The researchers at Nagoya University‘s Institute of Transformative Biomolecules (WPI-ITbM) in Japan and their collaborators have achieved a significant breakthrough in the regulation of stomata density in model plants. Stomata play a crucial role in water regulation, and the ability to manage water consumption for crops during droughts using chemical methods is becoming increasingly important as the environment becomes more unpredictable.
Their study, published in Nature Communications, unveils the synthesis of Stomidazolone, a chemical compound that effectively inhibits stomatal differentiation in plants. This discovery has the potential to revolutionize plant biology by offering new ways to create more durable and nutritious crops.
Stomata, the microscopic pores on the surfaces of plant leaves, are essential for processes like photosynthesis and transpiration. This advancement could have significant implications for agriculture and food production.
“Our research group (Torii group) has screened numerous small molecules to identify new factors that can probe and manipulate stomatal development. We found Stomidazolone, which was ideal as it does not affect plant growth but reduces stomata and can be applied through a simple treatment,” Nakagawa explained. “Using this to reduce stomatal density in principle causes plants to lose less water through transpiration, helping them conserve moisture in dry environments without hindering growth.”
Stomatal development is intricately regulated by specific proteins known as basic-helix-loop-helix proteins. Within plants, the protein MUTE collaborates with another protein called SCREAM to facilitate the formation of stomata. Through thorough genetic testing and biophysical analysis, the research team unveiled that Stomidazolone exerts its effects by binding to a specific protein domain, known as the ACT-like domain of MUTE, thereby preventing its interaction with SCREAM.
Furthermore, building upon these discoveries, the team successfully engineered MUTE proteins with heightened resistance to Stomidazolone while preserving their essential functions.
“When these modified MUTE proteins were tested in plants, they continued developing stomata, even in the presence of Stomidazolone,” Nakagawa said. “This demonstrated that we could use precise chemical interventions to selectively control plant development.”
This groundbreaking research marks a major leap forward in using chemical compounds to selectively target proteins, with the goal of controlling essential biological processes.
Dr. Torii explains her vision: “By expanding the chemical tools available for manipulating plant development, we deepen our understanding of how plants grow and unlock new possibilities for agricultural innovations using stroma control. I hope our research will help engineer crops that can thrive in challenging and drought environments.”
Journal reference:
- Ayami Nakagawa, Krishna Mohan Sepuru, Shu Jan Yip, Hyemin Seo, Calvin M. Coffin, Kota Hashimoto, Zixuan Li, Yasutomo Segawa, Rie Iwasaki, Hiroe Kato, Daisuke Kurihara, Yusuke Aihara, Stephanie Kim, Toshinori Kinoshita, Kenichiro Itami, Soon-Ki Han, Kei Murakami & Keiko U. Torii. Chemical inhibition of stomatal differentiation by perturbation of the master-regulatory bHLH heterodimer via an ACT-Like domain. Nature Communications, 2024; DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-53214-4
