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Huang PK, Schmitt J, Runcie DE. Exploring the molecular regulation of vernalization-induced flowering synchrony in Arabidopsis. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 242:947-959. [PMID: 38509854 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19680] [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: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Many plant populations exhibit synchronous flowering, which can be advantageous in plant reproduction. However, molecular mechanisms underlying flowering synchrony remain poorly understood. We studied the role of known vernalization-response and flower-promoting pathways in facilitating synchronized flowering in Arabidopsis thaliana. Using the vernalization-responsive Col-FRI genotype, we experimentally varied germination dates and daylength among individuals to test flowering synchrony in field and controlled environments. We assessed the activity of flowering regulation pathways by measuring gene expression across leaves produced at different time points during development and through a mutant analysis. We observed flowering synchrony across germination cohorts in both environments and discovered a previously unknown process where flower-promoting and repressing signals are differentially regulated between leaves that developed under different environmental conditions. We hypothesized this mechanism may underlie synchronization. However, our experiments demonstrated that signals originating from sources other than leaves must also play a pivotal role in synchronizing flowering time, especially in germination cohorts with prolonged growth before vernalization. Our results suggest flowering synchrony is promoted by a plant-wide integration of flowering signals across leaves and among organs. To summarize our findings, we propose a new conceptual model of vernalization-induced flowering synchrony and provide suggestions for future research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Kai Huang
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Johanna Schmitt
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Daniel E Runcie
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
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2
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Kinmonth-Schultz H, Walker SM, Bingol K, Hoyt DW, Kim YM, Markillie LM, Mitchell HD, Nicora CD, Taylor R, Ward JK. Oligosaccharide production and signaling correlate with delayed flowering in an Arabidopsis genotype grown and selected in high [CO2]. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287943. [PMID: 38153952 PMCID: PMC10754469 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287943] [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: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Since industrialization began, atmospheric CO2 ([CO2]) has increased from 270 to 415 ppm and is projected to reach 800-1000 ppm this century. Some Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) genotypes delayed flowering in elevated [CO2] relative to current [CO2], while others showed no change or accelerations. To predict genotype-specific flowering behaviors, we must understand the mechanisms driving flowering response to rising [CO2]. [CO2] changes alter photosynthesis and carbohydrates in plants. Plants sense carbohydrate levels, and exogenous carbohydrate application influences flowering time and flowering transcript levels. We asked how organismal changes in carbohydrates and transcription correlate with changes in flowering time under elevated [CO2]. We used a genotype (SG) of Arabidopsis that was selected for high fitness at elevated [CO2] (700 ppm). SG delays flowering under elevated [CO2] (700 ppm) relative to current [CO2] (400 ppm). We compared SG to a closely related control genotype (CG) that shows no [CO2]-induced flowering change. We compared metabolomic and transcriptomic profiles in these genotypes at current and elevated [CO2] to assess correlations with flowering in these conditions. While both genotypes altered carbohydrates in response to elevated [CO2], SG had higher levels of sucrose than CG and showed a stronger increase in glucose and fructose in elevated [CO2]. Both genotypes demonstrated transcriptional changes, with CG increasing genes related to fructose 1,6-bisphosphate breakdown, amino acid synthesis, and secondary metabolites; and SG decreasing genes related to starch and sugar metabolism, but increasing genes involved in oligosaccharide production and sugar modifications. Genes associated with flowering regulation within the photoperiod, vernalization, and meristem identity pathways were altered in these genotypes. Elevated [CO2] may alter carbohydrates to influence transcription in both genotypes and delayed flowering in SG. Changes in the oligosaccharide pool may contribute to delayed flowering in SG. This work extends the literature exploring genotypic-specific flowering responses to elevated [CO2].
