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Characterization of PP2A-A3 mRNA expression and growth patterns in Arabidopsis thaliana under drought stress and abscisic acid

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Abstract

Phosphoprotein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) plays a crucial role in cellular processes via reversible dephosphorylation of proteins. The activity of this enzyme depends on its subunits. There is little information about mRNA expression of each subunit and the relationship between these gene expressions and the growth patterns under stress conditions and hormones. Here, mRNA expression of subunit A3 of PP2A and its relationship with growth patterns under different levels of drought stress and abscisic acid (ABA) concentration were analyzed in Arabidopsis thaliana. The mRNA expression profiles showed different levels of the up- and down-regulation of PP2AA3 in roots and shoots of A. thaliana under drought conditions and ABA treatments. The results demonstrated that the regulation of PP2AA3 expression under the mentioned conditions could indirectly modulate growth patterns such that seedlings grown under severe drought stress and those grown under 4 µM ABA had the maximum number of lateral roots and the shortest primary roots. In contrast, the minimum number of lateral roots and the longest primary roots were observed under mild drought stress and 0.5 µM ABA. Differences in PP2AA3 mRNA expression showed that mechanisms involved in the regulation of this gene under drought conditions would probably be different from those that regulate the PP2AA3 expression under ABA. Co-expression of PP2AA3 with each of PIN1-4,7 (PP2A activity targets) depends on the organ type and different levels of drought stress and ABA concentration. Furthermore, fluctuations in the PP2AA3 expression proved that this gene cannot be suitable as a reference gene although PP2AA3 is widely used as a reference gene.

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Abbreviations

ABA:

Abscisic acid

MS medium:

Murashige and Skoog nutrient medium

PP2A:

Phosphoprotein phosphatase 2A

qRT-PCR:

Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction

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Author notes

  1. Roya Razavizadeh and Behrokh Shojaie have contributed equally to this article.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Payame Noor University, 19395-3697, Tehran, Iran

    Roya Razavizadeh

  2. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Isfahan, 81746-73441, Isfahan, Iran

    Behrokh Shojaie

  3. Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, 305-8572, Japan

    Setsuko Komatsu

Authors
  1. Roya Razavizadeh
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  2. Behrokh Shojaie
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  3. Setsuko Komatsu
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Correspondence to Roya Razavizadeh or Setsuko Komatsu.

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Razavizadeh, R., Shojaie, B. & Komatsu, S. Characterization of PP2A-A3 mRNA expression and growth patterns in Arabidopsis thaliana under drought stress and abscisic acid. Physiol Mol Biol Plants 24, 563–575 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12298-018-0530-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12298-018-0530-7

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