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Ermakova M, Woodford R, Fitzpatrick D, Nix SJ, Zwahlen SM, Farquhar GD, von Caemmerer S, Furbank RT. Chloroplast NADH dehydrogenase-like complex-mediated cyclic electron flow is the main electron transport route in C 4 bundle sheath cells. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024. [PMID: 39036838 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
The superior productivity of C4 plants is achieved via a metabolic C4 cycle which acts as a CO2 pump across mesophyll and bundle sheath (BS) cells and requires an additional input of energy in the form of ATP. The importance of chloroplast NADH dehydrogenase-like complex (NDH) operating cyclic electron flow (CEF) around Photosystem I (PSI) for C4 photosynthesis has been shown in reverse genetics studies but the contribution of CEF and NDH to cell-level electron fluxes remained unknown. We have created gene-edited Setaria viridis with null ndhO alleles lacking functional NDH and developed methods for quantification of electron flow through NDH in BS and mesophyll cells. We show that CEF accounts for 84% of electrons reducing PSI in BS cells and most of those electrons are delivered through NDH while the contribution of the complex to electron transport in mesophyll cells is minimal. A decreased leaf CO2 assimilation rate and growth of plants lacking NDH cannot be rescued by supplying additional CO2. Our results indicate that NDH-mediated CEF is the primary electron transport route in BS chloroplasts highlighting the essential role of NDH in generating ATP required for CO2 fixation by the C3 cycle in BS cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Ermakova
- Division of Plant Science, Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Acton, ACT, 2600, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Russell Woodford
- Division of Plant Science, Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Acton, ACT, 2600, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Duncan Fitzpatrick
- Division of Plant Science, Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Acton, ACT, 2600, Australia
| | - Samuel J Nix
- Division of Plant Science, Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Acton, ACT, 2600, Australia
| | - Soraya M Zwahlen
- Division of Plant Science, Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Acton, ACT, 2600, Australia
- Division of Developmental Biology, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 69126, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Graham D Farquhar
- Division of Plant Science, Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Acton, ACT, 2600, Australia
| | - Susanne von Caemmerer
- Division of Plant Science, Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Acton, ACT, 2600, Australia
| | - Robert T Furbank
- Division of Plant Science, Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Acton, ACT, 2600, Australia
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2
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Yu Q, Tungsuchat-Huang T, Ioannou A, Barkan A, Maliga P. Posttranscriptional tuning of gene expression over a large dynamic range in synthetic tobacco chloroplast operons. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 39031552 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 06/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/22/2024]
Abstract
Achieving optimally balanced gene expression within synthetic operons requires regulatory elements capable of providing a spectrum of expression levels. In this study, we investigate the expression of gfp reporter gene in tobacco chloroplasts, guided by variants of the plastid atpH 5' UTR, which harbors a binding site for PPR10, a protein that activates atpH at the posttranscriptional level. Our findings reveal that endogenous tobacco PPR10 confers distinct levels of reporter activation when coupled with the tobacco and maize atpH 5' UTRs in different design contexts. Notably, high GFP expression was not coupled to the stabilization of monocistronic gfp transcripts in dicistronic reporter lines, adding to the evidence that PPR10 activates translation via a mechanism that is independent of its stabilization of monocistronic transcripts. Furthermore, the incorporation of a tRNA upstream of the UTR nearly abolishes gfp mRNA (and GFP protein), presumably by promoting such rapid RNA cleavage and 5' exonucleolytic degradation that PPR10 had insufficient time to bind and protect gfp RNA, resulting in a substantial reduction in GFP accumulation. When combined with a mutant atpH 5' UTR, the tRNA leads to an exceptionally low level of transgene expression. Collectively, this approach allows for tuning of reporter gene expression across a wide range, spanning from a mere 0.02-25% of the total soluble cellular protein. These findings highlight the potential of employing cis-elements from heterologous species and expand the toolbox available for plastid synthetic biology applications requiring multigene expression at varying levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiguo Yu
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, 08854, USA
| | | | - Alexander Ioannou
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, 08854, USA
| | - Alice Barkan
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, 97403, USA
| | - Pal Maliga
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, 08854, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 08901, USA
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3
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Yu Y, Wang X, Qu R, OuYang Z, Guo J, Zhao Y, Huang L. Extraction and analysis of high-quality chloroplast DNA with reduced nuclear DNA for medicinal plants. BMC Biotechnol 2024; 24:20. [PMID: 38637734 PMCID: PMC11025248 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-024-00843-8] [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: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Obtaining high-quality chloroplast genome sequences requires chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) samples that meet the sequencing requirements. The quality of extracted cpDNA directly impacts the efficiency and accuracy of sequencing analysis. Currently, there are no reported methods for extracting cpDNA from Erigeron breviscapus. Therefore, we developed a suitable method for extracting cpDNA from E. breviscapus and further verified its applicability to other medicinal plants. RESULTS We conducted a comparative analysis of chloroplast isolation and cpDNA extraction using modified high-salt low-pH method, the high-salt method, and the NaOH low-salt method, respectively. Subsequently, the number of cpDNA copies relative to the nuclear DNA (nDNA ) was quantified via qPCR. As anticipated, chloroplasts isolated from E. breviscapus using the modified high-salt low-pH method exhibited intact structures with minimal cell debris. Moreover, the concentration, purity, and quality of E. breviscapus cpDNA extracted through this method surpassed those obtained from the other two methods. Furthermore, qPCR analysis confirmed that the modified high-salt low-pH method effectively minimized nDNA contamination in the extracted cpDNA. We then applied the developed modified high-salt low-pH method to other medicinal plant species, including Mentha haplocalyx, Taraxacum mongolicum, and Portulaca oleracea. The resultant effect on chloroplast isolation and cpDNA extraction further validated the generalizability and efficacy of this method across different plant species. CONCLUSIONS The modified high-salt low-pH method represents a reliable approach for obtaining high-quality cpDNA from E. breviscapus. Its universal applicability establishes a solid foundation for chloroplast genome sequencing and analysis of this species. Moreover, it serves as a benchmark for developing similar methods to extract chloroplast genomes from other medicinal plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, 100700, Beijing, China
- School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu University, 212013, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Xinxin Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, 100700, Beijing, China
| | - Renjun Qu
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, 100700, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen OuYang
- School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu University, 212013, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Juan Guo
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, 100700, Beijing, China
| | - Yujun Zhao
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, 100700, Beijing, China.
| | - Luqi Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, 100700, Beijing, China.
- School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu University, 212013, Zhenjiang, China.
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4
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Bouvier JW, Emms DM, Kelly S. Rubisco is evolving for improved catalytic efficiency and CO 2 assimilation in plants. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2321050121. [PMID: 38442173 PMCID: PMC10945770 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2321050121] [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: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Rubisco is the primary entry point for carbon into the biosphere. However, rubisco is widely regarded as inefficient leading many to question whether the enzyme can adapt to become a better catalyst. Through a phylogenetic investigation of the molecular and kinetic evolution of Form I rubisco we uncover the evolutionary trajectory of rubisco kinetic evolution in angiosperms. We show that rbcL is among the 1% of slowest-evolving genes and enzymes on Earth, accumulating one nucleotide substitution every 0.9 My and one amino acid mutation every 7.2 My. Despite this, rubisco catalysis has been continually evolving toward improved CO2/O2 specificity, carboxylase turnover, and carboxylation efficiency. Consistent with this kinetic adaptation, increased rubisco evolution has led to a concomitant improvement in leaf-level CO2 assimilation. Thus, rubisco has been slowly but continually evolving toward improved catalytic efficiency and CO2 assimilation in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacques W Bouvier
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RB, United Kingdom
| | - David M Emms
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RB, United Kingdom
| | - Steven Kelly
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RB, United Kingdom
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5
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Gionfriddo M, Rhodes T, Whitney SM. Perspectives on improving crop Rubisco by directed evolution. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2024; 155:37-47. [PMID: 37085353 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023]
Abstract
Rubisco catalyses the entry of almost all CO2 into the biosphere and is often the rate-limiting step in plant photosynthesis and growth. Its notoriety as the most abundant protein on Earth stems from the slow and error-prone catalytic properties that require plants, cyanobacteria, algae and photosynthetic bacteria to produce it in high amounts. Efforts to improve the CO2-fixing properties of plant Rubisco has been spurred on by the discovery of more effective isoforms in some algae with the potential to significantly improve crop productivity. Incompatibilities between the protein folding machinery of leaf and algae chloroplasts have, so far, prevented efforts to transplant these more effective Rubisco variants into plants. There is therefore increasing interest in improving Rubisco catalysis by directed (laboratory) evolution. Here we review the advances being made in, and the ongoing challenges with, improving the solubility and/or carboxylation activity of differing non-plant Rubisco lineages. We provide perspectives on new opportunities for the directed evolution of crop Rubiscos and the existing plant transformation capabilities available to evaluate the extent to which Rubisco activity improvements can benefit agricultural productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Gionfriddo
- Plant Science Division, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia; Department of Cellular Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried 82152, Germany
| | - Timothy Rhodes
- Plant Science Division, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
| | - Spencer M Whitney
- Plant Science Division, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia.
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6
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Ito K, Sugawara S, Kageyama S, Sawaguchi N, Hyotani T, Miyazawa SI, Makino A, Suzuki Y. Equisetum praealtum and E. hyemale have abundant Rubisco with a high catalytic turnover rate and low CO 2 affinity. JOURNAL OF PLANT RESEARCH 2024; 137:255-264. [PMID: 38112982 DOI: 10.1007/s10265-023-01514-z] [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: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
The kinetic properties of Rubisco, a key enzyme for photosynthesis, have been examined in numerous plant species. However, this information on some plant groups, such as ferns, is scarce. This study examined Rubisco carboxylase activity and leaf Rubisco levels in seven ferns, including four Equisetum plants (E. arvense, E. hyemale, E. praealtum, and E. variegatum), considered living fossils. The turnover rates of Rubisco carboxylation (kcatc) in E. praealtum and E. hyemale were comparable to those in the C4 plants maize (Zea mays) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), whose kcatc values are high. Rubisco CO2 affinity, estimated from the percentage of Rubisco carboxylase activity under CO2 unsaturated conditions in kcatc in these Equisetum plants, was low and also comparable to that in maize and sorghum. In contrast, kcatc and CO2 affinities of Rubisco in other ferns, including E. arvense and E. variegatum were comparable with those in C3 plants. The N allocation to Rubisco in the ferns examined was comparable to that in the C3 plants. These results indicate that E. praealtum and E. hyemale have abundant Rubisco with high kcatc and low CO2 affinity, whereas the carboxylase activity and abundance of Rubisco in other ferns were similar to those in C3 plants. Herein, the Rubisco properties of E. praealtum and E. hyemale were discussed regarding their evolution and physiological implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kana Ito
- Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Iwate University, Morioka, Japan
| | | | - Sota Kageyama
- Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Morioka, Japan
| | - Naoki Sawaguchi
- Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Iwate University, Morioka, Japan
| | - Takuro Hyotani
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | | | - Amane Makino
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- Present address: Institute for Excellence in Higher Education, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yuji Suzuki
- Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Morioka, Japan.
