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Hoenicka H, Bein S, Starczak M, Graf W, Hanelt D, Gackowski D. β-Aminobutyric acid promotes stress tolerance, physiological adjustments, as well as broad epigenetic changes at DNA and RNA nucleobases in field elms (Ulmus minor). BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 24:779. [PMID: 39148013 PMCID: PMC11325618 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05425-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND β-Aminobutyric acid (BABA) has been successfully used to prime stress resistance in numerous plant species; however, its effectiveness in forest trees has been poorly explored thus far. This study aimed to investigate the influence of BABA on morphological, physiological, and epigenetic parameters in field elms under various growth conditions. Epigenetic changes were assessed in both DNA and RNA through the use of reversed-phase ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled with sensitive mass spectrometry. RESULTS The presented results confirm the influence of BABA on the development, physiology, and stress tolerance in field elms. However, the most important findings are related to the broad epigenetic changes promoted by this amino acid, which involve both DNA and RNA. Our findings confirm, for the first time, that BABA influences not only well-known epigenetic markers in plants, such as 5-methylcytosine, but also several other non-canonical nucleobases, such as 5-hydroxymethyluracil, 5-formylcytosine, 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, N6-methyladenine, uracil (in DNA) and thymine (in RNA). The significant effect on the levels of N6-methyladenine, the main bacterial epigenetic marker, is particularly noteworthy. In this case, the question arises as to whether this effect is due to epigenetic changes in the microbiome, the plant genome, or both. CONCLUSIONS The plant phenotype is the result of complex interactions between the plant's DNA, the microbiome, and the environment. We propose that different types of epigenetic changes in the plant and microbiome may play important roles in the largely unknown memory process that enables plants to adapt faster to changing environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans Hoenicka
- Thünen Institute of Forest Genetics, Sieker Landstr. 2, D-22927, Grosshansdorf, Germany.
| | - Susanne Bein
- Thünen Institute of Forest Genetics, Sieker Landstr. 2, D-22927, Grosshansdorf, Germany
| | - Marta Starczak
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Karlowicza 24, Bydgoszcz, 85-095, Poland
| | - Wolfgang Graf
- Thünen Institute of Forest Genetics, Sieker Landstr. 2, D-22927, Grosshansdorf, Germany
| | - Dieter Hanelt
- Institute of Plant Science and Microbiology, University of Hamburg, Ohnhorst. 18, D-22609, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Gackowski
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Karlowicza 24, Bydgoszcz, 85-095, Poland
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Shi Y, Zhen X, Zhang Y, Li Y, Koo S, Saiding Q, Kong N, Liu G, Chen W, Tao W. Chemically Modified Platforms for Better RNA Therapeutics. Chem Rev 2024; 124:929-1033. [PMID: 38284616 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
RNA-based therapies have catalyzed a revolutionary transformation in the biomedical landscape, offering unprecedented potential in disease prevention and treatment. However, despite their remarkable achievements, these therapies encounter substantial challenges including low stability, susceptibility to degradation by nucleases, and a prominent negative charge, thereby hindering further development. Chemically modified platforms have emerged as a strategic innovation, focusing on precise alterations either on the RNA moieties or their associated delivery vectors. This comprehensive review delves into these platforms, underscoring their significance in augmenting the performance and translational prospects of RNA-based therapeutics. It encompasses an in-depth analysis of various chemically modified delivery platforms that have been instrumental in propelling RNA therapeutics toward clinical utility. Moreover, the review scrutinizes the rationale behind diverse chemical modification techniques aiming at optimizing the therapeutic efficacy of RNA molecules, thereby facilitating robust disease management. Recent empirical studies corroborating the efficacy enhancement of RNA therapeutics through chemical modifications are highlighted. Conclusively, we offer profound insights into the transformative impact of chemical modifications on RNA drugs and delineates prospective trajectories for their future development and clinical integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yesi Shi
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Xueyan Zhen
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Yiming Zhang
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Yongjiang Li
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Seyoung Koo
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Qimanguli Saiding
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Na Kong
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Gang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Wei Tao
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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Xie Y, Chan LY, Cheung MY, Li MW, Lam HM. Current technical advancements in plant epitranscriptomic studies. THE PLANT GENOME 2023; 16:e20316. [PMID: 36890704 DOI: 10.1002/tpg2.20316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The growth and development of plants are the result of the interplay between the internal developmental programming and plant-environment interactions. Gene expression regulations in plants are made up of multi-level networks. In the past few years, many studies were carried out on co- and post-transcriptional RNA modifications, which, together with the RNA community, are collectively known as the "epitranscriptome." The epitranscriptomic machineries were identified and their functional impacts characterized in a broad range of physiological processes in diverse plant species. There is mounting evidence to suggest that the epitranscriptome provides an additional layer in the gene regulatory network for plant development and stress responses. In the present review, we summarized the epitranscriptomic modifications found so far in plants, including chemical modifications, RNA editing, and transcript isoforms. The various approaches to RNA modification detection were described, with special emphasis on the recent development and application potential of third-generation sequencing. The roles of epitranscriptomic changes in gene regulation during plant-environment interactions were discussed in case studies. This review aims to highlight the importance of epitranscriptomics in the study of gene regulatory networks in plants and to encourage multi-omics investigations using the recent technical advancements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichun Xie
- School of Life Sciences and Centre for Soybean Research of the State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Long-Yiu Chan
- School of Life Sciences and Centre for Soybean Research of the State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ming-Yan Cheung
- School of Life Sciences and Centre for Soybean Research of the State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Man-Wah Li
- School of Life Sciences and Centre for Soybean Research of the State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hon-Ming Lam
- School of Life Sciences and Centre for Soybean Research of the State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Yu J, Song G, Guo W, Le L, Xu F, Wang T, Wang F, Wu Y, Gu X, Pu L. ZmBELL10 interacts with other ZmBELLs and recognizes specific motifs for transcriptional activation to modulate internode patterning in maize. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 240:577-596. [PMID: 37583092 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
Plant height is an important agronomic trait that affects crop yield. Elucidating the molecular mechanism underlying plant height regulation is also an important question in developmental biology. Here, we report that a BELL transcription factor, ZmBELL10, positively regulates plant height in maize (Zea mays). Loss of ZmBELL10 function resulted in shorter internodes, fewer nodes, and smaller kernels, while ZmBELL10 overexpression increased plant height and hundred-kernel weight. Transcriptome analysis and chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing showed that ZmBELL10 recognizes specific sequences in the promoter of its target genes and activates cell division- and cell elongation-related gene expression, thereby influencing node number and internode length in maize. ZmBELL10 interacted with several other ZmBELL proteins via a spatial structure in its POX domain to form protein complexes involving ZmBELL10. All interacting proteins recognized the same DNA sequences, and their interaction with ZmBELL10 increased target gene expression. We identified the key residues in the POX domain of ZmBELL10 responsible for its protein-protein interactions, but these residues did not affect its transactivation activity. Collectively, our findings shed light on the functions of ZmBELL10 protein complexes and provide potential targets for improving plant architecture and yield in maize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Yu
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Guangshu Song
- Maize Research Institute, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Gongzhuling, 136100, China
| | - Weijun Guo
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Liang Le
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Fan Xu
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Ting Wang
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
- Shangrao Normal University, Shangrao, 334001, China
| | - Fanhua Wang
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Yue Wu
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Xiaofeng Gu
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Li Pu
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
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