Posts by staceylab_admin

The Stacey laboratory was recently awarded a four-year grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue their studies of purinergic signaling in plants.

The Stacey laboratory was recently awarded a four-year grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue their studies of purinergic signaling in plants.

Abstract

Purinergic signaling appears to be an ancient, conserved trait; for example, P2X receptors trace back one billion years in evolution. However, although virtually all organisms respond to extracellular ATP (eATP), canonical P2X and P2Y receptors appear absent in insects, roundworm, and higher plants. Our laboratory identified the first plant, purinergic receptor, DORN1, which defines a new receptor kinase family of purinoreceptors (P2K) (Choi et al. Science. 2014). This receptor mediates the primary signaling response to eATP, eliciting many responses that are comparable to an animal inflammatory response. Convergent evolution has resulted in different receptors for eATP in plants and animals but the question remains whether other components of the purinergic signaling pathway may be conserved. It is now apparent that purinergic signaling plays a variety of important roles in plants; again mirroring the diverse roles that eATP signaling plays in mammals. Experiments will be performed to further define the mechanism of DORN1 function, identifying downstream signaling components, discover and characterize additional plant purinergic receptors and identify additional components of the plant purinergic response pathway.  The ultimate goal will be a holistic and integrated view of plant purinergic signaling, beginning with the novel P2K receptors, with the definition of plant-specific and, more importantly, plant and animal conserved components. This comparative approach should broaden our knowledge of purinergic signaling in higher organisms.

Old friends, new ideas

A partnership between MU and Gyeongsang National University in South Korea has created lasting connections.

Click here to the original story

By Eleanor Hasenbeck | Bond Life Sciences Center

Discussion went global this week as researchers converged from Gyeongsang National University in South Korea, MU and Washington University at Bond Life Sciences Center for the sixth MU-GNU International Joint Symposium on Plant Biotechnology.

Plant biologists from each university shared their research, ranging from molecular biology and signaling to breeding soybeans for improved yields. The symposium is held every two years, alternating locations between the U.S. and South Korea. This conference marks the eleventh year of collaboration between GNU and MU.

“Every trip that comes over, new collaborations develop,” said Gary Stacey, a Bond LSC scientist of soybean biotechnology and chair of the symposium’s local organizing committee. “Just at dinner the other night, you could hear people talking and saying ‘We should do that together.’ You get people together and they collide, and good things come from that. The whole idea of these symposiums is trying to increase those collisions.”

As those involved share new research and ideas, these collaborations create opportunities. A former student in Stacey’s lab recently received a doctoral degree from both universities as part of a joint-doctoral degree program. Undergraduate Korean students can also complete a “2+2” degree, where students can begin their studies with two years at GNU and finish with two years at MU.

The schools also exchange faculty members. GNU researchers Jong Chan Hong and Woo Sik Chung completed sabbaticals at MU. Stacey has spent time in Korea, and his lab receives funding from Korean grants.

“Getting our students to interact with Korean students and Korean faculty expands their horizons, gets them in contact with other cultures and is really part of creating an intellectual environment where students can grow,” Stacey said.

For Stacey, the symposium has also brought valued friendships. “After you’ve been over there, and you know these guys for eleven years, it’s like your cousin coming home,” he said. “You’re not a visitor anymore. You’re like part of the family.”

For more information about the science exchanged, visit https://staceylab.missouri.edu/symposium.

A group of students from the Stacey lab won the MU-DPS Trivia contest 2017

A group of students from the Stacey lab, including Nhung Hoang (first from left) and Adama (fourth from left) won the trivia contest at the Division of Plant Sciences banquet on May 3, 2017.

You can try the quiz using this Link.

Members of the Stacey Lab attending the Mizzou – Division of Plant Sciences Banquet 2017. Nhung Hoang (first from left), Prof. Gary Stacey (third from left), Adama (fourth form left), Prof. Bing Stacey (fifth from left).

Sterling Evans received the best undergraduate poster award at the 33th Life Science Week

Sterling Evans, an undergraduate student of plant sciences, received the best undergraduate award for his poster on “Phenotypic screening of the response of Setaria viridis to plant growth promoting bacteria” at the 33th Life Science Week at the University of Missouri, 10-14 April, 2017. Sterling has joined the Stacey lab since the Fall semester of 2016.