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Kinmonth-Schultz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States of America
- Departiment of Biology, Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, TN, United States of America
| | - Stephen Michael Walker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States of America
| | - Kerem Bingol
- Department of Energy, Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States of America
| | - David W. Hoyt
- Department of Energy, Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States of America
| | - Young-Mo Kim
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States of America
| | - Lye Meng Markillie
- Department of Energy, Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States of America
| | - Hugh D. Mitchell
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States of America
| | - Carrie D. Nicora
- Department of Energy, Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States of America
| | - Ronald Taylor
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States of America
| | - Joy K. Ward
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States of America
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Xie Y, Thammavong HT, Park DS. The ecological implications of intra- and inter-species variation in phenological sensitivity. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 236:760-773. [PMID: 35801834 PMCID: PMC9796043 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Plant-pollinator mutualisms rely upon the synchrony of interacting taxa. Climate change can disrupt this synchrony as phenological responses to climate vary within and across species. However, intra- and interspecific variation in phenological responses is seldom considered simultaneously, limiting our understanding of climate change impacts on interactions among taxa across their ranges. We investigated how variation in phenological sensitivity to climate can alter ecological interactions simultaneously within and among species using natural history collections and citizen science data. We focus on a unique system, comprising a wide-ranged spring ephemeral with varying color morphs (Claytonia virginica) and its specialist bee pollinator (Andrena erigeniae). We found strongly opposing trends in the phenological sensitivities of plants vs their pollinators. Flowering phenology was more sensitive to temperature in warmer regions, whereas bee phenology was more responsive in colder regions. Phenological sensitivity varied across flower color morphs. Temporal synchrony between flowering and pollinator activity was predicted to change heterogeneously across the species' ranges in the future. Our work demonstrates the complexity and fragility of ecological interactions in time and the necessity of incorporating variation in phenological responses across multiple axes to understand how such interactions will change in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Xie
- Department of Biological SciencesPurdue UniversityWest LafayetteIN47906USA
- Purdue Center for Plant BiologyPurdue UniversityWest LafayetteIN47906USA
| | | | - Daniel S. Park
- Department of Biological SciencesPurdue UniversityWest LafayetteIN47906USA
- Purdue Center for Plant BiologyPurdue UniversityWest LafayetteIN47906USA
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Preston JC, Fjellheim S. Flowering time runs hot and cold. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 190:5-18. [PMID: 35274728 PMCID: PMC9434294 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Evidence suggests that anthropogenically-mediated global warming results in accelerated flowering for many plant populations. However, the fact that some plants are late flowering or unaffected by warming, underscores the complex relationship between phase change, temperature, and phylogeny. In this review, we present an emerging picture of how plants sense temperature changes, and then discuss the independent recruitment of ancient flowering pathway genes for the evolution of ambient, low, and high temperature-regulated reproductive development. As well as revealing areas of research required for a better understanding of how past thermal climates have shaped global patterns of plasticity in plant phase change, we consider the implications for these phenological thermal responses in light of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill C Preston
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405, USA
| | - Siri Fjellheim
- Department of Plant Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås 1430, Norway
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Kinmonth-Schultz H, Lewandowska-Sabat A, Imaizumi T, Ward JK, Rognli OA, Fjellheim S. Flowering Times of Wild Arabidopsis Accessions From Across Norway Correlate With Expression Levels of FT, CO, and FLC Genes. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:747740. [PMID: 34790213 PMCID: PMC8591261 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.747740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Temperate species often require or flower most rapidly in the long daylengths, or photoperiods, experienced in summer or after prolonged periods of cold temperatures, referred to as vernalization. Yet, even within species, plants vary in the degree of responsiveness to these cues. In Arabidopsis thaliana, CONSTANS (CO) and FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) genes are key to photoperiod and vernalization perception and antagonistically regulate FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) to influence the flowering time of the plants. However, it is still an open question as to how these genes vary in their interactions among wild accessions with different flowering behaviors and adapted to different microclimates, yet this knowledge could improve our ability to predict plant responses in variable natural conditions. To assess the relationships