Nitric oxide accumulation and protein tyrosine nitration as a rapid and long distance signalling response to salt stress in sunflower seedlings.

Sensing of salt stress by sunflower seedlings accompanies temporal and spatial modulation of intracellular nitric oxide (NO) accumulation and protein tyrosine nitration as markers of nitrosative stress. Employing a novel NO-specific probe for NO localization (a copper derivative of 4-methoxy-2-(1H-naphtho(2,3-d)imidazol-2-yl)phenol; MNIP-Cu) synthesized in author's laboratory, immunological analysis of tyrosine nitrated proteins by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and Western blot analysis, these rapid signalling events have been investigated. MNIP-Cu reveals the distribution of NO in whole seedlings. Preferential and enhanced NO localization around oil bodies (OBs) in cotyledons within 48 h of salt-stressed seedlings exhibits rapid transport of nitrosative stress signal from roots to the cotyledons. Immunological analysis reveals enhanced gradient of tyrosine nitrated proteins in salt-stressed roots from tip to the differentiating zone and from columella to the deep-seated cells. Western blot analysis shows that at least eight major cytosolic proteins exhibit enhanced tyrosine nitration in seedling roots in response to salt stress. Present observations provide strong evidence for rapid NO accumulation in salt stressed sunflower seedling roots and cotyledons and its impact on enhanced tyrosine nitration of cytosolic and OB proteins, as a mechanism to provide longevity to OBs for seedling survival under the salt stress.

Salt stress-induced seedling growth inhibition coincides with differential distribution of serotonin and melatonin in sunflower seedling roots and cotyledons.

Indoleamines regulate a variety of physiological functions during the growth, morphogenesis and stress-induced responses in plants. Present investigations report the effect of NaCl stress on endogenous serotonin and melatonin accumulation and their differential spatial distribution in sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seedling roots and cotyledons using HPLC and immunohistochemical techniques, respectively. Exogenous serotonin and melatonin treatments lead to variable effect on hypocotyl elongation and root growth under NaCl stress. NaCl stress for 48 h increases endogenous serotonin and melatonin content in roots and cotyledons, thus indicating their involvement in salt-induced long distance signaling from roots to cotyledons. Salt stress-induced accumulation of serotonin and melatonin exhibits differential distribution in the vascular bundles and cortex in the differentiating zones of the primary roots, suggesting their compartmentalization in the growing region of roots. Serotonin and melatonin accumulation in oil body rich cells of salt-treated seedling cotyledons correlates with longer retention of oil bodies in the cotyledons. Present investigations indicate the possible role of serotonin and melatonin in regulating root growth during salt stress in sunflower. Effect of exogenous serotonin and melatonin treatments (15 µM) on sunflower seedlings grown in the absence or presence of 120 mM NaCl substantiates their role on seedling growth. Auxin and serotonin biosynthesis are coupled to the common precursor tryptophan. Salt stress-induced root growth inhibition, thus pertains to partial impairment of auxin functions caused by increased serotonin biosynthesis. In seedling cotyledons, NaCl stress modulates the activity of N-acetylserotonin O-methyltransferase (HIOMT; EC 2.1.1.4), the enzyme responsible for melatonin biosynthesis from N-acetylserotonin.

DNA Sequencing Technologies and DNA Barcoding.

DNA barcodes are short, standardized DNA segments that geneticists can use to identify all living taxa. On the other hand, DNA barcoding identifies species by analyzing these specific regions against a DNA barcode reference library. In its initial years, DNA barcodes sequenced by Sanger's method were extensively used by taxonomists for the characterization and identification of species. But in recent years, DNA barcoding by next-generation sequencing (NGS) has found broader applications, such as quality control, biomonitoring of protected species, and biodiversity assessment. Technological advancements have also paved the way to metabarcoding, which has enabled massive parallel sequ.encing of complex bulk samples using high-throughput sequencing techniques. In future, DNA barcoding along with high-throughput techniques will show stupendous progress in taxonomic classification with reference to available sequence data.

Sodium chloride stress induces nitric oxide accumulation in root tips and oil body surface accompanying slower oleosin degradation in sunflower seedlings.

