Microbial competition for phosphorus limits the CO2 response of a mature forest.

The capacity for terrestrial ecosystems to sequester additional carbon (C) with rising CO2 concentrations depends on soil nutrient availability1,2. Previous evidence suggested that mature forests growing on phosphorus (P)-deprived soils had limited capacity to sequester extra biomass under elevated CO2 (refs. 3-6), but uncertainty about ecosystem P cycling and its CO2 response represents a crucial bottleneck for mechanistic prediction of the land C sink under climate change7. Here, by compiling the first comprehensive P budget for a P-limited mature forest exposed to elevated CO2, we show a high likelihood that P captured by soil microorganisms constrains ecosystem P recycling and availability for plant uptake. Trees used P efficiently, but microbial pre-emption of mineralized soil P seemed to limit the capacity of trees for increased P uptake and assimilation under elevated CO2 and, therefore, their capacity to sequester extra C. Plant strategies to stimulate microbial P cycling and plant P uptake, such as increasing rhizosphere C release to soil, will probably be necessary for P-limited forests to increase C capture into new biomass. Our results identify the key mechanisms by which P availability limits CO2 fertilization of tree growth and will guide the development of Earth system models to predict future long-term C storage.

Reef-building corals farm and feed on their photosynthetic symbionts.

Coral reefs are highly diverse ecosystems that thrive in nutrient-poor waters, a phenomenon frequently referred to as the Darwin paradox1. The energy demand of coral animal hosts can often be fully met by the excess production of carbon-rich photosynthates by their algal symbionts2,3. However, the understanding of mechanisms that enable corals to acquire the vital nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus from their symbionts is incomplete4-9. Here we show, through a series of long-term experiments, that the uptake of dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus by the symbionts alone is sufficient to sustain rapid coral growth. Next, considering the nitrogen and phosphorus budgets of host and symbionts, we identify that these nutrients are gathered through symbiont 'farming' and are translocated to the host by digestion of excess symbiont cells. Finally, we use a large-scale natural experiment in which seabirds fertilize some reefs but not others, to show that the efficient utilization of dissolved inorganic nutrients by symbiotic corals established in our laboratory experiments has the potential to enhance coral growth in the wild at the ecosystem level. Feeding on symbionts enables coral animals to tap into an important nutrient pool and helps to explain the evolutionary and ecological success of symbiotic corals in nutrient-limited waters.

Uncovering the Ediacaran phosphorus cycle.

Phosphorus is a limiting nutrient that is thought to control oceanic oxygen levels to a large extent1-3. A possible increase in marine phosphorus concentrations during the Ediacaran Period (about 635-539 million years ago) has been proposed as a driver for increasing oxygen levels4-6. However, little is known about the nature and evolution of phosphorus cycling during this time4. Here we use carbonate-associated phosphate (CAP) from six globally distributed sections to reconstruct oceanic phosphorus concentrations during a large negative carbon-isotope excursion-the Shuram excursion (SE)-which co-occurred with global oceanic oxygenation7-9. Our data suggest pulsed increases in oceanic phosphorus concentrations during the falling and rising limbs of the SE. Using a quantitative biogeochemical model, we propose that this observation could be explained by carbon dioxide and phosphorus release from marine organic-matter oxidation primarily by sulfate, with further phosphorus release from carbon-dioxide-driven weathering on land. Collectively, this may have resulted in elevated organic-pyrite burial and ocean oxygenation. Our CAP data also seem to suggest equivalent oceanic phosphorus concentrations under maximum and minimum extents of ocean anoxia across the SE. This observation may reflect decoupled phosphorus and ocean anoxia cycles, as opposed to their coupled nature in the modern ocean. Our findings point to external stimuli such as sulfate weathering rather than internal oceanic phosphorus-oxygen cycling alone as a possible control on oceanic oxygenation in the Ediacaran. In turn, this may help explain the prolonged rise of atmospheric oxygen levels.

Direct evidence for phosphorus limitation on Amazon forest productivity.

