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Bibik JD, Hamberger B. Plant Engineering to Enable Platforms for Sustainable Bioproduction of Terpenoids. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2760:3-20. [PMID: 38468079 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3658-9_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Terpenoids represent the most diverse class of natural products, with a broad spectrum of industrial relevance including applications in green solvents, flavors and fragrances, nutraceuticals, colorants, and therapeutics. They are typically challenging to extract from their natural sources, where they occur in small amounts and mixtures of related but unwanted byproducts. Formal chemical synthesis, where established, is reliant on petrochemistry. Hence, there is great interest in developing sustainable solutions to assemble biosynthetic pathways in engineered host organisms. Metabolic engineering for chemical production has largely focused on microbial hosts, yet plants offer a sustainable production platform. In addition to containing the precursor pathways that generate the terpenoid building blocks as well as the cell structures and compartments required, or tractable localization for the enzymes involved, plants may provide a low input system to produce these chemicals using carbon dioxide and sunlight only. There have been significant recent advancements in the discovery of pathways to terpenoids of interest as well as strategies to boost yields in host plants. While part of the phytochemical field is focusing on the discovery of biosynthetic pathways, this review will focus on advancements using the pathway toolbox and toward engineering plants for the production of terpenoids. We will highlight strategies currently used to produce target products, optimization of known pathways to improve yields, compartmentalization of pathways within cells, and genetic tools developed to facilitate complex engineering of biosynthetic pathways. These advancements in Synthetic Biology are bringing engineered plant systems closer to commercially relevant hosts for the bioproduction of terpenoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob D Bibik
- Department of Biochemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- MelaTech, LLC, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Björn Hamberger
- Department of Biochemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
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2
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Zeng D, Jing C, Tang L, He P, Zhang J. Pyramiding stacking of multigenes (PSM): a simple, flexible and efficient multigene stacking system based on Gibson assembly and gateway cloning. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1263715. [PMID: 38026899 PMCID: PMC10668122 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1263715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic engineering of complex metabolic pathways and multiple traits often requires the introduction of multiple genes. The construction of plasmids carrying multiple DNA fragments plays a vital role in these processes. In this study, the Gibson assembly and Gateway cloning combined Pyramiding Stacking of Multigenes (PSM) system was developed to assemble multiple transgenes into a single T-DNA. Combining the advantages of Gibson assembly and Gateway cloning, the PSM system uses an inverted pyramid stacking route and allows fast, flexible and efficient stacking of multiple genes into a binary vector. The PSM system contains two modular designed entry vectors (each containing two different attL sites and two selectable markers) and one Gateway-compatible destination vector (containing four attR sites and two negative selection markers). The target genes are primarily assembled into the entry vectors via two parallel rounds of Gibson assembly reactions. Then, the cargos in the entry constructs are integrated into the destination vector via a single tube Gateway LR reaction. To demonstrate PSM's capabilities, four and nine gene expression cassettes were respectively assembled into the destination vector to generate two binary expression vectors. The transgenic analysis of these constructs in Arabidopsis demonstrated the reliability of the constructs generated by PSM. Due to its flexibility, simplicity and versatility, PSM has great potential for genetic engineering, synthetic biology and the improvement of multiple traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongdong Zeng
- The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Cuiyuan Jing
- The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Lin Tang
- The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Peng He
- The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
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3
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Vidya Muthulakshmi M, Srinivasan A, Srivastava S. Antioxidant Green Factories: Toward Sustainable Production of Vitamin E in Plant In Vitro Cultures. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:3586-3605. [PMID: 36743063 PMCID: PMC9893489 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c05819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Vitamin E is a dietary supplement synthesized only by photosynthetic organisms and, hence, is an essential vitamin for human well-being. Because of the ever-increasing demand for natural vitamin E and limitations in existing synthesis modes, attempts to improve its yield using plant in vitro cultures have gained traction in recent years. With inflating industrial production costs, integrative approaches to conventional bioprocess optimization is the need of the hour for multifold vitamin E productivity enhancement. In this review, we briefly discuss the structure, isomers, and important metabolic routes of biosynthesis for vitamin E in plants. We then emphasize its vital role in human health and its industrial applications and highlight the market demand and supply. We illustrate the advantages of in vitro plant cell/tissue culture cultivation as an alternative to current commercial production platforms for natural vitamin E. We touch upon the conventional vitamin E metabolic pathway engineering strategies, such as single/multigene overexpression and chloroplast engineering. We highlight the recent progress in plant systems biology to rationally identify metabolic bottlenecks and knockout targets in the vitamin E biosynthetic pathway. We then discuss bioprocess optimization strategies for sustainable vitamin E production, including media/process optimization, precursor/elicitor addition, and scale-up to bioreactors. We culminate the review with a short discussion on kinetic modeling to predict vitamin E production in plant cell cultures and suggestions on sustainable green extraction methods of vitamin E for reduced environmental impact. This review will be of interest to a wider research fraternity, including those from industry and academia working in the field of plant cell biology, plant biotechnology, and bioprocess engineering for phytochemical enhancement.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Vidya Muthulakshmi
- Department
of Biotechnology, Bhupat & Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), Chennai, 600 036 Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Aparajitha Srinivasan
- Department
of Biotechnology, Bhupat & Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), Chennai, 600 036 Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Smita Srivastava
- Department
of Biotechnology, Bhupat & Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), Chennai, 600 036 Tamil Nadu, India
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4
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Bock R. Transplastomic approaches for metabolic engineering. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 66:102185. [PMID: 35183927 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2022.102185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The plastid (chloroplast) genome of seed plants represents an attractive target of metabolic pathway engineering by genetic transformation. Although the plastid genome is relatively small, it can accommodate large amounts of foreign DNA that precisely integrates via homologous recombination, and is largely excluded from pollen transmission due to the maternal mode of plastid inheritance. Since the engineering of metabolic pathways often requires the expression of multiple transgenes, the possibility to conveniently stack transgenes in synthetic operons makes the transplastomic technology particularly appealing in the area of metabolic engineering. Absence of epigenetic gene silencing mechanisms from plastids and the possibility to achieve high transgene expression levels further add to the attractiveness of plastid genome transformation. This review focuses on engineering principles and available tools for the transplastomic expression of enzymes and pathways, and highlights selected recent applications in metabolic engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralph Bock
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Am Mühlenberg 1, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany.
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5
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Wang T, Zhang C, Zhang H, Zhu H. CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Gene Editing Revolutionizes the Improvement of Horticulture Food Crops. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2021; 69:13260-13269. [PMID: 33734711 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.1c00104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Horticultural food crops are important sources of nutrients for humans. With the increase of the global population, enhanced horticulture food crop production has become a new challenge, and enriching their nutritional content has also been required. Gene editing systems, such as zinc finger nucleases, transcription activator-like effector nucleases, and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated 9 (Cas9), have accelerated crop improvement through the modification of targeted genomes precisely. Here, we review the development of various gene editors and compare their advantages and shortcomings, especially the newly emerging CRISPR/Cas systems, such as base editing and prime editing. We also summarize their practical applications in crop trait improvement, including yield, nutritional quality, and other consumer traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Wang
- College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong 250014, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunjiao Zhang
- Supervision, Inspection & Testing Center of Agricultural Products Quality, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100083, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongyan Zhang
- College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong 250014, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongliang Zhu
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, People's Republic of China
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6
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Molina-Hidalgo FJ, Vazquez-Vilar M, D'Andrea L, Demurtas OC, Fraser P, Giuliano G, Bock R, Orzáez D, Goossens A. Engineering Metabolism in Nicotiana Species: A Promising Future. Trends Biotechnol 2021; 39:901-913. [PMID: 33341279 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2020.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Molecular farming intends to use crop plants as biofactories for high value-added compounds following application of a wide range of biotechnological tools. In particular, the conversion of nonfood crops into efficient biofactories is expected to be a strong asset in the development of a sustainable bioeconomy. The 'nonfood' status combined with the high metabolic versatility and the capacity of high-yield cultivation highlight the plant genus Nicotiana as one of the most appropriate 'chassis' for molecular farming. Nicotiana species are a rich source of valuable industrial, active pharmaceutical ingredients and nutritional compounds, synthesized from highly complex biosynthetic networks. Here, we review and discuss approaches currently used to design enriched Nicotiana species for molecular farming using new plant breeding techniques (NPBTs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Javier Molina-Hidalgo
- Ghent University, Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent, Belgium; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marta Vazquez-Vilar
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP-UPV-CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Lucio D'Andrea
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Olivia C Demurtas
- Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Rome, Italy
| | - Paul Fraser
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London, London, UK
| | - Giovanni Giuliano
- Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Rome, Italy
| | - Ralph Bock
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Diego Orzáez
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP-UPV-CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Alain Goossens
- Ghent University, Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent, Belgium; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium.
