Transcriptome profiling of genes and pathways associated with arsenic toxicity and tolerance in Arabidopsis

Abstract

BackgroundArsenic (As) is a toxic metalloid found ubiquitously in the environment and widely considered an acute poison and carcinogen. However, the molecular mechanisms of the plant response to As and ensuing tolerance have not been extensively characterized. Here, we report on transcriptional changes with As treatment in two Arabidopsis accessions, Col-0 and Ws-2.ResultsThe root elongation rate was greater for Col-0 than Ws-2 with As exposure. Accumulation of As was lower in the more tolerant accession Col-0 than in Ws-2. We compared the effect of As exposure on genome-wide gene expression in the two accessions by comparative microarray assay. The genes related to heat response and oxidative stresses were common to both accessions, which indicates conserved As stress-associated responses for the two accessions. Most of the specific response genes encoded heat shock proteins, heat shock factors, ubiquitin and aquaporin transporters. Genes coding for ethylene-signalling components were enriched in As-tolerant Col-0 with As exposure. A tolerance-associated gene candidate encoding Leucine-Rich Repeat receptor-like kinase VIII (LRR-RLK VIII) was selected for functional characterization. Genetic loss-of-function analysis of the LRR-RLK VIII gene revealed altered As sensitivity and the metal accumulation in roots.ConclusionsThus, ethylene-related pathways, maintenance of protein structure and LRR-RLK VIII-mediated signalling may be important mechanisms for toxicity and tolerance to As in the species. Here, we provide a comprehensive survey of global transcriptional regulation for As and identify stress- and tolerance-associated genes responding to As.

Ethylene Potentiates Sulfur-Mediated Reversal of Cadmium Inhibited Photosynthetic Responses in Mustard

“…Ethylene is a gaseous plant hormone with versatile role in regulating photosynthesis and growth responses under abiotic stress (Wang et al, 2013; Khan and Khan, 2014; Schellingen et al, 2014; Asgher et al, 2015; Thao et al, 2015; Khan et al, 2015c). Fu et al (2014) studied the regulatory interaction between S-assimilation and ethylene for tolerance to arsenic in Arabidopsis Col-0. Exogenously applied GSH positively modulates ethylene biosynthetic pathways enzyme and improves stress tolerance in Arabidopsis Col-0 showing that GSH mediated resistance to stresses occurs via an ethylene signaling pathway (Datta et al, 2015).…”

Evaluative Profiling of Arsenic Sensing and Regulatory Systems in the Human Microbiome Project Genomes

“…Pentavalent (arsenate) and trivalent (arsenite) inorganic arsenic species perturbs the normal cell function 12. The ubiquitous natural occurrence of arsenic means that cells from all domains of life must develop molecular and phenotypic mechanisms to respond to arsenic-induced stress 13–15. Ingested arsenic is a cause of cancers of the skin, lungs, bladder, and kidneys 16.…”

Differentially expressed genes in healthy and plum pox virus-infected Nicotiana benthamiana plants

“…in biomineralisation process at phytolith production. Th ey have been transcriptionally induced in wheat infected by Fusarium graminearum, and involved in arsenic-tolerance of A. thaliana, so its function in plant metabolism under stress conditions cannot be excluded (Hill-Ambroz et al, 2006;Fu et al, 2014b).…”