The productivity of rainforests growing on highly weathered tropical soils is expected to be limited by phosphorus availability1. Yet, controlled fertilization experiments have been unable to demonstrate a dominant role for phosphorus in controlling tropical forest net primary productivity. Recent syntheses have demonstrated that responses to nitrogen addition are as large as to phosphorus2, and adaptations to low phosphorus availability appear to enable net primary productivity to be maintained across major soil phosphorus gradients3. Thus, the extent to which phosphorus availability limits tropical forest productivity is highly uncertain. The majority of the Amazonia, however, is characterized by soils that are more depleted in phosphorus than those in which most tropical fertilization experiments have taken place2. Thus, we established a phosphorus, nitrogen and base cation addition experiment in an old growth Amazon rainforest, with a low soil phosphorus content that is representative of approximately 60% of the Amazon basin. Here we show that net primary productivity increased exclusively with phosphorus addition. After 2 years, strong responses were observed in fine root (+29%) and canopy productivity (+19%), but not stem growth. The direct evidence of phosphorus limitation of net primary productivity suggests that phosphorus availability may restrict Amazon forest responses to CO2 fertilization4, with major implications for future carbon sequestration and forest resilience to climate change.

Global trends of cropland phosphorus use and sustainability challenges.

To meet the growing food demand while addressing the multiple challenges of exacerbating phosphorus (P) pollution and depleting P rock reserves1-15, P use efficiency (PUE, the ratio of productive P output to P input in a defined system) in crop production needs to be improved. Although many efforts have been devoted to improving nutrient management practices on farms, few studies have examined the historical trajectories of PUE and their socioeconomic and agronomic drivers on a national scale1,2,6,7,11,16,17. Here we present a database of the P budget (the input and output of the crop production system) and PUE by country and by crop type for 1961-2019, and examine the substantial contribution of several drivers for PUE, such as economic development stages and crop portfolios. To address the P management challenges, we found that global PUE in crop production must increase to 68-81%, and recent trends indicate some meaningful progress towards this goal. However, P management challenges and opportunities in croplands vary widely among countries.

Milestones in understanding transport, sensing, and signaling of the plant nutrient phosphorus.

As an essential nutrient element, phosphorus (P) is primarily acquired and translocated as inorganic phosphate (Pi) by plant roots. Pi is often sequestered in the soil and becomes limited for plant growth. Plants have developed a sophisticated array of adaptive responses, termed P starvation responses, to cope with P deficiency by improving its external acquisition and internal utilization. Over the past 2 to 3 decades, remarkable progress has been made toward understanding how plants sense and respond to changing environmental P. This review provides an overview of the molecular mechanisms that regulate or coordinate P starvation responses, emphasizing P transport, sensing, and signaling. We present the major players and regulators responsible for Pi uptake and translocation. We then introduce how P is perceived at the root tip, how systemic P signaling is operated, and the mechanisms by which the intracellular P status is sensed and conveyed. Additionally, the recent exciting findings about the influence of P on plant-microbe interactions are highlighted. Finally, the challenges and prospects concerning the interplay between P and other nutrients and strategies to enhance P utilization efficiency are discussed. Insights obtained from this knowledge may guide future research endeavors in sustainable agriculture.

Phosphorus-mediated sp2-sp3 couplings for C-H fluoroalkylation of azines.

Fluoroalkyl groups profoundly affect the physical properties of pharmaceuticals and influence almost all metrics associated with their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile1-4. Drug candidates increasingly contain trifluoromethyl (CF3) and difluoromethyl (CF2H) groups, and the same trend in agrochemical development shows that the effect of fluoroalkylation translates across human, insect and plant life5,6. New fluoroalkylation reactions have undoubtedly stimulated this shift; however, methods that directly convert C-H bonds into C-CF2X groups (where X is F or H) in complex drug-like molecules are rare7-13. Pyridines are the most common aromatic heterocycles in pharmaceuticals14, but only one approach-via fluoroalkyl radicals-is viable for achieving pyridyl C-H fluoroalkylation in the elaborate structures encountered during drug development15-17. Here we develop a set of bench-stable fluoroalkylphosphines that directly convert the C-H bonds in pyridine building blocks, drug-like fragments and pharmaceuticals into fluoroalkyl derivatives. No preinstalled functional groups or directing groups are required. The reaction tolerates a variety of sterically and electronically distinct pyridines, and is exclusively selective for the 4-position in most cases. The reaction proceeds through initial formation of phosphonium salts followed by sp2-sp3 coupling of phosphorus ligands-an underdeveloped manifold for forming C-C bonds.

Environmental performance of blue foods.

