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Hu H, Du H. A comprehensive framework for the production of plant-based molecules. NATURE FOOD 2024; 5:461-462. [PMID: 38872015 DOI: 10.1038/s43016-024-00995-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Huayi Hu
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hao Du
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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2
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Joshi J, Hanson AD. A pilot oral history of plant synthetic biology. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 195:36-47. [PMID: 38163646 PMCID: PMC11060686 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The whole field of synthetic biology (SynBio) is only about 20 years old, and plant SynBio is younger still. Nevertheless, within that short time, SynBio in general has drawn more scientific, philosophical, government, and private-sector interest than anything in biology since the recombinant DNA revolution. Plant SynBio, in particular, is now drawing more and more interest in relation to plants' potential to help solve planetary problems such as carbon capture and storage and replacing fossil fuels and feedstocks. As plant SynBio is so young and so fast-developing, we felt it was too soon to try to analyze its history. Instead, we set out to capture the essence of plant SynBio's origins and early development through interviews with 8 of the field's founders, representing 5 countries and 3 continents. We then distilled these founders' personal recollections and reflections into this review, centering the narrative on timelines for pivotal events, articles, funding programs, and quoting from interviews. We have archived the interview recordings and documented timeline entries. This work provides a resource for future historical scholarship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaya Joshi
- Department of Wood Science, University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Andrew D Hanson
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, 2550 Hull Road, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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3
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Boo A, Toth T, Yu Q, Pfotenhauer A, Fields BD, Lenaghan SC, Stewart CN, Voigt CA. Synthetic microbe-to-plant communication channels. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1817. [PMID: 38418817 PMCID: PMC10901793 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45897-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Plants and microbes communicate to collaborate to stop pests, scavenge nutrients, and react to environmental change. Microbiota consisting of thousands of species interact with each other and plants using a large chemical language that is interpreted by complex regulatory networks. In this work, we develop modular interkingdom communication channels, enabling bacteria to convey environmental stimuli to plants. We introduce a "sender device" in Pseudomonas putida and Klebsiella pneumoniae, that produces the small molecule p-coumaroyl-homoserine lactone (pC-HSL) when the output of a sensor or circuit turns on. This molecule triggers a "receiver device" in the plant to activate gene expression. We validate this system in Arabidopsis thaliana and Solanum tuberosum (potato) grown hydroponically and in soil, demonstrating its modularity by swapping bacteria that process different stimuli, including IPTG, aTc and arsenic. Programmable communication channels between bacteria and plants will enable microbial sentinels to transmit information to crops and provide the building blocks for designing artificial consortia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Boo
- Department of Biological Engineering, Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Tyler Toth
- Department of Biological Engineering, Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Qiguo Yu
- Department of Biological Engineering, Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Alexander Pfotenhauer
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Brandon D Fields
- Department of Biological Engineering, Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Scott C Lenaghan
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - C Neal Stewart
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Christopher A Voigt
- Department of Biological Engineering, Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
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4
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Lucido A, Andrade F, Basallo O, Eleiwa A, Marin-Sanguino A, Vilaprinyo E, Sorribas A, Alves R. Modeling the effects of strigolactone levels on maize root system architecture. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 14:1329556. [PMID: 38273953 PMCID: PMC10808495 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1329556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Maize is the most in-demand staple crop globally. Its production relies strongly on the use of fertilizers for the supply of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which the plant absorbs through its roots, together with water. The architecture of maize roots is determinant in modulating how the plant interacts with the microbiome and extracts nutrients and water from the soil. As such, attempts to use synthetic biology and modulate that architecture to make the plant more resilient to drought and parasitic plants are underway. These attempts often try to modulate the biosynthesis of hormones that determine root architecture and growth. Experiments are laborious and time-consuming, creating the need for simulation platforms that can integrate metabolic models and 3D root growth models and predict the effects of synthetic biology interventions on both, hormone levels and root system architectures. Here, we present an example of such a platform that is built using Mathematica. First, we develop a root model, and use it to simulate the growth of many unique 3D maize root system architectures (RSAs). Then, we couple this model to a metabolic model that simulates the biosynthesis of strigolactones, hormones that modulate root growth and development. The coupling allows us to simulate the effect of changing strigolactone levels on the architecture of the roots. We then integrate the two models in a simulation platform, where we also add the functionality to analyze the effect of strigolactone levels on root phenotype. Finally, using in silico experiments, we show that our models can reproduce both the phenotype of wild type maize, and the effect that varying strigolactone levels have on changing the architecture of maize roots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abel Lucido
- Systems Biology Group, Department Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat de Lleida, Lleida, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Spain
| | - Fabian Andrade
- Systems Biology Group, Department Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat de Lleida, Lleida, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Spain
| | - Oriol Basallo
- Systems Biology Group, Department Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat de Lleida, Lleida, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Spain
| | - Abderrahmane Eleiwa
- Systems Biology Group, Department Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat de Lleida, Lleida, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Spain
| | - Alberto Marin-Sanguino
- Systems Biology Group, Department Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat de Lleida, Lleida, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Spain
| | - Ester Vilaprinyo
- Systems Biology Group, Department Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat de Lleida, Lleida, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Spain
| | - Albert Sorribas
- Systems Biology Group, Department Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat de Lleida, Lleida, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Spain
| | - Rui Alves
- Systems Biology Group, Department Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat de Lleida, Lleida, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), Lleida, Spain
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5
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Calvache C, Vazquez‐Vilar M, Moreno‐Giménez E, Orzaez D. A quantitative autonomous bioluminescence reporter system with a wide dynamic range for Plant Synthetic Biology. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2024; 22:37-47. [PMID: 37882352 PMCID: PMC10754000 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Plant Synthetic Biology aims to enhance the capacities of plants by designing and integrating synthetic gene circuits (SGCs). Quantitative reporting solutions that can produce quick, rich datasets affordably are necessary for SGC optimization. In this paper, we present a new, low-cost, and high-throughput reporter system for the quantitative measurement of gene expression in plants based on autonomous bioluminescence. This method eliminates the need for an exogenous supply of luciferase substrate by exploiting the entire Neonothopanus nambi fungal bioluminescence cyclic pathway to build a self-sustained reporter. The HispS gene, the pathway's limiting step, was set up as the reporter's transcriptional entry point as part of the new system's design, which significantly improved the output's dynamic range and brought it on par with that of the gold standard FLuc/RLuc reporter. Additionally, transient ratiometric measurements in N. benthamiana were made possible by the addition of an enhanced GFP as a normalizer. The performance of new NeoLuc/eGFP system was extensively validated with SGCs previously described, including phytohormone and optogenetic sensors. Furthermore, we employed NeoLuc/eGFP in the optimization of challenging SGCs, including new configurations for an agrochemical (copper) switch, a new blue optogenetic sensor, and a dual copper/red-light switch for tight regulation of metabolic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilo Calvache
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasUniversitat Politècnica de ValénciaValenciaSpain
| | - Marta Vazquez‐Vilar
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasUniversitat Politècnica de ValénciaValenciaSpain
| | - Elena Moreno‐Giménez
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasUniversitat Politècnica de ValénciaValenciaSpain
| | - Diego Orzaez
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasUniversitat Politècnica de ValénciaValenciaSpain
