bahman amiri - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by bahman amiri

Research paper thumbnail of Trehalose accumulation in rice plants confers high tolerance levels to different abiotic stresses

Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences, 2002

Trehalose is a nonreducing disaccharide of glucose that functions as a compatible solute in the s... more Trehalose is a nonreducing disaccharide of glucose that functions as a compatible solute in the stabilization of biological structures under abiotic stress in bacteria, fungi, and invertebrates. With the notable exception of the desiccation-tolerant ''resurrection plants,'' trehalose is not thought to accumulate to detectable levels in most plants. We report here the regulated overexpression of Escherichia coli trehalose biosynthetic genes (otsA and otsB) as a fusion gene for manipulating abiotic stress tolerance in rice. The fusion gene has the advantages of necessitating only a single transformation event and a higher net catalytic efficiency for trehalose formation. The expression of the transgene was under the control of either tissue-specific or stress-dependent promoters. Compared with nontransgenic rice, several independent transgenic lines exhibited sustained plant growth, less photo-oxidative damage, and more favorable mineral balance under salt, drought, and low-temperature stress conditions. Depending on growth conditions, the transgenic rice plants accumulate trehalose at levels 3-10 times that of the nontransgenic controls. The observation that peak trehalose levels remain well below 1 mg͞g fresh weight indicates that the primary effect of trehalose is not as a compatible solute. Rather, increased trehalose accumulation correlates with higher soluble carbohydrate levels and an elevated capacity for photosynthesis under both stress and nonstress conditions, consistent with a suggested role in modulating sugar sensing and carbohydrate metabolism. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of engineering rice for increased tolerance of abiotic stress and enhanced productivity through tissue-specific or stress-dependent overproduction of trehalose.

Research paper thumbnail of REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES: Metabolism, Oxidative Stress, and Signal Transduction

Annual Review of Plant Biology, 2004

Key Words programmed cell death, abiotic stress, pathogen defense s Abstract Several reactive oxy... more Key Words programmed cell death, abiotic stress, pathogen defense s Abstract Several reactive oxygen species (ROS) are continuously produced in plants as byproducts of aerobic metabolism. Depending on the nature of the ROS species, some are highly toxic and rapidly detoxified by various cellular enzymatic and nonenzymatic mechanisms. Whereas plants are surfeited with mechanisms to combat increased ROS levels during abiotic stress conditions, in other circumstances plants appear to purposefully generate ROS as signaling molecules to control various processes including pathogen defense, programmed cell death, and stomatal behavior. This review describes the mechanisms of ROS generation and removal in plants during development and under biotic and abiotic stress conditions. New insights into the complexity and roles that ROS play in plants have come from genetic analyses of ROS detoxifying and signaling mutants. Considering recent ROS-induced genomewide expression analyses, the possible functions and mechanisms for ROS sensing and signaling in plants are compared with those in animals and yeast.

Research paper thumbnail of Role of plant heat-shock proteins and molecular chaperones in the abiotic stress response

Trends in Plant Science, 2004

Abiotic stresses usually cause protein dysfunction. Maintaining proteins in their functional conf... more Abiotic stresses usually cause protein dysfunction. Maintaining proteins in their functional conformations and preventing the aggregation of non-native proteins are particularly important for cell survival under stress. Heat-shock proteins (Hsps)/chaperones are responsible for protein folding, assembly, translocation and degradation in many normal cellular processes, stabilize proteins and membranes, and can assist in protein refolding under stress conditions. They can play a crucial role in protecting plants against stress by reestablishing normal protein conformation and thus cellular homeostasis. Here, we summarize the significance of Hsps and chaperones in abiotic stress responses in plants, and discuss the co-operation among their different classes and their interactions with other stressinduced components.

Research paper thumbnail of Abiotic stress signalling pathways: specificity and cross-talk

Trends in Plant Science, 2001

Plants exhibit a variety of responses to abiotic stresses that enable them to tolerate and surviv... more Plants exhibit a variety of responses to abiotic stresses that enable them to tolerate and survive adverse conditions. As we learn more about the signalling pathways leading to these responses, it is becoming clear that they constitute a network that is interconnected at many levels. In this article, we discuss the 'cross-talk' between different signalling pathways and question whether there are any truly specific abiotic stress signalling responses.

