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Structure and regulation of an ABA- and desiccation-responsive gene from the resurrection plant Craterostigma plantagineum.

A gene from the resurrection plant Craterostigma plantagineum (CDeT6-19) encoding a protein with sequence similarity to a major group of late embryogenesis-abundant proteins (termed rab17, dehydrin or Lea D11) is regulated by abscisic acid (ABA) and desiccation. The corresponding transcript and protein is highly inducible in vegetative and callus tissue. To analyse the mechanism of CDeT6-19 regulation its promoter was fused to the beta-glucuronidase reporter gene (GUS) and introduced by PEG (polyethylene glycol) into protoplasts of Craterostigma or tobacco. With 889 bp of promoter sequence the GUS expression was significantly stimulated by ABA treatment in transient expression assays. ABA responsiveness was still observed with shorter promoter fragments, although they gave rise to lower GUS activities. Sequence comparisons with promoters from related genes of other species identified the conservation of potential ABA-responsive elements. In tobacco and Craterostigma plants stably transformed with CDeT6-19 promoter constructs a basal GUS activity is observed. However, GUS expression is enhanced by ABA or drying treatment of leaf tissues. In tobacco high promoter activity was observed in mature seeds (embryos) and in pollen.

Abscisic Acid↗

Analysis of an ABA-responsive rice gene promoter in transgenic tobacco.

We have analyzed in transgenic tobacco the expression of a chimeric gene containing 5' sequences of the rice rab-16B gene fused to the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene. This construct, a translational fusion (-482 to +184) including 14 amino acids of the RAB-16B protein, is expressed only in zygotic and pollen-derived embryos. In zygotic embryos, GUS activity begins to accumulate 10 days after flowering (daf), and increases until seed maturation at 25 daf. Immunological measurements of endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) accumulation in these seeds showed a close parallel between hormone levels and GUS activity. However, GUS activity could not be reproducibly induced by treatment of immature embryos with ABA (10 microM). Neither GUS activity nor GUS mRNA could be detected in leaves of transgenic tobacco even after ABA treatment. In contrast, GUS activity could be induced to high levels in pollen-derived embryos by treatment with ABA. Our results show that 482 bp of 5' sequences of the rice rab-16B promoter can confer in transgenic tobacco developmentally regulated expression in embryos but not ABA-responsive expression in vegetative tissues.

Abscisic Acid↗

Performance on ABA-ASA in-training examination predicts success for RCPSC certification. American Board of Anesthesiology-American Society of Anesthesiologists. Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

PURPOSE: Most Canadian University Departments of Anesthesia require residents to take the American Board of Anesthesiology-American Society of Anesthesiologists (ABA-ASA) in-training examination (ITE). The result is expressed as a percentile relative to all examinees at similar levels of training. Its value as a predictor of performance in the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) certification examinations is not known. METHODS: All English speaking Canadian residency programs in Anesthesia were surveyed. Results of the ABA-ASA ITE of former residents who had completed RCPSC certification were collected as percentile scores according to level of training. Level of training was based on the number of months of anesthesia training and classified according to American residency program nomenclature. The ABA-ASA ITE scores were correlated with success on the RCPSC written and oral examinations. The probability of success on the RCPSC examinations was determined by calculating the cutoff score with the best sensitivity and specificity as determined by Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves for each year in which the examination was taken and for both the written and oral examinations. RESULTS: Nine residency programs provided information on 165 residents. A weak positive correlation was found between scores on each year of the ABA-ASA exam. Scores > 50th percentile for any year were highly predictive of success in the written component ( > 60th percentile for the oral component). Scores < 20th percentile were predictive of failure on both the written and oral components of the RCPSC examination. CONCLUSION: The ABA-ASA ITE is a useful tool in predicting performance on the RCPSC examination.

Anesthesiology↗

Effect of ABA upon anthocyanin synthesis in regenerated torenia shoots.

To elucidate the mechanism of anthocyanin synthesis induction concomitant with chlorophyll degradation, we established a system in which anthocyanin synthesis and degradation of chlorophyll in regenerated torenia (Torenia fournieri) shoots was induced on medium containing 7% sucrose. Here, we studied the effect of several plant-growth regulators on anthocyanin synthesis and the degradation of chlorophyll in the torenia shoot regenerating system. Exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) could induce anthocyanin synthesis and chlorophyll senescence in regenerating torenia shoots on the medium containing a low concentration of sucrose (1.5%). We determined the changes in the amount of endogenous ABA in the regenerated shoots during the process of anthocyanin synthesis on the medium containing 7% sucrose. It was revealed that the 7% sucrose treatment elevated endogenous ABA levels before the induction of anthocyanin synthesis and chlorophyll degradation. However, while retransfer to the 1.5% sucrose medium resulted in a gradual decrease in the ABA level and a failure of induction of anthocyanin synthesis, normal shoot regeneration. These results suggest that changes in the amount of endogenous ABA may play an important role in the induction of anthocyanin synthesis and chlorophyll degradation in regenerated torenia shoots.

