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Zhang L, Feng Y, Zhao Z, Baoyin B, Cui Z, Wang H, Li Q, Cui J. Macrogenomics-Based Analysis of the Effects of Intercropped Soybean Photosynthetic Characteristics and Nitrogen-Assimilating Enzyme Activities on Yield at Different Nitrogen Levels. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1220. [PMID: 38930602 PMCID: PMC11206168 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Currently, China's soybean self-sufficiency rate is only 15%, highlighting the soybean crisis and the supply chain risks that pose a major threat to China's food security. Thus, it has become imperative to step up efforts to boost soybean production capacity while promoting the green and sustainable development of regional farmland ecosystems. In this context, the present study comprehensively investigated the effects of intercropping and nitrogen application rate on soybean yield, as well as the changes in gradients generated by different levels of nitrogen application. Based on six consecutive years of maize-soybean intercropping planting patterns, the inter-root soils of soybeans were collected at the flowering stage and evaluated for soil nitrogen content, nitrogen-assimilating enzyme activities, and microbial community composition of soybean, which were correlated with yield, to clarify the main pathways and modes of intercropping effects. The N2 level (80 kg·ha-1) was favourable for higher yield. In comparison to monocropping, the intercropping reduced yield by 9.65-13.01%, photosynthetic characteristics by 1.33-7.31%, and plant nitrogen-assimilating enzyme activities by 8.08-32.01% at the same level of N application. Likewise, soil urease and catalase activities were reduced by 9.22 and 1.80%, while soil nitrogen content declined by an average of 6.38%. Gemmatimonas and Bradyrhizobium enrichment significantly increased soil nitrogen content, photosynthetic characteristics, and soybean yield, while it was reduced by Candidatus_Udaeobacter and Candidatus_Solibacte enrichment. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for further optimising maize-soybean intercropping, which is crucial for enhancing the agricultural production structure and improving the overall soybean production capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liqiang Zhang
- College of Plant Science, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China; (L.Z.); (Y.F.); (Z.Z.); (B.B.); (H.W.)
| | - Yudi Feng
- College of Plant Science, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China; (L.Z.); (Y.F.); (Z.Z.); (B.B.); (H.W.)
| | - Zehang Zhao
- College of Plant Science, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China; (L.Z.); (Y.F.); (Z.Z.); (B.B.); (H.W.)
| | - Bate Baoyin
- College of Plant Science, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China; (L.Z.); (Y.F.); (Z.Z.); (B.B.); (H.W.)
| | - Zhengguo Cui
- Soybean Research Institute, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130033, China;
| | - Hongyu Wang
- College of Plant Science, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China; (L.Z.); (Y.F.); (Z.Z.); (B.B.); (H.W.)
| | - Qiuzhu Li
- College of Plant Science, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China; (L.Z.); (Y.F.); (Z.Z.); (B.B.); (H.W.)
| | - Jinhu Cui
- College of Plant Science, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China; (L.Z.); (Y.F.); (Z.Z.); (B.B.); (H.W.)
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Dai H, Zhang W, Hua B, Zhu Z, Zhang J, Zhang Z, Miao M. Cucumber STACHYOSE SYNTHASE is regulated by its cis-antisense RNA asCsSTS to balance source-sink carbon partitioning. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 35:435-452. [PMID: 36342214 PMCID: PMC9806573 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koac317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthate partitioning between source and sink is a key determinant of crop yield. In contrast to sucrose-transporting plants, cucumber (Cucumis sativus) plants mainly transport stachyose and stachyose synthase (CsSTS) synthesizes stachyose in the vasculature for loading. Therefore, CsSTS is considered a key regulator of carbon partitioning. We found that CsSTS expression and CsSTS enzyme activity were upregulated in the vasculature and downregulated in mesophyll tissues at fruiting. In situ hybridization and tissue enrichment experiments revealed that a cis-natural antisense noncoding transcript of CsSTS, named asCsSTS, is mainly expressed in mesophyll tissues. In vitro overexpression (OE), RNA interference (RNAi), and dual luciferase reporter experiments indicated that CsSTSs are negatively regulated by asCsSTS. Fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed that asCsSTS transcript localized in leaf cytoplasm, indicating that the regulation of CsSTS by asCsSTS is a posttranscriptional process. Further investigation revealed that this regulation occurred by reducing CsSTS transcript stability through a DICER-like protein-mediated pathway. Chemically induced OE and RNAi of asCsSTS led to promotion or inhibition, respectively, of assimilate export from leaves and altered fruit growth rates. Our results suggest that the regulation of CsSTSs between the mesophyll and vasculature reduces sugar storage in mesophyll tissue and promotes assimilate export from the leaf when the plant carries fruit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haibo Dai
