Transcript, protein and metabolite temporal dynamics in the CAM plant Agave

Area of Science:

• Plant Biology
• Biochemistry
• Genetics

Background:

• Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) is a photosynthetic pathway conferring drought resilience.
• CAM maximizes water-use efficiency by altering stomatal opening/closure patterns.
• A systems-level understanding of CAM's temporal molecular and metabolic regulation is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the high-resolution temporal dynamics of molecular and metabolic processes during the CAM diel cycle.
• To compare CAM temporal regulation with the C3 model plant Arabidopsis.
• To elucidate the post-transcriptional and -translational hierarchies controlling CAM in Agave.

Main Methods:

• High-resolution temporal profiling of transcript, protein, and metabolite abundances across a diel cycle.
• Comparative analysis with the C3 model plant Arabidopsis.
• Investigation of gene expression patterns related to signal transduction.

Main Results:

• CAM exhibits a distinct diel redox poise compared to Arabidopsis.
• Widespread rescheduling of gene expression involved in stomatal regulation was observed.
• Complex post-transcriptional and -translational regulatory mechanisms governing CAM were identified.

Conclusions:

• CAM regulation involves intricate molecular timekeeping through controlled transcript and protein turnover.
• The findings provide a valuable resource for engineering enhanced CAM traits into crops.
• Understanding CAM temporal dynamics is crucial for improving crop water-use efficiency and resilience.