Sugar Enhances Growth Through Specific Plant Genes in Torreya Grandis

Jim Crocker
16th July, 2024

Sugar Enhances Growth Through Specific Plant Genes in Torreya Grandis

Image Source: Natural Science News, 2024

Key Findings

  • Researchers at Zhejiang A&F University discovered that sucrose promotes cone enlargement in Torreya grandis by affecting cell size and number
  • The expansin gene TgEXPA2, which loosens cell walls to allow cell expansion, plays a significant role in this process
  • The transcription factor TgWRKY47 enhances TgEXPA2 expression, while TgNGA1 interacts with TgWRKY47 to suppress its DNA-binding ability, showing a complex regulatory mechanism
Understanding the mechanisms behind cone enlargement in gymnosperms is vital for improving seed production and reproduction in these plants. Gymnosperms, like Torreya grandis, have been less studied at the molecular level compared to angiosperms. A recent study by researchers at Zhejiang A&F University has shed light on the molecular pathways that promote cone enlargement in T. grandis, which could have broader implications for other gymnosperms as well[1]. The research focuses on the role of sucrose in promoting cone enlargement through a specific molecular pathway involving the genes TgNGA1, TgWRKY47, and TgEXPA2. Sucrose, a common sugar, is not only an energy source but also acts as a signaling molecule affecting plant growth and development[2]. In this study, sucrose was found to induce changes in cell size and number, contributing to the enlargement of cones in T. grandis. The researchers used 13C labeling and sucrose feeding experiments to demonstrate that sucrose promotes cell expansion, a key factor in cone enlargement. They identified that the expansin gene TgEXPA2 plays a significant role in this process. Expansins are proteins that loosen the cell wall, allowing cells to expand[3]. The study showed that TgEXPA2 positively regulates cell expansion in T. grandis cones, which was confirmed through RNA-sequencing analysis, transient overexpression in T. grandis cones, and stable overexpression in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Further investigation revealed that the WRKY transcription factor TgWRKY47 enhances the expression of TgEXPA2 by binding to its promoter region. Transcription factors are proteins that help turn specific genes on or off by binding to nearby DNA. TgWRKY47 was found to directly increase the expression of TgEXPA2, thereby promoting cell expansion and cone enlargement. Interestingly, the study also identified an interaction between TgWRKY47 and another transcription factor, TgNGA1. The NGATHA transcription factor TgNGA1 interacts with TgWRKY47 and suppresses its DNA-binding ability, reducing TgWRKY47's activation of TgEXPA2. This suppression occurs without affecting the transactivation ability of TgWRKY47, indicating a complex regulatory mechanism. Previous studies have highlighted the importance of gene expression in reproductive organ development in gymnosperms. For example, research on Norway spruce (Picea abies) has shown that MADS-box genes play significant roles in the development of seed cones[4]. Additionally, the remodeling of the plant cell wall, which involves components like pectin and cellulose, is crucial for cell and organ morphogenesis[3]. The current study builds on these findings by elucidating a specific pathway through which sucrose influences cell expansion and cone enlargement in T. grandis. Moreover, the study ties into broader research on the interplay between sugar signaling and gene expression. In maize, for instance, sugar levels and hormone interactions have been shown to regulate seed development through complex pathways[5]. The findings from T. grandis add a new dimension to our understanding of how sugars can influence reproductive structures in gymnosperms. In summary, the study by Zhejiang A&F University researchers uncovers a critical pathway involving TgNGA1, TgWRKY47, and TgEXPA2 that mediates sucrose-induced cone enlargement in T. grandis. This research not only enhances our understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind cone development in gymnosperms but also opens up potential avenues for improving seed production in these important plants.

GeneticsBiochemPlant Science

References

Main Study

1) Sucrose promotes cone enlargement via the TgNGA1-TgWRKY47-TgEXPA2 module in Torreya grandis.

Published 15th July, 2024

https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.19972

Related Studies

2) Dynamic epigenetic modifications in plant sugar signal transduction.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2021.10.009

3) Cellular growth in plants requires regulation of cell wall biochemistry.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceb.2017.01.002

4) Molecular control of normal and acrocona mutant seed cone development in Norway spruce (Picea abies) and the evolution of conifer ovule-bearing organs.

https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.12360

5) Sugar-hormone cross-talk in seed development: two redundant pathways of IAA biosynthesis are regulated differentially in the invertase-deficient miniature1 (mn1) seed mutant in maize.

https://doi.org/10.1093/mp/ssq057


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