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LaPorte MF, Suwarno WB, Hannok P, Koide A, Bradbury P, Crossa J, Palacios-Rojas N, Diepenbrock CH. Investigating genomic prediction strategies for grain carotenoid traits in a tropical/subtropical maize panel. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkae044. [PMID: 38427914 PMCID: PMC11075567 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae044] [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: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Vitamin A deficiency remains prevalent on a global scale, including in regions where maize constitutes a high percentage of human diets. One solution for alleviating this deficiency has been to increase grain concentrations of provitamin A carotenoids in maize (Zea mays ssp. mays L.)-an example of biofortification. The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) developed a Carotenoid Association Mapping panel of 380 inbred lines adapted to tropical and subtropical environments that have varying grain concentrations of provitamin A and other health-beneficial carotenoids. Several major genes have been identified for these traits, 2 of which have particularly been leveraged in marker-assisted selection. This project assesses the predictive ability of several genomic prediction strategies for maize grain carotenoid traits within and between 4 environments in Mexico. Ridge Regression-Best Linear Unbiased Prediction, Elastic Net, and Reproducing Kernel Hilbert Spaces had high predictive abilities for all tested traits (β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, provitamin A, lutein, and zeaxanthin) and outperformed Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator. Furthermore, predictive abilities were higher when using genome-wide markers rather than only the markers proximal to 2 or 13 genes. These findings suggest that genomic prediction models using genome-wide markers (and assuming equal variance of marker effects) are worthwhile for these traits even though key genes have already been identified, especially if breeding for additional grain carotenoid traits alongside β-carotene. Predictive ability was maintained for all traits except lutein in between-environment prediction. The TASSEL (Trait Analysis by aSSociation, Evolution, and Linkage) Genomic Selection plugin performed as well as other more computationally intensive methods for within-environment prediction. The findings observed herein indicate the utility of genomic prediction methods for these traits and could inform their resource-efficient implementation in biofortification breeding programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary-Francis LaPorte
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Willy Bayuardi Suwarno
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, IPB University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
| | - Pattama Hannok
- Division of Agronomy, Faculty of Agricultural Production, Maejo University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
- Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Akiyoshi Koide
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Peter Bradbury
- United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - José Crossa
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Km 45 Carretera Mexico-Veracruz, Texcoco 56130, Mexico
| | - Natalia Palacios-Rojas
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Km 45 Carretera Mexico-Veracruz, Texcoco 56130, Mexico
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Lai D, Zhang K, He Y, Fan Y, Li W, Shi Y, Gao Y, Huang X, He J, Zhao H, Lu X, Xiao Y, Cheng J, Ruan J, Georgiev MI, Fernie AR, Zhou M. Multi-omics identification of a key glycosyl hydrolase gene FtGH1 involved in rutin hydrolysis in Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum). PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2024; 22:1206-1223. [PMID: 38062934 PMCID: PMC11022807 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2024]
Abstract
Rutin, a flavonoid rich in buckwheat, is important for human health and plant resistance to external stresses. The hydrolysis of rutin to quercetin underlies the bitter taste of Tartary buckwheat. In order to identify rutin hydrolysis genes, a 200 genotypes mini-core Tartary buckwheat germplasm resource was re-sequenced with 30-fold coverage depth. By combining the content of the intermediate metabolites of rutin metabolism with genome resequencing data, metabolite genome-wide association analyses (GWAS) eventually identified a glycosyl hydrolase gene FtGH1, which could hydrolyse rutin to quercetin. This function was validated both in Tartary buckwheat overexpression hairy roots and in vitro enzyme activity assays. Mutation of the two key active sites, which were determined by molecular docking and experimentally verified via overexpression in hairy roots and transient expression in tobacco leaves, exhibited abnormal subcellular localization, suggesting functional changes. Sequence analysis revealed that mutation of the FtGH1 promoter in accessions of two haplotypes might be necessary for enzymatic activity. Co-expression analysis and GWAS revealed that FtbHLH165 not only repressed FtGH1 expression, but also increased seed length. This work reveals a potential mechanism behind rutin metabolism, which should provide both theoretical support in the study of flavonoid metabolism and in the molecular breeding of Tartary buckwheat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dili Lai
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Breeding, Institute of Crop SciencesChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijingChina
- College of AgricultureGuizhou UniversityGuiyangChina
| | - Kaixuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Breeding, Institute of Crop SciencesChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yuqi He
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Breeding, Institute of Crop SciencesChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yu Fan
- School of Food and Biological EngineeringChengdu UniversityChengduChina
| | - Wei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Breeding, Institute of Crop SciencesChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yaliang Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Breeding, Institute of Crop SciencesChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yuanfen Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Breeding, Institute of Crop SciencesChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Xu Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Breeding, Institute of Crop SciencesChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Jiayue He
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Breeding, Institute of Crop SciencesChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Hui Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Breeding, Institute of Crop SciencesChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Xiang Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Breeding, Institute of Crop SciencesChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yawen Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Breeding, Institute of Crop SciencesChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijingChina
| | | | - Jingjun Ruan
- College of AgricultureGuizhou UniversityGuiyangChina
| | - Milen I. Georgiev
- Laboratory of Metabolomics, Institute of MicrobiologyBulgarian Academy of SciencesPlovdivBulgaria
- Center of Plant Systems Biology and BiotechnologyPlovdivBulgaria
| | - Alisdair R. Fernie
- Center of Plant Systems Biology and BiotechnologyPlovdivBulgaria
- Department of Molecular PhysiologyMax‐Planck‐Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPotsdam‐GolmGermany
| | - Meiliang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Breeding, Institute of Crop SciencesChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijingChina
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3
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Nie Y, Wang H, Zhang G, Ding H, Han B, Liu L, Shi J, Du J, Li X, Li X, Zhao Y, Zhang X, Liu C, Weng J, Li X, Zhang X, Zhao X, Pan G, Jackson D, Li QB, Stinard PS, Arp J, Sachs MM, Moose S, Hunter CT, Wu Q, Zhang Z. The maize PLASTID TERMINAL OXIDASE (PTOX) locus controls the carotenoid content of kernels. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 118:457-468. [PMID: 38198228 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16618] [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: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Carotenoids perform a broad range of important functions in humans; therefore, carotenoid biofortification of maize (Zea mays L.), one of the most highly produced cereal crops worldwide, would have a global impact on human health. PLASTID TERMINAL OXIDASE (PTOX) genes play an important role in carotenoid metabolism; however, the possible function of PTOX in carotenoid biosynthesis in maize has not yet been explored. In this study, we characterized the maize PTOX locus by forward- and reverse-genetic analyses. While most higher plant species possess a single copy of the PTOX gene, maize carries two tandemly duplicated copies. Characterization of mutants revealed that disruption of either copy resulted in a carotenoid-deficient phenotype. We identified mutations in the PTOX genes as being causal of the classic maize mutant, albescent1. Remarkably, overexpression of ZmPTOX1 significantly improved the content of carotenoids, especially β-carotene (provitamin A), which was increased by ~threefold, in maize kernels. Overall, our study shows that maize PTOX locus plays an important role in carotenoid biosynthesis in maize kernels and suggests that fine-tuning the expression of this gene could improve the nutritional value of cereal grains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongxin Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Guan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in Northern China, the Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Haiping Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018, China
