Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Abscisic acid causes changes in gene expression involved in the induction of the landform of the liverwortRiccia fluitans L.

  • Published:
Planta Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The conversion of the submerged form ofRiccia fluitans to the landform either by transfer to a moist solid surface or by treatment with abscisic acid (ABA), is accompanied by the formation of a set of new polypeptides and concomitant down-regulation of other polypeptides. Changes in gene expression were analyzed by twodimensional separations of proteins and differential screening of a cDNA library. One of the landform-specific proteins might depend on the expression of the newly discoveredRic 1 gene. The deduced amino acid sequence of the isolatedRic 1 cDNA clone codes for a protein with a molecular mass of 30.1 kDa. This polypeptide possesses two amino acid sequences which are repeated five times each and it is largely hydrophilic with the exception of a hydrophobic carboxyl-terminal region. Under ABA treatment the expression of theRic 1 mRNA had already reached its maximum after 1 h of incubation. Transferring submerged thalli onto an agar surface resulted in a slower induction. TheRic 1 gene product shows homology to an embryo-specific polypeptide of carrot seeds and to the group 3 of late-embryogenesis-abundant (LEA) proteins. Interestingly, ABA treatment improved the desiccation tolerance of the submerged thalli. Additionally, ABA stimulated the synthesis of a protein which is immunologically related to a tonoplast protein. This finding, together with the fact that the ABA-induced landform exhibits an increased activity of several vacuolar enzymes, may indicate a special role of the tonoplast and the vacuole during ABA-induced conversion of the thallus from the submerged to the terrestrial form.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

ABA:

abscisic acid

2-D PAGE:

two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

Fo, Fm :

initial and maximal chlorophylla fluorescence

LEA:

late embryogenesis abundant

Q a :

primary quinone acceptor of PS II

References

  • Anderberg RJ, Walker-Simmons MK (1992) Isolation of a wheat cDNA clone for an abscisic acid-inducible transcript with homology to protein kinases. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 89: 10183–10187

    Google Scholar 

  • Baker JC, Steele C, Dure L (1988) Sequence and characterization of 6 Lea proteins and their genes from cotton. Plant Mol Biol 11: 277–291

    Google Scholar 

  • Bartels D, Singh M, Salamini F (1988) Onset of desiccation tolerance during development of the barley embryo. Planta 175: 485–492

    Google Scholar 

  • Bartels D, Schneider K, Terstappen G, Piatkowski D, Salamini F (1990) Molecular cloning of abscisic acid-modulated genes which are induced during desiccation of the resurrection plantCraterostigma plantagineum. Planta 181: 27–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Betz M, Dietz K,-J (1991) Immunological characterization of two dominant tonoplast polypeptides. Plant Physiol. 97: 1294–1301

    Google Scholar 

  • Blum H, Beier H, Gross HJ (1987) Improved silver staining of plant proteins, RNA and DNA in polyacrylamide gels. Electrophoresis 8: 93–99

    Google Scholar 

  • Boiler T, Kende H (1979) Hydrolytic enzymes in the central vacuole of plant cells. Plant Physiol 63: 1123–1132

    Google Scholar 

  • Bray EA (1990) Drought-stress-induced polypeptide accumulation in tomato leaves. Plant Cell Environ 13: 531–538

    Google Scholar 

  • Close TJ, Kortt AA, Chandler PM (1989) A cDNA-based comparison of dehydration-induced proteins (dehydrins) in barley and corn. Plant Mol Biol 13: 95–108

    Google Scholar 

  • Close TJ, Fenton RD, Yang A, Asghar R, DeMason DA, Crone DE, Meyer NC, Moonan F (1993a) Dehydrin: The protein. In: Close TJ, Bray EA (eds) Plant responses to cellular dehydration during environmental stress. Am Soc Plant Physiologists USA, pp 104–118

  • Close TJ, Fenton RD, Moonan F (1993b) A view of plant dehydrins using antibodies specific to the carboxyterminal peptide. Plant Mol Biol 23: 279–286

    Google Scholar 

  • Curry J, Morris CF, Walker-Simmons MK (1991) Sequence analysis of a cDNA encoding a group 3 LEA mRNA inducible by ABA or dehydration stress in wheat. Plant Mol Biol 16: 1073–1076

    Google Scholar 

  • Dietz KJ, Bogorad L (1987a) Plastid development inPisum sativum leaves during greening. I. A comparison of plastid polypeptide composition andin organello translation characteristics. Plant Physiol 85: 808–815

    Google Scholar 

  • Dietz K-J, Bogorad L (1987b) Plastid development inPisum sativum leaves during greening. II. Post-translational uptake by plastids as an indicator system to monitor changes in translatable mRNA for nuclear-encoded plastid polypeptides. Plant Physiol 85: 816–822

    Google Scholar 

  • Dure III J, Crouch M, Harada J, Ho T-HD, Mundy J, Quatrano R, Thomas T, Sung ZR (1989) Common amino acid sequence domains among the LEA proteins of higher plants. Plant Mol Biol 12: 475–486

