In a breakthrough for sustainable agriculture, researchers from the University of East Anglia (UEA) have identified the genes responsible for the production of a unique anti-stress molecule in plants, which could significantly bolster global food security in the face of climate change.
This molecule, known as dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), enables plants to endure stressful conditions such as high salinity and drought, presenting new possibilities for more resilient crop varieties.
The study, published in Nature Communications, represents the first detailed analysis of the genes that allow plants to produce DMSP.
Previously, DMSP was primarily recognized for its role in marine ecosystems, particularly among salt-tolerant organisms like saltmarsh grasses. The UEA team’s findings reveal that most plants naturally produce DMSP to some degree, but the capacity to produce it at higher levels is what enables certain species to survive in particularly harsh environments.
Prof. Jon Todd from UEA’s School of Biological Sciences, one of the researchers involved in the study, highlighted the saltmarsh grass Spartina anglica, which produces exceptionally high concentrations of DMSP.
“Excitingly, our study shows that most plants make the anti-stress compound DMSP, but that the saltmarsh grass Spartina is special due to the high levels it accumulates,” Prof. Todd explained. “This is important because Spartina saltmarshes are global hotspots for DMSP production and for generation of the climate-cooling gas dimethylsulfide through the action of microbes that break down DMSP.”
Lead author Dr. Ben Miller, also from UEA’s School of Biological Sciences, emphasized the potential impact of their findings, stating: “This discovery provides fundamental understanding about how plants tolerate stress and offers promising avenues for improving the tolerance of crops to salinity and drought, which is important for enhancing agricultural sustainability in the face of global climate change.”
The research identified three specific enzymes that play crucial roles in the high-level production of DMSP in Spartina anglica. By comparing the genetic makeup of Spartina with other low-DMSP-producing crop plants, the team was able to pinpoint the key genetic components that enable high concentrations of DMSP in salt-tolerant species.
The study’s findings indicate that DMSP’s stress-mitigating properties can be harnessed to improve crop resilience, particularly in the face of salinity and drought – two major challenges facing modern agriculture.
This capability could be particularly advantageous for crops grown in nitrogen-poor soils, where DMSP could help boost agricultural productivity. By either supplementing plants with DMSP or engineering crops to produce their own DMSP, researchers suggest it might be possible to increase crop yields without the need for additional nitrogen fertilizers, contributing to a more sustainable approach to agriculture.
Beyond its agricultural potential, DMSP is known to have broader environmental implications, particularly within global carbon and sulfur cycles. When broken down by microbes, DMSP releases dimethylsulfide, a compound that contributes to climate cooling. Saltmarsh ecosystems, especially those dominated by Spartina cordgrasses, are significant sources of this compound, playing a pivotal role in regulating atmospheric chemistry and climate.
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The research was supported by the UK’s Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), and involved collaboration between multiple departments within UEA and the Ocean University of China.
Journal Reference:
Payet, R.D., Bilham, L.J., Kabir, S.M.T. et al. ‘Elucidation of Spartina dimethylsulfoniopropionate synthesis genes enables engineering of stress tolerant plants’, Nature Communications 15, 8568 (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51758-z
Article Source:
Press Release/Material by University of East Anglia (UEA)
Featured image credit: Ben Miller | UEA