| | - Beibei Han
- State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in Northern China, the Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Lei Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Jian Shi
- Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Jiyuan Du
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018, China
| | - Xiaohu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018, China
| | - Xinzheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018, China
| | - Yajie Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018, China
| | - Xiaocong Zhang
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Changlin Liu
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Jianfeng Weng
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Xinhai Li
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Xiansheng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018, China
| | - Xiangyu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018, China
| | - Guangtang Pan
- Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - David Jackson
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, 11724, USA
| | - Qin-Bao Li
- USDA-ARS, Chemistry Research Unit, Gainesville, Florida, 32608, USA
| | - Philip S Stinard
- USDA-ARS, Maize Genetics Cooperation Stock Center, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Jennifer Arp
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Crop Sciences, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
- Bayer Crop Science 700 Chesterfield Parkway West, Chesterfield, Missouri, 63017, USA
| | - Martin M Sachs
- USDA-ARS, Maize Genetics Cooperation Stock Center, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Crop Sciences, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Steven Moose
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Crop Sciences, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Charles T Hunter
- USDA-ARS, Chemistry Research Unit, Gainesville, Florida, 32608, USA
| | - Qingyu Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in Northern China, the Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Zhiming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018, China
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Tanaka R, Wu D, Li X, Tibbs-Cortes LE, Wood JC, Magallanes-Lundback M, Bornowski N, Hamilton JP, Vaillancourt B, Li X, Deason NT, Schoenbaum GR, Buell CR, DellaPenna D, Yu J, Gore MA. Leveraging prior biological knowledge improves prediction of tocochromanols in maize grain. THE PLANT GENOME 2023; 16:e20276. [PMID: 36321716 DOI: 10.1002/tpg2.20276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
With an essential role in human health, tocochromanols are mostly obtained by consuming seed oils; however, the vitamin E content of the most abundant tocochromanols in maize (Zea mays L.) grain is low. Several large-effect genes with cis-acting variants affecting messenger RNA (mRNA) expression are mostly responsible for tocochromanol variation in maize grain, with other relevant associated quantitative trait loci (QTL) yet to be fully resolved. Leveraging existing genomic and transcriptomic information for maize inbreds could improve prediction when selecting for higher vitamin E content. Here, we first evaluated a multikernel genomic best linear unbiased prediction (MK-GBLUP) approach for modeling known QTL in the prediction of nine tocochromanol grain phenotypes (12-21 QTL per trait) within and between two panels of 1,462 and 242 maize inbred lines. On average, MK-GBLUP models improved predictive abilities by 7.0-13.6% when compared with GBLUP. In a second approach with a subset of 545 lines from the larger panel, the highest average improvement in predictive ability relative to GBLUP was achieved with a multi-trait GBLUP model (15.4%) that had a tocochromanol phenotype and transcript abundances in developing grain for a few large-effect candidate causal genes (1-3 genes per trait) as multiple response variables. Taken together, our study illustrates the enhancement of prediction models when informed by existing biological knowledge pertaining to QTL and candidate causal genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryokei Tanaka
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Di Wu
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Xiaowei Li
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | | | - Joshua C Wood
- Institute for Plant Breeding, Genetics & Genomics, Center for Applied Genetic Technologies, Dep. of Crop & Soil Sciences, Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | | | - Nolan Bornowski
- Dep. of Plant Biology, Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - John P Hamilton
- Institute for Plant Breeding, Genetics & Genomics, Center for Applied Genetic Technologies, Dep. of Crop & Soil Sciences, Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Brieanne Vaillancourt
- Institute for Plant Breeding, Genetics & Genomics, Center for Applied Genetic Technologies, Dep. of Crop & Soil Sciences, Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Xianran Li
- USDA ARS, Wheat Health, Genetics, and Quality Research Unit, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
| | - Nicholas T Deason
- Dep. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | | | - C Robin Buell
- Institute for Plant Breeding, Genetics & Genomics, Center for Applied Genetic Technologies, Dep. of Crop & Soil Sciences, Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Dean DellaPenna
- Dep. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Jianming Yu
- Dep. of Agronomy, Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Michael A Gore
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
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5
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Ferrão LFV, Dhakal R, Dias R, Tieman D, Whitaker V, Gore MA, Messina C, Resende MFR. Machine learning applications to improve flavor and nutritional content of horticultural crops through breeding and genetics. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2023; 83:102968. [PMID: 37515935 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2023.102968] [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: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
Over the last decades, significant strides were made in understanding the biochemical factors influencing the nutritional content and flavor profile of fruits and vegetables. Product differentiation in the produce aisle is the natural consequence of increasing consumer power in the food industry. Cotton-candy grapes, specialty tomatoes, and pineapple-flavored white strawberries provide a few examples. Given the increased demand for flavorful varieties, and pressing need to reduce micronutrient malnutrition, we expect breeding to increase its prioritization toward these traits. Reaching this goal will, in part, necessitate knowledge of the genetic architecture controlling these traits, as well as the development of breeding methods that maximize their genetic gain. Can artificial intelligence (AI) help predict flavor preferences, and can such insights be leveraged by breeding programs? In this Perspective, we outline both the opportunities and challenges for the development of more flavorful and nutritious crops, and how AI can support these breeding initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís Felipe V Ferrão
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Rakshya Dhakal
- Plant Breeding Graduate Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Raquel Dias
- Microbiology and Cell Science Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Denise Tieman
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Vance Whitaker
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States; Plant Breeding Graduate Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Michael A Gore
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Carlos Messina
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States; Plant Breeding Graduate Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Márcio F R Resende
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States; Plant Breeding Graduate Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.
