Poplar aquaporin PIP1;1 promotes Arabidopsis growth and development

Abstract

Background Root hydraulic conductance is primarily determined by the conductance of living tissues to radial water flow. Plasma membrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs) in root cortical cells are important for plants to take up water and are believed to be directly involved in cell growth. Results In this study, we found that constitutive overexpression of the poplar root-specific gene PtoPIP1;1 in Arabidopsis accelerated bolting and flowering. At the early stage of the developmental process, PtoPIP1;1 OE Arabidopsis exhibited faster cell growth in both leaves and roots. The turgor pressure of plants was correspondingly increased in PtoPIP1;1 OE Arabidopsis, and the water status was changed. At the same time, the expression levels of flowering-related genes (CRY1, CRY2 and FCA) and hub genes in the regulatory networks underlying floral timing (FT and SOC1) were significantly upregulated in OE plants, while the floral repressor FLC gene was significantly downregulated. Conclusions Taken together, the results of our study indicate that constitutive overexpression of PtoPIP1;1 in Arabidopsis accelerates bolting and flowering through faster cell growth in both the leaf and root at an early stage of the developmental process. The autonomous pathway of flowering regulation may be executed by monitoring developmental age. The increase in turgor and changes in water status with PtoPIP1;1 overexpression play a role in promoting cell growth.

EuPIP1;2, a Plasma Membrane Aquaporin Gene from Eucommia ulmoides, Enhances Drought and Salt Tolerance in Transgenic Tobacco

“…Analysis of conserved domains indicated that EuPIP1;2 is a member of the PIP1 group and is most closely related to PIPs of dicotyledonous woody plants and only distantly related to PIPs of monocotyledonous plants. Previous studies have shown that PIP genes are expressed in diverse tissues of plants [32], such as roots, leaves, stems, inflorescences, fruits, and seeds [33]. In the present study, the expression level of EuPIP1;2 was highest in the fruit, followed by the root.…”

Highly Conserved Evolution of Aquaporin PIPs and TIPs Confers Their Crucial Contribution to Flowering Process in Plants

“…One approach to achieve this goal is to overexpress the candidate AQP genes in gramineous crops, which may accelerate the glume opening process and maintain the lodicules swelling for longer time to enhance the pollination rate of the ovary for optimal hybrid seed production. Recent research on the poplar AQP gene PtoPIP1;1 has shown that the constitutive overexpression of it in Arabidopsis accelerated the flowering process of the transgenic plants ( Leng et al, 2021 ). However, further studies are required to comprehensively investigate the characteristics, specific functions, and regulatory mechanisms of these four candidate AQPs prior to the utilization of them.…”

“…Likewise, Kong et al (2018) found that the transcripts of PIP and TIP subfamily members were highly abundant during flower opening stages in carnation ( Dianthus caryophyllus ). Recently, the constitutive overexpression of the poplar root-specific AQP gene PtoPIP1;1 in Arabidopsis has been reported to accelerate the flowering process of the transgenic lines ( Leng et al, 2021 ). All these pieces of research suggest the importance of AQPs in plant flowering.…”

Overexpression of the Eucommia ulmoides Aquaporin, EuPIP1;1, Promotes Leaf Growth, Flowering and Bolting, and Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis

“…The higher expression of AQPs in growth, compared to non-growing, tissues is often associated with higher cell hydraulic conductivity (Lp) in growing tissue [ 48 ]. PIPs play an important role in regulating rapid transmembrane water flow during plant growth and are believed to be directly involved in cell growth [ 49 ]. In this study, the transgenic lines assessed both showed significant increase in stomatal size and cell area.…”