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Liu S, Zenda T, Tian Z, Huang Z. Metabolic pathways engineering for drought or/and heat tolerance in cereals. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1111875. [PMID: 37810398 PMCID: PMC10557149 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1111875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Drought (D) and heat (H) are the two major abiotic stresses hindering cereal crop growth and productivity, either singly or in combination (D/+H), by imposing various negative impacts on plant physiological and biochemical processes. Consequently, this decreases overall cereal crop production and impacts global food availability and human nutrition. To achieve global food and nutrition security vis-a-vis global climate change, deployment of new strategies for enhancing crop D/+H stress tolerance and higher nutritive value in cereals is imperative. This depends on first gaining a mechanistic understanding of the mechanisms underlying D/+H stress response. Meanwhile, functional genomics has revealed several stress-related genes that have been successfully used in target-gene approach to generate stress-tolerant cultivars and sustain crop productivity over the past decades. However, the fast-changing climate, coupled with the complexity and multigenic nature of D/+H tolerance suggest that single-gene/trait targeting may not suffice in improving such traits. Hence, in this review-cum-perspective, we advance that targeted multiple-gene or metabolic pathway manipulation could represent the most effective approach for improving D/+H stress tolerance. First, we highlight the impact of D/+H stress on cereal crops, and the elaborate plant physiological and molecular responses. We then discuss how key primary metabolism- and secondary metabolism-related metabolic pathways, including carbon metabolism, starch metabolism, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) biosynthesis, and phytohormone biosynthesis and signaling can be modified using modern molecular biotechnology approaches such as CRISPR-Cas9 system and synthetic biology (Synbio) to enhance D/+H tolerance in cereal crops. Understandably, several bottlenecks hinder metabolic pathway modification, including those related to feedback regulation, gene functional annotation, complex crosstalk between pathways, and metabolomics data and spatiotemporal gene expressions analyses. Nonetheless, recent advances in molecular biotechnology, genome-editing, single-cell metabolomics, and data annotation and analysis approaches, when integrated, offer unprecedented opportunities for pathway engineering for enhancing crop D/+H stress tolerance and improved yield. Especially, Synbio-based strategies will accelerate the development of climate resilient and nutrient-dense cereals, critical for achieving global food security and combating malnutrition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songtao Liu
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Quality & Safety Analysis-Testing for Agro-Products and Food, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, China
| | - Tinashe Zenda
- State Key Laboratory of North China Crop Improvement and Regulation, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Zaimin Tian
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Quality & Safety Analysis-Testing for Agro-Products and Food, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, China
| | - Zhihong Huang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Quality & Safety Analysis-Testing for Agro-Products and Food, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, China
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Wang Q, Hu Z, Li Z, Liu T, Bian G. Exploring the Application and Prospects of Synthetic Biology in Engineered Living Materials. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023:e2305828. [PMID: 37677048 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202305828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
At the intersection of synthetic biology and materials science, engineered living materials (ELMs) exhibit unprecedented potential. Possessing unique "living" attributes, ELMs represent a significant paradigm shift in material design, showcasing self-organization, self-repair, adaptability, and evolvability, surpassing conventional synthetic materials. This review focuses on reviewing the applications of ELMs derived from bacteria, fungi, and plants in environmental remediation, eco-friendly architecture, and sustainable energy. The review provides a comprehensive overview of the latest research progress and emerging design strategies for ELMs in various application fields from the perspectives of synthetic biology and materials science. In addition, the review provides valuable references for the design of novel ELMs, extending the potential applications of future ELMs. The investigation into the synergistic application possibilities amongst different species of ELMs offers beneficial reference information for researchers and practitioners in this field. Finally, future trends and development challenges of synthetic biology for ELMs in the coming years are discussed in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiwen Wang
- Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Center of Materials Synthetic Biology, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Zhehui Hu
- Center of Materials Synthetic Biology, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Zhixuan Li
- Center of Materials Synthetic Biology, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Tiangang Liu
- Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Guangkai Bian
- Center of Materials Synthetic Biology, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
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8
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Huang Y, Liu Y, Guo X, Fan C, Yi C, Shi Q, Su H, Liu C, Yuan J, Liu D, Yang W, Han F. New insights on the evolution of nucleolar dominance in newly resynthesized hexaploid wheat Triticum zhukovskyi. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 115:1298-1315. [PMID: 37246611 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Nucleolar dominance (ND) is a widespread epigenetic phenomenon in hybridizations where nucleolus transcription fails at the nucleolus organizer region (NOR). However, the dynamics of NORs during the formation of Triticum zhukovskyi (GGAu Au Am Am ), another evolutionary branch of allohexaploid wheat, remains poorly understood. Here, we elucidated genetic and epigenetic changes occurring at the NOR loci within the Am , G, and D subgenomes during allopolyploidization by synthesizing hexaploid wheat GGAu Au Am Am and GGAu Au DD. In T. zhukovskyi, Au genome NORs from T. timopheevii (GGAu Au ) were lost, while the second incoming NORs from T. monococcum (Am Am ) were retained. Analysis of the synthesized T. zhukovskyi revealed that rRNA genes from the Am genome were silenced in F1 hybrids (GAu Am ) and remained inactive after genome doubling and subsequent self-pollinations. We observed increased DNA methylation accompanying the inactivation of NORs in the Am genome and found that silencing of NORs in the S1 generation could be reversed by a cytidine methylase inhibitor. Our findings provide insights into the ND process during the evolutionary period of T. zhukovskyi and highlight that inactive rDNA units may serve as a 'first reserve' in the form of R-loops, contributing to the successful evolution of T. zhukovskyi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhong Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Xianrui Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Chaolan Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Congyang Yi
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Qinghua Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Handong Su
- Huazhong Agricultural University, Hubei, 430070, China
| | - Chang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Jing Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Dengcai Liu
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Wuyun Yang
- Crop Research Institute, Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, 610066, China
| | - Fangpu Han
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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9
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Datta D, Weiss EL, Wangpraseurt D, Hild E, Chen S, Golden JW, Golden SS, Pokorski JK. Phenotypically complex living materials containing engineered cyanobacteria. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4742. [PMID: 37550278 PMCID: PMC10406891 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40265-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The field of engineered living materials lies at the intersection of materials science and synthetic biology with the aim of developing materials that can sense and respond to the environment. In this study, we use 3D printing to fabricate a cyanobacterial biocomposite material capable of producing multiple functional outputs in response to an external chemical stimulus and demonstrate the advantages of utilizing additive manufacturing techniques in controlling the shape of the fabricated photosynthetic material. As an initial proof-of-concept, a synthetic riboswitch is used to regulate the expression of a yellow fluorescent protein reporter in Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 within a hydrogel matrix. Subsequently, a strain of S. elongatus is engineered to produce an oxidative laccase enzyme; when printed within a hydrogel matrix the responsive biomaterial can decolorize a common textile dye pollutant, indigo carmine, potentially serving as a tool in environmental bioremediation. Finally, cells are engineered for inducible cell death to eliminate their presence once their activity is no longer required, which is an important function for biocontainment and minimizing environmental impact. By integrating genetically engineered stimuli-responsive cyanobacteria in volumetric 3D-printed designs, we demonstrate programmable photosynthetic biocomposite materials capable of producing functional outputs including, but not limited to, bioremediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debika Datta
- Department of Nanoengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Elliot L Weiss
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Wangpraseurt
- Department of Nanoengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Erica Hild
- Department of Nanoengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Shaochen Chen
- Department of Nanoengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - James W Golden
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Susan S Golden
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Jonathan K Pokorski
- Department of Nanoengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering and Institute for Materials Discovery and Design, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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10
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Agustinus B, Gillam EMJ. Solar-powered P450 catalysis: Engineering electron transfer pathways from photosynthesis to P450s. J Inorg Biochem 2023; 245:112242. [PMID: 37187017 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2023.112242] [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] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
With the increasing focus on green chemistry, biocatalysis is becoming more widely used in the pharmaceutical and other chemical industries for sustainable production of high value and structurally complex chemicals. Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) are attractive biocatalysts for industrial application due to their ability to transform a huge range of substrates in a stereo- and regiospecific manner. However, despite their appeal, the industrial application of P450s is limited by their dependence on costly reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) and one or more auxiliary redox partner proteins. Coupling P450s to the photosynthetic machinery of a plant allows photosynthetically-generated electrons to be used to drive catalysis, overcoming this cofactor dependency. Thus, photosynthetic organisms could serve as photobioreactors with the capability to produce value-added chemicals using only light, water, CO2 and an appropriate chemical as substrate for the reaction/s of choice, yielding new opportunities for producing commodity and high-value chemicals in a carbon-negative and sustainable manner. This review will discuss recent progress in using photosynthesis for light-driven P450 biocatalysis and explore the potential for further development of such systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernadius Agustinus
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - Elizabeth M J Gillam
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane 4072, Australia.
