Stabilization of dimeric PYR/PYL/RCAR family members relieves abscisic acid-induced inhibition of seed germination
Abscisic acid (ABA) is the primary preventing factor of seed germination, which is crucial to plant survival and propagation. ABA-induced seed germination inhibition is mainly mediated by the dimeric PYR/PYL/RCAR (PYLs) family members. However, little is known about the relevance between dimeric stability of PYLs and seed germination. Here, we reveal that stabilization of PYL dimer can relieve ABA-induced inhibition of seed germination using chemical genetic approaches. Di-nitrobensulfamide (DBSA), a computationally designed chemical probe, yields around ten-fold improvement in receptor affinity relative to ABA. DBSA reverses ABA-induced inhibition of seed germination mainly through dimeric receptors and recovers the expression of ABA-responsive genes. DBSA maintains PYR1 in dimeric state during protein oligomeric state experiment. X-ray crystallography shows that DBSA targets a pocket in PYL dimer interface and may stabilize PYL dimer by forming hydrogen networks. Our results illustrate the potential of PYL dimer stabilization in preventing ABA-induced seed germination inhibition.
Authors
- Rong‐Jie Pei
- Zhi‐You Huang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0612-283X)
- Min‐Jie Cao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5774-7610)
- Yangyang Gao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4503-3351)
- Mo‐Xian Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4538-5533)
- Yuan Tian (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8404-9917)
- Jing‐Fang Yang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3507-1664)
- Jian‐Kang Zhu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5134-731X)
- Ping Yin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8001-221X)
- Zhi-Zheng Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4847-5797)
- Ge‐Fei Hao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4090-8411)
- Kamalani Achala H. Hewage
- Jin Dong
- Ya-Nan Leng
- Jianhong Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4354-9231)
- Guang‐Fu Yang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4384-2593)
- Junjie Yan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9748-7246)
- Li Li
- Rui-Ning Ying
Institutions
- Nanjing Forestry University (CN)
- Guizhou University (CN)
- Huazhong Agricultural University (CN)
- Southern University of Science and Technology (CN)
- Central China Normal University (CN)
- Ministry of Education (ME)
- State Forestry and Grassland Administration (CN)
- Shandong Agricultural University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2024-09-14
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-52426-y
- Citations
- 18
- Primary Topic
- Seed Germination and Physiology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 10.79
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Henan University