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7
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Wang LL, Li Y, Zheng SS, Kozlowski G, Xu J, Song YG. Complete Chloroplast Genomes of Four Oaks from the Section Cyclobalanopsis Improve the Phylogenetic Analysis and Understanding of Evolutionary Processes in the Genus Quercus. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:230. [PMID: 38397219 PMCID: PMC10888318 DOI: 10.3390/genes15020230] [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: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Quercus is a valuable genus ecologically, economically, and culturally. They are keystone species in many ecosystems. Species delimitation and phylogenetic studies of this genus are difficult owing to frequent hybridization. With an increasing number of genetic resources, we will gain a deeper understanding of this genus. In the present study, we collected four Quercus section Cyclobalanopsis species (Q. poilanei, Q. helferiana, Q. camusiae, and Q. semiserrata) distributed in Southeast Asia and sequenced their complete genomes. Following analysis, we compared the results with those of other species in the genus Quercus. These four chloroplast genomes ranged from 160,784 bp (Q. poilanei) to 161,632 bp (Q. camusiae) in length, with an overall guanine and cytosine (GC) content of 36.9%. Their chloroplast genomic organization and order, as well as their GC content, were similar to those of other Quercus species. We identified seven regions with relatively high variability (rps16, ndhk, accD, ycf1, psbZ-trnG-GCC, rbcL-accD, and rpl32-trnL-UAG) which could potentially serve as plastid markers for further taxonomic and phylogenetic studies within Quercus. Our phylogenetic tree supported the idea that the genus Quercus forms two well-differentiated lineages (corresponding to the subgenera Quercus and Cerris). Of the three sections in the subgenus Cerris, the section Ilex was split into two clusters, each nested in the other two sections. Moreover, Q. camusiae and Q. semiserrata detected in this study diverged first in the section Cyclobalanopsis and mixed with Q. engleriana in the section Ilex. In particular, 11 protein coding genes (atpF, ndhA, ndhD, ndhF, ndhK, petB, petD, rbcL, rpl22, ycf1, and ycf3) were subjected to positive selection pressure. Overall, this study enriches the chloroplast genome resources of Quercus, which will facilitate further analyses of phylogenetic relationships in this ecologically important tree genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Ling Wang
- School of Ecological Technology and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 201418, China;
- Eastern China Conservation Centre for Wild Endangered Plant Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai 201602, China; (Y.L.); (S.-S.Z.); (G.K.)
| | - Yu Li
- Eastern China Conservation Centre for Wild Endangered Plant Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai 201602, China; (Y.L.); (S.-S.Z.); (G.K.)
| | - Si-Si Zheng
- Eastern China Conservation Centre for Wild Endangered Plant Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai 201602, China; (Y.L.); (S.-S.Z.); (G.K.)
| | - Gregor Kozlowski
- Eastern China Conservation Centre for Wild Endangered Plant Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai 201602, China; (Y.L.); (S.-S.Z.); (G.K.)
- Department of Biology and Botanic Garden, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
- Natural History Museum Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Jin Xu
- School of Ecological Technology and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 201418, China;
| | - Yi-Gang Song
- Eastern China Conservation Centre for Wild Endangered Plant Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai 201602, China; (Y.L.); (S.-S.Z.); (G.K.)
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8
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Sartori RB, Deprá MC, Dias RR, Fagundes MB, Zepka LQ, Jacob-Lopes E. The Role of Light on the Microalgae Biotechnology: Fundamentals, Technological Approaches, and Sustainability Issues. Recent Pat Biotechnol 2024; 18:22-51. [PMID: 38205773 DOI: 10.2174/1872208317666230504104051] [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: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Light energy directly affects microalgae growth and productivity. Microalgae in natural environments receive light through solar fluxes, and their duration and distribution are highly variable over time. Consequently, microalgae must adjust their photosynthetic processes to avoid photo limitation and photoinhibition and maximize yield. Considering these circumstances, adjusting light capture through artificial lighting in the main culture systems benefits microalgae growth and induces the production of commercially important compounds. In this sense, this review provides a comprehensive study of the role of light in microalgae biotechnology. For this, we present the main fundamentals and reactions of metabolism and metabolic alternatives to regulate photosynthetic conversion in microalgae cells. Light conversions based on natural and artificial systems are compared, mainly demonstrating the impact of solar radiation on natural systems and lighting devices, spectral compositions, periodic modulations, and light fluxes when using artificial lighting systems. The most commonly used photobioreactor design and performance are shown herein, in addition to a more detailed discussion of light-dependent approaches in these photobioreactors. In addition, we present the principal advances in photobioreactor projects, focusing on lighting, through a patent-based analysis to map technological trends. Lastly, sustainability and economic issues in commercializing microalgae products were presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafaela Basso Sartori
- Bioprocess Intensification Group, Federal University of Santa Maria, Roraima Avenue, 1000, 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Mariany Costa Deprá
- Bioprocess Intensification Group, Federal University of Santa Maria, Roraima Avenue, 1000, 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Rosangela Rodrigues Dias
- Bioprocess Intensification Group, Federal University of Santa Maria, Roraima Avenue, 1000, 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Mariane Bittencourt Fagundes
- Bioprocess Intensification Group, Federal University of Santa Maria, Roraima Avenue, 1000, 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Leila Queiroz Zepka
- Bioprocess Intensification Group, Federal University of Santa Maria, Roraima Avenue, 1000, 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Jacob-Lopes
- Bioprocess Intensification Group, Federal University of Santa Maria, Roraima Avenue, 1000, 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
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9
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Cavanagh AP, Ort DR. Transgenic strategies to improve the thermotolerance of photosynthesis. PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH 2023; 158:109-120. [PMID: 37273092 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-023-01024-y] [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: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Warming driven by the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is irreversible over at least the next century, unless practical technologies are rapidly developed and deployed at scale to remove and sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Accepting this reality highlights the central importance for crop agriculture to develop adaptation strategies for a warmer future. While nearly all processes in plants are impacted by above optimum temperatures, the impact of heat stress on photosynthetic processes stand out for their centrality. Here, we review transgenic strategies that show promise in improving the high-temperature tolerance of specific subprocesses of photosynthesis and in some cases have already been shown in proof of concept in field experiments to protect yield from high temperature-induced losses. We also highlight other manipulations to photosynthetic processes for which full proof of concept is still lacking but we contend warrant further attention. Warming that has already occurred over the past several decades has had detrimental impacts on crop production in many parts of the world. Declining productivity presages a rapidly developing global crisis in food security particularly in low income countries. Transgenic manipulation of photosynthesis to engineer greater high-temperature resilience holds encouraging promise to help meet this challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda P Cavanagh
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Donald R Ort
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
- Departments of Plant Biology and Crop Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
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10
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Chen Y, Guo Y, Xie X, Wang Z, Miao L, Yang Z, Jiao Y, Xie C, Liu J, Hu Z, Xin M, Yao Y, Ni Z, Sun Q, Peng H, Guo W. Pangenome-based trajectories of intracellular gene transfers in Poaceae unveil high cumulation in Triticeae. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 193:578-594. [PMID: 37249052 PMCID: PMC10469385 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Intracellular gene transfers (IGTs) between the nucleus and organelles, including plastids and mitochondria, constantly reshape the nuclear genome during evolution. Despite the substantial contribution of IGTs to genome variation, the dynamic trajectories of IGTs at the pangenomic level remain elusive. Here, we developed an approach, IGTminer, that maps the evolutionary trajectories of IGTs using collinearity and gene reannotation across multiple genome assemblies. We applied IGTminer to create a nuclear organellar gene (NOG) map across 67 genomes covering 15 Poaceae species, including important crops. The resulting NOGs were verified by experiments and sequencing data sets. Our analysis revealed that most NOGs were recently transferred and lineage specific and that Triticeae species tended to have more NOGs than other Poaceae species. Wheat (Triticum aestivum) had a higher retention rate of NOGs than maize (Zea mays) and rice (Oryza sativa), and the retained NOGs were likely involved in photosynthesis and translation pathways. Large numbers of NOG clusters were aggregated in hexaploid wheat during 2 rounds of polyploidization, contributing to the genetic diversity among modern wheat accessions. We implemented an interactive web server to facilitate the exploration of NOGs in Poaceae. In summary, this study provides resources and insights into the roles of IGTs in shaping interspecies and intraspecies genome variation and driving plant genome evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongming Chen
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yiwen Guo
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xiaoming Xie
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zihao Wang
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Lingfeng Miao
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zhengzhao Yang
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yuannian Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chaojie Xie
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zhaorong Hu
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Mingming Xin
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yingyin Yao
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zhongfu Ni
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Qixin Sun
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Huiru Peng
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Weilong Guo
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
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11
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Zhou Y, Gunn LH, Birch R, Andersson I, Whitney SM. Grafting Rhodobacter sphaeroides with red algae Rubisco to accelerate catalysis and plant growth. NATURE PLANTS 2023; 9:978-986. [PMID: 37291398 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-023-01436-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Improving the carboxylation properties of Rubisco has primarily arisen from unforeseen amino acid substitutions remote from the catalytic site. The unpredictability has frustrated rational design efforts to enhance plant Rubisco towards the prized growth-enhancing carboxylation properties of red algae Griffithsia monilis GmRubisco. To address this, we determined the crystal structure of GmRubisco to 1.7 Å. Three structurally divergent domains were identified relative to the red-type bacterial Rhodobacter sphaeroides RsRubisco that, unlike GmRubisco, are expressed in Escherichia coli and plants. Kinetic comparison of 11 RsRubisco chimaeras revealed that incorporating C329A and A332V substitutions from GmRubisco Loop 6 (corresponding to plant residues 328 and 331) into RsRubisco increased the carboxylation rate (kcatc) by 60%, the carboxylation efficiency in air by 22% and the CO2/O2 specificity (Sc/o) by 7%. Plastome transformation of this RsRubisco Loop 6 mutant into tobacco enhanced photosynthesis and growth up to twofold over tobacco producing wild-type RsRubisco. Our findings demonstrate the utility of RsRubisco for the identification and in planta testing of amino acid grafts from algal Rubisco that can enhance the enzyme's carboxylase potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhou
- Plant Science Division, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Laura H Gunn
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Rosemary Birch
- Plant Science Division, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Inger Andersson
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Norwegian College of Fisheries Sciences, UiT Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- Institute of Biotechnology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Biocev, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Spencer M Whitney
- Plant Science Division, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
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12
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Ermakova M, Woodford R, Taylor Z, Furbank RT, Belide S, von Caemmerer S. Faster induction of photosynthesis increases biomass and grain yield in glasshouse-grown transgenic Sorghum bicolor overexpressing Rieske FeS. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2023; 21:1206-1216. [PMID: 36789455 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Sorghum is one of the most important crops providing food and feed in many of the world's harsher environments. Sorghum utilizes the C4 pathway of photosynthesis in which a biochemical carbon-concentrating mechanism results in high CO2 assimilation rates. Overexpressing the Rieske FeS subunit of the Cytochrome b6 f complex was previously shown to increase the rate of photosynthetic electron transport and stimulate CO2 assimilation in the model C4 plant Setaria viridis. To test whether productivity of C4 crops could be improved by Rieske overexpression, we created transgenic Sorghum bicolor Tx430 plants with increased Rieske content. The transgenic plants showed no marked changes in abundances of other photosynthetic proteins or chlorophyll content. The steady-state rates of electron transport and CO2 assimilation did not differ between the plants with increased Rieske abundance and control plants, suggesting that Cytochrome b6 f is not the only factor limiting electron transport in sorghum at high light and high CO2 . However, faster responses of non-photochemical quenching as well as an elevated quantum yield of Photosystem II and an increased CO2 assimilation rate were observed from the plants overexpressing Rieske during the photosynthetic induction, a process of activation of photosynthesis upon the dark-light transition. As a consequence, sorghum with increased Rieske content produced more biomass and grain when grown in glasshouse conditions. Our results indicate that increasing Rieske content has potential to boost productivity of sorghum and other C4 crops by improving the efficiency of light utilization and conversion to biomass through the faster induction of photosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Ermakova
- Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Russell Woodford
- Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT, Australia
| | - Zachary Taylor
- Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT, Australia
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany
| | - Robert T Furbank
- Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT, Australia
| | | | - Susanne von Caemmerer
- Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT, Australia
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13
