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Lei L, Dong K, Liu S, Li Y, Xu G, Sun H. Genome-wide identification of the WRKY gene family in blueberry ( Vaccinium spp.) and expression analysis under abiotic stress. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1447749. [PMID: 39211844 PMCID: PMC11358086 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1447749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Introduction The WRKY transcription factor (TF) family is one of the largest TF families in plants and is widely involved in responses to both biotic and abiotic stresses. Methods To clarify the function of the WRKY family in blueberries, this study identified the WRKY genes within the blueberry genome and systematically analyzed gene characteristics, phylogenetic evolution, promoter cis-elements, expression patterns, and subcellular localization of the encoded products. Results In this study, 57 VcWRKY genes were identified, and all encoding products had a complete WRKY heptapeptide structure and zinc-finger motif. The VcWRKY genes were divided into three subgroups (I-III) by phylogenetic analysis. Group II was divided into five subgroups: IIa, IIb, IIc, IId, and IIe. 57 VcWRKY genes were distributed unevenly across 32 chromosomes. The amino acids ranged from 172 to 841, and molecular weights varied from 19.75 to 92.28 kD. Intra-group syntenic analysis identified 12 pairs of duplicate segments. Furthermore, 34 cis-element recognition sites were identified in the promoter regions of VcWRKY genes, primarily comprising phytohormone-responsive and light-responsive elements. Comparative syntenic maps were generated to investigate the evolutionary relationships of VcWRKY genes, revealing the closest homology to dicotyledonous WRKY gene families. VcWRKY genes were predominantly expressed in the fruit flesh and roots of blueberries. Gene expression analysis showed that the responses of VcWRKY genes to stress treatments were more strongly in leaves than in roots. Notably, VcWRKY13 and VcWRKY25 exhibited significant upregulation under salt stress, alkali stress, and saline-alkali stress, and VcWRKY1 and VcWRKY13 showed notable induction under drought stress. Subcellular localization analysis confirmed that VcWRKY13 and VcWRKY25 function within the nucleus. Conclusion These findings establish a foundation for further investigation into the functions and regulatory mechanisms of VcWRKY genes and provide guidance for selecting stress-tolerant genes in the development of blueberry cultivars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Lei
- College of Horticulture, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
- College of Life Sciences, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Kun Dong
- Department of Horticulture, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Science, Harbin, China
| | - Siwen Liu
- College of Horticulture, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Yadong Li
- College of Horticulture, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Guohui Xu
- College of Life and Health, Dalian University, Dalian, China
| | - Haiyue Sun
- College of Horticulture, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
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Albuja-Quintana M, Pozo G, Gordillo-Romero M, Armijos CE, Torres MDL. Genome report: First reference genome of Vaccinium floribundum Kunth, an emblematic Andean species. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkae136. [PMID: 38888171 PMCID: PMC11304950 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Vaccinium floribundum Kunth, known as "mortiño," is an endemic shrub species of the Andean region adapted to harsh conditions in high-altitude ecosystems. It plays an important ecological role as a pioneer species in the aftermath of deforestation and human-induced fires within paramo ecosystems, emphasizing its conservation value. While previous studies have offered insights into the genetic diversity of mortiño, comprehensive genomic studies are still missing to fully understand the unique adaptations of this species and its population status, highlighting the importance of generating a reference genome for this plant. ONT and Illumina sequencing were used to establish a reference genome for this species. Three different de novo genome assemblies were generated and compared for quality, continuity and completeness. The Flye assembly was selected as the best and refined by filtering out short ONT reads, screening for contaminants and genome scaffolding. The final assembly has a genome size of 529 Mb, containing 1,317 contigs and 97% complete BUSCOs, indicating a high level of integrity of the genome. Additionally, the LTR Assembly Index of 12.93 further categorizes this assembly as a reference genome. The genome of V. floribundum reported in this study is the first reference genome generated for this species, providing a valuable tool for further studies. This high-quality genome, based on the quality and completeness parameters obtained, will not only help uncover the genetic mechanisms responsible for its unique traits and adaptations to high-altitude ecosystems but will also contribute to conservation strategies for a species endemic to the Andes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Albuja-Quintana
- Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Laboratorio de Biotecnología Vegetal, Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), Campus Cumbayá, Quito 170901, Ecuador
| | - Gabriela Pozo
- Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Laboratorio de Biotecnología Vegetal, Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), Campus Cumbayá, Quito 170901, Ecuador
| | - Milton Gordillo-Romero
- Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Laboratorio de Biotecnología Vegetal, Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), Campus Cumbayá, Quito 170901, Ecuador
| | - Carolina E Armijos
- Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Laboratorio de Biotecnología Vegetal, Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), Campus Cumbayá, Quito 170901, Ecuador
| | - Maria de Lourdes Torres
- Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Laboratorio de Biotecnología Vegetal, Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), Campus Cumbayá, Quito 170901, Ecuador
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Wei X, Wang H, Guo D, Wang B, Zhang X, Wang J, Liu Y, Wang X, Liu C, Dong W. Integrated Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analysis Reveals Molecular Mechanisms of the Cold Stress Response during the Overwintering Period in Blueberries ( Vaccinium spp.). PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:1911. [PMID: 39065438 PMCID: PMC11280072 DOI: 10.3390/plants13141911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
In China, the Liaodong Peninsula is an important growing area for blueberries because of the high organic matter content in the soil, the abundance of light, and the large temperature difference between day and night. However, the low temperature and relative humidity of the air during the winter and early spring in the Liaodong Peninsula are the main reasons for the damage to blueberry plants. Here, we documented the transcriptome and proteome dynamics in response to cold stress in three blueberry cultivars ('Northland', 'Bluecrop', and 'Berkeley'). Functional enrichment analysis indicated that many differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) were mainly involved in the pathways of protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, the glutathione metabolism pathway, and ribosomes. We identified 12,747 transcription factors (TFs) distributed in 20 families. Based on our findings, we speculated that cold tolerance development was caused by the expression of calcium-related genes (CDPKs and CMLs), glutathione proteins, and TFs (NAC, WRKY, and ERF). Our investigation found that three cultivars experienced cold damage when exposed to temperatures between -9 °C and -15 °C in the field. Therefore, the cold resistance of blueberries during overwintering should not only resist the influence of low temperatures but also complex environmental factors such as strong winds and low relative humidity in the air. The order of cold resistance strength in the three blueberry cultivars was 'Berkeley', 'Bluecrop', and 'Northland'. These results provide a comprehensive profile of the response to cold stress, which has the potential to be used as a selection marker for programs to improve cold tolerance in blueberries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wei
- College of Horticulture, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China; (X.W.); (X.Z.); (J.W.)
