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Results for “Stress Response Signaling”

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At least 109 records · Page 6

Interactions with microbial consortia have variable effects in organic carbon and production of exometabolites among genotypes of Populus trichocarpa

Abstract Poplar is a short‐rotation woody crop frequently studied for its significance as a sustainable bioenergy source. The successful establishment of a poplar plantation partially depends on its rhizosphere—a dynamic zone governed by complex interactions between plant roots and a plethora of commensal, mutualistic, symbiotic, or pathogenic microbes that shape plant fitness. In an exploratory endeavor, we investigated the effects of a consortium consisting of ectomycorrhizal fungi and a beneficial Pseudomonas sp. strain GM41 on plant growth (including height, stem girth, leaf, and root growth) and as well as growth rate over time, across four Populus trichocarpa genotypes. Additionally, we compared the level of total organic carbon and plant exometabolite profiles across different poplar genotypes in the presence of the microbial consortium. These data revealed no significant difference in plant growth parameters between the treatments and the control across four different poplar genotypes at 7 weeks post‐inoculation. However, total organic carbon and exometabolite profiles were significantly different between the genotypes and the treatments. These findings suggest that this microbial consortium has the potential to trigger early signaling responses in poplar, influencing its metabolism in ways crucial for later developmental processes and stress tolerance.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Effects Of Pyrotechnically Generated Shocks

Research program provides better understanding of pyrotechnic phenomenon for design purposes. Evaluating potential for damage to spacecraft by activation of pyrotechnic mechanisms, pyrotechnic-shock tests conducted on three configurations: pin pullers on orthogonal double Hopkinson bar arrangement; pin pullers on mockup of Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) structure; and section of separation joint on single Hopkinson bar. Strains and accelerations measured. Strains converted to output stresses, forces, and moments. Acceleration shock-response spectra obtained for both acceleration and force signals. Results of research useful to designers in making comparison and evaluation tests before committing to costly spacecraft hardware.

Bement, Laurence J.↗

Effect Of Simulated Microgravity On Activated T Cell Gene Transcription

Studies of T lymphocytes under the shear stress environment of clinorotation have demonstrated an inhibition of activation in response to TCR mediated signaling. These results mimic those observed during space flight. This work investigates the molecular signaling events of T lymphocyte activation with clinorotation. Purified human T lymphocytes and the T cell clone Jurkat exhibit an uncoupling of signaling as mediated through the TCR. Activation of the transcription factor AP-1 is inhibited while activation of NFAT occurs. NFAT dephosphorylation and activation is dependent on sustained Ca(++) influx. Alternatively, AP-1, which consists of two transcription factors, jun and fos, is activated by PKC and Ras mediated pathways. TCR signaling is known to be dependent on cytoskeletal rearrangements, in particular, raft aggregation is critical. Raft aggregation, as mediated through GM, crosslinking, overcomes the inhibition of T lymphocyte activation with clinorotation, indicating that the block is occurring upstream of raft aggregation. Clinorotation is shown to have an effect similar to a weak TCR signal.

Morrow, Maureen A.↗

Genome-wide profiling of histone (H3) lysine 4 (K4) tri-methylation (me3) under drought, heat, and combined stresses in switchgrass