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Huang T, Liu H, Tao JP, Zhang JQ, Zhao TM, Hou XL, Xiong AS, You X. Low light intensity elongates period and defers peak time of photosynthesis: a computational approach to circadian-clock-controlled photosynthesis in tomato. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2023; 10:uhad077. [PMID: 37323229 PMCID: PMC10261901 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhad077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthesis is involved in the essential process of transforming light energy into chemical energy. Although the interaction between photosynthesis and the circadian clock has been confirmed, the mechanism of how light intensity affects photosynthesis through the circadian clock remains unclear. Here, we propose a first computational model for circadian-clock-controlled photosynthesis, which consists of the light-sensitive protein P, the core oscillator, photosynthetic genes, and parameters involved in the process of photosynthesis. The model parameters were determined by minimizing the cost function ( [Formula: see text]), which is defined by the errors of expression levels, periods, and phases of the clock genes (CCA1, PRR9, TOC1, ELF4, GI, and RVE8). The model recapitulates the expression pattern of the core oscillator under moderate light intensity (100 μmol m -2 s-1). Further simulation validated the dynamic behaviors of the circadian clock and photosynthetic outputs under low (62.5 μmol m-2 s-1) and normal (187.5 μmol m-2 s-1) intensities. When exposed to low light intensity, the peak times of clock and photosynthetic genes were shifted backward by 1-2 hours, the period was elongated by approximately the same length, and the photosynthetic parameters attained low values and showed delayed peak times, which confirmed our model predictions. Our study reveals a potential mechanism underlying the circadian regulation of photosynthesis by the clock under different light intensities in tomato.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jia-Qi Zhang
- College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University/State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement/Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crop Biology and Germplasm Creation in East China of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Nanjing 210095, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tong-Min Zhao
- Laboratory for Genetic Improvement of High Efficiency Horticultural Crops in Jiangsu Province, Institute of Vegetable Crop, Jiangsu Province Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xi-Lin Hou
- College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University/State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement/Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crop Biology and Germplasm Creation in East China of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Nanjing 210095, Jiangsu, China
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14
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Zhang Y, Ananyev G, Matsuoka A, Dismukes GC, Maliga P. Cyanobacterial photosystem II reaction center design in tobacco chloroplasts increases biomass in low light. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 191:2229-2244. [PMID: 36510848 PMCID: PMC10069877 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The D1 polypeptide of the photosystem II (PSII) reaction center complex contains domains that regulate primary photochemical yield and charge recombination rate. Many prokaryotic oxygenic phototrophs express two or more D1 isoforms differentially in response to environmental light needs, a capability absent in flowering plants and algae. We report that tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants carrying the Synechococcus (Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942) low-light mutation (LL-E130Q) in the D1 polypeptide (NtLL) acquire the cyanobacterial photochemical phenotype: faster photodamage in high light and significantly more charge separations in productive linear electron flow in low light. This flux increase produces 16.5% more (dry) biomass under continuous low-light illumination (100 μE m-2 s-1, 24 h). This gain is offset by the predicted lower photoprotection at high light. By contrast, the introduction of the Synechococcus high-light mutation (HL-A152S) into tobacco D1 (NtHL) has slightly increased photoprotection, achieved by photochemical quenching, but no apparent impact on biomass yield compared to wild type under the tested conditions. The universal design principle of all PSII reaction centers trades off energy conversion for photoprotection in different proportions across all phototrophs and provides a useful guidance for testing in crop plants. The observed biomass advantage under continuous low light can be transferred between evolutionarily isolated lineages to benefit growth under artificial lighting conditions. However, removal of the selective marker gene was essential to observe the growth phenotype, indicating growth penalty imposed by use of the particular spectinomycin-resistance gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Zhang
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
| | - Gennady Ananyev
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
| | - Aki Matsuoka
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
| | | | - Pal Maliga
- Author for correspondence: (P.M.); (G.C.D.)
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15
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Cai X, Li X, Peng L, Liang Y, Jiang M, Ma J, Sun L, Guo B, Yu X, Du J, Li N, Cai S. Effects of mowing on Pb accumulation and transport in Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:57571-57586. [PMID: 36973620 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-26623-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Bermudagrass is a perennial herb with the potential to remediate Pb pollution in soils, and it has mechanical resistance to shearing. However, the effects of mowing on Pb absorption and accumulation in bermudagrass are still unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of different quantities (0, 1, 2, 4 applications) of mowing treatments under 200 mg L-1 Pb application on Pb accumulation and transport in bermudagrass and explored the related mechanisms. Compared to the Pb treatment, all of the mowing treatments greatly decreased root Pb concentration/accumulation, significantly enhanced Pb concentrations/accumulations in stubble stems and stubble leaves, and ultimately promoted Pb enrichment and transport. Of the treatments in this study, two applications of mowing best promoted Pb enrichment, and four applications of mowing best promoted Pb transport efficiency. Furthermore, mowing mediated the microdistribution and physiological patterns of Pb in bermudagrass and affected the Pb transport by changing the subcellar distribution patterns and chemical forms of Pb in various tissues. Additionally, mowing promoted the transport of all mineral elements and showed a synergistic relationship with Pb absorption and transport. The change in mineral element metabolism patterns may be an important reason why mowing promoted Pb accumulation in bermudagrass. Our study provides the first comprehensive evidence regarding mowing facilitating the absorption, accumulation and transport of Pb in bermudagrass. Moderate mowing may be an effective strategy to assist in soil Pb remediation using bermudagrass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Cai
- College of Landscape Architecture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Xi Li
- College of Landscape Architecture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China.
| | - Lingli Peng
- College of Landscape Architecture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Yahao Liang
- College of Landscape Architecture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Mingyan Jiang
- College of Landscape Architecture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Jun Ma
- College of Landscape Architecture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Lingxia Sun
- College of Landscape Architecture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Baimeng Guo
- College of Landscape Architecture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaofang Yu
- College of Landscape Architecture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Juan Du
- College of Landscape Architecture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Nian Li
- College of Landscape Architecture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Shizhen Cai
- College of Landscape Architecture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
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16
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Chen L, Yang Y, Zhao Z, Lu S, Lu Q, Cui C, Parry MAJ, Hu YG. Genome-wide identification and comparative analyses of key genes involved in C 4 photosynthesis in five main gramineous crops. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1134170. [PMID: 36993845 PMCID: PMC10040670 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1134170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Compared to C3 species, C4 plants showed higher photosynthetic capacity as well as water and nitrogen use efficiency due to the presence of the C4 photosynthetic pathway. Previous studies have shown that all genes required for the C4 photosynthetic pathway exist in the genomes of C3 species and are expressed. In this study, the genes encoding six key C4 photosynthetic pathway enzymes (β-CA, PEPC, ME, MDH, RbcS, and PPDK) in the genomes of five important gramineous crops (C4: maize, foxtail millet, and sorghum; C3: rice and wheat) were systematically identified and compared. Based on sequence characteristics and evolutionary relationships, their C4 functional gene copies were distinguished from non-photosynthetic functional gene copies. Furthermore, multiple sequence alignment revealed important sites affecting the activities of PEPC and RbcS between the C3 and C4 species. Comparisons of expression characteristics confirmed that the expression patterns of non-photosynthetic gene copies were relatively conserved among species, while C4 gene copies in C4 species acquired new tissue expression patterns during evolution. Additionally, multiple sequence features that may affect C4 gene expression and subcellular localization were found in the coding and promoter regions. Our work emphasized the diversity of the evolution of different genes in the C4 photosynthetic pathway and confirmed that the specific high expression in the leaf and appropriate intracellular distribution were the keys to the evolution of C4 photosynthesis. The results of this study will help determine the evolutionary mechanism of the C4 photosynthetic pathway in Gramineae and provide references for the transformation of C4 photosynthetic pathways in wheat, rice, and other major C3 cereal crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yang Yang
- College of Agriculture, Shannxi Agricultural University (Institute of Crop Sciences), Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Zhangchen Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shan Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qiumei Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chunge Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Martin A. J. Parry
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Yin-Gang Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
- Institute of Water Saving Agriculture in Arid Regions of China, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
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17
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Routier C, Vallan L, Daguerre Y, Juvany M, Istif E, Mantione D, Brochon C, Hadziioannou G, Strand Å, Näsholm T, Cloutet E, Pavlopoulou E, Stavrinidou E. Chitosan-Modified Polyethyleneimine Nanoparticles for Enhancing the Carboxylation Reaction and Plants' CO 2 Uptake. ACS NANO 2023; 17:3430-3441. [PMID: 36796108 PMCID: PMC9979637 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c09255] [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: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Increasing plants' photosynthetic efficiency is a major challenge that must be addressed in order to cover the food demands of the growing population in the changing climate. Photosynthesis is greatly limited at the initial carboxylation reaction, where CO2 is converted to the organic acid 3-PGA, catalyzed by the RuBisCO enzyme. RuBisCO has poor affinity for CO2, but also the CO2 concentration at the RuBisCO site is limited by the diffusion of atmospheric CO2 through the various leaf compartments to the reaction site. Beyond genetic engineering, nanotechnology can offer a materials-based approach for enhancing photosynthesis, and yet, it has mostly been explored for the light-dependent reactions. In this work, we developed polyethyleneimine-based nanoparticles for enhancing the carboxylation reaction. We demonstrate that the nanoparticles can capture CO2 in the form of bicarbonate and increase the CO2 that reacts with the RuBisCO enzyme, enhancing the 3-PGA production in in vitro assays by 20%. The nanoparticles can be introduced to the plant via leaf infiltration and, because of the functionalization with chitosan oligomers, they do not induce any toxic effect to the plant. In the leaves, the nanoparticles localize in the apoplastic space but also spontaneously reach the chloroplasts where photosynthetic activity takes place. Their CO2 loading-dependent fluorescence verifies that, in vivo, they maintain their ability to capture CO2 and can be therefore reloaded with atmospheric CO2 while in planta. Our results contribute to the development of a nanomaterials-based CO2-concentrating mechanism in plants that can potentially increase photosynthetic efficiency and overall plants' CO2 storage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril Routier
- Laboratory
of Organic Electronics, Department of Science and Technology, Linköping University, SE-60174 Norrköping, Sweden
| | - Lorenzo Vallan
- Laboratoire
de Chimie des Polymères Organiques (LCPO−UMR 5629),
Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux INP, CNRS, F-33607 Pessac, France
| | - Yohann Daguerre
- Umeå
Plant Science Centre, Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-90183 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Marta Juvany
- Umeå
Plant Science Centre, Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-90183 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Emin Istif
- Laboratoire
de Chimie des Polymères Organiques (LCPO−UMR 5629),
Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux INP, CNRS, F-33607 Pessac, France
| | - Daniele Mantione
- Laboratoire
de Chimie des Polymères Organiques (LCPO−UMR 5629),
Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux INP, CNRS, F-33607 Pessac, France
- POLYMAT, University
of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 20018 San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Cyril Brochon
- Laboratoire
de Chimie des Polymères Organiques (LCPO−UMR 5629),
Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux INP, CNRS, F-33607 Pessac, France
| | - Georges Hadziioannou
- Laboratoire
de Chimie des Polymères Organiques (LCPO−UMR 5629),
Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux INP, CNRS, F-33607 Pessac, France
| | - Åsa Strand
- Umeå
Plant Science Centre, Department of Plant Physiology, Umeå University, SE 901-87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Torgny Näsholm
- Umeå
Plant Science Centre, Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-90183 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Eric Cloutet
- Laboratoire
de Chimie des Polymères Organiques (LCPO−UMR 5629),
Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux INP, CNRS, F-33607 Pessac, France
| | - Eleni Pavlopoulou
- Laboratoire
de Chimie des Polymères Organiques (LCPO−UMR 5629),
Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux INP, CNRS, F-33607 Pessac, France
- Institute
of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation
for Research and Technology—Hellas, P.O. Box 1527, 71110 Heraklion Crete, Greece
| | - Eleni Stavrinidou
- Laboratory
of Organic Electronics, Department of Science and Technology, Linköping University, SE-60174 Norrköping, Sweden
- Umeå
Plant Science Centre, Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-90183 Umeå, Sweden
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18
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Chen T, Riaz S, Davey P, Zhao Z, Sun Y, Dykes GF, Zhou F, Hartwell J, Lawson T, Nixon PJ, Lin Y, Liu LN. Producing fast and active Rubisco in tobacco to enhance photosynthesis. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 35:795-807. [PMID: 36471570 PMCID: PMC9940876 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koac348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) performs most of the carbon fixation on Earth. However, plant Rubisco is an intrinsically inefficient enzyme given its low carboxylation rate, representing a major limitation to photosynthesis. Replacing endogenous plant Rubisco with a faster Rubisco is anticipated to enhance crop photosynthesis and productivity. However, the requirement of chaperones for Rubisco expression and assembly has obstructed the efficient production of functional foreign Rubisco in chloroplasts. Here, we report the engineering of a Form 1A Rubisco from the proteobacterium Halothiobacillus neapolitanus in Escherichia coli and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) chloroplasts without any cognate chaperones. The native tobacco gene encoding Rubisco large subunit was genetically replaced with H. neapolitanus Rubisco (HnRubisco) large and small subunit genes. We show that HnRubisco subunits can form functional L8S8 hexadecamers in tobacco chloroplasts at high efficiency, accounting for ∼40% of the wild-type tobacco Rubisco content. The chloroplast-expressed HnRubisco displayed a ∼2-fold greater carboxylation rate and supported a similar autotrophic growth rate of transgenic plants to that of wild-type in air supplemented with 1% CO2. This study represents a step toward the engineering of a fast and highly active Rubisco in chloroplasts to improve crop photosynthesis and growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taiyu Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Center of Plant Gene Research, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Saba Riaz