Research paper thumbnail of Roles of glycine betaine and proline in improving plant abiotic stress resistance

Environmental and Experimental Botany, 2007

Glycine betaine (GB) and proline are two major organic osmolytes that accumulate in a variety of ... more Glycine betaine (GB) and proline are two major organic osmolytes that accumulate in a variety of plant species in response to environmental stresses such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, UV radiation and heavy metals. Although their actual roles in plant ...

Research paper thumbnail of Crosstalk between abiotic and biotic stress responses: a current view from the points of convergence in the stress signaling networks

Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 2006

Plants have evolved a wide range of mechanisms to cope with biotic and abiotic stresses. To date,... more Plants have evolved a wide range of mechanisms to cope with biotic and abiotic stresses. To date, the molecular mechanisms that are involved in each stress has been revealed comparatively independently, and so our understanding of convergence points between biotic and abiotic stress signaling pathways remain rudimentary. However, recent studies have revealed several molecules, including transcription factors and kinases, as promising candidates for common players that are involved in crosstalk between stress signaling pathways. Emerging evidence suggests that hormone signaling pathways regulated by abscisic acid, salicylic acid, jasmonic acid and ethylene, as well as ROS signaling pathways, play key roles in the crosstalk between biotic and abiotic stress signaling.

Research paper thumbnail of Plant responses to abiotic stresses: heavy metal-induced oxidative stress and protection by mycorrhization

Journal of Experimental Botany, 2002

The aim of this review is to assess the mode of action and role of antioxidants as protection fro... more The aim of this review is to assess the mode of action and role of antioxidants as protection from heavy metal stress in roots, mycorrhizal fungi and mycorrhizae. Based on their chemical and physical properties three different molecular mechanisms of heavy metal toxicity can be distinguished: (a) production of reactive oxygen species by autoxidation and Fenton reaction; this reaction is typical for transition metals such as iron or copper, (b) blocking of essential functional groups in biomolecules, this reaction has mainly been reported for non-redox-reactive heavy metals such as cadmium and mercury, (c) displacement of essential metal ions from biomolecules; the latter reaction occurs with different kinds of heavy metals. Transition metals cause oxidative injury in plant tissue, but a literature survey did not provide evidence that this stress could be alleviated by increased levels of antioxidative systems. The reason may be that transition metals initiate hydroxyl radical production, which can not be controlled by antioxidants. Exposure of plants to non-redox reactive metals also resulted in oxidative stress as indicated by lipid peroxidation, H 2 O 2 accumulation, and an oxidative burst. Cadmium and some other metals caused a transient depletion of GSH and an inhibition of antioxidative enzymes, especially of glutathione reductase. Assessment of antioxidative capacities by metabolic modelling suggested that the reported diminution of antioxidants was sufficient to cause H 2 O 2 accumulation. The depletion of GSH is apparently a critical step in cadmium sensitivity since plants with improved capacities for GSH synthesis displayed higher Cd tolerance. Available data suggest that cadmium, when not detoxified rapidly enough, may trigger, via the disturbance of the redox control of the cell, a sequence of reactions leading to growth inhibition, stimulation of secondary metabolism, lignification, and finally cell death. This view is in contrast to the idea that cadmium results in unspecific necrosis. Plants in certain mycorrhizal associations are less sensitive to cadmium stress than non-mycorrhizal plants. Data about antioxidative systems in mycorrhizal fungi in pure culture and in symbiosis are scarce. The present results indicate that mycorrhization stimulated the phenolic defence system in the Paxillus-Pinus mycorrhizal symbiosis. Cadmium-induced changes in mycorrhizal roots were absent or smaller than those in non-mycorrhizal roots. These observations suggest that although changes in rhizospheric conditions were perceived by the root part of the symbiosis, the typical Cd-induced stress responses of phenolics were buffered. It is not known whether mycorrhization protected roots from Cd-induced injury by preventing access of cadmium to sensitive extra-or intracellular sites, or by excreted or intrinsic metal-chelators, or by other defence systems. It is possible that mycorrhizal fungi provide protection via GSH since higher concentrations of this thiol were found in pure cultures of the fungi than in bare roots. The development of stress-tolerant plant-mycorrhizal associations may be a promising new strategy for phytoremediation and soil amelioration measures.

