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Griffin C, Oz MT, Demirer GS. Engineering plant-microbe communication for plant nutrient use efficiency. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2024; 88:103150. [PMID: 38810302 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Nutrient availability and efficient use are critical for crop productivity. Current agricultural practices rely on excessive chemical fertilizers, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental pollution. Rhizosphere microbes facilitate plant nutrient acquisition and contribute to nutrient use efficiency. Thus, engineering plant-microbe communication within the rhizosphere emerges as a promising and sustainable strategy to enhance agricultural productivity. Recent advances in plant engineering have enabled the development of plants capable of selectively enriching beneficial microbes through root exudates. At the same time, synthetic biology techniques have produced microbes capable of improving nutrient availability and uptake by plants. By engineering plant-microbe communication, researchers aim to harness beneficial soil microbes, thereby offering a targeted and efficient approach to optimizing plant nutrient use efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Griffin
- Department of Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - M Tufan Oz
- Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Gozde S Demirer
- Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
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2
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Chakraborty S, Venkataraman M, Infante V, Pfleger BF, Ané JM. Scripting a new dialogue between diazotrophs and crops. Trends Microbiol 2024; 32:577-589. [PMID: 37770375 PMCID: PMC10950843 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.08.007] [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: 05/27/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Diazotrophs are bacteria and archaea that can reduce atmospheric dinitrogen (N2) into ammonium. Plant-diazotroph interactions have been explored for over a century as a nitrogen (N) source for crops to improve agricultural productivity and sustainability. This scientific quest has generated much information about the molecular mechanisms underlying the function, assembly, and regulation of nitrogenase, ammonium assimilation, and plant-diazotroph interactions. This review presents various approaches to manipulating N fixation activity, ammonium release by diazotrophs, and plant-diazotroph interactions. We discuss the research avenues explored in this area, propose potential future routes, emphasizing engineering at the metabolic level via biorthogonal signaling, and conclude by highlighting the importance of biocontrol measures and public acceptance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanhita Chakraborty
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Maya Venkataraman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Valentina Infante
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Brian F Pfleger
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jean-Michel Ané
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Agronomy, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
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3
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Pfotenhauer AC, Lenaghan SC. Phytosensors: harnessing plants to understand the world around us. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2024; 87:103134. [PMID: 38705091 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Although plants are sessile, their ubiquitous distribution, ability to harness energy from the sun, and ability to sense above and belowground signals make them ideal candidates for biosensor development. Synthetic biology has allowed scientists to reimagine biosensors as engineered devices that are focused on accomplishing novel tasks. As such, a new wave of plant-based sensors, phytosensors, are being engineered as multi-component sense-and-report devices that can alert human operators to a variety of hazards. While phytosensors are intrinsically tied to agriculture, a new generation of phytosensors has been envisioned to function in the built environment and even in austere environments, such as space. In this review, we will explore the current state of the art with regard to phytosensor engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Scott C Lenaghan
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA; Department of Food Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA.
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4
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Jones EM, Marken JP, Silver PA. Synthetic microbiology in sustainability applications. Nat Rev Microbiol 2024; 22:345-359. [PMID: 38253793 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-023-01007-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Microorganisms are a promising means to address many societal sustainability challenges owing to their ability to thrive in diverse environments and interface with the microscale chemical world via diverse metabolic capacities. Synthetic biology can engineer microorganisms by rewiring their regulatory networks or introducing new functionalities, enhancing their utility for target applications. In this Review, we provide a broad, high-level overview of various research efforts addressing sustainability challenges through synthetic biology, emphasizing foundational microbiological research questions that can accelerate the development of these efforts. We introduce an organizational framework that categorizes these efforts along three domains - factory, farm and field - that are defined by the extent to which the engineered microorganisms interface with the natural external environment. Different application areas within the same domain share many fundamental challenges, highlighting productive opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaborations between researchers working in historically disparate fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan M Jones
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John P Marken
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Resnick Sustainability Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Pamela A Silver
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.