    Google Scholar 

  • Dure L (1993) Structural motifs in Lea proteins. In: Close TJ, Bray EA (eds) Plant responses to cellular dehydration during environmental stress. Am Soc Plant Physiologists USA, pp 91–103

  • Franz G, Hatzopoulos P, Jones TJ, Krauss M, Sung ZR (1989) Molecular and genetic analysis of an embryonic gene DC8, fromDaucus carota L. Mol Gen Genet 218: 143–151

    Google Scholar 

  • Goday A, Sanchez-Martinez D, Gomez J, Puigdomenech P, Pages M (1988) Gene expression in developingZea mays embryos: Regulation by abscisic acid of a highly phosphorylated 23to 25-kD group of proteins. Plant Physiol 88: 564–569

    Google Scholar 

  • Gubler U, Hoffman BJ (1983) A simple and very efficient method for generating cDNA libraries. Gene 25: 263–269

    Google Scholar 

  • Harada JJ, DeLisle AJ, Baden CS, Crouch ML (1989) Unusual sequence of an abscisic acid-inducible mRNA which accumulates late inBrassica napus seed development. Plant Mol Biol 12: 395–401

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartung W, Weiler EW, Volk OH (1987) Immunological evidence that abscisic acid is produced by several species of Anthocerotae and Marchantiales. Bryologist 90: 393–400

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartung W, Gimmler H (1994) A stress physiological role for abscisic acid (ABA) in lower plants. Prog Bot 55: 157–173

    Google Scholar 

  • Hatzopoulos P, Fong F, Sung ZR (1990) Abscisic acid regulation of DC 8, a carrot embryogenic gene. Plant Physiol 94: 690–695

    Google Scholar 

  • Hellwege E, Volk OH, Hartung W (1992) A physiological role of abscisic acid in the liverwortRiccia fluitans. J Plant Physiol 140: 553–556

    Google Scholar 

  • Hellwege EM, Dietz KJ, Volk OH, Hartung W (1994) Abscisic acid and the induction of desiccation resistance in the extremely xerophilic liverwortExormotheca holstii. Planta 194: 525–531

    Google Scholar 

  • Hong B, Uknes SJ, Ho T-HD (1988) Cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding a mRNA rapidly-induced by ABA in barley aleurone layers. Plant Mol Biol 11: 495–506

    Google Scholar 

  • Hong B, Barg R, Ho T-HD (1992) Developmental and organ-specific expression of an ABA-and stress-induced protein in barley. Plant Mol Biol 18: 663–674

    Google Scholar 

  • Kyte J, Doolittle RF (1982) A simple method for displaying the hydropathic character of a protein. J Mol Biol 157: 105–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Laemmli UK (1970) Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the head of bacteriophage T4. Nature 227: 680–685

    Google Scholar 

  • O'Farrell, PH (1975) High resolution two-dimensional electrophoresis of proteins. J Biol Chem 250: 4007–4021

    Google Scholar 

  • Sambrook J, Fritsch EF, Maniatis T (1989) Molecular cloning. A laboratory manual. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, USA

    Google Scholar 

  • Schneider K, Wells B, Schmelzer E, Salamini F, Bartels D (1993) Desiccation leads to the rapid accumulation of both cytosolic and chloroplastic proteins in the resurrection plantCraterostigma plantagineum Hochst. Planta 189: 120–131

    Google Scholar 

  • Seffens WS, Almoguera C, Wilde HD, Vonder Haar RA, Thomas TL (1990) Molecular analysis of a phylogenetically conserved carrot gene: Developmental and environmental regulation. Develop Gen 11: 65–76

    Google Scholar 

  • Skriver K, Mundy J (1990) Gene expression in response to abscisic acid and osmotic stress. Plant Cell 2: 503–512

    Google Scholar 

  • Werner O, Ros Espin RM, Bopp M, Atzorn R (1991) Abscisic acid-induced drought tolerance inFunaria hygrometrica Hedw. Planta 186: 99–103

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Julius-von-Sachs-Institut für Biowissenschaften, Lehrstuhl Botanik I, Universität Würzburg, Mittlerer Dallenbergweg 64, D-97082, Würzburg, Germany

    Elke M. Hellwege, Karl-Josef Dietz & Wolfram Hartung

Authors
  1. Elke M. Hellwege
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Karl-Josef Dietz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Wolfram Hartung
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

We are grateful to the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft for financial support SFB 251, SFB 176 to Prof. O.H. Volk (Institut für Biowissenschaften, Universität Würzburg, Germany) for generous supply ofRiccia fluitans thalli and many useful discussions and to Mrs B. Arbinger and Mrs B. Dierich for skilful technical assistance.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hellwege, E.M., Dietz, KJ. & Hartung, W. Abscisic acid causes changes in gene expression involved in the induction of the landform of the liverwortRiccia fluitans L.. Planta 198, 423–432 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00620059

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00620059

Key words

Search

Navigation