- College of Horticulture and Landscape, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, 225009, China
| | - Wenyan Zhang
- College of Horticulture and Landscape, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, 225009, China
| | - Bing Hua
- College of Horticulture and Landscape, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, 225009, China
| | - Zihui Zhu
- College of Horticulture and Landscape, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, 225009, China
| | - Jinji Zhang
- College of Horticulture and Landscape, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, 225009, China
| | - Zhiping Zhang
- College of Horticulture and Landscape, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, 225009, China
| | - Minmin Miao
- College of Horticulture and Landscape, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, 225009, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, 225009, China
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, 225009, China
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Zeng M, He S, Hao J, Zhao Y, Zheng C. iTRAQ-based proteomic analysis of heteromorphic leaves reveals eco-adaptability of Populus euphratica Oliv. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 271:153644. [PMID: 35219031 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2022.153644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Heterophylly is regard as adaptation to different environments in plant, and Populus euphratica is an important heterophyllous woody plant. However, information on its molecular mechanism in eco-adaptability remains obscure. RESULTS In this research, proteins were identified by isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) technology in lanceolate, ovate, and dentate broad-ovate leaves from adult P. euphratica trees, respectively. Besides, chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate and peroxidase activity in these heteromorphic leaves were investigated. A total number of 2,689 proteins were detected in the heteromorphic leaves, of which 56, 73, and 222 differential abundance proteins (DAPs) were determined in ovate/lanceolate, dentate broad-ovate/lanceolate, and dentate broad-ovate/ovate comparison groups. Bioinformatics analysis suggested these altered proteins related to photosynthesis, stress tolerance, respiration and primary metabolism accumulated in dentate broad-ovate and ovate leaves, which were consistent with the results of physiological parameters and Real-time Quantitative PCR experiments. CONCLUSION This research demonstrated the mechanism of the differential abundance proteins in providing an optimal strategy of resource utilization and survival for P. euphratica, that could offer clues for further investigations into eco-adaptability of heterophyllous woody plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Zeng
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, No. 35 Qing Hua Dong Lu, Beijing, 100083, China; Guangdong Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, 510520, China.
| | - Shuhang He
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, No. 35 Qing Hua Dong Lu, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Jianqing Hao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanxi Medical University, No. 56 Xinjian Nan Lu, Taiyuan, 030001, China.
| | - Yuanyuan Zhao
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, No. 35 Qing Hua Dong Lu, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Caixia Zheng
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, No. 35 Qing Hua Dong Lu, Beijing, 100083, China.
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Mondal R, Kumar A, Chattopadhyay SK. Structural property, molecular regulation, and functional diversity of glutamine synthetase in higher plants: a data-mining bioinformatics approach. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 108:1565-1584. [PMID: 34628690 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Glutamine synthetase (GS; E.C.6.3.1.2) is a key enzyme in higher plants with two isozymes, cytosolic GS1 and plastidic GS2, and involves in the assimilation and recycling of NH4+ ions and maintenance of complex traits such as crop nitrogen-use efficiency and yield. Our present understanding of crop nitrogen-use efficiency and its correlation with the functional role of the GS family genes is inadequate, which delays harnessing the benefit of this key enzyme in crop improvement. In this report, we performed a comprehensive investigation on the phylogenetic relationship, structural properties, complex multilevel gene regulation, and expression patterns of the GS genes to enrich present understanding about the enzyme. Our Gene Ontology and protein-protein interactions analysis revealed the functional aspects of GS isozymes in stress mitigation, aging, nucleotide biosynthesis/transport, DNA repair and response to metals. The insight gained here contributes to the future research strategies in developing climate-smart crops for global sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raju Mondal
- Mulberry Tissue Culture Lab, Central Sericultural Germplasm Resources Centre (CSGRC), Central Silk Board, Ministry of Textile, Govt. of India, Hosur, 635109, India
| | - Amit Kumar