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5
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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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6
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Deng N, Liu C, Tian Y, Song Q, Niu Y, Ma F. Assembly processes of rhizosphere and phyllosphere bacterial communities in constructed wetlands created via transformation of rice paddies. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1337435. [PMID: 38444812 PMCID: PMC10913029 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1337435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Constructed wetlands are an efficient and cost-effective method of restoring degraded wetlands, in which the microorganisms present make a significant contribution to the ecosystem. In this study, we comprehensively investigated the patterns of diversity and assembly processes of 7 types of constructed wetlands at the rhizosphere and phyllosphere levels. The results showed that the rhizosphere communities of the constructed wetlands exhibited a more balanced structure than that of paddy fields, and 5 types of constructed wetland demonstrated higher potential diversity than that of paddy fields. However, the opposite trend was observed for the phyllosphere communities. Analysis of mean nearest taxon difference indicated that both deterministic and stochastic processes affected the establishment of the rhizosphere and phyllosphere communities, and stochastic processes may have had a larger effect. An iCAMP model showed that dispersal limitation was the most important factor (67% relative contribution) in the rhizosphere community, while drift was the most important (47% relative contribution) in the phyllosphere community. Mantel tests suggested that sucrase, average height, top height, total biomass, belowground biomass, maximum water-holding capacity, and capillary porosity were significantly correlated with processes in the rhizosphere community, whereas factors such as the deterministic process, average height, top height, and SOC were significantly correlated with deterministic processes in the phyllosphere community. Our results can assist in the evaluation of artificial restorations, and can provide understanding of the ecological processes of microbial communities, as well as new insights into the manipulation of microorganisms in polluted wetland ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Deng
- Hunan Academy of Forestry, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Cili Forest Ecosystem State Research Station, Cili, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Caixia Liu
- Hunan Academy of Forestry, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Cili Forest Ecosystem State Research Station, Cili, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yuxin Tian
- Hunan Academy of Forestry, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Cili Forest Ecosystem State Research Station, Cili, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Dongting Lake National Positioning Observation and Research Station of Wetland Ecosystem of Hunan Province, Yueyang, China
- International Technological Cooperation Base for Ecosystem Management and Sustainable Utilization of Water Resources in Dongting Lake Basin, Changsha, China
| | - Qingan Song
- Hunan Academy of Forestry, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Cili Forest Ecosystem State Research Station, Cili, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yandong Niu
- Hunan Academy of Forestry, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Cili Forest Ecosystem State Research Station, Cili, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Dongting Lake National Positioning Observation and Research Station of Wetland Ecosystem of Hunan Province, Yueyang, China
- International Technological Cooperation Base for Ecosystem Management and Sustainable Utilization of Water Resources in Dongting Lake Basin, Changsha, China
| | - Fengfeng Ma
- Hunan Academy of Forestry, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Cili Forest Ecosystem State Research Station, Cili, Changsha, Hunan, China
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7
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Kashiwagi FM, Wendler Miranda B, Maltempi de Souza E, Müller-Santos M. The naringenin-dependent regulator FdeR can be applied as a NIMPLY gate controlled by naringenin and arabinose. Synth Biol (Oxf) 2024; 9:ysae001. [PMID: 38249314 PMCID: PMC10799723 DOI: 10.1093/synbio/ysae001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The FdeR regulator has been reported as a transcriptional activator dependent on the interaction with naringenin. Previously, FdeR and its cognate promoter were used to construct naringenin-sensitive sensors, though no correlation was associated between the FdeR level of expression and outputs. Therefore, to understand this correlation, we constructed a circuit with FdeR expression adjusted by the arabinose concentration through an AraC-PBAD system and the FdeR-regulated promoter controlling the expression of GFP. We observed a significant reduction in the activity of the target promoter by increasing FdeR expression, indicating that although FdeR has been primarily classified as a transcriptional activator, it also represses transcription. Leveraging the bifunctional feature of FdeR, acting as both transcriptional activator and repressor, we demonstrated that this genetic circuit, when previously switched on by naringenin, can be switched off by inducing an increased FdeR expression level. This engineered system functioned as a NIMPLY gate, effectively decreasing GFP expression by 50% when arabinose was added without removing naringenin from the medium. Exploiting FdeR versatility, this study demonstrates an innovative application of this transcriptional factor for developing novel NIMPLY gates activated by a molecule with low toxicity and nutraceutical properties that may be important for several applications. Graphical Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Miyuki Kashiwagi
- Postgraduate Program in Science (Biochemistry), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Nitrogen Fixation Laboratory, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Brenno Wendler Miranda
- Postgraduate Program in Science (Biochemistry), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Nitrogen Fixation Laboratory, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Emanuel Maltempi de Souza
- Postgraduate Program in Science (Biochemistry), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Nitrogen Fixation Laboratory, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Müller-Santos
- Postgraduate Program in Science (Biochemistry), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Nitrogen Fixation Laboratory, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, Brazil
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8
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Jansson JK, McClure R, Egbert RG. Soil microbiome engineering for sustainability in a changing environment. Nat Biotechnol 2023; 41:1716-1728. [PMID: 37903921 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-023-01932-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in microbial ecology and synthetic biology have the potential to mitigate damage caused by anthropogenic activities that are deleteriously impacting Earth's soil ecosystems. Here, we discuss challenges and opportunities for harnessing natural and synthetic soil microbial communities, focusing on plant growth promotion under different scenarios. We explore current needs for microbial solutions in soil ecosystems, how these solutions are being developed and applied, and the potential for new biotechnology breakthroughs to tailor and target microbial products for specific applications. We highlight several scientific and technological advances in soil microbiome engineering, including characterization of microbes that impact soil ecosystems, directing how microbes assemble to interact in soil environments, and the developing suite of gene-engineering approaches. This Review underscores the need for an interdisciplinary approach to understand the composition, dynamics and deployment of beneficial soil microbiomes to drive efforts to mitigate or reverse environmental damage by restoring and protecting healthy soil ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet K Jansson
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA.
| | - Ryan McClure
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Robert G Egbert
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
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9
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Tang Y, Qin D, Tian Z, Chen W, Ma Y, Wang J, Yang J, Yan D, Dixon R, Wang YP. Diurnal switches in diazotrophic lifestyle increase nitrogen contribution to cereals. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7516. [PMID: 37980355 PMCID: PMC10657418 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43370-4] [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: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Uncoupling of biological nitrogen fixation from ammonia assimilation is a prerequisite step for engineering ammonia excretion and improvement of plant-associative nitrogen fixation. In this study, we have identified an amino acid substitution in glutamine synthetase, which provides temperature sensitive biosynthesis of glutamine, the intracellular metabolic signal of the nitrogen status. As a consequence, negative feedback regulation of genes and enzymes subject to nitrogen regulation, including nitrogenase is thermally controlled, enabling ammonia excretion in engineered Escherichia coli and the plant-associated diazotroph Klebsiella oxytoca at 23 °C, but not at 30 °C. We demonstrate that this temperature profile can be exploited to provide diurnal oscillation of ammonia excretion when variant bacteria are used to inoculate cereal crops. We provide evidence that diurnal temperature variation improves nitrogen donation to the plant because the inoculant bacteria have the ability to recover and proliferate at higher temperatures during the daytime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqian Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences & School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Debin Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences & School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Zhexian Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences & School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Wenxi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences & School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yuanxi Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences & School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Jilong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences & School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Jianguo Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences & School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Dalai Yan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Ray Dixon
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK.