Background: Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a warm-season perennial (C4) grass identified as an important biofuel crop in the United States. It is well adapted to the marginal environment where heat and moisture stresses predominantly affect crop growth. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms associated with heat and drought stress tolerance still need to be fully understood in switchgrass. The methylation of H3K4 is often associated with transcriptional activation of genes, including stress-responsive. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze genome-wide histone H3K4-tri-methylation in switchgrass under heat, drought, and combined stress. Results: In total, ~ 1.3 million H3K4me3 peaks were identified in this study using SICER. Among them, 7,342; 6,510; and 8,536 peaks responded under drought (DT), drought and heat (DTHT), and heat (HT) stresses, respectively. Most DT and DTHT peaks spanned 0 to + 2000 bases from the transcription start site [TSS]. By comparing differentially marked peaks with RNA-Seq data, we identified peaks associated with genes: 155 DT-responsive peaks with 118 DT-responsive genes, 121 DTHT-responsive peaks with 110 DTHT-responsive genes, and 175 HT-responsive peaks with 136 HT-responsive genes. We have identified various transcription factors involved in DT, DTHT, and HT stresses. Gene Ontology analysis using the AgriGO revealed that most genes belonged to biological processes. Most annotated peaks belonged to metabolite interconversion, RNA metabolism, transporter, protein modifying, defense/immunity, membrane traffic protein, transmembrane signal receptor, and transcriptional regulator protein families. Further, we identified significant peaks associated with TFs, hormones, signaling, fatty acid and carbohydrate metabolism, and secondary metabolites. qRT-PCR analysis revealed the relative expressions of six abiotic stress-responsive genes (transketolase, chromatin remodeling factor-CDH3, fatty-acid desaturase A, transmembrane protein 14C, beta-amylase 1, and integrase-type DNA binding protein genes) that were significantly (P < 0.05) marked during drought, heat, and combined stresses by comparing stress-induced against un-stressed and input controls. Conclusion: Our study provides a comprehensive and reproducible epigenomic analysis of drought, heat, and combined stress responses in switchgrass. Significant enrichment of H3K4me3 peaks downstream of the TSS of protein-coding genes was observed. In addition, the cost-effective experimental design, modified ChIP-Seq approach, and analyses presented here can serve as a prototype for other non-model plant species for conducting stress studies.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Climate history modulates stress responses of common soil bacteria under experimental drought

Soil drying challenges microbial viability and survival, with bacteria employing various mechanisms to respond to shifts in osmolarity, including dormancy or metabolic upregulation of osmoprotectants. However, the extent to which these responses are shaped by an organism's phylogeny, or the climate history of a given environment is poorly understood. This study examines the responses of phylogenetically similar bacteria from semi-arid and humid tropical forest soils to osmotic and matric stress using synchrotron radiation-based Fourier Transform Infrared spectromicroscopy. This non-destructive approach depicts the biochemical phenotype for whole cells under control and stress conditions. We observed that, under osmotic stress, bacteria upregulated cell-signaling pathways, rapidly turned over lipid-storage compounds, and increased osmolyte production. In contrast, matric stress induced a more muted response, typically elevating the production of carbohydrate stress compounds, such as glycine betaine and trehalose. Whereas phylogenetically similar bacteria showed comparable biochemistry under control conditions, climate history played an important role in regulating responses to stress, whereby a stronger metabolic response was observed from semi-arid relative to tropical forest isolates. We conclude that bacterial stress response to drought can be more diverse than previously observed and regulated by both phylogeny and climate history.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Dynamics of ER stress-induced gene regulation in plants

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is a potentially lethal condition that is induced by the abnormal accumulation of unfolded or misfolded secretory proteins in the ER. In eukaryotes, ER stress is managed by the unfolded protein response (UPR) through a tightly regulated, yet highly dynamic, reprogramming of gene transcription. Although the core principles of the UPR are similar across eukaryotes, unique features of the plant UPR reflect the adaptability of plants to their ever-changing environments and the need to balance the demands of growth and development with the response to environmental stressors. Here, the past decades have seen notable progress in understanding the mechanisms underlying ER stress sensing and signaling transduction pathways, implicating the UPR in the effects of physiological and induced ER stress on plant growth and crop yield. Facilitated by sequencing technologies and advances in genetic and genomic resources, recent efforts have driven the discovery of transcriptional regulators and elucidated the mechanisms that mediate the dynamic and precise gene regulation in response to ER stress at the systems level.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Small Signaling Peptides in Sorghum bicolor : Integrating Phylogeny and Gene Expression to Characterize Roles in Stem Development

