Cadmium interferes with maintenance of auxin homeostasis in Arabidopsis seedlings.

Auxin and its homeostasis play key roles in many aspects of plant growth and development. Cadmium (Cd) is a phytotoxic heavy metal and its inhibitory effects on plant growth and development have been extensively studied. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of the effects of Cd stress on auxin homeostasis is still unclear. In the present study, we found that the root elongation, shoot weight, hypocotyl length and chlorophyll content in wild-type (WT) Arabidopsis seedlings were significantly reduced after exposure to Cd stress. However, the lateral root (LR) formation was markedly promoted by Cd stress. The level and distribution of auxin were both greatly altered in primary root tips and cotyledons of Cd-treated plants. The results also showed that after Cd treatment, the IAA content was significantly decreased, which was accompanied by increases in the activity of the IAA oxidase and alteration in the expression of several putative auxin biosynthetic and catabolic genes. Application of the auxin transport inhibitor, 1-naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA) and 1-naphthoxyacetic acid (1-NOA), reversed the effects of Cd on LR formation. Additionally, there was less promotion of LR formation by Cd treatment in aux1-7 and pin2 mutants than that in the WT. Meanwhile, Cd stress also altered the expression of PINs and AUX1 in Arabidopsis roots, implying that the auxin transport pathway is required for Cd-modulated LR development. Taken together, these findings suggest that Cd stress disturbs auxin homeostasis through affecting auxin level, distribution, metabolism, and transport in Arabidopsis seedling.

Radical scavenging activity and cytotoxicity of active quinic acid derivatives from Scorzonera divaricata roots.

Five new quinic acid derivatives and two known 3-O-feruloylquinic acids were isolated from the roots of Scorzonera divaricata Turcz. The new compounds were elucidated as (-)-1,4-di-O-feruloyl-3-O-dihydrocaffeoylquinic acid, (-)-1-O-feruloyl-4-O- dihydrocaffeoylquinic acid, (-)-3,5-di-O-feruloylquinic acid, (-)-1-O-feruloyl-3-O-dihydro- caffeoylquinic acid, and (-)-1-O-feruloyl-5-O-dihydrocaffeoylquinic acid based on extensive spectroscopic studies, including one- and two-dimensional NMR, HRESIMS, UV, and IR results. Five compounds were assessed for antioxidant activity by ABTS and DPPH radical-scavenging assays and for their cytotoxicity against HL-60 and Hep-G2 cell lines by the MTT assay. Three quinic acid derivatives exhibited strong antioxidant activity, with IC(50) values of 3.95, 5.87, and 7.45 µg/mL against ABTS(+) and 11.7, 13.6, and 50.1 µg/mL against DPPH(). (-)-1,4-Di-O-feruloyl-3-O-dihydrocaffeoylquinic acid also exhibited moderate activity against Hep-G2 cell lines with an IC(50) value of 14.6 µg/mL.

Triterpenes and neolignans from the roots of Nannoglottis carpesioides.

Seven oleanane-type triterpenes and two 8-O-4'-neolignans, along with five known compounds (three 28-noroleanane-type triterpenes, one sarratane triterpene, and one neolignan), were isolated from roots of Nannoglottis carpesioides. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including 1D and 2D NMR, HRMS, and CD. The absolute configurations of two triterpenes were determined by experimental and calculated circular dichroism (CD) and optical rotation values. Ten compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against human promyelocytic leukaemia (HL-60) and human hepatoma (Hep-G2) cells using the MTT assay. The antioxidant activities of these compounds were assessed by ABTS radical-scavenging assays. Among the tested compounds, three compounds exhibited moderate radical-scavenging activity against ABTS·âº, with IC50 values of 22.4, 17.4, and 23.2 µM, respectively.

FPF1 transgene leads to altered flowering time and root development in rice.

AtFPF1 (FLOWERING PROMOTING FACTOR 1) is a gene that promotes flowering in Arabidopsis. An expression vector containing AtFPF1 driven by a Ubi-1 promoter was constructed. The gene was introduced into rice callus by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and fertile plants were obtained. The presence of AtFPF1 in rice plants was confirmed by PCR, Southern and Northern blot analyses, as well as by beta-glucuronidase assay. The results showed that, as in Arabidopsis, AtFPF1 reduced flowering time in rice. Furthermore, introduction of AtFPF1 enhanced adventitious root formation but inhibited root growth in rice during the seedling stage. The results suggest that AtFPF1 promotes flowering time in both dicots and monocots, and plays a role in the initiation of adventitious roots in rice.

EGY1 encodes a membrane-associated and ATP-independent metalloprotease that is required for chloroplast development.

Chloroplast development requires coordinated expression of both nuclear- and chloroplast-encoded genes. To better understand the roles played by nuclear-encoded chloroplast proteins in chloroplast biogenesis, we isolated an Arabidopsis mutant, egy1-1, which has a dual phenotype, reduced chlorophyll accumulation and abnormal hypocotyl gravicurvature. Subsequent map-based cloning and DNA sequencing of the mutant gene revealed a 10-bp deletion in an EGY1 gene, which encodes a 59-kDa metalloprotease that contains eight trans-membrane domains at its C-terminus, and carries out beta-casein degradation in an ATP-independent manner. EGY1 protein accumulation varies between tissue types, being most prominent in leaf and stem tissues, and is responsive to light and ethylene. EGY1-GFP hybrid proteins are localized in the chloroplast. egy1 mutant chloroplasts had reduced granal thylakoids and poorly developed lamellae networks. Furthermore, the accumulation of chlorophyll a/b binding proteins of the light-harvesting complexes I and II (Lhca and Lhcb) are significantly decreased in three separate loss-of-function egy1 mutants. Taken together, these results suggest that EGY1 metalloprotease is required for chloroplast development and, hence, a defective EGY1 gene has pleiotropic effects both on chloroplast development and on ethylene-dependent gravitropism of light-grown hypocotyls.