- Liaoning Institute of Pomology, Yingkou 115009, China; (H.W.); (D.G.); (B.W.); (Y.L.); (X.W.)
| | - Hongguang Wang
- Liaoning Institute of Pomology, Yingkou 115009, China; (H.W.); (D.G.); (B.W.); (Y.L.); (X.W.)
| | - Dan Guo
- Liaoning Institute of Pomology, Yingkou 115009, China; (H.W.); (D.G.); (B.W.); (Y.L.); (X.W.)
| | - Baisong Wang
- Liaoning Institute of Pomology, Yingkou 115009, China; (H.W.); (D.G.); (B.W.); (Y.L.); (X.W.)
| | - Xiao Zhang
- College of Horticulture, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China; (X.W.); (X.Z.); (J.W.)
| | - Jian Wang
- College of Horticulture, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China; (X.W.); (X.Z.); (J.W.)
| | - Youchun Liu
- Liaoning Institute of Pomology, Yingkou 115009, China; (H.W.); (D.G.); (B.W.); (Y.L.); (X.W.)
| | - Xingdong Wang
- Liaoning Institute of Pomology, Yingkou 115009, China; (H.W.); (D.G.); (B.W.); (Y.L.); (X.W.)
| | - Cheng Liu
- Liaoning Institute of Pomology, Yingkou 115009, China; (H.W.); (D.G.); (B.W.); (Y.L.); (X.W.)
| | - Wenxuan Dong
- College of Horticulture, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China; (X.W.); (X.Z.); (J.W.)
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Wang Z, Zhang W, Zhou Y, Zhang Q, Kulkarni KP, Melmaiee K, Tian Y, Dong M, Gao Z, Su Y, Yu H, Xu G, Li Y, He H, Liu Q, Sun H. Genetic and epigenetic signatures for improved breeding of cultivated blueberry. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2024; 11:uhae138. [PMID: 38988623 PMCID: PMC11233858 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhae138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Blueberry belongs to the Vaccinium genus and is a highly popular fruit crop with significant economic importance. It was not until the early twentieth century that they began to be domesticated through extensive interspecific hybridization. Here, we collected 220 Vaccinium accessions from various geographical locations, including 154 from the United States, 14 from China, eight from Australia, and 29 from Europe and other countries, comprising 164 Vaccinium corymbosum, 15 Vaccinium ashei, 10 lowbush blueberries, seven half-high blueberries, and others. We present the whole-genome variation map of 220 accessions and reconstructed the hundred-year molecular history of interspecific hybridization of blueberry. We focused on the two major blueberry subgroups, the northern highbush blueberry (NHB) and southern highbush blueberry (SHB) and identified candidate genes that contribute to their distinct traits in climate adaptability and fruit quality. Our analysis unveiled the role of gene introgression from Vaccinium darrowii and V. ashei into SHB in driving the differentiation between SHB and NHB, potentially facilitating SHB's adaptation to subtropical environments. Assisted by genome-wide association studies, our analysis suggested VcTBL44 as a pivotal gene regulator governing fruit firmness in SHB. Additionally, we conducted whole-genome bisulfite sequencing on nine NHB and 12 SHB cultivars, and characterized regions that are differentially methylated between the two subgroups. In particular, we discovered that the β-alanine metabolic pathway genes were enriched for DNA methylation changes. Our study provides high-quality genetic and epigenetic variation maps for blueberry, which offer valuable insights and resources for future blueberry breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zejia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, No.5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Wanchen Zhang
- Jilin Provincial Laboratory of Crop Germplasm Resources, College of Horticulture, Jilin Agricultural University, No. 2888 Xincheng Street, Economic Development District, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Yangyan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, No.5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Qiyan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, No.5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Krishnanand P Kulkarni
- Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Delaware State University, Dover, DE 19901, USA
| | - Kalpalatha Melmaiee
- Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Delaware State University, Dover, DE 19901, USA
| | - Youwen Tian
- Jilin Provincial Laboratory of Crop Germplasm Resources, College of Horticulture, Jilin Agricultural University, No. 2888 Xincheng Street, Economic Development District, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Mei Dong
- Jilin Provincial Laboratory of Crop Germplasm Resources, College of Horticulture, Jilin Agricultural University, No. 2888 Xincheng Street, Economic Development District, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Zhaoxu Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, No.5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yanning Su
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, No.5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Hong Yu
- Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Guohui Xu
- College of Life and Health, Dalian University, Dalian 116622, China
| | - Yadong Li
- Jilin Provincial Laboratory of Crop Germplasm Resources, College of Horticulture, Jilin Agricultural University, No. 2888 Xincheng Street, Economic Development District, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Hang He
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, No.5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Qikun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, No.5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Haiyue Sun
- Jilin Provincial Laboratory of Crop Germplasm Resources, College of Horticulture, Jilin Agricultural University, No. 2888 Xincheng Street, Economic Development District, Changchun 130118, China