Small signaling peptides (SSPs) are important regulators of plant growth, development, and responses to biotic and abiotic stress, yet their role in the C4 grass Sorghum bicolor is largely uncharacterized. To help fill this knowledge gap, 219 sorghum genes that encode SSPs were identified based on SSP sequences previously identified in Arabidopsis thaliana, Zea mays, Oryza sativa, Triticum aestivum , and Brachypodium distachyon . The 219 sorghum SSP-encoding genes were assigned to 19 gene families, analyzed for the presence of motifs, and aligned with genes that encode SSPs in other plants using phylogenetic analysis. Sorghum genes in 12 of the 19 SSP gene families had not been previously characterized. Expression of the 219 SSP-encoding genes in sorghum organs, during stem development, and in stem tissues and cell types revealed distinct spatial, temporal, and developmental patterns of expression. Genes associated with the SbCEP and SbRGF families were preferentially expressed in roots, whereas SbEPF genes were expressed in stem epidermal and pith parenchyma cells and panicles. The expression of genes during bioenergy sorghum stem growth and development was investigated because stems account for ~80% of harvested biomass and serve as conduits for water and nutrient transport between leaves and roots. During stem development, 28 SSP genes in several families ( CLE, EPF, CEP, GASS, PSY, ES, PSK, CAPE, POE ) were expressed at higher levels in zones of cell proliferation. For example, the TDIF homologs SbCLE41 and SbCLE42 were expressed at high levels in nascent stem nodes where they may regulate vascular bundle cambial activity and cell differentiation. A different set of 15 genes in the CIF, POE, CAPE, PSY, CEP, RALF , and CLE families were expressed at higher levels in zones of stem tissue differentiation highlighted by elevated expression of five SbRALFR s in the stem nodal plexus. Cell type–specific expression of many sorghum genes that encode SSPs was observed in fully elongated internodes indicating gene expression is regulated with high spatial resolution. Overall, the results provide a foundation of information for analysis of SSP function in sorghum that can be integrated with knowledge of sorghum gene regulatory networks to modulate traits important for production of sorghum crops.

bioenergy sorghum↗

Mechanisms of cell signaling by nitric oxide and peroxynitrite: from mitochondria to MAP kinases

Many of the biological and pathological effects of nitric oxide (NO) are mediated through cell signaling pathways that are initiated by NO reacting with metalloproteins. More recently, it has been recognized that the reaction of NO with free radicals such as superoxide and the lipid peroxyl radical also has the potential to modulate redox signaling. Although it is clear that NO can exert both cytotoxic and cytoprotective actions, the focus of this overview are those reactions that could lead to protection of the cell against oxidative stress in the vasculature. This will include the induction of antioxidant defenses such as glutathione, activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases in response to blood flow, and modulation of mitochondrial function and its impact on apoptosis. Models are presented that show the increased synthesis of glutathione in response to shear stress and inhibition of cytochrome c release from mitochondria. It appears that in the vasculature NO-dependent signaling pathways are of three types: (i) those involving NO itself, leading to modulation of mitochondrial respiration and soluble guanylate cyclase; (ii) those that involve S-nitrosation, including inhibition of caspases; and (iii) autocrine signaling that involves the intracellular formation of peroxynitrite and the activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases. Taken together, NO plays a major role in the modulation of redox cell signaling through a number of distinct pathways in a cellular setting.

Non-NASA Center↗

Identification of small-molecule protein–protein interaction inhibitors for NKG2D

NKG2D (natural-killer group 2, member D) is a homodimeric transmembrane receptor that plays an important role in NK, γδ + , and CD8 + T cell-mediated immune responses to environmental stressors such as viral or bacterial infections and oxidative stress. However, aberrant NKG2D signaling has also been associated with chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, and as such NKG2D is thought to be an attractive target for immune intervention. Here, in this study, we describe a comprehensive small-molecule hit identification strategy and two distinct series of protein–protein interaction inhibitors of NKG2D. Although the hits are chemically distinct, they share a unique allosteric mechanism of disrupting ligand binding by accessing a cryptic pocket and causing the two monomers of the NKG2D dimer to open apart and twist relative to one another. Leveraging a suite of biochemical and cell-based assays coupled with structure-based drug design, we established tractable structure–activity relationships with one of the chemical series and successfully improved both the potency and physicochemical properties. Together, we demonstrate that it is possible, albeit challenging, to disrupt the interaction between NKG2D and multiple protein ligands with a single molecule through allosteric modulation of the NKG2D receptor dimer/ligand interface.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