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7
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Plastid Transformation in Tomato: A Vegetable Crop and Model Species. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2317:217-228. [PMID: 34028771 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1472-3_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), a member of the nightshade family (Solanaceae), is one of the most important vegetable crops and has long been an important model species in plant biology. Plastid biology in tomato is especially interesting due to the chloroplast-to-chromoplast conversion occurring during fruit ripening. Moreover, as tomato represents a major food crop with a fleshy fruit that can be eaten raw, the development of a plastid transformation protocol for tomato was of particular interest to plant biotechnologists. Recent methodological improvements have made tomato plastid transformation more efficient, and facilitated applications in metabolic engineering and molecular farming. This chapter describes the basic methods involved in the generation and analysis of tomato plants with transgenic chloroplast genomes and summarizes recent applications of tomato plastid transformation in plant biotechnology.
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8
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Zhu Q, Liu YG. TransGene Stacking II Vector System for Plant Metabolic Engineering and Synthetic Biology. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2238:19-35. [PMID: 33471322 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1068-8_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Efficient stacking of multiple genes is a critical element in metabolic engineering of complex pathways, synthetic biology, and genetic improvement of complex agronomic traits in plants. Here we present a high-efficiency multigene assembly and transformation vector system, TransGene Stacking II (TGS II), for these purposes. The operation process is described in detail, and the successful operation mainly depends on effective reagents, special Escherichia coli strains, and basic molecular biological means without other specific equipments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinlong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yao-Guang Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
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9
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Jackson HO, Taunt HN, Mordaka PM, Smith AG, Purton S. The Algal Chloroplast as a Testbed for Synthetic Biology Designs Aimed at Radically Rewiring Plant Metabolism. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:708370. [PMID: 34630459 PMCID: PMC8497815 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.708370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Sustainable and economically viable support for an ever-increasing global population requires a paradigm shift in agricultural productivity, including the application of biotechnology to generate future crop plants. Current genetic engineering approaches aimed at enhancing the photosynthetic efficiency or composition of the harvested tissues involve relatively simple manipulations of endogenous metabolism. However, radical rewiring of central metabolism using new-to-nature pathways, so-called "synthetic metabolism", may be needed to really bring about significant step changes. In many cases, this will require re-programming the metabolism of the chloroplast, or other plastids in non-green tissues, through a combination of chloroplast and nuclear engineering. However, current technologies for sophisticated chloroplast engineering ("transplastomics") of plants are limited to just a handful of species. Moreover, the testing of metabolic rewiring in the chloroplast of plant models is often impractical given their obligate phototrophy, the extended time needed to create stable non-chimeric transplastomic lines, and the technical challenges associated with regeneration of whole plants. In contrast, the unicellular green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a facultative heterotroph that allows for extensive modification of chloroplast function, including non-photosynthetic designs. Moreover, chloroplast engineering in C. reinhardtii is facile, with the ability to generate novel lines in a matter of weeks, and a well-defined molecular toolbox allows for rapid iterations of the "Design-Build-Test-Learn" (DBTL) cycle of modern synthetic biology approaches. The recent development of combinatorial DNA assembly pipelines for designing and building transgene clusters, simple methods for marker-free delivery of these clusters into the chloroplast genome, and the pre-existing wealth of knowledge regarding chloroplast gene expression and regulation in C. reinhardtii further adds to the versatility of transplastomics using this organism. Herein, we review the inherent advantages of the algal chloroplast as a simple and tractable testbed for metabolic engineering designs, which could then be implemented in higher plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry O. Jackson
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Henry N. Taunt
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Pawel M. Mordaka
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Alison G. Smith
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Saul Purton
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Saul Purton
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10
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Schulz P, Piepenburg K, Lintermann R, Herde M, Schöttler MA, Schmidt LK, Ruf S, Kudla J, Romeis T, Bock R. Improving plant drought tolerance and growth under water limitation through combinatorial engineering of signalling networks. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2021; 19:74-86. [PMID: 32623825 PMCID: PMC7769235 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Agriculture is by far the biggest water consumer on our planet, accounting for 70 per cent of all freshwater withdrawals. Climate change and a growing world population increase pressure on agriculture to use water more efficiently ('more crop per drop'). Water-use efficiency (WUE) and drought tolerance of crops are complex traits that are determined by many physiological processes whose interplay is not well understood. Here, we describe a combinatorial engineering approach to optimize signalling networks involved in the control of stress tolerance. Screening a large population of combinatorially transformed plant lines, we identified a combination of calcium-dependent protein kinase genes that confers enhanced drought stress tolerance and improved growth under water-limiting conditions. Targeted introduction of this gene combination into plants increased plant survival under drought and enhanced growth under water-limited conditions. Our work provides an efficient strategy for engineering complex signalling networks to improve plant performance under adverse environmental conditions, which does not depend on prior understanding of network function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Schulz
- Max‐Planck‐Institut für Molekulare PflanzenphysiologiePotsdam‐GolmGermany
- Institut für BiologieFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Katrin Piepenburg
- Max‐Planck‐Institut für Molekulare PflanzenphysiologiePotsdam‐GolmGermany
| | | | - Marco Herde
- Institut für BiologieFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
- Present address:
Department of Molecular Nutrition and Biochemistry of PlantsLeibniz Universität HannoverHerrenhäuser Str. 2Hannover30419Germany
| | - Mark A. Schöttler
- Max‐Planck‐Institut für Molekulare PflanzenphysiologiePotsdam‐GolmGermany
| | - Lena K. Schmidt
- Institut für Biologie und Biotechnologie der PflanzenWestfälische Wilhelms‐Universität MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Stephanie Ruf
- Max‐Planck‐Institut für Molekulare PflanzenphysiologiePotsdam‐GolmGermany
| | - Jörg Kudla
- Institut für Biologie und Biotechnologie der PflanzenWestfälische Wilhelms‐Universität MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Tina Romeis
- Institut für BiologieFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
- Present address:
Leibniz‐Institut für Pflanzenbiochemie (IPB)Weinberg 3Halle/SaaleD‐06120Germany
| | - Ralph Bock
- Max‐Planck‐Institut für Molekulare PflanzenphysiologiePotsdam‐GolmGermany
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11
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Generation, analysis, and transformation of macro-chloroplast Potato (Solanum tuberosum) lines for chloroplast biotechnology. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21144. [PMID: 33273600 PMCID: PMC7713401 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78237-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Chloroplast biotechnology is a route for novel crop metabolic engineering. The potential bio-confinement of transgenes, the high protein expression and the possibility to organize genes into operons represent considerable advantages that make chloroplasts valuable targets in agricultural biotechnology. In the last 3 decades, chloroplast genomes from a few economically important crops have been successfully transformed. The main bottlenecks that prevent efficient transformation in a greater number of crops include the dearth of proven selectable marker gene-selection combinations and tissue culture methods for efficient regeneration of transplastomic plants. The prospects of increasing organelle size are attractive from several perspectives, including an increase in the surface area of potential targets. As a proof-of-concept, we generated Solanum tuberosum (potato) macro-chloroplast lines overexpressing the tubulin-like GTPase protein gene FtsZ1 from Arabidopsis thaliana. Macro-chloroplast lines exhibited delayed growth at anthesis; however, at the time of harvest there was no significant difference in height between macro-chloroplast and wild-type lines. Macro-chloroplasts were successfully transformed by biolistic DNA-delivery and efficiently regenerated into homoplasmic transplastomic lines. We also demonstrated that macro-chloroplasts accumulate the same amount of heterologous protein than wild-type organelles, confirming efficient usage in plastid engineering. Advantages and limitations of using enlarge compartments in chloroplast biotechnology are discussed.
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12
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Multi-gene metabolic engineering of tomato plants results in increased fruit yield up to 23%. Sci Rep 2020; 10:17219. [PMID: 33057137 PMCID: PMC7560729 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73709-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The capacity to assimilate carbon and nitrogen, to transport the resultant sugars and amino acids to sink tissues, and to convert the incoming sugars and amino acids into storage compounds in the sink tissues, are key determinants of crop yield. Given that all of these processes have the potential to co-limit growth, multiple genetic interventions in source and sink tissues, plus transport processes may be necessary to reach the full yield potential of a crop. We used biolistic combinatorial co-transformation (up to 20 transgenes) for increasing C and N flows with the purpose of increasing tomato fruit yield. We observed an increased fruit yield of up to 23%. To better explore the reconfiguration of metabolic networks in these transformants, we generated a dataset encompassing physiological parameters, gene expression and metabolite profiling on plants grown under glasshouse or polytunnel conditions. A Sparse Partial Least Squares regression model was able to explain the combination of genes that contributed to increased fruit yield. This combinatorial study of multiple transgenes targeting primary metabolism thus offers opportunities to probe the genetic basis of metabolic and phenotypic variation, providing insight into the difficulties in choosing the correct combination of targets for engineering increased fruit yield.
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13
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Niu L, Liu L, Wang W. Digging for Stress-Responsive Cell Wall Proteins for Developing Stress-Resistant Maize. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:576385. [PMID: 33101346 PMCID: PMC7546335 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.576385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
As a vital component of plant cell walls, proteins play important roles in stress response by modifying the structure of cell walls and involving in the wall integrity signaling pathway. Recently, we have critically reviewed the predictors, databases, and cross-referencing of the subcellular locations of possible cell wall proteins (CWPs) in plants (Briefings in Bioinformatics 2018;19:1130-1140). Here, we briefly introduce strategies for isolating CWPs during proteomic analysis. Taking maize (Zea mays) as an example, we retrieved 1873 probable maize CWPs recorded in the UniProt KnowledgeBase (UniProtKB). After curation, 863 maize CWPs were identified and classified into 59 kinds of protein families. By referring to gene ontology (GO) annotations and gene differential expression in the Expression Atlas, we have highlighted the potential of CWPs acting in the front line of defense against biotic and abiotic stresses. Moreover, the analysis results of cis-acting elements revealed the responsiveness of the genes encoding CWPs toward phytohormones and various stresses. We suggest that the stress-responsive CWPs could be promising candidates for applications in developing varieties of stress-resistant maize.