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Šimić D, Galić V, Jambrović A, Ledenčan T, Kljak K, Buhiniček I, Šarčević H. Genetic Variability in Carotenoid Contents in a Panel of Genebank Accessions of Temperate Maize from Southeast Europe. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:3453. [PMID: 37836193 PMCID: PMC10575074 DOI: 10.3390/plants12193453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Carotenoids are an abundant group of lipid-soluble antioxidants in maize kernels. Maize is a key target crop for carotenoid biofortification focused on using conventional plant breeding in native germplasm of temperate areas traced back partially to traditional cultivars (landraces). In this study, the objectives were to determine the variability of lutein (LUT), zeaxanthin (ZEA), α-cryptoxanthin (αCX), β-cryptoxanthin (βCX), α-carotene (αC), and β-carotene (βC) contents in the grain of 88 accessions of temperate maize from the Croatian genebank, and to evaluate the relationships among the contents of different carotenoids as well as the relationships between kernel color and hardness and carotenoid content. Highly significant variability among the 88 accessions was detected for all carotenoids. On average, the most abundant carotenoid was LUT with 13.2 μg g-1 followed by ZEA with 6.8 μg g-1 dry matter. A Principal Component Analysis revealed a clear distinction between α- (LUT, αCX, and αC) and β-branch (ZEA; βCX, and βC) carotenoids. β-branch carotenoids were positively correlated with kernel color, and weakly positively associated with kernel hardness. Our results suggest that some genebank accessions with a certain percentage of native germplasm may be a good source of carotenoid biofortification in Southeast Europe. However, due to the lack of association between LUT and ZEA, the breeding process could be cumbersome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domagoj Šimić
- Agricultural Institute Osijek, Južno Predgrađe 17, 31000 Osijek, Croatia; (V.G.); (A.J.); (T.L.)
- Centre of Excellence for Biodiversity and Molecular Plant Breeding (CroP-BioDiv), Svetošimunska Cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Vlatko Galić
- Agricultural Institute Osijek, Južno Predgrađe 17, 31000 Osijek, Croatia; (V.G.); (A.J.); (T.L.)
- Centre of Excellence for Biodiversity and Molecular Plant Breeding (CroP-BioDiv), Svetošimunska Cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Antun Jambrović
- Agricultural Institute Osijek, Južno Predgrađe 17, 31000 Osijek, Croatia; (V.G.); (A.J.); (T.L.)
- Centre of Excellence for Biodiversity and Molecular Plant Breeding (CroP-BioDiv), Svetošimunska Cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Tatjana Ledenčan
- Agricultural Institute Osijek, Južno Predgrađe 17, 31000 Osijek, Croatia; (V.G.); (A.J.); (T.L.)
| | - Kristina Kljak
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska Cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Ivica Buhiniček
- Bc Institute for Breeding and Production of Field Crops, Rugvica, Dugoselska 7, 10370 Dugo Selo, Croatia;
| | - Hrvoje Šarčević
- Centre of Excellence for Biodiversity and Molecular Plant Breeding (CroP-BioDiv), Svetošimunska Cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska Cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
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7
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Cruet-Burgos C, Rhodes DH. Unraveling transcriptomics of sorghum grain carotenoids: a step forward for biofortification. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:233. [PMID: 37138226 PMCID: PMC10157909 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09323-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) is a promising target for pro-vitamin A biofortification as it is a global staple crop, particularly in regions where vitamin A deficiency is prevalent. As with most cereal grains, carotenoid concentrations are low in sorghum, and breeding could be a feasible strategy to increase pro-vitamin A carotenoids to biologically relevant concentrations. However, there are knowledge gaps in the biosynthesis and regulation of sorghum grain carotenoids, which can limit breeding effectiveness. The aim of this research was to gain an understanding of the transcriptional regulation of a priori candidate genes in carotenoid precursor, biosynthesis, and degradation pathways. RESULTS We used RNA sequencing of grain to compare the transcriptional profile of four sorghum accessions with contrasting carotenoid profiles through grain development. Most a priori candidate genes involved in the precursor MEP, carotenoid biosynthesis, and carotenoid degradation pathways were found to be differentially expressed between sorghum grain developmental stages. There was also differential expression of some of the a priori candidate genes between high and low carotenoid content groups at each developmental time point. Among these, we propose geranyl geranyl pyrophosphate synthase (GGPPS), phytoene synthase (PSY), and phytoene desaturase (PDS) as promising targets for pro-vitamin A carotenoid biofortification efforts in sorghum grain. CONCLUSIONS A deeper understanding of the controls underlying biosynthesis and degradation of sorghum grain carotenoids is needed to advance biofortification efforts. This study provides the first insights into the regulation of sorghum grain carotenoid biosynthesis and degradation, suggesting potential gene targets to prioritize for molecular breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Cruet-Burgos
- Department of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Davina H Rhodes
- Department of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.