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Lv W, Zhu L, Tan L, Gu L, Wang H, Du X, Zhu B, Zeng T, Wang C. Genome-Wide Identification Analysis of GST Gene Family in Wild Blueberry Vaccinium duclouxii and Their Impact on Anthocyanin Accumulation. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:1497. [PMID: 38891305 PMCID: PMC11174658 DOI: 10.3390/plants13111497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Vaccinium duclouxii, a wild blueberry species native to the mountainous regions of southwestern China, is notable for its exceptionally high anthocyanin content, surpassing that of many cultivated varieties and offering significant research potential. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are versatile enzymes crucial for anthocyanin transport in plants. Yet, the GST gene family had not been previously identified in V. duclouxii. This study utilized a genome-wide approach to identify and characterize the GST gene family in V. duclouxii, revealing 88 GST genes grouped into seven distinct subfamilies. This number is significantly higher than that found in closely related species, with these genes distributed across 12 chromosomes and exhibiting gene clustering. A total of 46 members are classified as tandem duplicates. The gene structure of VdGST is relatively conserved among related species, showing closer phylogenetic relations to V. bracteatum and evidence of purifying selection. Transcriptomic analysis and qRT-PCR indicated that VdGSTU22 and VdGSTU38 were highly expressed in flowers, VdGSTU29 in leaves, and VdGSTF11 showed significant expression in ripe and fully mature fruits, paralleling trends seen with anthocyanin accumulation. Subcellular localization identified VdGSTF11 primarily in the plasma membrane, suggesting a potential role in anthocyanin accumulation in V. duclouxii fruits. This study provides a foundational basis for further molecular-level functional analysis of the transport and accumulation of anthocyanins in V. duclouxii, enhancing our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying anthocyanin metabolism in this valuable species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Lv
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550025, China; (W.L.); (L.T.); (L.G.); (H.W.); (X.D.); (B.Z.)
| | - Liyong Zhu
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture & Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China;
| | - Lifa Tan
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550025, China; (W.L.); (L.T.); (L.G.); (H.W.); (X.D.); (B.Z.)
| | - Lei Gu
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550025, China; (W.L.); (L.T.); (L.G.); (H.W.); (X.D.); (B.Z.)
| | - Hongcheng Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550025, China; (W.L.); (L.T.); (L.G.); (H.W.); (X.D.); (B.Z.)
| | - Xuye Du
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550025, China; (W.L.); (L.T.); (L.G.); (H.W.); (X.D.); (B.Z.)
| | - Bin Zhu
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550025, China; (W.L.); (L.T.); (L.G.); (H.W.); (X.D.); (B.Z.)
| | - Tuo Zeng
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550025, China; (W.L.); (L.T.); (L.G.); (H.W.); (X.D.); (B.Z.)
| | - Caiyun Wang
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture & Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China;
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Tang Q, Wang X, Ma S, Fan S, Chi F, Song Y. Molecular mechanism of abscisic acid signaling response factor VcbZIP55 to promote anthocyanin biosynthesis in blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum). PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2024; 210:108611. [PMID: 38615439 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.108611] [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: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
A high content of anthocyanin in blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) is an important indicator to evaluate fruit quality. Abscisic acid (ABA) can promote anthocyanin biosynthesis, but since the molecular mechanism is unclear, clarifying the mechanism will improve for blueberry breeding and cultivation regulation. VcbZIP55 regulating anthocyanin synthesis in blueberry were screened and mined using the published Isoform-sequencing, RNA-Seq and qRT-PCR at different fruit developmental stages. Blueberry genetic transformation and transgenic experiments confirmed that VcbZIP55 could promote anthocyanin biosynthesis in blueberry adventitious buds, tobacco leaves, blueberry leaves and blueberry fruit. VcbZIP55 responded to ABA signals and its expression was upregulated in blueberry fruit. In addition, using VcbZIP55 for Yeast one hybrid assay (Y1H) and transient expression in tobacco leaves demonstrated an interaction between VcbZIP55 and a G-Box motif on the VcMYB1 promoter to activate the expression of VcMYB1. This study will lay the theoretical foundation for the molecular mechanisms of phytohormone regulation responsible for anthocyanin synthesis and provide theoretical support for blueberry quality improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Tang
- Research Institute of Pomology of CAAS, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crops Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Xingcheng, Liaoning, 125100, China.
| | - Xuan Wang
- Research Institute of Pomology of CAAS, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crops Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Xingcheng, Liaoning, 125100, China.
| | - Shurui Ma
- Research Institute of Pomology of CAAS, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crops Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Xingcheng, Liaoning, 125100, China.
| | - Shutian Fan
- Institute of Special Animal and Plant Sciences CAAS, Jilin Changchun, 130122, China.
| | - Fumei Chi
- Research Institute of Pomology of CAAS, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crops Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Xingcheng, Liaoning, 125100, China.
| | - Yang Song
- Research Institute of Pomology of CAAS, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crops Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Xingcheng, Liaoning, 125100, China.