Abscisic Acid↗

Seasonal changes in needle water content and needle ABA concentration of Japanese red pine, Pinus densiflora, in declining forests on Mt. Gokurakuji, Hiroshima prefecture, Japan.

To evaluate the effects of air pollution on the decline of Pinus densiflora forests, various research has been conducted around Mt. Gokurakuji (34 degrees 23'N, 132 degrees 19'E, 693 m a.s.l.) north of the Seto Inland Sea, west Japan. To investigate the mechanisms responsible for decreases in photosynthesis (Pn) and stomatal conductance (gl), delta13C of needles and seasonal changes in the water content (WC) and abscisic acid concentration (ABA) of needles were measured in various stands. The delta13C values were less negative in declining stands and younger needles. ABA and WC were not correlated with each other. WC decreased consistently with needle age while the ABA showed a minimum in August and a smaller content in older needles. Monthly precipitation and the daily maximum vapor pressure were not correlated with ABA and WC. In declining stands, WC and ABA tended to be higher and lower, respectively, than in nondeclining stands. These results suggest that the trees in declining stands received less water stress than those in nondeclining stands and the differences in gl and delta13C are not caused by the difference in water stress. The possibilities of the effects of air pollution and the infection of pine-wood nematode on the physiological decline on the pine needles are discussed.

Abscisic Acid↗

Transcriptional regulation of ABI3- and ABA-responsive genes including RD29B and RD29A in seeds, germinating embryos, and seedlings of Arabidopsis.

ABA-responsive elements (ABREs) are cis-acting elements and basic leucine zipper (bZIP)-type ABRE-binding proteins (AREBs) are transcriptional activators that function in the expression of RD29B in vegetative tissue of Arabidopsis in response to abscisic acid (ABA) treatment. Dehydration-responsive elements (DREs) function as coupling elements of ABRE in the expression of RD29A in response to ABA. Expression analysis using abi3 and abi5 mutants showed that ABI3 and ABI5 play important roles in the expression of RD29B in seeds. Base-substitution analysis showed that two ABREs function strongly and one ABRE coupled with DRE functions weakly in the expression of RD29A in embryos. In a transient transactivation experiment, ABI3, ABI5 and AREB1 activated transcription of a GUS reporter gene driven by the RD29B promoter strongly but these proteins activated the transcription driven by the RD29A promoter weakly. In 35S::ABI3 Arabidopsis plants, the expression of RD29B was up-regulated strongly, but that of RD29A was up-regulated weakly. These results indicate that the expression of RD29B having ABREs in the promoter is up-regulated strongly by ABI3, whereas that of RD29A having one ABRE coupled with DREs in the promoter is up-regulated weakly by ABI3. We compared the expression of 7000 Arabidopsis genes in response to ABA treatment during germination and in the vegetative growth stage, and that in 35S::ABI3 plants using a full-length cDNA microarray. The expression of ABI3- and/or ABA-responsive genes and cis-elements in the promoters are discussed.

Abscisic Acid↗

Characterization of genes encoding ABA 8'-hydroxylase in ethylene-induced stem growth of deepwater rice (Oryza sativa L.).

Ethylene and submergence enhance stem elongation of deepwater rice, at least in part, by reducing in the internode the endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) content and increasing the level of gibberellin A1 (GA1). We cloned and characterized the CYP707A5 and CYP707A6 genes, which encode putative ABA 8'-hydroxylase, the enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of ABA. Expression of CYP707A5 was upregulated significantly by ethylene treatment, whereas that of CYP707A6 was not altered. Recombinant proteins from both genes expressed in yeast cells showed activity of ABA 8'-hydroxylase. This finding indicates that CYP707A5 may play a role in ABA catabolism during submergence- or ethylene-induced stem elongation in deepwater rice. Taken together, these results provide links between the molecular mechanisms and physiological phenomena of submergence- and ethylene-induced stem elongation in deepwater rice.

Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System↗

A lead compound for the development of ABA 8'-hydroxylase inhibitors.