- Host Plant Section, Central Muga Eri Research & Training Institute, Central Silk Board, Ministry of Textile, Govt. of India, Lahdoigarh, Jorhat, Assam, 785700, India
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Li D, Xu R, Lv D, Zhang C, Yang H, Zhang J, Wen J, Li C, Tan X. Identification of the Core Pollen-Specific Regulation in the Rice OsSUT3 Promoter. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21061909. [PMID: 32168778 PMCID: PMC7139308 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21061909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The regulatory mechanisms of pollen development have potential value for applications in agriculture, such as better understanding plant reproductive regularity. Pollen-specific promoters are of vital importance for the ectopic expression of functional genes associated with pollen development in plants. However, there is a limited number of successful applications using pollen-specific promoters in genetic engineering for crop breeding and hybrid generation. Our previous work led to the identification and isolation of the OsSUT3 promoter from rice. In this study, to analyze the effects of different putative regulatory motifs in the OsSUT3 promoter, a series of promoter deletions were fused to a GUS reporter gene and then stably introduced into rice and Arabidopsis. Histochemical GUS analysis of transgenic plants revealed that p385 (from -385 to -1) specifically mediated maximal GUS expression in pollen tissues. The S region (from -385 to -203) was the key region for controlling the pollen-specific expression of a downstream gene. The E1 (-967 to -606), E2 (-202 to -120), and E3 (-119 to -1) regions enhanced ectopic promoter activity to different degrees. Moreover, the p385 promoter could alter the expression pattern of the 35S promoter and improve its activity when they were fused together. In summary, the p385 promoter, a short and high-activity promoter, can function to drive pollen-specific expression of transgenes in monocotyledon and dicotyledon transformation experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Li
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
- Post-Doctoral Research Station of Plant Protection as first class discipline, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Rucong Xu
- Rice Research Institute, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Dong Lv
- Rice Research Institute, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Chunlong Zhang
- Rice Research Institute, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Hong Yang
- Rice Research Institute, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Jianbo Zhang
- Rice Research Institute, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Jiancheng Wen
- Rice Research Institute, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Chengyun Li
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
- Post-Doctoral Research Station of Plant Protection as first class discipline, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
- Correspondence: (C.L.); (X.T.); Tel.: +86-0871-6522-7552 (C.L.); +86-0871-6522-7063 (X.T.)
| | - Xuelin Tan
- Rice Research Institute, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Engineering Research Center for Japonica Hybrid Rice, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
- Correspondence: (C.L.); (X.T.); Tel.: +86-0871-6522-7552 (C.L.); +86-0871-6522-7063 (X.T.)
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Singer SD, Soolanayakanahally RY, Foroud NA, Kroebel R. Biotechnological strategies for improved photosynthesis in a future of elevated atmospheric CO 2. PLANTA 2019; 251:24. [PMID: 31784816 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-019-03301-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The improvement of photosynthesis using biotechnological approaches has been the focus of much research. It is now vital that these strategies be assessed under future atmospheric conditions. The demand for crop products is expanding at an alarming rate due to population growth, enhanced affluence, increased per capita calorie consumption, and an escalating need for plant-based bioproducts. While solving this issue will undoubtedly involve a multifaceted approach, improving crop productivity will almost certainly provide one piece of the puzzle. The improvement of photosynthetic efficiency has been a long-standing goal of plant biotechnologists as possibly one of the last remaining means of achieving higher yielding crops. However, the vast majority of these studies have not taken into consideration possible outcomes when these plants are grown long-term under the elevated CO2 concentrations (e[CO2]) that will be evident in the not too distant future. Due to the considerable effect that CO2 levels have on the photosynthetic process, these assessments should become commonplace as a means of ensuring that research in this field focuses on the most effective approaches for our future climate scenarios. In this review, we discuss the main biotechnological research strategies that are currently underway with the aim of improving photosynthetic efficiency and biomass production/yields in the context of a future of e[CO2], as well as alternative approaches that may provide further photosynthetic benefits under these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacy D Singer
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 4B1, Canada.
