Abstract
The depletion of cellular zinc (Zn) adversely affects plant growth. Plants have adaptation mechanisms for Zn-deficient conditions, inhibiting growth through the action of transcription factors and metal transporters. We previously identified three defensin-like (DEFL) proteins (DEFL203, DEFL206 and DEFL208) that were induced in Arabidopsis thaliana roots under Zn-depleted conditions. DEFLs are small cysteine-rich peptides involved in defense responses, development and excess metal stress in plants. However, the functions of DEFLs in the Zn-deficiency response are largely unknown. Here, phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that seven DEFLs (DEFL202-DEFL208) were categorized into one subgroup. Among the seven DEFLs, the transcripts of five (not DEFL204 and DEFL205) were upregulated by Zn deficiency, consistent with the presence of cis-elements for basic-region leucine-zipper 19 (bZIP19) or bZIP23 in their promoter regions. Microscopic observation of GFP-tagged DEFL203 showed that DEFL203-sGFP was localized to the apoplast and plasma membrane. Whereas a single mutation of the DEFL202 or DEFL203 genes only slightly affected root growth, defl202 defl203 double mutants showed enhanced root growth under all growth conditions. We also showed that the size of the root meristem was increased in the double mutants compared with the wild type. Our results suggest that DEFL202 and DEFL203 are redundantly involved in the inhibition of root growth under Zn-deficient conditions through a reduction in root meristem length and cell number.
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Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
Seven DEFL proteins formed one phylogenetic subgroup.
- Taxon
- Arabidopsis thaliana
Arabidopsis thalianae1 - Gene
- DEFL202-DEFL208e0
- Outcome
- one subgroupe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that seven DEFLs (DEFL202-DEFL208) were categorized into one subgroup.”
e1“Arabidopsis thaliana roots”
Claim · model-written summary
Five of the seven DEFL transcripts were upregulated by zinc deficiency.
- Taxon
- Arabidopsis thalianaArabidopsis thalianae1
- Treatment
- Zn deficiencye0
- Gene
- DEFL204 and DEFL205e0
- Outcome
- transcripts of fivee0
- Direction
- upregulatede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Among the seven DEFLs, the transcripts of five (not DEFL204 and DEFL205) were upregulated by Zn deficiency”
e1“Arabidopsis thaliana roots”
Claim · model-written summary
DEFL203-sGFP localized to the apoplast and plasma membrane.
- Taxon
- Arabidopsis thalianaArabidopsis thalianae1
- Gene
- DEFL203-sGFPe0
- Outcome
- localized to the apoplast and plasma membranee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“DEFL203-sGFP was localized to the apoplast and plasma membrane.”
e1“Arabidopsis thaliana roots”
Claim · model-written summary
Single DEFL202 or DEFL203 mutations only slightly affected root growth.
- Taxon
- Arabidopsis thalianaArabidopsis thalianae1
- Treatment
- single mutatione0
- Gene
- DEFL202 or DEFL203e0
- Outcome
- root growthe0
- Qualifier
- only slightlye0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“a single mutation of the DEFL202 or DEFL203 genes only slightly affected root growth”
e1“Arabidopsis thaliana roots”
Claim · model-written summary
The defl202 defl203 double mutants had enhanced root growth under all growth conditions.
- Taxon
- Arabidopsis thalianaArabidopsis thalianae1
- Treatment
- defl202 defl203 double mutantse0
- Outcome
- root growthe0
- Direction
- enhancede0
- Qualifier
- all growth conditionse0
- Comparator
- single mutatione2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“defl202 defl203 double mutants showed enhanced root growth under all growth conditions.”
e1“Arabidopsis thaliana roots”
e2“a single mutation of the DEFL202 or DEFL203 genes”
Claim · model-written summary
The root meristem was larger in double mutants than in wild type.
- Taxon
- Arabidopsis thalianaArabidopsis thalianae1
- Treatment
- double mutantse0
- Outcome
- size of the root meristeme0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Comparator
- wild typee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the size of the root meristem was increased in the double mutants compared with the wild type.”
e1“Arabidopsis thaliana roots”
Claim · model-written summary
DEFL202 and DEFL203 are proposed to inhibit root growth during zinc deficiency by reducing meristem length and cell number.
- Taxon
- Arabidopsis thalianaArabidopsis thalianae1
- Gene
- DEFL202 and DEFL203e0
- Outcome
- inhibition of root growthe0
- Qualifier
- reduction in root meristem length and cell numbere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“DEFL202 and DEFL203 are redundantly involved in the inhibition of root growth under Zn-deficient conditions through a reduction in root meristem length and cell number.”
e1“Arabidopsis thaliana roots”
The same questions in other papers
zinc atom · molecular: expression · Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress)Positive and negative results
1 paper in the same direction as this paper · 4 in the opposite direction
This paper is about lacking the nutrient, so it counts the other way round here.
- no effect
- no effect
- no effect
2 papers more in this group
See all 6 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.