Fish and other aquatic foods (blue foods) present an opportunity for more sustainable diets1,2. Yet comprehensive comparison has been limited due to sparse inclusion of blue foods in environmental impact studies3,4 relative to the vast diversity of production5. Here we provide standardized estimates of greenhouse gas, nitrogen, phosphorus, freshwater and land stressors for species groups covering nearly three quarters of global production. We find that across all blue foods, farmed bivalves and seaweeds generate the lowest stressors. Capture fisheries predominantly generate greenhouse gas emissions, with small pelagic fishes generating lower emissions than all fed aquaculture, but flatfish and crustaceans generating the highest. Among farmed finfish and crustaceans, silver and bighead carps have the lowest greenhouse gas, nitrogen and phosphorus emissions, but highest water use, while farmed salmon and trout use the least land and water. Finally, we model intervention scenarios and find improving feed conversion ratios reduces stressors across all fed groups, increasing fish yield reduces land and water use by up to half, and optimizing gears reduces capture fishery emissions by more than half for some groups. Collectively, our analysis identifies high-performing blue foods, highlights opportunities to improve environmental performance, advances data-poor environmental assessments, and informs sustainable diets.

Understanding stoichiometric constraints on growth using resource use efficiency imbalances.

Growth is a function of the net accrual of resources by an organism. Energy and elemental contents of organisms are dynamically linked through their uptake and allocation to biomass production, yet we lack a full understanding of how these dynamics regulate growth rate. Here, we develop a multivariate imbalance framework, the growth efficiency hypothesis, linking organismal resource contents to growth and metabolic use efficiencies, and demonstrate its effectiveness in predicting consumer growth rates under elemental and food quantity limitation. The relative proportions of carbon (%C), nitrogen (%N), phosphorus (%P), and adenosine triphosphate (%ATP) in consumers differed markedly across resource limitation treatments. Differences in their resource composition were linked to systematic changes in stoichiometric use efficiencies, which served to maintain relatively consistent relationships between elemental and ATP content in consumer tissues and optimize biomass production. Overall, these adjustments were quantitatively linked to growth, enabling highly accurate predictions of consumer growth rates.

Nitrogen and sulfur for phosphorus: Lipidome adaptation of anaerobic sulfate-reducing bacteria in phosphorus-deprived conditions.

Understanding how microbial lipidomes adapt to environmental and nutrient stress is crucial for comprehending microbial survival and functionality. Certain anaerobic bacteria can synthesize glycerolipids with ether/ester bonds, yet the complexities of their lipidome remodeling under varying physicochemical and nutritional conditions remain largely unexplored. In this study, we thoroughly examined the lipidome adaptations of Desulfatibacillum alkenivorans strain PF2803T, a mesophilic anaerobic sulfate-reducing bacterium known for its high proportions of alkylglycerol ether lipids in its membrane, under various cultivation conditions including temperature, pH, salinity, and ammonium and phosphorous concentrations. Employing an extensive analytical and computational lipidomic methodology, we identified an assemblage of nearly 400 distinct lipids, including a range of glycerol ether/ester lipids with various polar head groups. Information theory-based analysis revealed that temperature fluctuations and phosphate scarcity profoundly influenced the lipidome's composition, leading to an enhanced diversity and specificity of novel lipids. Notably, phosphorous limitation led to the biosynthesis of novel glucuronosylglycerols and sulfur-containing aminolipids, termed butyramide cysteine glycerols, featuring various ether/ester bonds. This suggests a novel adaptive strategy for anaerobic heterotrophs to thrive under phosphorus-depleted conditions, characterized by a diverse array of nitrogen- and sulfur-containing polar head groups, moving beyond a reliance on conventional nonphospholipid types.

ZmARF1 positively regulates low phosphorus stress tolerance via modulating lateral root development in maize.

Phosphorus (P) deficiency is one of the most critical factors for plant growth and productivity, including its inhibition of lateral root initiation. Auxin response factors (ARFs) play crucial roles in root development via auxin signaling mediated by genetic pathways. In this study, we found that the transcription factor ZmARF1 was associated with low inorganic phosphate (Pi) stress-related traits in maize. This superior root morphology and greater phosphate stress tolerance could be ascribed to the overexpression of ZmARF1. The knock out mutant zmarf1 had shorter primary roots, fewer root tip number, and lower root volume and surface area. Transcriptomic data indicate that ZmLBD1, a direct downstream target gene, is involved in lateral root development, which enhances phosphate starvation tolerance. A transcriptional activation assay revealed that ZmARF1 specifically binds to the GC-box motif in the promoter of ZmLBD1 and activates its expression. Moreover, ZmARF1 positively regulates the expression of ZmPHR1, ZmPHT1;2, and ZmPHO2, which are key transporters of Pi in maize. We propose that ZmARF1 promotes the transcription of ZmLBD1 to modulate lateral root development and Pi-starvation induced (PSI) genes to regulate phosphate mobilization and homeostasis under phosphorus starvation. In addition, ZmERF2 specifically binds to the ABRE motif of the promoter of ZmARF1 and represses its expression. Collectively, the findings of this study revealed that ZmARF1 is a pivotal factor that modulates root development and confers low-Pi stress tolerance through the transcriptional regulation of the biological function of ZmLBD1 and the expression of key Pi transport proteins.

