Repression of early lateral root initiation events by transient water deficit in barley and maize

The formation of lateral roots (LRs) is a key driver of root system architecture and developmental plasticity. The first stage of LR formation, which leads to the acquisition of founder cell identity in the pericycle, is the primary determinant of root branching patterns. The fact that initiation events occur asynchronously in a very small number of cells inside the parent root has been a major difficulty in the study of the molecular regulation of branching patterns. Inducible systems that trigger synchronous lateral formation at predictable sites have proven extremely valuable in Arabidopsis to decipher the first steps of LR formation. Here, we present a LR repression system for cereals that relies on a transient water-deficit treatment, which blocks LR initiation before the first formative divisions. Using a time-lapse approach, we analysed the dynamics of this repression along growing roots and were able to show that it targets a very narrow developmental window of the initiation process. Interestingly, the repression can be exploited to obtain negative control root samples where LR initiation is absent. This system could be instrumental in the analysis of the molecular basis of drought-responsive as well as intrinsic pathways of LR formation in cereals.

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Plasticity of the Root System Architecture and Leaf Gas Exchange Parameters Are Important for Maintaining Bottle Gourd Responses under Water Deficit

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants9121697 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (12) ◽

pp. 1697

Author(s):

Dinoclaudio Zacarias Rafael ◽

Osvin Arriagada ◽

Guillermo Toro ◽

Jacob Mashilo ◽

Freddy Mora-Poblete ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Root System ◽

Water Deficit ◽

System Architecture ◽

Root Length ◽

Leaf Gas Exchange ◽

Lateral Roots ◽

Physiological Responses ◽

Root System Architecture ◽

Second Order ◽

Bottle Gourd

The evaluation of root system architecture (RSA) development and the physiological responses of crop plants grown under water-limited conditions are of great importance. The purpose of this study was to examine the short-term variation of the morphological and physiological plasticity of Lagenaria siceraria genotypes under water deficit, evaluating the changes in the relationship between the root system architecture and leaf physiological responses. Bottle gourd genotypes were grown in rhizoboxes under well-watered and water deficit conditions. Significant genotype-water regime interactions were observed for several RSA traits and physiological parameters. Biplot analyses confirmed that the drought-tolerant genotypes (BG-48 and GC) showed a high net CO2 assimilation rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rates with a smaller length, and a reduced root length density of second-order lateral roots, whereas the genotypes BG-67 and Osorno were identified as drought-sensitive and showed greater values for average root length and the density of second-order lateral roots. Consequently, a reduced length and density of lateral roots in bottle gourd should constitute a response to water deficit. The root traits studied here can be used to evaluate bottle gourd performance under novel water management strategies and as criteria for breeding selection.

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Early development and gravitropic response of lateral roots in Arabidopsis thaliana

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2011.0231 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 367 (1595) ◽

pp. 1509-1516 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

S. Guyomarc'h ◽

S. Léran ◽

M. Auzon-Cape ◽

F. Perrine-Walker ◽

M. Lucas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lateral Root ◽

Developmental Plasticity ◽

Lateral Roots ◽

Expression Patterns ◽

Primary Root ◽

Root System Architecture ◽

Specific Response ◽

Root Induction ◽

Root Gravitropism ◽

Auxin Transporter

Root system architecture plays an important role in determining nutrient and water acquisition and is modulated by endogenous and environmental factors, resulting in considerable developmental plasticity. The orientation of primary root growth in response to gravity (gravitropism) has been studied extensively, but little is known about the behaviour of lateral roots in response to this signal. Here, we analysed the response of lateral roots to gravity and, consistently with previous observations, we showed that gravitropism was acquired slowly after emergence. Using a lateral root induction system, we studied the kinetics for the appearance of statoliths, phloem connections and auxin transporter gene expression patterns. We found that statoliths could not be detected until 1 day after emergence, whereas the gravitropic curvature of the lateral root started earlier. Auxin transporters modulate auxin distribution in primary root gravitropism. We found differences regarding PIN3 and AUX1 expression patterns between the lateral root and the primary root apices. Especially PIN3, which is involved in primary root gravitropism, was not expressed in the lateral root columella. Our work revealed new developmental transitions occurring in lateral roots after emergence, and auxin transporter expression patterns that might explain the specific response of lateral roots to gravity.

