Journal of the Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science 38(3) : 175~179, 2018 ISSN 2287-5824 (Print) https://doi.org/10.5333/KGFS.2018.38.3.175 ISSN 2287-5832 (Online) Research Article Structure and action mechanism of humic substances for plant stimulations Jong-Rok Jeon1, Ho Young Yoon1, Gyeong-Im Shin2, Song Yi Jeong2, Joon-Yung Cha2,* and Woe-Yeon Kim1,2,* 1Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Food Science & Technology, Institute of Agriculture and Life Science (IALS), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea 2Division of Applied Life Science (BK21Plus), Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Research Center (PMBBRC), Research Institute of Life Sciences (RILS), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea ABSTRACT Humic substances that can be obtained from coal resources such as leonardite in a bulk scale have been employed as crop stimulators and soil conditioners. The polymeric organics containing a variety of aromatic and aliphatic structures are known to activate plants in a multifunctional way, thus resulting in enhanced germination rate and abiotic stress resistance concomitant with induction of numerous genes and proteins. Although detailed structural-functional relationship of humic substances for plant stimulations has not been deciphered yet, cutting-edge analytical tools have unraveled critical features of humic architectures that could be linked to the action mechanisms of their plant stimulations. In this review article, we introduce key findings of humic structures and related biological functions that boost plant growth and abiotic stress resistance. Oxygen-based functional groups and plant hormone-like structures combined with labile and recalcitrant carbon backbones are believed to be critical moieties to induce plant stimulations. Some proteins such as HIGH-AFFINITY K+ TRANSPORTER 1, phospholipase A2 and H+-ATPase have been also recognized as key players that could be critically involved in humic substance-driven changes in plant physiology. (Key words : Humic substances, Molecular mechanism, Plant stimulation, Structure-function relationship) Ⅰ. Humic substances in Agricultures environments including soil induces the microbial recalcitrance of HS, allowing for their extremely long-term persistence Humic substances (HS) belong to colorful organic polymers (Marschner et al., 2008). The rare contents of NPK (i.e. whose molecular formulas are irregular, unlike other distinct nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) elements in HS represent organics such as carbohydrates, proteins and alkanes. little likelihood of the mixtures acting as plant nutrients, but Depending on alkali solubility, HS are classified into three their detailed organic structures directly stimulate plants to subtypes (i.e., humic acid, fulvic acid and humin) (Muscolo et express numerous proteins associated with germination, al., 2013). HS are ubiquitous in several environments including secondary metabolites and abiotic stress resistance (Garcia et rivers and soils, but the relative distribution of HS is variable al., 2016). Indeed, HS-induced plant stimulations to affect depends on the environment types (Weber and Wilson, 1975; developmental and physiological processes (e.g., germination, Lobartini et al., 2008). For instance, grassland soils are known root development, abiotic stress resistance and nutrient uptake) to possess relatively large amounts of humic acid (~70%) have been demonstrated in various crops (Vaughan, 1974; compared with fulvic acid (~30%), whereas forest soils have Cacco and Dell Agnolla, 1984; Russo and Berlyn, 1990; vice versa (Stevenson, 1982). The contrasting distribution Trevisan et al., 2010a; 2010b). More recently, the current pattern of HS may be attributable to use of grassland for authors also reported that humic acids and artificially animal feeding producing the remnants of pastures and synthesized mimics enhance the productivity of alfalfa and manures, thus triggering different decomposition ways of plant Italian ryegrass, wherein their root densities are dramatically materials. increased (Khaleda et al., 2017a; 2017b). Versatile interaction of HS with clays and minerals in the Beyond the direct stimulation of plants, polymeric features * Corresponding author : Woe-Yeon Kim, Ph.D & Joon-Yung Cha, Ph.D. Tel: +82-55-772-1968, Fax: +82-55-772-2631, E-mail: [email protected] (WYK) and [email protected] (JYC) － 175 － Structure and action mechanism of humic substances for plant stimulations of HS with widespread negatively charged functional groups High-molecular-weight compounds in HS that are hardly are capable of aggregating soil particles and adsorbing plant translocated into plant cell interiors can activate plant growth. metallic