1
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Sharma V, Ali MF, Kawashima T. Insights into dynamic coenocytic endosperm development: Unraveling molecular, cellular, and growth complexity. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 81:102566. [PMID: 38830335 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2024.102566] [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: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
The endosperm, a product of double fertilization, is one of the keys to the evolution and success of angiosperms in conquering the land. While there are differences in endosperm development among flowering plants, the most common form is coenocytic growth, where the endosperm initially undergoes nuclear division without cytokinesis and eventually becomes cellularized. This complex process requires interplay among networks of transcription factors such as MADS-box, auxin response factors (ARFs), and phytohormones. The role of cytoskeletal elements in shaping the coenocytic endosperm and influencing seed growth also becomes evident. This review offers a recent understanding of the molecular and cellular dynamics in coenocytic endosperm development and their contributions to the final seed size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijyesh Sharma
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Mohammad Foteh Ali
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Tomokazu Kawashima
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
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2
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Li X, Sun M, Cui Z, Jiang Y, Yang L, Jiang Y. Transcription factor ZmNAC19 promotes embryo development in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2024; 43:244. [PMID: 39340665 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-024-03335-3] [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: 08/21/2024] [Accepted: 09/17/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE Overexpression of ZmNAC19, a NAC transcription factor gene from maize, improves embryo development in transgenic Arabidopsis. NAC proteins are plant-specific transcription factors that are involved in multiple aspects of plant growth, development and stress response. Although functions of many NAC transcription factors have been elucidated, little is known about their roles in seed development. In this study, we report the function of a maize NAC transcription factor ZmNAC19 in seed development. ZmNAC19 is highly expressed in embryos of developing maize seeds. ZmNAC19 localizes to nucleus and exhibits transactivation activity in yeast cells. Overexpression of ZmNAC19 in Arabidopsis significantly increases seed size and seed yield. During 3 to 7 days after flowering, embryos of ZmNAC19-overexpression Arabidopsis lines developed faster compared to Col-0, while no visible differences were detected for their endosperms. Furthermore, overexpression of ZmNAC19 in Arabidopsis leads to increased transcription levels of two embryo development-related genes YUC1 and RGE1, and several elements proven to be binding sites of NAC transcription factors were observed in promoters of these two genes. Taken together, these results suggest that ZmNAC19 acts as a positive regulator in plant embryo development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiulan Li
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, China.
| | - Mengdi Sun
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, China
| | - Zhenhao Cui
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, China
| | - Yuhan Jiang
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, China
| | - Lingkun Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, China
| | - Yueshui Jiang
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, China.
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3
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Guo W, Yang K, Ye H, Yao J, Li J. WRKY10 Regulates Seed Size through the miR397a-LAC2 Module in Arabidopsis thaliana. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:1040. [PMID: 39202400 PMCID: PMC11354073 DOI: 10.3390/genes15081040] [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: 06/26/2024] [Revised: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024] Open
Abstract
In angiosperms, seed size is a critical trait that is influenced by the complex interplay between the endosperm and seed coat. The HAIKU (IKU) pathway, involving the transcription factor WRKY10, plays a crucial role in regulating seed size in Arabidopsis thaliana. However, the downstream targets of WRKY10 and their roles in seed size determination remain largely unexplored. Here, we identified LACCASE2 (LAC2), a laccase gene involved in lignin biosynthesis, as a new downstream target of WRKY10. We observed that the expression of LAC2 was upregulated in the mini3 mutant, which is defective in WRKY10. We demonstrated that WRKY10 directly binds to the promoter of miR397a, activating its expression. miR397a, in turn, represses the expression of LAC2. Genetic analyses revealed that a mutation in LAC2 or overexpression of miR397a partially rescued the small seed phenotype of the MINISEED3 (MINI3) mutant mini3. Conversely, the overexpression of LAC2 in the wild type led to a decrease in seed size. These findings suggest that LAC2 functions as a negative regulator of seed size, and its expression is modulated by WRKY10 through miR397a. Our study uncovers a novel WRKY10-miR397a-LAC2 pathway that regulates seed size in Arabidopsis, providing new insights into the complex regulatory network governing seed development in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbin Guo
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication, Hainan University, Sanya 572025, China
- School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
- Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, Sanya 572025, China
| | - Ke Yang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication, Hainan University, Sanya 572025, China
- School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
- Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, Sanya 572025, China
| | - Hang Ye
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jialing Yao
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jing Li
- Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication, Hainan University, Sanya 572025, China
- School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
- Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, Sanya 572025, China
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4
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Yang K, Tang Y, Li Y, Guo W, Hu Z, Wang X, Berger F, Li J. Two imprinted genes primed by DEMETER in the central cell and activated by WRKY10 in the endosperm. J Genet Genomics 2024; 51:855-865. [PMID: 38599515 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2024.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
The early development of the endosperm is crucial for balancing the allocation of maternal nutrients to offspring. This process is believed to be evolutionarily associated with genomic imprinting, resulting in parentally biased allelic gene expression. Beyond FertilizationIndependentSeed (FIS) genes, the number of imprinted genes involved in early endosperm development and seed size determination remains limited. This study introduces early endosperm-expressed HAIKU (IKU) downstream Candidate F-box 1 (ICF1) and ICF2 as maternally expressed imprinted genes (MEGs) in Arabidopsis thaliana. Although these genes are also demethylated by DEMETER (DME) in the central cell, their activation differs from the direct DME-mediated activation seen in classical MEGs such as the FIS genes. Instead, ICF maternal alleles carry pre-established hypomethylation in their promoters, priming them for activation by the WRKY10 transcription factor in the endosperm. On the contrary, paternal alleles are predominantly suppressed by CG methylation. Furthermore, we find that ICF genes partially contribute to the small seed size observed in iku mutants. Our discovery reveals a two-step regulatory mechanism that highlights the important role of conventional transcription factors in the activation of imprinted genes, which was previously not fully recognized. Therefore, the mechanism provides a new dimension to understand the transcriptional regulation of imprinting in plant reproduction and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Yang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China; Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication, Hainan University, Sanya, Hainan 572025, China; School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan 570228, China; Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, Sanya, Hainan 572025, China
| | - Yuling Tang
- Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication, Hainan University, Sanya, Hainan 572025, China; School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan 570228, China; Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, Sanya, Hainan 572025, China
| | - Yue Li
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Wenbin Guo
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Zhengdao Hu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Xuanpeng Wang
- Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication, Hainan University, Sanya, Hainan 572025, China; School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan 570228, China; Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, Sanya, Hainan 572025, China
| | - Frédéric Berger
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jing Li
- Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication, Hainan University, Sanya, Hainan 572025, China; School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan 570228, China; Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, Sanya, Hainan 572025, China.
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Zhang S, Mohanty D, Muzaffar A, Ni M. Two MADS-box proteins, AGL9 and AGL15, recruit the FIS-PRC2 complex to trigger the phase transition from endosperm proliferation to embryo development in Arabidopsis. MOLECULAR PLANT 2024; 17:1110-1128. [PMID: 38825830 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2024.05.011] [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: 11/12/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Spatiotemporal regulation of gene expression by polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is critical for animal and plant development. The Arabidopsis fertilization independent seed (FIS)-PRC2 complex functions specifically during plant reproduction from gametogenesis to seed development. After a double fertilization event, triploid endosperm proliferates early, followed by the growth of a diploid embryo, which replaces the endosperm in Arabidopsis and many dicots. Key genes critical for endosperm proliferation such as IKU2 and MINI3 are activated after fertilization. Here we report that two MADS-box AGAMOUS-LIKE (AGL) proteins associate with the key endosperm proliferation loci and recruit the FIS-PRC2 repressive complex at 4-5 days after pollination (DAP). Interestingly, AGL9 and AGL15 only accumulate toward the end of endosperm proliferation at 4-5 DAP and promote the deposition of H3K27me3 marks at key endosperm proliferation loci. Disruption of AGL9 and AGL15 or overexpression of AGL9 or AGL15 significantly influence endosperm proliferation and cellularization. Genome-wide analysis with cleavage Under Targets and tagmentation (CUT&Tag) sequencing and RNA sequencing revealed the landscape of endosperm H3K27me3 marks and gene expression profiles in Col-0 and agl9 agl15. CUT&Tag qPCR also demonstrated the occupancy of the two MADS-box proteins and FIS-PRC2 on a few representative target loci. Our studies suggest that MADS-box proteins could potentially recruit PRC2 to regulate many other developmental processes in plants or even in fungi and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shen Zhang
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota at Twin Cities, Saint Paul, Minnesota MN 55108, United States of AmericaUSA
| | - Devasantosh Mohanty
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota at Twin Cities, Saint Paul, Minnesota MN 55108, United States of AmericaUSA
| | - Adnan Muzaffar
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota at Twin Cities, Saint Paul, Minnesota MN 55108, United States of AmericaUSA
| | - Min Ni
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota at Twin Cities, Saint Paul, Minnesota MN 55108, United States of AmericaUSA.
