The rice EP3 and OsFBK1 E3 ligases alter plant architecture and flower development, and affect transcript accumulation of microRNA pathway genes and their targets.

ERECTA PANICLE 3 (EP3) and ORYZA SATIVA F-BOX KELCH 1 (OsFBK1) proteins share 57% and 54% sequence identity with the Arabidopsis F-box protein HAWAIIAN SKIRT (HWS). Previously we showed that EP3 is a functional orthologue of HWS. Here we demonstrate that OsFBK1 is another functional orthologue of HWS and show the complexity of interaction between EP3 and OsFBK1 genes at different developmental stages of the plant. qRT-PCR expression analyses and studies of EP3-GFP and OsFBK1-RFP promoter reporter lines demonstrate that although EP3 and OsFBK1 expression can be detected in the same tissues some cells exclusively express EP3 or OsFBK1 whilst others co-express both genes. Loss, reduction or gain-of-function lines for EP3 and OsFBK1, show that EP3 and OsFBK1 affect plant architecture, organ size, floral organ number and size, floral morphology, pollen viability, grain size and weight. We have identified the putative orthologue genes of the rice microRNA pathway for ORYZA SATIVA DAWDLE (OsDDL) and ORYZA SATIVA SERRATE (OsSE), and demonstrated that EP3 and OsFBK1 affect their transcript levels as well as those of CROWN ROOT DEFECT 1/ORYZA SATIVA Exportin-5 HASTY (CRD1/OsHST), ORYZA SATIVA DICER-LIKE 1 (OsDCL) and ORYZA SATIVA WEAVY LEAF1 (OsWAF1). We show that EP3 affects OsPri-MIR164, OsNAM1 and OsNAC1 transcript levels. OsNAC1 transcripts are modified by OsFBK1, suggesting two independent regulatory pathways, one via EP3 and OsMIR164 and the other via OsFBK1. Our data propose that EP3 and OsFBK1 conjointly play similar roles in rice to how HWS does in Arabidopsis.

The Arabidopsis thaliana F-box gene HAWAIIAN SKIRT is a new player in the microRNA pathway.

In Arabidopsis, the F-box HAWAIIAN SKIRT (HWS) protein is important for organ growth. Loss of function of HWS exhibits pleiotropic phenotypes including sepal fusion. To dissect the HWS role, we EMS-mutagenized hws-1 seeds and screened for mutations that suppress hws-1 associated phenotypes. We identified shs-2 and shs-3 (suppressor of hws-2 and 3) mutants in which the sepal fusion phenotype of hws-1 was suppressed. shs-2 and shs-3 (renamed hst-23/hws-1 and hst-24/hws-1) carry transition mutations that result in premature terminations in the plant homolog of Exportin-5 HASTY (HST), known to be important in miRNA biogenesis, function and transport. Genetic crosses between hws-1 and mutant lines for genes in the miRNA pathway also suppress the phenotypes associated with HWS loss of function, corroborating epistatic relations between the miRNA pathway genes and HWS. In agreement with these data, accumulation of miRNA is modified in HWS loss or gain of function mutants. Our data propose HWS as a new player in the miRNA pathway, important for plant growth.

HAWAIIAN SKIRT controls size and floral organ number by modulating CUC1 and CUC2 expression.

The Arabidopsis thaliana F-box gene HAWAIIAN SKIRT (HWS) affects organ growth and the timing of floral organ abscission. The loss-of-function hws-1 mutant exhibits fused sepals and increased organ size. To understand the molecular mechanisms of HWS during plant development, we mutagenized hws-1 seeds with ethylmethylsulphonate (EMS) and screened for mutations suppressing hws-1 associated phenotypes. We isolated the shs1/hws-1 (suppressor of hws-1) mutant in which hws-1 sepal fusion phenotype was suppressed. The shs1/hws-1 mutant carries a G→A nucleotide substitution in the MIR164 binding site of CUP-SHAPED COTYLEDON 1 (CUC1) mRNA. CUC1 and CUP-SHAPED COTYLEDON 2 (CUC2) transcript levels were altered in shs1, renamed cuc1-1D, and in hws-1 mutant. Genetic interaction analyses using single, double and triple mutants of cuc1-1D, cuc2-1D (a CUC2 mutant similar to cuc1-1D), and hws-1, demonstrate that HWS, CUC1 and CUC2 act together to control floral organ number. Loss of function of HWS is associated with larger petal size due to alterations in cell proliferation and mitotic growth, a role shared with the CUC1 gene.

Decreased photosynthesis in the erect panicle 3 (ep3) mutant of rice is associated with reduced stomatal conductance and attenuated guard cell development.

