Molecular and Phylogenetic Analyses of the Mediator Subunit Genes in Solanum lycopersicum

Abstract

The Mediator complex is a multi-subunit protein assembly that serves as a central scaffold to help regulate DNA-binding transcription factors (TFs) and RNA polymerase II (Pol II) activity controlled gene expression programmed in response to developmental or environmental factors. However, litter information about Mediator complex subunit (MED) genes in tomato is available, although it is an essential model plant. In this study, we retrieved 46 candidate SlMED genes from the genome of tomato, and a comprehensive analysis was conducted, including their phylogenetic relationship, chromosomal locations, gene structure, cis-regulatory elements prediction, as well as gene expression. The expression profiling of 46 SlMED genes was analyzed using publicly available RNA-seq data. Furthermore, we selected some SlMED genes to evaluate their expression patterns in various tissues and under different abiotic stress treatments by quantitative reverse transcription PCR experiments. This is the first detailed report to elucidate the molecular and phylogenetic features of the MED genes in tomato, and it provides valuable clues for further functional analysis in order to clarify the role of the SlMED genes in diverse plant growth, development and abiotic stress response.

DNA methylation affects freezing tolerance in winter rapeseed by mediating the expression of genes related to JA and CK pathways

“…A large number of reports have illustrated that HSFs can be activated by ROS signals, followed alleviate oxidative damage by promoting ROS-scavenger activities ( Kollist et al, 2019 ; Chen et al, 2020 ). Consistent with our data, one HSP70 enriched in protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum pathway was up-regulated with increased methylation ( Figure 5A ; Supplementary Table S7 ); Furthermore, our previous research indicated that freezing stress resulted in a significant increase in antioxidant enzyme activities in winter rapeseed ( Wei et al, 2021a ); Apart from that, we found two up-regulated DMGs, which encode RNA polymerase II transcription mediator (PTM), belonging to HSP70 family, which has been demonstrated trigger cold regulated genes under cold stress ( Hemsley et al, 2014 ; Wang et al, 2019 ); Beyond those, combined with some differentially methylated HSFs ( Figure 6 ), these results implied that HSFs might interact with ROS signals to regulate the expression of HSPs under freezing stress. Additionally, two DMGs with decreased methylation, encoding cell division control protein (CDCP) and protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) were found, and they were up-regulated.…”

RhMED15a-like, a subunit of the Mediator complex, is involved in the drought stress response in Rosa hybrida

“…Mediator has crucial functions in various growth, development, stress response and cellular movement processes in plants [ 19 , 26 , 53 , 54 ]. To date, the majority of studies on plant Mediator subunits have been conducted with Arabidopsis , with minimal research extending to other plant species, such as rice and tomato [ 55 , 56 ]. In our study, we discovered a new Mediator Tail module subunit, RhMED15a-like , in rose and investigated how it influences the plant response to water stress in Arabidopsis and rose.…”

Comparative phylogenetic analysis of the mediator complex subunit in asparagus bean (Vigna unguiculata ssp. sesquipedialis) and its expression profile under cold stress

“…According to the phylogenetic relationship of VunMED genes, we found that these MED genes also have the same function in other plants. MeJA significantly induces the transcription of sugarcane ScMED7 [ 17 ], while tomato SlMED17/21/23 responds to MeJA, SlMED18/37 responds to abscisic acid, SlMED21/22/25a responds to gibberellin [ 14 ], and Arabidopsis AtMED19a positively regulates ABA response [ 10 ]. AtMED16 and AtMED25 differentially regulate ABA signaling [ 30 ].…”

“…Additionally, MED is closely related to various abiotic stress responses. Real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed that tomato SlMED26b expression was significantly upregulated after drought stress, SlED3b/27b expression decreased under ethylene treatment, and SlMED17/21/23 responded to methyl jasmonate (MeJA) [ 14 ]. Signaling events triggered by H 2 O 2 regulate plant growth and defense by coordinating genome-wide transcription.…”