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Cruet-Burgos C, Morris GP, Rhodes DH. Characterization of grain carotenoids in global sorghum germplasm to guide genomics-assisted breeding strategies. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 23:165. [PMID: 36977987 PMCID: PMC10045421 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-023-04176-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Crop biofortification is a successful strategy to ameliorate Vitamin A deficiency. Sorghum is a good candidate for vitamin A biofortification, as it is a staple food in regions with high prevalence of vitamin A deficiency. β-carotene-the main provitamin A carotenoid-is below the target concentration in sorghum grain, therefore biofortification breeding is required. Previous studies found evidence that sorghum carotenoid variation is oligogenic, suggesting that marker-assisted selection can be an appropriate biofortification method. However, we hypothesize that sorghum carotenoids have both oligogenic and polygenic components of variation. Genomics-assisted breeding could accelerate breeding efforts, but there exists knowledge gaps in the genetics underlying carotenoid variation, as well as appropriate germplasm to serve as donors. RESULTS In this study, we characterized carotenoids in 446 accessions from the sorghum association panel and carotenoid panel using high-performance liquid chromatography, finding high carotenoid accessions not previously identified. Genome-wide association studies conducted with 345 accessions, confirmed that zeaxanthin epoxidase is a major gene underlying variation for not only zeaxanthin, but also lutein and β-carotene. High carotenoid lines were found to have limited genetic diversity, and originated predominantly from only one country. Potential novel genetic diversity for carotenoid content was identified through genomic predictions in 2,495 accessions of unexplored germplasm. Oligogenic variation of carotenoids was confirmed, as well as evidence for polygenic variation, suggesting both marker-assisted selection and genomic selection can facilitate breeding efforts. CONCLUSIONS Sorghum vitamin A biofortification could be beneficial for millions of people who rely on it as a dietary staple. Carotenoid content in sorghum is low, but high heritability suggests that increasing concentrations through breeding is possible. Low genetic diversity among high carotenoid lines might be the main limitation for breeding efforts, therefore further germplasm characterization is needed to assess the feasibility of biofortification breeding. Based on germplasm here evaluated, most countries' germplasm lacks high carotenoid alleles, thus pre-breeding will be needed. A SNP marker within the zeaxanthin epoxidase gene was identified as a good candidate for use in marker-assisted selection. Due to the oligogenic and polygenic variation of sorghum grain carotenoids, both marker-assisted selection and genomic selection can be employed to accelerate breeding efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Cruet-Burgos
- Department of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Geoffrey P Morris
- Department of Soil & Crop Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.
| | - Davina H Rhodes
- Department of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
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Savignac JM, Atanasova V, Chereau S, Ducos C, Gallegos N, Ortega V, Ponts N, Richard-Forget F. Carotenoids Occurring in Maize Affect the Redox Homeostasis of Fusarium graminearum and Its Production of Type B Trichothecene Mycotoxins: New Insights Supporting Their Role in Maize Resistance to Giberella Ear Rot. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2023; 71:3285-3296. [PMID: 36780464 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c06877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Fusarium graminearum is the causal agent of Gibberella ear rot (GER) in maize, a devastating fungal disease resulting in yield reduction and contamination of grains with type B trichothecene (TCTB) mycotoxins. Reducing GER damage requires the implementation of an integrated management strategy in which the use of resistant maize genotypes is a key factor. The present study aimed at providing new phenotyping tools to improve breeding pipelines by investigating the yet understudied contribution of carotenoids to GER resistance. Here, we demonstrated for the first time the efficiency of carotenoid extracts from various maize genotypes to inhibit the production of TCTB by F. graminearum. We further suggested that zeaxanthin could be a key actor of this inhibition efficiency, notably via a negative transcriptional control of several biosynthetic genes of the TCTB pathway. Besides, we demonstrated that zeaxanthin treatments led to profound perturbations in the fungal redox homeostasis by affecting the expression of key genes encoding ROS detoxifying enzymes, several of them being involved in F. graminearum virulence during plant infection. Altogether, our data support the contribution of carotenoids to the mechanisms employed by maize to counteract F. graminearum infection and its production of TCTB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Marie Savignac
- Syngenta France SAS, Route de Vignolles lieu dit La Grangette, 32220 Lombez, France
- INRAE, UR 1264 Mycology and Food Safety (MycSA), F-33882 Villenave d'Ornon, France
| | - Vessela Atanasova
- INRAE, UR 1264 Mycology and Food Safety (MycSA), F-33882 Villenave d'Ornon, France
| | - Sylvain Chereau