- Department of Life Sciences, Sir Ernst Chain Building-Wolfson Laboratories, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Philip Davey
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester CO4 4SQ, UK
| | - Ziyu Zhao
- Department of Life Sciences, Sir Ernst Chain Building-Wolfson Laboratories, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Yaqi Sun
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Gregory F Dykes
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Fei Zhou
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Center of Plant Gene Research, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - James Hartwell
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Tracy Lawson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester CO4 4SQ, UK
| | - Peter J Nixon
- Department of Life Sciences, Sir Ernst Chain Building-Wolfson Laboratories, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Yongjun Lin
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Center of Plant Gene Research, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Lu-Ning Liu
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
- College of Marine Life Sciences, and Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
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19
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Capó-Bauçà S, Whitney S, Iñiguez C, Serrano O, Rhodes T, Galmés J. The trajectory in catalytic evolution of Rubisco in Posidonia seagrass species differs from terrestrial plants. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 191:946-956. [PMID: 36315095 PMCID: PMC9922400 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The CO2-fixing enzyme Ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase (Rubisco) links the inorganic and organic phases of the global carbon cycle. In aquatic systems, the catalytic adaptation of algae Rubiscos has been more expansive and followed an evolutionary pathway that appears distinct to terrestrial plant Rubisco. Here, we extend this survey to differing seagrass species of the genus Posidonia to reveal how their disjunctive geographical distribution and diverged phylogeny, along with their CO2 concentrating mechanisms (CCMs) effectiveness, have impacted their Rubisco kinetic properties. The Rubisco from Posidonia species showed lower carboxylation efficiencies and lower sensitivity to O2 inhibition than those measured for terrestrial C3 and C4-plant Rubiscos. Compared with the Australian Posidonia species, Rubisco from the Mediterranean Posidonia oceanica had 1.5-2-fold lower carboxylation and oxygenation efficiencies, coinciding with effective CCMs and five Rubisco large subunit amino acid substitutions. Among the Australian Posidonia species, CCM effectiveness was higher in Posidonia sinuosa and lower in the deep-living Posidonia angustifolia, likely related to the 20%-35% lower Rubisco carboxylation efficiency in P. sinuosa and the two-fold higher Rubisco content in P. angustifolia. Our results suggest that the catalytic evolution of Posidonia Rubisco has been impacted by the low CO2 availability and gas exchange properties of marine environments, but with contrasting Rubisco kinetics according to the time of diversification among the species. As a result, the relationships between maximum carboxylation rate and CO2- and O2-affinities of Posidonia Rubiscos follow an alternative path to that characteristic of terrestrial angiosperm Rubiscos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastià Capó-Bauçà
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions. Universitat de les Illes Balears-INAGEA, Palma 07122, Spain
| | - Spencer Whitney
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Concepción Iñiguez
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions. Universitat de les Illes Balears-INAGEA, Palma 07122, Spain
| | - Oscar Serrano
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CEAB-CISC), Blanes 17300, Spain
- School of Science, Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia
| | - Timothy Rhodes
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Jeroni Galmés
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions. Universitat de les Illes Balears-INAGEA, Palma 07122, Spain
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20
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Ermakova M, Lopez-Calcagno PE, Furbank RT, Raines CA, von Caemmerer S. Increased sedoheptulose-1,7-bisphosphatase content in Setaria viridis does not affect C4 photosynthesis. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 191:885-893. [PMID: 36282540 PMCID: PMC9922425 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Sedoheptulose-1,7-bisphosphatase (SBPase) is one of the rate-limiting enzymes of the Calvin cycle, and increasing the abundance of SBPase in C3 plants provides higher photosynthetic rates and stimulates biomass and yield. C4 plants usually have higher photosynthetic rates because they operate a biochemical CO2-concentrating mechanism between mesophyll and bundle sheath cells. In the C4 system, SBPase and other enzymes of the Calvin cycle are localized to the bundle sheath cells. Here we tested what effect increasing abundance of SBPase would have on C4 photosynthesis. Using green foxtail millet (Setaria viridis), a model C4 plant of NADP-ME subtype, we created transgenic plants with 1.5 to 3.2 times higher SBPase content compared to wild-type plants. Transcripts of the transgene were found predominantly in the bundle sheaths suggesting the correct cellular localization of the protein. The abundance of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit was not affected in transgenic plants overexpressing SBPase, and neither was leaf chlorophyll content or photosynthetic electron transport parameters. We found no association between SBPase content in S. viridis and saturating rates of CO2 assimilation. Moreover, a detailed analysis of CO2 assimilation rates at different CO2 partial pressures, irradiances, and leaf temperatures showed no improvement of photosynthesis in plants overexpressing SBPase. We discuss the potential implications of these results for understanding the role of SBPase in regulation of C4 photosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Ermakova
- Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra 2600, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Patricia E Lopez-Calcagno
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Robert T Furbank
- Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra 2600, Australia
| | - Christine A Raines
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Susanne von Caemmerer
- Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra 2600, Australia
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21
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Jin K, Chen G, Yang Y, Zhang Z, Lu T. Strategies for manipulating Rubisco and creating photorespiratory bypass to boost C 3 photosynthesis: Prospects on modern crop improvement. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2023; 46:363-378. [PMID: 36444099 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthesis is a process that uses solar energy to fix CO2 in the air and converts it into sugar, and ultimately powers almost all life activities on the earth. C3 photosynthesis is the most common form of photosynthesis in crops. Current efforts of increasing crop yields in response to growing global food requirement are mostly focused on improving C3 photosynthesis. In this review, we summarized the strategies of C3 photosynthesis improvement in terms of Rubisco properties and photorespiratory limitation. Potential engineered targets include Rubisco subunits and their catalytic sites, Rubisco assembly chaperones, and Rubisco activase. In addition, we reviewed multiple photorespiratory bypasses built by strategies of synthetic biology to reduce the release of CO2 and ammonia and minimize energy consumption by photorespiration. The potential strategies are suggested to enhance C3 photosynthesis and boost crop production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaining Jin
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
- Department of Plant Sciences, Centre for Crop Systems Analysis, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Guoxin Chen
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Yirong Yang
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Zhiguo Zhang
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Tiegang Lu
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
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22
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Cavanagh AP, Slattery R, Kubien DS. Temperature-induced changes in Arabidopsis Rubisco activity and isoform expression. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:651-663. [PMID: 36124740 PMCID: PMC9833042 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
In many plant species, expression of the nuclear encoded Rubisco small subunit (SSu) varies with environmental changes, but the functional role of any changes in expression remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the impact of differential expression of Rubisco SSu isoforms on carbon assimilation in Arabidopsis. Using plants grown at contrasting temperatures (10 °C and 30 °C), we confirm the previously reported temperature response of the four RbcS genes and extend this to protein expression, finding that warm-grown plants produce Rubisco containing ~65% SSu-B and cold-grown plants produce Rubisco with ~65% SSu-A as a proportion of the total pool of subunits. We find that these changes in isoform concentration are associated with kinetic changes to Rubisco in vitro: warm-grown plants produce a Rubisco having greater CO2 affinity (i.e. higher SC/O and lower KC) but lower kcatCO2 at warm measurement temperatures. Although warm-grown plants produce 38% less Rubisco than cold-grown plants on a leaf area basis, warm-grown plants can maintain similar rates of photosynthesis to cold-grown plants at ambient CO2 and 30 °C, indicating that the carboxylation capacity of warm-grown Rubisco is enhanced at warmer measurement temperatures, and is able to compensate for the lower Rubisco content in warm-grown plants. This association between SSu isoform expression and maintenance of Rubisco activity at high temperature suggests that SSu isoform expression could impact the temperature response of C3 photosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rebecca Slattery
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - David S Kubien
- Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, E3B 5A3, Canada
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23
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Mao Y, Catherall E, Díaz-Ramos A, Greiff GRL, Azinas S, Gunn L, McCormick AJ. The small subunit of Rubisco and its potential as an engineering target. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:543-561. [PMID: 35849331 PMCID: PMC9833052 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Rubisco catalyses the first rate-limiting step in CO2 fixation and is responsible for the vast majority of organic carbon present in the biosphere. The function and regulation of Rubisco remain an important research topic and a longstanding engineering target to enhance the efficiency of photosynthesis for agriculture and green biotechnology. The most abundant form of Rubisco (Form I) consists of eight large and eight small subunits, and is found in all plants, algae, cyanobacteria, and most phototrophic and chemolithoautotrophic proteobacteria. Although the active sites of Rubisco are located on the large subunits, expression of the small subunit regulates the size of the Rubisco pool in plants and can influence the overall catalytic efficiency of the Rubisco complex. The small subunit is now receiving increasing attention as a potential engineering target to improve the performance of Rubisco. Here we review our current understanding of the role of the small subunit and our growing capacity to explore its potential to modulate Rubisco catalysis using engineering biology approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Aranzazú Díaz-Ramos
- SynthSys & Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, King’s Buildings, University of Edinburgh, Edingburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - George R L Greiff
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Stavros Azinas
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, S-751 24 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Laura Gunn
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, S-751 24 Uppsala, Sweden
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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24
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Iqbal WA, Lisitsa A, Kapralov MV. Predicting plant Rubisco kinetics from RbcL sequence data using machine learning. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:638-650. [PMID: 36094849 PMCID: PMC9833099 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) is responsible for the conversion of atmospheric CO2 to organic carbon during photosynthesis, and often acts as a rate limiting step in the later process. Screening the natural diversity of Rubisco kinetics is the main strategy used to find better Rubisco enzymes for crop engineering efforts. Here, we demonstrate the use of Gaussian processes (GPs), a family of Bayesian models, coupled with protein encoding schemes, for predicting Rubisco kinetics from Rubisco large subunit (RbcL) sequence data. GPs trained on published experimentally obtained Rubisco kinetic datasets were applied to over 9000 sequences encoding RbcL to predict Rubisco kinetic parameters. Notably, our predicted kinetic values were in agreement with known trends, e.g. higher carboxylation turnover rates (Kcat) for Rubisco enzymes from C4 or crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) species, compared with those found in C3 species. This is the first study demonstrating machine learning approaches as a tool for screening and predicting Rubisco kinetics, which could be applied to other enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wasim A Iqbal
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - Alexei Lisitsa
- Department of Computer Science, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3BX, United Kingdom
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25
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Buck S, Rhodes T, Gionfriddo M, Skinner T, Yuan D, Birch R, Kapralov MV, Whitney SM. Escherichia coli expressing chloroplast chaperones as a proxy to test heterologous Rubisco production in leaves. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:664-676. [PMID: 36322613 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac435] [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: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Rubisco is a fundamental enzyme in photosynthesis and therefore for life. Efforts to improve plant Rubisco performance have been hindered by the enzymes' complex chloroplast biogenesis requirements. New Synbio approaches, however, now allow the production of some plant Rubisco isoforms in Escherichia coli. While this enhances opportunities for catalytic improvement, there remain limitations in the utility of the expression system. Here we generate, optimize, and test a robust Golden Gate cloning E. coli expression system incorporating the protein folding machinery of tobacco chloroplasts. By comparing the expression of different plant Rubiscos in both E. coli and plastome-transformed tobacco, we show that the E. coli expression system can accurately predict high level Rubisco production in chloroplasts but poorly forecasts the biogenesis potential of isoforms with impaired production in planta. We reveal that heterologous Rubisco production in E. coli and tobacco plastids poorly correlates with Rubisco large subunit phylogeny. Our findings highlight the need to fully understand the factors governing Rubisco biogenesis if we are to deliver an efficient, low-cost screening tool that can accurately emulate chloroplast expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally Buck
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Translational Photosynthesis, Australian National University, Canberra 2000, Australia
| | - Tim Rhodes
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Translational Photosynthesis, Australian National University, Canberra 2000, Australia
| | - Matteo Gionfriddo
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Translational Photosynthesis, Australian National University, Canberra 2000, Australia
