Electromagnetic Field Seems to Not Influence Transcription via CTCT Motif in Three Plant Promoters

Abstract

It was proposed that magnetic fields (MFs) can influence gene transcription via CTCT motif located in human HSP70 promoter. To check the universality of this mechanism, we estimated the potential role of this motif on plant gene transcription in response to MFs using both bioinformatics and experimental studies. We searched potential promoter sequences (1000 bp upstream) in the potato Solanum tuberosum and thale cress Arabidopsis thaliana genomes for the CTCT sequence. The motif was found, on average, 3.6 and 4.3 times per promoter (148,487 and 134,361 motifs in total) in these two species, respectively; however, the CTCT sequences were not randomly distributed in the promoter regions but were preferentially located near the transcription initiation site and were closely packed. The closer these CTCT sequences to the transcription initiation site, the smaller distance between them in both plants. One can assume that genes with many CTCT motifs in their promoter regions can be potentially regulated by MFs. To check this assumption, we tested the influence of MFs on gene expression in a transgenic potato with three promoters (16R, 20R, and 5UGT) containing from 3 to 12 CTCT sequences and starting expression of β-glucuronidase as a reported gene. The potatoes were exposed to a 50 Hz 60–70 A/m MF for 30 min and the reporter gene activity was measured for up to 24 h. Although other factors induced the reporter gene activity, the MF did not. It implies the CTCT motif does not mediate in response to MF in the tested plant promoters.

The influence of N and S poles of static magnetic field (SMF) on Candida albicans hyphal formation and antifungal activity of amphotericin B

“…Biological processes are currently being monitored under the influence of static magnetic field (SMF) and alternating MF, the value of which is several orders larger than the Earth’s MF (Sztafrowski et al 2017). In vitro, SMF exposure can reduce the number of viable cells in melanoma, ovarian carcinoma, and lymphoma cell lines (Raylman et al 1996).…”

Genetic Basis of Maize Resistance to Multiple Insect Pests: Integrated Genome-Wide Comparative Mapping and Candidate Gene Prioritization

“…The expression of GWAS-based CGs in maize ear-related organs and developmental stages indicated that these genes could have an influence on the accumulation of assimilates in the grain, among which were phenolic compounds critical for resistance to storage pests such as MW [ 89 , 114 , 115 ]. In agreement with the negative interaction between plant biotic and abiotic stress responses resulting from negative cross-talk between absicic acid (ABA) and the jasmonic acid (JA), salicylic acid (SA), and ethylene (ET) signaling pathways [ 108 , 109 , 110 , 112 , 116 , 117 ], most of the CGs were upregulated and downregulated under biotic and abiotic stress conditions, respectively. In vivo expression analyses under local conditions would help to confirm the role of these CGs in maize response to FAW, SB, and MW.…”

“…The genomic and functional information related to most of these CGs, the conserved domains within their protein sequences, and genetic descriptions of their co-expressed rice and arabidopsis orthologs suggest their possible involvement in plant defense mechanisms. Functional features known for their involvement in both biotic and abiotic plant response such as WRKY, F-BOX, NAM, bZIP, LRR, AUX_IAA, zf-C2H2, DNA, ATP, ion, protein-binding protein domains, MADS-box, C2C2-YABBY, MYB transcription factors, calcium-related transmembrane transport elements, protein kinases, oxydoreduction activities, and several binding factors [ 108 , 109 , 110 , 111 , 112 , 113 ] characterized most of the CGs, making them promising genetic factors for the regulation of plant response to insect pests.…”

Static Electromagnetic Field (Emf) of Low Frequency Enhances Seed Germination and Plant Growth at Early Stages of Development

“…In the present study, ELF MF exposure to the seeds right from the beginning to the seedling stage resulted in enhanced growth. The New developments in this field are focused on the genetic transformations or epigenetic regulations playing their role in the growth promoting effects of EMFs on plant growth and its development (Rammal et al ., 2014;Sztafrowski et al ., 2017).…”