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Hirabayashi K, Debnath SC, Owens GL. Unveiling the evolutionary history of lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) through genome sequencing and assembly of European and North American subspecies. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkad294. [PMID: 38142435 PMCID: PMC10917501 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) produces tiny red berries that are tart and nutty in flavor. It grows widely in the circumpolar region, including Scandinavia, northern parts of Eurasia, Alaska, and Canada. Although cultivation is currently limited, the plant has a long history of cultural use among indigenous communities. Given its potential as a food source, genomic resources for lingonberry are significantly lacking. To advance genomic knowledge, the genomes for 2 subspecies of lingonberry (V. vitis-idaea ssp. minus and ssp. vitis-idaea var. 'Red Candy') were sequenced and de novo assembled into contig-level assemblies. The assemblies were scaffolded using the bilberry genome (Vaccinium myrtillus) to generate a chromosome-anchored reference genome consisting of 12 chromosomes each with a total length of 548.07 Mb [contig N50 = 1.17 Mb, BUSCO (C%) = 96.5%] for ssp. vitis-idaea and 518.70 Mb [contig N50 = 1.40 Mb, BUSCO (C%) = 96.9%] for ssp. minus. RNA-seq-based gene annotation identified 27,243 and 25,718 genes on the respective assembly, and transposable element detection methods found that 45.82 and 44.58% of the genome were repeats. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that lingonberry was most closely related to bilberry and was more closely related to blueberries than cranberries. Estimates of past effective population size suggested a continuous decline over the past 1-3 MYA, possibly due to the impacts of repeated glacial cycles during the Pleistocene leading to frequent population fragmentation. The genomic resource created in this study can be used to identify industry-relevant genes (e.g. anthocyanin production), infer phylogeny, and call sequence-level variants (e.g. SNPs) in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaede Hirabayashi
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada
| | - Samir C Debnath
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, St.John's Research and Development Centre, 204 Brookfield Road, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador L A1E 0B2, Canada
| | - Gregory L Owens
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada
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Wu X, Simpson SA, Youngblood RC, Liu XF, Scheffler BE, Rinehart TA, Alexander LW, Hulse-Kemp AM. Two haplotype-resolved genomes reveal important flower traits in bigleaf hydrangea ( Hydrangea macrophylla) and insights into Asterid evolution. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2023; 10:uhad217. [PMID: 38130599 PMCID: PMC10734616 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhad217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The Hydrangea genus belongs to the Hydrangeaceae family, in the Cornales order of flowering plants, which early diverged among the Asterids, and includes several species that are commonly used ornamental plants. Of them, Hydrangea macrophylla is one of the most valuable species in the nursery trade, yet few genomic resources are available for this crop or closely related Asterid species. Two high-quality haplotype-resolved reference genomes of hydrangea cultivars 'Veitchii' and 'Endless Summer' [highest quality at 2.22 gigabase pairs (Gb), 396 contigs, N50 22.8 megabase pairs (Mb)] were assembled and scaffolded into the expected 18 pseudochromosomes. Utilizing the newly developed high-quality reference genomes along with high-quality genomes of other related flowering plants, nuclear data were found to support a single divergence point in the Asterids clade where both the Cornales and Ericales diverged from the euasterids. Genetic mapping with an F1 hybrid population demonstrated the power of linkage mapping combined with the new genomic resources to identify the gene for inflorescence shape, CYP78A5 located on chromosome 4, and a novel gene, BAM3 located on chromosome 17, for causing double flower. Resources developed in this study will not only help to accelerate hydrangea genetic improvement but also contribute to understanding the largest group of flowering plants, the Asterids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingbo Wu
- Department of Environmental Horticulture, Tropical Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Homestead, FL 33031, United States
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Raleigh, NC 27695, United States
| | - Sheron A Simpson
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Stoneville, MS 38776, United States
| | - Ramey C Youngblood
- Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing and Biotechnology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, United States
| | - Xiaofen F Liu
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Stoneville, MS 38776, United States
| | - Brian E Scheffler
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Stoneville, MS 38776, United States
| | - Timothy A Rinehart
- Crop Production and Protection, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD 20705, United States
| | - Lisa W Alexander
- Floral and Nursery Plants Research Unit, U.S. National Arboretum, USDA-ARS, McMinnville, TN 37110, United States
| | - Amanda M Hulse-Kemp
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Raleigh, NC 27695, United States
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, United States
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Kapoor B, Jenkins J, Schmutz J, Zhebentyayeva T, Kuelheim C, Coggeshall M, Heim C, Lasky JR, Leites L, Islam-Faridi N, Romero-Severson J, DeLeo VL, Lucas SM, Lazic D, Gailing O, Carlson J, Staton M. A haplotype-resolved chromosome-scale genome for Quercus rubra L. provides insights into the genetics of adaptive traits for red oak species. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023; 13:jkad209. [PMID: 37708394 PMCID: PMC10627279 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) is an ecologically and economically important forest tree native to North America. We present a chromosome-scale genome of Q. rubra generated by the combination of PacBio sequences and chromatin conformation capture (Hi-C) scaffolding. This is the first reference genome from the red oak clade (section Lobatae). The Q. rubra assembly spans 739 Mb with 95.27% of the genome in 12 chromosomes and 33,333 protein-coding genes. Comparisons to the genomes of Quercus lobata and Quercus mongolica revealed high collinearity, with intrachromosomal structural variants present. Orthologous gene family analysis with other tree species revealed that gene families associated with defense response were expanding and contracting simultaneously across the Q. rubra genome. Quercus rubra had the most CC-NBS-LRR and TIR-NBS-LRR resistance genes out of the 9 species analyzed. Terpene synthase gene family comparisons further reveal tandem gene duplications in TPS-b subfamily, similar to Quercus robur. Phylogenetic analysis also identified 4 subfamilies of the IGT/LAZY gene family in Q. rubra important for plant structure. Single major QTL regions were identified for vegetative bud break and marcescence, which contain candidate genes for further research, including a putative ortholog of the circadian clock constituent cryptochrome (CRY2) and 8 tandemly duplicated genes for serine protease inhibitors, respectively. Genome-environment associations across natural populations identified candidate abiotic stress tolerance genes and predicted performance in a common garden. This high-quality red oak genome represents an essential resource to the oak genomic community, which will expedite comparative genomics and biological studies in Quercus species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beant Kapoor