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Smet D, Opdebeeck H, Vandepoele K. Predicting transcriptional responses to heat and drought stress from genomic features using a machine learning approach in rice. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1212073. [PMID: 37528982 PMCID: PMC10390317 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1212073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Plants have evolved various mechanisms to adapt to adverse environmental stresses, such as the modulation of gene expression. Expression of stress-responsive genes is controlled by specific regulators, including transcription factors (TFs), that bind to sequence-specific binding sites, representing key components of cis-regulatory elements and regulatory networks. Our understanding of the underlying regulatory code remains, however, incomplete. Recent studies have shown that, by training machine learning (ML) algorithms on genomic sequence features, it is possible to predict which genes will transcriptionally respond to a specific stress. By identifying the most important features for gene expression prediction, these trained ML models allow, in theory, to further elucidate the regulatory code underlying the transcriptional response to abiotic stress. Here, we trained random forest ML models to predict gene expression in rice (Oryza sativa) in response to heat or drought stress. Apart from thoroughly assessing model performance and robustness across various input training data, the importance of promoter and gene body sequence features to train ML models was evaluated. The use of enriched promoter oligomers, complementing known TF binding sites, allowed us to gain novel insights in DNA motifs contributing to the stress regulatory code. By comparing genomic feature importance scores for drought and heat stress over time, general and stress-specific genomic features contributing to the performance of the learned models and their temporal variation were identified. This study provides a solid foundation to build and interpret ML models accurately predicting transcriptional responses and enables novel insights in biological sequence features that are important for abiotic stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dajo Smet
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Helder Opdebeeck
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Klaas Vandepoele
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Ghent, Belgium
- Bioinformatics Institute Ghent, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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12
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Brooks EG, Elorriaga E, Liu Y, Duduit JR, Yuan G, Tsai CJ, Tuskan GA, Ranney TG, Yang X, Liu W. Plant Promoters and Terminators for High-Precision Bioengineering. BIODESIGN RESEARCH 2023; 5:0013. [PMID: 37849460 PMCID: PMC10328392 DOI: 10.34133/bdr.0013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
High-precision bioengineering and synthetic biology require fine-tuning gene expression at both transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. Gene transcription is tightly regulated by promoters and terminators. Promoters determine the timing, tissues and cells, and levels of the expression of genes. Terminators mediate transcription termination of genes and affect mRNA levels posttranscriptionally, e.g., the 3'-end processing, stability, translation efficiency, and nuclear to cytoplasmic export of mRNAs. The promoter and terminator combination affects gene expression. In the present article, we review the function and features of plant core promoters, proximal and distal promoters, and terminators, and their effects on and benchmarking strategies for regulating gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily G. Brooks
- Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Estefania Elorriaga
- Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Yang Liu
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - James R. Duduit
- Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Guoliang Yuan
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Chung-Jui Tsai
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resource, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Gerald A. Tuskan
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Thomas G. Ranney
- Mountain Crop Improvement Lab, Department of Horticultural Science, Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center, North Carolina State University, Mills River, NC 28759, USA
| | - Xiaohan Yang
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resource, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Wusheng Liu
- Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
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13
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Bai S, Han X, Feng D. Shoot-root signal circuit: Phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated soil. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1139744. [PMID: 36890896 PMCID: PMC9987563 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1139744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
High concentrations of heavy metals in the environment will cause serious harm to ecosystems and human health. It is urgent to develop effective methods to control soil heavy metal pollution. Phytoremediation has advantages and potential for soil heavy metal pollution control. However, the current hyperaccumulators have the disadvantages of poor environmental adaptability, single enrichment species and small biomass. Based on the concept of modularity, synthetic biology makes it possible to design a wide range of organisms. In this paper, a comprehensive strategy of "microbial biosensor detection - phytoremediation - heavy metal recovery" for soil heavy metal pollution control was proposed, and the required steps were modified by using synthetic biology methods. This paper summarizes the new experimental methods that promote the discovery of synthetic biological elements and the construction of circuits, and combs the methods of producing transgenic plants to facilitate the transformation of constructed synthetic biological vectors. Finally, the problems that should be paid more attention to in the remediation of soil heavy metal pollution based on synthetic biology were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyan Bai
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fujian, China
| | - Xiao Han
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fujian, China
| | - Dan Feng
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
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14
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Huang D, Gao L, McAdams J, Zhao F, Lu H, Wu Y, Martin J, Sherif SM, Subramanian J, Duan H, Liu W. Engineered Cleistogamy in Camelina sativa for bioconfinement. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2023; 10:uhac280. [PMID: 36793756 PMCID: PMC9926159 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhac280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Camelina sativa is a self-pollinating and facultative outcrossing oilseed crop. Genetic engineering has been used to improve camelina yield potential for altered fatty acid composition, modified protein profiles, improved seed and oil yield, and enhanced drought resistance. The deployment of transgenic camelina in the field posits high risks related to the introgression of transgenes into non-transgenic camelina and wild relatives. Thus, effective bioconfinement strategies need to be developed to prevent pollen-mediated gene flow (PMGF) from transgenic camelina. In the present study, we overexpressed the cleistogamy (i.e. floral petal non-openness)-inducing PpJAZ1 gene from peach in transgenic camelina. Transgenic camelina overexpressing PpJAZ1 showed three levels of cleistogamy, affected pollen germination rates after anthesis but not during anthesis, and caused a minor silicle abortion only on the main branches. We also conducted field trials to examine the effects of the overexpressed PpJAZ1 on PMGF in the field, and found that the overexpressed PpJAZ1 dramatically inhibited PMGF from transgenic camelina to non-transgenic camelina under the field conditions. Thus, the engineered cleistogamy using the overexpressed PpJAZ1 is a highly effective bioconfinement strategy to limit PMGF from transgenic camelina, and could be used for bioconfinement in other dicot species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debao Huang
- Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Liwei Gao
- Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
- College of Life Sciences, Ganzhou Normal University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, China
| | - Jeremy McAdams
- Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Fangzhou Zhao
- Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, China
| | - Hongyan Lu
- Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, Hubei 430048, China
| | - Yonghui Wu
- Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Jeremy Martin
- Sandhills Research Station, North Carolina State University, Jackson Springs, NC 27281, USA
| | - Sherif M Sherif
- Vineland Research Station, Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Vinland Station, ON LOR 2E0, Canada
- Alson H. Smith Jr. Agricultural Research and Extension Center, School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Winchester, VA 22602, USA
| | - Jayasankar Subramanian
- Vineland Research Station, Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Vinland Station, ON LOR 2E0, Canada
| | - Hui Duan
- Alson H. Smith Jr. Agricultural Research and Extension Center, School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Winchester, VA 22602, USA
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15
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Liu X, Zhang P, Zhao Q, Huang AC. Making small molecules in plants: A chassis for synthetic biology-based production of plant natural products. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 65:417-443. [PMID: 35852486 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Plant natural products have been extensively exploited in food, medicine, flavor, cosmetic, renewable fuel, and other industrial sectors. Synthetic biology has recently emerged as a promising means for the cost-effective and sustainable production of natural products. Compared with engineering microbes for the production of plant natural products, the potential of plants as chassis for producing these compounds is underestimated, largely due to challenges encountered in engineering plants. Knowledge in plant engineering is instrumental for enabling the effective and efficient production of valuable phytochemicals in plants, and also paves the way for a more sustainable future agriculture. In this manuscript, we briefly recap the biosynthesis of plant natural products, focusing primarily on industrially important terpenoids, alkaloids, and phenylpropanoids. We further summarize the plant hosts and strategies that have been used to engineer the production of natural products. The challenges and opportunities of using plant synthetic biology to achieve rapid and scalable production of high-value plant natural products are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, SUSTech-PKU Institute of Plant and Food Science, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Peijun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, SUSTech-PKU Institute of Plant and Food Science, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Qiao Zhao
- Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT), the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Ancheng C Huang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, SUSTech-PKU Institute of Plant and Food Science, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
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16
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Amack S, Ferreira SS, Antunes MS. Tuning the Transcriptional Activity of the CaMV 35S Promoter in Plants by Single-Nucleotide Changes in the TATA Box. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:178-185. [PMID: 36563338 PMCID: PMC9872816 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic biology uses genetically encoded devices and circuits to implement novel complex functions in living cells and organisms. A hallmark of these genetic circuits is the interaction among their individual parts, according to predefined rules, to process cellular information and produce a circuit output or response. As the number of individual components in a genetic circuit increases, so does the number of interactions needed to achieve the correct behavior, and hence, a greater need to fine-tune the levels of expression of each component. Transcriptional promoters play a key regulatory role in genetic circuits, as they influence the levels of RNA and proteins produced. In multicellular organisms, such as plants, they can also determine developmental, spatial, and tissue-specific patterns of gene expression. The 35S promoter from the Cauliflower Mosaic Virus (CaMV 35S) is widely used in plant biotechnology to direct high levels of gene expression in a variety of plant species. We produced a library of 21 variants of the CaMV 35S promoter by introducing all single nucleotide substitutions to the promoter's TATA box sequence. We then characterized the activity of all variants in homozygous transgenic plants and showed that some of these variants have lower activity than the wild type in plants. These promoter variants could be used to fine-tune the behavior of synthetic genetic circuits in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie
C. Amack
- Department
of Biology, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas 76203, United States
- BioDiscovery
Institute, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas 76203, United States
| | - Savio S. Ferreira
- Department
of Biology, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas 76203, United States
- BioDiscovery
Institute, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas 76203, United States
| | - Mauricio S. Antunes
- Department
of Biology, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas 76203, United States
- BioDiscovery
Institute, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas 76203, United States
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17
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Meena K, Visarada KBRS, Meena D. Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench a multifarious crop -fodder to therapeutic potential and biotechnological applications: A future food for the millennium. FUTURE FOODS 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fufo.2022.100188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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18
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Kalaitzandonakes N, Willig C, Zahringer K. The economics and policy of genome editing in crop improvement. THE PLANT GENOME 2022:e20248. [PMID: 36321718 DOI: 10.1002/tpg2.20248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In this review article we analyze the economics of genome editing and its potential long-term effect on crop improvement and agriculture. We describe the emergence of genome editing as a novel platform for crop improvement, distinct from the existing platforms of plant breeding and genetic engineering. We review key technical characteristics of genome editing and describe how it enables faster trait development, lower research and development costs, and the development of novel traits not possible through previous crop improvement methods. Given these fundamental technical and economic advantages, we describe how genome editing can greatly increase the productivity and broaden the scope of crop improvement with potential outsized economic effects. We further discuss how the global regulatory policy environment, which is still emerging, can shape the ultimate path of genome editing innovation, its effect on crop improvement, and its overall socioeconomic benefits to society.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kenneth Zahringer
- Division of Applied Social Sciences, Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
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19
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Ojeda-Rivera JO, Alejo-Jacuinde G, Nájera-González HR, López-Arredondo D. Prospects of genetics and breeding for low-phosphate tolerance: an integrated approach from soil to cell. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2022; 135:4125-4150. [PMID: 35524816 PMCID: PMC9729153 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-022-04095-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Improving phosphorus (P) crop nutrition has emerged as a key factor toward achieving a more resilient and sustainable agriculture. P is an essential nutrient for plant development and reproduction, and phosphate (Pi)-based fertilizers represent one of the pillars that sustain food production systems. To meet the global food demand, the challenge for modern agriculture is to increase food production and improve food quality in a sustainable way by significantly optimizing Pi fertilizer use efficiency. The development of genetically improved crops with higher Pi uptake and Pi-use efficiency and higher adaptability to environments with low-Pi availability will play a crucial role toward this end. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of Pi nutrition and the regulation of Pi-starvation responses in plants, and provide new perspectives on how to harness the ample repertoire of genetic mechanisms behind these adaptive responses for crop improvement. We discuss on the potential of implementing more integrative, versatile, and effective strategies by incorporating systems biology approaches and tools such as genome editing and synthetic biology. These strategies will be invaluable for producing high-yielding crops that require reduced Pi fertilizer inputs and to develop a more sustainable global agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Odilón Ojeda-Rivera
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Gerardo Alejo-Jacuinde
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Héctor-Rogelio Nájera-González
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Damar López-Arredondo
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA.
