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Zhu X, Wang H. Revisiting the role and mechanism of ELF3 in circadian clock modulation. Gene 2024; 913:148378. [PMID: 38490512 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
The gene encoding EARLY FLOWERING3 (ELF3) is necessary for photoperiodic flowering and the normal regulation of circadian rhythms. It provides important information at the cellular level to uncover the biological mechanisms that improve plant growth and development. ELF3 interactions with transcription factors such as BROTHER OF LUX ARRHYTHMO (BOA), LIGHT-REGULATED WD1 (LWD1), PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTOR 4 (PIF4), PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTOR 7 (PIF7), and LUX ARRHYTHMO (LUX) suggest a role in evening complex (EC) independent pathways, demanding further investigation to elucidate the EC-dependent versus EC-independent mechanisms. The ELF3 regulation of flowering time about photoperiod and temperature variations can also optimize crop cultivation across diverse latitudes. In this review paper, we summarize how ELF3's role in the circadian clock and light-responsive flowering control in crops offers substantial potential for scientific advancement and practical applications in biotechnology and agriculture. Despite its essential role in crop adaptation, very little is known in many important crops. Consequently, comprehensive and targeted research is essential for extrapolating ELF3-related insights from Arabidopsis to other crops, utilizing both computational and experimental methodologies. This research should prioritize investigations into ELF3's protein-protein interactions, post-translational modifications, and genomic targets to elucidate its contribution to accurate circadian clock regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingzun Zhu
- College of Landscape Architecture, Changchun University, No.1 Weixinglu Changchun, Jilin, China.
| | - Hongtao Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Tonghua Normal University, Tonghua, 950, Yucai Road, China.
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2
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Magni S, Sawlekar R, Capelle CM, Tslaf V, Baron A, Zeng N, Mombaerts L, Yue Z, Yuan Y, Hefeng FQ, Gonçalves J. Inferring upstream regulatory genes of FOXP3 in human regulatory T cells from time-series transcriptomic data. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2024; 10:59. [PMID: 38811598 PMCID: PMC11137136 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-024-00387-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
The discovery of upstream regulatory genes of a gene of interest still remains challenging. Here we applied a scalable computational method to unbiasedly predict candidate regulatory genes of critical transcription factors by searching the whole genome. We illustrated our approach with a case study on the master regulator FOXP3 of human primary regulatory T cells (Tregs). While target genes of FOXP3 have been identified, its upstream regulatory machinery still remains elusive. Our methodology selected five top-ranked candidates that were tested via proof-of-concept experiments. Following knockdown, three out of five candidates showed significant effects on the mRNA expression of FOXP3 across multiple donors. This provides insights into the regulatory mechanisms modulating FOXP3 transcriptional expression in Tregs. Overall, at the genome level this represents a high level of accuracy in predicting upstream regulatory genes of key genes of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Magni
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Rucha Sawlekar
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
- Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Sweden
| | - Christophe M Capelle
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Vera Tslaf
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Transversal Translational Medicine, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Strassen, Luxembourg
| | - Alexandre Baron
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Ni Zeng
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Laurent Mombaerts
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Zuogong Yue
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Ye Yuan
- School of Artificial Intelligence and Automation, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Feng Q Hefeng
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.
| | - Jorge Gonçalves
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg.
