Histone Deacetylase Is Required for GA-Induced Programmed Cell Death in Maize Aleurone Layers

Abstract

Recent discoveries have shown that epigenetic regulation is an integral part of phytohormone-mediated processes. The phytohormone gibberellin (GA) triggers a series of events in cereal aleurone cells that lead to programmed cell death (PCD), but the signaling cascade mediating GA-induced PCD in cereal aleurone layers remains largely unknown. Here, we showed that histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity gradually increased relative to histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity, leading to a global decrease in histone H3 and H4 acetylation levels during PCD of maize (Zea mays) embryoless aleurone layers after 3 d of treatment with GA. HDAC inhibition prevented GA-induced PCD in embryoless aleurone cells, whereas HAT inhibition resulted in PCD even in the absence of GA. Hydrogen peroxide concentrations increased in GA-or HAT inhibitor-treated aleurone cells due to reduced levels of reactive oxygen species scavengers. Hydrogen peroxide-treated aleurone cells showed no changes in the activity or expression of HATs and HDACs. We show that it is possible to predict whether epigenetic modification enzymes serve as a regulator of the GA-triggered PCD signaling pathway in maize aleurone layers. Taken together, these findings reveal that HDAC activity is required for GA-induced PCD in maize aleurone layers and regulates PCD via the reactive oxygen species-mediated signal transduction pathway.

Identification of histone deacetylase genes in Dendrobium officinale and their expression profiles under phytohormone and abiotic stress treatments

“…Programmed cell death (PCD) in the maize aleurone layer is induced by GA, and HDAC activity is required for this process. HDAC activity gradually increased relative to histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity, leading to a global decrease in histone H3 and H4 acetylation levels during PCD after treatment with GA ( Hou et al, 2017 ). These data further prove that the DoHDAC genes play an important role in the growth and development of D. officinale and in response to environmental stresses.…”

In silico analysis of maize HDACs with an emphasis on their response to biotic and abiotic stresses

“…Maize HDAC genes HDA101, HDA102, and HDA108 have been found to show similar expression levels in endosperm; for example, HDA108 controls vegetative and reproductive development and HDA101 influences seed development by regulating histone acetylation levels (Varotto et al, 2003;Rossi et al, 2007;Yang et al, 2016;Forestan et al, 2018). In addition, ZmHDACs activities are required for GA-induced programmed cell death in aleurone layers, and regulate programmed cell death via ROS-mediated signal transduction pathway (Hou et al, 2015;Hou et al, 2017). Nevertheless, systematic analysis of all the HDAC genes and their responses to abiotic and biotic stresses in maize has not yet been reported.…”

The Interplay between Toxic and Essential Metals for Their Uptake and Translocation Is Likely Governed by DNA Methylation and Histone Deacetylation in Maize

“…Pb, Cd, and Zn alter the gene expression of HATs and HDACs in cotton [ 33 , 34 ], indicating their important role in other crops. Maize HDACs play a role in plant development [ 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 ]. However, the effect of heavy metals on histone acetylation in maize as well as crop plants, especially the function of maize histone deacetylases in the tolerance of metal stress, has not been studied yet.…”