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14
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Padilla CS, Damaj MB, Yang ZN, Molina J, Berquist BR, White EL, Solís-Gracia N, Da Silva J, Mandadi KK. High-Level Production of Recombinant Snowdrop Lectin in Sugarcane and Energy Cane. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:977. [PMID: 33015000 PMCID: PMC7461980 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Sugarcane and energy cane (Saccharum spp. hybrids) are ideal for plant-based production of recombinant proteins because their high resource-use efficiency, rapid growth and efficient photosynthesis enable extensive biomass production and protein accumulation at a cost-effective scale. Here, we aimed to develop these species as efficient platforms to produce recombinant Galanthus nivalis L. (snowdrop) agglutinin (GNA), a monocot-bulb mannose-specific lectin with potent antiviral, antifungal and antitumor activities. Initially, GNA levels of 0.04% and 0.3% total soluble protein (TSP) (0.3 and 3.8 mg kg–1 tissue) were recovered from the culms and leaves, respectively, of sugarcane lines expressing recombinant GNA under the control of the constitutive maize ubiquitin 1 (Ubi) promoter. Co-expression of recombinant GNA from stacked multiple promoters (pUbi and culm-regulated promoters from sugarcane dirigent5-1 and Sugarcane bacilliform virus) on separate expression vectors increased GNA yields up to 42.3-fold (1.8% TSP or 12.7 mg kg–1 tissue) and 7.7-fold (2.3% TSP or 29.3 mg kg–1 tissue) in sugarcane and energy cane lines, respectively. Moreover, inducing promoter activity in the leaves of GNA transgenic lines with stress-regulated hormones increased GNA accumulation to 2.7% TSP (37.2 mg kg–1 tissue). Purification by mannose-agarose affinity chromatography yielded a functional sugarcane recombinant GNA with binding substrate specificity similar to that of native snowdrop-bulb GNA, as shown by enzyme-linked lectin and mannose-binding inhibition assays. The size and molecular weight of recombinant GNA were identical to those of native GNA, as determined by size-exclusion chromatography and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. This work demonstrates the feasibility of producing recombinant GNA at high levels in Saccharum species, with the long-term goal of using it as a broad-spectrum antiviral carrier molecule for hemopurifiers and in related therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen S Padilla
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Weslaco, TX, United States
| | - Mona B Damaj
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Weslaco, TX, United States
| | - Zhong-Nan Yang
- Institute for Plant Gene Function, Department of Biology, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Joe Molina
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Weslaco, TX, United States
| | | | - Earl L White
- MDx BioAnalytical Laboratory, Inc., College Station, TX, United States
| | - Nora Solís-Gracia
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Weslaco, TX, United States
| | - Jorge Da Silva
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Weslaco, TX, United States.,Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Kranthi K Mandadi
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Weslaco, TX, United States.,Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
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15
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Damaj MB, Jifon JL, Woodard SL, Vargas-Bautista C, Barros GOF, Molina J, White SG, Damaj BB, Nikolov ZL, Mandadi KK. Unprecedented enhancement of recombinant protein production in sugarcane culms using a combinatorial promoter stacking system. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13713. [PMID: 32792533 PMCID: PMC7426418 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70530-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants represent a safe and cost-effective platform for producing high-value proteins with pharmaceutical properties; however, the ability to accumulate these in commercially viable quantities is challenging. Ideal crops to serve as biofactories would include low-input, fast-growing, high-biomass species such as sugarcane. The objective of this study was to develop an efficient expression system to enable large-scale production of high-value recombinant proteins in sugarcane culms. Bovine lysozyme (BvLz) is a potent broad-spectrum antimicrobial enzyme used in the food, cosmetics and agricultural industries. Here, we report a novel strategy to achieve high-level expression of recombinant proteins using a combinatorial stacked promoter system. We demonstrate this by co-expressing BvLz under the control of multiple constitutive and culm-regulated promoters on separate expression vectors and combinatorial plant transformation. BvLz accumulation reached 1.4% of total soluble protein (TSP) (10.0 mg BvLz/kg culm mass) in stacked multiple promoter:BvLz lines, compared to 0.07% of TSP (0.56 mg/kg) in single promoter:BvLz lines. BvLz accumulation was further boosted to 11.5% of TSP (82.5 mg/kg) through event stacking by re-transforming the stacked promoter:BvLz lines with additional BvLz expression vectors. The protein accumulation achieved with the combinatorial promoter stacking expression system was stable in multiple vegetative propagations, demonstrating the feasibility of using sugarcane as a biofactory for producing high-value proteins and bioproducts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona B Damaj
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 2415 East US Highway 83, Weslaco, TX, 78596, USA.
| | - John L Jifon
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 2415 East US Highway 83, Weslaco, TX, 78596, USA
- Department of Horticultural Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-2133, USA
| | - Susan L Woodard
- National Center for Therapeutics Manufacturing, Texas A&M University, 100 Discovery Drive, College Station, TX, 77843-4482, USA
| | - Carol Vargas-Bautista
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 2415 East US Highway 83, Weslaco, TX, 78596, USA
- College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Georgia O F Barros
- BioSeparation Laboratory, Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, College Station, TX, 77843-2117, USA
| | - Joe Molina
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 2415 East US Highway 83, Weslaco, TX, 78596, USA
| | - Steven G White
- BioSeparation Laboratory, Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, College Station, TX, 77843-2117, USA
| | - Bassam B Damaj
- Innovus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 8845 Rehco Road, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Zivko L Nikolov
- BioSeparation Laboratory, Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, College Station, TX, 77843-2117, USA
| | - Kranthi K Mandadi
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 2415 East US Highway 83, Weslaco, TX, 78596, USA.
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-2132, USA.
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16
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Zhu Q, Wang B, Tan J, Liu T, Li L, Liu YG. Plant Synthetic Metabolic Engineering for Enhancing Crop Nutritional Quality. PLANT COMMUNICATIONS 2020; 1:100017. [PMID: 33404538 PMCID: PMC7747972 DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2019.100017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2019] [Revised: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Nutrient deficiencies in crops are a serious threat to human health, especially for populations in poor areas. To overcome this problem, the development of crops with nutrient-enhanced traits is imperative. Biofortification of crops to improve nutritional quality helps combat nutrient deficiencies by increasing the levels of specific nutrient components. Compared with agronomic practices and conventional plant breeding, plant metabolic engineering and synthetic biology strategies are more effective and accurate in synthesizing specific micronutrients, phytonutrients, and/or bioactive components in crops. In this review, we discuss recent progress in the field of plant synthetic metabolic engineering, specifically in terms of research strategies of multigene stacking tools and engineering complex metabolic pathways, with a focus on improving traits related to micronutrients, phytonutrients, and bioactive components. Advances and innovations in plant synthetic metabolic engineering would facilitate the development of nutrient-enriched crops to meet the nutritional needs of humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinlong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources; College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Bin Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources; College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Jiantao Tan
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources; College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Taoli Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources; College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Li Li
- Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USDA-ARS, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Yao-Guang Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources; College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Corresponding author
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17
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Ahmad N, Mehmood MA, Malik S. Recombinant Protein Production in Microalgae: Emerging Trends. Protein Pept Lett 2020; 27:105-110. [DOI: 10.2174/0929866526666191014124855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
:
In recent years, microalgae have emerged as an alternative platform for large-scale
production of recombinant proteins for different commercial applications. As a production
platform, it has several advantages, including rapid growth, easily scale up and ability to grow with
or without the external carbon source. Genetic transformation of several species has been
established. Of these, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has become significantly attractive for its
potential to express foreign proteins inexpensively. All its three genomes – nuclear, mitochondrial
and chloroplastic – have been sequenced. As a result, a wealth of information about its genetic
machinery, protein expression mechanism (transcription, translation and post-translational
modifications) is available. Over the years, various molecular tools have been developed for the
manipulation of all these genomes. Various studies show that the transformation of the chloroplast
genome has several advantages over nuclear transformation from the biopharming point of view.
