Molecular Manipulation of the miR399/<i>PHO2</i> Expression Module Alters the Salt Stress Response of <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>
In <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> (<i>Arabidopsis</i>), the microRNA399 (miR399)/<i>PHOSPHATE2</i> (<i>PHO2</i>) expression module is central to the response of <i>Arabidopsis</i> to phosphate (PO<sub>4</sub>) stress. In addition,...
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MDPI AG
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/1/73 |
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| author | Joseph L. Pegler Jackson M.J. Oultram Christopher P.L. Grof Andrew L Eamens |
| author_facet | Joseph L. Pegler Jackson M.J. Oultram Christopher P.L. Grof Andrew L Eamens |
| author_sort | Joseph L. Pegler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> (<i>Arabidopsis</i>), the microRNA399 (miR399)/<i>PHOSPHATE2</i> (<i>PHO2</i>) expression module is central to the response of <i>Arabidopsis</i> to phosphate (PO<sub>4</sub>) stress. In addition, miR399 has been demonstrated to also alter in abundance in response to salt stress. We therefore used a molecular modification approach to alter miR399 abundance to investigate the requirement of altered miR399 abundance in <i>Arabidopsis</i> in response to salt stress. The generated transformant lines, <i>MIM399</i> and <i>MIR399</i> plants, with reduced and elevated miR399 abundance respectively, displayed differences in their phenotypic and physiological response to those of wild-type <i>Arabidopsis</i> (Col-0) plants following exposure to a 7-day period of salt stress. However, at the molecular level, elevated miR399 abundance, and therefore, altered <i>PHO2</i> target gene expression in salt-stressed Col-0, <i>MIM399</i> and <i>MIR399</i> plants, resulted in significant changes to the expression level of the two PO<sub>4</sub> transporter genes, <i>PHOSPHATE TRANSPORTER1;4</i> (<i>PHT1;4</i>) and <i>PHT1;9</i>. Elevated PHT1;4 and PHT1;9 PO<sub>4</sub> transporter levels in salt stressed <i>Arabidopsis</i> would enhance PO<sub>4</sub> translocation from the root to the shoot tissue which would supply additional levels of this precious cellular resource that could be utilized by the aerial tissues of salt stressed <i>Arabidopsis</i> to either maintain essential biological processes or to mount an adaptive response to salt stress. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:35:03Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:35:03Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-a0cce6f96333424980556350467dc6702023-11-21T07:36:37ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472020-12-011017310.3390/plants10010073Molecular Manipulation of the miR399/<i>PHO2</i> Expression Module Alters the Salt Stress Response of <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>Joseph L. Pegler0Jackson M.J. Oultram1Christopher P.L. Grof2Andrew L Eamens3Centre for Plant Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, AustraliaCentre for Plant Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, AustraliaCentre for Plant Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, AustraliaCentre for Plant Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, AustraliaIn <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> (<i>Arabidopsis</i>), the microRNA399 (miR399)/<i>PHOSPHATE2</i> (<i>PHO2</i>) expression module is central to the response of <i>Arabidopsis</i> to phosphate (PO<sub>4</sub>) stress. In addition, miR399 has been demonstrated to also alter in abundance in response to salt stress. We therefore used a molecular modification approach to alter miR399 abundance to investigate the requirement of altered miR399 abundance in <i>Arabidopsis</i> in response to salt stress. The generated transformant lines, <i>MIM399</i> and <i>MIR399</i> plants, with reduced and elevated miR399 abundance respectively, displayed differences in their phenotypic and physiological response to those of wild-type <i>Arabidopsis</i> (Col-0) plants following exposure to a 7-day period of salt stress. However, at the molecular level, elevated miR399 abundance, and therefore, altered <i>PHO2</i> target gene expression in salt-stressed Col-0, <i>MIM399</i> and <i>MIR399</i> plants, resulted in significant changes to the expression level of the two PO<sub>4</sub> transporter genes, <i>PHOSPHATE TRANSPORTER1;4</i> (<i>PHT1;4</i>) and <i>PHT1;9</i>. Elevated PHT1;4 and PHT1;9 PO<sub>4</sub> transporter levels in salt stressed <i>Arabidopsis</i> would enhance PO<sub>4</sub> translocation from the root to the shoot tissue which would supply additional levels of this precious cellular resource that could be utilized by the aerial tissues of salt stressed <i>Arabidopsis</i> to either maintain essential biological processes or to mount an adaptive response to salt stress.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/1/73<i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>molecular manipulationmicroRNA399 (miR399)<i>PHOSPHATE2</i> (<i>PHO2</i>) gene expression regulationsalt stressRT-qPCR |
| spellingShingle | Joseph L. Pegler Jackson M.J. Oultram Christopher P.L. Grof Andrew L Eamens Molecular Manipulation of the miR399/<i>PHO2</i> Expression Module Alters the Salt Stress Response of <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> Plants <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> molecular manipulation microRNA399 (miR399) <i>PHOSPHATE2</i> (<i>PHO2</i>) gene expression regulation salt stress RT-qPCR |
| title | Molecular Manipulation of the miR399/<i>PHO2</i> Expression Module Alters the Salt Stress Response of <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> |
| title_full | Molecular Manipulation of the miR399/<i>PHO2</i> Expression Module Alters the Salt Stress Response of <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> |
| title_fullStr | Molecular Manipulation of the miR399/<i>PHO2</i> Expression Module Alters the Salt Stress Response of <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Molecular Manipulation of the miR399/<i>PHO2</i> Expression Module Alters the Salt Stress Response of <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> |
| title_short | Molecular Manipulation of the miR399/<i>PHO2</i> Expression Module Alters the Salt Stress Response of <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> |
| title_sort | molecular manipulation of the mir399 i pho2 i expression module alters the salt stress response of i arabidopsis thaliana i |
| topic | <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> molecular manipulation microRNA399 (miR399) <i>PHOSPHATE2</i> (<i>PHO2</i>) gene expression regulation salt stress RT-qPCR |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/1/73 |
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