1
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Knödler M, Reunious PW, Buyel JF. Risk assessment and bioburden evaluation of Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transient protein expression in plants using the CaMV35S promoter. BMC Biotechnol 2023; 23:14. [PMID: 37286972 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-023-00782-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Large-scale transient expression of recombinant proteins in plants is increasingly used and requires the multi-liter cultivation of Agrobacterium tumefaciens transformed with an expression vector, which is often cloned in Escherichia coli first. Depending on the promoter, unintentional activity can occur in both bacteria, which could pose a safety risk to the environment and operators if the protein is toxic. To assess the risk associated with transient expression, we first tested expression vectors containing the CaMV35S promoter known to be active in plants and bacteria, along with controls to measure the accumulation of the corresponding recombinant proteins. We found that, in both bacteria, even the stable model protein DsRed accumulated at levels near the detection limit of the sandwich ELISA (3.8 µg L-1). Higher levels were detected in short cultivations (< 12 h) but never exceeded 10 µg L-1. We determined the abundance of A. tumefaciens throughout the process, including infiltration. We detected few bacteria in the clarified extract and found none after blanching. Finally, we combined protein accumulation and bacterial abundance data with the known effects of toxic proteins to estimate critical exposures for operators. We found that unintended toxin production in bacteria is negligible. Furthermore, the intravenous uptake of multiple milliliters of fermentation broth or infiltration suspension would be required to reach acute toxicity even when handling the most toxic products (LD50 ~ 1 ng kg-1). The unintentional uptake of such quantities is unlikely and we therefore regard transient expression as safe in terms of the bacterial handling procedure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Knödler
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Institute for Molecular Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Paul Winman Reunious
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Institute for Molecular Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Johannes Felix Buyel
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
- Institute for Molecular Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
- Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Institute of Bioprocess Science and Engineering (IBSE), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria.
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2
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Geddes-McAlister J, Prudhomme N, Gutierrez Gongora D, Cossar D, McLean MD. The emerging role of mass spectrometry-based proteomics in molecular pharming practices. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2022; 68:102133. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.102133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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3
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Aesaert S, Impens L, Coussens G, Van Lerberge E, Vanderhaeghen R, Desmet L, Vanhevel Y, Bossuyt S, Wambua AN, Van Lijsebettens M, Inzé D, De Keyser E, Jacobs TB, Karimi M, Pauwels L. Optimized Transformation and Gene Editing of the B104 Public Maize Inbred by Improved Tissue Culture and Use of Morphogenic Regulators. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:883847. [PMID: 35528934 PMCID: PMC9072829 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.883847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Plant transformation is a bottleneck for the application of gene editing in plants. In Zea mays (maize), a breakthrough was made using co-transformation of the morphogenic transcription factors BABY BOOM (BBM) and WUSCHEL (WUS) to induce somatic embryogenesis. Together with adapted tissue culture media, this was shown to increase transformation efficiency significantly. However, use of the method has not been reported widely, despite a clear need for increased transformation capacity in academic settings. Here, we explore use of the method for the public maize inbred B104 that is widely used for transformation by the research community. We find that only modifying tissue culture media already boosts transformation efficiency significantly and can reduce the time in tissue culture by 1 month. On average, production of independent transgenic plants per starting embryo increased from 1 to 4% using BIALAPHOS RESISTANCE (BAR) as a selection marker. In addition, we reconstructed the BBM-WUS morphogenic gene cassette and evaluated its functionality in B104. Expression of the morphogenic genes under tissue- and development stage-specific promoters led to direct somatic embryo formation on the scutellum of zygotic embryos. However, eight out of ten resulting transgenic plants showed pleiotropic developmental defects and were not fertile. This undesirable phenotype was positively correlated with the copy number of the morphogenic gene cassette. Use of constructs in which morphogenic genes are flanked by a developmentally controlled Cre/LoxP recombination system led to reduced T-DNA copy number and fertile T0 plants, while increasing transformation efficiency from 1 to 5% using HIGHLY-RESISTANT ACETOLACTATE SYNTHASE as a selection marker. Addition of a CRISPR/Cas9 module confirmed functionality for gene editing applications, as exemplified by editing the gene VIRESCENT YELLOW-LIKE (VYL) that can act as a visual marker for gene editing in maize. The constructs, methods, and insights produced in this work will be valuable to translate the use of BBM-WUS and other emerging morphogenic regulators (MRs) to other genotypes and crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stijn Aesaert
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lennert Impens
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Griet Coussens
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Els Van Lerberge
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Rudy Vanderhaeghen
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Laurence Desmet
- Plant Sciences Unit, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Melle, Belgium
| | - Yasmine Vanhevel
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Shari Bossuyt
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Angeline Ndele Wambua
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Mieke Van Lijsebettens
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dirk Inzé
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ellen De Keyser
- Plant Sciences Unit, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Melle, Belgium
| | - Thomas B. Jacobs
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Mansour Karimi
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Laurens Pauwels
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
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Wuschel2 enables highly efficient CRISPR/Cas-targeted genome editing during rapid de novo shoot regeneration in sorghum. Commun Biol 2022; 5:344. [PMID: 35410430 PMCID: PMC9001672 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03308-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
For many important crops including sorghum, use of CRISPR/Cas technology is limited not only by the delivery of the gene-modification components into a plant cell, but also by the ability to regenerate a fertile plant from the engineered cell through tissue culture. Here, we report that Wuschel2 (Wus2)-enabled transformation increases not only the transformation efficiency, but also the CRISPR/Cas-targeted genome editing frequency in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.). Using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, we have demonstrated Wus2-induced direct somatic embryo formation and regeneration, bypassing genotype-dependent callus formation and significantly shortening the tissue culture cycle time. This method also increased the regeneration capacity that resulted in higher transformation efficiency across different sorghum varieties. Subsequently, advanced excision systems and “altruistic” transformation technology have been developed to generate high-quality morphogenic gene-free and/or selectable marker-free sorghum events. Finally, we demonstrate up to 6.8-fold increase in CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene dropout frequency using Wus2-enabled transformation, compared to without Wus2, across various targeted loci in different sorghum genotypes. Che et al. use Wuschel2-enabled genome transformation to induce somatic embryo formation in sorghum, a grain used in human food. Their approach not only overcomes the genotype-dependent barrier for genetic transformation without the introduction of morphogenic genes, but also increases the frequency of CRISPR/Castargeted genome editing.
