Metabolic and enzymatic changes associated with carbon mobilization, utilization and replenishment triggered in grain amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus) in response to partial defoliation by mechanical injury or insect herbivory

Background: Amaranthus cruentus and A. hypochondriacus are crop plants grown for grain production in subtropical countries. Recently, the generation of large-scale transcriptomic data opened the possibility to study representative genes of primary metabolism to gain a better understanding of the bio...

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Main Authors: Castrillón Arbeláez, Paula, Martinez Gallardo, Norma A., Arnaut, Hamlet, Tiessen, Axel, Délano Frier, John P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: 2012
Online Access:http://eprints.uanl.mx/14931/1/594.pdf
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author Castrillón Arbeláez, Paula
Martinez Gallardo, Norma A.
Arnaut, Hamlet
Tiessen, Axel
Délano Frier, John P.
author_facet Castrillón Arbeláez, Paula
Martinez Gallardo, Norma A.
Arnaut, Hamlet
Tiessen, Axel
Délano Frier, John P.
author_sort Castrillón Arbeláez, Paula
collection Repositorio Institucional
description Background: Amaranthus cruentus and A. hypochondriacus are crop plants grown for grain production in subtropical countries. Recently, the generation of large-scale transcriptomic data opened the possibility to study representative genes of primary metabolism to gain a better understanding of the biochemical mechanisms underlying tolerance to defoliation in these species. A multi-level approach was followed involving gene expression analysis, enzyme activity and metabolite measurements. Results: Defoliation by insect herbivory (HD) or mechanical damage (MD) led to a rapid and transient reduction of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) in all tissues examined. This correlated with a short-term induction of foliar sucrolytic activity, differential gene expression of a vacuolar invertase and its inhibitor, and induction of a sucrose transporter gene. Leaf starch in defoliated plants correlated negatively with amylolytic activity and expression of a β-amylase-1 gene and positively with a soluble starch synthase gene. Fatty-acid accumulation in roots coincided with a high expression of a phosphoenolpyruvate/phosphate transporter gene. In all tissues there was a long-term replenishment of most metabolite pools, which allowed damaged plants to maintain unaltered growth and grain yield. Promoter analysis of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase and vacuolar invertase genes indicated the presence of cis-regulatory elements that supported their responsiveness to defoliation. HD and MD had differential effects on transcripts, enzyme activities and metabolites. However, the correlation between transcript abundance and enzymatic activities was very limited. A better correlation was found between enzymes, metabolite levels and growth and reproductive parameters. Conclusions: It is concluded that a rapid reduction of NSC reserves in leaves, stems and roots followed by their long-term recovery underlies tolerance to defoliation in grain amaranth. This requires the coordinate action of genes/enzymes that are differentially affected by the way leaf damage is performed. Defoliation tolerance in grain is a complex process that can’t be fully explained at the transcriptomic level only.
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spelling eprints-149312019-08-29T13:22:47Z http://eprints.uanl.mx/14931/ Metabolic and enzymatic changes associated with carbon mobilization, utilization and replenishment triggered in grain amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus) in response to partial defoliation by mechanical injury or insect herbivory Castrillón Arbeláez, Paula Martinez Gallardo, Norma A. Arnaut, Hamlet Tiessen, Axel Délano Frier, John P. Background: Amaranthus cruentus and A. hypochondriacus are crop plants grown for grain production in subtropical countries. Recently, the generation of large-scale transcriptomic data opened the possibility to study representative genes of primary metabolism to gain a better understanding of the biochemical mechanisms underlying tolerance to defoliation in these species. A multi-level approach was followed involving gene expression analysis, enzyme activity and metabolite measurements. Results: Defoliation by insect herbivory (HD) or mechanical damage (MD) led to a rapid and transient reduction of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) in all tissues examined. This correlated with a short-term induction of foliar sucrolytic activity, differential gene expression of a vacuolar invertase and its inhibitor, and induction of a sucrose transporter gene. Leaf starch in defoliated plants correlated negatively with amylolytic activity and expression of a β-amylase-1 gene and positively with a soluble starch synthase gene. Fatty-acid accumulation in roots coincided with a high expression of a phosphoenolpyruvate/phosphate transporter gene. In all tissues there was a long-term replenishment of most metabolite pools, which allowed damaged plants to maintain unaltered growth and grain yield. Promoter analysis of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase and vacuolar invertase genes indicated the presence of cis-regulatory elements that supported their responsiveness to defoliation. HD and MD had differential effects on transcripts, enzyme activities and metabolites. However, the correlation between transcript abundance and enzymatic activities was very limited. A better correlation was found between enzymes, metabolite levels and growth and reproductive parameters. Conclusions: It is concluded that a rapid reduction of NSC reserves in leaves, stems and roots followed by their long-term recovery underlies tolerance to defoliation in grain amaranth. This requires the coordinate action of genes/enzymes that are differentially affected by the way leaf damage is performed. Defoliation tolerance in grain is a complex process that can’t be fully explained at the transcriptomic level only. 2012 Article PeerReviewed text en cc_by_nc_nd http://eprints.uanl.mx/14931/1/594.pdf http://eprints.uanl.mx/14931/1.haspreviewThumbnailVersion/594.pdf Castrillón Arbeláez, Paula y Martinez Gallardo, Norma A. y Arnaut, Hamlet y Tiessen, Axel y Délano Frier, John P. (2012) Metabolic and enzymatic changes associated with carbon mobilization, utilization and replenishment triggered in grain amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus) in response to partial defoliation by mechanical injury or insect herbivory. BMC Plant Biology, 12 (1). p. 163. ISSN 1471-2229 http://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2229-12-163 doi:10.1186/1471-2229-12-163
spellingShingle Castrillón Arbeláez, Paula
Martinez Gallardo, Norma A.
Arnaut, Hamlet
Tiessen, Axel
Délano Frier, John P.
Metabolic and enzymatic changes associated with carbon mobilization, utilization and replenishment triggered in grain amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus) in response to partial defoliation by mechanical injury or insect herbivory
thumbnail https://rediab.uanl.mx/themes/sandal5/images/online.png
title Metabolic and enzymatic changes associated with carbon mobilization, utilization and replenishment triggered in grain amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus) in response to partial defoliation by mechanical injury or insect herbivory
title_full Metabolic and enzymatic changes associated with carbon mobilization, utilization and replenishment triggered in grain amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus) in response to partial defoliation by mechanical injury or insect herbivory
title_fullStr Metabolic and enzymatic changes associated with carbon mobilization, utilization and replenishment triggered in grain amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus) in response to partial defoliation by mechanical injury or insect herbivory
title_full_unstemmed Metabolic and enzymatic changes associated with carbon mobilization, utilization and replenishment triggered in grain amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus) in response to partial defoliation by mechanical injury or insect herbivory
title_short Metabolic and enzymatic changes associated with carbon mobilization, utilization and replenishment triggered in grain amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus) in response to partial defoliation by mechanical injury or insect herbivory
title_sort metabolic and enzymatic changes associated with carbon mobilization utilization and replenishment triggered in grain amaranth amaranthus cruentus in response to partial defoliation by mechanical injury or insect herbivory
url http://eprints.uanl.mx/14931/1/594.pdf
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