Genome-scale characterization of the vacuole nitrate transporter Chloride Channel (CLC) genes and their transcriptional responses to diverse nutrient stresses in allotetraploid rapeseed

PLoS One. 2018 Dec 20;13(12):e0208648. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208648. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

The Chloride Channel (CLC) gene family is reported to be involved in vacuolar nitrate (NO3-) transport. Nitrate distribution to the cytoplasm is beneficial for enhancing NO3- assimilation and plays an important role in the regulation of nitrogen (N) use efficiency (NUE). In this study, genomic information, high-throughput transcriptional profiles, and gene co-expression analysis were integrated to identify the CLCs (BnaCLCs) in Brassica napus. The decreased NO3- concentration in the clca-2 mutant up-regulated the activities of nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase, contributing to increase N assimilation and higher NUE in Arabidopsis thaliana. The genome-wide identification of 22BnaCLC genes experienced strong purifying selection. Segmental duplication was the major driving force in the expansion of the BnaCLC gene family. The most abundant cis-acting regulatory elements in the gene promoters, including DNA-binding One Zinc Finger, W-box, MYB, and GATA-box, might be involved in the transcriptional regulation of BnaCLCs expression. High-throughput transcriptional profiles and quantitative real-time PCR results showed that BnaCLCs responded differentially to distinct NO3- regimes. Transcriptomics-assisted gene co-expression network analysis identified BnaA7.CLCa-3 as the core member of the BnaCLC family, and this gene might play a central role in vacuolar NO3- transport in crops. The BnaCLC members also showed distinct expression patterns under phosphate depletion and cadmium toxicity. Taken together, our results provide comprehensive insights into the vacuolar BnaCLCs and establish baseline information for future studies on BnaCLCs-mediated vacuolar NO3- storage and its effect on NUE.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anion Transport Proteins / genetics*
  • Anion Transport Proteins / metabolism
  • Arabidopsis / genetics
  • Arabidopsis / metabolism
  • Brassica rapa / genetics*
  • Brassica rapa / metabolism
  • Cadmium / metabolism
  • Chloride Channels / genetics*
  • Chloride Channels / metabolism
  • Conserved Sequence
  • Crops, Agricultural / genetics
  • Crops, Agricultural / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
  • Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase / metabolism
  • Nitrate Reductase / metabolism
  • Nitrate Transporters
  • Nitrates / metabolism
  • Nitrogen / metabolism
  • Phosphates / metabolism
  • Phylogeny
  • Plant Breeding
  • Plant Proteins / genetics*
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Stress, Physiological / genetics*
  • Stress, Physiological / physiology
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Vacuoles / genetics*
  • Vacuoles / metabolism

Substances

  • Anion Transport Proteins
  • Chloride Channels
  • Nitrate Transporters
  • Nitrates
  • Phosphates
  • Plant Proteins
  • Cadmium
  • Nitrate Reductase
  • Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase
  • Nitrogen

Grants and funding

This study was financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2017YFD0200100 and 2017YFD0200103), National Natural Science Foundation of China (31801923, 31101596 and 31372130), Hunan Provincial Recruitment Program of Foreign Experts, National Oilseed Rape Production Technology System of China, “2011 Plan” supported by the Ministry of Education of China and Double First-class Construction Project of Hunan Agricultural University (kxk201801005).