Research paper thumbnail of Trehalose accumulation in rice plants confers high tolerance levels to different abiotic stresses

Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences, 2002

Trehalose is a nonreducing disaccharide of glucose that functions as a compatible solute in the s... more Trehalose is a nonreducing disaccharide of glucose that functions as a compatible solute in the stabilization of biological structures under abiotic stress in bacteria, fungi, and invertebrates. With the notable exception of the desiccation-tolerant ''resurrection plants,'' trehalose is not thought to accumulate to detectable levels in most plants. We report here the regulated overexpression of Escherichia coli trehalose biosynthetic genes (otsA and otsB) as a fusion gene for manipulating abiotic stress tolerance in rice. The fusion gene has the advantages of necessitating only a single transformation event and a higher net catalytic efficiency for trehalose formation. The expression of the transgene was under the control of either tissue-specific or stress-dependent promoters. Compared with nontransgenic rice, several independent transgenic lines exhibited sustained plant growth, less photo-oxidative damage, and more favorable mineral balance under salt, drought, and low-temperature stress conditions. Depending on growth conditions, the transgenic rice plants accumulate trehalose at levels 3-10 times that of the nontransgenic controls. The observation that peak trehalose levels remain well below 1 mg͞g fresh weight indicates that the primary effect of trehalose is not as a compatible solute. Rather, increased trehalose accumulation correlates with higher soluble carbohydrate levels and an elevated capacity for photosynthesis under both stress and nonstress conditions, consistent with a suggested role in modulating sugar sensing and carbohydrate metabolism. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of engineering rice for increased tolerance of abiotic stress and enhanced productivity through tissue-specific or stress-dependent overproduction of trehalose.

Research paper thumbnail of REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES: Metabolism, Oxidative Stress, and Signal Transduction

Annual Review of Plant Biology, 2004

Key Words programmed cell death, abiotic stress, pathogen defense s Abstract Several reactive oxy... more Key Words programmed cell death, abiotic stress, pathogen defense s Abstract Several reactive oxygen species (ROS) are continuously produced in plants as byproducts of aerobic metabolism. Depending on the nature of the ROS species, some are highly toxic and rapidly detoxified by various cellular enzymatic and nonenzymatic mechanisms. Whereas plants are surfeited with mechanisms to combat increased ROS levels during abiotic stress conditions, in other circumstances plants appear to purposefully generate ROS as signaling molecules to control various processes including pathogen defense, programmed cell death, and stomatal behavior. This review describes the mechanisms of ROS generation and removal in plants during development and under biotic and abiotic stress conditions. New insights into the complexity and roles that ROS play in plants have come from genetic analyses of ROS detoxifying and signaling mutants. Considering recent ROS-induced genomewide expression analyses, the possible functions and mechanisms for ROS sensing and signaling in plants are compared with those in animals and yeast.

Research paper thumbnail of Role of plant heat-shock proteins and molecular chaperones in the abiotic stress response

Trends in Plant Science, 2004

Abiotic stresses usually cause protein dysfunction. Maintaining proteins in their functional conf... more Abiotic stresses usually cause protein dysfunction. Maintaining proteins in their functional conformations and preventing the aggregation of non-native proteins are particularly important for cell survival under stress. Heat-shock proteins (Hsps)/chaperones are responsible for protein folding, assembly, translocation and degradation in many normal cellular processes, stabilize proteins and membranes, and can assist in protein refolding under stress conditions. They can play a crucial role in protecting plants against stress by reestablishing normal protein conformation and thus cellular homeostasis. Here, we summarize the significance of Hsps and chaperones in abiotic stress responses in plants, and discuss the co-operation among their different classes and their interactions with other stressinduced components.

Research paper thumbnail of Abiotic stress signalling pathways: specificity and cross-talk

Trends in Plant Science, 2001

Plants exhibit a variety of responses to abiotic stresses that enable them to tolerate and surviv... more Plants exhibit a variety of responses to abiotic stresses that enable them to tolerate and survive adverse conditions. As we learn more about the signalling pathways leading to these responses, it is becoming clear that they constitute a network that is interconnected at many levels. In this article, we discuss the 'cross-talk' between different signalling pathways and question whether there are any truly specific abiotic stress signalling responses.