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5
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Che P, Wu E, Simon MK, Anand A, Lowe K, Gao H, Sigmund AL, Yang M, Albertsen MC, Gordon-Kamm W, Jones TJ. Wuschel2 enables highly efficient CRISPR/Cas-targeted genome editing during rapid de novo shoot regeneration in sorghum. Commun Biol 2022; 5:344. [PMID: 35410430 DOI: 10.1101/2021.06.21.449302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
For many important crops including sorghum, use of CRISPR/Cas technology is limited not only by the delivery of the gene-modification components into a plant cell, but also by the ability to regenerate a fertile plant from the engineered cell through tissue culture. Here, we report that Wuschel2 (Wus2)-enabled transformation increases not only the transformation efficiency, but also the CRISPR/Cas-targeted genome editing frequency in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.). Using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, we have demonstrated Wus2-induced direct somatic embryo formation and regeneration, bypassing genotype-dependent callus formation and significantly shortening the tissue culture cycle time. This method also increased the regeneration capacity that resulted in higher transformation efficiency across different sorghum varieties. Subsequently, advanced excision systems and "altruistic" transformation technology have been developed to generate high-quality morphogenic gene-free and/or selectable marker-free sorghum events. Finally, we demonstrate up to 6.8-fold increase in CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene dropout frequency using Wus2-enabled transformation, compared to without Wus2, across various targeted loci in different sorghum genotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Che
- Corteva Agriscience, Johnston, IA, 50131, USA.
| | - Emily Wu
- Corteva Agriscience, Johnston, IA, 50131, USA
| | | | - Ajith Anand
- Corteva Agriscience, Johnston, IA, 50131, USA
| | - Keith Lowe
- Corteva Agriscience, Johnston, IA, 50131, USA
| | - Huirong Gao
- Corteva Agriscience, Johnston, IA, 50131, USA
| | | | - Meizhu Yang
- Corteva Agriscience, Johnston, IA, 50131, USA
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6
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Prías-Blanco M, Chappell TM, Freed EF, Illa-Berenguer E, Eckert CA, Parrott WA. An Agrobacterium strain auxotrophic for methionine is useful for switchgrass transformation. Transgenic Res 2022; 31:661-676. [PMID: 36239844 PMCID: PMC9747830 DOI: 10.1007/s11248-022-00328-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Auxotrophic strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens can contribute to the development of more efficient transformation systems, especially for crops historically considered recalcitrant. Homologous recombination was used to derive methionine auxotrophs of two common A. tumefaciens strains, LBA4404 and EHA105. The EHA105 strains were more efficient for switchgrass transformation, while both the EHA105 and LBA4404 strains worked equally well for the rice control. Event quality, as measured by transgene copy number, was not affected by auxotrophy, but was higher for the LBA4404 strains than the EHA105 strains. Ultimately, the use of auxotrophs reduced bacterial overgrowth during co-cultivation and decreased the need for antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Prías-Blanco
- Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Timothy M Chappell
- Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Emily F Freed
- Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI), University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | | | - Carrie A Eckert
- Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI), University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Wayne A Parrott
- Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Center for Applied Genetic Technologies, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
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7
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Bellido AM, Souza Canadá ED, Permingeat HR, Echenique V. Genetic Transformation of Apomictic Grasses: Progress and Constraints. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:768393. [PMID: 34804102 PMCID: PMC8602796 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.768393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The available methods for plant transformation and expansion beyond its limits remain especially critical for crop improvement. For grass species, this is even more critical, mainly due to drawbacks in in vitro regeneration. Despite the existence of many protocols in grasses to achieve genetic transformation through Agrobacterium or biolistic gene delivery, their efficiencies are genotype-dependent and still very low due to the recalcitrance of these species to in vitro regeneration. Many plant transformation facilities for cereals and other important crops may be found around the world in universities and enterprises, but this is not the case for apomictic species, many of which are C4 grasses. Moreover, apomixis (asexual reproduction by seeds) represents an additional constraint for breeding. However, the transformation of an apomictic clone is an attractive strategy, as the transgene is immediately fixed in a highly adapted genetic background, capable of large-scale clonal propagation. With the exception of some species like Brachiaria brizantha which is planted in approximately 100 M ha in Brazil, apomixis is almost non-present in economically important crops. However, as it is sometimes present in their wild relatives, the main goal is to transfer this trait to crops to fix heterosis. Until now this has been a difficult task, mainly because many aspects of apomixis are unknown. Over the last few years, many candidate genes have been identified and attempts have been made to characterize them functionally in Arabidopsis and rice. However, functional analysis in true apomictic species lags far behind, mainly due to the complexity of its genomes, of the trait itself, and the lack of efficient genetic transformation protocols. In this study, we review the current status of the in vitro culture and genetic transformation methods focusing on apomictic grasses, and the prospects for the application of new tools assayed in other related species, with two aims: to pave the way for discovering the molecular pathways involved in apomixis and to develop new capacities for breeding purposes because many of these grasses are important forage or biofuel resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés M. Bellido
- Departamento de Agronomía, Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida (CERZOS – CCT – CONICET Bahía Blanca), Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS), Bahía Blanca, Argentina
| | | | | | - Viviana Echenique
- Departamento de Agronomía, Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida (CERZOS – CCT – CONICET Bahía Blanca), Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS), Bahía Blanca, Argentina
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8
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Sadoine M, Ishikawa Y, Kleist TJ, Wudick MM, Nakamura M, Grossmann G, Frommer WB, Ho CH. Designs, applications, and limitations of genetically encoded fluorescent sensors to explore plant biology. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 187:485-503. [PMID: 35237822 PMCID: PMC8491070 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiab353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The understanding of signaling and metabolic processes in multicellular organisms requires knowledge of the spatial dynamics of small molecules and the activities of enzymes, transporters, and other proteins in vivo, as well as biophysical parameters inside cells and across tissues. The cellular distribution of receptors, ligands, and activation state must be integrated with information about the cellular distribution of metabolites in relation to metabolic fluxes and signaling dynamics in order to achieve the promise of in vivo biochemistry. Genetically encoded sensors are engineered fluorescent proteins that have been developed for a wide range of small molecules, such as ions and metabolites, or to report biophysical processes, such as transmembrane voltage or tension. First steps have been taken to monitor the activity of transporters in vivo. Advancements in imaging technologies and specimen handling and stimulation have enabled researchers in plant sciences to implement sensor technologies in intact plants. Here, we provide a brief history of the development of genetically encoded sensors and an overview of the types of sensors available for quantifying and visualizing ion and metabolite distribution and dynamics. We further discuss the pros and cons of specific sensor designs, imaging systems, and sample manipulations, provide advice on the choice of technology, and give an outlook into future developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayuri Sadoine
