An allelic series at the KARRIKIN INSENSITIVE 2 locus of Arabidopsis thaliana decouples ligand hydrolysis and receptor degradation from downstream signalling.

Karrikins are butenolide compounds present in post-fire environments that can stimulate seed germination in many species, including Arabidopsis thaliana. Plants also produce endogenous butenolide compounds that serve as hormones, namely strigolactones (SLs). The receptor for karrikins (KARRIKIN INSENSITIVE 2; KAI2) and the receptor for SLs (DWARF14; D14) are homologous proteins that share many similarities. The mode of action of D14 as a dual enzyme receptor protein is well established, but the nature of KAI2-dependent signalling and its function as a receptor are not fully understood. To expand our knowledge of how KAI2 operates, we screened ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS)-mutagenized populations of A. thaliana for mutants with kai2-like phenotypes and isolated 13 new kai2 alleles. Among these alleles, kai2-10 encoded a D184N protein variant that was stable in planta. Differential scanning fluorimetry assays indicated that the KAI2 D184N protein could interact normally with bioactive ligands. We developed a KAI2-active version of the fluorescent strigolactone analogue Yoshimulactone Green to show that KAI2 D184N exhibits normal rates of ligand hydrolysis. KAI2 D184N degraded in response to treatment with exogenous ligands, suggesting that receptor degradation is a consequence of ligand binding and hydrolysis, but is insufficient for signalling activity. Remarkably, KAI2 D184N degradation was hypersensitive to karrikins, but showed a normal response to strigolactone analogues, implying that these butenolides may interact differently with KAI2. These results demonstrate that the enzymatic and signalling functions of KAI2 can be decoupled, and provide important insights into the mechanistic events that underpin butenolide signalling in plants.

Structural Requirements of Strigolactones for Shoot Branching Inhibition in Rice and Arabidopsis.

The structural requirements of strigolactones (SLs) involved in germination induction of root parasitic plants and hyphal branching in arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi have been extensively studied. However, our knowledge of the requirements of SLs involved in shoot branching inhibition in plants is still limited. To address this question, we investigated the structure-activity relationships of SLs in shoot branching inhibition in rice and Arabidopsis. SLs possess a four-ring structure, with a tricyclic lactone (ABC-rings) connected to a methylbutenolide part (D-ring) via an enol ether bridge. Here, we show that the the (R) configuration at C-2', which determines the steric position of the D-ring relative to the enol ether olefin bond, is critical for the hormonal activity in rice. Replacement of the enol ether moiety by an alkoxy or imino ether resulted in a severe reduction in biological activity in rice. Moreover, yeast two-hybrid experiments using a possible SL receptor, DWARF14 (D14), and a repressor in the SL signaling pathway, DWARF53 (D53), showed that D14 can interact with D53 in the presence of (2'R) stereoisomers of SLs, but not (2'S) stereoisomers, suggesting that the stereostructure of SLs is crucial for the interaction of these proteins. When GR5, an AB-ring-truncated analog, was applied to the hydroponic culture medium, strong inhibition of shoot branching was observed both in rice and in Arabidopsis. However, GR5 was only weakly active when directly applied to the axillary buds of Arabidopsis. Our results indicate that the difference in plant species and application methods greatly influences the apparent SL biological activity.

Assessment of Multidimensional Health Care Parameters Among Adults in Japan for Developing a Virtual Human Generative Model: Protocol for a Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Human health status can be measured on the basis of many different parameters. Statistical relationships among these different health parameters will enable several possible health care applications and an approximation of the current health status of individuals, which will allow for more personalized and preventive health care by informing the potential risks and developing personalized interventions. Furthermore, a better understanding of the modifiable risk factors related to lifestyle, diet, and physical activity will facilitate the design of optimal treatment approaches for individuals. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to provide a high-dimensional, cross-sectional data set of comprehensive health care information to construct a combined statistical model as a single joint probability distribution and enable further studies on individual relationships among the multidimensional data obtained. METHODS: In this cross-sectional observational study, data were collected from a population of 1000 adult men and women (aged ≥20 years) matching the age ratio of the typical adult Japanese population. Data include biochemical and metabolic profiles from blood, urine, saliva, and oral glucose tolerance tests; bacterial profiles from feces, facial skin, scalp skin, and saliva; messenger RNA, proteome, and metabolite analyses of facial and scalp skin surface lipids; lifestyle surveys and questionnaires; physical, motor, cognitive, and vascular function analyses; alopecia analysis; and comprehensive analyses of body odor components. Statistical analyses will be performed in 2 modes: one to train a joint probability distribution by combining a commercially available health care data set containing large amounts of relatively low-dimensional data with the cross-sectional data set described in this paper and another to individually investigate the relationships among the variables obtained in this study. RESULTS: Recruitment for this study started in October 2021 and ended in February 2022, with a total of 997 participants enrolled. The collected data will be used to build a joint probability distribution called a Virtual Human Generative Model. Both the model and the collected data are expected to provide information on the relationships between various health statuses. CONCLUSIONS: As different degrees of health status correlations are expected to differentially affect individual health status, this study will contribute to the development of empirically justified interventions based on the population. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/47024.