Understanding the salt overly sensitive pathway in Prunus: Identification and characterization of NHX, CIPK, and CBL genes

Abstract

Salinity is a major abiotic stress factor that can significantly impact crop growth, and productivity. In response to salt stress, the plant Salt Overly Sensitive (SOS) signaling pathway regulates the homeostasis of intracellular sodium ion concentration. The SOS1, SOS2, and SOS3 genes play critical roles in the SOS pathway, which belongs to the members of Na+/H+ exchanger (NHX), CBL‐interacting protein kinase (CIPK), and calcineurin B‐like (CBL) gene families, respectively. In this study, we performed genome‐wide identifications and phylogenetic analyses of NHX, CIPK, and CBL genes in six Rosaceae species: Prunus persica, Prunus dulcis, Prunus mume, Prunus armeniaca, Pyrus ussuriensis × Pyrus communis, and Rosa chinensis. NHX, CIPK, and CBL genes of Arabidopsis thaliana were used as controls for phylogenetic analyses. Our analysis revealed the lineage‐specific and adaptive evolutions of Rosaceae genes. Our observations indicated the existence of two primary classes of CIPK genes: those that are intron‐rich and those that are intron‐less. Intron‐rich CIPKs in Rosaceae and Arabidopsis can be traced back to algae CIPKs and CIPKs found in early plants, suggesting that intron‐less CIPKs evolved from their intron‐rich counterparts. This study identified one gene for each member of the SOS signaling pathway in P. persica: PpSOS1, PpSOS2, and PpSOS3. Gene expression analyses indicated that all three genes of P. persica were expressed in roots and leaves. Yeast two‐hybrid‐based protein–protein interaction analyses revealed a direct interaction between PpSOS3 and PpSOS2; and between PpSOS2 and PpSOS1C‐terminus region. Our findings indicate that the SOS signaling pathway is highly conserved in P. persica.

Genome‐wide characterization of trihelix genes reveals Cqtrihelix23 enhances the salt tolerance in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa)

“…Transcriptional regulation plays a vital role in enhancing plant salt stress tolerance, as transcription factors control the expression of stress‐responsive genes that contribute to the plant's response to stress (Acharya et al, 2023). Amongst the gene families responsive to salt stress, CBL and NHX hold significant importance (Acharya et al, 2023). By identifying the CqCBL and CqNHX families in quinoa, we can establish a crucial groundwork for understanding the involvement of Cqtrihelix in salt stress regulation.…”

“…Transcriptional regulation plays a vital role in enhancing plant salt stress tolerance, as transcription factors control the expression of stress-responsive genes that contribute to the plant's response to stress (Acharya et al, 2023). Amongst the gene families responsive to salt stress, CBL and NHX hold significant importance (Acharya et al, 2023). By identifying the CqCBL and CqNHX families in quinoa, we can establish a crucial groundwork for understanding the involvement of Cqtrihelix in salt stress regulation.…”

PacBio Full-Length Transcriptome Sequencing Reveals the Mechanism of Salt Stress Response in Sonneratia apetala

“…CML and CDPK genes are also involved in the regulation of the salt overly sensitive (SOS) pathway in plants during their response to salt stress [34]. CML and CDPK genes can interact with key proteins in the SOS pathway and could regulate the activity and function of these proteins [35]. For example, in the SOS pathway, CBL could activate CIPK in response to salt stress and thus could promote ion excretion.…”

Exploring the genomics of abiotic stress tolerance and crop resilience to climate change

“…Elevated concentrations of NaCl in the soil lead to a decrease in water potential and diminished water availability, resulting in osmotic stress in plants ( Acosta-Motos et al, 2017). Acharya et al (2023) conducted genomewide identifications and phylogenetic analyses of key genes, including NHX, CIPK, and CBL, associated with the plant salt overly sensitive (SOS) signaling pathway across six Rosaceae species. The investigation revealed that intron-rich CIPKs in Rosaceae and Arabidopsis traced their origins back to algae CIPKs and those found in early plants, suggesting the evolutionary development of intron-less CIPKs from their intron-rich counterparts.…”