Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Ithaca, New York » Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture & Health » Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #344403
Title: StMYB44 negatively regulates phosphate transport by suppressing expression of PHOSPHATE1 in potato

Author
item ZHOU, XIANGJUN - Purdue University
item ZHA, MANRONG - Purdue University
item HUANG, JING - Purdue University
item Li, Li
item INRAN, MUHAMMAD - Purdue University
item ZHANG, CANKUI - Purdue University

Submitted to: Journal of Experimental Botany
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/10/2017
Publication Date: 3/1/2017
Citation: Zhou, X., Zha, M., Huang, J., Li, L., Inran, M., Zhang, C. 2017. StMYB44 negatively regulates phosphate transport by suppressing expression of PHOSPHATE1 in potato. Journal of Experimental Botany. 68:1265-1281.

Interpretive Summary: Phosphorus is an important macronutrient for plant growth, but often deficient in soil. The current study explores how StMYB44 (previously named tuber-specific and sucrose-inducible element-binding factor) is involved in regulation of Pi uptake and distribution in potato plant. The study demonstrates that StMYB44 negatively regulates Pi transport in potato by suppressing StPHO1expression.

Technical Abstract: Phosphorus is an important macronutrient for plant growth, but often deficient in soil. To understand the molecular basis of the complex responses of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) to phosphate (Pi) deficiency stress, the RNA-Seq approach was taken to identify genes responding to Pi starvation in potato roots. A total of 359 differentially expressed genes were identified, among which the Solanum tuberosum transcription factor gene MYB44 (StMYB44) was found to be down-regulated by Pi starvation. StMYB44 was ubiquitously expressed in potato tissues and organs, and StMYB44 protein was exclusively localized in the nucleus. Overexpression of StMYB44 in potato resulted in lower accumulation of Pi in shoots. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that the abundance of S. tuberosum PHOSPHATE1(StPHO1), a Pi transport-related gene, was reduced in StMYB44 overexpression lines. In contrast, knock-out of StMYB44 by a CRISPR/Cas9 system failed to increase transcription of StPHO1. Moreover, StMYB44 was found to interact in the nucleus with AtWRKY6, a known Arabidopsis transcription factor directly regulating PHO1 expression, and StWRKY6, indicating that StMYB44 could be a member of the regulatory complex controlling transcription of StPHO1. Taken together, our study demonstrates that StMYB44 negatively regulates Pi transport in potato by suppressing StPHO1expression.