| | - Yi-Ping Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences & School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
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10
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Álvarez C, Jiménez-Ríos L, Iniesta-Pallarés M, Jurado-Flores A, Molina-Heredia FP, Ng CKY, Mariscal V. Symbiosis between cyanobacteria and plants: from molecular studies to agronomic applications. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:6145-6157. [PMID: 37422707 PMCID: PMC10575698 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria from the order Nostocales are able to establish symbiotic relationships with diverse plant species. They are promiscuous symbionts, as the same strain of cyanobacterium is able to form symbiotic biological nitrogen-fixing relationships with different plants species. This review will focus on the different types of cyanobacterial-plant associations, both endophytic and epiphytic, and provide insights from a structural viewpoint, as well as our current understanding of the mechanisms involved in the symbiotic crosstalk. In all these symbioses, the benefit for the plant is clear; it obtains from the cyanobacterium fixed nitrogen and other bioactive compounds, such as phytohormones, polysaccharides, siderophores, or vitamins, leading to enhanced plant growth and productivity. Additionally, there is increasing use of different cyanobacterial species as bio-inoculants for biological nitrogen fixation to improve soil fertility and crop production, thus providing an eco-friendly, alternative, and sustainable approach to reduce the over-reliance on synthetic chemical fertilizers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Consolación Álvarez
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad de Sevilla, Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Lucía Jiménez-Ríos
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad de Sevilla, Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Macarena Iniesta-Pallarés
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad de Sevilla, Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Ana Jurado-Flores
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad de Sevilla, Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Fernando P Molina-Heredia
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad de Sevilla, Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Carl K Y Ng
- UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
- UCD Centre for Plant Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
- UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Vicente Mariscal
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad de Sevilla, Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
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11
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Gao L, Kantar MB, Moxley D, Ortiz-Barrientos D, Rieseberg LH. Crop adaptation to climate change: An evolutionary perspective. MOLECULAR PLANT 2023; 16:1518-1546. [PMID: 37515323 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2023.07.011] [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: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
The disciplines of evolutionary biology and plant and animal breeding have been intertwined throughout their development, with responses to artificial selection yielding insights into the action of natural selection and evolutionary biology providing statistical and conceptual guidance for modern breeding. Here we offer an evolutionary perspective on a grand challenge of the 21st century: feeding humanity in the face of climate change. We first highlight promising strategies currently under way to adapt crops to current and future climate change. These include methods to match crop varieties with current and predicted environments and to optimize breeding goals, management practices, and crop microbiomes to enhance yield and sustainable production. We also describe the promise of crop wild relatives and recent technological innovations such as speed breeding, genomic selection, and genome editing for improving environmental resilience of existing crop varieties or for developing new crops. Next, we discuss how methods and theory from evolutionary biology can enhance these existing strategies and suggest novel approaches. We focus initially on methods for reconstructing the evolutionary history of crops and their pests and symbionts, because such historical information provides an overall framework for crop-improvement efforts. We then describe how evolutionary approaches can be used to detect and mitigate the accumulation of deleterious mutations in crop genomes, identify alleles and mutations that underlie adaptation (and maladaptation) to agricultural environments, mitigate evolutionary trade-offs, and improve critical proteins. Continuing feedback between the evolution and crop biology communities will ensure optimal design of strategies for adapting crops to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lexuan Gao
- CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Michael B Kantar
- Department of Tropical Plant & Soil Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Dylan Moxley
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Daniel Ortiz-Barrientos
- School of Biological Sciences and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Plant Success in Nature and Agriculture, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Loren H Rieseberg
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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12
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Wackett LP. A microbial evolutionary approach for a sustainable future. Microb Biotechnol 2023; 16:1895-1899. [PMID: 37602659 PMCID: PMC10527186 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
With the continued population increase, more sustainable use of water, land, air and chemicals is imperative. Microorganisms will need to be called upon to aid in many sustainability efforts. Prokaryotes are the fastest-evolving cellular life, and most manipulatable via synthetic biology. Moreover, their natural diversity in processing organic and inorganic chemicals, and their survivability in extreme niches, make them prime agents to enlist for solving many of society's pressing problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence P. Wackett
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and BiophysicsUniversity of MinnesotaTwin CitiesMinnesotaUSA
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13
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Libourel C, Keller J, Brichet L, Cazalé AC, Carrère S, Vernié T, Couzigou JM, Callot C, Dufau I, Cauet S, Marande W, Bulach T, Suin A, Masson-Boivin C, Remigi P, Delaux PM, Capela D. Comparative phylotranscriptomics reveals ancestral and derived root nodule symbiosis programmes. NATURE PLANTS 2023:10.1038/s41477-023-01441-w. [PMID: 37322127 PMCID: PMC10356618 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-023-01441-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Symbiotic interactions such as the nitrogen-fixing root nodule symbiosis (RNS) have structured ecosystems during the evolution of life. Here we aimed at reconstructing ancestral and intermediate steps that shaped RNS observed in extant flowering plants. We compared the symbiotic transcriptomic responses of nine host plants, including the mimosoid legume Mimosa pudica for which we assembled a chromosome-level genome. We reconstructed the ancestral RNS transcriptome composed of most known symbiotic genes together with hundreds of novel candidates. Cross-referencing with transcriptomic data in response to experimentally evolved bacterial strains with gradual symbiotic proficiencies, we found the response to bacterial signals, nodule infection, nodule organogenesis and nitrogen fixation to be ancestral. By contrast, the release of symbiosomes was associated with recently evolved genes encoding small proteins in each lineage. We demonstrate that the symbiotic response was mostly in place in the most recent common ancestor of the RNS-forming species more than 90 million years ago.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril Libourel
- Laboratoire de Recherche en Sciences Végétales (LRSV), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse INP, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Jean Keller
- Laboratoire de Recherche en Sciences Végétales (LRSV), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse INP, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Lukas Brichet
- LIPME, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, CNRS, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | | | - Sébastien Carrère
- LIPME, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, CNRS, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Tatiana Vernié
- Laboratoire de Recherche en Sciences Végétales (LRSV), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse INP, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Jean-Malo Couzigou
- Laboratoire de Recherche en Sciences Végétales (LRSV), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse INP, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Caroline Callot
- INRAE, CNRGV French Plant Genomic Resource Center, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Isabelle Dufau
- INRAE, CNRGV French Plant Genomic Resource Center, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Stéphane Cauet
- INRAE, CNRGV French Plant Genomic Resource Center, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - William Marande
- INRAE, CNRGV French Plant Genomic Resource Center, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Tabatha Bulach
- INRAE, US1426, GeT-PlaGe, Genotoul, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Amandine Suin
- INRAE, US1426, GeT-PlaGe, Genotoul, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | | | - Philippe Remigi
- LIPME, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, CNRS, Castanet-Tolosan, France.