- Molecular Physiology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
| | - Yuuma Ishikawa
- Molecular Physiology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Thomas J. Kleist
- Molecular Physiology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
| | - Michael M. Wudick
- Molecular Physiology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
| | - Masayoshi Nakamura
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Guido Grossmann
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
- Institute for Cell and Interaction Biology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
| | - Wolf B. Frommer
- Molecular Physiology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
| | - Cheng-Hsun Ho
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
- Author for communication:
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Che P, Chang S, Simon MK, Zhang Z, Shaharyar A, Ourada J, O'Neill D, Torres-Mendoza M, Guo Y, Marasigan KM, Vielle-Calzada JP, Ozias-Akins P, Albertsen MC, Jones TJ. Developing a rapid and highly efficient cowpea regeneration, transformation and genome editing system using embryonic axis explants. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 106:817-830. [PMID: 33595147 DOI: 10.1101/738971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is one of the most important legume crops planted worldwide, but despite decades of effort, cowpea transformation is still challenging due to inefficient Agrobacterium-mediated transfer DNA delivery, transgenic selection and in vitro shoot regeneration. Here, we report a highly efficient transformation system using embryonic axis explants isolated from imbibed mature seeds. We found that removal of the shoot apical meristem from the explants stimulated direct multiple shoot organogenesis from the cotyledonary node tissue. The application of a previously reported ternary transformation vector system provided efficient Agrobacterium-mediated gene delivery, while the utilization of spcN as selectable marker enabled more robust transgenic selection, plant recovery and transgenic plant generation without escapes and chimera formation. Transgenic cowpea plantlets developed exclusively from the cotyledonary nodes at frequencies of 4% to 37% across a wide range of cowpea genotypes. CRISPR/Cas-mediated gene editing was successfully demonstrated. The transformation principles established here could also be applied to other legumes to increase transformation efficiencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Che
- Corteva Agriscience, Johnston, Iowa, 50131, USA
| | | | | | - Zhifen Zhang
- Department of Horticulture and Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics & Genomics, University of Georgia Tifton Campus, Tifton, GA, 31973, USA
| | | | | | | | - Mijael Torres-Mendoza
- Group of Reproductive Development and Apomixis, UGA Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, CINVESTAV Irapuato, Guanajuato, 36821, México
| | - Yinping Guo
- Department of Horticulture and Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics & Genomics, University of Georgia Tifton Campus, Tifton, GA, 31973, USA
| | - Kathleen M Marasigan
- Department of Horticulture and Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics & Genomics, University of Georgia Tifton Campus, Tifton, GA, 31973, USA
| | - Jean-Philippe Vielle-Calzada
- Group of Reproductive Development and Apomixis, UGA Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, CINVESTAV Irapuato, Guanajuato, 36821, México
| | - Peggy Ozias-Akins
- Department of Horticulture and Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics & Genomics, University of Georgia Tifton Campus, Tifton, GA, 31973, USA
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10
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Che P, Chang S, Simon MK, Zhang Z, Shaharyar A, Ourada J, O’Neill D, Torres‐Mendoza M, Guo Y, Marasigan KM, Vielle‐Calzada J, Ozias‐Akins P, Albertsen MC, Jones TJ. Developing a rapid and highly efficient cowpea regeneration, transformation and genome editing system using embryonic axis explants. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 106:817-830. [PMID: 33595147 PMCID: PMC8252785 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is one of the most important legume crops planted worldwide, but despite decades of effort, cowpea transformation is still challenging due to inefficient Agrobacterium-mediated transfer DNA delivery, transgenic selection and in vitro shoot regeneration. Here, we report a highly efficient transformation system using embryonic axis explants isolated from imbibed mature seeds. We found that removal of the shoot apical meristem from the explants stimulated direct multiple shoot organogenesis from the cotyledonary node tissue. The application of a previously reported ternary transformation vector system provided efficient Agrobacterium-mediated gene delivery, while the utilization of spcN as selectable marker enabled more robust transgenic selection, plant recovery and transgenic plant generation without escapes and chimera formation. Transgenic cowpea plantlets developed exclusively from the cotyledonary nodes at frequencies of 4% to 37% across a wide range of cowpea genotypes. CRISPR/Cas-mediated gene editing was successfully demonstrated. The transformation principles established here could also be applied to other legumes to increase transformation efficiencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Che
- Corteva AgriscienceJohnstonIowa50131USA
| | - Shujun Chang
- Corteva AgriscienceJohnstonIowa50131USA
- Present address:
Benson Hill Biosystems1100 Corporate Square Dr. Suite 150St. LouisMO63132USA
| | | | - Zhifen Zhang
- Department of Horticulture and Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics & GenomicsUniversity of Georgia Tifton CampusTiftonGA31973USA
| | - Ahmed Shaharyar
- Corteva AgriscienceJohnstonIowa50131USA
- Present address:
Benson Hill Biosystems1100 Corporate Square Dr. Suite 150St. LouisMO63132USA
| | - Jesse Ourada
- Corteva AgriscienceJohnstonIowa50131USA
- Present address:
Benson Hill Biosystems1100 Corporate Square Dr. Suite 150St. LouisMO63132USA
| | | | - Mijael Torres‐Mendoza
- Group of Reproductive Development and Apomixis, UGA Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la BiodiversidadCINVESTAV IrapuatoGuanajuato36821México
| | - Yinping Guo
- Department of Horticulture and Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics & GenomicsUniversity of Georgia Tifton CampusTiftonGA31973USA
| | - Kathleen M. Marasigan
- Department of Horticulture and Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics & GenomicsUniversity of Georgia Tifton CampusTiftonGA31973USA
| | - Jean‐Philippe Vielle‐Calzada
- Group of Reproductive Development and Apomixis, UGA Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la BiodiversidadCINVESTAV IrapuatoGuanajuato36821México
| | - Peggy Ozias‐Akins
- Department of Horticulture and Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics & GenomicsUniversity of Georgia Tifton CampusTiftonGA31973USA
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11
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Grützner R, Martin P, Horn C, Mortensen S, Cram EJ, Lee-Parsons CW, Stuttmann J, Marillonnet S. High-efficiency genome editing in plants mediated by a Cas9 gene containing multiple introns. PLANT COMMUNICATIONS 2021; 2:100135. [PMID: 33898975 PMCID: PMC8060730 DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2020.100135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The recent discovery of the mode of action of the CRISPR/Cas9 system has provided biologists with a useful tool for generating site-specific mutations in genes of interest. In plants, site-targeted mutations are usually obtained by the stable transformation of a Cas9 expression construct into the plant genome. The efficiency of introducing mutations in genes of interest can vary considerably depending on the specific features of the constructs, including the source and nature of the promoters and terminators used for the expression of the Cas9 gene and the guide RNA, and the sequence of the Cas9 nuclease itself. To optimize the efficiency of the Cas9 nuclease in generating mutations in target genes in Arabidopsis thaliana, we investigated several features of its nucleotide and/or amino acid sequence, including the codon usage, the number of nuclear localization signals (NLSs), and the presence or absence of introns. We found that the Cas9 gene codon usage had some effect on its activity and that two NLSs worked better than one. However, the highest efficiency of the constructs was achieved by the addition of 13 introns into the Cas9 coding sequence, which dramatically improved the editing efficiency of the constructs. None of the primary transformants obtained with a Cas9 gene lacking introns displayed a knockout mutant phenotype, whereas between 70% and 100% of the primary transformants generated with the intronized Cas9 gene displayed mutant phenotypes. The intronized Cas9 gene was also found to be effective in other plants such as Nicotiana benthamiana and Catharanthus roseus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramona Grützner
