Characterization of Stem Nodes Associated with Carbon Partitioning in Maize in Response to Nitrogen Availability
Stem node has been found to be a hub for controlling mineral nutrient distribution in gramineous plants. However, the characteristics of stem nodes associated with whole-plant carbon partitioning in maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) and their responses to nitrogen (N) availability remains elusi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-04-01
|
| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/8/4389 |
| _version_ | 1797445912658706432 |
|---|---|
| author | Yujing Zhao Peng Ning Xiaojie Feng Hanshuo Ren Mingtang Cui Lu Yang |
| author_facet | Yujing Zhao Peng Ning Xiaojie Feng Hanshuo Ren Mingtang Cui Lu Yang |
| author_sort | Yujing Zhao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Stem node has been found to be a hub for controlling mineral nutrient distribution in gramineous plants. However, the characteristics of stem nodes associated with whole-plant carbon partitioning in maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) and their responses to nitrogen (N) availability remains elusive. Maize plants were grown in greenhouse under low to high N supply. Plant growth, sugar accumulation, and sugar transporters in nodes and leaves, as well as the anatomical structure of nodes, were investigated at vegetative phase. When compared to N-sufficient plants, low-N availability stunted growth and resulted in 49–64% less sugars in leaves, which was attributed to low photosynthesis or the accelerated carbon export, as evidenced by more <sup>13</sup>C detected further below leaf tips. Invariably higher sugar concentrations were found in the stem nodes, rather than in the leaves across N treatments, indicating a crucial role of nodes in facilitating whole-plant carbon partitioning. More and smaller vascular bundles and phloem were observed in stem nodes of N-deficient plants, while higher sugar levels were found in the bottom nodes than in the upper ones. Low-N availability upregulated the gene expressions of sugar transporters, which putatively function in nodes such as <i>ZmSWEETs</i> and <i>ZmSUTs</i> at the bottom stem, but suppressed them in the upper ones, showing a developmental impact on node function. Further, greater activity of sugar transporters in the bottom nodes was associated with less sugars in leaves. Overall, these results highlighted that stem nodes may play an important role in facilitating long-distance sugar transport in maize. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:32:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e7cca1a9f4964e56984e7f0461cd9be9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:32:38Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-e7cca1a9f4964e56984e7f0461cd9be92023-11-30T21:16:24ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672022-04-01238438910.3390/ijms23084389Characterization of Stem Nodes Associated with Carbon Partitioning in Maize in Response to Nitrogen AvailabilityYujing Zhao0Peng Ning1Xiaojie Feng2Hanshuo Ren3Mingtang Cui4Lu Yang5Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions (Ministry of Education), College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, ChinaKey Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions (Ministry of Education), College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, ChinaKey Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions (Ministry of Education), College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, ChinaKey Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions (Ministry of Education), College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, ChinaKey Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions (Ministry of Education), College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, ChinaKey Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, ChinaStem node has been found to be a hub for controlling mineral nutrient distribution in gramineous plants. However, the characteristics of stem nodes associated with whole-plant carbon partitioning in maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) and their responses to nitrogen (N) availability remains elusive. Maize plants were grown in greenhouse under low to high N supply. Plant growth, sugar accumulation, and sugar transporters in nodes and leaves, as well as the anatomical structure of nodes, were investigated at vegetative phase. When compared to N-sufficient plants, low-N availability stunted growth and resulted in 49–64% less sugars in leaves, which was attributed to low photosynthesis or the accelerated carbon export, as evidenced by more <sup>13</sup>C detected further below leaf tips. Invariably higher sugar concentrations were found in the stem nodes, rather than in the leaves across N treatments, indicating a crucial role of nodes in facilitating whole-plant carbon partitioning. More and smaller vascular bundles and phloem were observed in stem nodes of N-deficient plants, while higher sugar levels were found in the bottom nodes than in the upper ones. Low-N availability upregulated the gene expressions of sugar transporters, which putatively function in nodes such as <i>ZmSWEETs</i> and <i>ZmSUTs</i> at the bottom stem, but suppressed them in the upper ones, showing a developmental impact on node function. Further, greater activity of sugar transporters in the bottom nodes was associated with less sugars in leaves. Overall, these results highlighted that stem nodes may play an important role in facilitating long-distance sugar transport in maize.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/8/4389carbon partitioningnitrogenstem nodesugar transportersvascular bundles |
| spellingShingle | Yujing Zhao Peng Ning Xiaojie Feng Hanshuo Ren Mingtang Cui Lu Yang Characterization of Stem Nodes Associated with Carbon Partitioning in Maize in Response to Nitrogen Availability International Journal of Molecular Sciences carbon partitioning nitrogen stem node sugar transporters vascular bundles |
| title | Characterization of Stem Nodes Associated with Carbon Partitioning in Maize in Response to Nitrogen Availability |
| title_full | Characterization of Stem Nodes Associated with Carbon Partitioning in Maize in Response to Nitrogen Availability |
| title_fullStr | Characterization of Stem Nodes Associated with Carbon Partitioning in Maize in Response to Nitrogen Availability |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterization of Stem Nodes Associated with Carbon Partitioning in Maize in Response to Nitrogen Availability |
| title_short | Characterization of Stem Nodes Associated with Carbon Partitioning in Maize in Response to Nitrogen Availability |
| title_sort | characterization of stem nodes associated with carbon partitioning in maize in response to nitrogen availability |
| topic | carbon partitioning nitrogen stem node sugar transporters vascular bundles |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/8/4389 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yujingzhao characterizationofstemnodesassociatedwithcarbonpartitioninginmaizeinresponsetonitrogenavailability AT pengning characterizationofstemnodesassociatedwithcarbonpartitioninginmaizeinresponsetonitrogenavailability AT xiaojiefeng characterizationofstemnodesassociatedwithcarbonpartitioninginmaizeinresponsetonitrogenavailability AT hanshuoren characterizationofstemnodesassociatedwithcarbonpartitioninginmaizeinresponsetonitrogenavailability AT mingtangcui characterizationofstemnodesassociatedwithcarbonpartitioninginmaizeinresponsetonitrogenavailability AT luyang characterizationofstemnodesassociatedwithcarbonpartitioninginmaizeinresponsetonitrogenavailability |