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20
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Wu X, Zou K, Liu X, Fu S, Zhang S, Duan Z, Zhou J, Liang Y. The novel distribution of intracellular and extracellular flavonoids produced by Aspergillus sp. Gbtc 2, an endophytic fungus from Ginkgo biloba root. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:972294. [PMID: 36386636 PMCID: PMC9643780 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.972294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Here, we reported a Ginkgo endophyte, Aspergillus sp. Gbtc 2, isolated from the root tissue. Its flavonoid biosynthesis pathway was reconstructed, the effect of phenylalanine on the production of flavonoids was explored, and the flavonoid metabolites were identified with the high-resolution Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS). Some essential genes were annotated to form the upstream of the complete biosynthesis pathway, indicating that Aspergillus sp. Gbtc 2 has the ability to synthesize the C6–C3–C6 flavonoid monomers. HPLC results showed that adding an appropriate amount of phenylalanine could promote the production of flavonoids by Aspergillus Gbtc 2. LC–MS results depicted a significant difference in many flavonoids between intracellularly and extracellularly. Most of the flavonoids gathered in the cell contained glycosylation groups, while almost all components with multiple hydroxyls showed much higher concentrations extracellularly than intracellularly; they likely have different biological functions. A variety of these substances can be mapped back to the pathway pattern of flavonoid biosynthesis and prove the ability of flavonoid production once again. This study expanded the information on flavonoid biosynthesis in Aspergillus and provided a solid theoretical basis for developing the fungi into genetically engineered strains undertaking flavonoid industrialized production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinhong Wu
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy, Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Kai Zou
- College of Advanced Materials Engineering, Jiaxing Nanhu University, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xueduan Liu
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy, Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Shaodong Fu
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy, Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Shuangfei Zhang
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy, Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhenchun Duan
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy, Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jin Zhou
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy, Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yili Liang
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy, Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan, China
- *Correspondence: Yili Liang,
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21
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Yang Y, Shao Y, Chaffin TA, Lee JH, Poindexter MR, Ahkami AH, Blumwald E, Stewart CN. Performance of abiotic stress-inducible synthetic promoters in genetically engineered hybrid poplar ( Populus tremula × Populus alba). FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1011939. [PMID: 36330242 PMCID: PMC9623294 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1011939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Abiotic stresses can cause significant damage to plants. For sustainable bioenergy crop production, it is critical to generate resistant crops to such stress. Engineering promoters to control the precise expression of stress resistance genes is a very effective way to address the problem. Here we developed stably transformed Populus tremula × Populus alba hybrid poplar (INRA 717-1B4) containing one-of-six synthetic drought stress-inducible promoters (SDs; SD9-1, SD9-2, SD9-3, SD13-1, SD18-1, and SD18-3) identified previously by transient transformation assays. We screened green fluorescent protein (GFP) induction in poplar under osmotic stress conditions. Of six transgenic lines containing synthetic promoter, three lines (SD18-1, 9-2, and 9-3) had significant GFP expression in both salt and osmotic stress treatments. Each synthetic promoter employed heptamerized repeats of specific and short cis-regulatory elements (7 repeats of 7-8 bases). To verify whether the repeats of longer sequences can improve osmotic stress responsiveness, a transgenic poplar containing the synthetic promoter of the heptamerized entire SD9 motif (20 bases, containing all partial SD9 motifs) was generated and measured for GFP induction under osmotic stress. The heptamerized entire SD9 motif did not result in higher GFP expression than the shorter promoters consisting of heptamerized SD9-1, 9-2, and 9-3 (partial SD9) motifs. This result indicates that shorter synthetic promoters (~50 bp) can be used for versatile control of gene expression in transgenic poplar. These synthetic promoters will be useful tools to engineer stress-resilient bioenergy tree crops in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongil Yang
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Yuanhua Shao
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Timothy A. Chaffin
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Jun Hyung Lee
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - Magen R. Poindexter
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Amir H. Ahkami
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA, United States
| | - Eduardo Blumwald
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - C. Neal Stewart
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
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22
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Tian C, Zhang Y, Li J, Wang Y. Benchmarking Intrinsic Promoters and Terminators for Plant Synthetic Biology Research. BIODESIGN RESEARCH 2022; 2022:9834989. [PMID: 37850139 PMCID: PMC10521690 DOI: 10.34133/2022/9834989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The emerging plant synthetic metabolic engineering has been exhibiting great promise to produce either value-added metabolites or therapeutic proteins. However, promoters for plant pathway engineering are generally selected empirically. The quantitative characterization of plant-based promoters is essential for optimal control of gene expression in plant chassis. Here, we used N. benthamiana leaves and BY2 suspension cells to quantitatively characterize a library of plant promoters by transient expression of firefly/Renilla luciferase. We validated the dual-luciferase reporter system by examining the correlation between reporter protein and mRNA levels. In addition, we investigated the effects of terminator-promoter combinations on gene expression and found that the combinations of promoters and terminators resulted in a 326-fold difference between the strongest and weakest performance, as reflected in reporter gene expression. As a proof of concept, we used the quantitatively characterized promoters to engineer the betalain pathway in N. benthamiana. Seven selected plant promoters with different expression strengths were used orthogonally to express CYP76AD1 and DODA, resulting in a final betalain production range of 6.0-362.4 μg/g fresh weight. Our systematic approach not only demonstrates the various intensities of multiple promoter sequences in N. benthamiana and BY2 cells but also adds to the toolbox of plant promoters for plant engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenfei Tian
- CAS-Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Yixin Zhang
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Jianhua Li
- CAS-Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yong Wang
- CAS-Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
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23
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Garcia-Perez E, Diego-Martin B, Quijano-Rubio A, Moreno-Giménez E, Selma S, Orzaez D, Vazquez-Vilar M. A copper switch for inducing CRISPR/Cas9-based transcriptional activation tightly regulates gene expression in Nicotiana benthamiana. BMC Biotechnol 2022; 22:12. [PMID: 35331211 PMCID: PMC8943966 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-022-00741-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND CRISPR-based programmable transcriptional activators (PTAs) are used in plants for rewiring gene networks. Better tuning of their activity in a time and dose-dependent manner should allow precise control of gene expression. Here, we report the optimization of a Copper Inducible system called CI-switch for conditional gene activation in Nicotiana benthamiana. In the presence of copper, the copper-responsive factor CUP2 undergoes a conformational change and binds a DNA motif named copper-binding site (CBS). RESULTS In this study, we tested several activation domains fused to CUP2 and found that the non-viral Gal4 domain results in strong activation of a reporter gene equipped with a minimal promoter, offering advantages over previous designs. To connect copper regulation with downstream programmable elements, several copper-dependent configurations of the strong dCasEV2.1 PTA were assayed, aiming at maximizing activation range, while minimizing undesired background expression. The best configuration involved a dual copper regulation of the two protein components of the PTA, namely dCas9:EDLL and MS2:VPR, and a constitutive RNA pol III-driven expression of the third component, a guide RNA with anchoring sites for the MS2 RNA-binding domain. With these optimizations, the CI/dCasEV2.1 system resulted in copper-dependent activation rates of 2,600-fold and 245-fold for the endogenous N. benthamiana DFR and PAL2 genes, respectively, with negligible expression in the absence of the trigger. CONCLUSIONS The tight regulation of copper over CI/dCasEV2.1 makes this system ideal for the conditional production of plant-derived metabolites and recombinant proteins in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Sara Selma
- Instituto Biología Molecular de Plantas, CSIC-UPV, Valencia, Spain
| | - Diego Orzaez
- Instituto Biología Molecular de Plantas, CSIC-UPV, Valencia, Spain
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24
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Lohani N, Singh MB, Bhalla PL. Biological Parts for Engineering Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants. BIODESIGN RESEARCH 2022; 2022:9819314. [PMID: 37850130 PMCID: PMC10521667 DOI: 10.34133/2022/9819314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
It is vital to ramp up crop production dramatically by 2050 due to the increasing global population and demand for food. However, with the climate change projections showing that droughts and heatwaves becoming common in much of the globe, there is a severe threat of a sharp decline in crop yields. Thus, developing crop varieties with inbuilt genetic tolerance to environmental stresses is urgently needed. Selective breeding based on genetic diversity is not keeping up with the growing demand for food and feed. However, the emergence of contemporary plant genetic engineering, genome-editing, and synthetic biology offer precise tools for developing crops that can sustain productivity under stress conditions. Here, we summarize the systems biology-level understanding of regulatory pathways involved in perception, signalling, and protective processes activated in response to unfavourable environmental conditions. The potential role of noncoding RNAs in the regulation of abiotic stress responses has also been highlighted. Further, examples of imparting abiotic stress tolerance by genetic engineering are discussed. Additionally, we provide perspectives on the rational design of abiotic stress tolerance through synthetic biology and list various bioparts that can be used to design synthetic gene circuits whose stress-protective functions can be switched on/off in response to environmental cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neeta Lohani
- Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Mohan B. Singh
- Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Prem L. Bhalla
- Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