- INRAE, UR 1264 Mycology and Food Safety (MycSA), F-33882 Villenave d'Ornon, France
| | - Christine Ducos
- INRAE, UR 1264 Mycology and Food Safety (MycSA), F-33882 Villenave d'Ornon, France
| | - Nathalie Gallegos
- INRAE, UR 1264 Mycology and Food Safety (MycSA), F-33882 Villenave d'Ornon, France
| | - Véronique Ortega
- Syngenta France SAS, Route de Vignolles lieu dit La Grangette, 32220 Lombez, France
| | - Nadia Ponts
- INRAE, UR 1264 Mycology and Food Safety (MycSA), F-33882 Villenave d'Ornon, France
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10
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Dwivedi SL, Garcia-Oliveira AL, Govindaraj M, Ortiz R. Biofortification to avoid malnutrition in humans in a changing climate: Enhancing micronutrient bioavailability in seed, tuber, and storage roots. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1119148. [PMID: 36794214 PMCID: PMC9923027 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1119148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Malnutrition results in enormous socio-economic costs to the individual, their community, and the nation's economy. The evidence suggests an overall negative impact of climate change on the agricultural productivity and nutritional quality of food crops. Producing more food with better nutritional quality, which is feasible, should be prioritized in crop improvement programs. Biofortification refers to developing micronutrient -dense cultivars through crossbreeding or genetic engineering. This review provides updates on nutrient acquisition, transport, and storage in plant organs; the cross-talk between macro- and micronutrients transport and signaling; nutrient profiling and spatial and temporal distribution; the putative and functionally characterized genes/single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with Fe, Zn, and β-carotene; and global efforts to breed nutrient-dense crops and map adoption of such crops globally. This article also includes an overview on the bioavailability, bioaccessibility, and bioactivity of nutrients as well as the molecular basis of nutrient transport and absorption in human. Over 400 minerals (Fe, Zn) and provitamin A-rich cultivars have been released in the Global South. Approximately 4.6 million households currently cultivate Zn-rich rice and wheat, while ~3 million households in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America benefit from Fe-rich beans, and 2.6 million people in sub-Saharan Africa and Brazil eat provitamin A-rich cassava. Furthermore, nutrient profiles can be improved through genetic engineering in an agronomically acceptable genetic background. The development of "Golden Rice" and provitamin A-rich dessert bananas and subsequent transfer of this trait into locally adapted cultivars are evident, with no significant change in nutritional profile, except for the trait incorporated. A greater understanding of nutrient transport and absorption may lead to the development of diet therapy for the betterment of human health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ana Luísa Garcia-Oliveira
- International Maize and Wheat Research Center, Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maíz. y Trigo (CIMMYT), Nairobi, Kenya
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Biotechnology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hissar, India
| | - Mahalingam Govindaraj
- HarvestPlus Program, Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Cali, Colombia
| | - Rodomiro Ortiz
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Lomma, Sweden
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11
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Integrated Metabolomic and Transcriptomic Analyses Reveal the Basis for Carotenoid Biosynthesis in Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) Storage Roots. Metabolites 2022; 12:metabo12111010. [DOI: 10.3390/metabo12111010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Carotenoids are important compounds of quality and coloration within sweet potato storage roots, but the mechanisms that govern the accumulation of these carotenoids remain poorly understood. In this study, metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses of carotenoids were performed using young storage roots (S2) and old storage roots (S4) from white-fleshed (variety S19) and yellow-fleshed (variety BS) sweet potato types. S19 storage roots exhibited significantly lower total carotenoid levels relative to BS storage roots, and different numbers of carotenoid types were detected in the BS-S2, BS-S4, S19-S2, and S19-S4 samples. β-cryptoxanthin was identified as a potential key driver of differences in root coloration between the S19 and BS types. Combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses revealed significant co-annotation of the carotenoid and abscisic acid (ABA) metabolic pathways, PSY (phytoene synthase), CHYB (β-carotene 3-hydroxylase), ZEP (zeaxanthin epoxidase), NCED3 (9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase 3), ABA2 (xanthoxin dehydrogenase), and CYP707A (abscisic acid 8’-hydroxylase) genes were found to be closely associated with carotenoid and ABA content in these sweet potato storage roots. The expression patterns of the transcription factors OFP and FAR1 were associated with the ABA content in these two sweet potato types. Together, these results provide a valuable foundation for understanding the mechanisms governing carotenoid biosynthesis in storage roots, and offer a theoretical basis for sweet potato breeding and management.
