Biomedical subjects

Carsten Müssig

Publications and source records attributed to Carsten Müssig.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Identification of brassinosteroid-related genes by means of transcript co-response analyses.

The comprehensive systems-biology database (CSB.DB) was used to reveal brassinosteroid (BR)-related genes from expression profiles based on co-response analyses. Genes exhibiting simultaneous changes in transcript levels are candidates of common transcriptional regulation. Combining numerous different experiments in data matrices allows ruling out outliers and conditional changes of transcript levels. CSB.DB was queried for transcriptional co-responses with the BR-signalling components BRI1 and BAK1: 301 out of 9694 genes represented in the nasc0271 database showed co-responses with both genes. As expected, these genes comprised pathway-involved genes (e.g. 72 BR-induced genes), because the BRI1 and BAK1 proteins are required for BR-responses. But transcript co-response takes the analysis a step further compared with direct approaches because BR-related non BR-responsive genes were identified. Insights into networks and the functional context of genes are provided, because factors determining expression patterns are reflected in correlations. Our findings demonstrate that transcript co-response analysis presents a valuable resource to uncover common regulatory patterns of genes. Different data matrices in CSB.DB allow examination of specific biological questions. All matrices are publicly available through CSB.DB. This work presents one possible roadmap to use the CSB.DB resources.

Arabidopsis↗

PubMed2004

EXORDIUM regulates brassinosteroid-responsive genes.

In a screen for potential mediators of brassinosteroid (BR) effects, the EXORDIUM (EXO) protein was identified as a regulator of BR-responsive genes. The EXO gene was characterized as a BR-up-regulated gene. EXO overexpression under the control of the 35SCaMV promoter resulted in increased transcript levels of the BR-up-regulated KCS1, Exp5, delta-TIP, and AGP4 genes, which likely are involved in the mediation of BR-promoted growth. 35S::EXO lines grown in soil or in synthetic medium showed increased vegetative growth in comparison to wild-type plants, resembling the growth phenotype of BR-treated plants. Thus, the EXO protein most likely promotes growth via the modulation of gene expression patterns.

Arabidopsis↗

PubMed2003

Genomic Brassinosteroid Effects.

Detailed analysis of brassinosteroid (BR)-regulated genes can provide evidence of the molecular basis of BR effects. Classical techniques (such as subtractive cDNA cloning) as well as cDNA and oligonucleotide microarrays have been applied to identify genes which are upregulated or downregulated after BR treatment or are differently expressed in BR-deficient or -insensitive mutants compared with wild type plants. Genes encoding cell-wall-modifying enzymes, enzymes of the BR biosynthetic pathway, auxin response factors, and transcription factors are subject to BR regulation. Effects on several other metabolic pathways and interactions with other phytohormones have been reported as well, although some of these effects may depend on certain environmental conditions (for example, light/dark or stress), the developmental stage of the plants, and tissue types. The identification of components of the BR signal transduction pathway revealed different modes of transcriptional control in animals and plants. Steroid signaling in plants comprises the plasma membrane receptor kinases BRI1 and BAK1 and intracellular protein phosphorylations. Thus, BR signaling in plants is reminiscent of growth factor and TGF-beta signal transduction in animals. The phosphorylation cascade could be a basis of extensive signaling cross-talk and thereby explain the complexity of BR responses.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2003

Brassinosteroids promote root growth in Arabidopsis.

Although brassinosteroids (BRs) are known to regulate shoot growth, their role in the regulation of root growth is less clear. We show that low concentrations of BRs such as 24-epicastasterone and 24-epibrassinolide promote root elongation in Arabidopsis wild-type plants up to 50% and in BR-deficient mutants such as dwf1-6 (cbb1) and cbb3 (which is allelic to cpd) up to 150%. The growth-stimulating effect of exogenous BRs is not reduced by the auxin transport inhibitor 2,3,5-triidobenzoic acid. BR-deficient mutants show normal gravitropism, and 2,3,5-triidobenzoic acid or higher concentrations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and naphtaleneacetic acid inhibit root growth in the mutants to the same extent as in wild-type plants. Simultaneous administration of 24-epibrassinolide and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid results in largely additive effects. Exogenous gibberellins do not promote root elongation in the BR-deficient mutants, and the sensitivity to the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid is not altered. Thus, the root growth-stimulating effect of BRs appears to be largely independent of auxin and gibberellin action. Furthermore, we analyzed BR interactions with other phytohormones on the gene expression level. Only a limited set of auxin- and ethylene-related genes showed altered expression levels. Genes related to other phytohormones barely showed changes, providing further evidence for an autonomous stimulatory effect of BR on root growth.

Amino Acids, Cyclic↗

PubMed2003

Changes in gene expression in response to altered SHL transcript levels.

The nuclear SHL protein is composed of a N-terminal BAH domain and a C-terminal PHD finger. Both domains are found in transcriptional regulators and chromatin-modifying proteins. Arabidopsis plants over-expressing SHL showed earlier flowering and senescence phenotype. To identify SHL regulated genes, expression profiles of 35S::SHL plants were established with Affymetrix ATH1 microarrays. About 130 genes showed reduced transcript levels, and about 45 genes showed increased transcript levels in 35S::SHL plants. The up-regulated genes included AGL20 and AGL9, which most likely cause the early flowering phenotype of 35S::SHL plants. Late-flowering SHL-antisense lines showed reduced AGL20 mRNA levels, suggesting that AGL20 gene expression depends on the SHL protein. The stronger expression of senescence- and defence-related genes (such as DIN2, DIN11 and PR-1 ) is in line with the early senescence phenotype of SHL- over-expressing plants. SHL-down-regulated genes included stress response genes and the PSR3.2 gene (encoding a beta-glucosidase). SHL over-expression did not alter the tissue specificity of PSR3.2 gene expression, but resulted in reduced transcript levels in both shoots and roots. Plants with glucocorticoid-inducible SHL over-expression were established and used for expression profiling as well. A subset of genes was identified, which showed consistent changes in the inducible system and in plants with constitutive SHL over-expression.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2002

Brassinosteroid-regulated gene expression.

Major brassinosteroid (BR) effects such as BR-induced growth are mediated through genomic pathways because RNA synthesis inhibitors and protein synthesis inhibitors interfere with these processes. A limited number of BR-regulated genes have been identified hitherto. The majority of genes (such as BRU1, CycD3, Lin6, OPR3, and TRIP-1) were identified by comparisons of BR-treated versus control-treated plants. However, altered transcript levels after BR application may not reflect normal physiological events. A complementary approach is the comparison of BR-deficient plants versus wild-type plants. No artificial treatments interfere with endogenous signaling pathways, but a subset of phenotypic alterations of phytohormone-deficient plants most probably is secondary. To identify genes that are subject to direct BR regulation, we analyzed CPD antisense and dwf1-6 (cbb1) mutant plants. Both show a mild phenotype in comparison with BR-deficient mutants such as cpd/cbb3, det2, and dwf4. Plants were grown under two different environments to filter out BR deficiency effects that occur only at certain environmental conditions. Finally, we established expression patterns after BR treatment of wild-type and dwf1-6 (cbb1) plants. Ideally, a BR-regulated gene displays a dose-response relationship in such a way that a gene with decreased transcript levels in BR-deficient plants is BR inducible and vice versa. Expression profile analysis of above ground part of plants was performed by means of Affymetrix Arabidopsis Genome Arrays.

Arabidopsis↗