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Mudziwapasi R, Mufandaedza J, Jomane FN, Songwe F, Ndudzo A, Nyamusamba RP, Takombwa AR, Mahla MG, Pullen J, Mlambo SS, Mahuni C, Mufandaedza E, Shoko R. Unlocking the potential of synthetic biology for improving livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa. ALL LIFE 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/26895293.2021.2014986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Reagan Mudziwapasi
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Lupane State University, Lupane, Zimbabwe
| | | | - Fortune N. Jomane
- Department of Animal Science and Rangeland Management, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Lupane State University, Lupane, Zimbabwe
| | - Fanuel Songwe
- Department of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Midlands State University, Gweru, Zimbabwe
| | - Abigarl Ndudzo
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Lupane State University, Lupane, Zimbabwe
| | - Rutendo P. Nyamusamba
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Lupane State University, Lupane, Zimbabwe
| | | | - Melinda G. Mahla
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Lupane State University, Lupane, Zimbabwe
| | - Jessica Pullen
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Lupane State University, Lupane, Zimbabwe
| | - Sibonani S. Mlambo
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe
| | | | - Edward Mufandaedza
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Lupane State University, Lupane, Zimbabwe
| | - Ryman Shoko
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Agriculture, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe
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26
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Súnico V, Higuera JJ, Molina-Hidalgo FJ, Blanco-Portales R, Moyano E, Rodríguez-Franco A, Muñoz-Blanco J, Caballero JL. The Intragenesis and Synthetic Biology Approach towards Accelerating Genetic Gains on Strawberry: Development of New Tools to Improve Fruit Quality and Resistance to Pathogens. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 11:plants11010057. [PMID: 35009061 PMCID: PMC8747664 DOI: 10.3390/plants11010057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Under climate change, the spread of pests and pathogens into new environments has a dramatic effect on crop protection control. Strawberry (Fragaria spp.) is one the most profitable crops of the Rosaceae family worldwide, but more than 50 different genera of pathogens affect this species. Therefore, accelerating the improvement of fruit quality and pathogen resistance in strawberry represents an important objective for breeding and reducing the usage of pesticides. New genome sequencing data and bioinformatics tools has provided important resources to expand the use of synthetic biology-assisted intragenesis strategies as a powerful tool to accelerate genetic gains in strawberry. In this paper, we took advantage of these innovative approaches to create four RNAi intragenic silencing cassettes by combining specific strawberry new promoters and pathogen defense-related candidate DNA sequences to increase strawberry fruit quality and resistance by silencing their corresponding endogenous genes, mainly during fruit ripening stages, thus avoiding any unwanted effect on plant growth and development. Using a fruit transient assay, GUS expression was detected by the two synthetic FvAAT2 and FvDOF2 promoters, both by histochemical assay and qPCR analysis of GUS transcript levels, thus ensuring the ability of the same to drive the expression of the silencing cassettes in this strawberry tissue. The approaches described here represent valuable new tools for the rapid development of improved strawberry lines.
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27
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Huang D, Kosentka PZ, Liu W. Synthetic biology approaches in regulation of targeted gene expression. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 63:102036. [PMID: 33930839 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2021.102036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic biology approaches are highly sought-after to facilitate the regulation of targeted gene expression in plants for functional genomics research and crop trait improvement. To date, synthetic regulation of gene expression predominantly focuses at the transcription level via engineering of synthetic promoters and transcription factors, while pioneering examples have started to emerge for synthetic regulation of gene expression at the levels of mRNA stability, translation, and protein degradation. This review discusses recent advances in plant synthetic biology for the regulation of gene expression at multiple levels, and highlights their future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debao Huang
- Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Pawel Z Kosentka
- Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Wusheng Liu
- Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA.
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28
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Schroeder WL, Baber AS, Saha R. Optimization-based Eukaryotic Genetic Circuit Design (EuGeneCiD) and modeling (EuGeneCiM) tools: Computational approach to synthetic biology. iScience 2021; 24:103000. [PMID: 34622181 PMCID: PMC8479143 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Synthetic biology has the potential to revolutionize the biotech industry and our everyday lives and is already making an impact. Developing synthetic biology applications requires several steps including design and modeling efforts which may be performed by in silico tools. In this work, we have developed two such tools, Eukaryotic Genetic Circuit Design (EuGeneCiD) and Modeling (EuGeneCiM), which use optimization concepts and bioparts including promotors, transcripts, and terminators in designing and modeling genetic circuits. EuGeneCiD and EuGeneCiM preclude problematic designs leading to future synthetic biology application development pipelines. EuGeneCiD and EuGeneCiM are applied to developing 30 basic logic gates as genetic circuit conceptualizations which respond to heavy metal ions pairs as input signals for Arabidopsis thaliana. For each conceptualization, hundreds of potential solutions were designed and modeled. Demonstrating its time-dependence and the importance of including enzyme and transcript degradation in modeling, EuGeneCiM is used to model a repressilator circuit. An in silico Eukaryotic Genetic Circuit Design (EuGeneCiD) tool is introduced A complimentary Eukaryotic Genetic Circuit Modeling (EuGeneCiM) tool is developed In a unified workflow, these tools generated thousands of designs and modeled them The EuGeneCiM tool is also used to model a dynamic repressilator circuit
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Affiliation(s)
- Wheaton L Schroeder
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA.,Center for Root and Rhizobiome Innovation, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Anna S Baber
- Center for Root and Rhizobiome Innovation, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Rajib Saha
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA.,Center for Root and Rhizobiome Innovation, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
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29
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Zhu X, Liu X, Liu T, Wang Y, Ahmed N, Li Z, Jiang H. Synthetic biology of plant natural products: From pathway elucidation to engineered biosynthesis in plant cells. PLANT COMMUNICATIONS 2021; 2:100229. [PMID: 34746761 PMCID: PMC8553972 DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2021.100229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Plant natural products (PNPs) are the main sources of drugs, food additives, and new biofuels and have become a hotspot in synthetic biology. In the past two decades, the engineered biosynthesis of many PNPs has been achieved through the construction of microbial cell factories. Alongside the rapid development of plant physiology, genetics, and plant genetic modification techniques, hosts have now expanded from single-celled microbes to complex plant systems. Plant synthetic biology is an emerging field that combines engineering principles with plant biology. In this review, we introduce recent advances in the biosynthetic pathway elucidation of PNPs and summarize the progress of engineered PNP biosynthesis in plant cells. Furthermore, a future vision of plant synthetic biology is proposed. Although we are still a long way from overcoming all the bottlenecks in plant synthetic biology, the ascent of this field is expected to provide a huge opportunity for future agriculture and industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxi Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Xiaonan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Tian Liu
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- Life Science and Technology College, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Yina Wang
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
- Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Nida Ahmed
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Zhichao Li
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Huifeng Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
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30
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Panda S, Kazachkova Y, Aharoni A. Catch-22 in specialized metabolism: balancing defense and growth. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2021; 72:6027-6041. [PMID: 34293097 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erab348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Plants are unsurpassed biochemists that synthesize a plethora of molecules in response to an ever-changing environment. The majority of these molecules, considered as specialized metabolites, effectively protect the plant against pathogens and herbivores. However, this defense most probably comes at a great expense, leading to reduction of growth (known as the 'growth-defense trade-off'). Plants employ several strategies to reduce the high metabolic costs associated with chemical defense. Production of specialized metabolites is tightly regulated by a network of transcription factors facilitating its fine-tuning in time and space. Multifunctionality of specialized metabolites-their effective recycling system by re-using carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur, thus re-introducing them back to the primary metabolite pool-allows further cost reduction. Spatial separation of biosynthetic enzymes and their substrates, and sequestration of potentially toxic substances and conversion to less toxic metabolite forms are the plant's solutions to avoid the detrimental effects of metabolites they produce as well as to reduce production costs. Constant fitness pressure from herbivores, pathogens, and abiotic stressors leads to honing of specialized metabolite biosynthesis reactions to be timely, efficient, and metabolically cost-effective. In this review, we assess the costs of production of specialized metabolites for chemical defense and the different plant mechanisms to reduce the cost of such metabolic activity in terms of self-toxicity and growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayantan Panda
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- Gilat Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Negev, Israel
| | - Yana Kazachkova
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Asaph Aharoni
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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31
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Rapid and Modular DNA Assembly for Transformation of Marchantia Chloroplasts. Methods Mol Biol 2021. [PMID: 34028781 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1472-3_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
The bryophyte Marchantia polymorpha , has attracted significant attention as a powerful experimental system for studying aspects of plant biology including synthetic biology applications. We describe an efficient and simple recursive Type IIS DNA assembly method for the generation of DNA constructs for chloroplast genome manipulation, and an optimized technique for Marchantia chloroplast genome transformation. The utility of the system was demonstrated by the expression of a chloroplast codon-optimized cyan fluorescent protein.