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
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3
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Rossi N, Powell W, Mackay IJ, Hickey L, Maurer A, Pillen K, Halliday K, Sharma R. Investigating the genetic control of plant development in spring barley under speed breeding conditions. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2024; 137:115. [PMID: 38691245 PMCID: PMC11063105 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-024-04618-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE This study found that the genes, PPD-H1 and ELF3, control the acceleration of plant development under speed breeding, with important implications for optimizing the delivery of climate-resilient crops. Speed breeding is a tool to accelerate breeding and research programmes. Despite its success and growing popularity with breeders, the genetic basis of plant development under speed breeding remains unknown. This study explored the developmental advancements of barley genotypes under different photoperiod regimes. A subset of the HEB-25 Nested Association Mapping population was evaluated for days to heading and maturity under two contrasting photoperiod conditions: (1) Speed breeding (SB) consisting of 22 h of light and 2 h of darkness, and (2) normal breeding (NB) consisting of 16 h of light and 8 h of darkness. GWAS revealed that developmental responses under both conditions were largely controlled by two loci: PPDH-1 and ELF3. Allelic variants at these genes determine whether plants display early flowering and maturity under both conditions. At key QTL regions, domesticated alleles were associated with late flowering and maturity in NB and early flowering and maturity in SB, whereas wild alleles were associated with early flowering under both conditions. We hypothesize that this is related to the dark-dependent repression of PPD-H1 by ELF3 which might be more prominent in NB conditions. Furthermore, by comparing development under two photoperiod regimes, we derived an estimate of plasticity for the two traits. Interestingly, plasticity in development was largely attributed to allelic variation at ELF3. Our results have important implications for our understanding and optimization of speed breeding protocols particularly for introgression breeding and the design of breeding programmes to support the delivery of climate-resilient crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Rossi
- Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Kings Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG, UK
- Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Wayne Powell
- Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Kings Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG, UK
| | - Ian J Mackay
- Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Kings Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG, UK
| | - Lee Hickey
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Andreas Maurer
- Chair of Plant Breeding, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 3, 06120, Halle, Germany
| | - Klaus Pillen
- Chair of Plant Breeding, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 3, 06120, Halle, Germany
| | - Karen Halliday
- Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Rajiv Sharma
- Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Kings Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG, UK.
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4
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Helmsorig G, Walla A, Rütjes T, Buchmann G, Schüller R, Hensel G, von Korff M. early maturity 7 promotes early flowering by controlling the light input into the circadian clock in barley. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 194:849-866. [PMID: 37951242 PMCID: PMC10828213 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
Breeding for variation in photoperiod response is crucial to adapt crop plants to various environments. Plants measure changes in day length by the circadian clock, an endogenous timekeeper that allows plants to anticipate changes in diurnal and seasonal light-dark cycles. Here, we describe the early maturity 7 (eam7) locus in barley (Hordeum vulgare), which interacts with PHOTOPERIOD 1 (Ppd-H1) to cause early flowering under non-inductive short days. We identify LIGHT-REGULATED WD 1 (LWD1) as a putative candidate to underlie the eam7 locus in barley as supported by genetic mapping and CRISPR-Cas9-generated lwd1 mutants. Mutations in eam7 cause a significant phase advance and a misregulation of core clock and clock output genes under diurnal conditions. Early flowering was linked to an upregulation of Ppd-H1 during the night and consequent induction of the florigen FLOWERING LOCUS T1 under short days. We propose that EAM7 controls photoperiodic flowering in barley by controlling the light input into the clock and diurnal expression patterns of the major photoperiod response gene Ppd-H1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gesa Helmsorig
- Institute of Plant Genetics, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40223 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Agatha Walla
- Institute of Plant Genetics, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40223 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Thea Rütjes
- Institute of Plant Genetics, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40223 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Gabriele Buchmann
- Institute of Plant Genetics, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40223 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Rebekka Schüller
- Institute of Plant Genetics, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40223 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Götz Hensel
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences “SMART Plants for Tomorrow's Needs”, 40223 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Centre for Plant Genome Engineering, Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40223 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Division of Molecular Biology, Centre of the Region Hana for Biotechnological and Agriculture Research, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, CZ-779 00 Olomouc, Czech