RNASeq and Fluorescence Analysis of the Response of ERF2 and ERF104 in Arabidopsis thaliana under Simulated Altered Gravity

As NASA moves closer to long-term human space exploration, the need to understand how to sustain life in space is increasingly pressing. Plants are essential to human sustenance, making it important to understand how spaceflight affects plant health. We used differential gene expression analysis to examine GLDS-251 (RNAseq analysis of the response of Arabidopsis thaliana to fractional gravity under blue-light stimulation during spaceflight) from NASA’s GeneLab data repository and found downregulation of ERF2 and ERF104, transcription factors of the ethylene response factor families, that integrate hormonal pathways involved in abiotic stress responses. Downregulation of ERF2 and ERF104 during spaceflight may indicate a dysregulation of the ethylene signaling pathway. Our hypothesis is that altered gravity downregulates the expression of ERF2 and ERF104 in Arabidopsis thaliana, altering the ethylene signaling pathway and affecting the electron transport chain and light-dependent reactions in chloroplast thylakoids. To test this hypothesis, we propose to grow A. thaliana seedlings (wild-type and mutant/knockout of ERF2 and ERF104) in altered gravity conditions to determine the effects on the expression of ERF2, ERF104, and photosynthesis. We anticipate that ERF2 and ERF104 will be underexpressed in altered gravity conditions and result in decreased regulation of the ethylene signaling pathway.

Arabidopsis↗

Nuclear Translocation of Soybean MPK6, GmMPK6, Is Mediated by Hydrogen Peroxide in Salt Stress

The plant mitogen-activated protein kinase (MPK) cascade, a highly conserved signal transduction system in eukaryotes, plays a crucial role in the plant’s response to environmental stimuli and phytohormones. It is well-known that nuclear translocation of MPKs is necessary for their activities in mammalian cells. However, the mechanism underlying nuclear translocation of plant MPKs is not well elucidated. In the previous study, it has been shown that soybean MPK6 (GmMPK6) is activated by phosphatidic acid (PA) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), which are two signaling molecules generated during salt stress. Using the two signaling molecules, we investigated how salt stress triggers its translocation to the nucleus. Our results show that the translocation of GmMPK6 to the nucleus is mediated by H 2 O 2 , but not by PA. Furthermore, the translocation was interrupted by diphenylene iodonium (DPI) (an inhibitor of RBOH), confirming that H 2 O 2 is the signaling molecule for the nuclear translocation of GmMPK6 during salt stress.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Species‐Specific Epigenetic Signature Associates With Heat Stress Tolerance in the Perennial Tree Species Populus

Epigenetic regulation in annual plants is recognized as a key component of recurring stress acclimation and adaptation, but reports on perennial tree species are limited. In this study, two contrasting tree species, Populus trichocarpa and Populus deltoides, and an F1 hybrid cross between them showed species-specific epigenetic and physiological responses to heat stress (42°C) following priming (35°C). By analyzing whole-genome methylation, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and photosynthesis parameters, we found that P. deltoides expresses specific epigenetic signatures in response to heat, resulting in improved photosynthetic efficiency compared to P. trichocarpa. Conversely, P. trichocarpa displayed stress signaling and defense mechanisms that could not sustain a net assimilation rate despite maintaining higher gas exchange. Heat stress following priming in hybrid plants increased transcript levels of thermotolerance-related transcription factors, such as SPL12. Selected regions in the promoter of SPL12 showed differential methylation between direct heat stress and priming followed by heat stress. As a result, upregulation of downstream genes and associated increases in protein and metabolite abundance for stress adaptation were exhibited. Consequently, hybrid plants showed enhanced photosynthesis and gas exchange rates, a trait lacking in P. trichocarpa. These results imply that priming may not be universally effective in enhancing plant performance under stress, particularly in perennial tree species. However, priming can acclimate the perennial tree species P. deltoides to withstand elevated temperature stress better. Our study has demonstrated that priming-based stress adaptation is species-specific but can be attained through crossbreeding, indicating its potential use in breeding programs.