Research paper thumbnail of Roles of glycine betaine and proline in improving plant abiotic stress resistance

Environmental and Experimental Botany, 2007

Glycine betaine (GB) and proline are two major organic osmolytes that accumulate in a variety of ... more Glycine betaine (GB) and proline are two major organic osmolytes that accumulate in a variety of plant species in response to environmental stresses such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, UV radiation and heavy metals. Although their actual roles in plant ...

Research paper thumbnail of Crosstalk between abiotic and biotic stress responses: a current view from the points of convergence in the stress signaling networks

Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 2006

Plants have evolved a wide range of mechanisms to cope with biotic and abiotic stresses. To date,... more Plants have evolved a wide range of mechanisms to cope with biotic and abiotic stresses. To date, the molecular mechanisms that are involved in each stress has been revealed comparatively independently, and so our understanding of convergence points between biotic and abiotic stress signaling pathways remain rudimentary. However, recent studies have revealed several molecules, including transcription factors and kinases, as promising candidates for common players that are involved in crosstalk between stress signaling pathways. Emerging evidence suggests that hormone signaling pathways regulated by abscisic acid, salicylic acid, jasmonic acid and ethylene, as well as ROS signaling pathways, play key roles in the crosstalk between biotic and abiotic stress signaling.

Research paper thumbnail of Plant responses to abiotic stresses: heavy metal-induced oxidative stress and protection by mycorrhization

Journal of Experimental Botany, 2002

The aim of this review is to assess the mode of action and role of antioxidants as protection fro... more The aim of this review is to assess the mode of action and role of antioxidants as protection from heavy metal stress in roots, mycorrhizal fungi and mycorrhizae. Based on their chemical and physical properties three different molecular mechanisms of heavy metal toxicity can be distinguished: (a) production of reactive oxygen species by autoxidation and Fenton reaction; this reaction is typical for transition metals such as iron or copper, (b) blocking of essential functional groups in biomolecules, this reaction has mainly been reported for non-redox-reactive heavy metals such as cadmium and mercury, (c) displacement of essential metal ions from biomolecules; the latter reaction occurs with different kinds of heavy metals. Transition metals cause oxidative injury in plant tissue, but a literature survey did not provide evidence that this stress could be alleviated by increased levels of antioxidative systems. The reason may be that transition metals initiate hydroxyl radical production, which can not be controlled by antioxidants. Exposure of plants to non-redox reactive metals also resulted in oxidative stress as indicated by lipid peroxidation, H 2 O 2 accumulation, and an oxidative burst. Cadmium and some other metals caused a transient depletion of GSH and an inhibition of antioxidative enzymes, especially of glutathione reductase. Assessment of antioxidative capacities by metabolic modelling suggested that the reported diminution of antioxidants was sufficient to cause H 2 O 2 accumulation. The depletion of GSH is apparently a critical step in cadmium sensitivity since plants with improved capacities for GSH synthesis displayed higher Cd tolerance. Available data suggest that cadmium, when not detoxified rapidly enough, may trigger, via the disturbance of the redox control of the cell, a sequence of reactions leading to growth inhibition, stimulation of secondary metabolism, lignification, and finally cell death. This view is in contrast to the idea that cadmium results in unspecific necrosis. Plants in certain mycorrhizal associations are less sensitive to cadmium stress than non-mycorrhizal plants. Data about antioxidative systems in mycorrhizal fungi in pure culture and in symbiosis are scarce. The present results indicate that mycorrhization stimulated the phenolic defence system in the Paxillus-Pinus mycorrhizal symbiosis. Cadmium-induced changes in mycorrhizal roots were absent or smaller than those in non-mycorrhizal roots. These observations suggest that although changes in rhizospheric conditions were perceived by the root part of the symbiosis, the typical Cd-induced stress responses of phenolics were buffered. It is not known whether mycorrhization protected roots from Cd-induced injury by preventing access of cadmium to sensitive extra-or intracellular sites, or by excreted or intrinsic metal-chelators, or by other defence systems. It is possible that mycorrhizal fungi provide protection via GSH since higher concentrations of this thiol were found in pure cultures of the fungi than in bare roots. The development of stress-tolerant plant-mycorrhizal associations may be a promising new strategy for phytoremediation and soil amelioration measures.