A distinct, high-affinity, alkaline phosphatase facilitates occupation of P-depleted environments by marine picocyanobacteria.

Marine picocyanobacteria of the genera Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus, the two most abundant phototrophs on Earth, thrive in oligotrophic oceanic regions. While it is well known that specific lineages are exquisitely adapted to prevailing in situ light and temperature regimes, much less is known of the molecular machinery required to facilitate occupancy of these low-nutrient environments. Here, we describe a hitherto unknown alkaline phosphatase, Psip1, that has a substantially higher affinity for phosphomonoesters than other well-known phosphatases like PhoA, PhoX, or PhoD and is restricted to clade III Synechococcus and a subset of high light I-adapted Prochlorococcus strains, suggesting niche specificity. We demonstrate that Psip1 has undergone convergent evolution with PhoX, requiring both iron and calcium for activity and likely possessing identical key residues around the active site, despite generally very low sequence homology. Interrogation of metagenomes and transcriptomes from TARA oceans and an Atlantic Meridional transect shows that psip1 is abundant and highly expressed in picocyanobacterial populations from the Mediterranean Sea and north Atlantic gyre, regions well recognized to be phosphorus (P)-deplete. Together, this identifies psip1 as an important oligotrophy-specific gene for P recycling in these organisms. Furthermore, psip1 is not restricted to picocyanobacteria and is abundant and highly transcribed in some α-proteobacteria and eukaryotic algae, suggesting that such a high-affinity phosphatase is important across the microbial taxonomic world to occupy low-P environments.

Nutrient and moisture limitations reveal keystone metabolites linking rhizosphere metabolomes and microbiomes.

Plants release a wealth of metabolites into the rhizosphere that can shape the composition and activity of microbial communities in response to environmental stress. The connection between rhizodeposition and rhizosphere microbiome succession has been suggested, particularly under environmental stress conditions, yet definitive evidence is scarce. In this study, we investigated the relationship between rhizosphere chemistry, microbiome dynamics, and abiotic stress in the bioenergy crop switchgrass grown in a marginal soil under nutrient-limited, moisture-limited, and nitrogen (N)-replete, phosphorus (P)-replete, and NP-replete conditions. We combined 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and LC-MS/MS-based metabolomics to link rhizosphere microbial communities and metabolites. We identified significant changes in rhizosphere metabolite profiles in response to abiotic stress and linked them to changes in microbial communities using network analysis. N-limitation amplified the abundance of aromatic acids, pentoses, and their derivatives in the rhizosphere, and their enhanced availability was linked to the abundance of bacterial lineages from Acidobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Planctomycetes, and Alphaproteobacteria. Conversely, N-amended conditions increased the availability of N-rich rhizosphere compounds, which coincided with proliferation of Actinobacteria. Treatments with contrasting N availability differed greatly in the abundance of potential keystone metabolites; serotonin and ectoine were particularly abundant in N-replete soils, while chlorogenic, cinnamic, and glucuronic acids were enriched in N-limited soils. Serotonin, the keystone metabolite we identified with the largest number of links to microbial taxa, significantly affected root architecture and growth of rhizosphere microorganisms, highlighting its potential to shape microbial community and mediate rhizosphere plant-microbe interactions.

INDETERMINATE1 autonomously regulates phosphate homeostasis upstream of the miR399-ZmPHO2 signaling module in maize.

The macronutrient phosphorus is essential for plant growth and development. Plants have evolved multiple strategies to increase the efficiency of phosphate (Pi) acquisition to protect themselves from Pi starvation. However, the crosstalk between Pi homeostasis and plant development remains to be explored. Here, we report that overexpressing microRNA399 (miR399) in maize (Zea mays) is associated with premature senescence after pollination. Knockout of ZmPHO2 (Phosphate 2), a miR399 target, resulted in a similar premature senescence phenotype. Strikingly, we discovered that INDETERMINATE1 (ID1), a floral transition regulator, inhibits the transcription of ZmMIR399 genes by directly binding to their promoters, alleviating the repression of ZmPHO2 by miR399 and ultimately contributing to the maintenance of Pi homeostasis in maize. Unlike ZmMIR399 genes, whose expression is induced by Pi deficiency, ID1 expression was independent of the external inorganic orthophosphate status, indicating that ID1 is an autonomous regulator of Pi homeostasis. Furthermore, we show that ZmPHO2 was under selection during maize domestication and cultivation, resulting in a more sensitive response to Pi starvation in temperate maize than in tropical maize. Our study reveals a direct functional link between Pi-deprivation sensing by the miR399-ZmPHO2 regulatory module and plant developmental regulation by ID1.

