fruit size. Thus, we identified gene modules for TE formation at the graft boundary and demonstrated potential ways to enhance Nicotiana interfamily grafting.

Starch-dependent sodium accumulation in the leaves of Vigna riukiuensis.

This research provides insight into a unique salt tolerance mechanism of Vigna riukiuensis. V. riukiuensis is one of the salt-tolerant species identified from the genus Vigna. We have previously reported that V. riukiuensis accumulates a higher amount of sodium in the leaves, whereas V. nakashimae, a close relative of V. riukiuensis, suppresses sodium allocation to the leaves. We first suspected that V. riukiuensis would have developed vacuoles for sodium sequestration, but there were no differences compared to a salt-sensitive species V. angularis. However, many starch granules were observed in the chloroplasts of V. riukiuensis. In addition, forced degradation of leaf starch by shading treatment resulted in no radio-Na (22Na) accumulation in the leaves. We performed SEM-EDX to locate Na in leaf sections and detected Na in chloroplasts of V. riukiuensis, especially around the starch granules but not in the middle of. Our results could provide the second evidence of the Na-trapping system by starch granules, following the case of common reed that accumulates starch granule at the shoot base for binding Na.

Mutations in RZF1, a zinc-finger protein, reduce magnesium uptake in roots and translocation to shoots in rice.

Magnesium (Mg) homeostasis is critical for maintaining many biological processes, but little information is available to comprehend the molecular mechanisms regulating Mg concentration in rice (Oryza sativa). To make up for the lack of information, we aimed to identify mutants defective in Mg homeostasis through a forward genetic approach. As a result of the screening of 2,825 M2 seedlings mutated by ion-beam irradiation, we found a rice mutant that showed reduced Mg content in leaves and slightly increased Mg content in roots. Radiotracer 28Mg experiments showed that this mutant, named low-magnesium content 1 (LMGC1), has decreased Mg2+ influx in the root and Mg2+ translocation from root to shoot. Consequently, LMGC1 is sensitive to the low Mg condition and prone to develop chlorosis in the young mature leaf. The MutMap method identified a 7.4-kbp deletion in the LMGC1 genome leading to a loss of two genes. Genome editing using CRISPR-Cas9 further revealed that one of the two lost genes, a gene belonging to the RanBP2-type zinc-finger family that we named RanBP2-TYPE ZINC FINGER1 (OsRZF1), was the causal gene of the low Mg phenotype. OsRZF1 is a nuclear protein and may have a fundamental role in maintaining Mg homeostasis in rice plants.

Mutagenesis analysis of GMN motif in Arabidopsis thaliana Mg2+ transporter MRS2-1.

Magnesium is an important nutrient for plants, but much is still unknown about plant Mg2+ transporters. Combining with the structural prediction of AlphaFold2, we used mutagenesis and 28Mg uptake assay to study the highly conserved "GMN" motif of Arabidopsis thaliana MRS2-1 (AtMRS2-1) transporter. We demonstrated that the glycine and methionine in GMN motif are essential for AtMRS2-1 to transport Mg2+.

Systemic Regulation of Iron Acquisition by Arabidopsis in Environments with Heterogeneous Iron Distributions.