| | - Pierre-Marc Delaux
- Laboratoire de Recherche en Sciences Végétales (LRSV), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse INP, Castanet-Tolosan, France.
| | - Delphine Capela
- LIPME, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, CNRS, Castanet-Tolosan, France.
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14
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Doddrell NH, Lawson T, Raines CA, Wagstaff C, Simkin AJ. Feeding the world: impacts of elevated [CO 2] on nutrient content of greenhouse grown fruit crops and options for future yield gains. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2023; 10:uhad026. [PMID: 37090096 PMCID: PMC10116952 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhad026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Several long-term studies have provided strong support demonstrating that growing crops under elevated [CO2] can increase photosynthesis and result in an increase in yield, flavour and nutritional content (including but not limited to Vitamins C, E and pro-vitamin A). In the case of tomato, increases in yield by as much as 80% are observed when plants are cultivated at 1000 ppm [CO2], which is consistent with current commercial greenhouse production methods in the tomato fruit industry. These results provide a clear demonstration of the potential for elevating [CO2] for improving yield and quality in greenhouse crops. The major focus of this review is to bring together 50 years of observations evaluating the impact of elevated [CO2] on fruit yield and fruit nutritional quality. In the final section, we consider the need to engineer improvements to photosynthesis and nitrogen assimilation to allow plants to take greater advantage of elevated CO2 growth conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas H Doddrell
- NIAB, New Road, East Malling, Kent, ME19 6BJ UK
- Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, Berkshire RG6 6DZ, UK
| | - Tracy Lawson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester CO4 4SQ, UK
| | | | - Carol Wagstaff
- Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, Berkshire RG6 6DZ, UK
| | - Andrew J Simkin
- NIAB, New Road, East Malling, Kent, ME19 6BJ UK
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom CT2 7NJ, UK
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15
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Guo K, Yang J, Yu N, Luo L, Wang E. Biological nitrogen fixation in cereal crops: Progress, strategies, and perspectives. PLANT COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 4:100499. [PMID: 36447432 PMCID: PMC10030364 DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2022.100499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen is abundant in the atmosphere but is generally the most limiting nutrient for plants. The inability of many crop plants, such as cereals, to directly utilize freely available atmospheric nitrogen gas means that their growth and production often rely heavily on the application of chemical fertilizers, which leads to greenhouse gas emissions and the eutrophication of water. By contrast, legumes gain access to nitrogen through symbiotic association with rhizobia. These bacteria convert nitrogen gas into biologically available ammonia in nodules through a process termed symbiotic biological nitrogen fixation, which plays a decisive role in ecosystem functioning. Engineering cereal crops that can fix nitrogen like legumes or associate with nitrogen-fixing microbiomes could help to avoid the problems caused by the overuse of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer. With the development of synthetic biology, various efforts have been undertaken with the aim of creating so-called "N-self-fertilizing" crops capable of performing autonomous nitrogen fixation to avoid the need for chemical fertilizers. In this review, we briefly summarize the history and current status of engineering N-self-fertilizing crops. We also propose several potential biotechnological approaches for incorporating biological nitrogen fixation capacity into non-legume plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiyan Guo
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China; 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
| | - Jun Yang
- 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
| | - Nan Yu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China.
| | - Li Luo
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Bioenergy Crops, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China.
| | - Ertao 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.