The ERECT PANICLE 3 gene of rice encodes a peptide that exhibits more than 50% sequence identity with the Arabidopsis F-box protein HAWAIIAN SKIRT (HWS). Ectopic expression of the Os02g15950 coding sequence, driven by the HWS (At3g61950) promoter, rescued the hws-1 flower phenotype in Arabidopsis confirming that EP3 is a functional orthologue of HWS. In addition to displaying an erect inflorescence phenotype, loss-of-function mutants of Os02g15950 exhibited a decrease in leaf photosynthetic capacity and stomatal conductance. Analysis of a range of physiological and anatomical features related to leaf photosynthesis revealed no alteration in Rubisco content and no notable changes in mesophyll size or arrangement. However, both ep3 mutant plants and transgenic lines that have a T-DNA insertion within the Os02g15950 (EP3) gene exhibit smaller stomatal guard cells compared with their wild-type controls. This anatomical characteristic may account for the observed decrease in leaf photosynthesis and provides evidence that EP3 plays a role in regulating stomatal guard cell development.

The manipulation of auxin in the abscission zone cells of Arabidopsis flowers reveals that indoleacetic acid signaling is a prerequisite for organ shedding.

A number of novel strategies were employed to examine the role of indoleacetic acid (IAA) in regulating floral organ abscission in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Analysis of auxin influx facilitator expression in ß-glucuronidase reporter plants revealed that AUXIN RESISTANT1, LIKE AUX1, and LAX3 were specifically up-regulated at the site of floral organ shedding. Flowers from mutants where individual family members were down-regulated exhibited a reduction in the force necessary to bring about petal separation; however, the effect was not additive in double or quadruple mutants. Using the promoter of a polygalacturonase (At2g41850), active primarily in cells undergoing separation, to drive expression of the bacterial genes iaaL and iaaM, we have shown that it is possible to manipulate auxin activity specifically within the floral organ abscission zone (AZ). Analysis of petal breakstrength reveals that if IAA AZ levels are reduced, shedding takes place prematurely, while if they are enhanced, organ loss is delayed. The At2g41850 promoter was also used to transactivate the gain-of-function AXR3-1 gene in order to disrupt auxin signaling specifically within the floral organ AZ cells. Flowers from transactivated lines failed to shed their sepals, petals, and anthers during pod expansion and maturity, and these organs frequently remained attached to the plant even after silique desiccation and dehiscence had taken place. These observations support a key role for IAA in the regulation of abscission in planta and reveal, to our knowledge for the first time, a requirement for a functional IAA signaling pathway in AZ cells for organ shedding to take place.

Temporal and spatial expression of polygalacturonase gene family members reveals divergent regulation during fleshy fruit ripening and abscission in the monocot species oil palm.

BACKGROUND: Cell separation that occurs during fleshy fruit abscission and dry fruit dehiscence facilitates seed dispersal, the final stage of plant reproductive development. While our understanding of the evolutionary context of cell separation is limited mainly to the eudicot model systems tomato and Arabidopsis, less is known about the mechanisms underlying fruit abscission in crop species, monocots in particular. The polygalacturonase (PG) multigene family encodes enzymes involved in the depolymerisation of pectin homogalacturonan within the primary cell wall and middle lamella. PG activity is commonly found in the separation layers during organ abscission and dehiscence, however, little is known about how this gene family has diverged since the separation of monocot and eudicots and the consequence of this divergence on the abscission process. RESULTS: The objective of the current study was to identify PGs responsible for the high activity previously observed in the abscission zone (AZ) during fruit shedding of the tropical monocot oil palm, and to analyze PG gene expression during oil palm fruit ripening and abscission. We identified 14 transcripts that encode PGs, all of which are expressed in the base of the oil palm fruit. The accumulation of five PG transcripts increase, four decrease and five do not change during ethylene treatments that induce cell separation. One PG transcript (EgPG4) is the most highly induced in the fruit base, with a 700-5000 fold increase during the ethylene treatment. In situ hybridization experiments indicate that the EgPG4 transcript increases preferentially in the AZ cell layers in the base of the fruit in response to ethylene prior to cell separation. CONCLUSIONS: The expression pattern of EgPG4 is consistent with the temporal and spatial requirements for cell separation to occur during oil palm fruit shedding. The sequence diversity of PGs and the complexity of their expression in the oil palm fruit tissues contrast with data from tomato, suggesting functional divergence underlying the ripening and abscission processes has occurred between these two fruit species. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis of EgPG4 with PGs from other species suggests some conservation, but also diversification has occurred between monocots and eudicots, in particular between dry and fleshy fruit species.