| | - Maria von Korff
- Institute of Plant Genetics, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40223 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences “SMART Plants for Tomorrow's Needs”, 40223 Düsseldorf, Germany
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5
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Xu H, Zuo Y, Wei J, Wang L. The Circadian Clock Coordinates the Tradeoff between Adaptation to Abiotic Stresses and Yield in Crops. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1364. [PMID: 37997963 PMCID: PMC10669628 DOI: 10.3390/biology12111364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Plants have evolved a circadian clock to adapt to ever-changing diel and seasonal environmental conditions. The circadian clock is generally considered an internal system that has evolved to adapt to cyclic environmental cues, especially diel light and temperature changes, which is essential for higher plants as they are sessile organisms. This system receives environmental signals as input pathways which are integrated by circadian core oscillators to synchronize numerous output pathways, such as photosynthesis, the abiotic stress response, metabolism, and development. Extreme temperatures, salinity, and drought stresses cause huge crop losses worldwide, imposing severe pressure on areas of agricultural land. In crop production, the circadian system plays a significant role in determining flowering time and responding to external abiotic stresses. Extensive studies over the last two decades have revealed that the circadian clock can help balance the tradeoff between crop yield-related agronomic traits and adaptation to stress. Herein, we focus on summarizing how the circadian clock coordinates abiotic stress responses and crop yield. We also propose that there might be an urgent need to better utilize circadian biology in the future design of crop breeding to achieve high yields under stress conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; (H.X.); (Y.Z.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yi Zuo
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; (H.X.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Jian Wei
- Center of Soybean, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130117, China;
| | - Lei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; (H.X.); (Y.Z.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Academician Workstation of Agricultural High-Tech Industrial Area of the Yellow River Delta, National Center of Technology Innovation for Comprehensive Utilization of Saline-Alkali Land, Dongying 257300, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
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6
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Rodríguez Del Río Á, Monteagudo A, Contreras-Moreira B, Kiss T, Mayer M, Karsai I, Igartua E, Casas AM. Diversity of gene expression responses to light quality in barley. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17143. [PMID: 37816785 PMCID: PMC10564772 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44263-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Light quality influence on barley development is poorly understood. We exposed three barley genotypes with either sensitive or insensitive response to two light sources producing different light spectra, fluorescent bulbs, and metal halide lamps, keeping constant light intensity, duration, and temperature. Through RNA-seq, we identified the main genes and pathways involved in the genotypic responses. A first analysis identified genotypic differences in gene expression of development-related genes, including photoreceptors and flowering time genes. Genes from the vernalization pathway of light quality-sensitive genotypes were affected by fluorescent light. In particular, vernalization-related repressors reacted differently: HvVRN2 did not experience relevant changes, whereas HvOS2 expression increased under fluorescent light. To identify the genes primarily related to light quality responses, and avoid the confounding effect of plant developmental stage, genes influenced by development were masked in a second analysis. Quantitative expression levels of PPD-H1, which influenced HvVRN1 and HvFT1, explained genotypic differences in development. Upstream mechanisms (light signaling and circadian clock) were also altered, but no specific genes linking photoreceptors and the photoperiod pathway were identified. The variety of light-quality sensitivities reveals the presence of possible mechanisms of adaptation of winter and facultative barley to latitudinal variation in light quality, which deserves further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Álvaro Rodríguez Del Río
- Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Aula Dei Experimental Station, CSIC, Avda Montañana 1005, 50059, Zaragoza, Spain
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, UPM/INIA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Arantxa Monteagudo
- Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Aula Dei Experimental Station, CSIC, Avda Montañana 1005, 50059, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Bruno Contreras-Moreira
- Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Aula Dei Experimental Station, CSIC, Avda Montañana 1005, 50059, Zaragoza, Spain
- Fundación ARAID, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Tibor Kiss
- Centre for Agriculture Research ELKH (ATK), Martonvásár, Hungary
- Center for Research and Development, Food and Wine Center of Excellence, Eszterházy Károly Catholic University, Eger, Hungary
| | - Marianna Mayer
- Centre for Agriculture Research ELKH (ATK), Martonvásár, Hungary
| | - Ildikó Karsai
- Centre for Agriculture Research ELKH (ATK), Martonvásár, Hungary
| | - Ernesto Igartua
- Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Aula Dei Experimental Station, CSIC, Avda Montañana 1005, 50059, Zaragoza, Spain.
