2025 Hyper Recent •CC0 1.0 Universal

This work is dedicated to the public domain. No rights reserved.

Access Preprint From Server
June 6th, 2025
Version: 1
ZMBP, Developmental Genetics, University of Tuebingen
plant biology
biorxiv

Evolutionary origin and functional diversification of plant GBF1-type ARF guanine-nucleotide exchange factors

Singh, M. K.Open in Google Scholar•Lauster, T.Open in Google Scholar•Huhn, K.Open in Google Scholar•Richter, S.Open in Google Scholar•Kientz, M.Open in Google Scholar•Neher, R. A.Open in Google Scholar•Juergens, G.Open in Google Scholar

Large ARF GTPase-activating guanine-nucleotide exchange factors (ARF-GEFs) are essential regulators of membrane trafficking across the eukaryotes. Although conserved, the GBF1-type ARF-GEFs underwent plant-specific evolution. Of the 3 paralogs in Arabidopsis thaliana, AtGNOM-LIKE1 (AtGNL1) performs the GBF1 task of retrograde Golgi-ER traffic whereas AtGNOM mediates polar recycling from endosomes to the basal plasma membrane. AtGNL2 is specific to pollen and is functionally equivalent to AtGNOM. To clarify their evolutionary origin and functional diversification in the plant lineage, we established a phylogenetic tree and ortho-synteny groups (OSGs), which enabled identification of AtGNOM and AtGNL1 orthologs. In addition, somatic paralogs from several species were functionally analysed in transgenic Arabidopsis plants and tested for GNOM-specific DCB-DCB domain interaction in yeast two-hybrid assays. Our results support the following scenario. The ancient plant-specific GBF1-type ARF-GEF was functionally equivalent to AtGNOM and mediated both polar recycling and secretory trafficking. GNL2 only arose in the early flowering plants and then evolved independently. Genome duplication in the basal eudicots, but neither in monocots nor in magnoliids, gave rise to the AtGNL1 ortholog, distinguished by its unique OSG. The AtGNL1 ortholog lost the ability of DCB-DCB interaction and was free to evolve independently, eventually acquiring AtGNL1 function in the rosid clade of core eudicots. In eudicot evolution, the AtGNOM ortholog underwent repeated transposition to different OSGs whereas the AtGNL1 ortholog was recurrently lost but eventually positively selected. This evolutionary process uncoupled polar recycling required for gravitropic response or lateral root initiation from secretory trafficking required for growth.