Nutrient distribution within the soil is generally heterogeneous. Plants, therefore, have evolved sophisticated systemic processes enabling them to optimize their nutrient acquisition efficiency. By organ-to-organ communication in Arabidopsis thaliana, for instance, iron (Fe) starvation in one part of a root drives the upregulation of a high-affinity Fe-uptake system in other root regions surrounded by sufficient levels of Fe. This compensatory response through Fe-starvation-triggered organ-to-organ communication includes the upregulation of Iron-regulated transporter 1 (IRT1) gene expression on the Fe-sufficient side of the root; however, the molecular basis underlying this long-distance signaling remains unclear. Here, we analyzed gene expression by RNA-seq analysis of Fe-starved split-root cultures. Genome-wide expression analysis showed that localized Fe depletion in roots upregulated several genes involved in Fe uptake and signaling, such as IRT1, in a distant part of the root exposed to Fe-sufficient conditions. This result indicates that long-distance signaling for Fe demand alters the expression of a subset of genes responsible for Fe uptake and coumarin biosynthesis to maintain a level of Fe acquisition sufficient for the entire plant. Loss of IRON MAN/FE-UPTAKE-INDUCING PEPTIDE (IMA/FEP) leads to the disruption of compensatory upregulation of IRT1 in the root surrounded by sufficient Fe. In addition, our split-root culture-based analysis provides evidence that the IMA3/FEP1-MYB10/72 pathway mediates long-distance signaling in Fe homeostasis through the regulation of coumarin biosynthesis. These data suggest that the signaling of IMA/FEP, a ubiquitous family of metal-binding peptides, is critical for organ-to-organ communication in response to Fe starvation under heterogeneous Fe conditions in the surrounding environment.

Distinct Functions of the Atypical Terminal Hydrophilic Domain of the HKT Transporter in the Liverwort Marchantia polymorpha.

K+/Na+ homeostasis is important for land plants, particularly under salt stress. In this study, the structure and ion transport properties of the high-affinity K+ transporter (HKT) of the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha were investigated. Only one HKT gene, MpHKT1, was identified in the genome of M. polymorpha. Phylogenetic analysis of HKT proteins revealed that non-seed plants possess HKTs grouped into a clade independent of the other two clades including HKTs of angiosperms. A distinct long hydrophilic domain was found in the C-terminus of MpHKT1. Complementary DNA (cDNA) of truncated MpHKT1 (t-MpHKT1) encoding the MpHKT_Δ596-812 protein was used to examine the functions of the C-terminal domain. Both MpHKT1 transporters fused with enhanced green fluorescent protein at the N-terminus were localized to the plasma membrane when expressed in rice protoplasts. Two-electrode voltage clamp experiments using Xenopus laevis oocytes indicated that MpHKT1 mediated the transport of monovalent alkali cations with higher selectivity for Na+ and K+, but truncation of the C-terminal domain significantly reduced the transport activity with a decrease in the Na+ permeability. Overexpression of MpHKT1 or t-MpHKT1 in M. polymorpha conferred accumulation of higher Na+ levels and showed higher Na+ uptake rates, compared to those of wild-type plants; however, phenotypes with t-MpHKT1 were consistently weaker than those with MpHKT1. Together, these findings suggest that the hydrophilic C-terminal domain plays a unique role in the regulation of transport activity and ion selectivity of MpHKT1.

Visualization of phosphorus re-translocation and phosphate transporter expression profiles in a shortened annual cycle system of poplar.

Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient for plant growth. In deciduous trees, P is remobilized from senescing leaves and stored in perennial tissues during winter for further growth. Annual internal recycling and accumulation of P are considered an important strategy to support the vigorous growth of trees. However, the pathways of seasonal re-translocation of P and the molecular mechanisms of this transport have not been clarified. Here we show the seasonal P re-translocation route visualized using real-time radioisotope imaging and the macro- and micro-autoradiography. We analysed the seasonal re-translocation P in poplar (Populus alba. L) cultivated under 'a shortened annual cycle system', which mimicked seasonal phenology in a laboratory. From growing to senescing season, sink tissues of 32 P and/or 33 P shifted from young leaves and the apex to the lower stem and roots. The radioisotope P re-translocated from a leaf was stored in phloem and xylem parenchyma cells and redistributed to new shoots after dormancy. Seasonal expression profile of phosphate transporters (PHT1, PHT5 and PHO1 family) was obtained in the same system. Our results reveal the seasonal P re-translocation routes at the organ and tissue levels and provide a foothold for elucidating its molecular mechanisms.

Diversity of Na+ allocation in salt-tolerant species of the genus Vigna.