(1'S*,2'S*)-(+/-)-6-Nor-2',3'-dihydro-4'-deoxo-ABA (2) was designed and synthesized as a candidate lead compound for developing a potent and specific inhibitor of ABA 8'-hydroxylase. This compound acted as an effective competitive inhibitor of the enzyme, with a K(I) value of 0.40microM, without exhibiting ABA activity. However, compound 2 also functioned as an enzyme substrate, making it a short-lived inhibitor. The 8'-difluorinated derivative of 2 (4) was synthesized as a long-lasting alternative. Compound 4 resisted 8'-hydroxylation, but inhibited ABA 8'-hydroxylation as effectively as 2. These results suggest that compound 2 is a useful lead compound for the future design and development of an ideal ABA 8'-hydroxylase inhibitor.

Abscisic Acid↗

A rapid method for analysis of abscisic acid (ABA) in crude extracts of water stressed Arabidopsis thaliana plants by liquid chromatography--mass spectrometry in tandem mode.

We describe a quick, simple method for the extraction and quantification of the phytohormone (+)-abscisic acid (ABA) in samples of plants subjected to different water deficit treatments. The method includes an extraction with acetone/water/acetic acid (80:19:1, v/v), evaporation of the extracts and finally injection into the liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS-MS) system in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The objective of this work has been to show the applicability of the method to quantify the endogenous content of ABA in Arabidopsis thaliana (Columbia, Col-0) leaves at three different degrees of water stress. Control plants, had almost constant low levels of ABA (2-3 ng g-1, f.w.) throughout the 3 weeks of the experiment. Nevertheless, stressed plants increase the ABA content between the first and the second week (from 10 to 21 ng g-1, f.w.). The results suggest that this method is useful for quantifying ABA from plant material and that it avoids tedious and time-consuming extraction, purification and/or derivatization processes.

Abscisic Acid↗

Effects of ABA, auxin, and gibberellin on the expression of genes for vacuolar H+ -inorganic pyrophosphatase, H+ -ATPase subunit A, and Na+/H+ antiporter in barley.

We analyzed the effects of ABA, auxin, and gibberellin on the expression of two genes (HVP1 and HVP10) for vacuolar H(+)-inorganic pyrophosphatase (EC 3.6.1.1) and one (HvVHA-A) for the catalytic subunit (subunit A) of vacuolar H(+)-ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3) by quantification of the transcript levels, to identify the hormones responsible for regulating the expression of these genes in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in response to environmental changes such as salt stress. ABA markedly induced the expression of HVP1 and slightly increased the expression of HVP10 and HvVHA-A. In contrast, 2,4-D only increased the expression of HVP1, and GA(3) had no significant effects on any gene. The maximum level of HVP1 transcripts in response to these hormones was also much higher than the levels of HVP10 and HvVHA-A transcripts. In addition, we also analyzed the expression of one gene (HvNHX1) for vacuolar Na(+)/H(+) antiporter, and HvNHX1 expression changed in a pattern similar to that of the HVP1 expression. Furthermore, treatment with ABA and 2,4-D increased Na(+)/H(+) antiport activity and proton-translocating activities by H(+)-PPase and H(+)-ATPase in tonoplast vesicles, and treatment with ABA also increased the amount of V-PPase protein of tonoplast vesicles. These results suggest that the hormones ABA and 2,4-D regulate the expression of the H(+)-pump and Na(+)/H(+) antiporter genes and are thus important effectors that regulate the expression of HVP1and HvNHX1.

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid↗

ABA action and interactions in seeds.

The recent discovery of genes involved in abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis and responses heralds a new era for seed physiology. Our understanding of the regulation of ABA biosynthesis is moving from a linear metabolic pathway to a spatial and temporal network that governs ABA action in seeds. Transcription factors involved in ABA signaling have been identified, together with their target sequences. This allows further analysis of the specificity of ABA signaling in a complex system of interacting factors.

Abscisic Acid↗

Interaction between composite elements in the napA promoter: both the B-box ABA-responsive complex and the RY/G complex are necessary for seed-specific expression.

