Arabidopsis ROOT HAIR DEFECTIVE3 is involved in nitrogen starvation‐induced anthocyanin accumulation. Issue 8 (2nd February 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Jing; Wang, Yan; Yang, Ju; Ma, Chunli; Zhang, Ying; Ge, Ting; Qi, Zhi; Kang, Yan
• Is Part Of: Journal of integrative plant biology. Volume 57:Issue 8(2015)
• Page Start: 708
• Page End: 721
• Publication Date: 2015-02-02
• Subjects: Plants -- Periodicals; Plants -- China -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 580.5
• DOI: 10.1111/jipb.12320
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1672-9072

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="jipb12320-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <p>Anthocyanin accumulation is a common phenomenon seen in plants under environmental stress. In this study, we identified a new allele of <italic>ROOT HAIR DEFECTIVE3 (RHD3)</italic> showing an anthocyanin overaccumulation phenotype under nitrogen starvation conditions. It is known that ethylene negatively regulates light‐ and sucrose‐induced anthocyanin biosynthesis. We hypothesized that <italic>RHD3</italic> achieves its negative effect on anthocyanin biosynthesis via an ethylene‐regulating pathway. In support of this, similar to <italic>rhd3</italic> mutants, the <italic>Arabidopsis</italic> ethylene signaling mutants <italic>etr1</italic>, <italic>ein2</italic>, and <italic>ein3/eil1</italic> showed an anthocyanin overaccumulation phenotype under nitrogen starvation conditions. The ethylene precursor ACC strongly suppressed anthocyanin accumulation, dependent on ETR1, EIN2, EIN3/EIL1, and, partially, RHD3. In addition, inactivating RHD3 partially reversed the suppressive effect of <italic>ETO1</italic> inactivation‐evoked endogenous ethylene production on anthocyanin accumulation. The expression of nitrogen starvation‐induced anthocyanin biosynthesis genes was negatively regulated by RHD3, but ethylene response genes were positively regulated by RHD3. Wild‐type seedlings overexpressing RHD3 showed similar phenotypes to <italic>rhd3</italic> mutants, indicating the existence of a fine‐tuned relationship between gene expression and function. <italic>RHD3</italic> was initially identified as a gene involved in root hair development. This study uncovered a new physiological function of <italic>RHD3</italic> in nitrogen starvation‐induced anthocyanin accumulation and ethylene homeostasis. [Correction added on 6 August 2015, after first online publication: "RND3" corrected to "RHD3".]</p> </sec> </abstract>