Molecular evolution of strigolactone signaling in the parasitic plant Striga hermonthica

• Project/Area Number: 15K07102
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Plant molecular biology/Plant physiology
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Tsuchiya Yuichiro 名古屋大学, トランスフォーマティブ生命分子研究所, 特任准教授 (00442989)
• Research Collaborator: McCourt Peter ; Duncan Holbrook-Smith ; TOH Shigeo
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2017)
• Budget Amount: ¥5,070,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,170,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥2,470,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥570,000)
• Keywords: ストリゴラクトン / シグナル伝達 / 寄生植物 / ストライガ / 植物ホルモン / 受容体 / ケミカルバイオロジー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Strigolactones (SLs) function as plant hormone that regulate various developmental processes including suppression of shoot branching. On the other hands, seed germination of a parasitic plant Striga hermonthica is stimulated by SLs exuded by host roots. In this study, we investigated the relationship between these two functions based on the genetic interaction of HYPOSENSITIVE TO LIGHT/KARRIKIN INSENSITIVE2 ( HTL/KAI2)-mediated SL signaling pathway and light signaling pathway in Arabidopsis. We showed that HTL/KAI2 interact with SUPPRESSOR OF PHYA1 (SPA1), a negative regulator of light signaling, in SL-dependent manner, and this interaction lead SPA1 protein to degradation in planta. We transferred the knowledge to Striga with the discovery of small molecule antagonist of HTL/KAI2 that also inhibit SL-dependent germination of Striga. These results suggest that the evolution of SL pathway took place with its interaction with light signaling pathway in the parasitic plant.

Research Products

• [Int'l Joint Research] トロント大学(カナダ)
• [Int'l Joint Research] University of Toronto(Canada)
• [Int'l Joint Research] Department of Cell and Systems Biology/University of Toronto(Canada)
• [Journal Article] The dynamics of strigolactone perception in Striga hermonthica: a working hypothesis (2018)
  • Author(s): Tsuchiya Yuichiro、Yoshimura Masahiko、Hagihara Shinya
  • Journal Title: Journal of Experimental Botany Volume: 69 Issue: 9 Pages: 2281-2290
  • DOI: 10.1093/jxb/ery061
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Small-molecule antagonists of germination of the parasitic plant Striga hermonthica. (2016)
  • Author(s): Holbrook-Smith D, Toh S, Tsuchiya Y, McCourt P
  • Journal Title: Nature Chemical Biology Volume: 12 Issue: 9 Pages: 724-729
  • DOI: 10.1038/nchembio.2129
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Probing strigolactone receptors in Striga hermonthica with fluorescence. (2015)
  • Author(s): Tsuchiya, Y., Yoshimura, M., Sato, Y., Kuwata, K., Toh, S., Holbrook-Smith, D., Zhang, H., McCourt, P., Itami, K., Kinoshita, T. and Hagihara, S.
  • Journal Title: Science Volume: 349 Issue: 6250 Pages: 864-869
  • DOI: 10.1126/science.aab3831
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Structure-function analysis identifies highly sensitive strigolactone receptors in Striga. (2015)
  • Author(s): Toh, S., Holbrook-Smith, D., Stogios, P.J., Onopriyenko, O., Lumba, S., Tsuchiya, Y., Savchenko, A., and McCourt, P.
  • Journal Title: Science Volume: 350 Issue: 6257 Pages: 203-207
  • DOI: 10.1126/science.aac9476
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Probing strigolactone receptors in Striga hermonthica with fluorescence. (2017)
  • Author(s): Tsuchiya, Y., Yoshimura, M., Sato, Y., Kuwata, K., Toh, S., Holbrook-Smith, D., Zhang, H., McCourt, P., Itami, K., Kinoshita, T. and Hagihara, S.
  • Organizer: 2nd Edition of the International Congress on Strigolactones
  • Place of Presentation: Trino, Italy
  • Year and Date: 2017-03-27
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Presentation] A synthetic stimulant for seed germination in a parasitic plant Striga (2017)
  • Author(s): Yuichiro Tsuchiya
  • Organizer: 植物生理学会年会
  • Place of Presentation: 鹿児島
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Probing strigolactone receptors in Striga hermonthica with fluorescence. (2016)
  • Author(s): Tsuchiya, Y., Yoshimura, M., Sato, Y., Kuwata, K., Toh, S., Holbrook-Smith, D., Zhang, H., McCourt, P., Itami, K., Kinoshita, T. and Hagihara, S.
  • Organizer: The International Plant Growth Substances Association Meeting
  • Place of Presentation: Toronto, Canada
  • Year and Date: 2016-06-21
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Book] サイエンスネット (2017)
  • Author(s): 土屋 雄一朗
  • Total Pages: 4
  • Publisher: 数研出版
• [Remarks] アフリカの食糧問題に希望の光 ～ 寄生植物の発芽を制御するタンパク質を発見 ～
  • URL: http://www.itbm.nagoya-u.ac.jp/ja/research/2015/08/Yoshimulactone-Striga.php
• [Patent(Industrial Property Rights)] 蛍光プローブ、及びそれを用いたストライガ発芽調節物質のスクリーニング方法 (2015)
  • Inventor(s): 萩原伸也、土屋雄一朗、吉村柾彦、伊丹健一郎、木下俊則
  • Industrial Property Rights Holder: 国立大学法人名古屋大学
  • Industrial Property Rights Type: 特許
  • Industrial Property Number: 2015-132707
  • Filing Date: 2015-07-01
• [Patent(Industrial Property Rights)] ストライガ発芽調節剤 (2015)
  • Inventor(s): 土屋雄一朗、他
  • Industrial Property Rights Holder: 国立大学法人名古屋大学
  • Industrial Property Rights Type: 特許
  • Industrial Property Number: 2015-132413
  • Filing Date: 2015-07-01