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Jerry Jenkins
- Genome Sequencing Center, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL 35806, USA
| | - Jeremy Schmutz
- Genome Sequencing Center, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL 35806, USA
| | - Tatyana Zhebentyayeva
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Carsten Kuelheim
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Tech University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA
| | - Mark Coggeshall
- College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Chris Heim
- Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Jesse R Lasky
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Laura Leites
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Nurul Islam-Faridi
- Forest Tree Molecular Cytogenetics Laboratory, USDA-FS, SRS-4160, Department of Ecology & Conservation Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | | | - Victoria L DeLeo
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Sarah M Lucas
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Desanka Lazic
- Department of Forest Genetics and Forest Tree Breeding, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Lower Saxony 37077, Germany
| | - Oliver Gailing
- Department of Forest Genetics and Forest Tree Breeding, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Lower Saxony 37077, Germany
| | - John Carlson
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Margaret Staton
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
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10
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Yocca AE, Platts A, Alger E, Teresi S, Mengist MF, Benevenuto J, Ferrão LFV, Jacobs M, Babinski M, Magallanes-Lundback M, Bayer P, Golicz A, Humann JL, Main D, Espley RV, Chagné D, Albert NW, Montanari S, Vorsa N, Polashock J, Díaz-Garcia L, Zalapa J, Bassil NV, Munoz PR, Iorizzo M, Edger PP. Blueberry and cranberry pangenomes as a resource for future genetic studies and breeding efforts. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2023; 10:uhad202. [PMID: 38023484 PMCID: PMC10673653 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhad202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Domestication of cranberry and blueberry began in the United States in the early 1800s and 1900s, respectively, and in part owing to their flavors and health-promoting benefits are now cultivated and consumed worldwide. The industry continues to face a wide variety of production challenges (e.g. disease pressures), as well as a demand for higher-yielding cultivars with improved fruit quality characteristics. Unfortunately, molecular tools to help guide breeding efforts for these species have been relatively limited compared with those for other high-value crops. Here, we describe the construction and analysis of the first pangenome for both blueberry and cranberry. Our analysis of these pangenomes revealed both crops exhibit great genetic diversity, including the presence-absence variation of 48.4% genes in highbush blueberry and 47.0% genes in cranberry. Auxiliary genes, those not shared by all cultivars, are significantly enriched with molecular functions associated with disease resistance and the biosynthesis of specialized metabolites, including compounds previously associated with improving fruit quality traits. The discovery of thousands of genes, not present in the previous reference genomes for blueberry and cranberry, will serve as the basis of future research and as potential targets for future breeding efforts. The pangenome, as a multiple-sequence alignment, as well as individual annotated genomes, are publicly available for analysis on the Genome Database for Vaccinium-a curated and integrated web-based relational database. Lastly, the core-gene predictions from the pangenomes will serve useful to develop a community genotyping platform to guide future molecular breeding efforts across the family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan E Yocca
- Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
| | - Adrian Platts
- Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
| | - Elizabeth Alger
- Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
| | - Scott Teresi
- Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
- Genetics and Genome Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
| | - Molla F Mengist
- Plants for Human Health Institute, North Carolina State University, Kannapolis, NC United States
| | - Juliana Benevenuto
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States
| | - Luis Felipe V Ferrão
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States
| | - MacKenzie Jacobs
- Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
| | - Michal Babinski
- Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
| | | | - Philipp Bayer
- University of Western Australia, Perth 6009Australia
| | | | - Jodi L Humann
- Department of Horticulture, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99163, United States
| | - Dorrie Main
- Department of Horticulture, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99163, United States
| | - Richard V Espley
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Auckland, New Zealand
| | - David Chagné
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Palmerston, New Zealand
| | - Nick W Albert
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Palmerston, New Zealand
| | - Sara Montanari
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Motueka, New Zealand
| | - Nicholi Vorsa
- SEBS, Plant Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick NJ 01019United States
| | - James Polashock
- SEBS, Plant Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick NJ 01019United States
| | - Luis Díaz-Garcia
- Department of Viticulture and Enology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Juan Zalapa
- Department of Viticulture and Enology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Nahla V Bassil
- National Clonal Germplasm Repository, USDA-ARS, Corvallis, OR 97333, United States
| | - Patricio R Munoz
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States
| | - Massimo Iorizzo
- Plants for Human Health Institute, North Carolina State University, Kannapolis, NCUnited States
- Department of Horticulture, North Carolina State University, Kannapolis, NCUnited States
| | - Patrick P Edger
- Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
- Genetics and Genome Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
- MSU AgBioResearch, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
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11