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16
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Jhu MY, Oldroyd GED. Dancing to a different tune, can we switch from chemical to biological nitrogen fixation for sustainable food security? PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3001982. [PMID: 36917569 PMCID: PMC10013914 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Our current food production systems are unsustainable, driven in part through the application of chemically fixed nitrogen. We need alternatives to empower farmers to maximise their productivity sustainably. Therefore, we explore the potential for transferring the root nodule symbiosis from legumes to other crops. Studies over the last decades have shown that preexisting developmental and signal transduction processes were recruited during the evolution of legume nodulation. This allows us to utilise these preexisting processes to engineer nitrogen fixation in target crops. Here, we highlight our understanding of legume nodulation and future research directions that might help to overcome the barrier of achieving self-fertilising crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Yao Jhu
- Crop Science Centre, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Giles E. D. Oldroyd
- Crop Science Centre, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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17
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Bennett EM, Murray JW, Isalan M. Engineering Nitrogenases for Synthetic Nitrogen Fixation: From Pathway Engineering to Directed Evolution. BIODESIGN RESEARCH 2023; 5:0005. [PMID: 37849466 PMCID: PMC10521693 DOI: 10.34133/bdr.0005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Globally, agriculture depends on industrial nitrogen fertilizer to improve crop growth. Fertilizer production consumes fossil fuels and contributes to environmental nitrogen pollution. A potential solution would be to harness nitrogenases-enzymes capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen N2 to NH3 in ambient conditions. It is therefore a major goal of synthetic biology to engineer functional nitrogenases into crop plants, or bacteria that form symbiotic relationships with crops, to support growth and reduce dependence on industrially produced fertilizer. This review paper highlights recent work toward understanding the functional requirements for nitrogenase expression and manipulating nitrogenase gene expression in heterologous hosts to improve activity and oxygen tolerance and potentially to engineer synthetic symbiotic relationships with plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily M. Bennett
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - James W. Murray
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Mark Isalan
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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18
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Haskett TL, Geddes BA, Paramasivan P, Green P, Chitnavis S, Mendes MD, Jorrín B, Knights HE, Bastholm TR, Ramsay JP, Oldroyd GED, Poole PS. Rhizopine biosensors for plant-dependent control of bacterial gene expression. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:383-396. [PMID: 36428208 PMCID: PMC10107442 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Engineering signalling between plants and microbes could be exploited to establish host-specificity between plant-growth-promoting bacteria and target crops in the environment. We previously engineered rhizopine-signalling circuitry facilitating exclusive signalling between rhizopine-producing (RhiP) plants and model bacterial strains. Here, we conduct an in-depth analysis of rhizopine-inducible expression in bacteria. We characterize two rhizopine-inducible promoters and explore the bacterial host-range of rhizopine biosensor plasmids. By tuning the expression of rhizopine uptake genes, we also construct a new biosensor plasmid pSIR05 that has minimal impact on host cell growth in vitro and exhibits markedly improved stability of expression in situ on RhiP barley roots compared to the previously described biosensor plasmid pSIR02. We demonstrate that a sub-population of Azorhizobium caulinodans cells carrying pSIR05 can sense rhizopine and activate gene expression when colonizing RhiP barley roots. However, these bacteria were mildly defective for colonization of RhiP barley roots compared to the wild-type parent strain. This work provides advancement towards establishing more robust plant-dependent control of bacterial gene expression and highlights the key challenges remaining to achieve this goal.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Barney A Geddes
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Microbiological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, USA
| | | | - Patrick Green
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Samir Chitnavis
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Marta D Mendes
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Beatriz Jorrín
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Tahlia R Bastholm
- Curtin Medical School and Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Joshua P Ramsay
- Curtin Medical School and Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Giles E D Oldroyd
- Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Crop Science Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Philip S Poole
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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19
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Molecular Mechanism and Agricultural Application of the NifA-NifL System for Nitrogen Fixation. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24020907. [PMID: 36674420 PMCID: PMC9866876 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24020907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria execute biological nitrogen fixation through nitrogenase, converting inert dinitrogen (N2) in the atmosphere into bioavailable nitrogen. Elaborating the molecular mechanisms of orderly and efficient biological nitrogen fixation and applying them to agricultural production can alleviate the "nitrogen problem". Azotobacter vinelandii is a well-established model bacterium for studying nitrogen fixation, utilizing nitrogenase encoded by the nif gene cluster to fix nitrogen. In Azotobacter vinelandii, the NifA-NifL system fine-tunes the nif gene cluster transcription by sensing the redox signals and energy status, then modulating nitrogen fixation. In this manuscript, we investigate the transcriptional regulation mechanism of the nif gene in autogenous nitrogen-fixing bacteria. We discuss how autogenous nitrogen fixation can better be integrated into agriculture, providing preliminary comprehensive data for the study of autogenous nitrogen-fixing regulation.