DNA methylation↗

Measurement, data analysis and prediction of pyrotechnic shock from pin-pullers and separation joints

To evaluate the potential for spacecraft damage caused by activation of pyrotechnic mechanisms, pyrotechnic shock tests were conducted on three configurations: pin-pullers on an orthogonal double Hopkinson bar arrangement, pin-pullers on a mock-up of the HALOE (Halogen Occultation Experiment) structure, and a section of separation joint on a single Hopkinson bar. Strains and accelerations were measured. The strains were converted to output stresses, forces and moments. Acceleration shock response spectra are presented for both acceleration- and force-time signals. The devices were attached to the Hopkinson bars with adaptors, which are typical of attachments used in practice. In order to predict the effect of the adaptors, finite element models of the adaptor-bar combinations were analyzed and results are presented with regard to grid size, time interval, and frequency range required to predict the response to pulses of 10 and 100 microsecond duration.

Evans, Maria J.↗

Eucalyptus grandis $\mathrm{AUX/INDOLE}$-3-$\mathrm{ACETIC}$ $\mathrm{ACID}$ 13 (EgrIAA13) is a novel transcriptional regulator of xylogenesis

Auxin is a crucial phytohormone regulating multiple aspects of plant growth and differentiation, including regulation of vascular cambium activity, xylogenesis and its responsiveness towards gravitropic stress. Although the regulation of these biological processes greatly depends on auxin and regulators of the auxin signalling pathway, many of their specific functions remain unclear. Therefore, the present study aims to functionally characterise Eucalyptus grandis AUX/INDOLE-3-ACETIC ACID 13 (EgrIAA13), a member of the auxin signalling pathway. In Eucalyptus and Populus, EgrIAA13 and its orthologs are preferentially expressed in the xylogenic tissues and downregulated in tension wood. Therefore, to further investigate EgrIAA13 and its function during xylogenesis, we conducted subcellular localisation and Induced Somatic Sector Analysis experiments using overexpression and RNAi knockdown constructs of EgrIAA13 to create transgenic tissue sectors on growing stems of Eucalyptus and Populus. Since Aux/IAAs interact with Auxin Responsive Factors (ARFs), in silico predictions of IAA13-ARF interactions were explored and experimentally validated via yeast-2-hybrid experiments. Our results demonstrate that EgrIAA13 localises to the nucleus and that downregulation of EgrIAA13 impedes Eucalyptus xylem fibre and vessel development. We also observed that EgrIAA13 interacts with Eucalyptus ARF2, ARF5, ARF6 and ARF19A. Based on these results, we conclude that EgrIAA13 is a regulator of Eucalyptus xylogenesis and postulate that the observed phenotypes are likely to result from alterations in the auxin-responsive transcriptome via IAA13-ARF modules such as EgrIAA13-EgrARF5. Our results provide the first insights into the regulatory role of EgrIAA13 during xylogenesis.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Peripheral visual response time and visual display layout

Experiments were performed on a group of 42 subjects in a study of their peripheral visual response time to visual signals under positive acceleration, during prolonged bedrest, at passive 70 deg headup body lift, under exposures to high air temperatures and high luminance levels, and under normal stress-free laboratory conditions. Diagrams are plotted for mean response times to white, red, yellow, green, and blue stimuli under different conditions.