| | - Raju Y Soolanayakanahally
- Saskatoon Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0X2, Canada
| | - Nora A Foroud
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 4B1, Canada
| | - Roland Kroebel
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 4B1, Canada
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Kaur H, Peel A, Acosta K, Gebril S, Ortega JL, Sengupta‐Gopalan C. Comparison of alfalfa plants overexpressing glutamine synthetase with those overexpressing sucrose phosphate synthase demonstrates a signaling mechanism integrating carbon and nitrogen metabolism between the leaves and nodules. PLANT DIRECT 2019; 3:e00115. [PMID: 31245757 PMCID: PMC6508842 DOI: 10.1002/pld3.115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Revised: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/26/2018] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Alfalfa, like other legumes, establishes a symbiotic relationship with the soil bacteria, Sinorhizobium meliloti, which results in the formation of the root nodules. Nodules contain the bacteria enclosed in a membrane-bound vesicle, the symbiosome where it fixes atmospheric N2 and converts it into ammonia using the bacterial enzyme, nitrogenase. The ammonia released into the cytoplasm from the symbiosome is assimilated into glutamine (Gln) using carbon skeletons produced by the metabolism of sucrose (Suc), which is imported into the nodules from the leaves. The key enzyme involved in the synthesis of Suc in the leaves is sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) and glutamine synthetase (GS) is the enzyme with a role in ammonia assimilation in the root nodules. Alfalfa plants, overexpressing SPS or GS, or both showed increased growth and an increase in nodule function. The endogenous genes for the key enzymes in C/N metabolism showed increased expression in the nodules of both sets of transformants. Furthermore, the endogenous SPS and GS genes were also induced in the leaves and nodules of the transformants, irrespective of the transgene, suggesting that the two classes of plants share a common signaling pathway regulating C/N metabolism in the nodules. This study reaffirms the utility of the nodulated legume plant to study C/N interaction and the cross talk between the source and sink for C and N.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harmanpreet Kaur
- Department of Plant and Environmental SciencesNew Mexico State UniversityLas CrucesNew Mexico
| | - Amanda Peel
- Department of Learning, Teaching and CurriculumUniversity of MissouriColumbiaMissouri
| | - Karen Acosta
- Department of Biochemistry and BiophysicsPerelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvania
| | - Sayed Gebril
- Department of HorticultureSohag UniversitySohagEgypt
| | - Jose Luis Ortega
- Department of Plant and Environmental SciencesNew Mexico State UniversityLas CrucesNew Mexico
| | - Champa Sengupta‐Gopalan
- Department of Plant and Environmental SciencesNew Mexico State UniversityLas CrucesNew Mexico
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8
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Ortega JL, Rajapakse W, Bagga S, Apodaca K, Lucero Y, Sengupta-Gopalan C. An intragenic approach to confer glyphosate resistance in chile (Capsicum annuum) by introducing an in vitro mutagenized chile EPSPS gene encoding for a glyphosate resistant EPSPS protein. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0194666. [PMID: 29649228 PMCID: PMC5896900 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Chile pepper (Capsicum annuum) is an important high valued crop worldwide, and when grown on a large scale has problems with weeds. One important herbicide used is glyphosate. Glyphosate inactivates the enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS), a key enzyme in the synthesis of aromatic amino acids. A transgenic approach towards making glyphosate resistant plants, entails introducing copies of a gene encoding for glyphosate-resistant EPSPS enzyme into the plant. The main objective of our work was to use an intragenic approach to confer resistance to glyphosate in chile which would require using only chile genes for transformation including the selectable marker. Tobacco was used as the transgenic system to identify different gene constructs that would allow for the development of the intragenic system for chile, since chile transformation is inefficient. An EPSPS gene was isolated from chile and mutagenized to introduce substitutions that are known to make the encoded enzyme resistant to glyphosate. The promoter for EPSPS gene was isolated from chile and the mutagenized chile EPSPS cDNA was engineered behind both the CaMV35S promoter and the EPSPS promoter. The leaves from the transformants were checked for resistance to glyphosate using a cut leaf assay. In tobacco, though both gene constructs exhibited some degree of resistance to glyphosate, the construct with the CaMV35S promoter was more effective and as such chile was transformed with this gene construct. The chile transformants showed resistance to low concentrations of glyphosate. Furthermore, preliminary studies showed that the mutated EPSPS gene driven by the CaMV35S promoter could be used as a selectable marker for transformation. We have shown that an intragenic approach can be used to confer glyphosate-resistance in chile. However, we need a stronger chile promoter and a mutated chile gene that encodes for a more glyphosate resistant EPSPS protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Luis Ortega
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Wathsala Rajapakse
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Suman Bagga
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Kimberly Apodaca
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Yvonne Lucero
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Champa Sengupta-Gopalan