among these genes and to flowering time, we exposed 10 winter-annual Arabidopsis accessions from throughout Norway, ranging from early to late flowering, along with two summer-annual accessions to 14 weeks of vernalization and either 8- or 19-h photoperiods to mimic Norwegian climate conditions, then assessed gene expression levels 3-, 5-, and 8-days post vernalization. CO and FLC explained both FT levels and flowering time (days) but not rosette leaf number at flowering. The correlation between FT and flowering time increased over time. Although vernalization suppresses FLC, FLC was high in the late-flowering accessions. Across accessions, FT was expressed only at low FLC levels and did not respond to CO in the late-flowering accessions. We proposed that FT may only be expressed below a threshold value of FLC and demonstrated that these three genes correlated to flowering times across genetically distinct accessions of Arabidopsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Kinmonth-Schultz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
| | | | - Takato Imaizumi
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Joy K. Ward
- College of Arts and Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Odd Arne Rognli
- Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Siri Fjellheim
- Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
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Clerget B, Sidibe M, Bueno CS, Grenier C, Kawakata T, Domingo AJ, Layaoen HL, Gutiérrez-Palacios ND, Bernal JH, Trouche G, Chantereau J. Crop photoperiodism model 2.0 for the flowering time of sorghum and rice that includes daily changes in sunrise and sunset times and temperature acclimation. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2021; 128:97-113. [PMID: 33821947 PMCID: PMC8318259 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcab048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Daylength determines flowering dates. However, questions remain regarding flowering dates in the natural environment, such as the synchronous flowering of plants sown simultaneously at highly contrasting latitudes. The daily change in sunrise and sunset times is the cue for the flowering of trees and for the synchronization of moulting in birds at the equator. Sunrise and sunset also synchronize the cell circadian clock, which is involved in the regulation of flowering. The goal of this study was to update the photoperiodism model with knowledge acquired since its conception. METHODS A large dataset was gathered, including four 2-year series of monthly sowings of 28 sorghum varieties in Mali and two 1-year series of monthly sowings of eight rice varieties in the Philippines to compare with previously published monthly sowings in Japan and Malaysia, and data from sorghum breeders in France, Nicaragua and Colombia. An additive linear model of the duration in days to panicle initiation (PI) and flowering time using daylength and daily changes in sunrise and sunset times was implemented. KEY RESULTS Simultaneous with the phyllochron, the duration to PI of field crops acclimated to the mean temperature at seedling emergence within the usual range of mean cropping temperatures. A unique additive linear model combining daylength and daily changes in sunrise and sunset hours was accurately fitted for any type of response in the duration to PI to the sowing date without any temperature input. Once calibrated on a complete and an incomplete monthly sowing series at two tropical latitudes, the model accurately predicted the duration to PI of the concerned varieties from the equatorial to the temperate zone. CONCLUSIONS Including the daily changes in sunrise and sunset times in the updated photoperiodism model largely improved its accuracy at the latitude of each experiment. More research is needed to ascertain its multi-latitudinal accuracy, especially at latitudes close to the equator.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Clerget
- CIRAD, UMR AGAP Institut, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - M Sidibe
- International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Bamako, Mali
| | - C S Bueno
- International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Metro Manila, Philippines
- Institute of Crop Science, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
| | - C Grenier
- CIRAD, UMR AGAP Institut, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Cali, Colombia
| | - T Kawakata
- Tohoku Agricultural Research Center NARO, 4 Akahira Shimo-Kuriyagawa, Morioka, Iwate, Japan
| | - A J Domingo
- International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Metro Manila, Philippines
| | - H L Layaoen
- International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Metro Manila, Philippines
| | | | - J H Bernal
- La Libertad Research Center, Agrosavia, Villavicencio, Colombia
| | - G Trouche
- CIRAD, UMR AGAP Institut, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - J Chantereau
- CIRAD, UMR AGAP Institut, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
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Matthews ML, Marshall-Colón A. Multiscale plant modeling: from genome to phenome and beyond. Emerg Top Life Sci 2021; 5:231-237. [PMID: 33543231 PMCID: PMC8166335 DOI: 10.1042/etls20200276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Plants are complex organisms that adapt to changes in their environment using an array of regulatory mechanisms that span across multiple levels of biological organization. Due to this complexity, it is difficult to predict emergent properties using conventional approaches that focus on single levels of biology such as the genome, transcriptome, or metabolome. Mathematical models of biological systems have emerged as useful tools for exploring pathways and identifying gaps in our current knowledge of biological processes. Identification of emergent properties, however, requires their vertical integration across biological scales through multiscale modeling. Multiscale models that capture and predict these emergent properties will allow us to predict how plants will respond to a changing climate and explore strategies for plant engineering. In this review, we (1) summarize the recent developments in plant multiscale modeling; (2) examine multiscale models of microbial systems that offer insight to potential future directions for the modeling of plant systems; (3) discuss computational tools and resources for developing multiscale models; and (4) examine future directions of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan L Matthews
