Maheshi Dassanayake

Balancing growth amidst salinity stress – lifestyle perspectives from the extremophyte model Schrenkiella parvula

Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Date: 28-08-2021

DOI: 10.1101/2021.08.27.457575

Abstract: Schrenkiella parvula , a leading extremophyte model in Brassicaceae, can grow and complete its life cycle under multiple environmental stresses, including high salinity. While foundational genomic resources have been created for S. parvula , a comprehensive physiological or structural characterization of its salt stress responses is absent. We aimed to identify the influential traits that lead to stress-resilient growth of this species. We examined salt-induced changes in the physiology and anatomy of S. parvula throughout its lifecycle across multiple tissues. We found that S. parvula maintains or even exhibits enhanced growth during various developmental stages at salt stress levels known to inhibit growth in Arabidopsis and most crops. The resilient growth of S. parvula was associated with key traits that synergistically allow continued primary root growth, expansion of xylem vessels across the root-shoot continuum, and a high capacity to maintain tissue water levels by developing larger and thicker leaves while facilitating continued photosynthesis during salt stress. These traits at the vegetative phase were followed by a successful transition to the reproductive phase via early flowering, development of larger siliques, and production of viable seeds during salt stress. Additionally, the success of self-fertilization during early flowering stages was dependent on salt-induced filament elongation in flowers that aborted in the absence of salt. Our results suggest that the maintenance of leaf water status and enhancement of selfing in early flowers to ensure reproductive success, are among the most influential traits that contribute to the extremophyte lifestyle of S. parvula in its natural habitat. Schrenkiella parvula salt-resilient growth is facilitated by uncompromised primary root growth, expansion of xylem vessels, maintenance of leaf water status and photosynthesis, and early flowering.

Making Epidermal Bladder Cells Bigger: Developmental- and Salinity-Induced Endopolyploidy in a Model Halophyte

Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)

Date: 03-05-2018

DOI: 10.1104/PP.18.00033

Complementing model species with model clades

Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)

Date: 12-10-2023

DOI: 10.1093/PLCELL/KOAD260

Balancing growth amidst salt stress - lifestyle perspectives from the extremophyte model Schrenkiella parvula

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 23-08-2023

DOI: 10.1111/TPJ.16396

Abstract: Schrenkiella parvula , a leading extremophyte model in Brassicaceae, can grow and complete its lifecycle under multiple environmental stresses, including high salinity. Yet, the key physiological and structural traits underlying its stress‐adapted lifestyle are unknown along with trade‐offs when surviving salt stress at the expense of growth and reproduction. We aimed to identify the influential adaptive trait responses that lead to stress‐resilient and uncompromised growth across developmental stages when treated with salt at levels known to inhibit growth in Arabidopsis and most crops. Its resilient growth was promoted by traits that synergistically allowed primary root growth in seedlings, the expansion of xylem vessels across the root‐shoot continuum, and a high capacity to maintain tissue water levels by developing thicker succulent leaves while enabling photosynthesis during salt stress. A successful transition from vegetative to reproductive phase was initiated by salt‐induced early flowering, resulting in viable seeds. Self‐fertilization in salt‐induced early flowering was dependent upon filament elongation in flowers otherwise aborted in the absence of salt during comparable plant ages. The maintenance of leaf water status promoting growth, and early flowering to ensure reproductive success in a changing environment, were among the most influential traits that contributed to the extremophytic lifestyle of S. parvula .