During seed maturation, the transcriptional activity of napin genes is regulated by developmental signals involving the transcriptional activator ABI3 and abscisic acid (ABA). To localize cis elements involved in the seed-specific activity of the napin napA promoter, a systematic analysis was performed focusing on two major element complexes, the B-box and RY/G. Substitution mutation analysis using promoter-reporter gene fusions in stable transgenic tobacco showed synergistic interactions between elements within these complexes. The distal part of the B-box shows similarities to abscisic acid response elements and the proximal portion contains a CA-rich element. In vitro studies involving Exonuclease III protection and electrophoretic mobility shift assays revealed binding by nuclear proteins to elements within the B-box. The distal and proximal parts of the B-box were found to bind distinct nuclear protein complexes. By gain-of-function analysis with a tetramer of the B-box fused to a truncated (-46) cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S minimal promoter, it was demonstrated that the B-box mediates strong activity in seeds. Further, it was shown that the elements in the B-box constitute an ABA-responsive complex, since the B-box tetramer mediates ABA-responsiveness in vegetative tissues to a construct containing the CaMV virus 35S enhancer (-343 to -90). Thus, the seed-specific activity of the napA promoter relies on the combinatorial interaction between the RY/G complex and the B-box ABA-responsive complex during the ABA response in seed development.

2S Albumins, Plant↗

Upland rice and lowland rice exhibited different PIP expression under water deficit and ABA treatment.

Aquaporins play a significant role in plant water relations. To further understand the aquaporin function in plants under water stress, the expression of a subgroup of aquaporins, plasma membrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs), was studied at both the protein and mRNA level in upland rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Zhonghan 3) and lowland rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Xiushui 63) when they were water stressed by treatment with 20% polyethylene glycol (PEG). Plants responded differently to 20% PEG treatment. Leaf water content of upland rice leaves was reduced rapidly. PIP protein level increased markedly in roots of both types, but only in leaves of upland rice after 10 h of PEG treatment. At the mRNA level, OsPIP1;2, OsPIP1;3, OsPIP2;1 and OsPIP2;5 in roots as well as OsPIP1;2 and OsPIP1;3 in leaves were significantly up-regulated in upland rice, whereas the corresponding genes remained unchanged or down-regulated in lowland rice. Meanwhile, we observed a significant increase in the endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) level in upland rice but not in lowland rice under water deficit. Treatment with 60 microM ABA enhanced the expression of OsPIP1;2, OsPIP2;5 and OsPIP2;6 in roots and OsPIP1;2, OsPIP2;4 and OsPIP2;6 in leaves of upland rice. The responsiveness of PIP genes to water stress and ABA were different, implying that the regulation of PIP genes involves both ABA-dependent and ABA-independent signaling pathways during water deficit.

Abscisic Acid↗

Differential expression of two P5CS genes controlling proline accumulation during salt-stress requires ABA and is regulated by ABA1, ABI1 and AXR2 in Arabidopsis.

Proline is a common compatible osmolyte in higher plants. Proline accumulation in response to water stress and salinity is preceded by a rapid increase of the mRNA level of delta 1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase (P5CS) controlling the rate-limiting step of glutamate-derived proline biosynthesis. P5CS is encoded by two differentially regulated genes in Arabidopsis. Gene AtP5CS1 mapped to chromosome 2-78.5 is expressed in most plant organs, but silent in dividing cells. Gene AtP5CS2 located close to marker m457 on chromosome 3-101.3 contributes 20-40% of total P5CS mRNA in plant tissues, but is solely responsible for the synthesis of abundant P5CS mRNA in rapidly dividing cell cultures. Accumulation of AtP5CS transcripts is regulated in a tissue specific manner and inducible by drought, salinity, ABA, and to a lesser extent by auxin. Induction of AtP5CS1 mRNA accumulation in salt-treated seedlings involves an immediate early transcriptional response regulated by ABA signalling that is not inhibited by cycloheximide, but abolished by the deficiency of ABA biosynthesis in the aba1 Arabidopsis mutant. However, inhibition of protein synthesis by cycloheximide prevents the induction of AtP5CS2 mRNA accumulation, and blocks further increase of AtP5CS1 mRNA levels during the second, slow phase of salt-induction. Mutations abi1 and axr2, affecting ABA-perception in Arabidopsis, reduce the accumulation of both AtP5CS mRNAs during salt-stress, whereas ABA-signalling functions defined by the abi2 and abi3 mutations have no effect on salt-induction of the AtP5CS genes.

Abscisic Acid↗

ABFs, a family of ABA-responsive element binding factors.