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States of America
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9
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Lu T, Liu L, Wei M, Liu Y, Qu Z, Yang C, Wei H, Wei Z. The Effect of Poplar PsnGS1.2 Overexpression on Growth, Secondary Cell Wall, and Fiber Characteristics in Tobacco. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:9. [PMID: 29403519 PMCID: PMC5780347 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The glutamine synthetase (GS1) is a key enzyme that catalyzes the reaction of glutamate and ammonia to produce glutamine in the nitrogen (N) metabolism. Previous studies on GS1s in several plant species suggest that overexpression of GS1s can enhance N utilization, accelerate plant vegetative growth, and change wood formation. In this study, we isolated a GS1 gene, termed PsnGS1.2, from Populus simonii × Populus nigra. This gene was expressed at a higher level in roots, and relatively lower but detectable levels in xylem, leaves and phloem of P. simonii × P. nigra. The protein encoded by PsnGS1.2 is primarily located in the cytoplasm. Overexpression of PsnGS1.2 in tobacco led to the increased GS1 activity and IAA content, the augmented N assimilation, and the enlarged leaves with altered anatomical structures. These changes presumably promoted photosynthetic, growth, and biomass productivity. It was noteworthy that the secondary cell walls and fiber characteristics changed remarkably in PsnGS1.2 transgenic tobacco. These changes aligned well with the altered expression levels of the genes involved in fiber development, secondary cell wall component biosynthesis, IAA biosynthesis, amino acid transport, and starch breakdown. Taken together, the results from our study suggest that catalytic functions of PsnGS1.2 on N assimilation and metabolism in transgenic tobacco had significant effects on vegetative growth, leaf development, and secondary cell wall formation and properties through acceleration of photosynthesis and IAA biosynthesis, and redirection of carbon flux to synthesis of more cellulose and hemicellulose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Lulu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Minjing Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Yingying Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Zianshang Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Chuanping Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Hairong Wei
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, United States
| | - Zhigang Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
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10
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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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11
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Seger M, Gebril S, Tabilona J, Peel A, Sengupta-Gopalan C. Impact of concurrent overexpression of cytosolic glutamine synthetase (GS1) and sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) on growth and development in transgenic tobacco. PLANTA 2015; 241:69-81. [PMID: 25213117 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-014-2165-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2014] [Accepted: 09/03/2014] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
MAIN CONCLUSION The outcome of simultaneously increasing SPS and GS activities in transgenic tobacco, suggests that sucrose is the major determinant of growth and development, and is not affected by changes in N assimilation. Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) are the major components required for plant growth and the metabolic pathways for C and N assimilation are very closely interlinked. Maintaining an appropriate balance or ratio of sugar to nitrogen metabolites in the cell, is important for the regulation of plant growth and development. To understand how C and N metabolism interact, we manipulated the expression of key genes in C and N metabolism individually and concurrently and checked for the repercussions. Transgenic tobacco plants with a cytosolic soybean glutamine synthetase (GS1) gene and a sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) gene from maize, both driven by the CaMV 35S promoter were produced. Co-transformants, with both the transgenes were produced by sexual crosses. While GS is the key enzyme in N assimilation, involved in the synthesis of glutamine, SPS plays a key role in C metabolism by catalyzing the synthesis of sucrose. Moreover, to check if nitrate has any role in this interaction, the plants were grown under both low and high nitrogen. The SPS enzyme activity in the SPS and SPS/GS1 co-transformants were the same under both nitrogen regimens. However, the GS activity was lower in the co-transformants compared to the GS1 transformants, specifically under low nitrogen conditions. The GS1/SPS transformants showed a phenotype similar to the SPS transformants, suggesting that sucrose is the major determinant of growth and development in tobacco, and its effect is only marginally affected by increased N assimilation. Sucrose may be functioning in a metabolic capacity or as a signaling molecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Seger
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, 88003, USA