- Department of Cell and Metabolic Biology, Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Weinberg 3, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Patrick Martin
- Institute for Biology, Department of Plant Genetics, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Weinbergweg 10, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Claudia Horn
- Department of Cell and Metabolic Biology, Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Weinberg 3, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | | | - Erin J. Cram
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Carolyn W.T. Lee-Parsons
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Johannes Stuttmann
- Institute for Biology, Department of Plant Genetics, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Weinbergweg 10, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Sylvestre Marillonnet
- Department of Cell and Metabolic Biology, Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Weinberg 3, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
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12
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De Saeger J, Park J, Chung HS, Hernalsteens JP, Van Lijsebettens M, Inzé D, Van Montagu M, Depuydt S. Agrobacterium strains and strain improvement: Present and outlook. Biotechnol Adv 2020; 53:107677. [PMID: 33290822 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2020.107677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Almost 40 years ago the first transgenic plant was generated through Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation, which, until now, remains the method of choice for gene delivery into plants. Ever since, optimized Agrobacterium strains have been developed with additional (genetic) modifications that were mostly aimed at enhancing the transformation efficiency, although an optimized strain also exists that reduces unwanted plasmid recombination. As a result, a collection of very useful strains has been created to transform a wide variety of plant species, but has also led to a confusing Agrobacterium strain nomenclature. The latter is often misleading for choosing the best-suited strain for one's transformation purposes. To overcome this issue, we provide a complete overview of the strain classification. We also indicate different strain modifications and their purposes, as well as the obtained results with regard to the transformation process sensu largo. Furthermore, we propose additional improvements of the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation process and consider several worthwhile modifications, for instance, by circumventing a defense response in planta. In this regard, we will discuss pattern-triggered immunity, pathogen-associated molecular pattern detection, hormone homeostasis and signaling, and reactive oxygen species in relationship to Agrobacterium transformation. We will also explore alterations that increase agrobacterial transformation efficiency, reduce plasmid recombination, and improve biocontainment. Finally, we recommend the use of a modular system to best utilize the available knowledge for successful plant transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas De Saeger
- Laboratory of Plant Growth Analysis, Ghent University Global Campus, Incheon 406-840, South Korea; Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jihae Park
- Laboratory of Plant Growth Analysis, Ghent University Global Campus, Incheon 406-840, South Korea; Department of Marine Sciences, Incheon National University, Incheon 406-840, South Korea
| | - Hoo Sun Chung
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Mieke Van Lijsebettens
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dirk Inzé
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marc Van Montagu
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Stephen Depuydt
- Laboratory of Plant Growth Analysis, Ghent University Global Campus, Incheon 406-840, South Korea; Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
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13
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Simmons CR, Weers BP, Reimann KS, Abbitt SE, Frank MJ, Wang W, Wu J, Shen B, Habben JE. Maize BIG GRAIN1 homolog overexpression increases maize grain yield. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2020; 18:2304-2315. [PMID: 32356392 PMCID: PMC7589417 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 03/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The Zea Mays BIG GRAIN 1 HOMOLOG 1 (ZM-BG1H1) was ectopically expressed in maize. Elite commercial hybrid germplasm was yield tested in diverse field environment locations representing commercial models. Yield was measured in 101 tests across all 4 events, 26 locations over 2 years, for an average yield gain of 355 kg/ha (5.65 bu/ac) above control, with 83% tests broadly showing yield gains (range +2272 kg/ha to -1240 kg/ha), with seven tests gaining more than one metric ton per hectare. Plant and ear height were slightly elevated, and ear and tassel flowering time were delayed one day, but ASI was unchanged, and these traits did not correlate to yield gain. ZM-BG1H1 overexpression is associated with increased ear kernel row number and total ear kernel number and mass, but individual kernels trended slightly smaller and less dense. The ZM-BG1H1 protein is detected in the plasma membrane like rice OS-BG1. Five predominant native ZM-BG1H1 alleles exhibit little structural and expression variation compared to the large increased expression conferred by these ectopic alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Bo Shen
- Corteva AgriscienceJohnstonIAUSA
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14
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Hu X, Boeckman CJ, Cong B, Steimel JP, Richtman NM, Sturtz K, Wang Y, Walker CA, Yin J, Unger A, Farris C, Lu AL. Characterization of DvSSJ1 transcripts targeting the smooth septate junction (SSJ) of western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera). Sci Rep 2020; 10:11139. [PMID: 32636422 PMCID: PMC7341793 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68014-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Transgenic maize plants expressing dsRNA targeting western corn rootworm (WCR, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera) DvSSJ1 mRNA, a Drosophila snakeskin (ssk) ortholog, show insecticidal activity and significant plant protection from WCR damage. The gene encodes a membrane protein associated with the smooth sepate junction (SSJ) which is required for intestinal barrier function. To understand the active RNA form that leads to the mortality of WCR larvae by DvSSJ1 RNA interference (RNAi), we characterized transgenic plants expressing DvSSJ1 RNA transcripts targeting WCR DvSSJ1 mRNA. The expression of the silencing cassette results in the full-length transcript of 901 nucleotides containing a 210 bp inverted fragment of the DvSSJ1 gene, the formation of a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) transcript and siRNAs in transgenic plants. Our artificial diet-feeding study indicates that dsRNAs greater than or equal to approximately 60 base-pairs (bp) are required for DvSSJ1 insecticidal activity. Impact of specificity of dsRNA targeting DvSSJ1 mRNA on insecticidal activities was also evaluated in diet bioassay, which showed a single nucleotide mutation can have a significant impact or abolish diet activities against WCR. These results provide insights as to the functional forms of plant-delivered dsRNA for the protection of transgenic maize from WCR feeding damage and information contributing to the risk assessment of transgenic maize expressing insecticidal dsRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Hu
- Corteva Agriscience, 7300 NW 62nd Ave., Johnston, IA, 50131, USA.
