Xue He

Publications (3)16.04 Total impact

• Article: Characterization of root response to phosphorus supply from morphology to gene analysis in field-grown wheat.

  Wan Teng, Yan Deng, Xin-Ping Chen, Xiao-Feng Xu, Ri-Yuan Chen, Yang Lv, Yan-Yan Zhao, Xue-Qiang Zhao, Xue He, Bin Li, Yi-Ping Tong, Fu-Suo Zhang, Zhen-Sheng Li
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  ABSTRACT: The adaptations of root morphology, physiology, and biochemistry to phosphorus supply have been characterized intensively. However, characterizing these adaptations at molecular level is largely neglected under field conditions. Here, two consecutive field experiments were carried out to investigate the agronomic traits and root traits of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) at six P-fertilizer rates. Root samples were collected at flowering to investigate root dry weight, root length density, arbusular-mycorrhizal colonization rate, acid phosphatase activity in rhizosphere soil, and expression levels of genes encoding phosphate transporter, phosphatase, ribonucleases, and expansin. These root traits exhibited inducible, inhibitory, or combined responses to P deficiency, and the change point for responses to P supply was at or near the optimal P supply for maximum grain yield. This research improves the understanding of mechanisms of plant adaptation to soil P in intensive agriculture and provides useful information for optimizing P management based on the interactions between soil P dynamics and root processes.
  Journal of Experimental Botany 02/2013; · 5.36 Impact Factor
• Article: Haplotype analysis of the genes encoding glutamine synthetase plastic isoforms and their association with nitrogen-use- and yield-related traits in bread wheat.

  Xin-Peng Li, Xue-Qiang Zhao, Xue He, Guang-Yao Zhao, Bin Li, Dong-Cheng Liu, Ai-Min Zhang, Xue-Yong Zhang, Yi-Ping Tong, Zhen-Sheng Li
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  ABSTRACT: Glutamine synthetase (GS) plays a key role in the growth, nitrogen (N) use and yield potential of cereal crops. Investigating the haplotype variation of GS genes and its association with agronomic traits may provide useful information for improving wheat N-use efficiency and yield. We isolated the promoter and coding region sequences of the plastic glutamine synthetase isoform (GS2) genes located on chromosomes 2A, 2B and 2D in bread wheat. By analyzing nucleotide sequence variations of the coding region, two, six and two haplotypes were distinguished for TaGS2-A1 (a and b), TaGS2-B1 (a-f) and TaGS2-D1 (a and b), respectively. By analyzing the frequency data of different haplotypes and their association with N use and agronomic traits, four major and favorable TaGS2 haplotypes (A1b, B1a, B1b, D1a) were revealed. These favorable haplotypes may confer better seedling growth, better agronomic performance, and improved N uptake during vegetative growth or grain N concentration. Our data suggest that certain TaGS2 haplotypes may be valuable in breeding wheat varieties with improved agronomic performance and N-use efficiency.
  New Phytologist 10/2010; 189(2):449-58. · 6.64 Impact Factor
• Article: Distribution of G-actin is related to root hair growth of wheat.

  Xue He, Yi-Min Liu, Wei Wang, Yan Li
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  ABSTRACT: Actin distribution in root hair tips is a controversial topic. Although the relationship between Ca2+ gradient and actin dynamics in plant tip-growth has been a focus of study, there is still little direct evidence on the exact relationship in root hair tip-growth. G-actin was labelled by fluorescein isothiocyanate-DNase I. F-actin was labelled by tetramethylrhodamine isothiocyanate-phalloidin. Actin in root hairs of Triticum aestivum (wheat) was investigated using confocal laser-scanning microscopy. Thick F-actin bundles did not extend into a region of approx. 5-10 microm from the tip of the growing root hairs, although they gave off branches of fine actin filaments in the hair tips. A tip-focused G-actin gradient was shown at the extreme apex of growing root hairs. In full-grown wheat root hairs, the tip-focused G-actin gradient disappeared while the thick F-actin bundles extended into the tips. BAPTA-AM, a Ca2+ disruption agent, also caused the tip-focused G-actin gradient to disappear and the diffuse F-actin bundles to appear in the tips of wheat root hairs. These results suggest that the tip-focused gradient of intracellular G-actin concentration at the extreme apex may be essential for root hair growth, and that preserving the tip-focused gradient needs a high Ca2+ concentration in the root hair tips.
  Annals of Botany 08/2006; 98(1):49-55. · 4.03 Impact Factor