Figure. Sterling with his mentors at the poster award ceremony

Figure. Sterling is explaining his work to a judge

Coming event: The 6th MU-GNU International Joint Symposium in Plant Biotechnology

The 6th MU-GNU International Joint Symposium in Plant Biotechnology

May 8-9, 2017

University of Missouri, Columbia

 

SPONSORED BY:

University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA

● The Interdisciplinary Plant Group

● College of Agriculture, Food, and National Resources at the University of Missouri

Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea

● Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Research Center

● Systems & Synthetic Agrobiotech Center, Next Generation Biogreen 21 Project of Rural Development Administration Korea

● Brain Korea 21 plus Program, Ministry of Education

● University for Creative Korea Program, Ministry of Education

 

LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE:

– Gary Stacey (Chair), Divisions of Plant Sciences and Biochemistry, MU

– Trupti Joshi, Translational Bioinformatics, School of Medicine – Medical Research Office, MU

– Toni Kazic, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, MU

– Sang S. Kim, Director, Asian Affairs Center, MU

– Abe Koo, Division of Biochemistry, MU

– David G. Mendoza-Cozatl, Division of Plant Sciences, MU

– Jinglu Tan, Department of Biological Engineering, MU

– Dong Xu, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, MU

 

SCHEDULE:

1st day (May 8, Monday)
08:30- 09:00: Registration
09:00 – 09:30 Opening Ceremony

Opening remark:

-Welcome remark: Marc Linit (Acting Dean, CAFNR, MU)

-Welcome remark: Mun Choi (UM President)

Session I Chair: Gary Stacey (Division of Plant Sciences, MU)
09:30- 10:00 Keun Woo Lee (Division of Applied Life Sciences, GNU): Molecular Modeling Approaches for Understanding the Mechanism of Light Signal Transduction in Plant Phytochrome
10:00 – 10:30 Mannie Liscum, (Division of Biology, MU): Phototropism: Molecular cell biology from phototropin receptors to changes in gene expression
10:30 – 11:00 Woo Sik Chung (Division of Applied Life Sciences, GNU): Cross-Talk of Salicylic Acid and Auxin Signaling via a MAP Kinase Cascade in Arabidopsis
11:00 – 11:15 Coffee Break
11:15 – 11:45 Joe Jez (Department of Biology, Washington Univ.): Molecular Controls in Plant Hormone Signaling
11:45 – 12:15 Lloyd Sumner, (Division of Biochemistry, MU): Integrated Metabolomics for Gene Discovery and Characterization of Plant Metabolic Pathways
12:20 – 13:50 Lunch
Session II Chair: Abe Koo (Division of Biochemistry, MU)
14:00 – 14:30 Jong Chan Hong (Division of Life Sciences, GNU): Role of a membrane anchored RING-H2 ubiquitin ligase ATL2 that positively regulates fungal defense response in chitin elicitor signaling in Arabidopsis
14:30 – 15:00 Jindong Liu, Monsanto: Phenotyping at multiple biological scales reveals complex interplay between traits and environment
15:00 – 15:30 Sang Yeol Lee (Division of Applied Life Sciences, GNU): Structural switching of a nuclear-localized redox protein regulates plant jasmonate signaling
15:30 – 15:50 Group Photo & Coffee Break
16:00- 17:30 Poster session and reception

2nd day (May 9, Tuesday)

Session III Chair: Walter Gassmann (Division of Plant Sciences, MU)
9:00- 9:30 Jae Yean Kim (Division of Applied Life Sciences, GNU): Molecular regulators playing in callose-dependent plasmodesmal gating
9:30- 10:00 Min Gab Kim (Dept. of Pharmacy, GNU): GI plays pivotal role in AvrRpt2-mediated RIN4 degradation and RPS2 signaling in Arabidopsis
10:00- 10:30 Pengyin Chen, (Division of Plant Sciences, MU): Breeding soybeans for high yield, disease resistance, stress tolerance and improved quality attributes for food and feed
10:30- 10:45 Coffee Break
10:45- 11:15 Ruthie Angelovici (Department of Biology, MU): Unraveling the Genetic basis of Seed Amino Acids Composition Using Network Guided GWAS
11:15- 11:45 Young Ryun Chung (Division of Applied Life Sciences, GNU): Induction of systemic resistance against aphids by endophytic Bacillus oryzicola YC7010 via expression of PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT4 in Arabidopsis
11:45-12:15 Gary Stacey, (Division of Plant Sciences, MU): Role of plant purinergic signaling in the control of stomatal immunity
12:20- 14:00 Lunch
Session IV Chair: Toni Kazic (Department of Computer Science, MU)
14:00- 14:30 Elizabeth A. Kellogg, (Donald Danforth Plant Science Center): The spikelet pair and its role in diversification
14:30- 15:00 Chang-deok Han (Division of Applied Life Sciences, GNU): Study on Molecular Mechanisms on Plant Architecture in Rice
15:00- 15:30 Deborah Finke, (Division of Plant Sciences, MU): Environmental effects on the susceptibility of plants to vector-borne pathogens
15:30- 15:45 Coffee Break
Session V Chair: David Mendoza-Cozatl (Division of Plant Science, MU)
15:45- 16:15 Kyun Oh Lee (Division of Applied Life Sciences, GNU): N-glycan containing a core α1,3-fucose residue is required for basipetal auxin transport in rice (Oryza sativa)
16:15- 16:45 Richard A. Ferrieri, (Missouri Research Reactor Center, MU): Integrated Whole-Plant Fluxomics Aided by Imaging Technologies
16:45- 17:15 Trupti Joshi (Director, Translational Genomics, MU): Informatics Approaches and Solutions for Precision Agriculture and Food Security
17:15 Meeting close and final remarks: G. Stacey, JC Hong