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Boccaccini A, Cimini S, Kazmi H, Lepri A, Longo C, Lorrai R, Vittorioso P. When Size Matters: New Insights on How Seed Size Can Contribute to the Early Stages of Plant Development. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:1793. [PMID: 38999633 PMCID: PMC11244240 DOI: 10.3390/plants13131793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2024] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
The seed habit is the most complex and successful method of sexual reproduction in vascular plants. It represents a remarkable moment in the evolution of plants that afterward spread on land. In particular, seed size had a pivotal role in evolutionary success and agronomic traits, especially in the field of crop domestication. Given that crop seeds constitute one of the primary products for consumption, it follows that seed size represents a fundamental determinant of crop yield. This adaptative feature is strictly controlled by genetic traits from both maternal and zygotic tissues, although seed development and growth are also affected by environmental cues. Despite being a highly exploited topic for both basic and applied research, there are still many issues to be elucidated for developmental biology as well as for agronomic science. This review addresses a number of open questions related to cues that influence seed growth and size and how they influence seed germination. Moreover, new insights on the genetic-molecular control of this adaptive trait are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Boccaccini
- Department of Science and Technology for Sustainable Development and One Health, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, via Álvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Rome, Italy; (A.B.); (S.C.)
| | - Sara Cimini
- Department of Science and Technology for Sustainable Development and One Health, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, via Álvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Rome, Italy; (A.B.); (S.C.)
| | - Hira Kazmi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (H.K.); (A.L.); (C.L.); (R.L.)
| | - Andrea Lepri
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (H.K.); (A.L.); (C.L.); (R.L.)
| | - Chiara Longo
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (H.K.); (A.L.); (C.L.); (R.L.)
| | - Riccardo Lorrai
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (H.K.); (A.L.); (C.L.); (R.L.)
| | - Paola Vittorioso
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (H.K.); (A.L.); (C.L.); (R.L.)
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7
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Tan Q, Zhao M, Gao J, Li K, Zhang M, Li Y, Liu Z, Song Y, Lu X, Zhu Z, Lin R, Yin P, Zhou C, Wang G. AtVQ25 promotes salicylic acid-related leaf senescence by fine-tuning the self-repression of AtWRKY53. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 66:1126-1147. [PMID: 38629459 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Most mechanistic details of chronologically ordered regulation of leaf senescence are unknown. Regulatory networks centered on AtWRKY53 are crucial for orchestrating and integrating various senescence-related signals. Notably, AtWRKY53 binds to its own promoter and represses transcription of AtWRKY53, but the biological significance and mechanism underlying this self-repression remain unclear. In this study, we identified the VQ motif-containing protein AtVQ25 as a cooperator of AtWRKY53. The expression level of AtVQ25 peaked at mature stage and was specifically repressed after the onset of leaf senescence. AtVQ25-overexpressing plants and atvq25 mutants displayed precocious and delayed leaf senescence, respectively. Importantly, we identified AtWRKY53 as an interacting partner of AtVQ25. We determined that interaction between AtVQ25 and AtWRKY53 prevented AtWRKY53 from binding to W-box elements on the AtWRKY53 promoter and thus counteracted the self-repression of AtWRKY53. In addition, our RNA-sequencing data revealed that the AtVQ25-AtWRKY53 module is related to the salicylic acid (SA) pathway. Precocious leaf senescence and SA-induced leaf senescence in AtVQ25-overexpressing lines were inhibited by an SA pathway mutant, atsid2, and NahG transgenic plants; AtVQ25-overexpressing/atwrky53 plants were also insensitive to SA-induced leaf senescence. Collectively, we demonstrated that AtVQ25 directly attenuates the self-repression of AtWRKY53 during the onset of leaf senescence, which is substantially helpful for understanding the timing of leaf senescence onset modulated by AtWRKY53.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Tan
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Hebei Collaboration Innovation Center for Cell Signaling and Environmental Adaptation, Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Mingming Zhao
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Hebei Collaboration Innovation Center for Cell Signaling and Environmental Adaptation, Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
- College of Chemical Engineering, Shijiazhuang University, Shijiazhuang, 050035, China
| | - Jingwei Gao
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Hebei Collaboration Innovation Center for Cell Signaling and Environmental Adaptation, Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Ke Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Hebei Collaboration Innovation Center for Cell Signaling and Environmental Adaptation, Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Mengwei Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Hebei Collaboration Innovation Center for Cell Signaling and Environmental Adaptation, Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Yunjia Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Hebei Collaboration Innovation Center for Cell Signaling and Environmental Adaptation, Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Zeting Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Hebei Collaboration Innovation Center for Cell Signaling and Environmental Adaptation, Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Yujia Song
