TaMPK2B, a member of the MAPK family in T. aestivum, enhances plant low-Pi stress tolerance through modulating physiological processes associated with phosphorus starvation defensiveness.

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are present in plant species and modulate plant growth and stress responses. This study characterizes TaMPK2B, a MAPK family gene in T. aestivum that regulates plant adaptation to low-Pi stress. TaMPK2B harbors the conserved domains involving protein phosphorylation and protein-protein interaction. A yeast two-hybrid assay reveals an interaction between TaMPK2B and TaMPKK2 and between the latter and TaMPKKK;A, suggesting that all comprise a MAPK signaling cascade TaMPKKK;A-TaMPKK2-TaMPK2B. TaMPK2B expression levels were elevated in roots and leaves under a Pi starvation (PS) condition. Additionally, the induced TaMPK2B transcripts under PS in tissues were gradually restored following the Pi normal recovery condition. TaMPK2B overexpression conferred on plants improved PS adaptation; the tobacco lines with TaMPK2B overexpression enhanced the plant's dry mass production, Pi uptake capacity, root system architecture (RSA) establishment, and ROS homeostasis relative to wild type under PS treatment. Moreover, the transcripts of genes in phosphate transporter (PT), PIN-FORMED, and antioxidant enzyme (AE) families, including NtPT3 and NtPT4, NtPIN9, and NtMnSOD1 and NtPOD1;7, were elevated in Pi-deprived lines overexpressing TaMPK2B. Transgene analyses validated their functions in regulating Pi uptake, RSA establishment, and AE activities of plants treated by PS. These results suggest that TaMPK2B-mediated plant PS adaptation is correlated with the modified transcription of distinct PT, PIN, and AE genes. Our investigation suggests that TaMPK2B is one of the crucial regulators in plant low-Pi adaptation by improving Pi uptake, RSA formation, and ROS homeostasis via transcriptionally regulating genes associated with the above physiological processes.