MdATG18a overexpression improves tolerance to nitrogen deficiency and regulates anthocyanin accumulation through increased autophagy in transgenic apple : MdATG18a enhances tolerance to N-deficiency

Transcriptome analysis, using Affymetrix ATH1 arrays and a real-time reverse transcription-PCR platform for >1,400 transcription factors, was performed to identify processes affected by long-term nitrogen-deprivation or short-term nitrate nutrition in Arabidopsis. Two days of nitrogen deprivation led to coordinate repression of the majority of the genes assigned to photosynthesis, chlorophyll synthesis, plastid protein synthesis, induction of many genes for secondary metabolism, and reprogramming of mitochondrial electron transport. Nitrate readdition led to rapid, widespread, and coordinated changes. Multiple genes for the uptake and reduction of nitrate, the generation of reducing equivalents, and organic acid skeletons were induced within 30 min, before primary metabolites changed significantly. By 3 h, most genes assigned to amino acid and nucleotide biosynthesis and scavenging were induced, while most genes assigned to amino acid and nucleotide breakdown were repressed. There was coordinate induction of many genes assigned to RNA synthesis and processing and most of the genes assigned to amino acid activation and protein synthesis. Although amino acids involved in central metabolism increased, minor amino acids decreased, providing independent evidence for the activation of protein synthesis. Specific genes encoding expansin and tonoplast intrinsic proteins were induced, indicating activation of cell expansion and growth in response to nitrate nutrition. There were rapid responses in the expression of many genes potentially involved in regulation, including genes for trehalose metabolism and hormone metabolism, protein kinases and phosphatases, receptor kinases, and transcription factors.

The concept that photosynthetic flux is influenced by the accumulation of photo-assimilate persisted for 100 years before receiving any strong experimental support. Precise analysis of the mechanisms of photosynthetic responses to sink activity required the development of a battery of appropriate molecular techniques and has benefited from contemporary interest in the effects of elevated CO2 on photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is one of the most highly integrated and regulated metabolic processes to maximize the use of available light, to minimize the damaging effects of excess light and to optimize the use of limiting carbon and nitrogen resources. Hypotheses of feedback regulation must take account of this integration. In the short term, departure from homeostasis can lead to redox signals, which cause rapid changes in the transcription of genes encoding photosystems I and II. End-product synthesis can exert short-term metabolic feedback control through Pi recycling. Beyond this, carbohydrate accumulation in leaves when there is an imbalance between source and sink at the whole plant level can lead to decreased expression of photosynthetic genes and accelerated leaf senescence. In a high CO2 world this may become a more prevalent feature of photosynthetic regulation. However, sink regulation of photosynthesis is highly dependent on the physiology of the rest of the plant. This physiological state regulates photosynthesis through signal transduction pathways that co-ordinate the plant carbon : nitrogen balance, which match photosynthetic capacity to growth and storage capacity and underpin and can override the direct short-term controls of photosynthesis by light and CO2. Photosynthate supply and phytohormones, particularly cytokinins, interact with nitrogen supply to control the expression of photosynthesis genes, the development of leaves and the whole plant nitrogen distribution, which provides the dominant basis for sink regulation of photosynthesis.

Members of the plant NITRATE TRANSPORTER 1/PEPTIDE TRANSPORTER (NRT1/PTR) family display protein sequence homology with the SLC15/PepT/PTR/POT family of peptide transporters in animals. In comparison to their animal and bacterial counterparts, these plant proteins transport a wide variety of substrates: nitrate, peptides, amino acids, dicarboxylates, glucosinolates, IAA, and ABA. The phylogenetic relationship of the members of the NRT1/PTR family in 31 fully sequenced plant genomes allowed the identification of unambiguous clades, defining eight subfamilies. The phylogenetic tree was used to determine a unified nomenclature of this family named NPF, for NRT1/PTR FAMILY. We propose that the members should be named accordingly: NPFX.Y, where X denotes the subfamily and Y the individual member within the species. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.