scholarly journals Transcriptome-wide characterization and functional analysis of MATE transporters in response to aluminum toxicity in Medicago sativa L.

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e6302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xueyang Min ◽  
Xiaoyu Jin ◽  
Wenxian Liu ◽  
Xingyi Wei ◽  
Zhengshe Zhang ◽  
...  

Multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) transporters contribute to multidrug resistance and play major determinants of aluminum (Al) tolerance in plants. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is the most extensively cultivated forage crop in the world, yet most alfalfa cultivars are not Al tolerant. The basic knowledge of the MATE transcripts family and the characterisation of specific MATE members involved in alfalfa Al stress remain unclear. In this study, 88 alfalfa MATE (MsMATE) transporters were identified at the whole transcriptome level. Phylogenetic analysis classified them into four subfamilies comprising 11 subgroups. Generally, five kinds of motifs were found in group G1, and most were located at the N-terminus, which might confer these genes with Al detoxification functions. Furthermore, 10 putative Al detoxification-related MsMATE genes were identified and the expression of five genes was significantly increased after Al treatment, indicating that these genes might play important roles in conferring Al tolerance to alfalfa. Considering the limited functional understanding of MATE transcripts in alfalfa, our findings will be valuable for the functional investigation and application of this family in alfalfa.

Botany ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julian C. Verdonk ◽  
Michael L. Sullivan

Gene silencing is a powerful technique that allows the study of the function of specific genes by selectively reducing their transcription. Several different approaches can be used, however they all have in common the artificial generation of single stranded small ribonucleic acids (RNAs) that are utilized by the endogenous gene silencing machinery of the organism. Artificial microRNAs (amiRNA) can be used to very specifically target genes for silencing because only a short sequence of 21 nucleotides of the gene of interest is used. Gene silencing via amiRNA has been developed for Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. and rice using endogenous microRNA (miRNA) precursors and has been shown to also work effectively in other dicot species using the arabidopsis miRNA precursor. Here, we demonstrate that the arabidopsis miR319 precursor can be used to silence genes in the important forage crop species alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) by silencing the expression of a transgenic beta-glucuronidase (GUSPlus) target gene.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 635-640
Author(s):  
Valentina Butleska Gjoroska ◽  
Liljana Koleva Gudeva ◽  
Lenka Cvetanovska

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) leaves and stems contain different proteins and nitrogen concentration in different stages of growth. The objective of this study is to determine the dynamic of nutrient accumulation of total nitrogen and proteins in leaves and stems. The experiment was conducted in three slopes, on three regions in the Republic of North Macedonia (Tetovo, Skopje and Ovche Pole). Chemical analysis of total nitrogen and proteins were obtained from first, second and third slope. Modern techniques have been used for analyzing the protein activity of plant material in multiple measuring points. Significant differences are found in the production of total nitrogen and proteins between the locations in Tetovo region on one side, and Skopje and Ovche Pole on the other side. It shows that Tetovo region has better conditions for producing alfalfa protein. Alfalfa is a culture that is rich in high nitrogen and protein content in the Tetovo region, which is correlated with the amino acid composition, resulting in a high biological value. Therefore, alfalfa is the dominant forage crop and active diet culture with high applicability to the bio-diet. Proteins are the most abundant biomolecules in plants and other organisms. Protein macromolecules make up half of the dry matter in the plant cell. The plant cell contains many different proteins with a specific function. Proteins contain the most important property - biological specificity, so the individuality of each organism is conditioned by the type of protein it is made of. Proteins have a specific structure that is found in their biological activity. Proteins are the most important components in the plant cell. Nitrogen is one of the many compounds important for plant life processes and its role in physiological processes in plants is quite large. The needs of certain plants for nitrogen are different. Nitrogen in plants is important in the composition of proteins, nucleic acids, coenzymes, alkaloids, some pigments and other compounds. Accordingly, the nitrogen in plants exists as non-protein and protein nitrogen, found in the protein component. It can only enter the plant cell if it is reduced to ammonia. This scientific research paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the nitrogen and protein composition of alfalfa grown in the Skopje, Tetovo and Ovche Pole region. The results of this research, represent the first full and complete overview of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), with its protein composition, which would be of great importance for the further cultivation of this forage crop. Scientific evidence has shown that the Tetovo region has a higher advantage over the Skopje and Ovche Pole region in terms of nitrogen and protein content, which are crucial nutrients in forage crops.


2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Nursyamsi ◽  
M. Osaki ◽  
T. Tadano

Planting Al tolerant crops is an economically justifiable approach in crop production on acid soils. Experiments were conducted to study the mechanisms of Al tolerance among species and varieties of tropical rice, maize, and soybean with previously known levels of Al tolerance. These varieties were hydroponically cultured in 0, 5, 10, and 30 mg l-1 Al with complete nutrient solution at pH 4. The results show that root/shoot ratio of dry weight at 10 mg l-1 Al treatment was an important parameter to indicate differential Al tolerance in maize. Oxalic acid exudation from roots cannot always explain the Al tolerance. Total organic acid concentration in roots at 10 mg l-1 Al treatment indicated a difference of Al tolerance in soybean and lowland rice. Aluminum translocation from roots to shoots was lower in  tolerant varieties than in sensitive varieties of soybean. Increased Al concentration in shoots with increased Al level in the solution was larger in soybean and maize than in lowland or upland rice. Among varieties of  soybean, the Al concentration in shoots increased drastically in Wilis (Al-sensitive variety) with increase Al level, while in Kitamusume (Al-tolerant variety) it did not.


2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 12
Author(s):  
D. Nursyamsi ◽  
M. Osaki ◽  
T. Tadano

Planting Al tolerant crops is an economically justifiable approach in crop production on acid soils. Experiments were conducted to study the mechanisms of Al tolerance among species and varieties of tropical rice, maize, and soybean with previously known levels of Al tolerance. These varieties were hydroponically cultured in 0, 5, 10, and 30 mg l-1 Al with complete nutrient solution at pH 4. The results show that root/shoot ratio of dry weight at 10 mg l-1 Al treatment was an important parameter to indicate differential Al tolerance in maize. Oxalic acid exudation from roots cannot always explain the Al tolerance. Total organic acid concentration in roots at 10 mg l-1 Al treatment indicated a difference of Al tolerance in soybean and lowland rice. Aluminum translocation from roots to shoots was lower in  tolerant varieties than in sensitive varieties of soybean. Increased Al concentration in shoots with increased Al level in the solution was larger in soybean and maize than in lowland or upland rice. Among varieties of  soybean, the Al concentration in shoots increased drastically in Wilis (Al-sensitive variety) with increase Al level, while in Kitamusume (Al-tolerant variety) it did not.


Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Surendra Bhattarai ◽  
Dilip Biswas ◽  
Yong-Bi Fu ◽  
Bill Biligetu

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is an important legume forage crop. However, its genetic improvement for salt tolerance is challenging, as alfalfa’s response to salt stress is genetically and physiologically complex. A review was made to update the knowledge of morphological, physiological, biochemical, and genetic responses of alfalfa plants to salt stress, and to discuss the potential of applying modern plant technologies to enhance alfalfa salt-resistant breeding, including genomic selection, RNA-Seq analysis, and cutting-edge Synchrotron beamlines. It is clear that alfalfa salt tolerance can be better characterized, genes conditioning salt tolerance be identified, and new marker-based tools be developed to accelerate alfalfa breeding for salt tolerance.


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