| | - Chad J Boeckman
- Corteva Agriscience, 7300 NW 62nd Ave., Johnston, IA, 50131, USA.
| | - Bin Cong
- Corteva Agriscience, 7300 NW 62nd Ave., Johnston, IA, 50131, USA.
| | - Joe P Steimel
- Corteva Agriscience, 7300 NW 62nd Ave., Johnston, IA, 50131, USA
| | - Nina M Richtman
- Corteva Agriscience, 7300 NW 62nd Ave., Johnston, IA, 50131, USA
| | - Kristine Sturtz
- Corteva Agriscience, 7300 NW 62nd Ave., Johnston, IA, 50131, USA
| | - Yiwei Wang
- Corteva Agriscience, 7300 NW 62nd Ave., Johnston, IA, 50131, USA
| | - Carl A Walker
- Corteva Agriscience, 7300 NW 62nd Ave., Johnston, IA, 50131, USA
| | - Jiaming Yin
- Corteva Agriscience, 7300 NW 62nd Ave., Johnston, IA, 50131, USA
| | - Anita Unger
- Corteva Agriscience, 7300 NW 62nd Ave., Johnston, IA, 50131, USA
| | - Caitlin Farris
- Corteva Agriscience, 7300 NW 62nd Ave., Johnston, IA, 50131, USA
| | - Albert L Lu
- Corteva Agriscience, 7300 NW 62nd Ave., Johnston, IA, 50131, USA
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15
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Thompson MG, Moore WM, Hummel NFC, Pearson AN, Barnum CR, Scheller HV, Shih PM. Agrobacterium tumefaciens: A Bacterium Primed for Synthetic Biology. BIODESIGN RESEARCH 2020; 2020:8189219. [PMID: 37849895 PMCID: PMC10530663 DOI: 10.34133/2020/8189219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2020] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Agrobacterium tumefaciens is an important tool in plant biotechnology due to its natural ability to transfer DNA into the genomes of host plants. Genetic manipulations of A. tumefaciens have yielded considerable advances in increasing transformational efficiency in a number of plant species and cultivars. Moreover, there is overwhelming evidence that modulating the expression of various mediators of A. tumefaciens virulence can lead to more successful plant transformation; thus, the application of synthetic biology to enable targeted engineering of the bacterium may enable new opportunities for advancing plant biotechnology. In this review, we highlight engineering targets in both A. tumefaciens and plant hosts that could be exploited more effectively through precision genetic control to generate high-quality transformation events in a wider range of host plants. We then further discuss the current state of A. tumefaciens and plant engineering with regard to plant transformation and describe how future work may incorporate a rigorous synthetic biology approach to tailor strains of A. tumefaciens used in plant transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell G. Thompson
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - William M. Moore
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Niklas F. C. Hummel
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Allison N. Pearson
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Collin R. Barnum
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Henrik V. Scheller
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Patrick M. Shih
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Genome Center, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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16
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Anand A, Wu E, Li Z, TeRonde S, Arling M, Lenderts B, Mutti JS, Gordon‐Kamm W, Jones TJ, Chilcoat ND. High efficiency Agrobacterium-mediated site-specific gene integration in maize utilizing the FLP-FRT recombination system. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2019; 17:1636-1645. [PMID: 30706638 PMCID: PMC6662307 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Revised: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
An efficient Agrobacterium-mediated site-specific integration (SSI) technology using the flipase/flipase recognition target (FLP/FRT) system in elite maize inbred lines is described. The system allows precise integration of a single copy of a donor DNA flanked by heterologous FRT sites into a predefined recombinant target line (RTL) containing the corresponding heterologous FRT sites. A promoter-trap system consisting of a pre-integrated promoter followed by an FRT site enables efficient selection of events. The efficiency of this system is dependent on several factors including Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain, expression of morphogenic genes Babyboom (Bbm) and Wuschel2 (Wus2) and choice of heterologous FRT pairs. Of the Agrobacterium strains tested, strain AGL1 resulted in higher transformation frequency than strain LBA4404 THY- (0.27% vs. 0.05%; per cent of infected embryos producing events). The addition of morphogenic genes increased transformation frequency (2.65% in AGL1; 0.65% in LBA4404 THY-). Following further optimization, including the choice of FRT pairs, a method was developed that achieved 19%-22.5% transformation frequency. Importantly, >50% of T0 transformants contain the desired full-length site-specific insertion. The frequencies reported here establish a new benchmark for generating targeted quality events compatible with commercial product development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajith Anand
- Agricultural Division of Dow DuPontCorteva Agriscience™JohnstonIAUSA
| | - Emily Wu
- Agricultural Division of Dow DuPontCorteva Agriscience™JohnstonIAUSA
| | - Zhi Li
- Agricultural Division of Dow DuPontCorteva Agriscience™JohnstonIAUSA
| | - Sue TeRonde
- Agricultural Division of Dow DuPontCorteva Agriscience™JohnstonIAUSA
| | - Maren Arling
- Agricultural Division of Dow DuPontCorteva Agriscience™JohnstonIAUSA
| | - Brian Lenderts
- Agricultural Division of Dow DuPontCorteva Agriscience™JohnstonIAUSA
| | - Jasdeep S. Mutti
- Agricultural Division of Dow DuPontCorteva Agriscience™JohnstonIAUSA
| | | | - Todd J. Jones
- Agricultural Division of Dow DuPontCorteva Agriscience™JohnstonIAUSA
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17
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Pasin F, Menzel W, Daròs J. Harnessed viruses in the age of metagenomics and synthetic biology: an update on infectious clone assembly and biotechnologies of plant viruses. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2019; 17:1010-1026. [PMID: 30677208 PMCID: PMC6523588 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Revised: 12/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Recent metagenomic studies have provided an unprecedented wealth of data, which are revolutionizing our understanding of virus diversity. A redrawn landscape highlights viruses as active players in the phytobiome, and surveys have uncovered their positive roles in environmental stress tolerance of plants. Viral infectious clones are key tools for functional characterization of known and newly identified viruses. Knowledge of viruses and their components has been instrumental for the development of modern plant molecular biology and biotechnology. In this review, we provide extensive guidelines built on current synthetic biology advances that streamline infectious clone assembly, thus lessening a major technical constraint of plant virology. The focus is on generation of infectious clones in binary T-DNA vectors, which are delivered efficiently to plants by Agrobacterium. We then summarize recent applications of plant viruses and explore emerging trends in microbiology, bacterial and human virology that, once translated to plant virology, could lead to the development of virus-based gene therapies for ad hoc engineering of plant traits. The systematic characterization of plant virus roles in the phytobiome and next-generation virus-based tools will be indispensable landmarks in the synthetic biology roadmap to better crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Pasin