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Zeng T, He Z, He J, Lv W, Huang S, Li J, Zhu L, Wan S, Zhou W, Yang Z, Zhang Y, Luo C, He J, Wang C, Wang L. The telomere-to-telomere gap-free reference genome of wild blueberry ( Vaccinium duclouxii) provides its high soluble sugar and anthocyanin accumulation. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2023; 10:uhad209. [PMID: 38023474 PMCID: PMC10681038 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhad209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Vaccinium duclouxii, endemic to southwestern China, is a berry-producing shrub or small tree belonging to the Ericaceae family, with high nutritive, medicinal, and ornamental value, abundant germplasm resources, and good edible properties. In addition, V. duclouxii exhibits strong tolerance to adverse environmental conditions, making it a promising candidate for research and offering wide-ranging possibilities for utilization. However, the lack of V. duclouxii genome sequence has hampered its development and utilization. Here, a high-quality telomere-to-telomere genome sequence of V. duclouxii was de novo assembled and annotated. All of 12 chromosomes were assembled into gap-free single contigs, providing the highest integrity and quality assembly reported so far for blueberry. The V. duclouxii genome is 573.67 Mb, which encodes 41 953 protein-coding genes. Combining transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses, we have uncovered the molecular mechanisms involved in sugar and acid accumulation and anthocyanin biosynthesis in V. duclouxii. This provides essential molecular information for further research on the quality of V. duclouxii. Moreover, the high-quality telomere-to-telomere assembly of the V. duclouxii genome will provide insights into the genomic evolution of Vaccinium and support advancements in blueberry genetics and molecular breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuo Zeng
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550000, China
| | - Zhijiao He
- Institute of Alpine Economic Plant, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lijiang 674199, Yunnan, China
| | - Jiefang He
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550000, China
| | - Wei Lv
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550000, China
| | - Shixiang Huang
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550000, China
| | - Jiawen Li
- School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, 100871 Beijing, China
| | - Liyong Zhu
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture & Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Shuang Wan
- Wuhan Benagen Technology Co., Ltd, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Wanfei Zhou
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture & Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Zhengsong Yang
- Institute of Alpine Economic Plant, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lijiang 674199, Yunnan, China
| | - Yatao Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550000, China
| | - Chong Luo
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550000, China
| | - Jiawei He
- Institute of Alpine Economic Plant, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lijiang 674199, Yunnan, China
| | - Caiyun Wang
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture & Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Liangsheng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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12
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Yocca AE, Platts A, Alger E, Teresi S, Mengist MF, Benevenuto J, Ferrão LFV, Jacobs M, Babinski M, Magallanes-Lundback M, Bayer P, Golicz A, Humann JL, Main D, Espley RV, Chagné D, Albert NW, Montanari S, Vorsa N, Polashock J, Díaz-Garcia L, Zalapa J, Bassil NV, Munoz PR, Iorizzo M, Edger PP. Blueberry and cranberry pangenomes as a resource for future genetic studies and breeding efforts. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.31.551392. [PMID: 37577683 PMCID: PMC10418200 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.31.551392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Domestication of cranberry and blueberry began in the United States in the early 1800s and 1900s, respectively, and in part owing to their flavors and health-promoting benefits are now cultivated and consumed worldwide. The industry continues to face a wide variety of production challenges (e.g. disease pressures) as well as a demand for higher-yielding cultivars with improved fruit quality characteristics. Unfortunately, molecular tools to help guide breeding efforts for these species have been relatively limited compared with those for other high-value crops. Here, we describe the construction and analysis of the first pangenome for both blueberry and cranberry. Our analysis of these pangenomes revealed both crops exhibit great genetic diversity, including the presence-absence variation of 48.4% genes in highbush blueberry and 47.0% genes in cranberry. Auxiliary genes, those not shared by all cultivars, are significantly enriched with molecular functions associated with disease resistance and the biosynthesis of specialized metabolites, including compounds previously associated with improving fruit quality traits. The discovery of thousands of genes, not present in the previous reference genomes for blueberry and cranberry, will serve as the basis of future research and as potential targets for future breeding efforts. The pangenome, as a multiple-sequence alignment, as well as individual annotated genomes, are publicly available for analysis on the Genome Database for Vaccinium - a curated and integrated web-based relational database. Lastly, the core-gene predictions from the pangenomes will serve useful to develop a community genotyping platform to guide future molecular breeding efforts across the family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan E. Yocca
- Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Adrian Platts
- Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Elizabeth Alger
- Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Scott Teresi
- Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- Genetics and Genome Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Molla F. Mengist
- Plants for Human Health Institute, North Carolina State University, Kannapolis, NC USA
| | - Juliana Benevenuto
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Luis Felipe V. Ferrão
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - MacKenzie Jacobs
- Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Michal Babinski
- Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | | | - Philipp Bayer
- University of Western Australia, Perth 6009 Australia
| | | | - Jodi L Humann
- Department of Horticulture, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99163, USA
| | - Dorrie Main
- Department of Horticulture, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99163, USA
| | - Richard V. Espley
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Auckland, New Zealand
| | - David Chagné
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Palmerston, New Zealand
| | - Nick W. Albert
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Palmerston, New Zealand
| | - Sara Montanari
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR), Motueka, New Zealand
| | - Nicholi Vorsa
- SEBS, Plant Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick NJ 01019 USA
| | - James Polashock
- SEBS, Plant Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick NJ 01019 USA
| | - Luis Díaz-Garcia
- USDA-ARS, VCRU, Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Juan Zalapa
- USDA-ARS, VCRU, Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Nahla V. Bassil
- USDA-ARS, National Clonal Germplasm Repository, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - Patricio R. Munoz
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Massimo Iorizzo
- Plants for Human Health Institute, North Carolina State University, Kannapolis, NC USA
- Department of Horticulture, North Carolina State University, Kannapolis, NC USA
| | - Patrick P. Edger
- Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- Genetics and Genome Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- MSU AgBioResearch, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
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13