Similar Papers

biorxiv
Fri Jun 06 2025
Endophytes induce systemic spatial reprogramming of metabolism in poplar roots under drought
Beneficial endophytes help plants thrive in challenging environments by altering their host\'s metabolism, but how these cellular scale metabolic changes propagate to the systems biology scale is unknown. In this work, we employed a high-resolution chemical imaging approach to map metabolic changes at the root zone and cell type levels and found that a 9-strain consortium of beneficial endophytes ...
Aufrecht, J. A.
•
Velickovic, D.
•
Tournay, R.
•
Couvillion, S. P.
...•
Ahkami, A. H.
biorxiv
Fri Jun 06 2025
Characterization of FLOWERING LOCUS T related genes and their putative gene regulatory network in semi-winter Brassica napus cultivar Zhongshaung11
In many species, FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT)-like genes promote the floral transition by integrating environmental signals, in particular photoperiod, and internal cues. Here we show that Brassica napus contains 6 FT-like genes and 2 pseudogenes belonging to 3 orthogroups. All B. napus FT-like genes induce early flowering when expressed at the shoot apical meristems of Arabidopsis thaliana ft mutants, ...
Wang, J.
•
Zhou, H.-R.
•
Taenzler, P.
•
Ding, N.
...•
Turck, F. K.
biorxiv
Fri Jun 06 2025
A workflow for absolute apoplastic pH assessment during live cell imaging in plant roots.
Apoplastic pH is a key regulator of plant development and environmental responses, influencing processes such as cell expansion, nutrient uptake, and intercellular signaling. Accurate tools for measuring absolute pH values at high spatial resolution are therefore essential, yet limiting. Here, we present a novel calibration-based workflow for the in vivo quantification of absolute apoplastic pH us...
Roessling, a.-k.
•
mayle, n.
•
Barbez, E.
biorxiv
Fri Jun 06 2025
Fitting photosynthetic carbon dioxide and irradiance response curves for C4 leaves
Gas exchange measurements provide crucial insights into the complex mechanisms of photosynthesis. Responses of CO2 assimilation rate (A) to intercellular CO2 partial pressure (Ci) and irradiance (I) link gas exchange measurements to the underlying photosynthetic biochemistry of a leaf. The unique biochemistry and leaf anatomy which distinguish C4 photosynthesis make it necessary to apply models an...
Woodford, R.
•
Ermakova, M.
•
Furbank, R. T.
•
von Caemmerer, S.
biorxiv
Fri Jun 06 2025
FLOE1 maintains cellular viscosity in rehydrating Arabidopsis embryos
Most plant embryos can survive for years in a dry state of less than 10% water(1). Rehydration during seed germination is critical but risky, too little environmental water can dehydrate and kill the developing embryo. Plants avoid this by germinating only when sufficient water is present. However, the mechanisms by which sufficient water is sensed and how it triggers germination remain unknown. F...
Field, S.
•
Ramirez, J. F.
•
Dorone, Y.
•
Cox, J. A.
...•
Rhee, S. Y.
biorxiv
Fri Jun 06 2025
Redesigning petal shape, size, and color in soybean reveals unexpected phenotypes for floral organ development
Soybean (Glycine max) has not yet benefited from large-scale hybrid breeding efforts due to its small, self-fertilizing flowers that are difficult to emasculate and limited attractiveness to pollinators. This study explores targeted floral trait engineering to enhance pollinator attraction, aiming to overcome barriers to soybean hybridization. We generated a high-resolution floral organ expression...
Szeluga, N.
•
AlBader, N.
•
Pelletier, S.
•
Weis, K.
...•
Frank, M.
biorxiv
Fri Jun 06 2025
Unraveling the cis-regulatory code controlling abscisic acid-dependent gene expression in Arabidopsis using deep learning
Abscisic acid (ABA) is a key regulator of abiotic stress responses in plants. Understanding the regulation of ABA-dependent gene expression is key to uncovering how plants adapt to environmental stress and how their resilience can be improved. We explored gene expression regulation by ABA in Arabidopsis thaliana through the training of an interpretable deep learning model predicting ABA responsive...
Opdebeeck, H.
•
Smet, D.
•
Thierens, S.
•
Minne, M.
...•
Vandepoele, K.
biorxiv
Fri Jun 06 2025
Constitutive expression of full-length or partial of SOC1 genes for yield enhancement in tomato
Manipulating the expression of flowering pathway genes holds potential for regulating tomato fruit productivity. SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS 1 (SOC1) is a MADS-box gene that serves as a key integrator in the flowering pathway. In this study, two full-length SOC1 genes cloned from maize (ZmSOC1) and soybean (GmSOC1), along with a partial SOC1 gene from blueberry (VcSOC1K, containing th...
Danial, G. H.
•
Jaikham, J.
•
Song, G.-q.
biorxiv
Fri Jun 06 2025
Spatial and single-cell transcriptomics capture two distinct cell states in plant immunity
Unlike animals, plants are sessile organisms that must adapt to localized and fluctuating environmental stimuli, including abiotic and biotic stresses. While animals use mobile immune cells to eliminate pathogens, plants rely on localized cells in contact with the pathogen to detect and mount immune responses. Although bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) has enabled the assessment of plant responses to ...
Hu, Y.
•
Schaefer, R.
•
Rendleman, M.
•
Slattery, A.
...•
Deschamps, S.