| | - Tanya Skinner
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Translational Photosynthesis, Australian National University, Canberra 2000, Australia
| | - Ding Yuan
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Translational Photosynthesis, Australian National University, Canberra 2000, Australia
| | - Rosemary Birch
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Translational Photosynthesis, Australian National University, Canberra 2000, Australia
| | - Maxim V Kapralov
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Spencer M Whitney
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Translational Photosynthesis, Australian National University, Canberra 2000, Australia
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26
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Badger MR, Sharwood RE. Rubisco, the imperfect winner: it's all about the base. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:562-580. [PMID: 36412307 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Rubisco catalysis is complex and includes an activation step through the formation of a carbamate at the conserved active site lysine residue and the formation of a highly reactive enediol that is the key to its catalytic reaction. The formation of this enediol is both the basis of its success and its Achilles' heel, creating imperfections to its catalytic efficiency. While Rubisco originally evolved in an atmosphere of high CO2, the earth's multiple oxidation events provided challenges to Rubisco through the fixation of O2 that competes with CO2 at the active site. Numerous catalytic screens across the Rubisco superfamily have identified significant variation in catalytic properties that have been linked to large and small subunit sequences. Despite this, we still have a rudimentary understanding of Rubisco's catalytic mechanism and how the evolution of kinetic properties has occurred. This review identifies the lysine base that functions both as an activator and a proton abstractor to create the enediol as a key to understanding how Rubisco may optimize its kinetic properties. The ways in which Rubisco and its partners have overcome catalytic and activation imperfections and thrived in a world of high O2, low CO2, and variable climatic regimes is remarkable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murray R Badger
- Research School of Biology, Building 134 Linnaeus Way, Canberra ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Robert E Sharwood
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Bourke St, Richmond, NSW, 2753, Australia
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27
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Manning T, Birch R, Stevenson T, Nugent G, Whitney S. Bacterial Form II Rubisco can support wild-type growth and productivity in Solanum tuberosum cv. Desiree (potato) under elevated CO 2. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgac305. [PMID: 36743474 PMCID: PMC9896143 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The last decade has seen significant advances in the development of approaches for improving both the light harvesting and carbon fixation pathways of photosynthesis by nuclear transformation, many involving multigene synthetic biology approaches. As efforts to replicate these accomplishments from tobacco into crops gather momentum, similar diversification is needed in the range of transgenic options available, including capabilities to modify crop photosynthesis by chloroplast transformation. To address this need, here we describe the first transplastomic modification of photosynthesis in a crop by replacing the native Rubisco in potato with the faster, but lower CO2-affinity and poorer CO2/O2 specificity Rubisco from the bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum. High level production of R. rubrum Rubisco in the potRr genotype (8 to 10 µmol catalytic sites m2) allowed it to attain wild-type levels of productivity, including tuber yield, in air containing 0.5% (v/v) CO2. Under controlled environment growth at 25°C and 350 µmol photons m2 PAR, the productivity and leaf biochemistry of wild-type potato at 0.06%, 0.5%, or 1.5% (v/v) CO2 and potRr at 0.5% or 1.5% (v/v) CO2 were largely indistinguishable. These findings suggest that increasing the scope for enhancing productivity gains in potato by improving photosynthate production will necessitate improvement to its sink-potential, consistent with current evidence productivity gains by eCO2 fertilization for this crop hit a ceiling around 560 to 600 ppm CO2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahnee Manning
- School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia
| | - Rosemary Birch
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, 134 Linnaeus Way, Acton, ACT 0200, Australia
| | - Trevor Stevenson
- School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia
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28
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Murchie EH, Reynolds M, Slafer GA, Foulkes MJ, Acevedo-Siaca L, McAusland L, Sharwood R, Griffiths S, Flavell RB, Gwyn J, Sawkins M, Carmo-Silva E. A 'wiring diagram' for source strength traits impacting wheat yield potential. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:72-90. [PMID: 36264277 PMCID: PMC9786870 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Source traits are currently of great interest for the enhancement of yield potential; for example, much effort is being expended to find ways of modifying photosynthesis. However, photosynthesis is but one component of crop regulation, so sink activities and the coordination of diverse processes throughout the crop must be considered in an integrated, systems approach. A set of 'wiring diagrams' has been devised as a visual tool to integrate the interactions of component processes at different stages of wheat development. They enable the roles of chloroplast, leaf, and whole-canopy processes to be seen in the context of sink development and crop growth as a whole. In this review, we dissect source traits both anatomically (foliar and non-foliar) and temporally (pre- and post-anthesis), and consider the evidence for their regulation at local and whole-plant/crop levels. We consider how the formation of a canopy creates challenges (self-occlusion) and opportunities (dynamic photosynthesis) for components of photosynthesis. Lastly, we discuss the regulation of source activity by feedback regulation. The review is written in the framework of the wiring diagrams which, as integrated descriptors of traits underpinning grain yield, are designed to provide a potential workspace for breeders and other crop scientists that, along with high-throughput and precision phenotyping data, genetics, and bioinformatics, will help build future dynamic models of trait and gene interactions to achieve yield gains in wheat and other field crops.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthew Reynolds
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Km. 45, Carretera Mexico-Veracruz, El Batan, Texcoco, Mexico
| | - Gustavo A Slafer
- Department of Crop and Forest Sciences, University of Lleida–AGROTECNIO-CERCA Center, Av. R. Roure 191, 25198 Lleida, Spain
- ICREA (Catalonian Institution for Research and Advanced Studies), Barcelona, Spain
| | - M John Foulkes
- Division of Plant and Crop Science, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Liana Acevedo-Siaca
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Km. 45, Carretera Mexico-Veracruz, El Batan, Texcoco, Mexico
| | - Lorna McAusland
- Division of Plant and Crop Science, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Robert Sharwood
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond NSW 2753, Australia
| | - Simon Griffiths
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Colney Ln, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Richard B Flavell
- International Wheat Yield Partnership, 1500 Research Parkway, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Jeff Gwyn
- International Wheat Yield Partnership, 1500 Research Parkway, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Mark Sawkins
- International Wheat Yield Partnership, 1500 Research Parkway, College Station, TX 77843, USA
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29
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Wu A, Brider J, Busch FA, Chen M, Chenu K, Clarke VC, Collins B, Ermakova M, Evans JR, Farquhar GD, Forster B, Furbank RT, Groszmann M, Hernandez‐Prieto MA, Long BM, Mclean G, Potgieter A, Price GD, Sharwood RE, Stower M, van Oosterom E, von Caemmerer S, Whitney SM, Hammer GL. A cross-scale analysis to understand and quantify the effects of photosynthetic enhancement on crop growth and yield across environments. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2023; 46:23-44. [PMID: 36200623 PMCID: PMC10091820 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthetic manipulation provides new opportunities for enhancing crop yield. However, understanding and quantifying the importance of individual and multiple manipulations on the seasonal biomass growth and yield performance of target crops across variable production environments is limited. Using a state-of-the-art cross-scale model in the APSIM platform we predicted the impact of altering photosynthesis on the enzyme-limited (Ac ) and electron transport-limited (Aj ) rates, seasonal dynamics in canopy photosynthesis, biomass growth, and yield formation via large multiyear-by-location crop growth simulations. A broad list of promising strategies to improve photosynthesis for C3 wheat and C4 sorghum were simulated. In the top decile of seasonal outcomes, yield gains were predicted to be modest, ranging between 0% and 8%, depending on the manipulation and crop type. We report how photosynthetic enhancement can affect the timing and severity of water and nitrogen stress on the growing crop, resulting in nonintuitive seasonal crop dynamics and yield outcomes. We predicted that strategies enhancing Ac alone generate more consistent but smaller yield gains across all water and nitrogen environments, Aj enhancement alone generates larger gains but is undesirable in more marginal environments. Large increases in both Ac and Aj generate the highest gains across all environments. Yield outcomes of the tested manipulation strategies were predicted and compared for realistic Australian wheat and sorghum production. This study uniquely unpacks complex cross-scale interactions between photosynthesis and seasonal crop dynamics and improves understanding and quantification of the potential impact of photosynthesis traits (or lack of it) for crop improvement research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Wu
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Centre for Crop Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food InnovationThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Jason Brider
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Centre for Crop Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food InnovationThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Florian A. Busch
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of BiologyThe Australian National UniversityCanberraAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
- School of BiosciencesUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamUK
- Birmingham Institute of Forest ResearchUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamUK
| | - Min Chen
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, School of Life and Environmental Science, Faculty of ScienceUniversity of SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Karine Chenu
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Centre for Crop Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food InnovationThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Victoria C. Clarke
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of BiologyThe Australian National UniversityCanberraAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
| | - Brian Collins
- College of Science and EngineeringJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Maria Ermakova
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of BiologyThe Australian National UniversityCanberraAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
| | - John R. Evans
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of BiologyThe Australian National UniversityCanberraAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
| | - Graham D. Farquhar
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of BiologyThe Australian National UniversityCanberraAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
| | - Britta Forster
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of BiologyThe Australian National UniversityCanberraAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
| | - Robert T. Furbank
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of BiologyThe Australian National UniversityCanberraAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
| | - Michael Groszmann
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of BiologyThe Australian National UniversityCanberraAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
| | - Miguel A. Hernandez‐Prieto
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, School of Life and Environmental Science, Faculty of ScienceUniversity of SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Benedict M. Long
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of BiologyThe Australian National UniversityCanberraAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
| | - Greg Mclean
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Centre for Crop Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food InnovationThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Andries Potgieter
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Centre for Crop Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food InnovationThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - G. Dean Price
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of BiologyThe Australian National UniversityCanberraAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
| | - Robert E. Sharwood
- Hawkesbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney UniversityRichmondNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Michael Stower
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Centre for Crop Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food InnovationThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Erik van Oosterom
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Centre for Crop Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food InnovationThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Susanne von Caemmerer
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of BiologyThe Australian National UniversityCanberraAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
| | - Spencer M. Whitney
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of BiologyThe Australian National UniversityCanberraAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
| | - Graeme L. Hammer
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Centre for Crop Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food InnovationThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
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30
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Yang Y, Chaffin TA, Ahkami AH, Blumwald E, Stewart CN. Plant synthetic biology innovations for biofuels and bioproducts. Trends Biotechnol 2022; 40:1454-1468. [PMID: 36241578 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2022.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Plant-based biosynthesis of fuels, chemicals, and materials promotes environmental sustainability, which includes decreases in greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and loss of biodiversity. Advances in plant synthetic biology (synbio) should improve precision and efficacy of genetic engineering for sustainability. Applicable synbio innovations include genome editing, gene circuit design, synthetic promoter development, gene stacking technologies, and the design of environmental sensors. Moreover, recent advancements in developing spatially resolved and single-cell omics contribute to the discovery and characterization of cell-type-specific mechanisms and spatiotemporal gene regulations in distinct plant tissues for the expression of cell- and tissue-specific genes, resulting in improved bioproduction. This review highlights recent plant synbio progress and new single-cell molecular profiling towards sustainable biofuel and biomaterial production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongil Yang
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, USA; Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Timothy Alexander Chaffin
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, USA; Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Amir H Ahkami
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA, USA
| | - Eduardo Blumwald
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Charles Neal Stewart
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, USA; Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA; Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA.
