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Xiong J, Liu Y, Wu P, Bian Z, Li B, Zhang Y, Zhu B. Identification and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) analysis of methyltransferase affecting tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit ripening. PLANTA 2024; 259:109. [PMID: 38558186 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-024-04384-4] [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: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
MAIN CONCLUSION Six methyltransferase genes affecting tomato fruit ripening were identified through genome-wide screening, VIGS assay, and expression pattern analysis. The data provide the basis for understanding new mechanisms of methyltransferases. Fruit ripening is a critical stage for the formation of edible quality and seed maturation, which is finely modulated by kinds of factors, including genetic regulators, hormones, external signals, etc. Methyltransferases (MTases), important genetic regulators, play vital roles in plant development through epigenetic regulation, post-translational modification, or other mechanisms. However, the regulatory functions of numerous MTases except DNA methylation in fruit ripening remain limited so far. Here, six MTases, which act on different types of substrates, were identified to affect tomato fruit ripening. First, 35 MTase genes with relatively high expression at breaker (Br) stage of tomato fruit were screened from the tomato MTase gene database encompassing 421 genes totally. Thereafter, six MTase genes were identified as potential regulators of fruit ripening via virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), including four genes with a positive regulatory role and two genes with a negative regulatory role, respectively. The expression of these six MTase genes exhibited diverse patterns during the fruit ripening process, and responded to various external ripening-related factors, including ethylene, 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), temperature, and light exposure. These results help to further elaborate the biological mechanisms of MTase genes in tomato fruit ripening and enrich the understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of fruit ripening involving MTases, despite of DNA MTases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Xiong
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China
| | - Ye Liu
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China
| | - Peiwen Wu
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China
| | - Zheng Bian
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China
| | - Bowen Li
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China
| | - Yifan Zhang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China
| | - Benzhong Zhu
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China.
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Campa M, Miranda S, Licciardello C, Lashbrooke JG, Dalla Costa L, Guan Q, Spök A, Malnoy M. Application of new breeding techniques in fruit trees. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 194:1304-1322. [PMID: 37394947 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Climate change and rapid adaption of invasive pathogens pose a constant pressure on the fruit industry to develop improved varieties. Aiming to accelerate the development of better-adapted cultivars, new breeding techniques have emerged as a promising alternative to meet the demand of a growing global population. Accelerated breeding, cisgenesis, and CRISPR/Cas genome editing hold significant potential for crop trait improvement and have proven to be useful in several plant species. This review focuses on the successful application of these technologies in fruit trees to confer pathogen resistance and tolerance to abiotic stress and improve quality traits. In addition, we review the optimization and diversification of CRISPR/Cas genome editing tools applied to fruit trees, such as multiplexing, CRISPR/Cas-mediated base editing and site-specific recombination systems. Advances in protoplast regeneration and delivery techniques, including the use of nanoparticles and viral-derived replicons, are described for the obtention of exogenous DNA-free fruit tree species. The regulatory landscape and broader social acceptability for cisgenesis and CRISPR/Cas genome editing are also discussed. Altogether, this review provides an overview of the versatility of applications for fruit crop improvement, as well as current challenges that deserve attention for further optimization and potential implementation of new breeding techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Campa
- Research and Innovation Centre, Foundation Edmund Mach, 38098 San Michele all'Adige, Italy
- Department of Genetics, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa
| | - Simón Miranda
- Research and Innovation Centre, Foundation Edmund Mach, 38098 San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Concetta Licciardello
- Research Center for Olive Fruit and Citrus Crops, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, 95024 Acireale, Italy
| | | | - Lorenza Dalla Costa
- Research and Innovation Centre, Foundation Edmund Mach, 38098 San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Qingmei Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, No. 3 Taicheng Road, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Armin Spök
- Science, Technology and Society Unit, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
| | - Mickael Malnoy
- Research and Innovation Centre, Foundation Edmund Mach, 38098 San Michele all'Adige, Italy
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Kerr SC, Shehnaz S, Paudel L, Manivannan MS, Shaw LM, Johnson A, Velasquez JTJ, Tanurdžić M, Cazzonelli CI, Varkonyi-Gasic E, Prentis PJ. Advancing tree genomics to future proof next generation orchard production. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 14:1321555. [PMID: 38312357 PMCID: PMC10834703 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1321555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
The challenges facing tree orchard production in the coming years will be largely driven by changes in the climate affecting the sustainability of farming practices in specific geographical regions. Identifying key traits that enable tree crops to modify their growth to varying environmental conditions and taking advantage of new crop improvement opportunities and technologies will ensure the tree crop industry remains viable and profitable into the future. In this review article we 1) outline climate and sustainability challenges relevant to horticultural tree crop industries, 2) describe key tree crop traits targeted for improvement in agroecosystem productivity and resilience to environmental change, and 3) discuss existing and emerging genomic technologies that provide opportunities for industries to future proof the next generation of orchards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie C Kerr