Recent advances in unraveling the mystery of combined nutrient stress in plants.

Efficiently regulating growth to adapt to varying resource availability is crucial for organisms, including plants. In particular, the acquisition of essential nutrients is vital for plant development, as a shortage of just one nutrient can significantly decrease crop yield. However, plants constantly experience fluctuations in the presence of multiple essential mineral nutrients, leading to combined nutrient stress conditions. Unfortunately, our understanding of how plants perceive and respond to these multiple stresses remains limited. Unlocking this mystery could provide valuable insights and help enhance plant nutrition strategies. This review focuses specifically on the regulation of phosphorous homeostasis in plants, with a primary emphasis on recent studies that have shed light on the intricate interactions between phosphorous and other essential elements, such as nitrogen, iron, and zinc, as well as non-essential elements like aluminum and sodium. By summarizing and consolidating these findings, this review aims to contribute to a better understanding of how plants respond to and cope with combined nutrient stress.

Bacillus B2 promotes root growth and enhances phosphorus absorption in apple rootstocks by affecting MhMYB15.

Due to the chelation of phosphorus in the soil, it becomes unavailable for plant growth and development. The mechanisms by which phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria activate immobilized phosphorus to promote the growth and development of woody plants, as well as the intrinsic molecular mechanisms, are not clear. Through the analysis of microbial communities in the rhizosphere 16S V3-V4 and a homologous gene encoding microbial alkaline phosphomonoesterase (phoD) in phosphate-efficient (PE) and phosphate-inefficient apple rootstocks, it was found that PE significantly enriched beneficial rhizobacteria. The best phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria, Bacillus sp. strain 7DB1 (B2), was isolated, purified, and identified from the rhizosphere soil of PE rootstocks. Incubating with Bacillus B2 into the rhizosphere of apple rootstocks significantly increased the soluble phosphorus and flavonoid content in the rhizosphere soil. Simultaneously, this process stimulates the root development of the rootstocks and enhances plant phosphorus uptake. After root transcriptome sequencing, candidate transcription factor MhMYB15, responsive to Bacillus B2, was identified through heatmap and co-expression network analysis. Yeast one-hybrid, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and LUC assay confirmed that MhMYB15 can directly bind to the promoter regions of downstream functional genes, including chalcone synthase MhCHS2 and phosphate transporter MhPHT1;15. Transgenic experiments with MhMYB15 revealed that RNAi-MhMYB15 silenced lines failed to induce an increase in flavonoid content and phosphorus levels in the roots under the treatment of Bacillus B2, and plant growth was slower than the control. In conclusion, MhMYB15 actively responds to Bacillus B2, regulating the accumulation of flavonoids and the uptake of phosphorus, thereby influencing plant growth and development.

OsbZIP1 regulates phosphorus uptake and nitrogen utilization, contributing to improved yield.

Increasing nutrient uptake and use efficiency in plants can contribute to improved crop yields and reduce the demand for fertilizers in crop production. In this study, we characterized a rice mutant, 88n which showed long roots under low nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P) conditions. Low expression levels of N transporter genes were observed in 88n root, and total N concentration in 88n shoots were decreased, however, C concentrations and shoot dry weight in 88n were comparable to that in WT. Therefore, 88n showed high nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUtE). mRNA accumulation of Pi transporter genes was higher in 88n roots, and Pi concentration and uptake activity were higher in 88n than in WT. Therefore, 88n also showed high phosphorus uptake efficiency (PUpE). Molecular genetic analysis revealed that the causal gene of 88n phenotypes was OsbZIP1, a monocot-specific ortholog of the A. thaliana bZIP transcription factor HY5. Similar to the hy5 mutant, chlorophyll content in roots was decreased and root angle was shallower in 88n than in WT. Finally, we tested the yield of 88n in paddy fields over 3 years because 88n mutant plants showed higher PUpE and NUtE activity and different root architecture at the seedling stage. 88n showed large panicles and increased panicle weight/plant. Taken together, a mutation in OsbZIP1 could contribute to improved crop yields.