According to a recent survey, over 100 recombinant proteins have been expressed in algal
chloroplasts. However, the expression levels achieved in the algal chloroplast genome are generally
lower compared to the chloroplasts of higher plants. Work is therefore needed to make the algal
chloroplast transformation commercially competitive. In this review, we discuss some examples
from the algal research, which could play their role in making algal chloroplast commercially
successful.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niaz Ahmad
- Agricultural Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Jhang Road, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Aamer Mehmood
- Bioenergy Research Centre, Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Sana Malik
- Bioenergy Research Centre, Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
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18
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Using CRISPR/Cas9 to produce haploid inducers of carrot through targeted mutations of centromeric histone H3 (CENH3). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.17660/actahortic.2019.1264.26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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19
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Swarbreck SM, Wang M, Wang Y, Kindred D, Sylvester-Bradley R, Shi W, Bentley AR, Griffiths H. A Roadmap for Lowering Crop Nitrogen Requirement. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 24:892-904. [PMID: 31285127 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2019.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Increasing nitrogen fertilizer applications have sustained a growing world population in the 20th century. However, to avoid any further associated environmental damage, new sustainable agronomic practices together with new cultivars must be developed. To date the concept of nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) has been useful in quantifying the processes of nitrogen uptake and utilization, but we propose a shift in focus to consider nitrogen responsiveness as a more appropriate trait to select varieties with lower nitrogen requirements. We provide a roadmap to integrate the regulation of nitrogen uptake and assimilation into varietal selection and crop breeding programs. The overall goal is to reduce nitrogen inputs by farmers growing crops in contrasting cropping systems around the world, while sustaining yields and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Meng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Yuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | | | | | - Weiming Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Alison R Bentley
- The John Bingham Laboratory, NIAB, Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0LE, UK
| | - Howard Griffiths
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EA, UK
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20
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Wang B, Ding H, Chen Q, Ouyang L, Li S, Zhang J. Enhanced Tolerance to Methyl Viologen-Mediated Oxidative Stress via AtGR2 Expression From Chloroplast Genome. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:1178. [PMID: 31611897 PMCID: PMC6777472 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.01178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Owing to their sessile life habit, plants are continuously subjected to a broad range of environmental stresses. During periods of (a)biotic stresses, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels can rise excessively, leading to oxidative stress. Glutathione reductase (GR) plays an important role in scavenging the ROS and maintenance of redox potential of the cell during oxidative stress. To enhance ROS scavenging capacity, and hence stress tolerance, the Arabidopsis thalianaGR2 (AtGR2) gene was expressed from the tobacco plastid (chloroplast) genome, the main source of ROS production in plant photosynthetic tissues, in this study. Leaves of transplastomic tobacco plants had about seven times GR activity and 1.5 times total glutathione levels compared to wild type. These transplastomic tobacco plants showed no discernible phenotype and exhibited more tolerance to methyl viologen-induced oxidative stress than wild-type control plants. The results indicate that introducing AtGR2 in chloroplasts is an efficient approach to increase stress tolerance. This study also provides evidence that increasing antioxidant enzyme via plastid genome engineering is an alternative to enhance plant's tolerance to stressful conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Shengchun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
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21
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van Eerde A, Gottschamel J, Bock R, Hansen KEA, Munang'andu HM, Daniell H, Liu Clarke J. Production of tetravalent dengue virus envelope protein domain III based antigens in lettuce chloroplasts and immunologic analysis for future oral vaccine development. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2019; 17:1408-1417. [PMID: 30578710 PMCID: PMC6576073 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Revised: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Dengue fever is a mosquito (Aedes aegypti) -transmitted viral disease that is endemic in more than 125 countries around the world. There are four serotypes of the dengue virus (DENV 1-4) and a safe and effective dengue vaccine must provide protection against all four serotypes. To date, the first vaccine, Dengvaxia (CYD-TDV), is available after many decades' efforts, but only has moderate efficacy. More effective and affordable vaccines are hence required. Plants offer promising vaccine production platforms and food crops offer additional advantages for the production of edible human and animal vaccines, thus eliminating the need for expensive fermentation, purification, cold storage and sterile delivery. Oral vaccines can elicit humoural and cellular immunity via both the mucosal and humoral immune systems. Here, we report the production of tetravalent EDIII antigen (EDIII-1-4) in stably transformed lettuce chloroplasts. Transplastomic EDIII-1-4-expressing lettuce lines were obtained and homoplasmy was verified by Southern blot analysis. Expression of EDIII-1-4 antigens was demonstrated by immunoblotting, with the EDIII-1-4 antigen accumulating to 3.45% of the total protein content. Immunological assays in rabbits showed immunogenicity of EDIII-1-4. Our in vitro gastrointestinal digestion analysis revealed that EDIII-1-4 antigens are well protected when passing through the oral and gastric digestion phases but underwent degradation during the intestinal phase. Our results demonstrate that lettuce chloroplast engineering is a promising approach for future production of an affordable oral dengue vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- André van Eerde
- NIBIO – Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy ResearchDivision of Biotechnology and Plant HealthÅsNorway
| | - Johanna Gottschamel
- NIBIO – Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy ResearchDivision of Biotechnology and Plant HealthÅsNorway
| | - Ralph Bock
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPotsdam‐GolmGermany
| | | | | | - Henry Daniell
- Department of BiochemistrySchool of Dental MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Jihong Liu Clarke
- NIBIO – Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy ResearchDivision of Biotechnology and Plant HealthÅsNorway
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22
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Gomes Pacheco T, de Santana Lopes A, Monteiro Viana GD, Nascimento da Silva O, Morais da Silva G, do Nascimento Vieira L, Guerra MP, Nodari RO, Maltempi de Souza E, de Oliveira Pedrosa F, Otoni WC, Rogalski M. Genetic, evolutionary and phylogenetic aspects of the plastome of annatto (Bixa orellana L.), the Amazonian commercial species of natural dyes. PLANTA 2019; 249:563-582. [PMID: 30310983 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-018-3023-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The plastome of B. orellana reveals specific evolutionary features, unique RNA editing sites, molecular markers and the position of Bixaceae within Malvales. Annatto (Bixa orellana L.) is a native species of tropical Americas with center of origin in Brazilian Amazonia. Its seeds accumulate the apocarotenoids, bixin and norbixin, which are only found in high content in this species. The seeds of B. orellana are commercially valued by the food industry because its dyes replace synthetic ones from the market due to potential carcinogenic risks. The increasing consumption of B. orellana seeds for dye extraction makes necessary the increase of productivity, which is possible accessing the genetic basis and searching for elite genotypes. The identification and characterization of molecular markers are essential to analyse the genetic diversity of natural populations and to establish suitable strategies for conservation, domestication, germplasm characterization and genetic breeding. Therefore, we sequenced and characterized in detail the plastome of B. orellana. The plastome of B. orellana is a circular DNA molecule of 159,708 bp with a typical quadripartite structure and 112 unique genes. Additionally, a total of 312 SSR loci were identified in the plastome of B. orellana. Moreover, we predicted in 23 genes a total of 57 RNA-editing sites of which 11 are unique for B. orellana. Furthermore, our plastid phylogenomic analyses, using the plastome sequences available in the plastid database belonging to species of order Malvales, indicate a closed relationship between Bixaceae and Malvaceae, which formed a sister group to Thymelaeaceae. Finally, our study provided useful data to be employed in several genetic and biotechnological approaches in B. orellana and related species of the family Bixaceae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Túlio Gomes Pacheco
- Laboratório de Fisiologia Molecular de Plantas, Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil
| | - Amanda de Santana Lopes
- Laboratório de Fisiologia Molecular de Plantas, Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil
| | - Gélia Dinah Monteiro Viana
- Laboratório de Fisiologia Molecular de Plantas, Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil
| | - Odyone Nascimento da Silva
- Laboratório de Fisiologia Molecular de Plantas, Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil
| | - Gleyson Morais da Silva
- Laboratório de Fisiologia Molecular de Plantas, Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil
| | - Leila do Nascimento Vieira
- Laboratório de Fisiologia do Desenvolvimento e Genética Vegetal, Programa de Pós-graduação em Recursos Genéticos Vegetais, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Miguel Pedro Guerra
- Laboratório de Fisiologia do Desenvolvimento e Genética Vegetal, Programa de Pós-graduação em Recursos Genéticos Vegetais, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Rubens Onofre Nodari
- Laboratório de Fisiologia do Desenvolvimento e Genética Vegetal, Programa de Pós-graduação em Recursos Genéticos Vegetais, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Emanuel Maltempi de Souza
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Núcleo de Fixação Biológica de Nitrogênio, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Fábio de Oliveira Pedrosa
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Núcleo de Fixação Biológica de Nitrogênio, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Wagner Campos Otoni
- Laboratório de Cultura de Tecidos Vegetais, Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, BIOAGRO, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Rogalski
- Laboratório de Fisiologia Molecular de Plantas, Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
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23
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Macedo-Osorio KS, Pérez-España VH, Garibay-Orijel C, Guzmán-Zapata D, Durán-Figueroa NV, Badillo-Corona JA. Intercistronic expression elements (IEE) from the chloroplast of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii can be used for the expression of foreign genes in synthetic operons. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 98:303-317. [PMID: 30225747 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-018-0776-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 08/31/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Two intercistronic regions were identified as functional intercistronic expression elements (IEE) for the simultaneous expression of aphA-6 and gfp in a synthetic operon in the chloroplast of C. reinhardtii. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a biflagellate photosynthetic microalga, has been widely used in basic and applied science. Already three decades ago, Chlamydomonas had its chloroplast genome transformed and to this day constitutes the only alga routinely used in transplastomic technology. Despite the fact that over a 100 foreign genes have been expressed from the chloroplast genome, little has been done to address the challenge of expressing multiple genes in the form of operons, a development that is needed and crucial to push forward metabolic engineering and synthetic biology in this organism. Here, we studied five intercistronic regions and investigated if they can be used as intercistronic expression elements (IEE) in synthetic operons to drive the expression of foreign genes in the chloroplast of C. reinhardtii. The intercistronic regions were those from the psbB-psbT, psbN-psbH, psaC-petL, petL-trnN and tscA-chlN chloroplast operons, and the foreign genes were the aminoglycoside 3'-phosphotransferase (aphA-6), which confers resistance to kanamycin, and the green fluorescent protein gene (gfp). While all the intercistronic regions yielded lines that were resistant to kanamycin, only two (obtained with intercistronic regions from psbN-psbH and tscA-chlN) were identified as functional IEEs, yielding lines in which the second cistron (gfp) was translated and generated GFP. The IEEs we have identified could be useful for the stacking of genes for metabolic engineering or synthetic biology circuits in the chloroplast of C. reinhardtii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karla S Macedo-Osorio
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología, Av. Acueducto SN, Col. Barrio la Laguna Ticoman, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Víctor H Pérez-España
- Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Escuela Superior de Apan, Carretera Apan Calpulalpan km 8, Col. Chimalpa-Tlalayote, Apan, Hidalgo, Mexico
| | - Claudio Garibay-Orijel
- Labcitec, Camino a Atzacoalco 99, Col. Constitución de la República, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Daniel Guzmán-Zapata
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología, Av. Acueducto SN, Col. Barrio la Laguna Ticoman, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Noé V Durán-Figueroa
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología, Av. Acueducto SN, Col. Barrio la Laguna Ticoman, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jesús A Badillo-Corona
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología, Av. Acueducto SN, Col. Barrio la Laguna Ticoman, Mexico City, Mexico.
