Expression study of soybean germin-like gene family reveals a role of GLP7 gene in various abiotic stress tolerances

Germin-like proteins (GLPs) are ubiquitous plant glycoproteins (belonging to the cupin super family) that play diverse roles, including abiotic stress resistance in many plant species. To identify the molecular functions underlying abiotic stress responses, the expression of germin-like protein encoding genes of soybean GmGLPs was analyzed. qRT-PCR analyses of 21 GmGLPs transcripts abundances were conducted in soybean leave tissues. The results showed that GmGLPs transcripts were highly abundant upon treatments with high salinity, PEG6000, abscisic acid (ABA) and methyl viologen (MV). The peaks of transcript copiousness induced by PEG6000 and NaCl were mostly observed after 18 h, while some genes expressed earlier than 4 h after abiotic stress treatment. A specific GmGLP7 gene, that was highly abundant under salinity, drought, ABA and MV conditions, was further characterized. The ectopic overexpression of GmGLP7 (Glyma.08G226800.1) in transgenic Arabidopsis enhanced drought, salt, and oxidative tolerance and resulted in hypersensitive phenotypes toward ABA-mediated seed germination and primary root elongation, compared to the wild-type. Taken together, these results suggest that GmGLP7 positively confers abiotic tolerance in plants.

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The microRNA, miR-133b, functions to slow Duchenne muscular dystrophy pathogenesis

10.1101/2020.03.19.988519 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Thomas Taetzsch ◽

Dillon Shapiro ◽

Randa Eldosougi ◽

Tracey Myers ◽

Robert Settlage ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy ◽

Muscular Dystrophy ◽

Skeletal Muscles ◽

Tibialis Anterior Muscle ◽

Muscle Fibers ◽

Progressive Degeneration ◽

Protein Encoding ◽

Small Muscle ◽

Encoding Genes

AbstractDuchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is characterized by progressive degeneration of skeletal muscles. To date, there are no treatments available to slow or prevent the disease. Hence, it remains essential to identify molecular factors that promote muscle biogenesis since they could serve as therapeutic targets for treating DMD. While the muscle enriched microRNA, miR-133b, has been implicated in the biogenesis of muscle fibers, its role in DMD remains unknown. To assess the role of miR-133b in DMD-affected skeletal muscles, we genetically ablated miR-133b in the mdx mouse model of DMD. In the absence of miR-133b, the tibialis anterior muscle of juvenile and adult mdx mice is populated by small muscle fibers with centralized nuclei, exhibits increased fibrosis, and thickened interstitial space. Additional analysis revealed that loss of miR-133b exacerbates DMD-pathogenesis partly by altering the number of satellite cells and levels of protein-encoding genes, including previously identified miR-133b targets as well as genes involved in cell proliferation and fibrosis. Altogether, our data demonstrate that skeletal muscles utilize miR-133b to mitigate the deleterious effects of DMD.

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Light and ripening-regulated BBX protein-encoding genes in Solanum lycopersicum

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-76131-0 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Bruno Silvestre Lira ◽

Maria José Oliveira ◽

Lumi Shiose ◽

Raquel Tsu Ay Wu ◽

Daniele Rosado ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tomato Fruit ◽

Protein Family ◽

Tomato Genome ◽

Physiological Processes ◽

Fruit Development And Ripening ◽

Protein Encoding ◽

Ripening Inhibitor ◽

Encoding Genes ◽

Signalling Cascade

Abstract Light controls several aspects of plant development through a complex signalling cascade. Several B-box domain containing proteins (BBX) were identified as regulators of Arabidopsis thaliana seedling photomorphogenesis. However, the knowledge about the role of this protein family in other physiological processes and species remains scarce. To fill this gap, here BBX protein encoding genes in tomato genome were characterised. The robust phylogeny obtained revealed how the domain diversity in this protein family evolved in Viridiplantae and allowed the precise identification of 31 tomato SlBBX proteins. The mRNA profiling in different organs revealed that SlBBX genes are regulated by light and their transcripts accumulation is directly affected by the chloroplast maturation status in both vegetative and fruit tissues. As tomato fruits develops, three SlBBXs were found to be upregulated in the early stages, controlled by the proper chloroplast differentiation and by the PHYTOCHROME (PHY)-dependent light perception. Upon ripening, other three SlBBXs were transcriptionally induced by RIPENING INHIBITOR master transcriptional factor, as well as by PHY-mediated signalling and proper plastid biogenesis. Altogether, the results obtained revealed a conserved role of SlBBX gene family in the light signalling cascade and identified putative members affecting tomato fruit development and ripening.

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