Present work highlights the involvement of endogenous nitric oxide (NO) in sodium chloride (NaCl)-induced biochemical regulation of seedling growth in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L., cv. Morden). The growth response is dependent on NaCl concentration to which seedlings are exposed, they being tolerant to 40 mM NaCl and showing a reduction in extension growth at 120 mM NaCl. NaCl sensitivity of sunflower seedlings accompanies a fourfold increase in Na(+) /K(+) ratio in roots (as compared to that in cotyledons) and rapid transport of Na(+) to the cotyledons, thereby enhancing Na(+) /K(+) ratio in cotyledons as well. A transient increase in endogenous NO content, primarily contributed by putative NOS activity in roots of 4-day-old seedlings subjected to NaCl stress and the relative reduction in Na(+) /K(+) ratio after 4 days, indicates that NO regulates Na(+) accumulation, probably by affecting the associated transporter proteins. Root tips exhibit an early and transient enhanced expression of 4,5-diaminofluorescein diacetate (DAF-2DA) positive NO signal in the presence of 120 mM NaCl. Oil bodies from 2-day-old seedling cotyledons exhibit enhanced localization of NO signal in response to 120 mM NaCl treatment, coinciding with a greater retention of the principal oil body membrane proteins, i.e. oleosins. Abolition of DAF positive fluorescence by the application of specific NO scavenger [2-phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethyllimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (PTIO)] authenticates the presence of endogenous NO. These novel findings provide evidence for a possible protective role of NO during proteolytic degradation of oleosins prior to/accompanying lipolysis.

A Novel Protocol for Detection of Nitric Oxide in Plants.

Detection of nitric oxide (NO) in plant cells is mostly undertaken using diaminofluorescein (DAF) dyes. Serious drawbacks and limitations have been identified in methods using DAF as a probe for NO detection. The present work reporting an alternative fluorescent probe for NO detection is thus proposed for varied applications in plant systems for physiological investigations. This method involves a simple, two-step synthesis, characterization, and application of MNIP-Cu {Copper derivative of [4-methoxy-2-(1H-napthol[2,3-d]imidazol-2-yl)phenol]} for specific and rapid binding with NO, leading to its detection in plant cells by epifluorescence microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Using sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) whole seedlings, hypocotyl segments, stigmas from capitulum, protoplasts, and isolated oil bodies, present investigations demonstrate the versatile nature of MNIP-Cu in applications for NO localization studies. MNIP-Cu can detect NO in vivo without any time lag (ex. 330-385 nm; em. 420-500 nm). It exhibits fluorescence both under anoxic and oxygen-rich conditions. This probe is specific to NO, which enhances its fluorescence due to MNIP-Cu complexing with NO and treatment with PTIO leads to quenching of fluorescence. It is relatively nontoxic when used at a concentration of up to 50 µM.

Rapid auxin-induced nitric oxide accumulation and subsequent tyrosine nitration of proteins during adventitious root formation in sunflower hypocotyls.

Using NO specific probe (MNIP-Cu), rapid nitric oxide (NO) accumulation as a response to auxin (IAA) treatment has been observed in the protoplasts from the hypocotyls of sunflower seedlings (Helianthus annuus L.). Incubation of protoplasts in presence of NPA (auxin efflux blocker) and PTIO (NO scavenger) leads to significant reduction in NO accumulation, indicating that NO signals represent an early signaling event during auxin-induced response. A surge in NO production has also been demonstrated in whole hypocotyl explants showing adventitious root (AR) development. Evidence of tyrosine nitration of cytosolic proteins as a consequence of NO accumulation has been provided by western blot analysis and immunolocalization in the sections of AR producing hypocotyl segments. Most abundant anti-nitrotyrosine labeling is evident in proteins ranging from 25-80 kDa. Tyrosine nitration of a particular protein (25 kDa) is completely absent in presence of NPA (which suppresses AR formation). Similar lack of tyrosine nitration of this protein is also evident in other conditions which do not allow AR differentiation. Immunofluorescent localization experiments have revealed that non-inductive treatments (such as PTIO) for AR develpoment from hypocotyl segments coincide with symplastic and apoplastic localization of tyrosine nitrated proteins in the xylem elements, in contrast with negligible (and mainly apoplastic) nitration of proteins in the interfascicular cells and phloem elements. Application of NPA does not affect tyrosine nitration of proteins even in the presence of an external source of NO (SNP). Tyrosine nitrated proteins are abundant around the nuclei in the actively dividing cells of the root primordium. Thus, NO-modulated rapid response to IAA treatment through differential distribution of tyrosine nitrated proteins is evident as an inherent aspect of the AR development.

Nitric oxide modulates specific steps of auxin-induced adventitious rooting in sunflower.

Present work on indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)-induced adventitious rooting in sunflower hypocotyl highlights a clear demarcation of nitric oxide (NO)-dependent and NO-independent roles of auxin in this developmental process. Of the three phases of adventitious rooting, induction is strictly auxin-dependent though initiation and extension are regulated by an interaction of IAA with NO. A vital role of auxin-efflux transporters (PIN) is also evident from 1-napthylphthalamic acid (NPA)-triggered suppression of adventitious roots (AR). Use of actin depolymerizing agent, Latrunculin B (Lat B), has demonstrated the necessity of functional actin filaments in auxin-induced AR response, possibly through its effect on actin-mediated recycling of auxin transporter proteins. Thus, evidence for a linkage between IAA, NO and actin during AR formation has been established.