| | - Ana M Casas
- Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Aula Dei Experimental Station, CSIC, Avda Montañana 1005, 50059, Zaragoza, Spain
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Xu H, Wang X, Wei J, Zuo Y, Wang L. The Regulatory Networks of the Circadian Clock Involved in Plant Adaptation and Crop Yield. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:plants12091897. [PMID: 37176955 PMCID: PMC10181312 DOI: 10.3390/plants12091897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Global climatic change increasingly threatens plant adaptation and crop yields. By synchronizing internal biological processes, including photosynthesis, metabolism, and responses to biotic and abiotic stress, with external environmental cures, such as light and temperature, the circadian clock benefits plant adaptation and crop yield. In this review, we focus on the multiple levels of interaction between the plant circadian clock and environmental factors, and we summarize recent progresses on how the circadian clock affects yield. In addition, we propose potential strategies for better utilizing the current knowledge of circadian biology in crop production in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiling Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jian Wei
- College of Life Sciences, Changchun Normal University, Changchun 130032, China
| | - Yi Zuo
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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Zhu Z, Esche F, Babben S, Trenner J, Serfling A, Pillen K, Maurer A, Quint M. An exotic allele of barley EARLY FLOWERING 3 contributes to developmental plasticity at elevated temperatures. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:2912-2931. [PMID: 36449391 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Increase in ambient temperatures caused by climate change affects various morphological and developmental traits of plants, threatening crop yield stability. In the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, EARLY FLOWERING 3 (ELF3) plays prominent roles in temperature sensing and thermomorphogenesis signal transduction. However, how crop species respond to elevated temperatures is poorly understood. Here, we show that the barley ortholog of AtELF3 interacts with high temperature to control growth and development. We used heterogeneous inbred family (HIF) pairs generated from a segregating mapping population and systematically studied the role of exotic ELF3 variants in barley temperature responses. An exotic ELF3 allele of Syrian origin promoted elongation growth in barley at elevated temperatures, whereas plant area and estimated biomass were drastically reduced, resulting in an open canopy architecture. The same allele accelerated inflorescence development at high temperature, which correlated with early transcriptional induction of MADS-box floral identity genes BM3 and BM8. Consequently, barley plants carrying the exotic ELF3 allele displayed stable total grain number at elevated temperatures. Our findings therefore demonstrate that exotic ELF3 variants can contribute to phenotypic and developmental acclimation to elevated temperatures, providing a stimulus for breeding of climate-resilient crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihao Zhu
- Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 5, D-06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Finn Esche
- Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 5, D-06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Steve Babben
- Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 5, D-06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Jana Trenner
- Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 5, D-06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Albrecht Serfling
- Institute for Resistance Research and Stress Tolerance, Julius Kuehn-Institute, Erwin-Baur-Str. 27, D-06484, Quedlinburg, Germany
| | - Klaus Pillen
- Chair of Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 3, D-06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Andreas Maurer
- Chair of Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 3, D-06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Marcel Quint
- Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 5, D-06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany
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9
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Zahn T, Zhu Z, Ritoff N, Krapf J, Junker A, Altmann T, Schmutzer T, Tüting C, Kastritis PL, Babben S, Quint M, Pillen K, Maurer A. Novel exotic alleles of EARLY FLOWERING 3 determine plant development in barley. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023:erad127. [PMID: 37010230 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
EARLY FLOWERING 3 (ELF3) is an important regulator of various physiological and developmental processes and hence may serve to improve plant adaptation which will be substantial for future plant breeding. To expand the limited knowledge on barley ELF3 in determining agronomic traits, we conducted field studies with heterogeneous inbred families (HIFs) derived from selected lines of the wild barley nested association mapping population HEB-25. During two growing seasons, phenotypes of nearly isogenic HIF sister lines, segregating for exotic and cultivated alleles at the ELF3 locus, were compared for ten developmental and yield-related traits. We determine novel exotic ELF3 alleles and show that HIF lines, carrying the exotic ELF3 allele, accelerated plant development compared to the cultivated ELF3 allele, depending on the genetic background. Remarkably, the most extreme effects on phenology could be attributed to one exotic ELF3 allele differing from the cultivated Barke ELF3 allele in only one SNP. This SNP causes an amino acid substitution (W669G), which predictively has an impact on the protein structure of ELF3, thereby possibly affecting phase separation behaviour and nano-compartment formation of ELF3 and, potentially, also affecting its local cellular interactions causing significant trait differences between HIF sister lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Zahn
- Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Chair of Plant Breeding, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 3, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Zihao Zhu
- Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 5, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Niklas Ritoff
- Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Chair of Plant Breeding, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 3, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Jonathan Krapf
- Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Chair of Plant Breeding, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 3, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Astrid Junker
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Stadt Seeland, Germany
| | - Thomas Altmann
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Stadt Seeland, Germany
| | - Thomas Schmutzer
- Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Chair of Plant Breeding, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 3, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Christian Tüting
- Interdisciplinary Research Center HALOmem, Charles Tanford Protein Center, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3a, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Panagiotis L Kastritis
- Interdisciplinary Research Center HALOmem, Charles Tanford Protein Center, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3a, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
- Biozentrum, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Weinbergweg 22, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Steve Babben
- Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 5, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Marcel Quint
- Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 5, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Germany
| | - Klaus Pillen
- Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Chair of Plant Breeding, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 3, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Andreas Maurer
- Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Chair of Plant Breeding, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 3, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
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10
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Liu Z, Liu W, Wang Z, Qi K, Xie Z, Zhang S, Wu J, Wang P. Diurnal transcriptome dynamics reveal the photoperiod response of Pyrus. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2023; 175:e13893. [PMID: 36929905 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.13893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Photoperiod provides a key environmental signal that controls plant growth. Plants have evolved an integrated mechanism for sensing photoperiods with internal clocks to orchestrate physiological events. This mechanism has been identified to enable timely plant growth and improve fitness. Although the components and pathways underlying photoperiod regulation have been described in many species, diurnal patterns of gene expression at the genome-wide level under different photoperiods are rarely reported in perennial fruit trees. To explore the global gene expression in response to photoperiod, pear plants were cultured under long-day (LD) and short-day (SD) conditions. A time-series transcriptomic study was implemented using LD and SD samples collected at 4 h intervals over 2 days. We identified 13,677 rhythmic genes, of which 7639 were identified under LD and 10,557 under SD conditions. Additionally, 4674 genes were differentially expressed in response to photoperiod change. We also characterized the candidate homologs of clock-associated genes in pear. Clock genes were involved in the regulation of many processes throughout the day, including photosynthesis, stress response, hormone dynamics, and secondary metabolism. Strikingly, genes within photosynthesis-related pathways were enriched in both the rhythmic and differential expression analyses. Several key candidate genes were identified to be associated with regulating photosynthesis and improving productivity under different photoperiods. The results suggest that temporal variation in gene expression should not be ignored in pear gene function research. Overall, our work expands the understanding of photoperiod regulation of plant growth, particularly by extending the research to non-model trees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Liu
- Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, 046000, China
| | - Weijuan Liu
- Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhangqing Wang
- Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, China
| | - Kaijie Qi
- Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhihua Xie
- Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, China
| | - Shaoling Zhang
- Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, China
| | - Juyou Wu
- Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, China
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11
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Bonnot T, Gillard MB, Nagel DH. CAST-R: An application to visualize circadian and heat stress-responsive genes in plants. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 190:994-1004. [PMID: 35294034 PMCID: PMC9516734 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The circadian clock helps organisms to anticipate and coordinate gene regulatory responses to changes in environmental stimuli. Under stresses, both time of day and the circadian clock closely control the magnitude of plant responses. The identification of clock-regulated genes is, therefore, important when studying the influence of environmental factors. Here, we present CAST-R (Circadian And heat STress-Responsive), a "Shiny" application that allows users to identify and visualize circadian and heat stress-responsive genes in plants. More specifically, users can generate and export profiles and heatmaps representing transcript abundance of a single or of multiple Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) genes over a 24-h time course, in response to heat stress and during recovery following the stress. The application also takes advantage of published Arabidopsis chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing datasets to visualize the connections between clock proteins and their targets in an interactive network. In addition, CAST-R offers the possibility to perform phase (i.e. timing of expression) enrichment analyses for rhythmic datasets from any species, within and beyond plants. This functionality combines statistical analyses and graphical representations to identify significantly over- and underrepresented phases within a subset of genes. Lastly, profiles of transcript abundance can be visualized from multiple circadian datasets generated in Arabidopsis, Brassica rapa, barley (Hordeum vulgare), and rice (Oryza sativa). In summary, CAST-R is a user-friendly interface that allows the rapid identification of circadian and stress-responsive genes through multiple modules of visualization. We anticipate that this tool will make it easier for users to obtain temporal and dynamic information on genes of interest that links plant responses to environmental signals.