 

 

A new article on “Arabidopsis PUB13 regulates chitin receptor LYK5 protein abundance” published on New Phytologist

Arabidopsis E3 ubiquitin ligase PLANT U-BOX13 (PUB13) regulates chitin receptor LYSIN MOTIF RECEPTOR KINASE5 (LYK5) protein abundance

Liao D, Cao Y, Sun X, Espinoza C, Nguyen CT, Liang Y, Stacey G
 
Summary

Long-chain chitooligosaccharides are fungal microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) that are recognized by LYSIN MOTIF RECEPTOR KINASE5 (LYK5), inducing the formation of a complex with CHITIN ELICITOR RECEPTOR KINASE1 (CERK1). Formation of this complex leads to activation of the CERK1 intracellular kinase domain and induction of plant innate immunity in Arabidopsis.

We found that addition of chitooctaose induced LYK5 protein accumulation as a result of de novo gene expression and the inhibition of LYK5 protein degradation. Screening the putative E3 ligases for interaction with LYK5 identified PLANT U-BOX13 (PUB13), which complexed with LYK5, but this complex dissociated upon addition of chitooctaose. Consistent with these results, LYK5 protein abundance was higher in pub13 mutants compared with the wild-type without chitooctaose treatment, while similar abundance was detected with the addition of chitooctaose.

The pub13 mutants showed hypersensitivity to chitooctaose-induced rapid responses, such as the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase phosphorylation, but exhibited normal responses to subsequent long-term chitooctaose treatment, such as gene expression and callose deposition. In addition, PUB13 could ubiquitinate the LYK5 kinase domain in vitro.

Taken together, our results suggest an important regulatory function for the turnover of LYK5 mediated by the E3 ligase PUB13.

Beverly received the 1st place in the poster competition at the MU DuPont Pioneer Symposium

Beverly received the 1st place in the poster competition at the MU DuPont Pioneer Symposium

We congratulate Beverly on receiving the 1st place in the poster competition at the First MU DuPont Pioneer Symposium, 2017. Her poster title is “In situ metabolic profiling of symbiotic soybean-rhizobia interactions by laser ablation – electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LAESI – MS)”.

Poster Abstract

Plants synthesize specific compounds (e.g., metabolites) that are essential for biochemical processes, such as growth, development, and environmental response. Recent advancements in metabolomics have expanded and clarified plant biochemistry, genetics, and physiology under varying conditions. However, the spatiotemporal information about metabolite production, storage, and transport remains largely elusive. In recent years, Laser Ablation Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (LAESI-MS) has been implemented successfully in metabolite profiling of samples ranging from microalgae to plant tissues. This ambient MS technology allows sampling in native conditions, with minimal sample preparation, while preserving the spatial information of biomolecules. Here, we used LAESI-MS to investigate the metabolites in a well-characterized model plant-rhizobium system, specifically nitrogen-fixing soybean nodules resulting from root infection by Bradyrhizobium japonicum. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using LAESI-MS for the investigation into the plant-microbe symbiosis, as well as other plant processes.

