Integrated morphological, physiological and omics analyses reveal the arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT) gene contributing to growth, flowering and defence in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.)

Yanhua Huang; Zehui Zheng; Xiaojing Bi; Kai Guo; Shulin Liu; Xuexue Huo; Danyang Tian; Huayue Liu; Lei Wang; Yunwei Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.plantsci.2021.111165

Integrated morphological, physiological and omics analyses reveal the arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT) gene contributing to growth, flowering and defence in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.)

Plant Sci. 2022 Mar:316:111165. doi: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2021.111165. Epub 2021 Dec 23.

Authors

Yanhua Huang¹, Zehui Zheng², Xiaojing Bi³, Kai Guo⁴, Shulin Liu⁵, Xuexue Huo⁶, Danyang Tian⁷, Huayue Liu⁸, Lei Wang⁹, Yunwei Zhang¹⁰

Affiliations

¹ Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Shandong, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Shandong, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
³ College of Grassland Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Shandong, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁶ Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Shandong, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁷ College of Grassland Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁸ College of Grassland Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁹ Forestry College, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
¹⁰ College of Grassland Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 35151442
DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2021.111165

Abstract

Arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT) catalyses the acetylation of serotonin, a rate-limiting process in melatonin biosynthesis. To obtain better insight into the underlying mechanism of AANAT's actions in switchgrass growth, flowering and defence, we performed integrated morphological, physiological and omics analyses between overexpressed oAANAT transgenic lines in wild-type and transgenic control (expressing only the empty vector) plants. We showed that oAANAT played pivotal roles in modulating plant growth through its regulation of cell elongation, and regulating flowering through photoperiod and GA pathways. In relation to photosynthesis, oAANAT promoted photosynthetic efficiency primarily through regulating leaf anatomical structures, stomatal development and chlorophyll metabolism. Moreover, oAANAT overexpression can trigger a number of defence responses or strategies, including antioxidant enzymatic properties, non-enzymatic capacity, significantly activated phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and adaptive morphological characteristics. This study unveils the possible molecular mechanisms underlying oAANAT dependent melatonin functions in switchgrass, providing an important starting point for further analyses.

Keywords: Defence; Flowering; Growth; Melatonin; Photosynthesis; oAANAT.

MeSH terms

Arylalkylamine N-Acetyltransferase
Melatonin*
Panicum* / genetics
Plant Leaves / genetics
Plants, Genetically Modified

Substances

Arylalkylamine N-Acetyltransferase
Melatonin