{"id":10033,"date":"2021-11-03T15:37:16","date_gmt":"2021-11-03T14:37:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fei-online.com\/?p=10033"},"modified":"2021-11-03T15:37:16","modified_gmt":"2021-11-03T14:37:16","slug":"scientists-identify-protein-that-activates-plant-response-to-nitrogen-deficiency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fei-online.com\/scientists-identify-protein-that-activates-plant-response-to-nitrogen-deficiency\/","title":{"rendered":"Scientists identify protein that activates plant response to nitrogen deficiency"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id='av_section_1'  class='avia-section main_color avia-section-default avia-no-border-styling  avia-bg-style-scroll  avia-builder-el-0  avia-builder-el-no-sibling   container_wrap fullsize' style=' '  ><div class='container' ><main  role=\"main\" itemprop=\"mainContentOfPage\"  class='template-page content  av-content-full alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-10033'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n<div class=\"flex_column av_one_fifth  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding first  avia-builder-el-1  el_before_av_three_fifth  avia-builder-el-first  \" style='border-radius:0px; '><section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock  '   itemprop=\"text\" ><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><div id=\"ads-slider-28\" class=\"custom-slider ads-slider-666865635 ads-slider\"><ul><li><!--Begin ClixTrac.com Banner Code -->\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/clixtrac.com\/goto\/?308404\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/clixtrac.com\/banner\/308404.jpg\" alt=\"Free from food\" title=\"Free from food\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a>\r\n<!--End ClixTrac.com Banner Code --><\/li><li><!--Begin ClixTrac.com Banner Code -->\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/clixtrac.com\/banner\/click.php?banner=302805\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/clixtrac.com\/banner\/302805.jpg\" alt=\"LUBRIPLATE\" title=\"LUBRIPLATE\" border=\"0\" width=\"120\" height=\"600\" \/><\/a>\r\n<!--End ClixTrac.com Banner Code --><\/li><li><div style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; \" id=\"ads-938603406\"><!--Begin ClixTrac.com Banner Code -->\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/clixtrac.com\/banner\/click.php?banner=297426\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"100%\" height=\"auto\" src=\"https:\/\/clixtrac.com\/banner\/297426.jpg\" alt=\"Click here for more information!\" title=\"Click here for more information!\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a>\r\n<!--End ClixTrac.com Banner Code --><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><script>( window.advanced_ads_ready || jQuery( document ).ready ).call( null, function() {var $adsslider666865635 = jQuery( \".ads-slider-666865635\" );$adsslider666865635.on( \"unslider.ready\", function() { jQuery( \"div.custom-slider ul li\" ).css( \"display\", \"block\" ); });$adsslider666865635.unslider({ delay:5000, autoplay:true, nav:false, arrows:false, infinite:true });$adsslider666865635.on(\"mouseover\", function(){$adsslider666865635.unslider(\"stop\");}).on(\"mouseout\", function() {$adsslider666865635.unslider(\"start\");});});<\/script><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><div class=\"flex_column av_three_fifth  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding   avia-builder-el-3  el_after_av_one_fifth  el_before_av_one_fifth  \" style='border-radius:0px; '><section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock  '   itemprop=\"text\" ><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><br \/>\n<section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock  '   itemprop=\"text\" ><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h1 class=\"post-title entry-title\" itemprop=\"headline\">Scientists identify protein that activates plant response to nitrogen deficiency<\/h1><span class=\"post-meta-infos\">\/ <span class=\"blog-categories minor-meta\">in <a href=\"https:\/\/fei-online.com\/category\/e-news\/\" rel=\"tag\">E-News<\/a> <\/span><\/span><\/header>\n<\/div><\/section><br \/>\n<section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock  '   itemprop=\"text\" ><h3>Nitrates are critical for the growth of plants, so plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to ensure sufficient nitrate uptake from their environments. In a new study published in Nature Plants [1], researchers at Nagoya University, Japan, have identified a plant enzyme that is key to activating a nitrate uptake mechanism in response to nitrogen starvation. This finding explains how plants meet their needs in challenging environments, opening doors to improving agriculture in such environments.<\/h3>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>When nitrate levels are plentiful in a plant\u2019s environment, a plant can achieve adequate nitrate uptake levels by relying on what plant biologists call a \u201clow-affinity transport system\u201d. But when nitrates become scarce in a plant\u2019s local environment, it may need to switch to a more powerful nitrate uptake mechanism known as a \u201chigh-affinity transport system\u201d. In Arabidopsis plants, which frequently serve as model organisms for plant biology research, the NRT2.1 protein plays an important role in the high-affinity transport system. Interestingly, when Arabidopsis plants synthesize the NRT2.1 protein, they initially produce an inactive protein that can later be activated when the high-affinity transport system is needed.<\/p>\n<p>This synthesis of a nonfunctioning protein that can later be activated intrigued Dr. Yoshikatsu Matsubayashi of Nagoya University, but he sees a certain logic in this preparatory protein synthesis; he notes: \u201cProteins cannot be synthesized when the nitrogen deficiency occurs.\u201d In other words, plants need to synthesize the proteins in a high-affinity transport system before a nitrogen deficiency necessitates the use of those proteins, because nitrogen deficiency itself makes it difficult to synthesize new proteins.<\/p>\n<p>In order to better understand this remarkable system, Dr. Matsubayashi and his colleagues set out to identify the protein that activates NRT2.1 in response to nitrogen starvation.