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Hitoshi Endo

Bio: Hitoshi Endo is an academic researcher from Nagoya University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Xylem & Transcription factor. The author has an hindex of 4, co-authored 5 publications receiving 379 citations. Previous affiliations of Hitoshi Endo include Nara Institute of Science and Technology.

Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Focusing on the NAC-MYB-based transcriptional network, this review discusses the regulatory systems that evolved in land plants to modify the cell wall to serve as a key component of structures that conduct water and provide mechanical support.
Abstract: Plant cells biosynthesize primary cell walls in all cells and produce secondary cell walls (SCWs) in specific cell types that conduct water and/or provide mechanical support, such as xylem vessels and fibers. The characteristic mechanical stiffness, chemical recalcitrance, and hydrophobic nature of SCWs result from the organization of SCW-specific biopolymers, i.e., highly ordered cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Synthesis of these SCW-specific biopolymers requires SCW-specific enzymes that are regulated by SCW-specific transcription factors. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge of the transcriptional regulation of SCW formation in plant cells. Advances in research on SCW biosynthesis during the past decade have expanded our understanding of the transcriptional regulation of SCW formation, particularly the functions of the NAC and MYB transcription factors. Focusing on the NAC-MYB-based transcriptional network, we discuss the regulatory systems that evolved in land plants to modify the cell wall to serve as a key component of structures that conduct water and provide mechanical support.

313 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Overexpression of VND1-VND5, GATA12 and ANAC075, newly identified transcription factors that function upstream of V ND7, resulted in ectopic xylem vessel element formation, suggesting that VND7 transcription is a regulatory target of multiple classes of transcription factors.
Abstract: The secondary cell walls of xylem cells, including vessel elements, provide mechanical strength and contribute to the conduction of water and minerals. VASCULAR-RELATED NAC-DOMAIN7 (VND7) is a NAC-domain transcription factor that regulates the expression of genes required for xylem vessel element formation. Transient expression assays using 68 transcription factors that are expressed during xylem vessel differentiation showed that 14 transcription factors, including VND1-VND7, are putative positive regulators of VND7 expression. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays revealed that all seven VND proteins bound to the VND7 promoter region at its SMBE/TERE motif, indicating that VND7 is a direct target of all of the VND transcription factors. Overexpression of VND1-VND5, GATA12 and ANAC075, newly identified transcription factors that function upstream of VND7, resulted in ectopic xylem vessel element formation. These data suggest that VND7 transcription is a regulatory target of multiple classes of transcription factors.

123 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is found that ectopic xylem vessel element differentiation required VND1, VND2, and VND3 but not VND6 or VND7, which suggests that VND 1 to VND 3 have specific molecular functions, possibly linking light conditions to xyleM vessel formation, during seedling development.
Abstract: Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) VASCULAR-RELATED NAC-DOMAIN1 (VND1) to VND7 encode a group of NAC domain transcription factors that function as master regulators of xylem vessel element differentiation. These transcription factors activate the transcription of genes required for secondary cell wall formation and programmed cell death, key events in xylem vessel element differentiation. Because constitutive overexpression of VND6 and VND7 induces ectopic xylem vessel element differentiation, functional studies of VND proteins have largely focused on these two proteins. Here, we report the roles of VND1, VND2, and VND3 in xylem vessel formation in cotyledons. Using our newly established in vitro system in which excised Arabidopsis cotyledons are stimulated to undergo xylem cell differentiation by cytokinin, auxin, and brassinosteroid treatment, we found that ectopic xylem vessel element differentiation required VND1, VND2, and VND3 but not VND6 or VND7. The importance of VND1, VND2, and VND3 also was indicated in vivo; in the vnd1 vnd2 vnd3 seedlings, xylem vessel element differentiation of secondary veins in cotyledons was inhibited under dark conditions. Furthermore, the light responsiveness of VND gene expression was disturbed in the vnd1 vnd2 vnd3 mutant, and vnd1 vnd2 vnd3 failed to recover lateral root development in response to the change of light conditions. These findings suggest that VND1 to VND3 have specific molecular functions, possibly linking light conditions to xylem vessel formation, during seedling development.

52 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This review of the genetic and molecular mechanisms of stomatal development is summarized, with specific emphasis on recent findings and potential applications toward enhancing the sustainability of agriculture.
Abstract: Stomata are small pores on the surface of land plants that facilitate gas exchange-acquiring CO2 from surrounding atmosphere and releasing water vapor. In adverse conditions, such as drought, stomata close to minimize water loss. The activities of stomata are vital for plant growth and survival. In the last two decades, key players for stomatal development have been discovered thanks to the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana Our knowledge about the formation of stomata and their response to environmental changes are accumulating. In this review, we summarize the genetic and molecular mechanisms of stomatal development, with specific emphasis on recent findings and potential applications toward enhancing the sustainability of agriculture.