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31
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Heyno E, Ermakova M, Lopez‐Calcagno PE, Woodford R, Brown KL, Matthews JSA, Osmond B, Raines CA, von Caemmerer S. Rieske FeS overexpression in tobacco provides increased abundance and activity of cytochrome b 6 f. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2022; 174:e13803. [PMID: 36259085 PMCID: PMC9828649 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.13803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthesis is fundamental for plant growth and yield. The cytochrome b6 f complex catalyses a rate-limiting step in thylakoid electron transport and therefore represents an important point of regulation of photosynthesis. Here we show that overexpression of a single core subunit of cytochrome b6 f, the Rieske FeS protein, led to up to a 40% increase in the abundance of the complex in Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco) and was accompanied by an enhanced in vitro cytochrome f activity, indicating a full functionality of the complex. Analysis of transgenic plants overexpressing Rieske FeS by the light-induced fluorescence transients technique revealed a more oxidised primary quinone acceptor of photosystem II (QA ) and plastoquinone pool and faster electron transport from the plastoquinone pool to photosystem I upon changes in irradiance, compared to control plants. A faster establishment of qE , the energy-dependent component of nonphotochemical quenching, in transgenic plants suggests a more rapid buildup of the transmembrane proton gradient, also supporting the increased in vivo cytochrome b6 f activity. However, there was no consistent increase in steady-state rates of electron transport or CO2 assimilation in plants overexpressing Rieske FeS grown in either laboratory conditions or field trials, suggesting that the in vivo activity of the complex was only transiently increased upon changes in irradiance. Our results show that overexpression of Rieske FeS in tobacco enhances the abundance of functional cytochrome b6 f and may have the potential to increase plant productivity if combined with other traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eiri Heyno
- Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant ScienceResearch School of Biology, The Australian National UniversityActonAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
| | - Maria Ermakova
- Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant ScienceResearch School of Biology, The Australian National UniversityActonAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
- School of Biological SciencesMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Patricia E. Lopez‐Calcagno
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of EssexColchesterUK
- School of Natural and Environmental SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastleUK
| | - Russell Woodford
- Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant ScienceResearch School of Biology, The Australian National UniversityActonAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
| | - Kenny L. Brown
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of EssexColchesterUK
| | | | - Barry Osmond
- Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant ScienceResearch School of Biology, The Australian National UniversityActonAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
| | | | - Susanne von Caemmerer
- Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant ScienceResearch School of Biology, The Australian National UniversityActonAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
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32
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Schulz L, Guo Z, Zarzycki J, Steinchen W, Schuller JM, Heimerl T, Prinz S, Mueller-Cajar O, Erb TJ, Hochberg GKA. Evolution of increased complexity and specificity at the dawn of form I Rubiscos. Science 2022; 378:155-160. [PMID: 36227987 DOI: 10.1126/science.abq1416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenases (Rubiscos) that discriminate strongly between their substrate carbon dioxide and the undesired side substrate dioxygen was an important event for photosynthetic organisms adapting to an oxygenated environment. We use ancestral sequence reconstruction to recapitulate this event. We show that Rubisco increased its specificity and carboxylation efficiency through the gain of an accessory subunit before atmospheric oxygen was present. Using structural and biochemical approaches, we retrace how this subunit was gained and became essential. Our work illuminates the emergence of an adaptation to rising ambient oxygen levels, provides a template for investigating the function of interactions that have remained elusive because of their essentiality, and sheds light on the determinants of specificity in Rubisco.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Schulz
- Department of Biochemistry and Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Zhijun Guo
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | - Jan Zarzycki
- Department of Biochemistry and Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Wieland Steinchen
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany.,Department of Chemistry, Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Jan M Schuller
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany.,Department of Chemistry, Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Heimerl
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany.,Department of Biology, Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Simone Prinz
- Central Electron Microscopy Facility, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Oliver Mueller-Cajar
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | - Tobias J Erb
- Department of Biochemistry and Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany.,Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Georg K A Hochberg
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany.,Department of Chemistry, Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany.,Evolutionary Biochemistry Group, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
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33
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Sharwood RE. Reconstructing CO 2 fixation from the past. Science 2022; 378:137-138. [PMID: 36227972 DOI: 10.1126/science.ade6522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Analysis of Rubisco evolution could inform how to engineer a better enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert E Sharwood
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia
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34
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Li Y, Peng L, Wang X, Zhang L. Reduction in chloroplastic ribulose-5-phosphate-3-epimerase decreases photosynthetic capacity in Arabidopsis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:813241. [PMID: 36311138 PMCID: PMC9614318 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.813241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Chloroplast ribulose-5-phosphate-3-epimerase (RPE) is a critical enzyme involved in the Calvin-Benson cycle and oxidative pentose phosphate pathways in higher plants. Three Arabidopsis rpe mutants with reduced level of RPE were identified through their high NPQ (nonphotochemical quenching) phenotype upon illumination, and no significant difference of plant size was found between these rpe mutants and WT (wild type) plants under growth chamber conditions. A decrease in RPE expression to a certain extent leads to a decrease in CO2 fixation, V cmax and J max. Photosynthetic linear electron transport was partially inhibited and activity of ATP synthase was also decreased in the rpe mutants, but the levels of thylakoid protein complexes and other Calvin-Benson cycle enzymes in rpe mutants were not affected. These results demonstrate that some degree of reduction in RPE expression decreases carbon fixation in chloroplasts, which in turn feedback inhibits photosynthetic electron transport and ATP synthase activity due to the photosynthetic control. Taken together, this work provides evidence that RPE plays an important role in the Calvin-Benson cycle and influences the photosynthetic capacity of chloroplasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghong Li
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Tree Breeding by Molecular Design, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
- School of Biology and Brewing Engineering, TaiShan University, Taian, China
| | - Lianwei Peng
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoqin Wang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Tree Breeding by Molecular Design, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
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35
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Using synthetic biology to improve photosynthesis for sustainable food production. J Biotechnol 2022; 359:1-14. [PMID: 36126804 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2022.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Photosynthesis is responsible for the primary productivity and maintenance of life on Earth, boosting biological activity and contributing to the maintenance of the environment. In the past, traditional crop improvement was considered sufficient to meet food demands, but the growing demand for food coupled with climate change has modified this scenario over the past decades. However, advances in this area have not focused on photosynthesis per se but rather on fixed carbon partitioning. In short, other approaches must be used to meet an increasing agricultural demand. Thus, several paths may be followed, from modifications in leaf shape and canopy architecture, improving metabolic pathways related to CO2 fixation, the inclusion of metabolic mechanisms from other species, and improvements in energy uptake by plants. Given the recognized importance of photosynthesis, as the basis of the primary productivity on Earth, we here present an overview of the latest advances in attempts to improve plant photosynthetic performance. We focused on points considered key to the enhancement of photosynthesis, including leaf shape development, RuBisCO reengineering, Calvin-Benson cycle optimization, light use efficiency, the introduction of the C4 cycle in C3 plants and the inclusion of other CO2 concentrating mechanisms (CCMs). We further provide compelling evidence that there is still room for further improvements. Finally, we conclude this review by presenting future perspectives and possible new directions on this subject.
