Abstract
The root system of a plant provides vital functions including resource uptake, storage, and anchorage in soil. The uptake of macro-nutrients like nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and sulphur (S) from the soil is critical for plant growth and development. Small signaling peptide (SSP) hormones are best known as potent regulators of plant growth and development with a few also known to have specialized roles in macronutrient utilization. Here we describe a high throughput phenotyping platform for testing SSP effects on root uptake of multiple nutrients. The SSP, CEP1 (C-TERMINALLY ENCODED PEPTIDE) enhanced nitrate uptake rate per unit root length in Medicago truncatula plants deprived of N in the high-affinity transport range. Single structural variants of M. truncatula and Arabidopsis thaliana specific CEP1 peptides, MtCEP1D1:hyp4,11 and AtCEP1:hyp4,11, enhanced uptake not only of nitrate, but also phosphate and sulfate in both model plant species. Transcriptome analysis of Medicago roots treated with different MtCEP1 encoded peptide domains revealed that hundreds of genes respond to these peptides, including several nitrate transporters and a sulfate transporter that may mediate the uptake of these macronutrients downstream of CEP1 signaling. Likewise, several putative signaling pathway genes including LEUCINE-RICH REPEAT RECPTOR-LIKE KINASES and Myb domain containing transcription factors, were induced in roots by CEP1 treatment. Thus, a scalable method has been developed for screening synthetic peptides of potential use in agriculture, with CEP1 shown to be one such peptide.
Highlights
The root system of a plant provides vital functions including resource uptake, storage, and anchorage in soil
Plants were grown in a hydroponic system (Figure 1A) and peptides of interest were applied to the nutrient solution around the root system 48 h prior to nutrient uptake assays (Figure 1B)
In a proof-of-concept experiment, exogenous application of Medicago Small signaling peptide (SSP) MtCEP1D1 increased the specific rate of nitrate uptake by 70–140% at low external concentrations (100 and 500 μM, p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively) but not higher concentrations (1 and 5 mM) in treated plants compared to non-treated controls (Figure 1E)
Summary
The root system of a plant provides vital functions including resource uptake, storage, and anchorage in soil. For plant growth and development, uptake from the soil of macronutrients, i.e., nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and sulphur (S), and micronutrients is critical (Hawkesford and Barraclough, 2011). Soil macronutrients are often present at limiting concentrations for optimal crop yield. Chemical fertilizers are widely used to enrich soils and enhance crop productivity, their use comes at significant economic and CEP1 Application Increases Nutrient Uptake environmental costs (Fageria, 2008). Understanding the molecular mechanisms governing plant nutrient uptake, which may enable new approaches to increase the efficiency of fertilizer use, is important
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