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Braguy J, Zurbriggen MD. Synthetic strategies for plant signalling studies: molecular toolbox and orthogonal platforms. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 87:118-38. [PMID: 27227549 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.13218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2015] [Revised: 05/11/2016] [Accepted: 05/13/2016] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Plants deploy a wide array of signalling networks integrating environmental cues with growth, defence and developmental responses. The high level of complexity, redundancy and connection between several pathways hampers a comprehensive understanding of involved functional and regulatory mechanisms. The implementation of synthetic biology approaches is revolutionizing experimental biology in prokaryotes, yeasts and animal systems and can likewise contribute to a new era in plant biology. This review gives an overview on synthetic biology approaches for the development and implementation of synthetic molecular tools and techniques to interrogate, understand and control signalling events in plants, ranging from strategies for the targeted manipulation of plant genomes up to the spatiotemporally resolved control of gene expression using optogenetic approaches. We also describe strategies based on the partial reconstruction of signalling pathways in orthogonal platforms, like yeast, animal and in vitro systems. This allows a targeted analysis of individual signalling hubs devoid of interconnectivity with endogenous interacting components. Implementation of the interdisciplinary synthetic biology tools and strategies is not exempt of challenges and hardships but simultaneously most rewarding in terms of the advances in basic and applied research. As witnessed in other areas, these original theoretical-experimental avenues will lead to a breakthrough in the ability to study and comprehend plant signalling networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine Braguy
- Institute of Synthetic Biology and CEPLAS, University of Düsseldorf, Universitätstrasse 1, Building 26.12.U1.25, Düsseldorf, 40225, Germany
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Matias D Zurbriggen
- Institute of Synthetic Biology and CEPLAS, University of Düsseldorf, Universitätstrasse 1, Building 26.12.U1.25, Düsseldorf, 40225, Germany
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Ochoa-Fernandez R, Samodelov SL, Brandl SM, Wehinger E, Müller K, Weber W, Zurbriggen MD. Optogenetics in Plants: Red/Far-Red Light Control of Gene Expression. Methods Mol Biol 2016; 1408:125-39. [PMID: 26965120 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3512-3_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Optogenetic tools to control gene expression have many advantages over the classical chemically inducible systems, overcoming intrinsic limitations of chemical inducers such as solubility, diffusion, and cell toxicity. They offer an unmatched spatiotemporal resolution and permit quantitative and noninvasive control of the gene expression. Here we describe a protocol of a synthetic light-inducible system for the targeted control of gene expression in plants based on the plant photoreceptor phytochrome B and one of its interacting factors (PIF6). The synthetic toggle switch system is in the ON state when plant protoplasts are illuminated with red light (660 nm) and can be returned to the OFF state by subsequent illumination with far-red light (760 nm). In this protocol, the implementation of a red light-inducible expression system in plants using Light-Emitting Diode (LED) illumination boxes is described, including the isolation and transient transformation of plant protoplasts from Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana tabacum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocio Ochoa-Fernandez
- Institute of Synthetic Biology, University of Düsseldorf, Universitätsstrasse 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
- iGRAD Plant International Graduate Program for Plant Science, University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Sophia L Samodelov
- Institute of Synthetic Biology, University of Düsseldorf, Universitätsstrasse 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), University of Freiburg, Alberstrasse 19a, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Simon M Brandl
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Elke Wehinger
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Konrad Müller
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Novartis Pharma AG, Biologics Process R&D, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Wilfried Weber
- Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), University of Freiburg, Alberstrasse 19a, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- BIOSS - Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 18, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Matias D Zurbriggen
- Institute of Synthetic Biology, University of Düsseldorf, Universitätsstrasse 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104, Freiburg, Germany.
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Müller K, Siegel D, Rodriguez Jahnke F, Gerrer K, Wend S, Decker EL, Reski R, Weber W, Zurbriggen MD. A red light-controlled synthetic gene expression switch for plant systems. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2014; 10:1679-88. [PMID: 24469598 DOI: 10.1039/c3mb70579j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
On command control of gene expression in time and space is required for the comprehensive analysis of key plant cellular processes. Even though some chemical inducible systems showing satisfactory induction features have been developed, they are inherently limited in terms of spatiotemporal resolution and may be associated with toxic effects. We describe here the first synthetic light-inducible system for the targeted control of gene expression in plants. For this purpose, we applied an interdisciplinary synthetic biology approach comprising mammalian and plant cell systems to customize and optimize a split transcription factor based on the plant photoreceptor phytochrome B and one of its interacting factors (PIF6). Implementation of the system in transient assays in tobacco protoplasts resulted in strong (95-fold) induction in red light (660 nm) and could be instantaneously returned to the OFF state by subsequent illumination with far-red light (740 nm). Capitalizing on this toggle switch-like characteristic, we demonstrate that the system can be kept in the OFF state in the presence of 740 nm-supplemented white light, opening up perspectives for future application of the system in whole plants. Finally we demonstrate the system's applicability in basic research, by the light-controlled tuning of auxin signalling networks in N. tabacum protoplasts, as well as its biotechnological potential for the chemical-inducer free production of therapeutic proteins in the moss P. patens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konrad Müller
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
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