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36
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Yang S, Deng Y, Li S. Advances in plastid transformation for metabolic engineering in higher plants. ABIOTECH 2022; 3:224-232. [PMID: 36313931 PMCID: PMC9590572 DOI: 10.1007/s42994-022-00083-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
The plastid (chloroplast) genome of higher plants is an appealing target for metabolic engineering via genetic transformation. Although the bacterial-type plastid genome is small compared with the nuclear genome, it can accommodate large quantities of foreign genes that precisely integrate through homologous recombination. Engineering complex metabolic pathways in plants often requires simultaneous and concerted expression of multiple transgenes, the possibility of stacking several transgenes in synthetic operons makes the transplastomic approach amazing. The potential for extraordinarily high-level transgene expression, absence of epigenetic gene silencing and transgene containment due to the exclusion of plastids from pollen transmission in most angiosperm species further add to the attractiveness of plastid transformation technology. This minireview describes recent advances in expanding the toolboxes for plastid genome engineering, and highlights selected high-value metabolites produced using transplastomic plants, including artemisinin, astaxanthin and paclitaxel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062 China
| | - Yi Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062 China
| | - Shengchun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062 China
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37
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Maliga P. Engineering the plastid and mitochondrial genomes of flowering plants. NATURE PLANTS 2022; 8:996-1006. [PMID: 36038655 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-022-01227-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Engineering the plastid genome based on homologous recombination is well developed in a few model species. Homologous recombination is also the rule in mitochondria, but transformation of the mitochondrial genome has not been realized in the absence of selective markers. The application of transcription activator-like (TAL) effector-based tools brought about a dramatic change because they can be deployed from nuclear genes and targeted to plastids or mitochondria by an N-terminal targeting sequence. Recognition of the target site in the organellar genomes is ensured by the modular assembly of TALE repeats. In this paper, I review the applications of TAL effector nucleases and TAL effector cytidine deaminases for gene deletion, base editing and mutagenesis in plastids and mitochondria. I also review emerging technologies such as post-transcriptional RNA modification to regulate gene expression, Agrobacterium- and nanoparticle-mediated organellar genome transformation, and self-replicating organellar vectors as production platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pal Maliga
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
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38
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Hu D, Li X, Yang Z, Liu S, Hao D, Chao M, Zhang J, Yang H, Su X, Jiang M, Lu S, Zhang D, Wang L, Kan G, Wang H, Cheng H, Wang J, Huang F, Tian Z, Yu D. Downregulation of a gibberellin 3β-hydroxylase enhances photosynthesis and increases seed yield in soybean. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 235:502-517. [PMID: 35396723 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Seed yield, determined mainly by seed numbers and seed weight, is the primary target of soybean breeding. Identifying the genes underlying yield-related traits is of great significance. Through joint linkage mapping and a genome-wide association study for 100-seed weight, we cloned GmGA3ox1, a gene encoding gibberellin 3β-hydroxylase, which is the key enzyme in the gibberellin synthesis pathway. Genome resequencing identified a beneficial GmGA3ox1 haplotype contributing to high seed weight, which was further confirmed by soybean transformants. CRISPR/Cas9-generated gmga3ox1 mutants showed lower seed weight, but promoted seed yield by increasing seed numbers. The gmga3ox1 mutants reduced gibberellin biosynthesis while enhancing photosynthesis. Knockout of GmGA3ox1 resulted in the upregulation of numerous photosynthesis-related genes, particularly the GmRCA family encoding ribulose-1,5-bispho-sphate carboxylase-oxygenase (Rubisco) activases. The basic leucine zipper transcription factors GmbZIP97 and GmbZIP159, which were both upregulated in the gmga3ox1 mutants and induced by the gibberellin synthesis inhibitor uniconazole, could bind to the promoter of GmRCAβ and activate its expression. Analysis of genomic sequences with over 2700 soybean accessions suggested that GmGA3ox1 is being gradually utilized in modern breeding. Our results elucidated the important role of GmGA3ox1 in soybean yield. These findings reveal important clues for future high-yield breeding in soybean and other crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dezhou Hu
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Xiao Li
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Zhongyi Yang
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Shulin Liu
- Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Derong Hao
- Jiangsu Yanjiang Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Nantong, 226012, China
| | - Maoni Chao
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- Henan Collaborative Innovation Center of Modern Biological Breeding, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xingxiang, 453003, China
| | - Jinyu Zhang
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- Henan Collaborative Innovation Center of Modern Biological Breeding, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xingxiang, 453003, China
| | - Hui Yang
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Xiaoyue Su
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Mingyue Jiang
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Shaoqi Lu
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Dan Zhang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, China
| | - Li Wang
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Guizhen Kan
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Hui Wang
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Hao Cheng
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Jiao Wang
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Fang Huang
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Zhixi Tian
- Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Deyue Yu
- National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
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39
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Sharwood RE, Quick WP, Sargent D, Estavillo GM, Silva-Perez V, Furbank RT. Mining for allelic gold: finding genetic variation in photosynthetic traits in crops and wild relatives. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2022; 73:3085-3108. [PMID: 35274686 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Improvement of photosynthetic traits in crops to increase yield potential and crop resilience has recently become a major breeding target. Synthetic biology and genetic technologies offer unparalleled opportunities to create new genetics for photosynthetic traits driven by existing fundamental knowledge. However, large 'gene bank' collections of germplasm comprising historical collections of crop species and their relatives offer a wealth of opportunities to find novel allelic variation in the key steps of photosynthesis, to identify new mechanisms and to accelerate genetic progress in crop breeding programmes. Here we explore the available genetic resources in food and fibre crops, strategies to selectively target allelic variation in genes underpinning key photosynthetic processes, and deployment of this variation via gene editing in modern elite material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert E Sharwood
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - W Paul Quick
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
| | - Demi Sargent
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia
| | | | | | - Robert T Furbank
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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40
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Lin MT, Salihovic H, Clark FK, Hanson MR. Improving the efficiency of Rubisco by resurrecting its ancestors in the family Solanaceae. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm6871. [PMID: 35427154 PMCID: PMC9012466 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm6871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Plants and photosynthetic organisms have a remarkably inefficient enzyme named Rubisco that fixes atmospheric CO2 into organic compounds. Understanding how Rubisco has evolved in response to past climate change is important for attempts to adjust plants to future conditions. In this study, we developed a computational workflow to assemble de novo both large and small subunits of Rubisco enzymes from transcriptomics data. Next, we predicted sequences for ancestral Rubiscos of the (nightshade) family Solanaceae and characterized their kinetics after coexpressing them in Escherichia coli. Predicted ancestors of C3 Rubiscos were identified that have superior kinetics and excellent potential to help plants adapt to anthropogenic climate change. Our findings also advance understanding of the evolution of Rubisco's catalytic traits.
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41
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Brand A, Tissier A. Control of resource allocation between primary and specialized metabolism in glandular trichomes. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 66:102172. [PMID: 35144142 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2022.102172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Plant specialized metabolites are often synthesized and stored in dedicated morphological structures such as glandular trichomes, resin ducts, or laticifers where they accumulate in large concentrations. How this high productivity is achieved is still elusive, in particular, with respect to the interface between primary and specialized metabolism. Here, we focus on glandular trichomes to survey recent progress in understanding how plant metabolic cell factories manage to balance homeostasis of essential central metabolites while producing large quantities of compounds that constitute a metabolic sink. In particular, we review the role of gene duplications, transcription factors and photosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Brand
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Department of Cell and Metabolic Biology, Weinberg 3, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Alain Tissier
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Department of Cell and Metabolic Biology, Weinberg 3, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.
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42
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Bock R. Transplastomic approaches for metabolic engineering. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 66:102185. [PMID: 35183927 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2022.102185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The plastid (chloroplast) genome of seed plants represents an attractive target of metabolic pathway engineering by genetic transformation. Although the plastid genome is relatively small, it can accommodate large amounts of foreign DNA that precisely integrates via homologous recombination, and is largely excluded from pollen transmission due to the maternal mode of plastid inheritance. Since the engineering of metabolic pathways often requires the expression of multiple transgenes, the possibility to conveniently stack transgenes in synthetic operons makes the transplastomic technology particularly appealing in the area of metabolic engineering. Absence of epigenetic gene silencing mechanisms from plastids and the possibility to achieve high transgene expression levels further add to the attractiveness of plastid genome transformation. This review focuses on engineering principles and available tools for the transplastomic expression of enzymes and pathways, and highlights selected recent applications in metabolic engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralph Bock
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Am Mühlenberg 1, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany.
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43
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Ermakova M, Osborn H, Groszmann M, Bala S, Bowerman A, McGaughey S, Byrt C, Alonso-Cantabrana H, Tyerman S, Furbank RT, Sharwood RE, von Caemmerer S. Expression of a CO 2-permeable aquaporin enhances mesophyll conductance in the C 4 species Setaria viridis. eLife 2021; 10:70095. [PMID: 34842138 PMCID: PMC8648302 DOI: 10.7554/elife.70095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
A fundamental limitation of photosynthetic carbon fixation is the availability of CO2. In C4 plants, primary carboxylation occurs in mesophyll cytosol, and little is known about the role of CO2 diffusion in facilitating C4 photosynthesis. We have examined the expression, localization, and functional role of selected plasma membrane intrinsic aquaporins (PIPs) from Setaria italica (foxtail millet) and discovered that SiPIP2;7 is CO2-permeable. When ectopically expressed in mesophyll cells of Setaria viridis (green foxtail), SiPIP2;7 was localized to the plasma membrane and caused no marked changes in leaf biochemistry. Gas exchange and C18O16O discrimination measurements revealed that targeted expression of SiPIP2;7 enhanced the conductance to CO2 diffusion from the intercellular airspace to the mesophyll cytosol. Our results demonstrate that mesophyll conductance limits C4 photosynthesis at low pCO2 and that SiPIP2;7 is a functional CO2 permeable aquaporin that can improve CO2 diffusion at the airspace/mesophyll interface and enhance C4 photosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Ermakova
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of Biology, Canberra, Australia
| | - Hannah Osborn
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of Biology, Canberra, Australia
| | - Michael Groszmann
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of Biology, Canberra, Australia
| | - Soumi Bala
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of Biology, Canberra, Australia
| | - Andrew Bowerman
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of Biology, Canberra, Australia
| | - Samantha McGaughey
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of Biology, Canberra, Australia
| | - Caitlin Byrt
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of Biology, Canberra, Australia
| | - Hugo Alonso-Cantabrana
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of Biology, Canberra, Australia
| | - Steve Tyerman
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Agriculture Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Robert T Furbank
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of Biology, Canberra, Australia
| | - Robert E Sharwood
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of Biology, Canberra, Australia.,Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, Australia
| | - Susanne von Caemmerer
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Division of Plant Science, Research School of Biology, Canberra, Australia
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44
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Iñiguez C, Aguiló-Nicolau P, Galmés J. Improving photosynthesis through the enhancement of Rubisco carboxylation capacity. Biochem Soc Trans 2021; 49:2007-2019. [PMID: 34623388 DOI: 10.1042/bst20201056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Rising human population, along with the reduction in arable land and the impacts of global change, sets out the need for continuously improving agricultural resource use efficiency and crop yield (CY). Bioengineering approaches for photosynthesis optimization have largely demonstrated the potential for enhancing CY. This review is focused on the improvement of Rubisco functioning, which catalyzes the rate-limiting step of CO2 fixation required for plant growth, but also catalyzes the ribulose-bisphosphate oxygenation initiating the carbon and energy wasteful photorespiration pathway. Rubisco carboxylation capacity can be enhanced by engineering the Rubisco large and/or small subunit genes to improve its catalytic traits, or by engineering the mechanisms that provide enhanced Rubisco expression, activation and/or elevated [CO2] around the active sites to favor carboxylation over oxygenation. Recent advances have been made in the expression, assembly and activation of foreign (either natural or mutant) faster and/or more CO2-specific Rubisco versions. Some components of CO2 concentrating mechanisms (CCMs) from bacteria, algae and C4 plants has been successfully expressed in tobacco and rice. Still, none of the transformed plant lines expressing foreign Rubisco versions and/or simplified CCM components were able to grow faster than wild type plants under present atmospheric [CO2] and optimum conditions. However, the results obtained up to date suggest that it might be achievable in the near future. In addition, photosynthetic and yield improvements have already been observed when manipulating Rubisco quantity and activation degree in crops. Therefore, engineering Rubisco carboxylation capacity continues being a promising target for the improvement in photosynthesis and yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Concepción Iñiguez