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12
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Hoopes GM, Zarka D, Feke A, Acheson K, Hamilton JP, Douches D, Buell CR, Farré EM. Keeping time in the dark: Potato diel and circadian rhythmic gene expression reveals tissue-specific circadian clocks. PLANT DIRECT 2022; 6:e425. [PMID: 35844780 PMCID: PMC9277033 DOI: 10.1002/pld3.425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The circadian clock is an internal molecular oscillator and coordinates numerous physiological processes through regulation of molecular pathways. Tissue-specific clocks connected by mobile signals have previously been found to run at different speeds in Arabidopsis thaliana tissues. However, tissue variation in circadian clocks in crop species is unknown. In this study, leaf and tuber global gene expression in cultivated potato under cycling and constant environmental conditions was profiled. In addition, we used a circadian-regulated luciferase reporter construct to study tuber gene expression rhythms. Diel and circadian expression patterns were present among 17.9% and 5.6% of the expressed genes in the tuber. Over 500 genes displayed differential tissue specific diel phases. Intriguingly, few core circadian clock genes had circadian expression patterns, while all such genes were circadian rhythmic in cultivated tomato leaves. Furthermore, robust diel and circadian transcriptional rhythms were observed among detached tubers. Our results suggest alternative regulatory mechanisms and/or clock composition is present in potato, as well as the presence of tissue-specific independent circadian clocks. We have provided the first evidence of a functional circadian clock in below-ground storage organs, holding important implications for other storage root and tuberous crops.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel Zarka
- Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial SciencesMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - Ann Feke
- Department of Plant BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - Kaitlyn Acheson
- Department of Plant BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - John P. Hamilton
- Department of Plant BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - David Douches
- Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial SciencesMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - C. Robin Buell
- Department of Plant BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
- Michigan State University AgBioResearchMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - Eva M. Farré
- Department of Plant BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
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13
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Swift J, Greenham K, Ecker JR, Coruzzi GM, McClung CR. The biology of time: dynamic responses of cell types to developmental, circadian and environmental cues. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 109:764-778. [PMID: 34797944 PMCID: PMC9215356 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
As sessile organisms, plants are finely tuned to respond dynamically to developmental, circadian and environmental cues. Genome-wide studies investigating these types of cues have uncovered the intrinsically different ways they can impact gene expression over time. Recent advances in single-cell sequencing and time-based bioinformatic algorithms are now beginning to reveal the dynamics of these time-based responses within individual cells and plant tissues. Here, we review what these techniques have revealed about the spatiotemporal nature of gene regulation, paying particular attention to the three distinct ways in which plant tissues are time sensitive. (i) First, we discuss how studying plant cell identity can reveal developmental trajectories hidden in pseudotime. (ii) Next, we present evidence that indicates that plant cell types keep their own local time through tissue-specific regulation of the circadian clock. (iii) Finally, we review what determines the speed of environmental signaling responses, and how they can be contingent on developmental and circadian time. By these means, this review sheds light on how these different scales of time-based responses can act with tissue and cell-type specificity to elicit changes in whole plant systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Swift
- Plant Biology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Kathleen Greenham
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Joseph R. Ecker
- Plant Biology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Gloria M. Coruzzi
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, NY, USA
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14
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Wang L, Zhou A, Li J, Yang M, Bu F, Ge L, Chen L, Huang W. Circadian rhythms driving a fast-paced root clock implicate species-specific regulation in Medicago truncatula. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 63:1537-1554. [PMID: 34009694 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Plants have a hierarchical circadian structure comprising multiple tissue-specific oscillators that operate at different speeds and regulate the expression of distinct sets of genes in different organs. However, the identity of the genes differentially regulated by the circadian clock in different organs, such as roots, and how their oscillations create functional specialization remain unclear. Here, we profiled the diurnal and circadian landscapes of the shoots and roots of Medicago truncatula and identified the conserved regulatory sequences contributing to transcriptome oscillations in each organ. We found that the light-dark cycles strongly affect the global transcriptome oscillation in roots, and many clock genes oscillate only in shoots. Moreover, many key genes involved in nitrogen fixation are regulated by circadian rhythms. Surprisingly, the root clock runs faster than the shoot clock, which is contrary to the hierarchical circadian structure showing a slow-paced root clock in both detached and intact Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. roots. Our result provides important clues about the species-specific circadian regulatory mechanism, which is often overlooked, and possibly coordinates the timing between shoots and roots independent of the current prevailing model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Anqi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Jing Li