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Herniter IA, Kim Y, Wang Y, Havill JS, Johnson-Cicalese J, Muehlbauer GJ, Iorizzo M, Vorsa N. Trait Mapping of Phenolic Acids in an Interspecific ( Vaccinium corymbosum var. caesariense × V. darrowii) Diploid Blueberry Population. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:1346. [PMID: 36987033 PMCID: PMC10057043 DOI: 10.3390/plants12061346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Blueberries (Vaccinium sect. Cyanococcus) are a dietary source of phenolic acids, including chlorogenic acid (CGA) and related compounds such as acetylated caffeoylquinic acid (ACQA) and caffeoylarbutin (CA). These compounds are known to be potent antioxidants with potential health benefits. While the chemistry of these compounds has been extensively studied, the genetic analysis has lagged behind. Understanding the genetic basis for traits with potential health implications may be of great use in plant breeding. By characterizing genetic variation related to fruit chemistry, breeders can make more efficient use of plant diversity to develop new cultivars with higher concentrations of these potentially beneficial compounds. Using a large interspecific F1 population, developed from a cross between the temperate V. corymbosum var. ceasariense and the subtropical V. darrowii, with 1025 individuals genotyped using genotype-by-sequencing methods, of which 289 were phenotyped for phenolic acid content, with data collected across 2019 and 2020, we have identified loci associated with phenolic acid content. Loci for the compounds clustered on the proximal arm of Vc02, suggesting that a single gene or several closely associated genes are responsible for the biosynthesis of all four tested compounds. Within this region are multiple gene models similar to hydroxycinnamoyl CoA shikimate/quinate hydroxycinnamoyltransferase (HCT) and UDP glucose:cinnamate glucosyl transferase (UGCT), genes known to be involved in the CGA biosynthesis pathway. Additional loci on Vc07 and Vc12 were associated with caffeoylarbutin content, suggesting a more complicated biosynthesis of that compound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ira A. Herniter
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Yurah Kim
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Yifei Wang
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Joshua S. Havill
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Jennifer Johnson-Cicalese
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Phillip E. Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry Research and Extension, 125a Lake Oswego Road, Chatsworth, NJ 08019, USA
| | - Gary J. Muehlbauer
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Massimo Iorizzo
- Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
- Plants for Human Health Institute, North Carolina State University, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA
| | - Nicholi Vorsa
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Phillip E. Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry Research and Extension, 125a Lake Oswego Road, Chatsworth, NJ 08019, USA
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14
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Mengist MF, Bostan H, De Paola D, Teresi SJ, Platts AE, Cremona G, Qi X, Mackey T, Bassil NV, Ashrafi H, Giongo L, Jibran R, Chagné D, Bianco L, Lila MA, Rowland LJ, Iovene M, Edger PP, Iorizzo M. Autopolyploid inheritance and a heterozygous reciprocal translocation shape chromosome genetic behavior in tetraploid blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum). THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 237:1024-1039. [PMID: 35962608 PMCID: PMC10087351 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18428] [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: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Understanding chromosome recombination behavior in polyploidy species is key to advancing genetic discoveries. In blueberry, a tetraploid species, the line of evidences about its genetic behavior still remain poorly understood, owing to the inter-specific, and inter-ploidy admixture of its genome and lack of in depth genome-wide inheritance and comparative structural studies. Here we describe a new high-quality, phased, chromosome-scale genome of a diploid blueberry, clone W85. The genome was integrated with cytogenetics and high-density, genetic maps representing six tetraploid blueberry cultivars, harboring different levels of wild genome admixture, to uncover recombination behavior and structural genome divergence across tetraploid and wild diploid species. Analysis of chromosome inheritance and pairing demonstrated that tetraploid blueberry behaves as an autotetraploid with tetrasomic inheritance. Comparative analysis demonstrated the presence of a reciprocal, heterozygous, translocation spanning one homolog of chr-6 and one of chr-10 in the cultivar Draper. The translocation affects pairing and recombination of chromosomes 6 and 10. Besides the translocation detected in Draper, no other structural genomic divergences were detected across tetraploid cultivars and highly inter-crossable wild diploid species. These findings and resources will facilitate new genetic and comparative genomic studies in Vaccinium and the development of genomic assisted selection strategy for this crop.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molla F. Mengist
- Plants for Human Health InstituteNorth Carolina State UniversityKannapolisNC28081USA
| | - Hamed Bostan
- Plants for Human Health InstituteNorth Carolina State UniversityKannapolisNC28081USA
| | - Domenico De Paola
- Institute of Biosciences and BioresourcesNational Research Council of ItalyBari70126Italy
| | - Scott J. Teresi
- Department of HorticultureMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMI48824USA
| | - Adrian E. Platts
- Department of HorticultureMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMI48824USA
| | - Gaetana Cremona
- Institute of Biosciences and BioresourcesNational Research Council of ItalyPorticiNA80055Italy
| | - Xinpeng Qi
- Genetic Improvement for Fruits and Vegetables LaboratoryBeltsville Agricultural Research Center‐West, US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research ServiceBeltsvilleMD20705USA
| | - Ted Mackey
- Horticultural Crops Research UnitUS Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research ServiceCorvallisOR97330USA
| | - Nahla V. Bassil
- National Clonal Germplasm RepositoryUS Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research ServiceCorvallisOR97333USA
| | - Hamid Ashrafi
- Department of Horticultural ScienceNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNC27695USA
| | - Lara Giongo
- Foundation of Edmund MachSan Michele all'AdigeTN38098Italy
| | - Rubina Jibran
- Plant & Food ResearchFitzherbertPalmerston North4474New Zealand
| | - David Chagné
- Plant & Food ResearchFitzherbertPalmerston North4474New Zealand
| | - Luca Bianco
- Foundation of Edmund MachSan Michele all'AdigeTN38098Italy
| | - Mary A. Lila
- Plants for Human Health InstituteNorth Carolina State UniversityKannapolisNC28081USA
| | - Lisa J. Rowland
- Genetic Improvement for Fruits and Vegetables LaboratoryBeltsville Agricultural Research Center‐West, US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research ServiceBeltsvilleMD20705USA
| | - Marina Iovene
- Institute of Biosciences and BioresourcesNational Research Council of ItalyPorticiNA80055Italy
| | - Patrick P. Edger
- Department of HorticultureMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMI48824USA
| | - Massimo Iorizzo
- Plants for Human Health InstituteNorth Carolina State UniversityKannapolisNC28081USA
- Department of Horticultural ScienceNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNC27695USA
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15
