title: Hydrogen sulphide improves adaptation of Zea mays seedlings to iron deficiency.
abstract: Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) is emerging as a potential molecule involved in physiological regulation in plants. However, whether H2S regulates iron-shortage responses in plants is largely unknown. Here, the role of H2S in modulating iron availability in maize (Zea mays L. cv Canner) seedlings grown in iron-deficient culture solution is reported. The main results are as follows: Firstly, NaHS, a donor of H2S, completely prevented leaf interveinal chlorosis in maize seedlings grown in iron-deficient culture solution. Secondly, electron micrographs of mesophyll cells from iron-deficient maize seedlings revealed plastids with few photosynthetic lamellae and rudimentary grana. On the contrary, mesophyll chloroplasts appeared completely developed in H2S-treated maize seedlings. Thirdly, H2S treatment increased iron accumulation in maize seedlings by changing the expression levels of iron homeostasis- and sulphur metabolism-related genes. Fourthly, phytosiderophore (PS) accumulation and secretion were enhanced by H2S treatment in seedlings grown in iron-deficient solution. Indeed, the gene expression of ferric-phytosiderophore transporter (ZmYS1) was specifically induced by iron deficiency in maize leaves and roots, whereas their abundance was decreased by NaHS treatment. Lastly, H2S significantly enhanced photosynthesis through promoting the protein expression of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase large subunit (RuBISCO LSU) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) and the expression of genes encoding RuBISCO large subunit (RBCL), small subunit (RBCS), D1 protein (psbA), and PEPC in maize seedlings grown in iron-deficient solution. These results indicate that H2S is closely related to iron uptake, transport, and accumulation, and consequently increases chlorophyll biosynthesis, chloroplast development, and photosynthesis in plants.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, P.R. China. Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystem, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystem, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, P.R. China. College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310036, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Fei-Hua
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yu-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystem, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wen-Hua
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystem, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wen-Jun
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystem, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystem, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhou-Ping
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Shangguan
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystem, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, P.R. China. zhenghl@xmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Hai-Lei
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000064:Acclimatization; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000378:metabolism*; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D036226:Seedlings / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D003313:Zea mays / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D007501:Iron; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide
keywords: Chlorophyll; Zea mays.; chloroplast ultrastructure; hydrogen sulphide (H2S); iron-deficient; photosynthesis; phytosiderophore