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Mingkang Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Fan Bu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Liangfa Ge
- Department of Grassland Science, College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
- Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Grassland Science, Guangzhou, 510642, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Innovative Development and Utilization of Forest Plant Germplasm, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Liang Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Wei Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
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15
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Yue Y, Jiang Z, Sapey E, Wu T, Sun S, Cao M, Han T, Li T, Nian H, Jiang B. Transcriptomal dissection of soybean circadian rhythmicity in two geographically, phenotypically and genetically distinct cultivars. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:529. [PMID: 34246232 PMCID: PMC8272290 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07869-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In soybean, some circadian clock genes have been identified as loci for maturity traits. However, the effects of these genes on soybean circadian rhythmicity and their impacts on maturity are unclear. RESULTS We used two geographically, phenotypically and genetically distinct cultivars, conventional juvenile Zhonghuang 24 (with functional J/GmELF3a, a homolog of the circadian clock indispensable component EARLY FLOWERING 3) and long juvenile Huaxia 3 (with dysfunctional j/Gmelf3a) to dissect the soybean circadian clock with time-series transcriptomal RNA-Seq analysis of unifoliate leaves on a day scale. The results showed that several known circadian clock components, including RVE1, GI, LUX and TOC1, phase differently in soybean than in Arabidopsis, demonstrating that the soybean circadian clock is obviously different from the canonical model in Arabidopsis. In contrast to the observation that ELF3 dysfunction results in clock arrhythmia in Arabidopsis, the circadian clock is conserved in soybean regardless of the functional status of J/GmELF3a. Soybean exhibits a circadian rhythmicity in both gene expression and alternative splicing. Genes can be grouped into six clusters, C1-C6, with different expression profiles. Many more genes are grouped into the night clusters (C4-C6) than in the day cluster (C2), showing that night is essential for gene expression and regulation. Moreover, soybean chromosomes are activated with a circadian rhythmicity, indicating that high-order chromosome structure might impact circadian rhythmicity. Interestingly, night time points were clustered in one group, while day time points were separated into two groups, morning and afternoon, demonstrating that morning and afternoon are representative of different environments for soybean growth and development. However, no genes were consistently differentially expressed over different time-points, indicating that it is necessary to perform a circadian rhythmicity analysis to more thoroughly dissect the function of a gene. Moreover, the analysis of the circadian rhythmicity of the GmFT family showed that GmELF3a might phase- and amplitude-modulate the GmFT family to regulate the juvenility and maturity traits of soybean. CONCLUSIONS These results and the resultant RNA-seq data should be helpful in understanding the soybean circadian clock and elucidating the connection between the circadian clock and soybean maturity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlei Yue
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, 450002, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ze Jiang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, 510642, Guangzhou, China
| | - Enoch Sapey
- MARA Key Lab of Soybean Biology (Beijing), Institute of Crop Sciences, The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 100081, Beijing, China
| | - Tingting Wu
- MARA Key Lab of Soybean Biology (Beijing), Institute of Crop Sciences, The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 100081, Beijing, China
| | - Shi Sun
- MARA Key Lab of Soybean Biology (Beijing), Institute of Crop Sciences, The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 100081, Beijing, China
| | - Mengxue Cao
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, 450002, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Tianfu Han
- MARA Key Lab of Soybean Biology (Beijing), Institute of Crop Sciences, The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 100081, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Li
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, 450002, Zhengzhou, China.
| | - Hai Nian
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, 510642, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Bingjun Jiang
- MARA Key Lab of Soybean Biology (Beijing), Institute of Crop Sciences, The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 100081, Beijing, China.