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Thomsen HC, Eriksson D, Møller IS, Schjoerring JK. Cytosolic glutamine synthetase: a target for improvement of crop nitrogen use efficiency? TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2014; 19:656-63. [PMID: 25017701 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2014.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2014] [Revised: 05/30/2014] [Accepted: 06/02/2014] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Overexpression of the cytosolic enzyme glutamine synthetase 1 (GS1) has been investigated in numerous cases with the goal of improving crop nitrogen use efficiency. However, the outcome has generally been inconsistent. Here, we review possible reasons underlying the lack of success and conclude that GS1 activity may be downregulated via a chain of processes elicited by metabolic imbalances and environmental constraints. We suggest that a pivotal role of GS1 may be related to the maintenance of essential nitrogen (N) flows and internal N sensing during critical stages of plant development. A number of more refined overexpression strategies exploiting gene stacking combined with tissue and cell specific targeting to overcome metabolic bottlenecks are considered along with their potential in relation to new N management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanne C Thomsen
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Plant and Soil Science Section, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Dennis Eriksson
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Plant and Soil Science Section, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Inge S Møller
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Plant and Soil Science Section, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Jan K Schjoerring
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Plant and Soil Science Section, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
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Griffiths AG, Barrett BA, Simon D, Khan AK, Bickerstaff P, Anderson CB, Franzmayr BK, Hancock KR, Jones CS. An integrated genetic linkage map for white clover (Trifolium repens L.) with alignment to Medicago. BMC Genomics 2013; 14:388. [PMID: 23758831 PMCID: PMC3693905 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-14-388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2013] [Accepted: 05/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND White clover (Trifolium repens L.) is a temperate forage legume with an allotetraploid genome (2n=4×=32) estimated at 1093 Mb. Several linkage maps of various sizes, marker sources and completeness are available, however, no integrated map and marker set has explored consistency of linkage analysis among unrelated mapping populations. Such integrative analysis requires tools for homoeologue matching among populations. Development of these tools provides for a consistent framework map of the white clover genome, and facilitates in silico alignment with the model forage legume, Medicago truncatula. RESULTS This is the first report of integration of independent linkage maps in white clover, and adds to the literature on methyl filtered GeneThresher®-derived microsatellite (simple sequence repeat; SSR) markers for linkage mapping. Gene-targeted SSR markers were discovered in a GeneThresher® (TrGT) methyl-filtered database of 364,539 sequences, which yielded 15,647 SSR arrays. Primers were designed for 4,038 arrays and of these, 465 TrGT-SSR markers were used for parental consensus genetic linkage analysis in an F1 mapping population (MP2). This was merged with an EST-SSR consensus genetic map of an independent population (MP1), using markers to match homoeologues and develop a multi-population integrated map of the white clover genome. This integrated map (IM) includes 1109 loci based on 804 SSRs over 1274 cM, covering 97% of the genome at a moderate density of one locus per 1.2 cM. Eighteen candidate genes and one morphological marker were also placed on the IM. Despite being derived from disparate populations and marker sources, the component maps and the derived IM had consistent representations of the white clover genome for marker order and genetic length. In silico analysis at an E-value threshold of 1e-20 revealed substantial co-linearity with the Medicago truncatula genome, and indicates a translocation between T. repens groups 2 and 6 relative to M. truncatula. CONCLUSIONS This integrated genetic linkage analysis provides a consistent and comprehensive linkage analysis of the white clover genome, with alignment to a model forage legume. Associated marker locus information, particularly the homoeologue-specific markers, offers a new resource for forage legume research to enable genetic analysis and improvement of this forage and grassland species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew G Griffiths
- AgResearch Grasslands Research Centre, Private Bag 11008, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
- Pastoral Genomics, ℅ AgResearch Grasslands Research Centre, Private Bag 11008, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | - Brent A Barrett
- AgResearch Grasslands Research Centre, Private Bag 11008, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | - Deborah Simon
- Landcorp Farming Limited, PO Box 5349, Wellington, 6145, New Zealand
| | - Anar K Khan
- AgResearch Invermay Agricultural Centre, Private Bag 50034, Mosgiel, 9053, New Zealand
| | | | - Craig B Anderson
- AgResearch Grasslands Research Centre, Private Bag 11008, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
- Pastoral Genomics, ℅ AgResearch Grasslands Research Centre, Private Bag 11008, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | - Benjamin K Franzmayr
- AgResearch Grasslands Research Centre, Private Bag 11008, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
- Pastoral Genomics, ℅ AgResearch Grasslands Research Centre, Private Bag 11008, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | - Kerry R Hancock
- AgResearch Grasslands Research Centre, Private Bag 11008, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
- Pastoral Genomics, ℅ AgResearch Grasslands Research Centre, Private Bag 11008, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | - Chris S Jones
- AgResearch Grasslands Research Centre, Private Bag 11008, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
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