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801 USA
- Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801 USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801 USA
| | - Amy Marshall-Colón
- Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801 USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801 USA
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801 USA
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Bowden RM, Paitz RT. Is Thermal Responsiveness Affected by Maternal Estrogens in Species with Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination? Sex Dev 2021; 15:69-79. [PMID: 33902053 DOI: 10.1159/000515187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In species with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), incubation temperatures regulate the expression of genes involved in gonadal differentiation and determine whether the gonads develop into ovaries or testes. For most species, natural incubation conditions result in transient exposure to thermal cues for both ovarian and testis development, but how individuals respond to this transient exposure varies and can drive variation in the resulting sex ratios. Here, we argue that variation in the timing to respond to temperature cues, or thermal responsiveness, is a trait needing further study. Recent work in the red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta) has found that when embryos experience transient exposure to warm conditions (i.e., heatwaves), some embryos show high responsiveness, requiring only short exposures to commit to ovarian development, while others show low responsiveness, developing testes even after more extended exposures to warm conditions. We discuss how maternal estrogens might influence thermal responsiveness for organisms that develop under thermal fluctuations. Examining the interplay of molecular responses to more subtle thermal and endocrine environments may reveal significant insights into the process of sex determination in species with TSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel M Bowden
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, USA
| | - Ryan T Paitz
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, USA
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Jibran R, Spencer J, Fernandez G, Monfort A, Mnejja M, Dzierzon H, Tahir J, Davies K, Chagné D, Foster TM. Two Loci, RiAF3 and RiAF4, Contribute to the Annual-Fruiting Trait in Rubus. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:1341. [PMID: 31708950 PMCID: PMC6824294 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.01341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Most Rubus species have a biennial cycle of flowering and fruiting with an intervening period of winter dormancy, in common with many perennial fruit crops. Annual-fruiting (AF) varieties of raspberry (Rubus idaeus and Rubus occidentalis L.) and blackberry (Rubus subgenus Rubus) are able to flower and fruit in one growing season, without the intervening dormant period normally required in biennial-fruiting (BF) varieties. We used a red raspberry (R. idaeus) population segregating for AF obtained from a cross between NC493 and 'Chilliwack' to identify genetic factors controlling AF. Genotyping by sequencing (GBS) was used to generate saturated linkage maps in both parents. Trait mapping in this population indicated that AF is controlled by two newly identified loci (RiAF3 and RiAF4) located on Rubus linkage groups (LGs) 3 and 4. The location of these loci was analyzed using single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers on independent red raspberry and blackberry populations segregating for the AF trait. This confirmed that AF in Rubus is regulated by loci on LG 3 and 4, in addition to a previously reported locus on LG 7. Comparative RNAseq analysis at the time of floral bud differentiation in an AF and a BF variety revealed candidate genes potentially regulating the trait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubina Jibran
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Palmerston North Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Jessica Spencer
- Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Gina Fernandez
- Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Amparo Monfort
- IRTA (Institut de Recerca I Tecnologia Agroalimentàries), Barcelona, Spain
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mourad Mnejja
- IRTA (Institut de Recerca I Tecnologia Agroalimentàries), Barcelona, Spain
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Helge Dzierzon
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Palmerston North Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Jibran Tahir
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Palmerston North Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Kevin Davies
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Palmerston North Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - David Chagné
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Palmerston North Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Toshi M. Foster
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Palmerston North Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand
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