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24
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Schindel HS, Piatek AA, Stewart CN, Lenaghan SC. The plastid genome as a chassis for synthetic biology-enabled metabolic engineering: players in gene expression. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2018; 37:1419-1429. [PMID: 30039465 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-018-2323-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Owing to its small size, prokaryotic-like molecular genetics, and potential for very high transgene expression, the plastid genome (plastome) is an attractive plant synthetic biology chassis for metabolic engineering. The plastome exists as a homogenous, compact, multicopy genome within multiple-specialized differentiated plastid compartments. Because of this multiplicity, transgenes can be highly expressed. For coordinated gene expression, it is the prokaryotic molecular genetics that is an especially attractive feature. Multiple genes in a metabolic pathway can be expressed in a series of operons, which are regulated at the transcriptional and translational levels with cross talk from the plant's nuclear genome. Key features of each regulatory level are reviewed, as well as some examples of plastome-enabled metabolic engineering. We also speculate about the transformative future of plastid-based synthetic biology to enable metabolic engineering in plants as well as the problems that must be solved before routine plastome-enabled synthetic circuits can be installed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi S Schindel
- Department of Food Science, University of Tennessee, 2600 River Dr., Knoxville, TN, 37996-4561, USA
| | - Agnieszka A Piatek
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee, 2431 Joe Johnson Dr., Knoxville, TN, 37996-4561, USA
| | - C Neal Stewart
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee, 2431 Joe Johnson Dr., Knoxville, TN, 37996-4561, USA.
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA.
| | - Scott C Lenaghan
- Department of Food Science, University of Tennessee, 2600 River Dr., Knoxville, TN, 37996-4561, USA.
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA.
- Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA.
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25
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Rosales-Mendoza S, Monreal-Escalante E, González-Ortega O, Hernández M, Fragoso G, Garate T, Sciutto E. Transplastomic plants yield a multicomponent vaccine against cysticercosis. J Biotechnol 2018; 266:124-132. [PMID: 29253519 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2017.12.012] [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] [Received: 06/17/2017] [Revised: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Low cost vaccines against cysticercosis are needed to fight this parasitosis, especially in developing countries. Herein polycistron arrangements were designed to accomplish the simultaneous expression of multiple protective antigens from Taenia solium in the plant cell as an attractive biofactory and delivery vehicle of vaccines. Transplastomic plants carrying synthetic polycistrons were able to simultaneously express the KETc1, KETc7, KETc12, GK1, and TSOL18/HP6-Tsol antigens; which retained their antigenicity and ability to induce humoral responses in BALB/c mice. These clones may be useful for the production of low-cost cysticercosis vaccine prototypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Rosales-Mendoza
- Laboratorio de Biofarmacéuticos Recombinantes, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Av. Dr. Manuel Nava 6, 78210, SLP. San Luis Potosí. México.
| | - Elizabeth Monreal-Escalante
- Laboratorio de Biofarmacéuticos Recombinantes, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Av. Dr. Manuel Nava 6, 78210, SLP. San Luis Potosí. México
| | - Omar González-Ortega
- Laboratorio de Bioseparaciones, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Av. Dr. Manuel Nava 6, 78210, SLP. San Luis Potosí, México
| | - Marisela Hernández
- Dpto. Inmunología. Instituto De Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma De México. Circuito Escolar. Ciudad Universitaria, C.p. 04510. Ciudad De México, México
| | - Gladis Fragoso
- Dpto. Inmunología. Instituto De Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma De México. Circuito Escolar. Ciudad Universitaria, C.p. 04510. Ciudad De México, México
| | - Teresa Garate
- Dpto. De Parasitología, Centro Nacional De Microbiología, Instituto De Salud Carlos Iii, Majadahonda, 28220, Madrid, Spain
| | - Edda Sciutto
- Dpto. Inmunología. Instituto De Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma De México. Circuito Escolar. Ciudad Universitaria, C.p. 04510. Ciudad De México, México.
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Kotopka BJ, Li Y, Smolke CD. Synthetic biology strategies toward heterologous phytochemical production. Nat Prod Rep 2018; 35:902-920. [DOI: 10.1039/c8np00028j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
This review summarizes the recent progress in heterologous phytochemical biosynthetic pathway reconstitution in plant, bacteria, and yeast, with a focus on the synthetic biology strategies applied in these engineering efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yanran Li
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering
- Riverside
- USA
| | - Christina D. Smolke
- Department of Bioengineering
- Stanford University
- Stanford
- USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub
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27
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Zhu Q, Yu S, Zeng D, Liu H, Wang H, Yang Z, Xie X, Shen R, Tan J, Li H, Zhao X, Zhang Q, Chen Y, Guo J, Chen L, Liu YG. Development of "Purple Endosperm Rice" by Engineering Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in the Endosperm with a High-Efficiency Transgene Stacking System. MOLECULAR PLANT 2017; 10:918-929. [PMID: 28666688 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2017.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Revised: 05/21/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Anthocyanins have high antioxidant activities, and engineering of anthocyanin biosynthesis in staple crops, such as rice (Oryza sativa L.), could provide health-promoting foods for improving human health. However, engineering metabolic pathways for biofortification remains difficult, and previous attempts to engineer anthocyanin production in rice endosperm failed because of the sophisticated genetic regulatory network of its biosynthetic pathway. In this study, we developed a high-efficiency vector system for transgene stacking and used it to engineer anthocyanin biosynthesis in rice endosperm. We made a construct containing eight anthocyanin-related genes (two regulatory genes from maize and six structural genes from Coleus) driven by the endosperm-specific promoters,plus a selectable marker and a gene for marker excision. Transformation of rice with this construct generated a novel biofortified germplasm "Purple Endosperm Rice" (called "Zijingmi" in Chinese), which has high anthocyanin contents and antioxidant activity in the endosperm. This anthocyanin production results from expression of the transgenes and the resulting activation (or enhancement) of expression of 13 endogenous anthocyanin biosynthesis genes that are silenced or expressed at low levels in wild-type rice endosperm. This study provides an efficient, versatile toolkit for transgene stacking and demonstrates its use for successful engineering of a sophisticated biological pathway, suggesting the potential utility of this toolkit for synthetic biology and improvement of agronomic traits in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinlong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangzhou 510642, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Higher Education Institutions, Guangzhou 510642, China; College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Suize Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangzhou 510642, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Higher Education Institutions, Guangzhou 510642, China; College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Dongchang Zeng
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangzhou 510642, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Higher Education Institutions, Guangzhou 510642, China; College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Hongmei Liu
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Huicong Wang
- Physiological Laboratory for South China Fruits, College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Zhongfang Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangzhou 510642, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Higher Education Institutions, Guangzhou 510642, China; College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xianrong Xie
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangzhou 510642, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Higher Education Institutions, Guangzhou 510642, China; College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Rongxin Shen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangzhou 510642, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Higher Education Institutions, Guangzhou 510642, China; College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Jiantao Tan
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangzhou 510642, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Higher Education Institutions, Guangzhou 510642, China; College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Heying Li
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangzhou 510642, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Higher Education Institutions, Guangzhou 510642, China; College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xiucai Zhao
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangzhou 510642, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Higher Education Institutions, Guangzhou 510642, China; College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Qunyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangzhou 510642, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Higher Education Institutions, Guangzhou 510642, China; College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yuanling Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangzhou 510642, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Higher Education Institutions, Guangzhou 510642, China; College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Jingxing Guo
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangzhou 510642, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Higher Education Institutions, Guangzhou 510642, China; College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Letian Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangzhou 510642, China; College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yao-Guang Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangzhou 510642, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Higher Education Institutions, Guangzhou 510642, China; College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
