Genome-wide transcriptional profiling for elucidating the effects of brassinosteroids on Glycine max during early vegetative development

Abstract

Soybean is a widely grown grain legume and one of the most important economic crop species. Brassinosteroids play a crucial role in plant vegetative growth and reproductive development. However, it remains unclear how BRs regulate the developmental processes in soybean, and the molecular mechanism underlying soybean early development is largely unexplored. In this study, we first characterized how soybean early vegetative growth was specifically regulated by the BR biosynthesis inhibitor propiconazole; this characterization included shortened root and shoot lengths, reduced leaf area, and decreased chlorophyll content. In addition, the growth inhibition induced by Pcz could be rescued by exogenous brassinolide application. The RNA-seq technique was employed to investigate the BR regulatory networks during soybean early vegetative development. Identification and analysis of differentially expressed genes indicated that BRs orchestrate a wide range of cellular activities and biological processes in soybean under various BR concentrations. The regulatory networks between BRs and multiple hormones or stress-related pathways were investigated. The results provide a comprehensive view of the physiological functions of BRs and new insights into the molecular mechanisms at the transcriptional level of BR regulation of soybean early development.

Effects of propiconazole on rice growth and gene expression in response to nitrogen and phosphorus deficiencies

“…This may be a consequence of smaller cell size and greater cell density of PPZ-treated plants. In agreement with a previous study, PPZ-treated plants increased chlorophyll content in leaves, which is likely due to the specific inhibition of cell elongation [31]. However, when total N or P accumulations per plant were considered instead of per g dry weight, PPZ-treated plants had lower total N and P contents due to the small shoot biomass (data not shown), similar to previous reports in BR mutants [10].…”

“…Propiconazole (PPZ) is a specific BR biosynthesis inhibitor that binds CYP90D1 enzyme in the BR biosynthesis pathway [16], resulting in reduced endogenous BR levels and signaling activities [17]. PPZ treatment has been shown to reduce plant height, root length, and biomass, similar to BR mutants, in several plant species including Arabidopsis, soybean, maize, and Brachypodium [17][18][19][20].…”

Engineered Nanomaterials Suppress the Soft Rot Disease (Rhizopus stolonifer) and Slow Down the Loss of Nutrient in Sweet Potato

“…Brassinolide (BR) shows some characteristics of auxin and gibberellin, being able to promote vegetative growth, flower bud differentiation, and the growth of plants. BR also mediates plant responses to various abiotic and biotic stresses [44,45]. Gibberellic acid (GA) is an endogenous plant hormone, which can stimulate plant growth and development.…”

Optimal Brassinosteroid Levels Are Required for Soybean Growth and Mineral Nutrient Homeostasis

“…BRs improved the photosynthesis and increased the chlorophyll content in soybean when the foliar was applied before drought stress [6]. When exogenous BRs and the specific BR biosynthesis inhibitor, propiconazole (PPZ), were applied to soybean and other plants, transcriptional analyses revealed a wide range of cellular activities and biological processes, such as cell wall organization, carbohydrate metabolism, and cellular response to oxidative stress [11,12]. The BR biosynthesis genes, GmCPDs (CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENESIS AND DWARFISM), are shown to be involved in flowering control and floral development [13].…”