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Saiyara Shehnaz
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Lucky Paudel
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Mekaladevi S Manivannan
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Lindsay M Shaw
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Amanda Johnson
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Jose Teodoro J Velasquez
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Miloš Tanurdžić
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Erika Varkonyi-Gasic
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Peter J Prentis
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Tobacco Rattle Virus as a Tool for Rapid Reverse-Genetics Screens and Analysis of Gene Function in Cannabis sativa L. PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11030327. [PMID: 35161308 PMCID: PMC8838890 DOI: 10.3390/plants11030327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Medical cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) is quickly becoming a central agricultural crop as its production has continued to increase globally. The recent release of the cannabis reference genomes provides key genetic information for the functional analysis of cannabis genes. Currently, however, the established tools for in vivo gene functional analysis in cannabis are very limited. In this study, we investigated the use of the tobacco rattle virus (TRV) as a possible tool for virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) and virus-aided gene expression (VAGE). Using leaf photobleaching as a visual marker of PHYTOENE DESATURASE (PDS) silencing, we found that VIGS was largely restricted to the agro-infiltrated leaves. However, when agro-infiltration was performed under vacuum, VIGS increased dramatically, which resulted in intense PDS silencing and an increased photobleaching phenotype. The suitability of TRV as a vector for virus-aided gene expression (VAGE) was demonstrated by an analysis of DsRed fluorescence protein. Interestingly, a DsRed signal was also observed in glandular trichomes in TRV2-DsRed-infected plants, which suggests the possibility of trichome-related gene function analysis. These results indicate that TRV, despite its limited spread, is an attractive vector for rapid reverse-genetics screens and for the analysis of gene function in cannabis.
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Gao Y, Fan ZQ, Zhang Q, Li HL, Liu GS, Jing Y, Zhang YP, Zhu BZ, Zhu HL, Chen JY, Grierson D, Luo YB, Zhao XD, Fu DQ. A tomato NAC transcription factor, SlNAM1, positively regulates ethylene biosynthesis and the onset of tomato fruit ripening. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 108:1317-1331. [PMID: 34580960 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2019] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Fruit ripening in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is the result of selective expression of ripening-related genes, which are regulated by transcription factors (TFs). The NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2, and CUC2) TF family is one of the largest families of plant-specific TFs and members are involved in a variety of plant physiological activities, including fruit ripening. Fruit ripening-associated NAC TFs studied in tomato to date include NAC-NOR (non-ripening), SlNOR-like1 (non-ripening like1), SlNAC1, and SlNAC4. Considering the large number of NAC genes in the tomato genome, there is little information about the possible roles of other NAC members in fruit ripening, and research on their target genes is lacking. In this study, we characterize SlNAM1, a NAC TF, which positively regulates the initiation of tomato fruit ripening via its regulation of ethylene biosynthesis. The onset of fruit ripening in slnam1-deficient mutants created by CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated protein 9) technology was delayed, whereas fruit ripening in OE-SlNAM1 lines was accelerated compared with the wild type. The results of RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and promoter analysis suggested that SlNAM1 directly binds to the promoters of two key ethylene biosynthesis genes (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase: SlACS2 and SlACS4) and activates their expression. This hypothesis was confirmed by electrophoretic mobility shift assays and dual-luciferase reporter assay. Our findings provide insights into the mechanisms of ethylene production and enrich understanding of the tomato fruit ripening regulatory network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Gao
- Laboratory of Fruit Biology, College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
- Laboratory of Fruit Quality Biology, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Integrative Biology, Zhejiang University, Zijingang Campus, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Zhong-Qi Fan
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Postharvest Science of Fruits and Vegetables, College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
- Institute of Postharvest Technology of Agricultural Products, College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, China
| | - Hong-Li Li
- Laboratory of Fruit Biology, College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Gang-Shuai Liu
- Laboratory of Fruit Biology, College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Yuan Jing
- Laboratory of Fruit Biology, College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Yi-Ping Zhang
- Laboratory of Fruit Biology, College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Ben-Zhong Zhu
- Laboratory of Fruit Biology, College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Hong-Liang Zhu
- Laboratory of Fruit Biology, College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Jian-Ye Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Postharvest Science of Fruits and Vegetables, College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Donald Grierson
- Laboratory of Fruit Quality Biology, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Integrative Biology, Zhejiang University, Zijingang Campus, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Plant Sciences Division, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Yun-Bo Luo
- Laboratory of Fruit Biology, College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Xiao-Dan Zhao
- School of Food and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Da-Qi Fu
- Laboratory of Fruit Biology, College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
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