title: Catechol, a major component of smoke, influences primary root growth and root hair elongation through reactive oxygen species-mediated redox signaling.
abstract: Nicotiana attenuata germinates from long-lived seedbanks in native soils after fires. Although smoke signals have been known to break seed dormancy, whether they also affect seedling establishment and root development remains unclear. In order to test this, seedlings were treated with smoke solutions. Seedlings responded in a dose-dependent manner with significantly increased primary root lengths, due mainly to longitudinal cell elongation, increased numbers of lateral roots and impaired root hair development. Bioassay-driven fractionations and NMR were used to identify catechol as the main active compound for the smoke-induced root phenotype. The transcriptome analysis revealed that mainly genes related to auxin biosynthesis and redox homeostasis were altered after catechol treatment. However, histochemical analyses of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the inability of auxin applications to rescue the phenotype clearly indicated that highly localized changes in the root's redox-status, rather than in levels of auxin, are the primary effector. Moreover, H2O2application rescued the phenotype in a dose-dependent manner. Chemical cues in smoke not only initiate seed germination, but also influence seedling root growth; understanding how these cues work provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms by which plants adapt to post-fire environments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Str. 8, 07745, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Str. 8, 07745, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schoettner
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Str. 8, 07745, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Shuqing
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7010-4604
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: NMR Group, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Str. 8, 07745, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paetz
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Str. 8, 07745, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilde
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Str. 8, 07745, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Ian T
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Baldwin
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell-Str. 8, 07745, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Groten
mesh_terms: D001681:Biological Assay; D002396:Catechols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000633:toxicity; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D010641:Phenotype; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D011714:Pyrans / Q000494:pharmacology; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D036226:Seedlings / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D012906:Smoke; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D002396:Catechols; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids; D011714:Pyrans; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D012906:Smoke; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; C034221:catechol
keywords: 
  Nicotiana attenuata
  ; antioxidant; auxin; catechol; post-fire annual; reactive oxygen species (ROS); smoke