Loss-of-function mutation of the calcium sensor CBL1 increases aluminum sensitivity in Arabidopsis.
Despite the physiological importance of aluminum (Al) phytotoxicity for plants, it remained unknown if, and how, calcineurin B-like calcium sensors (CBLs) and CBL-interacting protein kinases (CIPKs) are involved in Al resistance. We performed a comparative physiological and whole transcriptome investigation of an Arabidopsis CBL1 mutant (cbl1) and the wild-type (WT). cbl1 plants exudated less Al-chelating malate, accumulated more Al, and displayed a severe root growth reduction in response to Al. Genes involved in metabolism, transport, cell wall modification, transcription and oxidative stress were differentially regulated between the two lines, under both control and Al stress treatments. Exposure to Al resulted in up-regulation of a large set of genes only in WT and not cbl1 shoots, while a different set of genes were down-regulated in cbl1 but not in WT roots. These differences allowed us, for the first time, to define a calcium-regulated/dependent transcriptomic network for Al stress responses. Our analyses reveal not only the fundamental role of CBL1 in the adjustment of central transcriptomic networks involved in maintaining adequate physiological homeostasis processes, but also that a high shoot-root dynamics is required for the proper deployment of Al resistance responses in the root.
Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USDA-ARS, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
Ayalew
A
Ligaba-Osena
Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
Zhangjun
Z
Fei
Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USDA-ARS, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
Jiping
J
Liu
Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
Yimin
Y
Xu
Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USDA-ARS, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
Jon
J
Shaff
Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.|Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, Korea.
Sung-Chul
SC
Lee
Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
Sheng
S
Luan
Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Institut für Biologie und Biotechnologie der Pflanzen, Schlossplatz 7, 48149, Münster, Germany.
Jörg
J
Kudla
Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USDA-ARS, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
Leon
L
Kochian
Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USDA-ARS, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
Miguel
M
Piñeros
D000535:Aluminum / Q000633:toxicity*; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D063990:Gene Ontology; D017343:Genes, Plant; D000073658:Loss of Function Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D008293:Malates / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects; D059467:Transcriptome / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics
D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D008293:Malates; C483419:calcineurin B-like protein 1, Arabidopsis; C030298:malic acid; D000535:Aluminum; D002118:Calcium
Arabidopsis; CBL1; CIPKs; RNA-Seq; aluminum (Al); citrate; malate