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research CenterAcademia SinicaTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Wulf Menzel
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ‐German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell CulturesBraunschweigGermany
| | - José‐Antonio Daròs
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas‐Universitat Politècnica de València)ValenciaSpain
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18
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Tran PT, Fang M, Widyasari K, Kim KH. A plant intron enhances the performance of an infectious clone in planta. J Virol Methods 2019; 265:26-34. [PMID: 30578897 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2018.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Revised: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Although infectious clones are fundamental tools in virology and plant pathology, their efficacy is often reduced by the instability of viral sequences in Escherichia coli. In this study, we constructed an infectious clone of PepMoV (pPepMoV) in a bacterial binary vector (pSNU1); the clone induces symptoms of PepMoV in agroinfiltrated plants. During its modification and maintenance in E. coli, however, the pPepMoV infectious clone was instable in the bacteria. Manipulation of this unstable clone in the bacterial strain DH10B led to the spontaneous formation of a recombined clone with high stability in the bacteria but with reduced infectivity due to an unwanted insertion of an E. coli sequence in the NIa-protease coding region. Replacement of this sequence with a plant intron restored infectivity and maintained plasmid stability. In addition to restoring plasmid growth in both E. coli and Agrobacterium, the presence of the intron in the PepMoV sequence enhanced the accumulation of PepMoV in agroinfiltrated leaves and resulted in symptom induction in upper systemic leaves that was nearly as strong as with PepMoV sap-inoculation. Plant introns have been previously used to stabilize plasmids in E. coli without any effect or with an unexpected lag in symptom development. In contrast, the current results demonstrated the in vivo enhancement of an infectious clone by a plant intron.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phu-Tri Tran
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Miao Fang
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Kristin Widyasari
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Kook-Hyung Kim
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
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19
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Duan X, Zheng L, Sun J, Liu W, Wang W, An H. Co-culturing on dry filter paper significantly increased the efficiency of Agrobacterium-mediated transformations of maize immature embryos. PHYSIOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF PLANTS : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2019; 25:549-560. [PMID: 30956435 PMCID: PMC6419711 DOI: 10.1007/s12298-018-00641-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Revised: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In the Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformations of maize immature embryos (IEs), the common co-culturing media used are MS or N6-based (MC). Here, we used a novel co-culturing method in which maize 'Qi319' IEs inoculated with Agrobacterium-harboring target vector were placed on dry filter paper (DC) in a petri dish. To compare the effects of the DC and MC co-culturing methods on transformation efficiency, we designed three experiments: (1) A. tumefaciens strain AGL1 independently carrying two plasmids, pXQD12 and pXQD70; (2) two A. tumefaciens strains, AGL1 and EHA105, carrying pXQD12; and (3) strains AGL1 and EHA105 each independently inoculated with pXQD12 and pXQD70 for different infiltration periods, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 min. We used A. tumefaciens to inoculate IEs derived from maize ears 9-15 d after pollination, and then IEs were placed in petri dishes for co-culturing. The DC treatment significantly increased the percentage of IEs expressing green fluorescence protein (%GFP), indicating positive transformants. DC-treated IEs had ~ 3 to 4 times the %GFP compared with MC-treated IEs at 8 d after inoculation (3 d co-culture and 5 d restoration). The average regeneration frequency (%GFP positive regenerated calli of infected IEs) and stable transformation frequency (%GFP positive T0 plants of infected IEs) significantly increased with the DC treatment. Thus, the DC method may be used to develop a more efficient Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method for maize IEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueqing Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, 271018 People’s Republic of China
| | - Liru Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, 271018 People’s Republic of China
| | - Jinhao Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, 271018 People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenbo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, 271018 People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenqian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, 271018 People’s Republic of China
| | - Hailong An
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, 271018 People’s Republic of China
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20
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Anand A, Che P, Wu E, Jones TJ. Novel Ternary Vectors for Efficient Sorghum Transformation. Methods Mol Biol 2019; 1931:185-196. [PMID: 30652291 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9039-9_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Sorghum has been considered a recalcitrant crop for tissue culture and genetic transformation. A breakthrough in Agrobacterium-mediated sorghum transformation was achieved with the use of super-binary cointegrate vectors based on plasmid pSB1. However, even with pSB1, transformation capability was restricted to certain sorghum genotypes, excluding most of the important African sorghum varieties. We recently developed a ternary vector system incorporating the pVIR accessory plasmid. The ternary vector system not only doubled the transformation frequency (TF) in Tx430, but also extended the transformation capability into an important African sorghum elite variety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajith Anand
- Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™, Johnston, IA, USA.