Wild species in the genus Vigna are a great resource of tolerance to various stresses including salinity. We have previously screened the genetic resources of the genus Vigna and identified several accessions that have independently evolved salt tolerance. However, many aspects of such tolerance have remained unknown. Thus, we used autoradiography with radioactive sodium (22Na+) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) to visualize and compare Na+ allocation in Vigna angularis (Willd.) Ohwi & H.Ohashi (azuki bean), Vigna nakashimae (Ohwi) Ohwi & H.Ohashi, Vigna riukiuensis (Ohwi) Ohwi & H.Ohashi, Vigna luteola (Jacq.) Benth. and Vigna marina (Burm.) Merr.. The results indicated: 1) Tolerant accessions suppress Na+ accumulation compared to azuki bean. 2) V. nakashimae and V. marina does so by accumulating higher amount of K+, whereas V. riukiuensis and V. luteola does so by other mechanisms. 3) V. luteola avoids salt-shedding by allocating excess Na+ to newly expanded leaves. As the mechanisms of the tolerant species were different, they could be piled up in a single crop via classical breeding or by genetic engineering or genome editing.

Optimal Distribution of Iron to Sink Organs via Autophagy Is Important for Tolerance to Excess Zinc in Arabidopsis.

Zinc (Zn) is nutritionally an essential metal element, but excess Zn in the environment is toxic to plants. Autophagy is a major pathway responsible for intracellular degradation. Here, we demonstrate the important role of autophagy in adaptation to excess Zn stress. We found that autophagy-defective Arabidopsis thaliana (atg2 and atg5) exhibited marked excess Zn-induced chlorosis and growth defects relative to wild-type (WT). Imaging and biochemical analyses revealed that autophagic activity was elevated under excess Zn. Interestingly, the excess Zn symptoms of atg5 were alleviated by supplementation of high levels of iron (Fe) to the media. Under excess Zn, in atg5, Fe starvation was especially severe in juvenile true leaves. Consistent with this, accumulation levels of Fe3+ near the shoot apical meristem remarkably reduced in atg5. Furthermore, excision of cotyledons induced severe excess Zn symptoms in WT, similar to those observed in atg5.Our data suggest that Fe3+ supplied from source leaves (cotyledons) via autophagy is distributed to sink leaves (true leaves) to promote healthy growth under excess Zn, revealing a new dimension, the importance of heavy-metal stress responses by the intracellular recycling.

ATP binding cassette proteins ABCG37 and ABCG33 function as potassium-independent cesium uptake carriers in Arabidopsis roots.

Radiocesium accumulated in the soil by nuclear accidents is a major environmental concern. The transport process of cesium (Cs+) is tightly linked to the indispensable plant nutrient potassium (K+) as they both belong to the group I alkali metals with similar chemical properties. Most of the transporters that had been characterized to date as Cs+ transporters are directly or indirectly linked to K+. Using a combinatorial approach of physiology, genetics, cell biology, and root uptake assay, here we identified two ATP-binding cassette (ABC) proteins, ABCG37 and ABCG33, as facilitators of Cs+ influx. A gain-of-function mutant of ABCG37 (abcg37-1) showed increased sensitivity to Cs+-induced root growth inhibition, while the double knockout mutant of ABCG33 and ABCG37 (abcg33-1abcg37-2) showed resistance, whereas the single loss-of-function mutants of ABCG33 and ABCG37 did not show any alteration in Cs+ response. In planta short-term radioactive Cs+-uptake assay along with growth and uptake assays in a heterologous system confirmed ABCG33 and ABCG37 as Cs+-uptake carriers. Potassium response and content were unaffected in the double-mutant background and yeast cells lacking potassium-uptake carriers transformed with ABCG33 and ABCG37 failed to grow in the absence of K+, confirming that Cs+ uptake by ABCG33 and ABCG37 is independent of K+. Collectively, this work identified two ABC proteins as new Cs+-influx carriers that act redundantly and independent of the K+-uptake pathway.

Radiocesium transfer rates among pigs fed haylage contaminated with low levels of cesium at two differentiation stages.