nutrients, thus making healthy soils for crop They are known to be adsorbed on the surfaces of plant roots cultivation (Piccolo et al., 1997). Commercialization and and this behavior may derive from oxygen-based functional market of HS have been successfully established due to the groups widely distributed in the HS (Maggioni et al., 1987). In beneficial effectiveness of HS on crops and annual market of fact, oxygen-based functional groups with aromaticity allow for HS grows rapidly owing to a need for eco-friendly plant versatile binding with several surfaces (Jeon et al., 2013). stimulants and a drawback of currently used NPK-based Through the attachments, the high-molecular-weight compounds - chemical fertilizers (P&S Market Research, 2015). Overall, it accelerate the transport of some ionic molecules including NO3 , 2- + seems to be evident that HS are beneficial to crops, but their SO4 and K into plant cell interiors. To date, the detailed action mechanisms are still controversial because structure mechanism for this transportation has not been suggested, but analyses and activation targets of HS are hardly characterized. increased expression of related transporters including nitrate carrier proteins have been reported (Dell’Agnola et al., 1981). Together with this kind of gene induction on the plant root Ⅱ. Structure-function relationship of humic surfaces, the high-molecular-weight part of HS acts as substances polyelectrolytes that can efficiently donate proton ions from oxygen-based functional groups, resulting in partial acidity of the attached regions (Nardi et al., 1991). This action makes the HS are regarded as an assembly that is hardly separated, plant surfaces active, thus affecting metabolic and translocation thus making them not to be fully analyzed. However, the pathways occurring in plasma membranes of the surface cells. polymeric features of HS are readily characterized through gel For instance, alkalinization induced by utilization of NO - as permeation chromatography. Many researchers have tried to 3 an N source could be neutralized in the presence of HS on the fractionize HS into low-molecular and high-molecular sizes to root surfaces, wherein transport of plant inorganic nutrition decipher core components responsible for plant stimulations actively happens (Nardi et al., 2002). (Nardi et al., 2002). In general, the low-molecular-size Another interesting view of HS structure is a supramolecular fractions exhibit a relatively strong activity to stimulate plants. interaction of small humic components leading to formation of The fractions are more likely to penetrate into plants due to micellar architecture. The distribution of amphiphilic groups the small sizes. Such translocation may facilitate induction of and the complexation with metallic ions playing an important genes and proteins responsible for metabolic and physiological role as a bridge allow for polymeric features of HS that are changes in plants. The small molecule assembly is also proven in fact an assembly of relatively small humic components to have oxygen-based functional groups such as phenols, (Sutton and Sposito, 2005). This model has been evidenced by alcohols and carboxylic acids (Canellas et al., 2002). Such some experimental observations. First, the addition of small groups that are prone to lose proton can bind to several organic acids that may disrupt supramolecular interactions of organic and inorganic structures, based on dipole and humic components caused severe changes in the polymeric negatively charged groups. They may interact with several lengths of HS (Piccolo, 2001). Second, ubiquitous distribution gene regulators through relatively non-specific bindings. In of amide forms of nitrogen within humic structures is hardly spite of the lack of direct evidence on HS-induced regulator matchable with key polymerization processes bringing a huge activation, physical interactions between HS and proteins have size of HS (Sutton and Sposito, 2005). Third, membrane-like been reported (Tomaszewski et al., 2011). In addition, plant coating phenomena of HS on alumina with very limited hormones originated from microbes can be liberated more rotations are consistent with the action of simple surfactants. easily from the humic assembly with low-molecular-weight Fourth, direct observation of 400 – 800 nm micelle-like shapes compounds, thus activating plants through hormone-based through transmission electron microscopy was achieved with pathways (Nardi et al., 2002; Canellas et al., 2002). － 176 － Structure and action mechanism of humic substances for plant stimulations dissolved organic matters from aquatic sources that exhibit leonardites activate FRO1 and IRT1 of cucumber encoding a similar structural characteristics of HS (Kerner et