The Positive Regulatory Roles of the TIFY10 Proteins in Plant Responses to Alkaline Stress

Abstract

The TIFY family is a novel plant-specific protein family, and is characterized by a conserved TIFY motif (TIFF/YXG). Our previous studies indicated the potential roles of TIFY10/11 proteins in plant responses to alkaline stress. In the current study, we focused on the regulatory roles and possible physiological and molecular basis of the TIFY10 proteins in plant responses to alkaline stress. We demonstrated the positive function of TIFY10s in alkaline responses by using the AtTIFY10a and AtTIFY10b knockout Arabidopsis, as evidenced by the relatively lower germination rates of attify10a and attify10b mutant seeds under alkaline stress. We also revealed that ectopic expression of GsTIFY10a in Medicago sativa promoted plant growth, and increased the NADP-ME activity, citric acid content and free proline content but decreased the MDA content of transgenic plants under alkaline stress. Furthermore, expression levels of the stress responsive genes including NADP-ME, CS, H+-ppase and P5CS were also up-regulated in GsTIFY10a transgenic plants under alkaline stress. Interestingly, GsTIFY10a overexpression increased the jasmonate content of the transgenic alfalfa. In addition, we showed that neither GsTIFY10a nor GsTIFY10e exhibited transcriptional activity in yeast cells. However, through Y2H and BiFc assays, we demonstrated that GsTIFY10a, not GsTIFY10e, could form homodimers in yeast cells and in living plant cells. As expected, we also demonstrated that GsTIFY10a and GsTIFY10e could heterodimerize with each other in both yeast and plant cells. Taken together, our results provided direct evidence supporting the positive regulatory roles of the TIFY10 proteins in plant responses to alkaline stress.

Dynamic gene expression changes in response to micronutrient, macronutrient, and multiple stress exposures in soybean

“…Two genes Glyma.09G071600 and Glyma.01G204400, homologs of the Arabidopsis genes JAZ1 and TIFY10, respectively, were identified as memory genes in -P i roots. JAZ1 and TIFY10 regulate JA biosynthesis and signaling and are involved in regulating the JA responses to -P i , alkalinity, salinity, cold, and other stresses (Aparicio-Fabre et al 2013;Zhu et al 2014;Goossens et al 2016). Finally, AT4G35160 (Glyma.10G176500, identified in roots of both -Fe and -P i roots) is involved in melatonin synthesis.…”

Genome-wide identification and characterization of TIFY family genes in Moso Bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) and expression profiling analysis under dehydration and cold stresses

“…Over-expression of OsTIFY11a could enhance tolerance to salt and dehydration stresses in rice (Ye et al, 2009); OsTIFY11a and OsTIFY11c are involved in salt tolerance (Toda et al, 2013), and OsTIFY11d transcriptionally regulate the OsbHLH148-mediated JA signaling pathway leading to drought tolerance in rice (Ye et al, 2009). AtTIFY10a10b and their homolog in wild soybean, GsTIFY10a , are positive regulators of plant alkaline stress (Zhu et al, 2014). These results indicate that TIFY family might be valuable resource for stress responsive genes.…”

Transcriptional regulatory networks inArabidopsis thalianaduring single and combined stresses

“…The major hub in the salt stress sub-network is TIFY10A (At1g19180), which plays positive regulatory roles during responses to salt-alkaline stress in plants ( 98 ). Contrastingly, TIFY 11A (At1g17380), also known as JAZ5 (JASMONATE-ZIM-DOMAIN PROTEIN 5) protein acts as co-repressor, together with the Groucho/Tup1-type TOPLESS (TPL) for the activation of jasmonate signalling pathways during stress ( 99 ).…”