The objective of this study was to determine the radiocesium transfer rates of pigs fed haylage contaminated with low levels of cesium at different growth stages. We measured the body weight of juvenile and adult pigs during the treatment period to confirm their health status. We also performed pig blood hematologic and biochemical analyses at both growth stages. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report pig radiocesium transfer coefficient rates after 1 month of chronic oral treatment, which is the period assumed to be required for body equilibrium under a diet of radiocesium-contaminated food. The results showed higher radiocesium retention rates in the kidneys, liver, spleen, genitals, psoas major, bladder, thyroid, and urine than in the blood and bone (tibia and femur) of pigs at both growth stages. The radiocesium retention levels were generally higher in juvenile pigs than in adult pigs, with the highest transfer coefficient ratio in the kidneys (16.2%).

Seasonal changes in radiocesium and potassium concentrations in current-year shoots of saplings of three tree species in Fukushima, Japan.

We studied seasonal changes in radiocesium (137Cs) activity and potassium concentrations in current-year leaves and branches of Pinus densiflora (naturally regenerated saplings), Cryptomeria japonica (planted saplings) and Quercus serrata (planted saplings and coppice shoots) in Fukushima, Japan. We collected current-year shoots from 10 individuals of each species over two growing seasons at intervals of 1-4 months, between June 2016 and December 2017. For the deciduous species Q. serrata, we also collected dead leaves that remained attached to branches in December to investigate reabsorption of 137Cs. All collected shoots were divided into leaves and branches, oven-dried, and ground; dry weights of each sample were recorded. 137Cs activity concentrations were measured using a germanium semiconductor detector. Potassium concentrations were quantified using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Increases in dry weight were observed in both leaves and branches between May/June and August; growth then slowed considerably and virtually ceased after October. Clear seasonal changes in 137Cs activity concentrations were observed in both 2016 and 2017, regardless of tree species. Concentrations were higher in young leaves and branches during May and June, then decreased and changed relatively little from August to winter. Reduced 137Cs activity concentrations in dead leaves of Q. serrata were observed only in December 2017 (approximately 15% lower than in October). This reduction may indicate reabsorption of 137Cs in leaves prior to shedding. The changes in potassium concentrations were similar to those in 137Cs in both years. Potassium concentrations were higher in young leaves than in mature leaf and branch samples collected later in the year. A reduction of about 50% in the potassium concentrations in dead leaves of Q. serrata was also observed in December. A positive relationship between 137Cs and potassium concentrations in leaves and branches was observed in all species, except for planted Q. serrata. This relationship may indicate that 137Cs moves in tree shoots with potassium. Leaf and branch weight correlated negatively with 137Cs and potassium concentrations. Reduced concentrations may indicate dilution of these elements as a result of biomass increases over the growing season. Our results imply that irrespective of species, 137Cs exhibits seasonal variations resulting from dilution; these variations correspond with trends in potassium, with higher levels in young organs and decreased levels in older organs.

Changes in Expression Level of OsHKT1;5 Alters Activity of Membrane Transporters Involved in K+ and Ca2+ Acquisition and Homeostasis in Salinized Rice Roots.

In rice, the OsHKT1;5 gene has been reported to be a critical determinant of salt tolerance. This gene is harbored by the SKC1 locus, and its role was attributed to Na+ unloading from the xylem. No direct evidence, however, was provided in previous studies. Also, the reported function of SKC1 on the loading and delivery of K+ to the shoot remains to be explained. In this work, we used an electrophysiological approach to compare the kinetics of Na+ uptake by root xylem parenchyma cells using wild type (WT) and NIL(SKC1) plants. Our data showed that Na+ reabsorption was observed in WT, but not NIL(SKC1) plants, thus questioning the functional role of HKT1;5 as a transporter operating in the direct Na+ removal from the xylem. Instead, changes in the expression level of HKT1;5 altered the activity of membrane transporters involved in K+ and Ca2+ acquisition and homeostasis in the rice epidermis and stele, explaining the observed phenotype. We conclude that the role of HKT1;5 in plant salinity tolerance cannot be attributed to merely reducing Na+ concentration in the xylem sap but triggers a complex feedback regulation of activities of other transporters involved in the maintenance of plant ionic homeostasis and signaling under stress conditions.