| | - Ping Che
- Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™, Johnston, IA, USA
| | - Emily Wu
- Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™, Johnston, IA, USA
| | - Todd J Jones
- Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™, Johnston, IA, USA
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21
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Sardesai N, Foulk S, Chen W, Wu H, Etchison E, Gupta M. Coexpression of octopine and succinamopine Agrobacterium virulence genes to generate high quality transgenic events in maize by reducing vector backbone integration. Transgenic Res 2018; 27:539-550. [PMID: 30293127 DOI: 10.1007/s11248-018-0097-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Agrobacterium-mediated transformation is a complex process that is widely utilized for generating transgenic plants. However, one of the major concerns of this process is the frequent presence of undesirable T-DNA vector backbone sequences in the transgenic plants. To mitigate this deficiency, a ternary strain of A. tumefaciens was modified to increase the precision of T-DNA border nicking such that the backbone transfer is minimized. This particular strain supplemented the native succinamopine VirD1/VirD2 of EHA105 with VirD1/VirD2 derived from an octopine source (pTi15955), the same source as the binary T-DNA borders tested here, residing on a ternary helper plasmid containing an extra copy of the succinamopine VirB/C/G operons and VirD1. Transformation of maize immature embryos was carried out with two different test constructs, pDAB101556 and pDAB111437, bearing the reporter YFP gene and insecticidal toxin Cry1Fa gene, respectively, contained in the VirD-supplemented and regular control ternary strains. Molecular analyses of ~ 700 transgenic events revealed a significant 2.6-fold decrease in events containing vector backbone sequences, from 35.7% with the control to 13.9% with the VirD-supplemented strain for pDAB101556 and from 24.9% with the control to 9.3% with the VirD-supplemented strain for pDAB111437, without compromising transformation efficiency. In addition, while the number of single copy events recovered was similar, there was a 24-26% increase in backbone-free events with the VirD-supplemented strain compared to the control strain. Thus, supplementing existing VirD1/VirD2 genes in Agrobacterium, to recognize diverse T-DNA borders, proved to be a useful tool to increase the number of high quality events in maize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nagesh Sardesai
- Dow AgroSciences LLC, 9330 Zionsville Rd, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
| | - Stephen Foulk
- Dow AgroSciences LLC, 9330 Zionsville Rd, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Wei Chen
- Dow AgroSciences LLC, 9330 Zionsville Rd, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Huixia Wu
- Dow AgroSciences LLC, 9330 Zionsville Rd, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Emily Etchison
- Dow AgroSciences LLC, 9330 Zionsville Rd, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Manju Gupta
- Dow AgroSciences LLC, 9330 Zionsville Rd, Indianapolis, IN, USA
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22
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Acetosyringone treatment duration affects large T-DNA molecule transfer to rice callus. BMC Biotechnol 2018; 18:48. [PMID: 30092808 PMCID: PMC6085696 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-018-0459-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Large T-DNA fragment transfer has long been a problem for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Although vector systems, such as the BIBAC series, were successfully developed for the purpose, low transformation efficiencies were consistently observed. Results To gain insights of this problem in monocot transformation, we investigated the T-strand accumulation of various size of T-DNA in two kinds of binary vectors (one copy vs. multi-copy) upon acetosyringone (AS) induction and explored ways to improve the efficiency of the large T-DNA fragment transfer in Agrobacterium-mediated rice transformation. By performing immuno-precipitation of VirD2-T-strands and quantitative real-time PCR assays, we monitored the accumulation of the T-strands in Agrobacterium tumeficiens after AS induction. We further demonstrated that extension of AS induction time highly significantly improved large-size T-DNA transfer to rice cells. Conclusions Our data provide valuable information of the T-strand dynamics and its impact on large T-DNA transfer in monocots, and likely dicots as well.
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23
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Che P, Anand A, Wu E, Sander JD, Simon MK, Zhu W, Sigmund AL, Zastrow‐Hayes G, Miller M, Liu D, Lawit SJ, Zhao Z, Albertsen MC, Jones TJ. Developing a flexible, high-efficiency Agrobacterium-mediated sorghum transformation system with broad application. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2018; 16:1388-1395. [PMID: 29327444 PMCID: PMC5999184 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2017] [Revised: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 12/27/2017] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Sorghum is the fifth most widely planted cereal crop in the world and is commonly cultivated in arid and semi-arid regions such as Africa. Despite its importance as a food source, sorghum genetic improvement through transgenic approaches has been limited because of an inefficient transformation system. Here, we report a ternary vector (also known as cohabitating vector) system using a recently described pVIR accessory plasmid that facilitates efficient Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of sorghum. We report regeneration frequencies ranging from 6% to 29% in Tx430 using different selectable markers and single copy, backbone free 'quality events' ranging from 45% to 66% of the total events produced. Furthermore, we successfully applied this ternary system to develop transformation protocols for popular but recalcitrant African varieties including Macia, Malisor 84-7 and Tegemeo. In addition, we report the use of this technology to develop the first stable CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene knockouts in Tx430.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Michael Miller
- DuPont PioneerJohnstonIAUSA
- Present address:
1969 W. Grand Canyon DrChandlerAZ85248USA
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24
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Anand A, Bass SH, Wu E, Wang N, McBride KE, Annaluru N, Miller M, Hua M, Jones TJ. An improved ternary vector system for Agrobacterium-mediated rapid maize transformation. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 97:187-200. [PMID: 29687284 PMCID: PMC5945794 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-018-0732-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
A simple and versatile ternary vector system that utilizes improved accessory plasmids for rapid maize transformation is described. This system facilitates high-throughput vector construction and plant transformation. The super binary plasmid pSB1 is a mainstay of maize transformation. However, the large size of the base vector makes it challenging to clone, the process of co-integration is cumbersome and inefficient, and some Agrobacterium strains are known to give rise to spontaneous mutants resistant to tetracycline. These limitations present substantial barriers to high throughput vector construction. Here we describe a smaller, simpler and versatile ternary vector system for maize transformation that utilizes improved accessory plasmids requiring no co-integration step. In addition, the newly described accessory plasmids have restored virulence genes found to be defective in pSB1, as well as added virulence genes. Testing of different configurations of the accessory plasmids in combination with T-DNA binary vector as ternary vectors nearly doubles both the raw transformation frequency and the number of transformation events of usable quality in difficult-to-transform maize inbreds. The newly described ternary vectors enabled the development of a rapid maize transformation method for elite inbreds. This vector system facilitated screening different origins of replication on the accessory plasmid and T-DNA vector, and four combinations were identified that have high (86-103%) raw transformation frequency in an elite maize inbred.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajith Anand
- Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™, 8305 NW 62nd Avenue, Johnston, IA 50131 USA
| | - Steven H. Bass
- Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™, 4010 Point Eden Way, Hayward, CA 94545 USA
| | - Emily Wu
- Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™, 8305 NW 62nd Avenue, Johnston, IA 50131 USA
| | - Ning Wang
- Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™, 8305 NW 62nd Avenue, Johnston, IA 50131 USA
| | - Kevin E. McBride
- Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™, 4010 Point Eden Way, Hayward, CA 94545 USA
| | - Narayana Annaluru
- Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™, 8305 NW 62nd Avenue, Johnston, IA 50131 USA
| | - Michael Miller
- Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™, 8305 NW 62nd Avenue, Johnston, IA 50131 USA
- Present Address: 1969 West Grand Canyon Drive, Chandler, AZ 85248 USA
| | - Mo Hua
- Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™, 8305 NW 62nd Avenue, Johnston, IA 50131 USA
| | - Todd J. Jones
- Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™, 8305 NW 62nd Avenue, Johnston, IA 50131 USA
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Zhong H, Elumalai S, Nalapalli S, Richbourg L, Prairie A, Bradley D, Dong S, Su XJ, Gu W, Strebe T, Shi L, Que Q. Advances in Agrobacterium-mediated Maize Transformation. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1676:41-59. [PMID: 28986903 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7315-6_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
One of the major limitations of maize transformation is the isolation of a large number of immature embryos using the time-consuming manual extraction method. In this article, we describe a novel bulk embryo extraction method for fast isolation of a large number of embryos suitable for both biolistic- and Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Optimal gene delivery and tissue culture conditions are also described for achieving high efficiency in Agrobacterium-mediated maize transformation using phosphomannose isomerase (PMI) as a selectable marker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Zhong
- Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC, 9 Davis Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Sivamani Elumalai
- Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC, 9 Davis Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Samson Nalapalli
- Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC, 9 Davis Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Lee Richbourg
- Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC, 9 Davis Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Anna Prairie
- Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC, 9 Davis Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27709, USA
| | - David Bradley
- Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC, 9 Davis Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Shujie Dong
- Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC, 9 Davis Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Xiujuan Jenny Su
- Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC, 9 Davis Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Weining Gu
- Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC, 9 Davis Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Tim Strebe
- Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC, 9 Davis Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Liang Shi
- Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC, 9 Davis Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Qiudeng Que
- Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC, 9 Davis Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27709, USA.