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12
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He L, Cheng L, Wang J, Liu J, Cheng J, Yang Z, Cao R, Han Y, Li H, Zhang B. Carotenoid Cleavage Dioxygenase 1 Catalyzes Lutein Degradation To Influence Carotenoid Accumulation and Color Development in Foxtail Millet Grains. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2022; 70:9283-9294. [PMID: 35876162 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c01951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Foxtail millet is a minor but economically important crop in certain regions of the world. Millet color is often used to judge grain quality, yet the molecular determinants of millet coloration remain unclear. Here, we explored the relationship between SiCCD1 and millet coloration in yellow and white millet varieties. Carotenoid levels declined with grain maturation and were negatively correlated with SiCCD1 expression, which was significantly higher in white millet as compared to yellow millet during the color development stage. Cloning of the SiCCD1 promoter and CDS sequences from these different millet varieties revealed the presence of two additional cis-regulatory elements within the SiCCD1 promoter in white millet varieties, including an enhancer-like GC motif element associated with anoxic specific inducibility and a GCN4-motif element associated with endosperm expression. Dual-luciferase reporter assays confirmed that SiCCD1 promoter fragments containing these additional cis-acting elements derived from white millet varieties were significantly more active than those from yellow millet varieties, consistent with the observed SiCCD1 expression patterns. Further in vitro enzyme detection assays confirmed that SiCCD1 primarily targets and degrades lutein. Together, these data suggest that SiCCD1 promoter variation was a key factor associated with the observed differences in SiCCD1 expression, which in turn led to the difference in millet coloration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu He
- College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China
- Maize Research Institute, Shanxi Agricultural University, Xinzhou 034000, China
| | - Lu Cheng
- College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China
| | - Junjie Wang
- College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China
| | - Jing Liu
- College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China
| | - Jinjin Cheng
- College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China
| | - Zhirong Yang
- Department of Foundation, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China
| | - Rui Cao
- Shanxi Biological Research Institute Co., Ltd, Taiyuan 030000, China
| | - Yuanhuai Han
- College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China
- Institute of Agricultural Bioengineering, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Co-Innovation Centre for Endemic Crops Production with High-quality and Efficiency in Loess Plateau, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China
| | - Hongying Li
- College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China
- Institute of Agricultural Bioengineering, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China
| | - Bin Zhang
- College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China
- Institute of Agricultural Bioengineering, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Co-Innovation Centre for Endemic Crops Production with High-quality and Efficiency in Loess Plateau, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China
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13
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Thomson MJ, Biswas S, Tsakirpaloglou N, Septiningsih EM. Functional Allele Validation by Gene Editing to Leverage the Wealth of Genetic Resources for Crop Improvement. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23126565. [PMID: 35743007 PMCID: PMC9223900 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in molecular technologies over the past few decades, such as high-throughput DNA marker genotyping, have provided more powerful plant breeding approaches, including marker-assisted selection and genomic selection. At the same time, massive investments in plant genetics and genomics, led by whole genome sequencing, have led to greater knowledge of genes and genetic pathways across plant genomes. However, there remains a gap between approaches focused on forward genetics, which start with a phenotype to map a mutant locus or QTL with the goal of cloning the causal gene, and approaches using reverse genetics, which start with large-scale sequence data and work back to the gene function. The recent establishment of efficient CRISPR-Cas-based gene editing promises to bridge this gap and provide a rapid method to functionally validate genes and alleles identified through studies of natural variation. CRISPR-Cas techniques can be used to knock out single or multiple genes, precisely modify genes through base and prime editing, and replace alleles. Moreover, technologies such as protoplast isolation, in planta transformation, and the use of developmental regulatory genes promise to enable high-throughput gene editing to accelerate crop improvement.
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14
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Wu D, Li X, Tanaka R, Wood JC, Tibbs-Cortes LE, Magallanes-Lundback M, Bornowski N, Hamilton JP, Vaillancourt B, Diepenbrock CH, Li X, Deason NT, Schoenbaum GR, Yu J, Buell CR, DellaPenna D, Gore MA. Combining GWAS and TWAS to identify candidate causal genes for tocochromanol levels in maize grain. Genetics 2022; 221:6603118. [PMID: 35666198 PMCID: PMC9339294 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Tocochromanols (tocopherols and tocotrienols, collectively vitamin E) are lipid-soluble antioxidants important for both plant fitness and human health. The main dietary sources of vitamin E are seed oils that often accumulate high levels of tocopherol isoforms with lower vitamin E activity. The tocochromanol biosynthetic pathway is conserved across plant species but an integrated view of the genes and mechanisms underlying natural variation of tocochromanol levels in seed of most cereal crops remains limited. To address this issue, we utilized the high mapping resolution of the maize Ames panel of ∼1,500 inbred lines scored with 12.2 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms to generate metabolomic (mature grain tocochromanols) and transcriptomic (developing grain) data sets for genetic mapping. By combining results from genome- and transcriptome-wide association studies, we identified a total of 13 candidate causal gene loci, including 5 that had not been previously associated with maize grain tocochromanols: 4 biosynthetic genes (arodeH2 paralog, dxs1, vte5, and vte7) and a plastid S-adenosyl methionine transporter (samt1). Expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) mapping of these 13 gene loci revealed that they are predominantly regulated by cis-eQTL. Through a joint statistical analysis, we implicated cis-acting variants as responsible for colocalized eQTL and GWAS association signals. Our multiomics approach provided increased statistical power and mapping resolution to enable a detailed characterization of the genetic and regulatory architecture underlying tocochromanol accumulation in maize grain and provided insights for ongoing biofortification efforts to breed and/or engineer vitamin E and antioxidant levels in maize and other cereals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Joshua C Wood
- Department of Crop & Soil Sciences, Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics, & Genomics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | | | - Maria Magallanes-Lundback
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Nolan Bornowski
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - John P Hamilton
- Department of Crop & Soil Sciences, Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics, & Genomics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Brieanne Vaillancourt
- Department of Crop & Soil Sciences, Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics, & Genomics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | | | - Xianran Li
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Wheat Health, Genetics, and Quality Research Unit, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Nicholas T Deason
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | | | - Jianming Yu
- Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - C Robin Buell
- Department of Crop & Soil Sciences, Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics, & Genomics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Dean DellaPenna
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Michael A Gore
- Corresponding author: Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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15