Abscisic acid (ABA) plays an important role in environmental stress responses of higher plants during vegetative growth. One of the ABA-mediated responses is the induced expression of a large number of genes, which is mediated by cis-regulatory elements known as abscisic acid-responsive elements (ABREs). Although a number of ABRE binding transcription factors have been known, they are not specifically from vegetative tissues under induced conditions. Considering the tissue specificity of ABA signaling pathways, factors mediating ABA-dependent stress responses during vegetative growth phase may thus have been unidentified so far. Here, we report a family of ABRE binding factors isolated from young Arabidopsis plants under stress conditions. The factors, isolated by a yeast one-hybrid system using a prototypical ABRE and named as ABFs (ABRE binding factors) belong to a distinct subfamily of bZIP proteins. Binding site selection assay performed with one ABF showed that its preferred binding site is the strong ABRE, CACGTGGC. ABFs can transactivate an ABRE-containing reporter gene in yeast. Expression of ABFs is induced by ABA and various stress treatments, whereas their induction patterns are different from one another. Thus, a new family of ABRE binding factors indeed exists that have the potential to activate a large number of ABA/stress-responsive genes in Arabidopsis.

Abscisic Acid↗

Differential responses of maize MIP genes to salt stress and ABA.

Salt stress is known to reduce root hydraulic conductivity and growth. To examine a concomitant regulation of aquaporins, the expression of the maize MIP gene family in response to NaCl was analysed by DNA array hybridization. Plants responded differentially to 100 versus 200 mM NaCl treatments. Leaf water content was reduced rapidly and persistently after the application of 200 mM NaCl in contrast to 100 mM NaCl. Endogenous ABA strongly accumulated in roots after 2 h; it remained at a highly elevated level for 48 h after the addition of 200 mM NaCl, but rapidly declined in plants treated with 100 mM NaCl, indicating an early recovery from water deficit. Interestingly, 2 h after the addition of 100 mM NaCl, when maize regained the osmotic potential allowing water uptake, three highly expressed, specific isoforms ZmPIP1;1, ZmPIP1;5, and ZmPIP2;4 were transiently induced. They were preferentially transcribed in the outer root tissue suggesting a role in cellular water transport. None of the ZmTIP genes was altered. By contrast, after the addition of 200 mM NaCl these responses were missing. Instead, multiple ZmPIP and ZmTIP genes were repressed by 200 mM NaCl after 24 h. After 48 h, deregulations were overridden in both cases indicating homeostasis. ABA (1 muM) exogenously applied to the roots transiently induced ZmPIP2;4 similar to 100 mM NaCl as well as ZmPIP1;2. Thus, the early induction of ZmPIP2;4 by NaCl may be mediated by ABA. Previously, an increase in root hydraulic conductivity had been observed upon ABA application. By contrast, 100 muM ABA led to a complete, possibly non-specific repression of all detected ZmPIP and ZmTIP genes after 24 h.

Abscisic Acid↗

C-ABI3, the carrot homologue of the Arabidopsis ABI3, is expressed during both zygotic and somatic embryogenesis and functions in the regulation of embryo-specific ABA-inducible genes.

A carrot gene homologous to the ABI3 gene of Arabidopsis was isolated from a carrot somatic embryo cDNA library and designated C-ABI3. The sequence of C-ABI3 was very similar to those of ABI3 of Arabidopsis and VP1 of maize in certain conserved regions. The expression of C-ABI3 was detected specifically in embryogenic cells, somatic embryos and developing seeds. Thus, expression of C-ABI3 was limited to tissues that acquired desiccation tolerance in response to endogenous or exogenous abscisic acid (ABA). Endogenous levels of ABA in seeds increased transiently and then desiccation of seeds started. The expression of C-ABI3 in developing seeds was observed prior to the increase in levels of endogenous ABA that was followed by desiccation of seeds. In transgenic mature leaves in which C-ABI3 was ectopically expressed, expression of ECP31, ECP63 and ECP40 was induced by treatment with ABA, which indicates that the expression of ECP genes was controlled by the pathway(s) that involved C-ABI3 and ABA. This suggests that C-ABI3 has the same function as VP1/ABI3 factor in carrot somatic embryos.

Abscisic Acid↗

A null mutation in a bZIP factor confers ABA-insensitivity in Arabidopsis thaliana.

We have used a modification of the classical ABA-insensitive screen (Koornneef et al. 1984) to isolate novel mutations in the ABA signal transduction pathway of Arabidopsis thaliana. In our screen, mutants were recovered on the basis of their growth-insensitivity to ABA (GIA) rather than germination-insensitivity. Here we present the isolation of the gia1 mutant as well as the identification of the gia1 gene by positional cloning and complementation studies. GIA1 is predicted to code for a bZIP transcription factor with high homology to previously characterized plant bZIP transcription factors (DPBF1, ABFs and TRAB1) known for their ability to bind ABA-responsive DNA elements. Our results provide in vivo evidence that a bZIP factor may indeed be involved in ABA signaling. Since GIA1 turned out to be identical to ABI5, we designated GIA1 as ABI5 in the present paper.

Abscisic Acid↗