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32
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Yang Y, Lee JH, Poindexter MR, Shao Y, Liu W, Lenaghan SC, Ahkami AH, Blumwald E, Stewart CN. Rational design and testing of abiotic stress-inducible synthetic promoters from poplar cis-regulatory elements. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2021; 19:1354-1369. [PMID: 33471413 PMCID: PMC8313130 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Abiotic stress resistance traits may be especially crucial for sustainable production of bioenergy tree crops. Here, we show the performance of a set of rationally designed osmotic-related and salt stress-inducible synthetic promoters for use in hybrid poplar. De novo motif-detecting algorithms yielded 30 water-deficit (SD) and 34 salt stress (SS) candidate DNA motifs from relevant poplar transcriptomes. We selected three conserved water-deficit stress motifs (SD18, SD13 and SD9) found in 16 co-expressed gene promoters, and we discovered a well-conserved motif for salt response (SS16). We characterized several native poplar stress-inducible promoters to enable comparisons with our synthetic promoters. Fifteen synthetic promoters were designed using various SD and SS subdomains, in which heptameric repeats of five-to-eight subdomain bases were fused to a common core promoter downstream, which, in turn, drove a green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene for reporter assays. These 15 synthetic promoters were screened by transient expression assays in poplar leaf mesophyll protoplasts and agroinfiltrated Nicotiana benthamiana leaves under osmotic stress conditions. Twelve synthetic promoters were induced in transient expression assays with a GFP readout. Of these, five promoters (SD18-1, SD9-2, SS16-1, SS16-2 and SS16-3) endowed higher inducibility under osmotic stress conditions than native promoters. These five synthetic promoters were stably transformed into Arabidopsis thaliana to study inducibility in whole plants. Herein, SD18-1 and SD9-2 were induced by water-deficit stress, whereas SS16-1, SS16-2 and SS16-3 were induced by salt stress. The synthetic biology design pipeline resulted in five synthetic promoters that outperformed endogenous promoters in transgenic plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongil Yang
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic BiologyUniversity of Tennessee Institute of AgricultureKnoxvilleTNUSA
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTNUSA
| | - Jun Hyung Lee
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic BiologyUniversity of Tennessee Institute of AgricultureKnoxvilleTNUSA
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTNUSA
- Biosciences DivisionOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTNUSA
| | - Magen R. Poindexter
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic BiologyUniversity of Tennessee Institute of AgricultureKnoxvilleTNUSA
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTNUSA
| | - Yuanhua Shao
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic BiologyUniversity of Tennessee Institute of AgricultureKnoxvilleTNUSA
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTNUSA
| | - Wusheng Liu
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTNUSA
- Department of Horticultural ScienceNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNCUSA
| | - Scott C. Lenaghan
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic BiologyUniversity of Tennessee Institute of AgricultureKnoxvilleTNUSA
- Department of Food ScienceUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTNUSA
| | - Amir H. Ahkami
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL)Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)RichlandWAUSA
| | | | - Charles Neal Stewart
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic BiologyUniversity of Tennessee Institute of AgricultureKnoxvilleTNUSA
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTNUSA
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33
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Jores T, Tonnies J, Wrightsman T, Buckler ES, Cuperus JT, Fields S, Queitsch C. Synthetic promoter designs enabled by a comprehensive analysis of plant core promoters. NATURE PLANTS 2021; 7:842-855. [PMID: 34083762 PMCID: PMC10246763 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-021-00932-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Targeted engineering of plant gene expression holds great promise for ensuring food security and for producing biopharmaceuticals in plants. However, this engineering requires thorough knowledge of cis-regulatory elements to precisely control either endogenous or introduced genes. To generate this knowledge, we used a massively parallel reporter assay to measure the activity of nearly complete sets of promoters from Arabidopsis, maize and sorghum. We demonstrate that core promoter elements-notably the TATA box-as well as promoter GC content and promoter-proximal transcription factor binding sites influence promoter strength. By performing the experiments in two assay systems, leaves of the dicot tobacco and protoplasts of the monocot maize, we detect species-specific differences in the contributions of GC content and transcription factors to promoter strength. Using these observations, we built computational models to predict promoter strength in both assay systems, allowing us to design highly active promoters comparable in activity to the viral 35S minimal promoter. Our results establish a promising experimental approach to optimize native promoter elements and generate synthetic ones with desirable features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Jores
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jackson Tonnies
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Graduate Program in Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Travis Wrightsman
- Section of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Edward S Buckler
- Section of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Institute for Genomic Diversity, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Josh T Cuperus
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Stanley Fields
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Christine Queitsch
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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Li J, Zhao H, Zheng L, An W. Advances in Synthetic Biology and Biosafety Governance. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:598087. [PMID: 33996776 PMCID: PMC8120004 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.598087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Tremendous advances in the field of synthetic biology have been witnessed in multiple areas including life sciences, industrial development, and environmental bio-remediation. However, due to the limitations of human understanding in the code of life, any possible intended or unintended uses of synthetic biology, and other unknown reasons, the development and application of this technology has raised concerns over biosafety, biosecurity, and even cyberbiosecurity that they may expose public health and the environment to unknown hazards. Over the past decades, some countries in Europe, America, and Asia have enacted laws and regulations to control the application of synthetic biology techniques in basic and applied research and this has resulted in some benefits. The outbreak of the COVID-19 caused by novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and various speculations about the origin of this virus have attracted more attention on bio-risk concerns of synthetic biology because of its potential power and uncertainty in the synthesis and engineering of living organisms. Therefore, it is crucial to scrutinize the control measures put in place to ensure appropriate use, promote the development of synthetic biology, and strengthen the governance of pathogen-related research, although the true origin of coronavirus remains hotly debated and unresolved. This article reviews the recent progress made in the field of synthetic biology and combs laws and regulations in governing bio-risk issues. We emphasize the urgent need for legislative and regulatory constraints and oversight to address the biological risks of synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Li
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Huimiao Zhao
- College of Humanities and Law, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Lanxin Zheng
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Wenlin An
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
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35
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Roper J, Garcia JF, Tsutsui H. Emerging Technologies for Monitoring Plant Health in Vivo. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:5101-5107. [PMID: 33681550 PMCID: PMC7931179 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c05850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
In the coming decades, increasing agricultural productivity is all-important. As the global population is growing rapidly and putting increased demand on food supply, poor soil quality, drought, flooding, increasing temperatures, and novel plant diseases are negatively impacting yields worldwide. One method to increase yields is plant health monitoring and rapid detection of disease, nutrient deficiencies, or drought. Monitoring plant health will allow for precise application of agrichemicals, fertilizers, and water in order to maximize yields. In vivo plant sensors are an emerging technology with the potential to increase agricultural productivity. In this mini-review, we discuss three major approaches of in vivo sensors for plant health monitoring, including genetic engineering, imaging and spectroscopy, and electrical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna
M. Roper
- Department
of Bioengineering and Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Jose F. Garcia
- Department
of Bioengineering and Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Hideaki Tsutsui
- Department
of Bioengineering and Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
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36
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Tian Z, Wang JW, Li J, Han B. Designing future crops: challenges and strategies for sustainable agriculture. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 105:1165-1178. [PMID: 33258137 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Crop production is facing unprecedented challenges. Despite the fact that the food supply has significantly increased over the past half-century, ~8.9 and 14.3% people are still suffering from hunger and malnutrition, respectively. Agricultural environments are continuously threatened by a booming world population, a shortage of arable land, and rapid changes in climate. To ensure food and ecosystem security, there is a need to design future crops for sustainable agriculture development by maximizing net production and minimalizing undesirable effects on the environment. The future crops design projects, recently launched by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), aim to develop a roadmap for rapid design of customized future crops using cutting-edge technologies in the Breeding 4.0 era. In this perspective, we first introduce the background and missions of these projects. We then outline strategies to design future crops, such as improvement of current well-cultivated crops, de novo domestication of wild species and redomestication of current cultivated crops. We further discuss how these ambitious goals can be achieved by the recent development of new integrative omics tools, advanced genome-editing tools and synthetic biology approaches. Finally, we summarize related opportunities and challenges in these projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixi Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jia-Wei Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
- ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Jiayang Li
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, and National Center for Plant Gene Research (Beijing), Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Bin Han
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
- ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 200031, China
- National Center for Gene Research, Shanghai, 200233, China
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37
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Daley SK, Cordell GA. Natural Products, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and the Quintuple Helix. Nat Prod Commun 2021. [DOI: 10.1177/1934578x211003029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The profound interconnectedness of the sciences and technologies embodied in the Fourth Industrial Revolution is discussed in terms of the global role of natural products, and how that interplays with the development of sustainable and climate-conscious practices of cyberecoethnopharmacolomics within the Quintuple Helix for the promotion of a healthier planet and society.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Geoffrey A. Cordell
- Natural Products Inc., Evanston, IL, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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Bhadouriya SL, Mehrotra S, Basantani MK, Loake GJ, Mehrotra R. Role of Chromatin Architecture in Plant Stress Responses: An Update. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 11:603380. [PMID: 33510748 PMCID: PMC7835326 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.603380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Sessile plants possess an assembly of signaling pathways that perceive and transmit environmental signals, ultimately resulting in transcriptional reprogramming. Histone is a key feature of chromatin structure. Numerous histone-modifying proteins act under different environmental stress conditions to help modulate gene expression. DNA methylation and histone modification are crucial for genome reprogramming for tissue-specific gene expression and global gene silencing. Different classes of chromatin remodelers including SWI/SNF, ISWI, INO80, and CHD are reported to act upon chromatin in different organisms, under diverse stresses, to convert chromatin from a transcriptionally inactive to a transcriptionally active state. The architecture of chromatin at a given promoter is crucial for determining the transcriptional readout. Further, the connection between somatic memory and chromatin modifications may suggest a mechanistic basis for a stress memory. Studies have suggested that there is a functional connection between changes in nuclear organization and stress conditions. In this review, we discuss the role of chromatin architecture in different stress responses and the current evidence on somatic, intergenerational, and transgenerational stress memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sneha Lata Bhadouriya
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences, Sancoale, India
| | - Sandhya Mehrotra
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences, Sancoale, India
| | - Mahesh K. Basantani
- Institute of Bioscience and Technology, Shri Ramswaroop Memorial University, Lucknow, India
| | - Gary J. Loake
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, University of Edinburg, Edinburg, United Kingdom
| | - Rajesh Mehrotra
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences, Sancoale, India
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Wu L, Han L, Li Q, Wang G, Zhang H, Li L. Using Interactome Big Data to Crack Genetic Mysteries and Enhance Future Crop Breeding. MOLECULAR PLANT 2021; 14:77-94. [PMID: 33340690 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2020.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The functional genes underlying phenotypic variation and their interactions represent "genetic mysteries". Understanding and utilizing these genetic mysteries are key solutions for mitigating the current threats to agriculture posed by population growth and individual food preferences. Due to advances in high-throughput multi-omics technologies, we are stepping into an Interactome Big Data era that is certain to revolutionize genetic research. In this article, we provide a brief overview of current strategies to explore genetic mysteries. We then introduce the methods for constructing and analyzing the Interactome Big Data and summarize currently available interactome resources. Next, we discuss how Interactome Big Data can be used as a versatile tool to dissect genetic mysteries. We propose an integrated strategy that could revolutionize genetic research by combining Interactome Big Data with machine learning, which involves mining information hidden in Big Data to identify the genetic models or networks that control various traits, and also provide a detailed procedure for systematic dissection of genetic mysteries,. Finally, we discuss three promising future breeding strategies utilizing the Interactome Big Data to improve crop yields and quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leiming Wu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Linqian Han
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Qing Li
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Guoying Wang
- Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Hongwei Zhang
- Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Lin Li
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
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40
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Frangedakis E, Shimamura M, Villarreal JC, Li FW, Tomaselli M, Waller M, Sakakibara K, Renzaglia KS, Szövényi P. The hornworts: morphology, evolution and development. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 229:735-754. [PMID: 32790880 PMCID: PMC7881058 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Extant land plants consist of two deeply divergent groups, tracheophytes and bryophytes, which shared a common ancestor some 500 million years ago. While information about vascular plants and the two of the three lineages of bryophytes, the mosses and liverworts, is steadily accumulating, the biology of hornworts remains poorly explored. Yet, as the sister group to liverworts and mosses, hornworts are critical in understanding the evolution of key land plant traits. Until recently, there was no hornwort model species amenable to systematic experimental investigation, which hampered detailed insight into the molecular biology and genetics of this unique group of land plants. The emerging hornwort model species, Anthoceros agrestis, is instrumental in our efforts to better understand not only hornwort biology but also fundamental questions of land plant evolution. To this end, here we provide an overview of hornwort biology and current research on the model plant A. agrestis to highlight its potential in answering key questions of land plant biology and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Masaki Shimamura
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, 739-8528, Japan
| | - Juan Carlos Villarreal
- Department of Biology, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancon, Panamá
| | - Fay-Wei Li
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, New York, 14853-1801, USA
- Plant Biology Section, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853-1801, USA
| | - Marta Tomaselli
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 EA, UK
| | - Manuel Waller
- Department of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, University of Zurich, 8008, Switzerland
| | - Keiko Sakakibara
- Department of Life Science, Rikkyo University, Tokyo, 171-8501, Japan
| | - Karen S. Renzaglia
- Department of Plant Biology, Southern Illinois University, Illinois, 62901, USA
| | - Péter Szövényi
- Department of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, University of Zurich, 8008, Switzerland
- Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center, Zurich, 8092, Switzerland
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41
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Licausi F, Giuntoli B. Synthetic biology of hypoxia. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 229:50-56. [PMID: 31960974 PMCID: PMC7754509 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic biology can greatly aid the investigation of fundamental regulatory mechanisms and enable their direct deployment in the host organisms of choice. In the field of plant hypoxia physiology, a synthetic biology approach has recently been exploited to infer general properties of the plant oxygen sensing mechanism, by expression of plant-specific components in yeast. Moreover, genetic sensors have been devised to report cellular oxygen levels or physiological parameters associated with hypoxia, and orthogonal switches have been introduced in plants to trigger oxygen-specific responses. Upcoming applications are expected, such as genetic tailoring of oxygen-responsive traits, engineering of plant hypoxic metabolism and oxygen delivery to hypoxic tissues, and expansion of the repertoire of genetically encoded oxygen sensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Licausi
- Biology DepartmentUniversity of PisaVia L. Ghini 1356126PisaItaly
- Institute of Life SciencesScuola Superiore Sant’AnnaPlantlab, Via Guidiccioni 8/10PisaItaly
| | - Beatrice Giuntoli
- Biology DepartmentUniversity of PisaVia L. Ghini 1356126PisaItaly
- Institute of Life SciencesScuola Superiore Sant’AnnaPlantlab, Via Guidiccioni 8/10PisaItaly
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42
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Keyster M, Niekerk LA, Basson G, Carelse M, Bakare O, Ludidi N, Klein A, Mekuto L, Gokul A. Decoding Heavy Metal Stress Signalling in Plants: Towards Improved Food Security and Safety. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 9:E1781. [PMID: 33339160 PMCID: PMC7765602 DOI: 10.3390/plants9121781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The mining of heavy metals from the environment leads to an increase in soil pollution, leading to the uptake of heavy metals into plant tissue. The build-up of toxic metals in plant cells often leads to cellular damage and senescence. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to produce plants with improved tolerance to heavy metals for food security, as well as to limit heavy metal uptake for improved food safety purposes. To achieve this goal, our understanding of the signaling mechanisms which regulate toxic heavy metal uptake and tolerance in plants requires extensive improvement. In this review, we summarize recent literature and data on heavy metal toxicity (oral reference doses) and the impact of the metals on food safety and food security. Furthermore, we discuss some of the key events (reception, transduction, and response) in the heavy metal signaling cascades in the cell wall, plasma membrane, and cytoplasm. Our future perspectives provide an outlook of the exciting advances that will shape the plant heavy metal signaling field in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marshall Keyster
- Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa; (L.-A.N.); (M.C.); (O.B.)
- DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7530, South Africa;
| | - Lee-Ann Niekerk
- Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa; (L.-A.N.); (M.C.); (O.B.)
| | - Gerhard Basson
- Plant Biotechnology Research Group, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa;
| | - Mogamat Carelse
- Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa; (L.-A.N.); (M.C.); (O.B.)
| | - Olalekan Bakare
- Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa; (L.-A.N.); (M.C.); (O.B.)
| | - Ndiko Ludidi
- DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7530, South Africa;
- Plant Biotechnology Research Group, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa;
| | - Ashwil Klein
- Plant Omics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa;
| | - Lukhanyo Mekuto
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg 2028, South Africa;
| | - Arun Gokul
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg 2028, South Africa;
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43
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Scheller HV, Patron N, Jensen PE. Editorial: Proceedings of ICPSBBB 2018 - 2 nd International Conference on Plant Synthetic Biology, Bioengineering and Biotechnology. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:614933. [PMID: 33224177 PMCID: PMC7667044 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.614933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Vibe Scheller
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Nicola Patron
- Engineering Biology, Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Norfolk, United Kingdom
| | - Poul Erik Jensen
- Department of Food Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
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44
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Gupta D, Ranjan R. In silico characterization of synthetic promoters designed from mirabilis mosaic virus and rice tungro bacilliform virus. Virusdisease 2020; 31:369-373. [PMID: 32904869 DOI: 10.1007/s13337-020-00617-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
CaMV35S is the most extensively used promoter for ectopic gene expression in plant system. However, multiple use of this promoter possesses several limitation i.e. homologous based gene silencing and differential suitability in monocot and dicot plants. The strength of a promoter is defined by the presence of cis-acting elements and trans acting nucleic binding factors, thus its strength can be regulated by changing the architecture of these regulatory elements. In the present study, eight hybrid promoters were designed from two parareteroviruses, rice tungro bacilliform viruses (RTBV) and mirabilis mosaic virus (MMV). The eight hybrid promoters, along with parental promoters were characterized for the presence of functional cis-elements and transcription factor binding sites (TFBS), which were predicted using bioinformatics tools such as PLACE and Matinspector. Presence of mirabilis mosaic virus modules for specific functions and over-represented modules was determined using Model inspector. A broad range of cis-elements (85), TFBS (1471) was obtained. Presence of Dehydration responsive element binding factors, Apetala 2 (AP2), WRKY, DNA binding with one finger DOF (DOFF) motifs had shown the functional relevance of these designed promoters with abiotic stress inducibility. In addition to these stress regulating TFBS, the presence of some enhancer like motifs such as P$OCSE, P$TERE, P$TODS, P$ASRC had shown the functional relevance of these promoters as a strong candidate for enhanced expression of ectopic gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipinte Gupta
- Plant Biotechnology Lab, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Dayalbagh, Agra, 282005 India
| | - Rajiv Ranjan
- Plant Biotechnology Lab, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Dayalbagh, Agra, 282005 India
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45
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Manan S. Current status of crops genetic transformation. MINERVA BIOTECNOL 2020. [DOI: 10.23736/s1120-4826.20.02606-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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46
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Leydon AR, Gala HP, Guiziou S, Nemhauser JL. Engineering Synthetic Signaling in Plants. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PLANT BIOLOGY 2020; 71:767-788. [PMID: 32092279 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-arplant-081519-035852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic signaling is a branch of synthetic biology that aims to understand native genetic regulatory mechanisms and to use these insights to engineer interventions and devices that achieve specified design parameters. Applying synthetic signaling approaches to plants offers the promise of mitigating the worst effects of climate change and providing a means to engineer crops for entirely novel environments, such as those in space travel. The ability to engineer new traits using synthetic signaling methods will require standardized libraries of biological parts and methods to assemble them; the decoupling of complex processes into simpler subsystems; and mathematical models that can accelerate the design-build-test-learn cycle. The field of plant synthetic signaling is relatively new, but it is poised for rapid advancement. Translation from the laboratory to the field is likely to be slowed, however, by the lack of constructive dialogue between researchers and other stakeholders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander R Leydon
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA; , , ,
| | - Hardik P Gala
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA; , , ,
| | - Sarah Guiziou
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA; , , ,
| | - Jennifer L Nemhauser
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA; , , ,
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47
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Sauret-Güeto S, Frangedakis E, Silvestri L, Rebmann M, Tomaselli M, Markel K, Delmans M, West A, Patron NJ, Haseloff J. Systematic Tools for Reprogramming Plant Gene Expression in a Simple Model, Marchantia polymorpha. ACS Synth Biol 2020; 9:864-882. [PMID: 32163700 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.9b00511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
We present the OpenPlant toolkit, a set of interlinked resources and techniques to develop Marchantia as testbed for bioengineering in plants. Marchantia is a liverwort, a simple plant with an open form of development that allows direct visualization of gene expression and dynamics of cellular growth in living tissues. We describe new techniques for simple and efficient axenic propagation and maintenance of Marchantia lines with no requirement for glasshouse facilities. Marchantia plants spontaneously produce clonal propagules within a few weeks of regeneration, and lines can be amplified million-fold in a single generation by induction of the sexual phase of growth, crossing, and harvesting of progeny spores. The plant has a simple morphology and genome with reduced gene redundancy, and the dominant phase of its life cycle is haploid, making genetic analysis easier. We have built robust Loop assembly vector systems for nuclear and chloroplast transformation and genome editing. These have provided the basis for building and testing a modular library of standardized DNA elements with highly desirable properties. We have screened transcriptomic data to identify a range of candidate genes, extracted putative promoter sequences, and tested them in vivo to identify new constitutive promoter elements. The resources have been combined into a toolkit for plant bioengineering that is accessible for laboratories without access to traditional facilities for plant biology research. The toolkit is being made available under the terms of the OpenMTA and will facilitate the establishment of common standards and the use of this simple plant as testbed for synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna Sauret-Güeto
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EA, U.K
| | - Eftychios Frangedakis
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EA, U.K
| | - Linda Silvestri
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EA, U.K
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EG, U.K
| | - Marius Rebmann
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EA, U.K
| | - Marta Tomaselli
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EA, U.K
| | - Kasey Markel
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EA, U.K
| | - Mihails Delmans
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EA, U.K
| | | | | | - Jim Haseloff
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EA, U.K
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48
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Bernabé-Orts JM, Quijano-Rubio A, Vazquez-Vilar M, Mancheño-Bonillo J, Moles-Casas V, Selma S, Gianoglio S, Granell A, Orzaez D. A memory switch for plant synthetic biology based on the phage ϕC31 integration system. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:3379-3394. [PMID: 32083668 PMCID: PMC7102980 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Synthetic biology has advanced from the setup of basic genetic devices to the design of increasingly complex gene circuits to provide organisms with new functions. While many bacterial, fungal and mammalian unicellular chassis have been extensively engineered, this progress has been delayed in plants due to the lack of reliable DNA parts and devices that enable precise control over these new synthetic functions. In particular, memory switches based on DNA site-specific recombination have been the tool of choice to build long-term and stable synthetic memory in other organisms, because they enable a shift between two alternative states registering the information at the DNA level. Here we report a memory switch for whole plants based on the bacteriophage ϕC31 site-specific integrase. The switch was built as a modular device made of standard DNA parts, designed to control the transcriptional state (on or off) of two genes of interest by alternative inversion of a central DNA regulatory element. The state of the switch can be externally operated by action of the ϕC31 integrase (Int), and its recombination directionality factor (RDF). The kinetics, memory, and reversibility of the switch were extensively characterized in Nicotiana benthamiana plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan Miquel Bernabé-Orts
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Alfredo Quijano-Rubio
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Marta Vazquez-Vilar
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Javier Mancheño-Bonillo
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Victor Moles-Casas
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Sara Selma
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Silvia Gianoglio
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Antonio Granell
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Diego Orzaez
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
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49
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Biava HD. Tackling Achilles' Heel in Synthetic Biology: Pairing Intracellular Synthesis of Noncanonical Amino Acids with Genetic-Code Expansion to Foster Biotechnological Applications. Chembiochem 2020; 21:1265-1273. [PMID: 31868982 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201900756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
For the last two decades, synthetic biologists have been able to unlock and expand the genetic code, generating proteins with unique properties through the incorporation of noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs). These evolved biomaterials have shown great potential for applications in industrial biocatalysis, therapeutics, bioremediation, bioconjugation, and other areas. Our ability to continue developing such technologies depends on having relatively easy access to ncAAs. However, the synthesis of enantiomerically pure ncAAs in practical quantitates for large-scale processes remains a challenge. Biocatalytic ncAA production has emerged as an excellent alternative to traditional organic synthesis in terms of cost, enantioselectivity, and sustainability. Moreover, biocatalytic synthesis offers the opportunity of coupling the intracellular generation of ncAAs with genetic-code expansion to overcome the limitations of an external supply of amino acid. In this minireview, we examine some of the most relevant achievements of this approach and its implications for improving technological applications derived from synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hernán D Biava
- Department of Science and Mathematics, Brevard College, One Brevard College Drive, Brevard, 28712, NC, USA
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50
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Zhao Y, Yang X, Zhou G, Zhang T. Engineering plant virus resistance: from RNA silencing to genome editing strategies. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2020; 18:328-336. [PMID: 31618513 PMCID: PMC6953188 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 10/06/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Viral diseases severely affect crop yield and quality, thereby threatening global food security. Genetic improvement of plant virus resistance is essential for sustainable agriculture. In the last decades, several modern technologies were applied in plant antiviral engineering. Here we summarized breakthroughs of the two major antiviral strategies, RNA silencing and genome editing. RNA silencing strategy has been used in antiviral breeding for more than thirty years, and many crops engineered to stably express small RNAs targeting various viruses have been approved for commercial release. Genome editing technology has emerged in the past decade, especially CRISPR/Cas, which provides new methods for genetic improvement of plant virus resistance and accelerates resistance breeding. Finally, we discuss the potential of these technologies for breeding crops, and the challenges and solutions they may face in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaling Zhao
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease ControlCollege of AgricultureSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Xin Yang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease ControlCollege of AgricultureSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Guohui Zhou
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease ControlCollege of AgricultureSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Tong Zhang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease ControlCollege of AgricultureSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Integrative Microbiology Research CentreSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
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