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Sweetlove LJ, Nielsen J, Fernie AR. Engineering central metabolism - a grand challenge for plant biologists. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 90:749-763. [PMID: 28004455 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.13464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2016] [Revised: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 12/15/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The goal of increasing crop productivity and nutrient-use efficiency is being addressed by a number of ambitious research projects seeking to re-engineer photosynthetic biochemistry. Many of these projects will require the engineering of substantial changes in fluxes of central metabolism. However, as has been amply demonstrated in simpler systems such as microbes, central metabolism is extremely difficult to rationally engineer. This is because of multiple layers of regulation that operate to maintain metabolic steady state and because of the highly connected nature of central metabolism. In this review we discuss new approaches for metabolic engineering that have the potential to address these problems and dramatically improve the success with which we can rationally engineer central metabolism in plants. In particular, we advocate the adoption of an iterative 'design-build-test-learn' cycle using fast-to-transform model plants as test beds. This approach can be realised by coupling new molecular tools to incorporate multiple transgenes in nuclear and plastid genomes with computational modelling to design the engineering strategy and to understand the metabolic phenotype of the engineered organism. We also envisage that mutagenesis could be used to fine-tune the balance between the endogenous metabolic network and the introduced enzymes. Finally, we emphasise the importance of considering the plant as a whole system and not isolated organs: the greatest increase in crop productivity will be achieved if both source and sink metabolism are engineered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee J Sweetlove
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK
| | - Jens Nielsen
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, SE41128, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, DK2800, Lyngby, Denmark
- Science for Life Laboratory, Royal Institute of Technology, SE17121, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alisdair R Fernie
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
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29
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Ivleva NB, Groat J, Staub JM, Stephens M. Expression of Active Subunit of Nitrogenase via Integration into Plant Organelle Genome. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0160951. [PMID: 27529475 PMCID: PMC4986947 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0160951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitrogen availability is crucial for crop yield with nitrogen fertilizer accounting for a large percentage of farmers' expenses. However, an untimely or excessive application of fertilizer can increase risks of negative environmental effects. These factors, along with the environmental and energy costs of synthesizing nitrogen fertilizer, led us to seek out novel biotechnology-driven approaches to supply nitrogen to plants. The strategy we focused on involves transgenic expression of nitrogenase, a bacterial multi-subunit enzyme that can capture atmospheric nitrogen. Here we report expression of the active Fe subunit of nitrogenase via integration into the tobacco plastid genome of bacterial gene sequences modified for expression in plastid. Our study suggests that it will be possible to engineer plants that are able to produce their own nitrogen fertilizer by expressing nitrogenase genes in plant plastids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia B. Ivleva
- Monsanto Company, 700 Chesterfield Village Parkway, Chesterfield, MO, United States of America
| | - Jeanna Groat
- Monsanto Company, 700 Chesterfield Village Parkway, Chesterfield, MO, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey M. Staub
- Monsanto Company, 700 Chesterfield Village Parkway, Chesterfield, MO, United States of America
| | - Michael Stephens
- Monsanto Company, 700 Chesterfield Village Parkway, Chesterfield, MO, United States of America
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30
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Hanson MR, Lin MT, Carmo-Silva AE, Parry MA. Towards engineering carboxysomes into C3 plants. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 87:38-50. [PMID: 26867858 PMCID: PMC4970904 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.13139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2015] [Revised: 01/29/2016] [Accepted: 02/02/2016] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthesis in C3 plants is limited by features of the carbon-fixing enzyme Rubisco, which exhibits a low turnover rate and can react with O2 instead of CO2 , leading to photorespiration. In cyanobacteria, bacterial microcompartments, known as carboxysomes, improve the efficiency of photosynthesis by concentrating CO2 near the enzyme Rubisco. Cyanobacterial Rubisco enzymes are faster than those of C3 plants, though they have lower specificity toward CO2 than the land plant enzyme. Replacement of land plant Rubisco by faster bacterial variants with lower CO2 specificity will improve photosynthesis only if a microcompartment capable of concentrating CO2 can also be installed into the chloroplast. We review current information about cyanobacterial microcompartments and carbon-concentrating mechanisms, plant transformation strategies, replacement of Rubisco in a model C3 plant with cyanobacterial Rubisco and progress toward synthesizing a carboxysome in chloroplasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maureen R. Hanson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Biotechnology Building, Ithaca, NY 14853 USA
| | - Myat T. Lin
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Biotechnology Building, Ithaca, NY 14853 USA
| | | | - Martin A.J. Parry
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, United Kingdom
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31
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Rusanov K, Atanassov A, Atanassov I. Engineering Cell and Organ Cultures from Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Toward Commercial Production of Bioactive Metabolites. REFERENCE SERIES IN PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-32004-5_8-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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32
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Guzmán-Zapata D, Macedo-Osorio KS, Almaraz-Delgado AL, Durán-Figueroa N, Badillo-Corona JA. Production of Recombinant Proteins in the Chloroplast of the Green Alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Methods Mol Biol 2016; 1385:69-85. [PMID: 26614282 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3289-4_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Chloroplast transformation in the green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii can be used for the production of valuable recombinant proteins. Here, we describe chloroplast transformation of C. reinhardtii followed by protein detection. Genes of interest integrate stably by homologous recombination into the chloroplast genome following introduction by particle bombardment. Genes are inherited and expressed in lines recovered after selection in the presence of an antibiotic. Recombinant proteins can be detected by conventional techniques like immunoblotting and purified from liquid cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Guzmán-Zapata
- Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. Acueducto SN, Col. Barrio La Laguna Ticomán, CP. 07340, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Karla Soledad Macedo-Osorio
- Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. Acueducto SN, Col. Barrio La Laguna Ticomán, CP. 07340, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Alma Lorena Almaraz-Delgado
- Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. Acueducto SN, Col. Barrio La Laguna Ticomán, CP. 07340, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Noé Durán-Figueroa
- Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. Acueducto SN, Col. Barrio La Laguna Ticomán, CP. 07340, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jesus Agustín Badillo-Corona
- Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. Acueducto SN, Col. Barrio La Laguna Ticomán, CP. 07340, Mexico City, Mexico.
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33
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Strategies and Methodologies for the Co-expression of Multiple Proteins in Plants. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2016; 896:263-85. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-27216-0_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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34
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Mussgnug JH. Genetic tools and techniques for Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2015; 99:5407-18. [PMID: 26025017 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-015-6698-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2015] [Revised: 05/10/2015] [Accepted: 05/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The development of tools has always been a major driving force for the advancement of science. Optical microscopes were the first instruments that allowed discovery and descriptive studies of the subcellular features of microorganisms. Although optical and electron microscopes remained at the forefront of microbiological research tools since their inventions, the advent of molecular genetics brought about questions which had to be addressed with new "genetic tools". The unicellular green microalgal genus Chlamydomonas, especially the most prominent species C. reinhardtii, has become a frequently used model organism for many diverse fields of research and molecular genetic analyses of C. reinhardtii, as well as the available genetic tools and techniques, have become increasingly sophisticated throughout the last decades. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the molecular key features of C. reinhardtii and summarize the progress related to the development of tools and techniques for genetic engineering of this organism, from pioneering DNA transformation experiments to state-of-the-art techniques for targeted nuclear genome editing and high-throughput screening approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan H Mussgnug
- Faculty of Biology, Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Universitätsstrasse 27, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany,
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35
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Rosales-Mendoza S, Ríos-Huerta R, Angulo C. An overview of tuberculosis plant-derived vaccines. Expert Rev Vaccines 2015; 14:877-89. [PMID: 25683476 DOI: 10.1586/14760584.2015.1015996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading fatal infectious disease to which the current BCG vaccine has a questionable efficacy in adults. Thus, the development of improved vaccines against TB is needed. In addition, decreasing the cost of vaccine formulations is required for broader vaccination coverage through global vaccination programs. In this regard, the use of plants as biofactories and delivery vehicles of TB vaccines has been researched over the last decade. These studies are systematically analyzed in the present review and placed in perspective. It is considered that substantial preclinical trials are still required to address improvements in expression levels as well as immunological data. Approaches for testing additional antigenic configurations with higher yields and improved immunogenic properties are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Rosales-Mendoza
- Laboratorio de Biofarmacéuticos recombinantes, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Av. Dr. Manuel Nava 6, SLP, 78210, México
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Rogalski M, do Nascimento Vieira L, Fraga HP, Guerra MP. Plastid genomics in horticultural species: importance and applications for plant population genetics, evolution, and biotechnology. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2015; 6:586. [PMID: 26284102 PMCID: PMC4520007 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2015.00586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2015] [Accepted: 07/15/2015] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