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26
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Advancing Agrobacterium-Based Crop Transformation and Genome Modification Technology for Agricultural Biotechnology. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2018; 418:489-507. [PMID: 29959543 DOI: 10.1007/82_2018_97] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
The last decade has seen significant strides in Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation technology. This has not only expanded the number of crop species that can be transformed by Agrobacterium, but has also made it possible to routinely transform several recalcitrant crop species including cereals (e.g., maize, sorghum, and wheat). However, the technology is limited by the random nature of DNA insertions, genotype dependency, low frequency of quality events, and variation in gene expression arising from genomic insertion sites. A majority of these deficiencies have now been addressed by improving the frequency of quality events, developing genotype-independent transformation capability in maize, developing an Agrobacterium-based site-specific integration technology for precise gene targeting, and adopting Agrobacterium-delivered CRISPR-Cas genes for gene editing. These improved transformation technologies are discussed in detail in this chapter.
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Abstract
Agrobacterium strains transfer a single-strand form of T-DNA (T-strands) and Virulence (Vir) effector proteins to plant cells. Following transfer, T-strands likely form complexes with Vir and plant proteins that traffic through the cytoplasm and enter the nucleus. T-strands may subsequently randomly integrate into plant chromosomes and permanently express encoded transgenes, a process known as stable transformation. The molecular processes by which T-strands integrate into the host genome remain unknown. Although integration resembles DNA repair processes, the requirement of known DNA repair pathways for integration is controversial. The configuration and genomic position of integrated T-DNA molecules likely affect transgene expression, and control of integration is consequently important for basic research and agricultural biotechnology applications. This article reviews our current knowledge of the process of T-DNA integration and proposes ways in which this knowledge may be manipulated for genome editing and synthetic biology purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanton B Gelvin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-1392, USA;
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28
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Zhang J, Lin M, Chen H, Chen X. Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of drumstick (Moringa oleifera Lam.). BIOTECHNOL BIOTEC EQ 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/13102818.2017.1368415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Junjie Zhang
- State Key Laboratory For Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory For Innovative Development and Utilization of Forest Plant Germplasm, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
- Guangdong Province Research Center of Woody Forage Engineering Technology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
- Department of Forestry, College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Mengfei Lin
- State Key Laboratory For Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory For Innovative Development and Utilization of Forest Plant Germplasm, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
- Guangdong Province Research Center of Woody Forage Engineering Technology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
- Department of Forestry, College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Hanbin Chen
- State Key Laboratory For Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory For Innovative Development and Utilization of Forest Plant Germplasm, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
- Guangdong Province Research Center of Woody Forage Engineering Technology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
- Department of Forestry, College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoyang Chen
- State Key Laboratory For Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory For Innovative Development and Utilization of Forest Plant Germplasm, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
- Guangdong Province Research Center of Woody Forage Engineering Technology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
- Department of Forestry, College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China
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Hu X, Richtman NM, Zhao JZ, Duncan KE, Niu X, Procyk LA, Oneal MA, Kernodle BM, Steimel JP, Crane VC, Sandahl G, Ritland JL, Howard RJ, Presnail JK, Lu AL, Wu G. Discovery of midgut genes for the RNA interference control of corn rootworm. Sci Rep 2016; 6:30542. [PMID: 27464714 PMCID: PMC4964579 DOI: 10.1038/srep30542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) is a promising new technology for corn rootworm control. This paper presents the discovery of new gene targets - dvssj1 and dvssj2, in western corn rootworm (WCR). Dvssj1 and dvssj2 are orthologs of the Drosophila genes snakeskin (ssk) and mesh, respectively. These genes encode membrane proteins associated with smooth septate junctions (SSJ) which are required for intestinal barrier function. Based on bioinformatics analysis, dvssj1 appears to be an arthropod-specific gene. Diet based insect feeding assays using double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) targeting dvssj1 and dvssj2 demonstrate targeted mRNA suppression, larval growth inhibition, and mortality. In RNAi treated WCR, injury to the midgut was manifested by "blebbing" of the midgut epithelium into the gut lumen. Ultrastructural examination of midgut epithelial cells revealed apoptosis and regenerative activities. Transgenic plants expressing dsRNA targeting dvssj1 show insecticidal activity and significant plant protection from WCR damage. The data indicate that dvssj1 and dvssj2 are effective gene targets for the control of WCR using RNAi technology, by apparent suppression of production of their respective smooth septate junction membrane proteins located within the intestinal lining, leading to growth inhibition and mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Hu
- DuPont Pioneer, Johnston, IA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Gusui Wu
- DuPont Pioneer, Johnston, IA, USA
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