Control over Electron–Phonon Interaction by Dirac Plasmon Engineering in the Bi₂Se₃ Topological Insulator

Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)

Date: 23-01-2018

DOI: 10.1021/ACS.NANOLETT.7B03897

Abstract: Understanding the mutual interaction between electronic excitations and lattice vibrations is key for understanding electronic transport and optoelectronic phenomena. Dynamic manipulation of such interaction is elusive because it requires varying the material composition on the atomic level. In turn, recent studies on topological insulators (TIs) have revealed the coexistence of a strong phonon resonance and topologically protected Dirac plasmon, both in the terahertz (THz) frequency range. Here, using these intrinsic characteristics of TIs, we demonstrate a new methodology for controlling electron-phonon interaction by lithographically engineered Dirac surface plasmons in the Bi

Cell type-specific responses to salinity - the epidermal bladder cell transcriptome of Mesembryanthemum crystallinum

Publisher: Wiley

Date: 05-05-2015

DOI: 10.1111/NPH.13414

Abstract: Mesembryanthemum crystallinum (ice plant) exhibits extreme tolerance to salt. Epidermal bladder cells ( EBC s), developing on the surface of aerial tissues and specialized in sodium sequestration and other protective functions, are critical for the plant's stress adaptation. We present the first transcriptome analysis of EBC s isolated from intact plants, to investigate cell type‐specific responses during plant salt adaptation. We developed a de novo assembled, nonredundant EBC reference transcriptome. Using RNA seq, we compared the expression patterns of the EBC ‐specific transcriptome between control and salt‐treated plants. The EBC reference transcriptome consists of 37 341 transcript‐contigs, of which 7% showed significantly different expression between salt‐treated and control s les. We identified significant changes in ion transport, metabolism related to energy generation and osmolyte accumulation, stress signalling, and organelle functions, as well as a number of lineage‐specific genes of unknown function, in response to salt treatment. The salinity‐induced EBC transcriptome includes active transcript clusters, refuting the view of EBC s as passive storage compartments in the whole‐plant stress response. EBC transcriptomes, differing from those of whole plants or leaf tissue, exemplify the importance of cell type‐specific resolution in understanding stress adaptive mechanisms.

Delayed leaf greening involves a major shift in the expression of cytosolic and mitochondrial ribosomes to plastid ribosomes in the highly phosphorus-use-efficient Hakea prostrata (Proteaceae)

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 27-09-2023

DOI: 10.1007/S11104-023-06275-1

Occurrence and cycling of trace elements in ultramafic soils and their impacts on human health: A critical review

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Date: 10-2019

DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVINT.2019.104974

Abstract: The transformation of trace metals (TMs) in natural environmental systems has created significant concerns in recent decades. Ultramafic environments lead to potential risks to the agricultural products and, subsequently, to human health. This unique review presents geochemistry of ultramafic soils, TM fractionation (i.e. sequential and single extraction techniques), TM uptake and accumulation mechanisms of ultramafic flora, and ultramafic-associated health risks to human and agricultural crops. Ultramafic soils contain high levels of TMs (i.e. Cr, Ni, Mn, and Co) and have a low Ca:Mg ratio together with deficiencies in essential macronutrients required for the growth of crops. Even though a higher portion of TMs bind with the residual fraction of ultramafic soils, environmental changes (i.e. natural or anthropogenic) may increase the levels of TMs in the bioavailable or extractable fractions of ultramafic soils. Extremophile plants that have evolved to thrive in ultramafic soils present clear ex les of evolutionary adaptations to TM resistance. The release of TMs into water sources and accumulation in food crops in and around ultramafic localities increases health risks for humans. Therefore, more focused investigations need to be implemented to understand the mechanisms related to the mobility and bioavailability of TMs in different ultramafic environments. Research gaps and directions for future studies are also discussed in this review. Lastly, we consider the importance of characterizing terrestrial ultramafic soil and its effect on crop plants in the context of multi-decadal plans by NASA and other space agencies to establish human colonies on Mars.

Louisiana State University

Location: United States of America

View Organisation

University Of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Location: United States of America

View Organisation

Discovery Projects - Grant ID: DP200101013

Start Date: 07-2020

End Date: 07-2024

Amount: $634,000.00

Funder: Australian Research Council

Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120103011

Start Date: 01-2012

End Date: 01-2013

Amount: $375,000.00

Funder: Australian Research Council