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Shoot-derived miR2111 controls legume root and nodule development

10.1101/2020.09.02.278739 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mengbai Zhang ◽

Huanan Su ◽

Peter M. Gresshoff ◽

Brett J. Ferguson

Keyword(s):

Lateral Root ◽

Lateral Roots ◽

Ectopic Expression ◽

Root System Architecture ◽

Negative Regulator ◽

Nodule Development ◽

Wild Type ◽

Root Branching ◽

Autoregulation Of Nodulation ◽

Cle Peptide

AbstractLegumes control their nodule numbers through the Autoregulation Of Nodulation (AON). Rhizobia infection stimulates the production of root-derived CLE peptide hormones that are translocated to the shoot where they regulate a new signal. We used soybean to demonstrate that this shoot-derived signal is miR2111, which is transported via phloem to the root where it targets transcripts of Too Much Love (TML), a negative regulator of nodulation. Shoot perception of rhizobia-induced CLE peptides suppresses miR2111 expression, resulting in TML accumulation in roots and subsequent inhibition of nodule organogenesis. Feeding synthetic mature miR2111 via the petiole increased nodule numbers per plant. Likewise, elevating miR2111 availability by over-expression promoted nodulation, while target mimicry of TML induced the opposite effect on nodule development in wild-type plants and alleviated the supernodulating and stunted root growth phenotypes of AON-defective mutants. Additionally, in non-nodulating wild-type plants, ectopic expression of miR2111 significantly enhanced lateral root emergence with a decrease in lateral root length and average root diameter. In contrast, hairy roots constitutively expressing the target mimic construct exhibited reduced lateral root density. Overall, these findings demonstrate that miR2111 is both the critical shoot-to-root factor that positively regulates root nodule development, and also acts to shape root system architecture via orchestrating the degree of root branching, as well as the length and thickness of lateral roots.

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Systemic signalling through TCTP1 controls lateral root formation in Arabidopsis

10.1101/523092 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rémi Branco ◽

Josette Masle

Keyword(s):

Lateral Root ◽

Developmental Plasticity ◽

Lateral Roots ◽

Primary Root ◽

Root System Architecture ◽

Dual Function ◽

Growth Promoter ◽

Lateral Organs ◽

Root Organogenesis

AbstractAs in animals, the plant body plan and primary organs are established during embryogenesis. However, plants have the ability to generate new organs and functional units throughout their whole life. These are produced through the specification, initiation and differentiation of secondary meristems, governed by the intrinsic genetic program and cues from the environment. They give plants an extraordinary developmental plasticity to modulate their size and architecture according to environmental constraints and opportunities. How this plasticity is regulated at the whole organism level is still largely elusive. In particular the mechanisms regulating the iterative formation of lateral roots along the primary root remain little known. A pivotal role of auxin is well established and recently the role of local mechanical signals and oscillations in transcriptional activity has emerged. Here we provide evidence for a role of Translationally Controlled Tumor Protein (TCTP), a vital ubiquitous protein in eukaryotes. We show that Arabidopsis AtTCTP1 controls root system architecture through a dual function: as a general constitutive growth promoter locally, and as a systemic signalling agent via mobility from the shoot. Our data indicate that this signalling function is specifically targeted to the pericycle and modulates the frequency of lateral root initiation and emergence sites along the primary root, and the compromise between branching and elongating, independent of shoot size. Plant TCTP genes show high similarity among species. TCTP messengers and proteins have been detected in the vasculature of diverse species. This suggests that the mobility and extracellular signalling function of AtTCTP1 to control root organogenesis might be widely conserved within the plant kingdom, and highly relevant to a better understanding of post-embryonic formation of lateral organs in plants, and the elusive coordination of shoot and root morphogenesis.

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TDIF regulates auxin accumulation and modulates auxin sensitivity to enhance both adventitious root and lateral root formation in poplar trees

Tree Physiology ◽

10.1093/treephys/tpaa077 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 40 (11) ◽

pp. 1534-1547

Author(s):

Jing Yue ◽

Heyu Yang ◽

Shaohui Yang ◽

Jiehua Wang

Keyword(s):

