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miR395 is a general component of the sulfate assimilation regulatory network in Arabidopsis

Colette A Matthewman1, Cintia G Kawashima, Dalibor Húska

  • 1John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK.

FEBS Letters
|July 10, 2012
PubMed

Insights

MicroRNAs like miR395 regulate plant responses to nutrient needs. This study reveals miR395 is integral to sulfate assimilation, responding to key metabolites involved in the process.

Area of Science:

  • Plant molecular biology
  • Plant physiology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial regulators in plant biological processes.
  • miR395 is known to be upregulated by sulfate deficiency.
  • It targets key enzymes in sulfate uptake and assimilation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of miR395 in plant sulfate assimilation.
  • To determine how metabolites involved in sulfate assimilation affect miR395 levels.

Main Methods:

  • Treating plants with specific metabolites related to sulfate assimilation.
  • Measuring miR395 expression levels under different treatment conditions.

Main Results:

  • O-acetylserine, a cysteine precursor accumulating during sulfate deficiency, increased miR395 accumulation.
  • Cysteine feeding, which inhibits sulfate assimilation, also induced miR395 levels.
  • Buthionine sulfoximine, a glutathione synthesis inhibitor, decreased miR395 expression.

Conclusions:

  • miR395 is a key regulatory component within the plant sulfate assimilation network.
  • Metabolite levels directly influence miR395 expression, highlighting a feedback mechanism.
  • This regulation is essential for plants to adapt to varying sulfate availability.

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