Haines, R. F.↗

Let's Exploit Available Knowledge on Vegetation Fluorescence

The potential to measure vegetation fluorescence from space (1) and to derive from it direct information on the gross primary productivity (GPP) of terrestrial ecosystems is probably the most thrilling development in remote sensing and global ecology of recent years, as it moves Earth observation techniques from the detection of canopy biophysics (e.g., fraction of absorbed radiation) and biochemistry (chlorophyll and nitrogen content) to the realm of ecosystem function. The existence of a functional relationship between fluorescence and photosynthesis has been elucidated over the last decade by several laboratories, notably as part of the preliminary studies of the European Space Agency Fluorescence Explorer (FLEX) Earth Explorer Mission. The empirical observation presented by Guanter et al. (2) of a linear relationship between fluorescence radiance and GPP, however, provides the first experimental confirmation of the feasibility of the approach— already thoroughly tested at leaf level—at the desired scale, despite the confounding effects associated with the satellite detection of such a faint signal. A word of clarification is needed here. The use of fluorescence as a probe of leaf photochemistry has been a staple of plant ecophysiology for decades, rooted in a sound understanding of photosynthetic energy dissipation. However, most past studies had to rely for the interpretation of results on active (pulse-saturated) techniques, making them unsuitable for remote-sensing applications. Over recent years, however, novel process based models have been developed for the interpretation of steady-state, solar-induced fluorescence at the leaf to canopy scale (3). We are therefore in a position to move beyond the mere empirical observation of an association between GPP and fluorescence radiance. In particular, Guanter et al. (2) base their analysis on the assumption of a constant ratio between photosynthetic and fluorescence light use efficiencies (equation 3 in ref. 2).We know, however, that the ratio is not constant, but changes widely in response to light, CO2, stomatal limitations, and extreme stress (4, 5). What’s more, we can make sense of such changes, thus extracting valuable information from the very scatter that is apparent in their data. However, this process will require the availability of more tailored instruments, such as the one planned for the FLEX mission. As already stressed by Guanter et al. (2), the spatial resolution of the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2 sensor (40 × 80 km) makes it difficult to compare meaningfully the fluorescence signal with ground measurements, when only 60–70% of the footprint consists of the desired land-cover type (table S1 in ref. 2), suggesting that this could be largely responsible for the low signals observed in European grasslands. Moreover, the overpass time of the MetOp-A satellite (9:30 AM) implies that fluorescence is generally measured under light-limiting conditions, when fluorescence is only marginally affected by stomatal closure even under stress conditions. This result could explain the seasonal mismatch with daily GPP observed in natural ecosystems in the absence of irrigation (figure 4 in ref. 2). We hope, therefore, that this welcome contribution to this fast-advancing field will help demonstrate the potential of the new technique, and pave the way for more refined studies under both a technological and scientific point of view.

Space↗

Acoustic fatigue life prediction for nonlinear structures with multiple resonant modes

An efficient method is presented for estimating the high-cycle fatigue lives of complex nonlinear structures. The procedure is based on an application of the method of equivalent linearization to construct a time-domain representation of the stress or strain response of a nonlinear structure. Fatigue estimates are obtained by processing the time-domain signal, and it is a simple matter to incorporate any damage accumulation model desired in the procedure. The method may also be applied to a wide range of complex nonlinear systems. Comparisons are presented of estimated fatigue lives for a nonlinear beam with random excitation obtained using the approximate method and using a conventional numerical simulation. The two techniques are found to give nearly identical results regardless of the level of nonlinearity. The number of calculations required in the approximate method is nearly the same as in a linear system and is not significantly affected by the type and level of nonlinearity in the structure.

Sun, J. Q.↗

MAP kinase pathways in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A cascade of three protein kinases known as a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade is commonly found as part of the signaling pathways in eukaryotic cells. Almost two decades of genetic and biochemical experimentation plus the recently completed DNA sequence of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome have revealed just five functionally distinct MAPK cascades in this yeast. Sexual conjugation, cell growth, and adaptation to stress, for example, all require MAPK-mediated cellular responses. A primary function of these cascades appears to be the regulation of gene expression in response to extracellular signals or as part of specific developmental processes. In addition, the MAPK cascades often appear to regulate the cell cycle and vice versa. Despite the success of the gene hunter era in revealing these pathways, there are still many significant gaps in our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms for activation of these cascades and how the cascades regulate cell function. For example, comparison of different yeast signaling pathways reveals a surprising variety of different types of upstream signaling proteins that function to activate a MAPK cascade, yet how the upstream proteins actually activate the cascade remains unclear. We also know that the yeast MAPK pathways regulate each other and interact with other signaling pathways to produce a coordinated pattern of gene expression, but the molecular mechanisms of this cross talk are poorly understood. This review is therefore an attempt to present the current knowledge of MAPK pathways in yeast and some directions for future research in this area.

Non-NASA Center↗