22 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is proposed that VND7 preferentially binds to the ICSV sequence, indicating that the core nucleotides contribute to vessel-element-specific gene expression and demonstrates that FCS is a powerful tool for unveiling the DNA-binding properties of transcription factors.
Abstract: VASCULAR-RELATED NAC-DOMAIN7 (VND7) is the master transcription factor for vessel element differentiation in Arabidopsis thaliana. To identify the cis-acting sequence(s) bound by VND7, we employed fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) to find VND7-DNA interactions quantitatively. This identified an 18-bp sequence from the promoter of XYLEM CYSTEINE PEPTIDASE1 (XCP1), a direct target of VND7. A quantitative assay for binding affinity between VND7 and the 18-bp sequence revealed the core nucleotides contributing to specific binding between VND7 and the 18-bp sequence. Moreover, by combining the systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) technique with known consensus sequences, we defined a motif termed the Ideal Core Structure for binding by VND7 (ICSV). We also used FCS to search for VND7 binding sequences in the promoter regions of other direct targets. Taking these data together, we proposed that VND7 preferentially binds to the ICSV sequence. Additionally, we found that substitutions among the core nucleotides affected transcriptional regulation by VND7 in vivo, indicating that the core nucleotides contribute to vessel-element-specific gene expression. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that FCS is a powerful tool for unveiling the DNA-binding properties of transcription factors.

6 citations


Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
29 Jun 2017-Cell
TL;DR: The identification of a natural allele of a C2H2-type transcription factor in rice that confers non-race-specific resistance to blast is reported, highlighting this novel allele as a strategy for breeding durable resistance in rice.

350 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Focusing on the NAC-MYB-based transcriptional network, this review discusses the regulatory systems that evolved in land plants to modify the cell wall to serve as a key component of structures that conduct water and provide mechanical support.
Abstract: Plant cells biosynthesize primary cell walls in all cells and produce secondary cell walls (SCWs) in specific cell types that conduct water and/or provide mechanical support, such as xylem vessels and fibers. The characteristic mechanical stiffness, chemical recalcitrance, and hydrophobic nature of SCWs result from the organization of SCW-specific biopolymers, i.e., highly ordered cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Synthesis of these SCW-specific biopolymers requires SCW-specific enzymes that are regulated by SCW-specific transcription factors. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge of the transcriptional regulation of SCW formation in plant cells. Advances in research on SCW biosynthesis during the past decade have expanded our understanding of the transcriptional regulation of SCW formation, particularly the functions of the NAC and MYB transcription factors. Focusing on the NAC-MYB-based transcriptional network, we discuss the regulatory systems that evolved in land plants to modify the cell wall to serve as a key component of structures that conduct water and provide mechanical support.

313 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Phenylpropanoids are a large class of plant secondary metabolites derived from aromatic amino acids phenylalanine in most plants or tyrosine in partial monocots as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Phenylpropanoids are a large class of plant secondary metabolites derived from aromatic amino acids phenylalanine in most plants or tyrosine in partial monocots. It mainly includes flavonoids, mono...

269 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results demonstrate that single cell transcriptomics holds promise for studying plant development and plant physiology with unprecedented resolution and address the longstanding question of possible heterogeneity among cell types in the response to an abiotic stress.
Abstract: Single cell RNA sequencing can yield high-resolution cell-type–specific expression signatures that reveal new cell types and the developmental trajectories of cell lineages. Here, we apply this approach to Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) root cells to capture gene expression in 3,121 root cells. We analyze these data with Monocle 3, which orders single cell transcriptomes in an unsupervised manner and uses machine learning to reconstruct single cell developmental trajectories along pseudotime. We identify hundreds of genes with cell-type–specific expression, with pseudotime analysis of several cell lineages revealing both known and novel genes that are expressed along a developmental trajectory. We identify transcription factor motifs that are enriched in early and late cells, together with the corresponding candidate transcription factors that likely drive the observed expression patterns. We assess and interpret changes in total RNA expression along developmental trajectories and show that trajectory branch points mark developmental decisions. Finally, by applying heat stress to whole seedlings, we address the longstanding question of possible heterogeneity among cell types in the response to an abiotic stress. Although the response of canonical heat-shock genes dominates expression across cell types, subtle but significant differences in other genes can be detected among cell types. Taken together, our results demonstrate that single cell transcriptomics holds promise for studying plant development and plant physiology with unprecedented resolution.

222 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The canonical lignin biosynthesis pathway, the recently discovered tyrosine shortcut pathway, and the biosynthesis of unconventional C-lignin are reviewed and the existence of a transcriptional co-regulation mechanism coordinating energy allowance among growth, defense and lignIn biosynthesis is proposed.
Abstract: Plant growth-defense tradeoffs are fundamental for optimizing plant performance and fitness in a changing biotic/abiotic environment This process is thought to involve readjusting resource allocation to different pathways It has been frequently observed that among secondary cell wall components, alteration in lignin biosynthesis results in changes in both growth and defense How this process is regulated, leading to growth or defense, remains largely elusive In this article, we review the canonical lignin biosynthesis pathway, the recently discovered tyrosine shortcut pathway, and the biosynthesis of unconventional C-lignin We summarize the current model of the hierarchical transcriptional regulation of lignin biosynthesis Moreover, the interface between recently identified transcription factors and the hierarchical model are also discussed We propose the existence of a transcriptional co-regulation mechanism coordinating energy allowance among growth, defense and lignin biosynthesis

191 citations