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16
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Markham KK, Greenham K. Abiotic stress through time. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 231:40-46. [PMID: 33780004 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Throughout plant evolution the circadian clock has expanded into a complex signaling network, coordinating physiological and metabolic processes with the environment. Early land plants faced new environmental pressures that required energy-demanding stress responses. Integrating abiotic stress response into the circadian system provides control over daily energy expenditure. Here, we describe the evolution of the circadian clock in plants and the limited, yet compelling, evidence for conserved regulation of abiotic stress. The need to introduce abiotic stress tolerance into current crops has expanded research into wild accessions and revealed extensive variation in circadian clock parameters across monocot and eudicot species. We argue that research into the ancestral links between the clock and abiotic stress will benefit crop improvement efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen K Markham
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Kathleen Greenham
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA
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17
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Steed G, Ramirez DC, Hannah MA, Webb AAR. Chronoculture, harnessing the circadian clock to improve crop yield and sustainability. Science 2021; 372:372/6541/eabc9141. [PMID: 33926926 DOI: 10.1126/science.abc9141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Human health is dependent on a plentiful and nutritious supply of food, primarily derived from crop plants. Rhythmic supply of light as a result of the day and night cycle led to the evolution of circadian clocks that modulate most plant physiology, photosynthesis, metabolism, and development. To regulate crop traits and adaptation, breeders have indirectly selected for variation at circadian genes. The pervasive impact of the circadian system on crops suggests that future food production might be improved by modifying circadian rhythms, engineering the timing of transgene expression, and applying agricultural treatments at the most effective time of day. We describe the applied research required to take advantage of circadian biology in agriculture to increase production and reduce inputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gareth Steed
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EA, UK
| | - Dora Cano Ramirez
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EA, UK
| | - Matthew A Hannah
- BASF, BBCC-Innovation Center Gent, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 101, 9052 Gent, Belgium
| | - Alex A R Webb
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EA, UK.
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18
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McClung CR. Circadian Clock Components Offer Targets for Crop Domestication and Improvement. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12030374. [PMID: 33800720 PMCID: PMC7999361 DOI: 10.3390/genes12030374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
During plant domestication and improvement, farmers select for alleles present in wild species that improve performance in new selective environments associated with cultivation and use. The selected alleles become enriched and other alleles depleted in elite cultivars. One important aspect of crop improvement is expansion of the geographic area suitable for cultivation; this frequently includes growth at higher or lower latitudes, requiring the plant to adapt to novel photoperiodic environments. Many crops exhibit photoperiodic control of flowering and altered photoperiodic sensitivity is commonly required for optimal performance at novel latitudes. Alleles of a number of circadian clock genes have been selected for their effects on photoperiodic flowering in multiple crops. The circadian clock coordinates many additional aspects of plant growth, metabolism and physiology, including responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. Many of these clock-regulated processes contribute to plant performance. Examples of selection for altered clock function in tomato demonstrate that with domestication, the phasing of the clock is delayed with respect to the light–dark cycle and the period is lengthened; this modified clock is associated with increased chlorophyll content in long days. These and other data suggest the circadian clock is an attractive target during breeding for crop improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Robertson McClung
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
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19
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Gol L, Haraldsson EB, von Korff M. Ppd-H1 integrates drought stress signals to control spike development and flowering time in barley. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2021; 72:122-136. [PMID: 32459309 PMCID: PMC7816852 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/eraa261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Drought impairs growth and spike development, and is therefore a major cause of yield losses in the temperate cereals barley and wheat. Here, we show that the photoperiod response gene PHOTOPERIOD-H1 (Ppd-H1) interacts with drought stress signals to modulate spike development. We tested the effects of a continuous mild and a transient severe drought stress on developmental timing and spike development in spring barley cultivars with a natural mutation in ppd-H1 and derived introgression lines carrying the wild-type Ppd-H1 allele from wild barley. Mild drought reduced the spikelet number and delayed floral development in spring cultivars but not in the introgression lines with a wild-type Ppd-H1 allele. Similarly, drought-triggered reductions in plant height, and tiller and spike number were more pronounced in the parental lines compared with the introgression lines. Transient severe stress halted growth and floral development; upon rewatering, introgression lines, but not the spring cultivars, accelerated development so that control and stressed plants flowered almost simultaneously. These genetic differences in development were correlated with a differential down-regulation of the flowering promotors FLOWERING LOCUS T1 and the BARLEY MADS-box genes BM3 and BM8. Our findings therefore demonstrate that Ppd-H1 affects developmental plasticity in response to drought in barley.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonard Gol
- Institute for Plant Genetics, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Max-Planck-Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany
| | - Einar B Haraldsson
- Institute for Plant Genetics, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Maria von Korff
- Institute for Plant Genetics, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Max-Planck-Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, ‘SMART Plants for Tomorrows Needs’, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Correspondence:
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20
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van Gelderen K. The Rhythm of the Light: How Light and the Clock Drive Cycling of Transcript Levels in Barley. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 183:441-442. [PMID: 32493809 PMCID: PMC7271794 DOI: 10.1104/pp.20.00360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
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