Evolution, expression differentiation and interaction specificity of heterotrimeric G-protein subunit gene family in the mesohexaploid Brassica rapa

PLoS One. 2014 Sep 5;9(9):e105771. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105771. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Heterotrimeric G-proteins, comprising of Gα, Gβ, and Gγ subunits, are important signal transducers which regulate many aspects of fundamental growth and developmental processes in all eukaryotes. Initial studies in model plants Arabidopsis and rice suggest that the repertoire of plant G-protein is much simpler than that observed in metazoans. In order to assess the consequence of whole genome triplication events within Brassicaceae family, we investigated the multiplicity of G-protein subunit genes in mesohexaploid Brassica rapa, a globally important vegetable and oilseed crop. We identified one Gα (BraA.Gα1), three Gβ (BraA.Gβ1, BraA.Gβ2, and BraA.Gβ3), and five Gγ (BraA.Gγ1, BraA.Gγ2, BraA.Gγ3, BraA.Gγ4, and BraA.Gγ5) genes from B. rapa, with a possibility of 15 Gαβγ heterotrimer combinations. Our analysis suggested that the process of genome triplication coupled with gene-loss (gene-fractionation) phenomenon have shaped the quantitative and sequence diversity of G-protein subunit genes in the extant B. rapa genome. Detailed expression analysis using qRT-PCR assays revealed that the G-protein genes have retained ubiquitous but distinct expression profiles across plant development. The expression of multiple G-protein genes was differentially regulated during seed-maturation and germination stages, and in response to various phytohormone treatments and stress conditions. Yeast-based interaction analysis showed that G-protein subunits interacted in most of the possible combinations, with some degree of subunit-specific interaction specificity, to control the functional selectivity of G-protein heterotrimer in different cell and tissue-types or in response to different environmental conditions. Taken together, this research identifies a highly diverse G-protein signaling network known to date from B. rapa, and provides a clue about the possible complexity of G-protein signaling networks present across globally important Brassica species.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Biological Evolution*
  • Brassica / genetics*
  • Brassica / metabolism*
  • Chromosome Mapping
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant* / drug effects
  • Gene Order
  • Heterotrimeric GTP-Binding Proteins / chemistry
  • Heterotrimeric GTP-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • Heterotrimeric GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Multigene Family*
  • Organ Specificity / genetics
  • Phylogeny
  • Plant Growth Regulators / pharmacology
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Interaction Mapping
  • Protein Subunits / genetics
  • Protein Subunits / metabolism
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Stress, Physiological
  • Transcription, Genetic

Substances

  • Plant Growth Regulators
  • Protein Subunits
  • Heterotrimeric GTP-Binding Proteins

Associated data

  • GENBANK/KJ451019
  • GENBANK/KJ451021
  • GENBANK/KJ451023
  • GENBANK/KJ451025
  • GENBANK/KJ451027
  • GENBANK/KJ451029
  • GENBANK/KJ451031
  • GENBANK/KJ451033
  • GENBANK/KJ451035

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the core research grant from National Institute of Plant Genome Research, India. GCA and RK were supported by a Junior Research Fellowship from Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR, India) and University Grant Commission (UGC, India), respectively. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.