Photo: Beverly in front of her poster during the poster competition session

 

 

 

 

Undergraduate students from Gyeongsang National University visited the Stacey Lab

Undergraduate students from Gyeongsang National University, Korea visited the Stacey Lab

 

Four undergraduate students from Gyeongsang National University visited the Stacey Lab on Friday, 20th January 2017 (photo). These students were selected for the 2016 Winter Global Pioneer Program GPP) from a contest involving 50 teams from different colleges and departments of Gyeongsang National University. The purpose of this program is to provide students opportunities to:

– Acquire global knowledge and opportunities for various cultural contacts through foreign educational and industrial activities.

– Cultivate students with pioneering spirit, challenging awareness and coping ability for changing global environment.

– Strengthen students’ globalization capabilities and promote Gyeongsang University through GPP activities.

Photo: Four undergraduate students from Gyeongsang National University visited the Stacey Lab (front row from left to right: Taeyoung Kim, Wonju Gwak, Hobin Kang, and Kyoungeun Kim; back row: Prof. Gary Stacey, Dr. Sung-Hwan Cho (post-doc), and Dr. Daewon Kim (post-doc).

A new article on “Divergent cytosine DNA methylation patterns in single-cell, soybean root hairs” published on New Phytologist

Divergent cytosine DNA methylation patterns in single-cell, soybean root hairs

Md Shakhawat Hossain, Taiji Kawakatsu, Kyung Do Kim, Zhang Ning, Cuong T. Nguyen, Saad M. Khan, Josef M. Batek, Trupti Joshi, Jeremy Schmutz, Jane Grimwood, Robert J. Schmitz, Dong Xu, Scott A. Jackson, Joseph R. Ecker, Gary Stacey

Abstract

Chromatin modifications, such as cytosine methylation of DNA, play a significant role in mediating gene expression in plants, which affects growth, development, and cell differentiation. As root hairs are single-cell extensions of the root epidermis and the primary organs for water uptake and nutrients, we sought to use root hairs as a single-cell model system to measure the impact of environmental stress.

We measured changes in cytosine DNA methylation in single-cell root hairs as compared with multicellular stripped roots, as well as in response to heat stress.

Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in each methylation context showed very distinct methylation patterns between cell types and in response to heat stress. Intriguingly, at normal temperature, root hairs were more hypermethylated than were stripped roots. However, in response to heat stress, both root hairs and stripped roots showed hypomethylation in each context, especially in the CHH context. Moreover, expression analysis of mRNA from similar tissues and treatments identified some associations between DMRs, genes and transposons.

Taken together, the data indicate that changes in DNA methylation are directly or indirectly associated with expression of genes and transposons within the context of either specific tissues/cells or stress (heat).

A recent review on “The Role of Plant Innate Immunity in the Legume-Rhizobium Symbiosis”

The Role of Plant Innate Immunity in the Legume-Rhizobium Symbiosis

(Annual Review of Plant Biology)

Yangrong Cao, Morgan K. Halane, Walter Gassmann, Gary Stacey

The nitrogen fixing rhizobium-legume symbiosis is considered mutualistic since both the plant host and bacterial symbiont appear to derive benefit: the plant host in the form of fixed nitrogen, which they can utilize for their metabolism, while the rhizobia gain a steady carbon supply and protected environment. Over time, rhizobial populations in the soil also increase in fields planted with legumes. A classic view of the evolution of mutualism is that it derives from an original pathogenic relationship, which attenuates over time to a situation in which both partners can derive benefit. If this is the case for rhizobia, then one might, for example, uncover features of the symbiosis that reflect this earlier pathogenic state. For example, similar to plant pathogens, it is now generally assumed that rhizobia actively suppress the host immune response, allowing infection and symbiotic establishment. Likewise, the host has retained mechanisms to control nutrient supply to the symbionts and to control the number of nodules formed so that they do not become too much of a burden. Recent results are uncovering the mechanistic details of how the plant innate immune system is induced and circumvented during rhizobial infection. For example, there is now clear evidence that rhizobia are initially recognized as pathogens and transiently activate immune responses. It is also apparent that, as is the case for plant pathogens, rhizobia secrete effector proteins that can actively suppress plant immunity. The open question is whether such events are strictly ancillary to the central symbiotic signaling pathway (e.g., that responding to the symbiotic Nod factor signal) or are in some unexplained way central to the ability of the rhizobia to infect their host. Subsequent to these early infection events, plant immune responses can also be induced inside the nodule, and likely play a role, for example, in nodule senescence. Thus, a balanced regulation of innate immunity is likely required throughout rhizobial infection, symbiotic establishment, and maintenance. In this review, we discuss the significance of plant immune responses in the regulation of symbiotic associations with rhizobia, as well as rhizobial avoidance of detection by the host immune system.