- Research Group on Plant Biology Under Mediterranean Conditions, Universitat de les Illes Balears-INAGEA, Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Pere Aguiló-Nicolau
- Research Group on Plant Biology Under Mediterranean Conditions, Universitat de les Illes Balears-INAGEA, Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain
| | - Jeroni Galmés
- Research Group on Plant Biology Under Mediterranean Conditions, Universitat de les Illes Balears-INAGEA, Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain
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45
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Iqbal WA, Miller IG, Moore RL, Hope IJ, Cowan-Turner D, Kapralov MV. Rubisco substitutions predicted to enhance crop performance through carbon uptake modelling. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2021; 72:6066-6075. [PMID: 34115846 PMCID: PMC8411856 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erab278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Improving the performance of the CO2-fixing enzyme Rubisco is among the targets for increasing crop yields. Here, Earth system model (ESM) representations of canopy C3 and C4 photosynthesis were combined with species-specific Rubisco parameters to quantify the consequences of bioengineering foreign Rubiscos into C3 and C4 crops under field conditions. The 'two big leaf' (sunlit/shaded) model for canopy photosynthesis was used together with species-specific Rubisco kinetic parameters including maximum rate (Kcat), Michaelis-Menten constant for CO2 at ambient atmospheric O2 (Kc21%O2), specificity for CO2 to O2 (Sc/o), and associated heat activation (Ha) values. Canopy-scale consequences of replacing native Rubiscos in wheat, maize, and sugar beet with foreign enzymes from 27 species were modelled using data from Ameriflux and Fluxnet databases. Variation among the included Rubisco kinetics differentially affected modelled carbon uptake rates, and Rubiscos from several species of C4 grasses showed the greatest potential of >50% carbon uptake improvement in wheat, and >25% improvement in sugar beet and maize. This study also reaffirms the need for data on fully characterized Rubiscos from more species, and for better parameterization of 'Vcmax' and temperature response of 'Jmax' in ESMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wasim A Iqbal
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
- Correspondence:
| | - Isabel G Miller
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Rebecca L Moore
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Iain J Hope
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Daniel Cowan-Turner
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Maxim V Kapralov
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
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Mahapatra K, Banerjee S, De S, Mitra M, Roy P, Roy S. An Insight Into the Mechanism of Plant Organelle Genome Maintenance and Implications of Organelle Genome in Crop Improvement: An Update. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:671698. [PMID: 34447743 PMCID: PMC8383295 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.671698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Besides the nuclear genome, plants possess two small extra chromosomal genomes in mitochondria and chloroplast, respectively, which contribute a small fraction of the organelles’ proteome. Both mitochondrial and chloroplast DNA have originated endosymbiotically and most of their prokaryotic genes were either lost or transferred to the nuclear genome through endosymbiotic gene transfer during the course of evolution. Due to their immobile nature, plant nuclear and organellar genomes face continuous threat from diverse exogenous agents as well as some reactive by-products or intermediates released from various endogenous metabolic pathways. These factors eventually affect the overall plant growth and development and finally productivity. The detailed mechanism of DNA damage response and repair following accumulation of various forms of DNA lesions, including single and double-strand breaks (SSBs and DSBs) have been well documented for the nuclear genome and now it has been extended to the organelles also. Recently, it has been shown that both mitochondria and chloroplast possess a counterpart of most of the nuclear DNA damage repair pathways and share remarkable similarities with different damage repair proteins present in the nucleus. Among various repair pathways, homologous recombination (HR) is crucial for the repair as well as the evolution of organellar genomes. Along with the repair pathways, various other factors, such as the MSH1 and WHIRLY family proteins, WHY1, WHY2, and WHY3 are also known to be involved in maintaining low mutation rates and structural integrity of mitochondrial and chloroplast genome. SOG1, the central regulator in DNA damage response in plants, has also been found to mediate endoreduplication and cell-cycle progression through chloroplast to nucleus retrograde signaling in response to chloroplast genome instability. Various proteins associated with the maintenance of genome stability are targeted to both nuclear and organellar compartments, establishing communication between organelles as well as organelles and nucleus. Therefore, understanding the mechanism of DNA damage repair and inter compartmental crosstalk mechanism in various sub-cellular organelles following induction of DNA damage and identification of key components of such signaling cascades may eventually be translated into strategies for crop improvement under abiotic and genotoxic stress conditions. This review mainly highlights the current understanding as well as the importance of different aspects of organelle genome maintenance mechanisms in higher plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalyan Mahapatra
- Department of Botany, UGC Center for Advanced Studies, The University of Burdwan, Burdwan, India
| | - Samrat Banerjee
- Department of Botany, UGC Center for Advanced Studies, The University of Burdwan, Burdwan, India
| | - Sayanti De
- Department of Botany, UGC Center for Advanced Studies, The University of Burdwan, Burdwan, India
| | - Mehali Mitra
- Department of Botany, UGC Center for Advanced Studies, The University of Burdwan, Burdwan, India
| | - Pinaki Roy
- Department of Botany, UGC Center for Advanced Studies, The University of Burdwan, Burdwan, India
| | - Sujit Roy
- Department of Botany, UGC Center for Advanced Studies, The University of Burdwan, Burdwan, India
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Lodeyro AF, Krapp AR, Carrillo N. Photosynthesis and chloroplast redox signaling in the age of global warming: stress tolerance, acclimation, and developmental plasticity. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2021; 72:5919-5937. [PMID: 34111246 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erab270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Contemporary climate change is characterized by the increased intensity and frequency of environmental stress events such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves, which have a debilitating impact on photosynthesis and growth, compromising the production of food, feed, and biofuels for an expanding population. The need to increase crop productivity in the context of global warming has fueled attempts to improve several key plant features such as photosynthetic performance, assimilate partitioning, and tolerance to environmental stresses. Chloroplast redox metabolism, including photosynthetic electron transport and CO2 reductive assimilation, are primary targets of most stress conditions, leading to excessive excitation pressure, photodamage, and propagation of reactive oxygen species. Alterations in chloroplast redox poise, in turn, provide signals that exit the plastid and modulate plant responses to the environmental conditions. Understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in these processes could provide novel tools to increase crop yield in suboptimal environments. We describe herein various interventions into chloroplast redox networks that resulted in increased tolerance to multiple sources of environmental stress. They included manipulation of endogenous components and introduction of electron carriers from other organisms, which affected not only stress endurance but also leaf size and longevity. The resulting scenario indicates that chloroplast redox pathways have an important impact on plant growth, development, and defense that goes beyond their roles in primary metabolism. Manipulation of these processes provides additional strategies for the design of crops with improved performance under destabilized climate conditions as foreseen for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anabella F Lodeyro
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-UNR/CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Adriana R Krapp
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-UNR/CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Néstor Carrillo
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-UNR/CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Rosario, Argentina
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48
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The Mechanism of Rubisco Catalyzed Carboxylation Reaction: Chemical Aspects Involving Acid-Base Chemistry and Functioning of the Molecular Machine. Catalysts 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/catal11070813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, a great deal of attention has been paid by the scientific community to improving the efficiency of photosynthetic carbon assimilation, plant growth and biomass production in order to achieve a higher crop productivity. Therefore, the primary carboxylase enzyme of the photosynthetic process Rubisco has received considerable attention focused on many aspects of the enzyme function including protein structure, protein engineering and assembly, enzyme activation and kinetics. Based on its fundamental role in carbon assimilation Rubisco is also targeted by the CO2-fertilization effect, which is the increased rate of photosynthesis due to increasing atmospheric CO2-concentration. The aim of this review is to provide a framework, as complete as possible, of the mechanism of the RuBP carboxylation/hydration reaction including description of chemical events occurring at the enzyme “activating” and “catalytic” sites (which involve Broensted acid-base reactions) and the functioning of the complex molecular machine. Important research results achieved over the last few years providing substantial advancement in understanding the enzyme functioning will be discussed.
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49
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Bouvier JW, Emms DM, Rhodes T, Bolton JS, Brasnett A, Eddershaw A, Nielsen JR, Unitt A, Whitney SM, Kelly S. Rubisco Adaptation Is More Limited by Phylogenetic Constraint Than by Catalytic Trade-off. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:2880-2896. [PMID: 33739416 PMCID: PMC8233502 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Rubisco assimilates CO2 to form the sugars that fuel life on earth. Correlations between rubisco kinetic traits across species have led to the proposition that rubisco adaptation is highly constrained by catalytic trade-offs. However, these analyses did not consider the phylogenetic context of the enzymes that were analyzed. Thus, it is possible that the correlations observed were an artefact of the presence of phylogenetic signal in rubisco kinetics and the phylogenetic relationship between the species that were sampled. Here, we conducted a phylogenetically resolved analysis of rubisco kinetics and show that there is a significant phylogenetic signal in rubisco kinetic traits. We re-evaluated the extent of catalytic trade-offs accounting for this phylogenetic signal and found that all were attenuated. Following phylogenetic correction, the largest catalytic trade-offs were observed between the Michaelis constant for CO2 and carboxylase turnover (∼21-37%), and between the Michaelis constants for CO2 and O2 (∼9-19%), respectively. All other catalytic trade-offs were substantially attenuated such that they were marginal (<9%) or non-significant. This phylogenetically resolved analysis of rubisco kinetic evolution also identified kinetic changes that occur concomitant with the evolution of C4 photosynthesis. Finally, we show that phylogenetic constraints have played a larger role than catalytic trade-offs in limiting the evolution of rubisco kinetics. Thus, although there is strong evidence for some catalytic trade-offs, rubisco adaptation has been more limited by phylogenetic constraint than by the combined action of all catalytic trade-offs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacques W Bouvier
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Doctoral Training Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - David M Emms
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Timothy Rhodes
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Jai S Bolton
- Doctoral Training Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Amelia Brasnett
- Doctoral Training Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Alice Eddershaw
- Doctoral Training Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jochem R Nielsen
- Doctoral Training Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Anastasia Unitt
- Doctoral Training Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Spencer M Whitney
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Steven Kelly
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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50
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Lin MT, Orr DJ, Worrall D, Parry MAJ, Carmo-Silva E, Hanson MR. A procedure to introduce point mutations into the Rubisco large subunit gene in wild-type plants. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 106:876-887. [PMID: 33576096 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthetic inefficiencies limit the productivity and sustainability of crop production and the resilience of agriculture to future societal and environmental challenges. Rubisco is a key target for improvement as it plays a central role in carbon fixation during photosynthesis and is remarkably inefficient. Introduction of mutations to the chloroplast-encoded Rubisco large subunit rbcL is of particular interest for improving the catalytic activity and efficiency of the enzyme. However, manipulation of rbcL is hampered by its location in the plastome, with many species recalcitrant to plastome transformation, and by the plastid's efficient repair system, which can prevent effective maintenance of mutations introduced with homologous recombination. Here we present a system where the introduction of a number of silent mutations into rbcL within the model plant Nicotiana tabacum facilitates simplified screening via additional restriction enzyme sites. This system was used to successfully generate a range of transplastomic lines from wild-type N. tabacum with stable point mutations within rbcL in 40% of the transformants, allowing assessment of the effect of these mutations on Rubisco assembly and activity. With further optimization the approach offers a viable way forward for mutagenic testing of Rubisco function in planta within tobacco and modification of rbcL in other crops where chloroplast transformation is feasible. The transformation strategy could also be applied to introduce point mutations in other chloroplast-encoded genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myat T Lin
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Douglas J Orr
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Library Avenue, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK
| | - Dawn Worrall
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Library Avenue, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK
| | - Martin A J Parry
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Library Avenue, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK
| | - Elizabete Carmo-Silva
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Library Avenue, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK
| | - Maureen R Hanson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
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