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Feng X, Zhou B, Wu X, Wu H, Zhang S, Jiang Y, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Cao M, Guo B, Su S, Hou Z. Molecular characterization of SPL gene family during flower morphogenesis and regulation in blueberry. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 23:40. [PMID: 36650432 PMCID: PMC9847132 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-023-04044-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The SPL gene is a plant-specific transcription factor involved in the regulation of plant growth and development, which have been identified in woody plants. The process of floral bud differentiation affects the timing of flowering and fruit set and regulates plant growth, however, the mechanism of regulation of flower development by SPL genes is less studied. In this study, 56 VcSPL genes were identified in the tetraploid blueberry. The VcSPL gene family was classified into six subfamilies, and analysis of cis-elements showed that VcSPL genes were regulated by light, phytohormones (abscisic acid, MeJA), and low temperature. In the evolutionary analysis, segmental replication may play an important role in VcSPL gene amplification. Interestingly, we also studied diploid blueberry (Bilberry), in which 24 SPL genes were identified, and 36 homologous pairs were found, suggesting a high degree of convergence in the syntenic relationship between blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L) and bilberry (Vaccinium darrowii). Based on the expression profile, VcSPL genes were expressed at high levels in flowers, shoots, and roots, indicating a diversity of gene functions. Then we selected 20 differentially-expressed SPL genes to further investigate the role of VcSPL in floral induction and initiation. It showed that the genes VcSPL40, VcSPL35, VcSPL45, and VcSPL53 may play a crucial role in the blueberry floral transition phase (from vegetative growth to flower initiation). These results provided important information for understanding and exploring the role of VcSPLs in flower morphogenesis and plant growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Feng
- Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Research and Development Center of Blueberry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Bingjie Zhou
- Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Research and Development Center of Blueberry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Xinliang Wu
- Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Research and Development Center of Blueberry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Huiling Wu
- Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Research and Development Center of Blueberry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Suilin Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Research and Development Center of Blueberry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Ying Jiang
- Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Research and Development Center of Blueberry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Yaping Wang
- Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Research and Development Center of Blueberry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Yaqian Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Research and Development Center of Blueberry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Man Cao
- Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Research and Development Center of Blueberry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Baoshi Guo
- Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Research and Development Center of Blueberry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Shuchai Su
- Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Research and Development Center of Blueberry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Zhixia Hou
- Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Research and Development Center of Blueberry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China.
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Wang YW, Nambeesan SU. Full-length fruit transcriptomes of southern highbush (Vaccinium sp.) and rabbiteye (V. virgatum Ait.) blueberry. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:733. [DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08935-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Blueberries (Vaccinium sp.) are native to North America and breeding efforts to improve blueberry fruit quality are focused on improving traits such as increased firmness, enhanced flavor and greater shelf-life. Such efforts require additional genomic resources, especially in southern highbush and rabbiteye blueberries.
Results
We generated the first full-length fruit transcriptome for the southern highbush and rabbiteye blueberry using the cultivars, Suziblue and Powderblue, respectively. The transcriptome was generated using the Pacific Biosciences single-molecule long-read isoform sequencing platform with cDNA pooled from seven stages during fruit development and postharvest storage. Raw reads were processed through the Isoseq pipeline and full-length transcripts were mapped to the ‘Draper’ genome with unmapped reads collapsed using Cogent. Finally, we identified 16,299 and 15,882 non-redundant transcripts in ‘Suziblue’ and ‘Powderblue’ respectively by combining the reads mapped to Northern Highbush blueberry ‘Draper’ genome and Cogent analysis. In both cultivars, > 80% of sequences were longer than 1,000 nt, with the median transcript length around 1,700 nt. Functionally annotated transcripts using Blast2GO were > 92% in both ‘Suziblue’ and ‘Powderblue’ with overall equal distribution of gene ontology (GO) terms in the two cultivars. Analyses of alternative splicing events indicated that around 40% non-redundant sequences exhibited more than one isoform. Additionally, long non-coding RNAs were predicted to represent 5.6% and 7% of the transcriptomes in ‘Suziblue’ and ‘Powderblue’, respectively. Fruit ripening is regulated by several hormone-related genes and transcription factors. Among transcripts associated with phytohormone metabolism/signaling, the highest number of transcripts were related to abscisic acid (ABA) and auxin metabolism followed by those for brassinosteroid, jasmonic acid and ethylene metabolism. Among transcription factor-associated transcripts, those belonging to ripening-related APETALA2/ethylene-responsive element-binding factor (AP2/ERF), NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2 and CUC2), leucine zipper (HB-zip), basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH), MYB (v-MYB, discovered in avian myeloblastosis virus genome) and MADS-Box gene families, were abundant.
Further we measured three fruit ripening quality traits and indicators [ABA, and anthocyanin concentration, and texture] during fruit development and ripening. ABA concentration increased during the initial stages of fruit ripening and then declined at the Ripe stage, whereas anthocyanin content increased during the final stages of fruit ripening in both cultivars. Fruit firmness declined during ripening in ‘Powderblue’. Genes associated with the above parameters were identified using the full-length transcriptome. Transcript abundance patterns of these genes were consistent with changes in the fruit ripening and quality-related characteristics.
Conclusions
A full-length, well-annotated fruit transcriptome was generated for two blueberry species commonly cultivated in the southeastern United States. The robustness of the transcriptome was verified by the identification and expression analyses of multiple fruit ripening and quality–regulating genes. The full-length transcriptome is a valuable addition to the blueberry genomic resources and will aid in further improving the annotation. It will also provide a useful resource for the investigation of molecular aspects of ripening and postharvest processes.
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