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Hershberger J, Tanaka R, Wood JC, Kaczmar N, Wu D, Hamilton JP, DellaPenna D, Buell CR, Gore MA. Transcriptome-wide association and prediction for carotenoids and tocochromanols in fresh sweet corn kernels. THE PLANT GENOME 2022; 15:e20197. [PMID: 35262278 DOI: 10.1002/tpg2.20197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Sweet corn (Zea mays L.) is consistently one of the most highly consumed vegetables in the United States, providing a valuable opportunity to increase nutrient intake through biofortification. Significant variation for carotenoid (provitamin A, lutein, zeaxanthin) and tocochromanol (vitamin E, antioxidants) levels is present in temperate sweet corn germplasm, yet previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of these traits have been limited by low statistical power and mapping resolution. Here, we employed a high-quality transcriptomic dataset collected from fresh sweet corn kernels to conduct transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) and transcriptome prediction studies for 39 carotenoid and tocochromanol traits. In agreement with previous GWAS findings, TWAS detected significant associations for four causal genes, β-carotene hydroxylase (crtRB1), lycopene epsilon cyclase (lcyE), γ-tocopherol methyltransferase (vte4), and homogentisate geranylgeranyltransferase (hggt1) on a transcriptome-wide level. Pathway-level analysis revealed additional associations for deoxy-xylulose synthase2 (dxs2), diphosphocytidyl methyl erythritol synthase2 (dmes2), cytidine methyl kinase1 (cmk1), and geranylgeranyl hydrogenase1 (ggh1), of which, dmes2, cmk1, and ggh1 have not previously been identified through maize association studies. Evaluation of prediction models incorporating genome-wide markers and transcriptome-wide abundances revealed a trait-dependent benefit to the inclusion of both genomic and transcriptomic data over solely genomic data, but both transcriptome- and genome-wide datasets outperformed a priori candidate gene-targeted prediction models for most traits. Altogether, this study represents an important step toward understanding the role of regulatory variation in the accumulation of vitamins in fresh sweet corn kernels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna Hershberger
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Ryokei Tanaka
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Joshua C Wood
- Dep. of Crop & Soil Sciences, Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Nicholas Kaczmar
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Di Wu
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - John P Hamilton
- Dep. of Crop & Soil Sciences, Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Dean DellaPenna
- Dep. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - C Robin Buell
- Dep. of Crop & Soil Sciences, Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Michael A Gore
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
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16
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Brzozowski LJ, Campbell MT, Hu H, Caffe M, Gutiérrez LA, Smith KP, Sorrells ME, Gore MA, Jannink JL. Generalizable approaches for genomic prediction of metabolites in plants. THE PLANT GENOME 2022; 15:e20205. [PMID: 35470586 DOI: 10.1002/tpg2.20205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Plant metabolites are important traits for plant breeders seeking to improve nutrition and agronomic performance yet integrating selection for metabolomic traits can be limited by phenotyping expense and degree of genetic characterization, especially of uncommon metabolites. As such, developing generalizable genomic selection methods based on biochemical pathway biology for metabolites that are transferable across plant populations would benefit plant breeding programs. We tested genomic prediction accuracy for >600 metabolites measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) in oat (Avena sativa L.) seed. Using a discovery germplasm panel, we conducted metabolite genome-wide association study (mGWAS) and selected loci to use in multikernel models that encompassed metabolome-wide mGWAS results or mGWAS from specific metabolite structures or biosynthetic pathways. Metabolite kernels developed from LC-MS metabolites in the discovery panel improved prediction accuracy of LC-MS metabolite traits in the validation panel consisting of more advanced breeding lines. No approach, however, improved prediction accuracy for GC-MS metabolites. We ranked model performance by metabolite and found that metabolites with similar polarity had consistent rankings of models. Overall, testing biological rationales for developing kernels for genomic prediction across populations contributes to developing frameworks for plant breeding for metabolite traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren J Brzozowski
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Malachy T Campbell
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Haixiao Hu
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Melanie Caffe
- Dep. of Agronomy, Horticulture & Plant Science, South Dakota State Univ., Brookings, SD, 57006, USA
| | - Lucı A Gutiérrez
- Dep. of Agronomy, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Kevin P Smith
- Dep. of Agronomy & Plant Genetics, Univ. of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Mark E Sorrells
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Michael A Gore
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Jean-Luc Jannink
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- USDA-ARS, Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
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17
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Koschmieder J, Alseekh S, Shabani M, Baltenweck R, Maurino VG, Palme K, Fernie AR, Hugueney P, Welsch R. Color recycling: metabolization of apocarotenoid degradation products suggests carbon regeneration via primary metabolic pathways. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2022; 41:961-977. [PMID: 35064799 PMCID: PMC9035014 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-022-02831-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Analysis of carotenoid-accumulating roots revealed that oxidative carotenoid degradation yields glyoxal and methylglyoxal. Our data suggest that these compounds are detoxified via the glyoxalase system and re-enter primary metabolic pathways. Carotenoid levels in plant tissues depend on the relative rates of synthesis and degradation. We recently identified redox enzymes previously known to be involved in the detoxification of fatty acid-derived reactive carbonyl species which were able to convert apocarotenoids into corresponding alcohols and carboxylic acids. However, their subsequent metabolization pathways remain unresolved. Interestingly, we found that carotenoid-accumulating roots have increased levels of glutathione, suggesting apocarotenoid glutathionylation to occur. In vitro and in planta investigations did not, however, support the occurrence of non-enzymatic or enzymatic glutathionylation of β-apocarotenoids. An alternative breakdown pathway is the continued oxidative degradation of primary apocarotenoids or their derivatives into the shortest possible oxidation products, namely glyoxal and methylglyoxal, which also accumulated in carotenoid-accumulating roots. In fact, combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis suggest that the high levels of glutathione are most probably required for detoxifying apocarotenoid-derived glyoxal and methylglyoxal via the glyoxalase pathway, yielding glycolate and D-lactate, respectively. Further transcriptome analysis suggested subsequent reactions involving activities associated with photorespiration and the peroxisome-specific glycolate/glyoxylate transporter. Finally, detoxified primary apocarotenoid degradation products might be converted into pyruvate which is possibly re-used for the synthesis of carotenoid biosynthesis precursors. Our findings allow to envision carbon recycling during carotenoid biosynthesis, degradation and re-synthesis which consumes energy, but partially maintains initially fixed carbon via re-introducing reactive carotenoid degradation products into primary metabolic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Saleh Alseekh
- Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
- Center for Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, 4000, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Marzieh Shabani
- Faculty of Biology II, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Plant Production and Genetics, School of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | | | - Veronica G Maurino
- Department of Molecular Plant Physiology, Institute of Molecular Physiology and Biotechnology of Plants, University of Bonn, Kirschallee 1, 53115, Bonn, Germany
| | - Klaus Palme
- Faculty of Biology II, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Alisdair R Fernie
- Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
- Center for Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, 4000, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Philippe Hugueney
- Université de Strasbourg, INRAE, SVQV UMR-A 1131, 68000, Colmar, France
| | - Ralf Welsch
- Faculty of Biology II, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany.