Developmental Plasticity ◽

Lateral Roots ◽

Tracheary Element ◽

Auxin Signaling ◽

Root Branching ◽

Poplar Trees ◽

Increased Sensitivity ◽

Naphthylphthalamic Acid ◽

Encoding Genes ◽

Exogenous Iaa

Abstract Of six TRACHEARY ELEMENT DIFFERENTIATION INHIBITORY FACTOR (TDIF)-encoding genes in poplar, PtTDIF1 is predominantly expressed in adventitious roots (ARs), and the other five PtTDIFs are preferentially expressed in lateral roots (LRs). Upon auxin application, expression of all PtTDIFs declined in ARs but transiently increased in LRs. Both exogenous TDIF peptides and overexpression of PtTDIFs in poplar positively regulated the initiation and elongation of LRs, and overexpression of PtTDIFs also increased the number of ARs. As visualized by the auxin-responsive marker DR5:GUS, TDIF had differential impacts on the auxin signaling activity in ARs and LRs, which was corroborated by the free indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) measurements in them. Shoot tips of PtTDIF2- and PtTDIFL2-overexpressing (together as PtTDIFsOE) trees revealed an enhanced IAA biosynthetic capacity, and removal of the aerial tissues dramatically diminished the root phenotypes of micro-propagated PtTDIFsOE trees. Furthermore, PtTDIFsOE poplars displayed an increased sensitivity for exogenous IAA, and N-1-naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA) completely blocked the TDIF-induced AR and LR formation. In PtTDIFsOE roots, several auxin-related LR initiation markers such as GATA23, LBD16 and LBD29 were transcriptionally upregulated, further supporting that TDIF regulates LR organogenesis by strengthening the spatiotemporal auxin cues and that dynamic interplays between hormones govern root branching and developmental plasticity in tree species.

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Rooting in the Desert: A Developmental Overview on Desert Plants

Genes ◽

10.3390/genes12050709 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 709

Author(s):

Gwendolyn K. Kirschner ◽

Ting Ting Xiao ◽

Ikram Blilou

Keyword(s):

Root System ◽

Developmental Plasticity ◽

Root System Architecture ◽

Desert Plants ◽

Root Cortex ◽

Date Palms ◽

Beneficial Impact ◽

Scarce Water ◽

Sessile Organisms ◽

Secondary Roots

Plants, as sessile organisms, have evolved a remarkable developmental plasticity to cope with their changing environment. When growing in hostile desert conditions, plants have to grow and thrive in heat and drought. This review discusses how desert plants have adapted their root system architecture (RSA) to cope with scarce water availability and poor nutrient availability in the desert soil. First, we describe how some species can survive by developing deep tap roots to access the groundwater while others produce shallow roots to exploit the short rain seasons and unpredictable rainfalls. Then, we discuss how desert plants have evolved unique developmental programs like having determinate meristems in the case of cacti while forming a branched and compact root system that allows efficient water uptake during wet periods. The remote germination mechanism in date palms is another example of developmental adaptation to survive in the dry and hot desert surface. Date palms have also designed non-gravitropic secondary roots, termed pneumatophores, to maximize water and nutrient uptake. Next, we highlight the distinct anatomical features developed by desert species in response to drought like narrow vessels, high tissue suberization, and air spaces within the root cortex tissue. Finally, we discuss the beneficial impact of the microbiome in promoting root growth in desert conditions and how these characteristics can be exploited to engineer resilient crops with a greater ability to deal with salinity induced by irrigation and with the increasing drought caused by global warming.

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AT-HOOK MOTIF NUCLEAR LOCALISED PROTEIN 18 as a Novel Modulator of Root System Architecture

10.20944/preprints202003.0046.v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Marek Šírl ◽

Tereza Šnajdrová ◽

Dolores Gutiérrez-Alanís ◽

Joseph G. Dubrovsky ◽

Jean Phillipe Vielle-Calzada ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Root System ◽

System Architecture ◽

Lateral Root ◽

Apical Meristem ◽

Lateral Roots ◽

Primary Root ◽

Root System Architecture ◽

Root Apical Meristem ◽

Root Initiation ◽

Lateral Root Initiation

The AT-HOOK MOTIF NUCLEAR LOCALIZED PROTEIN (AHL) gene family encodes embryophyte-specific nuclear proteins with DNA binding activity. They modulate gene expression and affect various developmental processes in plants. We identify AHL18 (At3G60870) as a developmental modulator of root system architecture and growth. AHL18 regulates the length of the proliferation domain and number of dividing cells in the root apical meristem and thereby, cell production. Both primary root growth and lateral root development respond according to AHL18 transcription level. The ahl18 knock-out plants show reduced root systems due to a shorter primary root and a lower number of lateral roots. This change results from a higher number of arrested and non-developing lateral root primordia (LRP) rather than from decreased initiation. Overexpression of AHL18 results in a more extensive root system, longer primary roots, and increased density of lateral root initiation events. Formation of lateral roots is affected during the initiation of LRP and later development. AHL18 regulate root apical meristem activity, lateral root initiation and emergence, which is in accord with localization of its expression.