Multi-omics analysis on an agroecosystem reveals the significant role of organic nitrogen to increase agricultural crop yield.

Both inorganic fertilizer inputs and crop yields have increased globally, with the concurrent increase in the pollution of water bodies due to nitrogen leaching from soils. Designing agroecosystems that are environmentally friendly is urgently required. Since agroecosystems are highly complex and consist of entangled webs of interactions between plants, microbes, and soils, identifying critical components in crop production remain elusive. To understand the network structure in agroecosystems engineered by several farming methods, including environmentally friendly soil solarization, we utilized a multiomics approach on a field planted with Brassica rapa We found that the soil solarization increased plant shoot biomass irrespective of the type of fertilizer applied. Our multiomics and integrated informatics revealed complex interactions in the agroecosystem showing multiple network modules represented by plant traits heterogeneously associated with soil metabolites, minerals, and microbes. Unexpectedly, we identified soil organic nitrogen induced by soil solarization as one of the key components to increase crop yield. A germ-free plant in vitro assay and a pot experiment using arable soils confirmed that specific organic nitrogen, namely alanine and choline, directly increased plant biomass by acting as a nitrogen source and a biologically active compound. Thus, our study provides evidence at the agroecosystem level that organic nitrogen plays a key role in plant growth.

Short-Term Magnesium Deficiency Triggers Nutrient Retranslocation in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Magnesium (Mg) is essential for many biological processes in plant cells, and its deficiency causes yield reduction in crop systems. Low Mg status reportedly affects photosynthesis, sucrose partitioning and biomass allocation. However, earlier physiological responses to Mg deficiency are scarcely described. Here, we report that Mg deficiency in Arabidopsis thaliana first modified the mineral profile in mature leaves within 1 or 2 days, then affected sucrose partitioning after 4 days, and net photosynthesis and biomass production after 6 days. The short-term Mg deficiency reduced the contents of phosphorus (P), potassium, manganese, zinc and molybdenum in mature but not in expanding (young) leaves. While P content decreased in mature leaves, P transport from roots to mature leaves was not affected, indicating that Mg deficiency triggered retranslocation of the mineral nutrients from mature leaves. A global transcriptome analysis revealed that Mg deficiency triggered the expression of genes involved in defence response in young leaves.

PIN FORMED 2 Modulates the Transport of Arsenite in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Arsenic contamination is a major environmental issue, as it may lead to serious health hazard. The reduced trivalent form of inorganic arsenic, arsenite, is in general more toxic to plants compared with the fully oxidized pentavalent arsenate. The uptake of arsenite in plants has been shown to be mediated through a large subfamily of plant aquaglyceroporins, nodulin 26-like intrinsic proteins (NIPs). However, the efflux mechanisms, as well as the mechanism of arsenite-induced root growth inhibition, remain poorly understood. Using molecular physiology, synchrotron imaging, and root transport assay approaches, we show that the cellular transport of trivalent arsenicals in Arabidopsis thaliana is strongly modulated by PIN FORMED 2 (PIN2) auxin efflux transporter. Root transport assay using radioactive arsenite, X-ray fluorescence imaging (XFI) coupled with X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analysis revealed that pin2 plants accumulate higher concentrations of arsenite in roots compared with the wild-type. At the cellular level, arsenite specifically targets intracellular sorting of PIN2 and thereby alters the cellular auxin homeostasis. Consistently, loss of PIN2 function results in arsenite hypersensitivity in roots. XFI coupled with XAS further revealed that loss of PIN2 function results in specific accumulation of arsenical species, but not the other metals such as iron, zinc, or calcium in the root tip. Collectively, these results suggest that PIN2 likely functions as an arsenite efflux transporter for the distribution of arsenical species in planta.