Deciphering the molecular bases for drought tolerance in Arabidopsis autotetraploids.
Whole genome duplication (autopolyploidy) is common in many plant species and often leads to better adaptation to adverse environmental conditions. However, little is known about the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying these adaptations. Drought is one of the major environmental conditions limiting plant growth and development. Here, we report that, in Arabidopsis thaliana, tetraploidy promotes alterations in cell proliferation and organ size in a tissue-dependent manner. Furthermore, it potentiates plant tolerance to salt and drought stresses and decreases transpiration rate, likely through controlling stomata density and closure, abscisic acid (ABA) signalling and reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis. Our transcriptomic analyses revealed that tetraploidy mainly regulates the expression of genes involved in redox homeostasis and ABA and stress response. Taken together, our data have shed light on the molecular basis associated with stress tolerance in autopolyploid plants.
Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, 28223, Spain.
Juan C
JC
del Pozo
Elena
E
Ramirez-Parra
D000040:Abscisic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D055864:Droughts; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D063990:Gene Ontology; D017343:Genes, Plant; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000187:drug effects; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D059372:Nucleotide Motifs / Q000235:genetics; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D054046:Plant Stomata / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D055049:Salt Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D057891:Tetraploidy; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
D014157:Transcription Factors; D000040:Abscisic Acid; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide
ROS production; autotetraploidy; polyploidy; salt tolerance