post-translational modification of a transcription factor GTL1

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K15827
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 44030:Plant molecular biology and physiology-related
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Shibata Michitaro 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 環境資源科学研究センター, 研究員 (20734817)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 根毛 / シロイヌナズナ / 転写制御 / 栄養応答

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Root hair growth is tuned in response to the surrounding environment. While most previous studies focused on the enhancement of root hair growth during nutrient starvation, few studies investigated the root hair response in the presence of excess nutrients. I found that root hair growth of wild-type Arabidopsis plants is strongly suppressed with increasing nutrient availability. We further used gene expression profiling to analyze how excess nutrient availability affects root hair growth, and found that RHD6 subfamily genes, which are positive regulators of root hair growth, are down-regulated in this condition. On the other hand, defects in GTL1 and DF1, which are negative regulators of root hair growth, cause frail and swollen root hairs when excess nutrients are supplied. In conclusion, our data suggest that GTL1 and DF1 prevent unnecessary root hair formation under excess nutrient conditions.

Free Research Field

植物分子生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまで植物の栄養応答は「特定」の栄養素が「不足」した条件で研究が進められてきた。一方、本研究は「複数」の栄養素が「過剰」に存在する条件での応答に着目し、転写因子GTL1が栄養過剰条件において根毛の成長を適切に抑制するために必要な因子であることを明らかとした。昨今、過剰量の肥料が施されたことに由来する湖川の富栄養化や大気汚染などは大きな問題となっており、栄養過剰条件における植物の応答とその分子機構に切り込んだ本研究の成果は社会的にも学術的にも意義深いものである。