Implications of ethylene biosynthesis and signaling in soybean drought stress tolerance.
BACKGROUND
Ethylene is a phytohormone known for inducing a triple response in seedlings, leaf abscission and other responses to various stresses. Several studies in model plants have evaluated the importance of this hormone in crosstalk signaling with different metabolic pathways, in addition to responses to biotic stresses. However, the mechanism of action in plants of agricultural interest, such as soybean, and its participation in abiotic stresses remain unclear.


RESULTS
The studies presented in this work allowed for the identification of 176 soybean genes described elsewhere for ethylene biosynthesis (108 genes) and signal transduction (68 genes). A model to predict these routes in soybean was proposed, and it had great representability compared to those described for Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa. Furthermore, analysis of putative gene promoters from soybean gene orthologs permitted the identification of 29 families of cis-acting elements. These elements are essential for ethylene-mediated regulation and its possible crosstalk with other signaling pathways mediated by other plant hormones. From genes that are differentially expressed in the transcriptome database, we analyzed the relative expression of some selected genes in resistant and tolerant soybean plants subjected to water deficit. The differential expression of a set of five soybean ethylene-related genes (MAT, ACS, ACO, ETR and CTR) was validated with RT-qPCR experiments, which confirmed variations in the expression of these soybean target genes, as identified in the transcriptome database. In particular, two families of ethylene biosynthesis genes (ACS and ACO) were upregulated under these experimental conditions, whereas CTR (involved in ethylene signal transduction) was downregulated. In the same samples, high levels of ethylene production were detected and were directly correlated with the free fraction levels of ethylene's precursor. Thus, the combination of these data indicated the involvement of ethylene biosynthesis and signaling in soybean responses to water stress.


CONCLUSIONS
The in silico analysis, combined with the quantification of ethylene production (and its precursor) and RT-qPCR experiments, allowed for a better understanding of the importance of ethylene at a molecular level in this crop as well as its role in the response to abiotic stresses. In summary, all of the data presented here suggested that soybean responses to water stress could be regulated by a crosstalk network among different signaling pathways, which might involve various phytohormones, such as auxins, ABA and jasmonic acid. The integration of in silico and physiological data could also contribute to the application of biotechnological strategies to the development of improved cultivars with regard to different stresses, such as the isolation of stress-specific plant promoters.
Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Campus do Vale, Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Postal Code 15005, CEP 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. fabricio.arraes@gmail.com.|Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, PqEB, Av. W5-Norte, Postal Code 02372, CEP 70770-910, Brasilia, DF, Brazil. fabricio.arraes@gmail.com.
Fabricio Barbosa Monteiro
FB
Arraes
Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Campus do Vale, Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Postal Code 15005, CEP 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. magbeneventi@gmail.com.|Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, PqEB, Av. W5-Norte, Postal Code 02372, CEP 70770-910, Brasilia, DF, Brazil. magbeneventi@gmail.com.
Magda Aparecida
MA
Beneventi
Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, PqEB, Av. W5-Norte, Postal Code 02372, CEP 70770-910, Brasilia, DF, Brazil. maria-eugenia.sa@colaborador.embrapa.br.|Agricultural Research Company of Minas Gerais State, Rua Afonso Rato 1301, Postal Code 311, CEP 38001-970, Uberaba, MG, Brazil. maria-eugenia.sa@colaborador.embrapa.br.
Maria Eugenia
ME
Lisei de Sa
Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, PqEB, Av. W5-Norte, Postal Code 02372, CEP 70770-910, Brasilia, DF, Brazil. joaquinfrp@gmail.com.|Brasilia University - Biology Institute, Brasilia, DF, Brazil. joaquinfrp@gmail.com.
Joaquin Felipe Roca
JF
Paixao
Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, PqEB, Av. W5-Norte, Postal Code 02372, CEP 70770-910, Brasilia, DF, Brazil. erika.albuquerque@embrapa.br.
Erika Valeria Saliba
EV
Albuquerque
Embrapa Soybean, Rodovia Carlos João Strass, SN, Acesso Orlando Amaral, Distrito de Warta, Postal Code 231, CEP 86001-970, Londrina, PR, Brazil. silvana.marin@embrapa.br.
Silvana Regina Rockenbach
SR
Marin
Food Chemistry and Biochemistry Laboratory, Sao Paulo University, Av. Lineu Prestes 580, Bloco 14, Cidade Universitaria, CEP 05508-000, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil. epurgatt@usp.br.
Eduardo
E
Purgatto
Embrapa Soybean, Rodovia Carlos João Strass, SN, Acesso Orlando Amaral, Distrito de Warta, Postal Code 231, CEP 86001-970, Londrina, PR, Brazil. alexandre.nepomuceno@embrapa.br.
Alexandre Lima
AL
Nepomuceno
Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, PqEB, Av. W5-Norte, Postal Code 02372, CEP 70770-910, Brasilia, DF, Brazil. fatima.grossi@embrapa.br.|Catholic University of Brasilia, SGAN 916, Modulo B, Av. W5, Asa Norte, CEP 70790-160, Brasilia, DF, Brazil. fatima.grossi@embrapa.br.
Maria Fatima
MF
Grossi-de-Sa
D003198:Computer Simulation; D055864:Droughts; D005030:Ethylenes / Q000378:metabolism*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways; D008957:Models, Genetic; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013025:Glycine max / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D059467:Transcriptome
D005030:Ethylenes; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; C036216:ethylene