Transcriptome-wide identification of NAC (no apical meristem/Arabidopsis transcription activation factor/cup-shaped cotyledon) transcription factors potentially involved in salt stress response in garlic.

Soil salinity has been an increasing problem worldwide endangering crop production and human food security. It is an ideal strategy to excavate stress resistant genes and develop salt tolerant crops. NAC (no apical meristem/Arabidopsis transcription activation factor/cup-shaped cotyledon) transcription factors have been demonstrated to be involved in salt stress response. However, relevant studies have not been observed in garlic, an important vegetable consumed in the world. In this study, a total of 46 AsNAC genes encoding NAC proteins were identified in garlic plant by transcriptome data. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the examined AsNAC proteins were clustered into 14 subgroups. Motif discovery revealed that the conserved domain region was mainly composed of five conserved subdomains. Most of the genes selected could be induced by salt stress in different tissues, indicating a potential role in salt stress response. Further studies may focus on the molecular mechanisms of the AsNAC genes in salt stress response. The results of the current work provided valuable resources for researchers aimed at developing salt tolerant crops.

24-Epibrassinolide-induced alterations in the root cell walls of Cucumis sativus L. under Ca(NO3)2 stress.

Brassinosteroids (BRs) can effectively alleviate the oxidative stress caused by Ca(NO3)2 in cucumber seedlings. The root system is an essential organ in plants due to its roles in physical anchorage, water and nutrient uptake, and metabolite synthesis and storage. In this study, 24-epibrassinolide (EBL) was applied to the cucumber seedling roots under Ca(NO3)2 stress, and the resulting chemical and anatomical changes were characterized to investigate the roles of BRs in alleviating salinity stress. Ca(NO3)2 alone significantly induced changes in the components of cell wall, anatomical structure, and expression profiles of several lignin biosynthetic genes. Salt stress damaged several metabolic pathways, leading to cell wall reassemble. However, EBL promoted cell expansion and maintained optimum length of root system, alleviating the oxidative stress caused by Ca(NO3)2. The continuous transduction of EBL signal thickened the secondary cell wall of casparian band cells, thus resisting against ion toxicity and maintaining water transport.

NO accumulation alleviates H2 O2 -dependent oxidative damage induced by Ca(NO3 )2 stress in the leaves of pumpkin-grafted cucumber seedlings.

Nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ), two important signaling molecules, are stimulated in plants by abiotic stresses. In this study, we investigated the role of NO and its interplay with H2 O2 in the response of self-grafted (S-G) and salt-tolerant pumpkin-grafted (Cucurbita maxima × C. moschata) cucumber seedlings to 80 mM Ca(NO3 )2 stress. Endogenous NO and H2 O2 production in S-G seedlings increased in a time-dependent manner, reaching maximum levels after 24 h of Ca(NO3 )2 stress. In contrast, a transient increase in NO production, accompanied by H2 O2 accumulation, was observed at 2 h in rootstock-grafted plants. Nw -Nitro-l-Arg methyl ester hydrochloride (l-NAME), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), tungstate, an inhibitor of nitrate reductase (NR), and 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethy-limidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (cPTIO), a scavenger of NO, were found to significantly inhibit NO accumulation induced by salt stress in rootstock-grafted seedlings. H2 O2 production was unaffected by these stress conditions. Ca(NO3 )2 stress-induced NO accumulation was blocked by pretreatment with an H2 O2 scavenger (dimethylthiourea, DMTU) and an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase (diphenyleneiodonium, DPI). In addition, maximum quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm), as well as the activities and transcript levels of antioxidant enzymes, were significantly decreased by salt stress in rootstock grafted seedlings after pretreatment with these above inhibitors; antioxidant enzyme transcript levels and activities were higher in rootstock-grafted seedlings compared with S-G seedlings. These results suggest that rootstock grafting could alleviate the oxidative damage induced by Ca(NO3 )2 stress in cucumber seedlings, an effect that may be attributable to the involvement of NO in H2 O2 -dependent antioxidative metabolism.

Proteomics analysis of compatibility and incompatibility in grafted cucumber seedlings.

Graft compatibility between rootstock and scion is the most important factor influencing the survival of grafted plants. In this study, we used two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF MS) to investigate differences in leaf proteomes of graft-compatible and graft-incompatible cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)/pumpkin (Cucurbita L.) combinations. Cucumber seedlings were used as the scions and two pumpkin cultivars with strongly contrasting grafting compatibilities were used as the rootstocks. Non-grafted and self-grafted cucumber seedlings served as control groups. An average of approximately 500 detectable spots were observed on each 2-DE gel. A total of 50 proteins were differentially expressed in response to self-grafting, compatible-rootstock grafting, and incompatible-rootstock grafting and were all successfully identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF MS. The regulation of Calvin cycle, photosynthetic apparatus, glycolytic pathway, energy metabolism, protein biosynthesis and degradation, and reactive oxygen metabolism will probably contribute to intensify the biomass and photosynthetic capacity in graft-compatible combinations. The improved physiological and growth characteristics of compatible-rootstock grafting plants are the result of the higher expressions of proteins involved in photosynthesis, carbohydrate and energy metabolism, and protein metabolism. At the same time, the compatible-rootstock grafting regulation of stress defense, amino acid metabolism, and other metabolic functions also plays important roles in improvement of plant growth.