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Effects of Phosphate Shortage on Root Growth and Hormone Content of Barley Depend on Capacity of the Roots to Accumulate ABA

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants9121722 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (12) ◽

pp. 1722

Author(s):

Lidiya Vysotskaya ◽

Guzel Akhiyarova ◽

Arina Feoktistova ◽

Zarina Akhtyamova ◽

Alla Korobova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Root Growth ◽

Lateral Roots ◽

Primary Root ◽

Growth Responses ◽

Root Tips ◽

P Deficiency ◽

Root Branching ◽

Auxin Concentration ◽

Shoot Mass ◽

Primary Root Length

Although changes in root architecture in response to the environment can optimize mineral and water nutrient uptake, mechanisms regulating these changes are not well-understood. We investigated whether P deprivation effects on root development are mediated by abscisic acid (ABA) and its interactions with other hormones. The ABA-deficient barley mutant Az34 and its wild-type (WT) were grown in P-deprived and P-replete conditions, and hormones were measured in whole roots and root tips. Although P deprivation decreased growth in shoot mass similarly in both genotypes, only the WT increased primary root length and number of lateral roots. The effect was accompanied by ABA accumulation in root tips, a response not seen in Az34. Increased ABA in P-deprived WT was accompanied by decreased concentrations of cytokinin, an inhibitor of root extension. Furthermore, P-deficiency in the WT increased auxin concentration in whole root systems in association with increased root branching. In the ABA-deficient mutant, P-starvation failed to stimulate root elongation or promote branching, and there was no decline in cytokinin and no increase in auxin. The results demonstrate ABA’s ability to mediate in root growth responses to P starvation in barley, an effect linked to its effects on cytokinin and auxin concentrations.

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Evaluation of sorghum root branching using fractals

The Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.1017/s0021859698005826 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 131 (3) ◽

pp. 259-265 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

C. E. A. MASI ◽

J. W. MARANVILLE

Keyword(s):

Fractal Dimension ◽

Growth Media ◽

Silty Clay ◽

Root Branching ◽

The Us ◽

Branching Patterns ◽

Novel Method ◽

Sorghum Genotypes ◽

Different Sources ◽

Root Box

Root branching and architecture play a significant role in water and nutrient uptake, but description of these parameters has not been easy due to the difficulty of observing roots in their natural arrangement. Fractal geometry offers a novel method for studying the branching patterns of roots. Plants of ten diverse sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) genotypes (five of African origin, three of US origin and two hybrids composed of African×US lines) were grown in root boxes containing 80% sand and 20% fine-textured Sharpsburg silty clay loam topsoil. The root fractal dimension (D) and abundance (log K) were determined at nine regions within the profile. Roots were washed free of growth media and photographic slides were taken of each region. Values of D and log K were determined by projecting photographs onto grids of progressively increasing sizes. The number of intersects was regressed on log grid size. Differences in D were found among genotypes (1·44[les ]D[les ]1·89) suggesting that these sorghum genotypes may be associated with greater root branching patterns. Greater fractal dimension (branching) and abundance values occurred in the 0–35 and 35–70 cm depths of the soil profile within the root box, indicating a greater root distribution in that part of the profile. Significant differences were also noted in branching patterns for sorghum genotypes derived from different sources. In general, the African sorghums were more branched and deeper rooted than the US-derived genotypes. Results indicated that fractal dimension can be used for the description of sorghum root system morphology and provides a good measure of branching patterns which can be distinguished.

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Modelling time variations of root diameter and elongation rate as related to assimilate supply and demand

Journal of Experimental Botany ◽

10.1093/jxb/eraa122 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 71 (12) ◽

pp. 3524-3534

Author(s):

Loïc Pagès ◽

Marie Bernert ◽

Guillaume Pagès

Keyword(s):

Root System ◽

Root Elongation ◽

Lateral Roots ◽

Supply And Demand ◽

Root System Architecture ◽

Elongation Rate ◽

Growth Patterns ◽

Root Tip ◽

Generic Model ◽

Maximal Diameter

Abstract In a given root system, individual roots usually exhibit a rather homogeneous tip structure although highly different diameters and growth patterns, and this diversity is of prime importance in the definition of the whole root system architecture and foraging characteristics. In order to represent and predict this diversity, we built a simple and generic model at root tip level combining structural and functional knowledge on root elongation. The tip diameter, reflecting meristem size, is used as a driving variable of elongation. It varies, in response to the fluctuations of photo-assimilate availability, between two limits (minimal and maximal diameter). The elongation rate is assumed to be dependent on the transient value of the diameter. Elongation stops when the tip reaches the minimal diameter. The model could satisfactorily reproduce patterns of root elongation and tip diameter changes observed in various species at different scales. Although continuous, the model could generate divergent root classes as classically observed within populations of lateral roots. This model should help interpret the large plasticity of root elongation patterns which can be obtained in response to different combinations of endogenous and exogenous factors. The parameters could be used in phenotyping the root system.

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