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20
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Eckardt NA, Ainsworth EA, Bahuguna RN, Broadley MR, Busch W, Carpita NC, Castrillo G, Chory J, DeHaan LR, Duarte CM, Henry A, Jagadish SVK, Langdale JA, Leakey ADB, Liao JC, Lu KJ, McCann MC, McKay JK, Odeny DA, Jorge de Oliveira E, Platten JD, Rabbi I, Rim EY, Ronald PC, Salt DE, Shigenaga AM, Wang E, Wolfe M, Zhang X. Climate change challenges, plant science solutions. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 35:24-66. [PMID: 36222573 PMCID: PMC9806663 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koac303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is a defining challenge of the 21st century, and this decade is a critical time for action to mitigate the worst effects on human populations and ecosystems. Plant science can play an important role in developing crops with enhanced resilience to harsh conditions (e.g. heat, drought, salt stress, flooding, disease outbreaks) and engineering efficient carbon-capturing and carbon-sequestering plants. Here, we present examples of research being conducted in these areas and discuss challenges and open questions as a call to action for the plant science community.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elizabeth A Ainsworth
- USDA ARS Global Change and Photosynthesis Research Unit, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Rajeev N Bahuguna
- Centre for Advanced Studies on Climate Change, Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Samastipur 848125, Bihar, India
| | - Martin R Broadley
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
- Rothamsted Research, West Common, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, UK
| | - Wolfgang Busch
- Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Nicholas C Carpita
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado 80401, USA
| | - Gabriel Castrillo
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
- Future Food Beacon of Excellence, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Joanne Chory
- Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | | | - Carlos M Duarte
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amelia Henry
- International Rice Research Institute, Rice Breeding Innovations Platform, Los Baños, Laguna 4031, Philippines
| | - S V Krishna Jagadish
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79410, USA
| | - Jane A Langdale
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK
| | - Andrew D B Leakey
- Department of Plant Biology, Department of Crop Sciences, and Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - James C Liao
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11528, Taiwan
| | - Kuan-Jen Lu
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11528, Taiwan
| | - Maureen C McCann
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado 80401, USA
| | - John K McKay
- Department of Agricultural Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA
| | - Damaris A Odeny
- The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics–Eastern and Southern Africa, Gigiri 39063-00623, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - J Damien Platten
- International Rice Research Institute, Rice Breeding Innovations Platform, Los Baños, Laguna 4031, Philippines
| | - Ismail Rabbi
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320 Ibadan, Oyo, Nigeria
| | - Ellen Youngsoo Rim
- Department of Plant Pathology and the Genome Center, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA
| | - Pamela C Ronald
- Department of Plant Pathology and the Genome Center, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA
- Innovative Genomics Institute, Berkeley, California 94704, USA
| | - David E Salt
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
- Future Food Beacon of Excellence, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Alexandra M Shigenaga
- Department of Plant Pathology and the Genome Center, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA
| | - Ertao Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Marnin Wolfe
- Auburn University, Dept. of Crop Soil and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Auburn, Alabama 36849, USA
| | - Xiaowei Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
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21
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Sutherland WJ, Bennett C, Brotherton PNM, Butterworth HM, Clout MN, Côté IM, Dinsdale J, Esmail N, Fleishman E, Gaston KJ, Herbert-Read JE, Hughes A, Kaartokallio H, Le Roux X, Lickorish FA, Matcham W, Noor N, Palardy JE, Pearce-Higgins JW, Peck LS, Pettorelli N, Pretty J, Scobey R, Spalding MD, Tonneijck FH, Tubbs N, Watson JEM, Wentworth JE, Wilson JD, Thornton A. A global biological conservation horizon scan of issues for 2023. Trends Ecol Evol 2023; 38:96-107. [PMID: 36460563 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
We present the results of our 14th horizon scan of issues we expect to influence biological conservation in the future. From an initial set of 102 topics, our global panel of 30 scientists and practitioners identified 15 issues we consider most urgent for societies worldwide to address. Issues are novel within biological conservation or represent a substantial positive or negative step change at global or regional scales. Issues such as submerged artificial light fisheries and accelerating upper ocean currents could have profound negative impacts on marine or coastal ecosystems. We also identified potentially positive technological advances, including energy production and storage, improved fertilisation methods, and expansion of biodegradable materials. If effectively managed, these technologies could realise future benefits for biological diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- William J Sutherland
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK; Biosecurity Research Initiative at St Catharine's (BioRISC), St Catharine's College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Craig Bennett
- Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, The Kiln, Waterside, Mather Road, Newark, Nottinghamshire NG24 1WT, UK
| | - Peter N M Brotherton
- Natural England, 4th Floor Foss House, Kings Pool, 1-2 Peasholme Green, York YO1 7PX, UK
| | - Holly M Butterworth
- Natural Resources Wales, Cambria House, 29 Newport Road, Cardiff CF24 0TP, UK
| | - Mick N Clout
- Centre for Biodiversity and Biosecurity, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, PB 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Isabelle M Côté
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Jason Dinsdale
- Environment Agency, Horizon House, Deanery Road, Bristol BS1 5AH, UK
| | - Nafeesa Esmail
- Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo, 1300 Zoo Road NE, Calgary, AB T2E 7V6, Canada
| | - Erica Fleishman
- College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Kevin J Gaston
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
| | | | - Alice Hughes
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | | | - Xavier Le Roux
- University of Lyon, Microbial Ecology Centre, INRAE (UMR1418), CNRS (UMR5557), University Lyon 1, 69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Fiona A Lickorish
- UK Research and Consultancy Services (RCS) Ltd, Valletts Cottage, Westhope, Hereford HR4 8BU, UK
| | - Wendy Matcham
- Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research and Innovation, Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon SN2 1FL, UK
| | - Noor Noor
- UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DL, UK
| | - James E Palardy
- The Pew Charitable Trusts, 901 E St. NW, Washington, DC 20004, USA
| | - James W Pearce-Higgins
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK; British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU, UK
| | - Lloyd S Peck
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
| | - Nathalie Pettorelli
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Jules Pretty
- Centre for Public and Policy Engagement and School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Richard Scobey
- TRAFFIC, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK
| | - Mark D Spalding
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK; The Nature Conservancy, Strade delle Tolfe, 14, Siena 53100, Italy
| | | | - Nicolas Tubbs
- WWF-Belgium, BD Emile Jacqumainlaan 90, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
| | - James E M Watson
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Jonathan E Wentworth
- Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, 14 Tothill Street, Westminster, London SW1H 9NB, UK
| | - Jeremy D Wilson
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, 2 Lochside View, Edinburgh EH12 9DH, UK