During the evolution of the eukaryotic cell, plastids, and mitochondria arose from an endosymbiotic process, which determined the presence of three genetic compartments into the incipient plant cell. After that, these three genetic materials from host and symbiont suffered several rearrangements, bringing on a complex interaction between nuclear and organellar gene products. Nowadays, plastids harbor a small genome with ∼130 genes in a 100-220 kb sequence in higher plants. Plastid genes are mostly highly conserved between plant species, being useful for phylogenetic analysis in higher taxa. However, intergenic spacers have a relatively higher mutation rate and are important markers to phylogeographical and plant population genetics analyses. The predominant uniparental inheritance of plastids is like a highly desirable feature for phylogeny studies. Moreover, the gene content and genome rearrangements are efficient tools to capture and understand evolutionary events between different plant species. Currently, genetic engineering of the plastid genome (plastome) offers a number of attractive advantages as high-level of foreign protein expression, marker gene excision, gene expression in operon and transgene containment because of maternal inheritance of plastid genome in most crops. Therefore, plastid genome can be used for adding new characteristics related to synthesis of metabolic compounds, biopharmaceutical, and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Here, we describe the importance and applications of plastid genome as tools for genetic and evolutionary studies, and plastid transformation focusing on increasing the performance of horticultural species in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo Rogalski
- Laboratório de Fisiologia Molecular de Plantas, Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de ViçosaViçosa, Brazil
| | - Leila do Nascimento Vieira
- Laboratório de Fisiologia do Desenvolvimento e Genética Vegetal, Programa de Pós-graduação em Recursos Genéticos Vegetais, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de Santa CatarinaFlorianópolis, Brazil
| | - Hugo P. Fraga
- Laboratório de Fisiologia do Desenvolvimento e Genética Vegetal, Programa de Pós-graduação em Recursos Genéticos Vegetais, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de Santa CatarinaFlorianópolis, Brazil
| | - Miguel P. Guerra
- Laboratório de Fisiologia do Desenvolvimento e Genética Vegetal, Programa de Pós-graduação em Recursos Genéticos Vegetais, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de Santa CatarinaFlorianópolis, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Miguel P. Guerra, Laboratório de Fisiologia do Desenvolvimento e Genética Vegetal, Programa de Pós-graduação em Recursos Genéticos Vegetais, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Rod. Admar Gonzaga, 1346 Florianópolis, SC 88034-000, Brazil,
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37
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Schneider JD, Marillonnet S, Castilho A, Gruber C, Werner S, Mach L, Klimyuk V, Mor TS, Steinkellner H. Oligomerization status influences subcellular deposition and glycosylation of recombinant butyrylcholinesterase in Nicotiana benthamiana. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2014; 12:832-9. [PMID: 24618259 PMCID: PMC4265266 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2013] [Accepted: 12/15/2013] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Plants have a proven track record for the expression of biopharmaceutically interesting proteins. Importantly, plants and mammals share a highly conserved secretory pathway that allows similar folding, assembly and posttranslational modifications of proteins. Human butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) is a highly sialylated, tetrameric serum protein, investigated as a bioscavenger for organophosphorous nerve agents. Expression of recombinant BChE (rBChE) in Nicotiana benthamiana results in accumulation of both monomers as well as assembled oligomers. In particular, we show here that co-expression of BChE with a novel gene-stacking vector, carrying six mammalian genes necessary for in planta protein sialylation, resulted in the generation of rBChE decorated with sialylated N-glycans. The N-glycosylation profile of monomeric rBChE secreted to the apoplast largely resembles the plasma-derived orthologue. In contrast, rBChE purified from total soluble protein extracts was decorated with a significant portion of ER-typical oligomannosidic structures. Biochemical analyses and live-cell imaging experiments indicated that impaired N-glycan processing is due to aberrant deposition of rBChE oligomers in the endoplasmic reticulum or endoplasmic-reticulum-derived compartments. In summary, we show the assembly of rBChE multimers, however, also points to the need for in-depth studies to explain the unexpected subcellular targeting of oligomeric BChE in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeannine D Schneider
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life SciencesVienna, Austria
| | | | - Alexandra Castilho
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life SciencesVienna, Austria
| | - Clemens Gruber
- Department of Chemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life SciencesVienna, Austria
| | | | - Lukas Mach
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life SciencesVienna, Austria
| | | | - Tsafrir S Mor
- The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State UniversityTempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Herta Steinkellner
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life SciencesVienna, Austria
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38
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Abstract
In this review, we consider a selection of recent advances in chloroplast biology. These include new findings concerning chloroplast evolution, such as the identification of Chlamydiae as a third partner in primary endosymbiosis, a second instance of primary endosymbiosis represented by the chromatophores found in amoebae of the genus Paulinella, and a new explanation for the longevity of captured chloroplasts (kleptoplasts) in sacoglossan sea slugs. The controversy surrounding the three-dimensional structure of grana, its recent resolution by tomographic analyses, and the role of the CURVATURE THYLAKOID1 (CURT1) proteins in supporting grana formation are also discussed. We also present an updated inventory of photosynthetic proteins and the factors involved in the assembly of thylakoid multiprotein complexes, and evaluate findings that reveal that cyclic electron flow involves NADPH dehydrogenase (NDH)- and PGRL1/PGR5-dependent pathways, both of which receive electrons from ferredoxin. Other topics covered in this review include new protein components of nucleoids, an updated inventory of the chloroplast proteome, new enzymes in chlorophyll biosynthesis and new candidate messengers in retrograde signaling. Finally, we discuss the first successful synthetic biology approaches that resulted in chloroplasts in which electrons from the photosynthetic light reactions are fed to enzymes derived from secondary metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poul Erik Jensen
- Copenhagen Plant Science Center (CPSC), Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of CopenhagenThorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg CDenmark
| | - Dario Leister
- Copenhagen Plant Science Center (CPSC), Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of CopenhagenThorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg CDenmark
- Plant Molecular Biology, Department of Biology I, Ludwig-Maximilians-University MunichGroßhaderner Str. 2, D-82152 Planegg-MartinsriedGermany
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39
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Scharff LB, Bock R. Synthetic biology in plastids. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2014; 78:783-98. [PMID: 24147738 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.12356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2013] [Revised: 10/08/2013] [Accepted: 10/16/2013] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Plastids (chloroplasts) harbor a small gene-dense genome that is amenable to genetic manipulation by transformation. During 1 billion years of evolution from the cyanobacterial endosymbiont to present-day chloroplasts, the plastid genome has undergone a dramatic size reduction, mainly as a result of gene losses and the large-scale transfer of genes to the nuclear genome. Thus the plastid genome can be regarded as a naturally evolved miniature genome, the gradual size reduction and compaction of which has provided a blueprint for the design of minimum genomes. Furthermore, because of the largely prokaryotic genome structure and gene expression machinery, the high transgene expression levels attainable in transgenic chloroplasts and the very low production costs in plant systems, the chloroplast lends itself to synthetic biology applications that are directed towards the efficient synthesis of green chemicals, biopharmaceuticals and other metabolites of commercial interest. This review describes recent progress with the engineering of plastid genomes with large constructs of foreign or synthetic DNA, and highlights the potential of the chloroplast as a model system in bottom-up and top-down synthetic biology approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars B Scharff
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Am Mühlenberg 1, D-14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
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Patron NJ. DNA assembly for plant biology: techniques and tools. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2014; 19:14-19. [PMID: 24632010 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2014.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2013] [Accepted: 02/10/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
As the speed and accuracy of genome sequencing improves, there are ever-increasing resources available for the design and construction of synthetic DNA parts. These can be used to engineer plant genomes to produce new functions or to elucidate the function of endogenous sequences. Until recently the assembly of amplified or cloned sequences into large and complex designs was a limiting step in plant synthetic biology and biotechnology. A number of new methods for assembling DNA molecules have been developed in the last few years, several of which have been applied to the production of molecules used to modify plant genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola J Patron
- The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7UH, UK.
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41
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Sweetlove LJ, Obata T, Fernie AR. Systems analysis of metabolic phenotypes: what have we learnt? TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2014; 19:222-30. [PMID: 24139444 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2013.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2013] [Revised: 09/12/2013] [Accepted: 09/18/2013] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Flux is one of the most informative measures of metabolic behavior. Its estimation requires integration of experimental and modeling approaches and, thus, is at the heart of metabolic systems biology. In this review, we argue that flux analysis and modeling of a range of plant systems points to the importance of the supply of metabolic inputs and demand for metabolic end-products as key drivers of metabolic behavior. This has implications for metabolic engineering, and the use of in silico models will be important to help design more effective engineering strategies. We also consider the importance of cell type-specific metabolism and the challenges of characterizing metabolism at this resolution. A combination of new measurement technologies and modeling approaches is bringing us closer to integrating metabolic behavior with whole-plant physiology and growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee J Sweetlove
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK.
| | - Toshihiro Obata
- Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Alisdair R Fernie
- Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany.