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18
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Medina-Lozano I, Díaz A. Applications of Genomic Tools in Plant Breeding: Crop Biofortification. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:3086. [PMID: 35328507 PMCID: PMC8950180 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Crop breeding has mainly been focused on increasing productivity, either directly or by decreasing the losses caused by biotic and abiotic stresses (that is, incorporating resistance to diseases and enhancing tolerance to adverse conditions, respectively). Quite the opposite, little attention has been paid to improve the nutritional value of crops. It has not been until recently that crop biofortification has become an objective within breeding programs, through either conventional methods or genetic engineering. There are many steps along this long path, from the initial evaluation of germplasm for the content of nutrients and health-promoting compounds to the development of biofortified varieties, with the available and future genomic tools assisting scientists and breeders in reaching their objectives as well as speeding up the process. This review offers a compendium of the genomic technologies used to explore and create biodiversity, to associate the traits of interest to the genome, and to transfer the genomic regions responsible for the desirable characteristics into potential new varieties. Finally, a glimpse of future perspectives and challenges in this emerging area is offered by taking the present scenario and the slow progress of the regulatory framework as the starting point.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés Medina-Lozano
- Departamento de Ciencia Vegetal, Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón (CITA), Universidad de Zaragoza, Avda. Montañana 930, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain;
- Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón—IA2, Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón (CITA), Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Aurora Díaz
- Departamento de Ciencia Vegetal, Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón (CITA), Universidad de Zaragoza, Avda. Montañana 930, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain;
- Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón—IA2, Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón (CITA), Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
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19
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LaPorte MF, Vachev M, Fenn M, Diepenbrock C. Simultaneous dissection of grain carotenoid levels and kernel color in biparental maize populations with yellow-to-orange grain. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2022; 12:6506523. [PMID: 35100389 PMCID: PMC8895983 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Maize enriched in provitamin A carotenoids could be key in combatting vitamin A deficiency in human populations relying on maize as a food staple. Consumer studies indicate that orange maize may be regarded as novel and preferred. This study identifies genes of relevance for grain carotenoid concentrations and kernel color, through simultaneous dissection of these traits in 10 families of the US maize nested association mapping panel that have yellow to orange grain. Quantitative trait loci were identified via joint-linkage analysis, with phenotypic variation explained for individual kernel color quantitative trait loci ranging from 2.4% to 17.5%. These quantitative trait loci were cross-analyzed with significant marker-trait associations in a genome-wide association study that utilized ∼27 million variants. Nine genes were identified: four encoding activities upstream of the core carotenoid pathway, one at the pathway branchpoint, three within the α- or β-pathway branches, and one encoding a carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase. Of these, three exhibited significant pleiotropy between kernel color and one or more carotenoid traits. Kernel color exhibited moderate positive correlations with β-branch and total carotenoids and negligible correlations with α-branch carotenoids. These findings can be leveraged to simultaneously achieve desirable kernel color phenotypes and increase concentrations of provitamin A and other priority carotenoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary-Francis LaPorte
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Mishi Vachev
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Matthew Fenn
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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Understanding carotenoid biosynthetic pathway control points using metabolomic analysis and natural genetic variation. Methods Enzymol 2022; 671:127-151. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2022.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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21
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Medeiros DB, Brotman Y, Fernie AR. The utility of metabolomics as a tool to inform maize biology. PLANT COMMUNICATIONS 2021; 2:100187. [PMID: 34327322 PMCID: PMC8299083 DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2021.100187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
With the rise of high-throughput omics tools and the importance of maize and its products as food and bioethanol, maize metabolism has been extensively explored. Modern maize is still rich in genetic and phenotypic variation, yielding a wide range of structurally and functionally diverse metabolites. The maize metabolome is also incredibly dynamic in terms of topology and subcellular compartmentalization. In this review, we examine a broad range of studies that cover recent developments in maize metabolism. Particular attention is given to current methodologies and to the use of metabolomics as a tool to define biosynthetic pathways and address biological questions. We also touch upon the use of metabolomics to understand maize natural variation and evolution, with a special focus on research that has used metabolite-based genome-wide association studies (mGWASs).
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Affiliation(s)
- David B. Medeiros
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Yariv Brotman
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheva, Israel
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22
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Eckardt NA, Birchler JA, Brady SM, Buell CR, Leebens-Mack JH, Meyers BC. Focus on the biology of plant genomes. THE PLANT CELL 2021; 33:781-782. [PMID: 33576423 PMCID: PMC8227447 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koab039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nancy A Eckardt
- Senior Editor, The Plant Cell, American Society of Plant Biologists, USA
| | - James A Birchler
- Senior Editor, The Plant Cell, and Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, 65211, USA
| | - Siobhán M Brady
- Senior Editor, The Plant Cell, and Department of Plant Biology and Genome Center, University of California, Davis, California, 95616, USA
| | - C Robin Buell
- Reviewing Editor, The Plant Cell, and Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA
| | - James H Leebens-Mack
- Reviewing Editor, The Plant Cell, and Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, USA
| | - Blake C Meyers
- Editor-in-Chief, The Plant Cell, and Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, Olivette, Missouri 63132, USA, and Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, 65211, USA
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