Evolutionary Analysis of JAZ Proteins in Plants: An Approach in Search of the Ancestral Sequence

Abstract

Jasmonates are phytohormones that regulate development, metabolism and immunity. Signal transduction is critical to activate jasmonate responses, but the evolution of some key regulators such as jasmonate-ZIM domain (JAZ) repressors is not clear. Here, we identified 1065 JAZ sequence proteins in 66 lower and higher plants and analyzed their evolution by bioinformatics methods. We found that the TIFY and Jas domains are highly conserved along the evolutionary scale. Furthermore, the canonical degron sequence LPIAR(R/K) of the Jas domain is conserved in lower and higher plants. It is noteworthy that degron sequences showed a large number of alternatives from gymnosperms to dicots. In addition, ethylene-responsive element binding factor-associated amphiphilic repression (EAR) motifs are displayed in all plant lineages from liverworts to angiosperms. However, the cryptic MYC2-interacting domain (CMID) domain appeared in angiosperms for the first time. The phylogenetic analysis performed using the Maximum Likelihood method indicated that JAZ ortholog proteins are grouped according to their similarity and plant lineage. Moreover, ancestral JAZ sequences were constructed by PhyloBot software and showed specific changes in the TIFY and Jas domains during evolution from liverworts to dicots. Finally, we propose a model for the evolution of the ancestral sequences of the main eight JAZ protein subgroups. These findings contribute to the understanding of the JAZ family origin and expansion in land plants.

Manipulation of Jasmonate Signaling by Plant Viruses and Their Insect Vectors

“…Recent discoveries have clarified that the single MpJAZ in Marchantia polymorpha is an ortholog of AtJAZ in Arabidopsis with a conserved function, such as repressing jasmonates biosynthesis, senescence, plant defenses, and promoting cell growth [88]. A previous study analyzed the evolution of more than 1000 JAZ sequence proteins using bioinformatics showing highly conserved features along the evolutionary scale [89]. These findings indicated that the JA-regulated defense pathway was relatively conserved both in higher and lower plants.…”

Recent Advances in Plant Chemical Biology of Jasmonates

“…For example, one COI1 gene and 13 JAZ genes on COI1-JAZ coreceptor of jasmonate [29], and six TIR1/AFB genes and 29Aux/IAA genes on TIR1/AFB-Aux/IAA coreceptor of auxin, are encoded in the Arabidopsis genome ( Figure 3A). The functional JAZ genes are JAZ1/2/3/4/5/6/9/10/11/12, because JAZ7/8/13 lack the canonical LPIARR motif in the degron necessary for the formation of COI1-JAZ coreceptor [31][32][33][34][35].…”

Revealing the full-length transcriptome of caucasian clover rhizome development

“…In addition, JAZ protein accumulated in roots (T1, T2 and T3). When pathogens invade and abiotic stress occurs, JAZ-MYC is believed to form an immune network, followed by JAZ protein degradation and MYC release [ 64 ]. T3 is closely linked to ETH and CTK-mediated pathways and may be responsible for root swelling.…”