Ethylene and the regulation of senescence processes in transgenic Nicotiana sylvestris plants.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Exposure of plants to ethylene can influence a spectrum of developmental processes including organ senescence and abscission. The aim of this study was to examine the role of the gaseous regulator in Nicotiana sylvestris plants exhibiting a silenced or constitutive ethylene response. METHODS: Transgenic N. sylvestris plants were generated that either ectopically expressed the Arabidopsis mutant ethylene receptor ETR1-1 or the tomato EIN3-like (LeEIL1) gene. Highly expressing homozygous lines were selected and the time-course of development, from germination to organ senescence, was studied. KEY RESULTS: Fifty percent of the homozygous Pro(35S):ETR1-1 lines examined showed a high susceptibility to collapse prior to flowering, with plant death occurring within a few days of leaf wilting. The time-course of leaf senescence in the remaining Pro(35S):ETR1-1 lines was visibly arrested compared to wild type (negative segregant) plants and this observation was reaffirmed by chlorophyll and protein analysis. Petal necrosis was also delayed in Pro(35S):ETR1-1 lines and corolla abscission did not take place. When senescence of Pro(35S):ETR1-1 plants did take place this was accompanied by leaf bleaching, but tissues remained fully turgid and showed no signs of collapse. A single Pro(35S):LeEIL1 line was found to exhibit consistently accelerated leaf and flower senescence and precocious flower bud shedding. CONCLUSIONS: These observations support a role for ethylene in regulating a spectrum of developmental events associated with organ senescence and tissue necrosis. Furthermore, the transgenic lines generated during this study may provide a valuable resource for exploring how senescence processes are regulated in plants.

Expression of polygalacturonases and evidence to support their role during cell separation processes in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Polygalacturonases (PGs) have been proposed to play an important role in the process of cell separation. The Arabidopsis thaliana genome contains 69 annotated genes that by amino acid homology and transcript organization could be classified as putative PGs and these can be grouped into multiple clades. An analysis of five members located in two separate clades, using reporter fusion constructs and reverse transcription-PCR, revealed that whilst these PGs exhibit high sequence similarity they have distinct patterns of spatial and temporal expression. Sites of expression include the aleurone and endosperm cells surrounding the emerging radicle in a germinating seed, the cortical cells adjacent to the developing lateral root, the abscission zones of floral organs, the dehiscence zone of anthers and siliques, and pollen grains. Silencing of an abscission-related PG (At2g41850), using a T-DNA insertion strategy, delayed the time-course of floral organ loss but did not prevent shedding from taking place. These observations are discussed with regard to the contribution that PGs may play during the life cycle of a plant.

Hawaiian skirt: an F-box gene that regulates organ fusion and growth in Arabidopsis.

A fast neutron-mutagenized population of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) Columbia-0 wild-type plants was screened for floral phenotypes and a novel mutant, termed hawaiian skirt (hws), was identified that failed to shed its reproductive organs. The mutation is the consequence of a 28 bp deletion that introduces a premature amber termination codon into the open reading frame of a putative F-box protein (At3g61590). The most striking anatomical characteristic of hws plants is seen in flowers where individual sepals are fused along the lower part of their margins. Crossing of the abscission marker, Pro(PGAZAT):beta-glucuronidase, into the mutant reveals that while floral organs are retained it is not the consequence of a failure of abscission zone cells to differentiate. Anatomical analysis indicates that the fusion of sepal margins precludes shedding even though abscission, albeit delayed, does occur. Spatial and temporal characterization, using Pro(HWS):beta-glucuronidase or Pro(HWS):green fluorescent protein fusions, has identified HWS expression to be restricted to the stele and lateral root cap, cotyledonary margins, tip of the stigma, pollen, abscission zones, and developing seeds. Comparative phenotypic analyses performed on the hws mutant, Columbia-0 wild type, and Pro(35S):HWS ectopically expressing lines has revealed that loss of HWS results in greater growth of both aerial and below-ground organs while overexpressing the gene brings about a converse effect. These observations are consistent with HWS playing an important role in regulating plant growth and development.

Abscission, dehiscence, and other cell separation processes.

Cell separation is a critical process that takes place throughout the life cycle of a plant. It enables roots to emerge from germinating seeds, cotyledons, and leaves to expand, anthers to dehisce, fruit to ripen, and organs to be shed. The focus of this review is to examine how processes such as abscission and dehiscence are regulated and the ways new research strategies are helping us to understand the mechanisms involved in bringing about a reduction in cell-to-cell adhesion. The opportunities for using this information to manipulate cell separation for the benefit of agriculture and horticulture are evaluated.