| | - Ann Thornton
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK
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22
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Li Q, Zhang H, Song Y, Wang M, Hua C, Li Y, Chen S, Dixon R, Li J. Alanine synthesized by alanine dehydrogenase enables ammonium-tolerant nitrogen fixation in Paenibacillus sabinae T27. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2215855119. [PMID: 36459643 PMCID: PMC9894248 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2215855119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Most diazotrophs fix nitrogen only under nitrogen-limiting conditions, for example, in the presence of relatively low concentrations of NH4+ (0 to 2 mM). However, Paenibacillus sabinae T27 exhibits an unusual pattern of nitrogen regulation of nitrogen fixation, since although nitrogenase activities are high under nitrogen-limiting conditions (0 to 3 mM NH4+) and are repressed under conditions of nitrogen sufficiency (4 to 30 mM NH4+), nitrogenase activity is reestablished when very high levels of NH4+ (30 to 300 mM) are present in the medium. To further understand this pattern of nitrogen fixation regulation, we carried out transcriptome analyses of P. sabinae T27 in response to increasing ammonium concentrations. As anticipated, the nif genes were highly expressed, either in the absence of fixed nitrogen or in the presence of a high concentration of NH4+ (100 mM), but were subject to negative feedback regulation at an intermediate concentration of NH4+ (10 mM). Among the differentially expressed genes, ald1, encoding alanine dehydrogenase (ADH1), was highly expressed in the presence of a high level of NH4+ (100 mM). Mutation and complementation experiments revealed that ald1 is required for nitrogen fixation at high ammonium concentrations. We demonstrate that alanine, synthesized by ADH1 from pyruvate and NH4+, inhibits GS activity, leading to a low intracellular glutamine concentration that prevents feedback inhibition of GS and mimics nitrogen limitation, enabling activation of nif transcription by the nitrogen-responsive regulator GlnR in the presence of high levels of extracellular ammonium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Li
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology and College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing100193, People’s Republic of China
| | - Haowei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology and College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing100193, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yi Song
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology and College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing100193, People’s Republic of China
| | - Minyang Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology and College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing100193, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chongchong Hua
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology and College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing100193, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yashi Li
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology and College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing100193, People’s Republic of China
| | - Sanfeng Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology and College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing100193, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ray Dixon
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, NorwichNR4 7UH, United Kingdom
| | - Jilun Li
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology and College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing100193, People’s Republic of China
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23
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Pantigoso HA, Newberger D, Vivanco JM. The rhizosphere microbiome: Plant-microbial interactions for resource acquisition. J Appl Microbiol 2022; 133:2864-2876. [PMID: 36648151 PMCID: PMC9796772 DOI: 10.1111/jam.15686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
While horticulture tools and methods have been extensively developed to improve the management of crops, systems to harness the rhizosphere microbiome to benefit plant crops are still in development. Plants and microbes have been coevolving for several millennia, conferring fitness advantages that expand the plant's own genetic potential. These beneficial associations allow the plants to cope with abiotic stresses such as nutrient deficiency across a wide range of soils and growing conditions. Plants achieve these benefits by selectively recruiting microbes using root exudates, positively impacting their nutrition, health and overall productivity. Advanced knowledge of the interplay between root exudates and microbiome alteration in response to plant nutrient status, and the underlying mechanisms there of, will allow the development of technologies to increase crop yield. This review summarizes current knowledge and perspectives on plant-microbial interactions for resource acquisition and discusses promising advances for manipulating rhizosphere microbiomes and root exudation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo A. Pantigoso
- Center for Root and Rhizosphere Biology, Department of Horticulture and Landscape ArchitectureColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColorado80523‐1173United States
| | - Derek Newberger
- Center for Root and Rhizosphere Biology, Department of Horticulture and Landscape ArchitectureColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColorado80523‐1173United States
| | - Jorge M. Vivanco
- Center for Root and Rhizosphere Biology, Department of Horticulture and Landscape ArchitectureColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColorado80523‐1173United States
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Li M, Chen Q, Wu C, Li Y, Wang S, Chen X, Qiu B, Li Y, Mao D, Lin H, Yu D, Cao Y, Huang Z, Cui C, Zhong Z. A Novel Module Promotes Horizontal Gene Transfer in Azorhizobium caulinodans ORS571. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13101895. [PMID: 36292780 PMCID: PMC9601964 DOI: 10.3390/genes13101895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Azorhizobium caulinodans ORS571 contains an 87.6 kb integrative and conjugative element (ICEAc) that conjugatively transfers symbiosis genes to other rhizobia. Many hypothetical redundant gene fragments (rgfs) are abundant in ICEAc, but their potential function in horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is unknown. Molecular biological methods were employed to delete hypothetical rgfs, expecting to acquire a minimal ICEAc and consider non-functional rgfs as editable regions for inserting genes related to new symbiotic functions. We determined the significance of rgf4 in HGT and identified the physiological function of genes designated rihF1a (AZC_3879), rihF1b (AZC_RS26200), and rihR (AZC_3881). In-frame deletion and complementation assays revealed that rihF1a and rihF1b work as a unit (rihF1) that positively affects HGT frequency. The EMSA assay and lacZ-based reporter system showed that the XRE-family protein RihR is not a regulator of rihF1 but promotes the expression of the integrase (intC) that has been reported to be upregulated by the LysR-family protein, AhaR, through sensing host’s flavonoid. Overall, a conservative module containing rihF1 and rihR was characterized, eliminating the size of ICEAc by 18.5%. We propose the feasibility of constructing a minimal ICEAc element to facilitate the exchange of new genetic components essential for symbiosis or other metabolic functions between soil bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingxu Li
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Qianqian Chen
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Chuanhui Wu
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yiyang Li
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Sanle Wang
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Xuelian Chen
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Bowen Qiu
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yuxin Li
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Dongmei Mao
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Hong Lin
- Animal, Plant and Food Inspection Center, Nanjing Customs, No. 39, Chuangzhi Road, Nanjing 210019, China
| | - Daogeng Yu
- Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Science, Danzhou 571737, China
| | - Yajun Cao
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Zhi Huang
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Correspondence: (Z.H.); (C.C.); Tel.: +86-25-84396645 (Z.H.)