Multi-omics analysis reveals the roles of purple acid phosphatases in organic phosphorus utilization by the tropical legume Stylosanthes guianensis.

Stylo (Stylosanthes guianensis) is a tropical legume known for its exceptional tolerance to low phosphate (Pi), a trait believed to be linked to its high acid phosphatase (APase) activity. Previous studies have observed genotypic variations in APase activity in stylo; however, the gene encoding the crucial APase responsible for this variation remains unidentified. In this study, transcriptomic and proteomic analyses were employed to identify eight Pi starvation-inducible (PSI) APases belonging to the purple APase (PAP) family in the roots of stylo and seven in the leaves. Among these PSI-PAPs, SgPAP7 exhibited a significantly positive correlation in its expression levels with the activities of both internal APase and root-associated APase across 20 stylo genotypes under low-Pi conditions. Furthermore, the recombinant SgPAP7 displayed high catalytic activity toward adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP) and phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) in vitro. Overexpression (OE) of SgPAP7 in Arabidopsis facilitated exogenous organic phosphorus utilization. Moreover, SgPAP7 OE lines showed lower shoot ADP and PEP levels than the wild type, implying that SgPAP7 is involved in the catabolism and recycling of endogenous ADP and PEP, which could be beneficial for plant growth in low-Pi soils. In conclusion, SgPAP7 is a key gene with a major role in stylo adaptation to low-Pi conditions by facilitating the utilization of both exogenous and endogenous organic phosphorus sources. It may also function as a PEP phosphatase involved in a glycolytic bypass pathway that minimizes the need for adenylates and Pi. Thus, SgPAP7 could be a promising target for improving tolerance of crops to low-Pi availability.

Soybean type-B response regulator GmRR1 mediates phosphorus uptake and yield by modifying root architecture.

Phosphorus (P) plays a pivotal role in plant growth and development. Low P stress can greatly hamper plant growth. Here, we identified a QTL (named QPH-9-1), which is associated with P efficiency across multiple environments through linkage analysis and genome-wide association study. Furthermore, we successfully cloned the underlying soybean (Glycine max) gene GmRR1 (a soybean type-B Response Regulator 1) that encodes a type-B response regulator protein. Knockout of GmRR1 resulted in a substantial increase in plant height, biomass, P uptake efficiency, and yield-related traits due to the modification of root structure. In contrast, overexpression of GmRR1 in plants resulted in a decrease in these phenotypes. Further analysis revealed that knockout of GmRR1 substantially increased the levels of auxin and ethylene in roots, thereby promoting root hair formation and growth by promoting the formation of root hair primordium and lengthening the root apical meristem. Yeast two-hybrid, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, and dual-luciferase assays demonstrated an interaction between GmRR1 and Histidine-containing Phosphotransmitter protein 1. Expression analysis suggested that these proteins coparticipated in response to low P stress. Analysis of genomic sequences showed that GmRR1 underwent a selection during soybean domestication. Taken together, this study provides further insights into how plants respond to low P stress by modifying root architecture through phytohormone pathways.

GLABRA 2 regulates ETHYLENE OVERPRODUCER 1 accumulation during nutrient deficiency-induced root hair growth.

Root hairs (RHs), extensive structures of root epidermal cells, are important for plant nutrient acquisition, soil anchorage, and environmental interactions. Excessive production of the phytohormone ethylene (ET) leads to substantial root hair growth, manifested as tolerance to plant nutrient deficiencies. However, the molecular basis of ET production during root hair growth in response to nutrient starvation remains unknown. Herein, we found that a critical transcription factor, GLABRA 2 (GL2), inhibits ET production during root hair growth in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). GL2 directly binds to the promoter of the gene encoding ET OVERPRODUCER 1 (ETO1), one of the most important ET-production-regulation factors, in vitro and in vivo, and then regulates the accumulation and function of ETO1 in root hair growth. The GL2-regulated-ETO1 module is required for promoting root hair growth under nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium deficiency. Genome-wide analysis revealed numerous genes, such as ROOT HAIR DEFECTIVE 6-LIKE 4, ETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE 3-LIKE 2, ROOT HAIR SPECIFIC 13, are involved in the GL2-regulated-ETO1 module. Our work reveals a key transcription mechanism in the control of ET production during root hair growth under three major nutrient deficiencies.