<\/p>\n<p>Previous studies had shown that a peptide called CEP found in plant roots plays an important role in activating biochemical pathways that respond to nitrogen starvation, so the researchers focused their investigation on the CEP and its downstream CEPD pathway. Their experiments soon drew their attention to a protein called At4g32950. The researchers found that this protein responds to nitrogen starvation by activating the NRT2.1 protein. It achieves this activation by removing a phosphate group from a specific location on the NRT2.1 protein, so the investigators decided to give the At4g32950 protein a new name: CEPD-induced phosphatase, or \u201cCEPH\u201d for short<\/p>\n<p>CEPH is found mainly in the cells close to the surface of the Arabidopsis plant\u2019s roots, which is an optimal location for activating a system that evolved for rapid nitrate uptake from the environment. As expected, using laboratory methods to inactivate the gene that encodes CEPH impaired the ability of Arabidopsis plants to use the highaffinity transport system for rapid nitrate uptake, and this meant that the modified plants had lower internal nitrate levels and grew to smaller sizes.<\/p>\n<p>Collectively, these results indicate that CEPH plays a critical role in responding to nitrogen starvation through its activation of the NRT2.1 protein. Dr. Matsubayashi sees considerable potential utility in CEPH as a genetic engineering tool, as he notes: \u201cArtificially enhancing CEPH activity could enable scientists to create plants that grow even in soils with low nutrient levels.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Such findings could change the way agriculture and food security are handled.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><br \/>\n<div  class='av-social-sharing-box  avia-builder-el-7  el_after_av_textblock  avia-builder-el-last  av-social-sharing-box-minimal '><div class='av-share-box'><h5 class='av-share-link-description av-no-toc '>Share this<\/h5><ul class='av-share-box-list noLightbox'><li class='av-share-link av-social-link-facebook' ><a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Share on Facebook\" href='https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/fei-online.com\/scientists-identify-protein-that-activates-plant-response-to-nitrogen-deficiency\/&#038;t=Scientists%20identify%20protein%20that%20activates%20plant%20response%20to%20nitrogen%20deficiency' aria-hidden='false' data-av_icon='\ue8f3' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello' title='' data-avia-related-tooltip='Share on Facebook' rel=\"noopener\"><span class='avia_hidden_link_text'>Share on Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class='av-share-link av-social-link-twitter' ><a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Share on Twitter\" href='https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=Scientists%20identify%20protein%20that%20activates%20plant%20response%20to%20nitrogen%20deficiency&#038;url=https:\/\/fei-online.com\/?p=10033' aria-hidden='false' data-av_icon='\ue8f1' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello' title='' data-avia-related-tooltip='Share on Twitter' rel=\"noopener\"><span class='avia_hidden_link_text'>Share on Twitter<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class='av-share-link av-social-link-whatsapp' ><a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Share on WhatsApp\" href='https:\/\/api.whatsapp.com\/send?text=https:\/\/fei-online.com\/scientists-identify-protein-that-activates-plant-response-to-nitrogen-deficiency\/' aria-hidden='false' data-av_icon='\uf232' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello' title='' data-avia-related-tooltip='Share on WhatsApp' rel=\"noopener\"><span class='avia_hidden_link_text'>Share on WhatsApp<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class='av-share-link av-social-link-linkedin' ><a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Share on LinkedIn\" href='https:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&#038;title=Scientists%20identify%20protein%20that%20activates%20plant%20response%20to%20nitrogen%20deficiency&#038;url=https:\/\/fei-online.com\/scientists-identify-protein-that-activates-plant-response-to-nitrogen-deficiency\/' aria-hidden='false' data-av_icon='\ue8fc' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello' title='' data-avia-related-tooltip='Share on LinkedIn' rel=\"noopener\"><span class='avia_hidden_link_text'>Share on LinkedIn<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class='av-share-link av-social-link-mail' ><a  aria-label=\"Share by Mail\" href='mailto:?subject=Scientists%20identify%20protein%20that%20activates%20plant%20response%20to%20nitrogen%20deficiency&#038;body=https:\/\/fei-online.com\/scientists-identify-protein-that-activates-plant-response-to-nitrogen-deficiency\/' aria-hidden='false' data-av_icon='\ue805' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello' title='' data-avia-related-tooltip='Share by Mail'><span class='avia_hidden_link_text'>Share by Mail<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/p><\/div><div class=\"flex_column av_one_fifth  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding   avia-builder-el-8  el_after_av_three_fifth  avia-builder-el-last  \" style='border-radius:0px; 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In a new study published in Nature Plants [1], researchers at Nagoya University, Japan, have identified a plant enzyme that is key to activating a nitrate uptake mechanism in response to nitrogen starvation. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":10034,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fei-online.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10033"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fei-online.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fei-online.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fei-online.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fei-online.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10033"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/fei-online.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10033\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10036,"href":"https:\/\/fei-online.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10033\/revisions\/10036"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fei-online.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10034"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fei-online.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10033"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fei-online.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10033"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fei-online.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10033"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}