| | - Chunhong Cui
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Correspondence: (Z.H.); (C.C.); Tel.: +86-25-84396645 (Z.H.)
| | - Zengtao Zhong
- Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
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Gomide MDS, Leitão MDC, Coelho CM. Biocircuits in plants and eukaryotic algae. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:982959. [PMID: 36212277 PMCID: PMC9545776 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.982959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
As one of synthetic biology's foundations, biocircuits are a strategy of genetic parts assembling to recognize a signal and to produce a desirable output to interfere with a biological function. In this review, we revisited the progress in the biocircuits technology basis and its mandatory elements, such as the characterization and assembly of functional parts. Furthermore, for a successful implementation, the transcriptional control systems are a relevant point, and the computational tools help to predict the best combinations among the biological parts planned to be used to achieve the desirable phenotype. However, many challenges are involved in delivering and stabilizing the synthetic structures. Some research experiences, such as the golden crops, biosensors, and artificial photosynthetic structures, can indicate the positive and limiting aspects of the practice. Finally, we envision that the modulatory structural feature and the possibility of finer gene regulation through biocircuits can contribute to the complex design of synthetic chromosomes aiming to develop plants and algae with new or improved functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayna da Silveira Gomide
- Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Department of Genetics and Morphology, Institute of Biological Science, University of Brasília (UnB), Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
- School of Medicine, Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Matheus de Castro Leitão
- Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Department of Genetics and Morphology, Institute of Biological Science, University of Brasília (UnB), Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Cíntia Marques Coelho
- Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Department of Genetics and Morphology, Institute of Biological Science, University of Brasília (UnB), Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
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Dundas CM, Dinneny JR. Genetic Circuit Design in Rhizobacteria. BIODESIGN RESEARCH 2022; 2022:9858049. [PMID: 37850138 PMCID: PMC10521742 DOI: 10.34133/2022/9858049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetically engineered plants hold enormous promise for tackling global food security and agricultural sustainability challenges. However, construction of plant-based genetic circuitry is constrained by a lack of well-characterized genetic parts and circuit design rules. In contrast, advances in bacterial synthetic biology have yielded a wealth of sensors, actuators, and other tools that can be used to build bacterial circuitry. As root-colonizing bacteria (rhizobacteria) exert substantial influence over plant health and growth, genetic circuit design in these microorganisms can be used to indirectly engineer plants and accelerate the design-build-test-learn cycle. Here, we outline genetic parts and best practices for designing rhizobacterial circuits, with an emphasis on sensors, actuators, and chassis species that can be used to monitor/control rhizosphere and plant processes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - José R. Dinneny
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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Control of nitrogen fixation and ammonia excretion in Azorhizobium caulinodans. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010276. [PMID: 35727841 PMCID: PMC9249168 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the costly energy demands of nitrogen (N) fixation, diazotrophic bacteria have evolved complex regulatory networks that permit expression of the catalyst nitrogenase only under conditions of N starvation, whereas the same condition stimulates upregulation of high-affinity ammonia (NH3) assimilation by glutamine synthetase (GS), preventing excess release of excess NH3 for plants. Diazotrophic bacteria can be engineered to excrete NH3 by interference with GS, however control is required to minimise growth penalties and prevent unintended provision of NH3 to non-target plants. Here, we tested two strategies to control GS regulation and NH3 excretion in our model cereal symbiont Azorhizobium caulinodans AcLP, a derivative of ORS571. We first attempted to recapitulate previous work where mutation of both PII homologues glnB and glnK stimulated GS shutdown but found that one of these genes was essential for growth. Secondly, we expressed unidirectional adenylyl transferases (uATs) in a ΔglnE mutant of AcLP which permitted strong GS shutdown and excretion of NH3 derived from N2 fixation and completely alleviated negative feedback regulation on nitrogenase expression. We placed a uAT allele under control of the NifA-dependent promoter PnifH, permitting GS shutdown and NH3 excretion specifically under microaerobic conditions, the same cue that initiates N2 fixation, then deleted nifA and transferred a rhizopine nifAL94Q/D95Q-rpoN controller plasmid into this strain, permitting coupled rhizopine-dependent activation of N2 fixation and NH3 excretion. This highly sophisticated and multi-layered control circuitry brings us a step closer to the development of a "synthetic symbioses” where N2 fixation and NH3 excretion could be specifically activated in diazotrophic bacteria colonising transgenic rhizopine producing cereals, targeting delivery of fixed N to the crop while preventing interaction with non-target plants. Inoculation of cereal crops with associative diazotrophic bacteria that convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into ammonia (NH3) could be used to sustainably improve delivery of nitrogen to crops. However, due to the costly energy demands of N2 fixation, bacteria restrict excess production of NH3 and release to the plants. Diazotrophs can be engineered for excess NH3 production and release, however genetic control is required to minimise growth penalties and prevent unintended provision of NH3 to non-target weed species. Here, we engineer coupled control of N2 fixation and NH3 release in response to the signalling molecule rhizopine supplemented in vitro. This control circuitry represents a prototype for the future development of a “synthetic symbiosis” where bacterial N2 fixation and NH3 excretion could be specifically activated following colonisation of transgenic rhizopine producing cereals in the field, minimising bacterial energy requirements and preventing provision of NH3 to non-target plants.
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