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42
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Zagorchev L, Kamenova P, Odjakova M. The role of plant cell wall proteins in response to salt stress. ScientificWorldJournal 2014; 2014:764089. [PMID: 24574917 PMCID: PMC3916024 DOI: 10.1155/2014/764089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2013] [Accepted: 10/29/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Contemporary agriculture is facing new challenges with the increasing population and demand for food on Earth and the decrease in crop productivity due to abiotic stresses such as water deficit, high salinity, and extreme fluctuations of temperatures. The knowledge of plant stress responses, though widely extended in recent years, is still unable to provide efficient strategies for improvement of agriculture. The focus of study has been shifted to the plant cell wall as a dynamic and crucial component of the plant cell that could immediately respond to changes in the environment. The investigation of plant cell wall proteins, especially in commercially important monocot crops revealed the high involvement of this compartment in plants stress responses, but there is still much more to be comprehended. The aim of this review is to summarize the available data on this issue and to point out the future areas of interest that should be studied in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyuben Zagorchev
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, 8 Dragan Tsankov Boulevard, 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Plamena Kamenova
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, 8 Dragan Tsankov Boulevard, 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Mariela Odjakova
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, 8 Dragan Tsankov Boulevard, 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria
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Lassen LM, Nielsen AZ, Ziersen B, Gnanasekaran T, Møller BL, Jensen PE. Redirecting photosynthetic electron flow into light-driven synthesis of alternative products including high-value bioactive natural compounds. ACS Synth Biol 2014; 3:1-12. [PMID: 24328185 DOI: 10.1021/sb400136f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthesis in plants, green algae, and cyanobacteria converts solar energy into chemical energy in the form of ATP and NADPH, both of which are used in primary metabolism. However, often more reducing power is generated by the photosystems than what is needed for primary metabolism. In this review, we discuss the development in the research field, focusing on how the photosystems can be used as synthetic biology building blocks to channel excess reducing power into light-driven production of alternative products. Plants synthesize a large number of high-value bioactive natural compounds. Some of the key enzymes catalyzing their biosynthesis are the cytochrome P450s situated in the endoplasmic reticulum. However, bioactive compounds are often synthesized in low quantities in the plants and are difficult to produce by chemical synthesis due to their often complex structures. Through a synthetic biology approach, enzymes with a requirement for reducing equivalents as cofactors, such as the cytochrome P450s, can be coupled directly to the photosynthetic energy output to obtain environmentally friendly production of complex chemical compounds. By relocating cytochrome P450s to the chloroplasts, reducing power can be diverted toward the reactions catalyzed by the cytochrome P450s. This provides a sustainable production method for high-value compounds that potentially can solve the problem of NADPH regeneration, which currently limits the biotechnological uses of cytochrome P450s. We describe the approaches that have been taken to couple enzymes to photosynthesis in vivo and to photosystem I in vitro and the challenges associated with this approach to develop new green production platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lærke Münter Lassen
- UNIK Center
for Synthetic
Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Center “bioSYNergy”,
the VILLUM Research Center “Plant Plasticity”, Copenhagen
Plant Science Center, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Agnieszka Zygadlo Nielsen
- UNIK Center
for Synthetic
Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Center “bioSYNergy”,
the VILLUM Research Center “Plant Plasticity”, Copenhagen
Plant Science Center, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Bibi Ziersen
- UNIK Center
for Synthetic
Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Center “bioSYNergy”,
the VILLUM Research Center “Plant Plasticity”, Copenhagen
Plant Science Center, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thiyagarajan Gnanasekaran
- UNIK Center
for Synthetic
Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Center “bioSYNergy”,
the VILLUM Research Center “Plant Plasticity”, Copenhagen
Plant Science Center, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Birger Lindberg Møller
- UNIK Center
for Synthetic
Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Center “bioSYNergy”,
the VILLUM Research Center “Plant Plasticity”, Copenhagen
Plant Science Center, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Poul Erik Jensen
- UNIK Center
for Synthetic
Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Center “bioSYNergy”,
the VILLUM Research Center “Plant Plasticity”, Copenhagen
Plant Science Center, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Vieira LDN, Faoro H, Fraga HPDF, Rogalski M, de Souza EM, de Oliveira Pedrosa F, Nodari RO, Guerra MP. An improved protocol for intact chloroplasts and cpDNA isolation in conifers. PLoS One 2014; 9:e84792. [PMID: 24392157 PMCID: PMC3879346 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2013] [Accepted: 11/27/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Performing chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) isolation is considered a major challenge among different plant groups, especially conifers. Isolating chloroplasts in conifers by such conventional methods as sucrose gradient and high salt has not been successful. So far, plastid genome sequencing protocols for conifer species have been based mainly on long-range PCR, which is known to be time-consuming and difficult to implement. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We developed a protocol for cpDNA isolation using three different conifer families: Araucaria angustifolia and Araucaria bidwilli (Araucariaceae), Podocarpus lambertii (Podocarpaceae) and Pinus patula (Pinaceae). The present protocol is based on high salt isolation buffer followed by saline Percoll gradient. Combining these two strategies allowed enhanced chloroplast isolation, along with decreased contamination caused by polysaccharides, polyphenols, proteins, and nuclear DNA in cpDNA. Microscopy images confirmed the presence of intact chloroplasts in high abundance. This method was applied to cpDNA isolation and subsequent sequencing by Illumina MiSeq (2×250 bp), using only 50 ng of cpDNA. Reference-guided chloroplast genome mapping showed that high average coverage was achieved for all evaluated species: 24.63 for A. angustifolia, 135.97 for A. bidwilli, 1196.10 for P. lambertii, and 64.68 for P. patula. CONCLUSION Results show that this improved protocol is suitable for enhanced quality and yield of chloroplasts and cpDNA isolation from conifers, providing a useful tool for studies that require isolated chloroplasts and/or whole cpDNA sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila do Nascimento Vieira
- Departamento de Fitotecnia, Programa de Pós Graduação em Recursos Genéticos Vegetais, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Helisson Faoro
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Núcleo de Fixação Biológica de Nitrogênio, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Hugo Pacheco de Freitas Fraga
- Departamento de Fitotecnia, Programa de Pós Graduação em Recursos Genéticos Vegetais, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Rogalski
- Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Emanuel Maltempi de Souza
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Núcleo de Fixação Biológica de Nitrogênio, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Fábio de Oliveira Pedrosa
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Núcleo de Fixação Biológica de Nitrogênio, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Rubens Onofre Nodari
- Departamento de Fitotecnia, Programa de Pós Graduação em Recursos Genéticos Vegetais, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Miguel Pedro Guerra
- Departamento de Fitotecnia, Programa de Pós Graduação em Recursos Genéticos Vegetais, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
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45
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Farré G, Blancquaert D, Capell T, Van Der Straeten D, Christou P, Zhu C. Engineering complex metabolic pathways in plants. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PLANT BIOLOGY 2014; 65:187-223. [PMID: 24579989 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-arplant-050213-035825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic engineering can be used to modulate endogenous metabolic pathways in plants or introduce new metabolic capabilities in order to increase the production of a desirable compound or reduce the accumulation of an undesirable one. In practice, there are several major challenges that need to be overcome, such as gaining enough knowledge about the endogenous pathways to understand the best intervention points, identifying and sourcing the most suitable metabolic genes, expressing those genes in such a way as to produce a functional enzyme in a heterologous background, and, finally, achieving the accumulation of target compounds without harming the host plant. This article discusses the strategies that have been developed to engineer complex metabolic pathways in plants, focusing on recent technological developments that allow the most significant bottlenecks to be overcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemma Farré
- Departament de Producció Vegetal i Ciència Forestal, Universitat de Lleida, Agrotecnio Center, 25198 Lleida, Spain;
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46
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Plant amino acid-derived vitamins: biosynthesis and function. Amino Acids 2013; 46:809-24. [PMID: 24368523 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-013-1653-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2013] [Accepted: 12/14/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Vitamins are essential organic compounds for humans, having lost the ability to de novo synthesize them. Hence, they represent dietary requirements, which are covered by plants as the main dietary source of most vitamins (through food or livestock's feed). Most vitamins synthesized by plants present amino acids as precursors (B1, B2, B3, B5, B7, B9 and E) and are therefore linked to plant nitrogen metabolism. Amino acids play different roles in their biosynthesis and metabolism, either incorporated into the backbone of the vitamin or as amino, sulfur or one-carbon group donors. There is a high natural variation in vitamin contents in crops and its exploitation through breeding, metabolic engineering and agronomic practices can enhance their nutritional quality. While the underlying biochemical roles of vitamins as cosubstrates or cofactors are usually common for most eukaryotes, the impact of vitamins B and E in metabolism and physiology can be quite different on plants and animals. Here, we first aim at giving an overview of the biosynthesis of amino acid-derived vitamins in plants, with a particular focus on how this knowledge can be exploited to increase vitamin contents in crops. Second, we will focus on the functions of these vitamins in both plants and animals (and humans in particular), to unravel common and specific roles for vitamins in evolutionary distant organisms, in which these amino acid-derived vitamins play, however, an essential role.
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47
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Bock R. Genetic engineering of the chloroplast: novel tools and new applications. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2013; 26:7-13. [PMID: 24679252 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2013.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2013] [Accepted: 06/28/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The plastid genome represents an attractive target of genetic engineering in crop plants. Plastid transgenes often give high expression levels, can be stacked in operons and are largely excluded from pollen transmission. Recent research has greatly expanded our toolbox for plastid genome engineering and many new proof-of-principle applications have highlighted the enormous potential of the transplastomic technology in both crop improvement and the development of plants as bioreactors for the sustainable and cost-effective production of biopharmaceuticals, enzymes and raw materials for the chemical industry. This review describes recent technological advances with plastid transformation in seed plants. It focuses on novel tools for plastid genome engineering and transgene expression and summarizes progress with harnessing the potential of plastid transformation in biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralph Bock
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Am Mühlenberg 1, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany.
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