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Hebei Collaboration Innovation Center for Cell Signaling and Environmental Adaptation, Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Xiaoyue Lu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Hebei Collaboration Innovation Center for Cell Signaling and Environmental Adaptation, Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Zhengge Zhu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Hebei Collaboration Innovation Center for Cell Signaling and Environmental Adaptation, Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Rongcheng Lin
- Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Pengcheng Yin
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Hebei Collaboration Innovation Center for Cell Signaling and Environmental Adaptation, Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Chunjiang Zhou
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Hebei Collaboration Innovation Center for Cell Signaling and Environmental Adaptation, Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Geng Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Hebei Collaboration Innovation Center for Cell Signaling and Environmental Adaptation, Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
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8
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Zhai M, Ao Z, Qu H, Guo D. Overexpression of the potato VQ31 enhances salt tolerance in Arabidopsis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1347861. [PMID: 38645398 PMCID: PMC11027747 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1347861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Plant-specific VQ proteins have crucial functions in the regulation of plant growth and development, as well as in plant abiotic stress responses. Their roles have been well established in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana; however, the functions of the potato VQ proteins have not been adequately investigated. The VQ protein core region contains a short FxxhVQxhTG amino acid motif sequence. In this study, the VQ31 protein from potato was cloned and functionally characterized. The complete open reading frame (ORF) size of StVQ31 is 672 bp, encoding 223 amino acids. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that StVQ31 is located in the nucleus. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing StVQ31 exhibited enhanced salt tolerance compared to wild-type (WT) plants, as evidenced by increased root length, germination rate, and chlorophyll content under salinity stress. The increased tolerance of transgenic plants was associated with increased osmotic potential (proline and soluble sugars), decreased MDA accumulation, decreased total protein content, and improved membrane integrity. These results implied that StVQ31 overexpression enhanced the osmotic potential of the plants to maintain normal cell growth. Compared to the WT, the transgenic plants exhibited a notable increase in antioxidant enzyme activities, reducing cell membrane damage. Furthermore, the real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR analysis demonstrated that StVQ31 regulated the expression of genes associated with the response to salt stress, including ERD, LEA4-5, At2g38905, and AtNCED3. These findings suggest that StVQ31 significantly impacts osmotic and antioxidant cellular homeostasis, thereby enhancing salt tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Dongwei Guo
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
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9
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Gao Z, Geng X, Xiang L, Shao C, Geng Q, Wu J, Yang Q, Liu S, Chen X. TaVQ22 Interacts with TaWRKY19-2B to Negatively Regulate Wheat Resistance to Sheath Blight. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2024; 114:454-463. [PMID: 38394356 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-02-23-0058-fi] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Wheat sheath blight caused by the necrotic fungal pathogen Rhizoctonia cerealis is responsible for severe damage to bread wheat. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are vital for stress resistance by plants and their homeostasis plays an important role in wheat resistance to sheath blight. Valine-glutamine (VQ) proteins play important roles in plant growth and development, and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the functional mechanism mediated by wheat VQ protein in response to sheath blight via ROS homeostasis regulation is unclear. In this study, we identified TaVQ22 protein containing the VQ motif and clarified the functional mechanisms involved in the defense of wheat against R. cerealis. TaVQ22 silencing reduced the accumulation of ROS and enhanced the resistance of wheat to R. cerealis. In addition, we showed that TaVQ22 regulated ROS generation by interacting with the WRKY transcription factor TaWRKY19-2B, thereby indicating that TaVQ22 and TaWRKY19-2B formed complexes in the plant cell nucleus. Yeast two-hybrid analysis showed that the VQ motif in TaVQ22 is crucial for the interaction, where it inhibits the transcriptional activation function of TaWRKY19-2B. In summary, TaVQ22 interacts with TaWRKY19-2B to regulate ROS homeostasis and negatively regulate the defense response to R. cerealis infection. This study provides novel insights into the mechanism that allows VQ protein to mediate the immune response in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Gao
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering for Plant Breeding, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xingxia Geng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biofunctional Molecules, College of Life Science and Chemistry, Jiangsu Second Normal University, 77 West Beijing Road, Nanjing 210013, China
| | - Linrun Xiang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering for Plant Breeding, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chunyu Shao
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering for Plant Breeding, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qiang Geng
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering for Plant Breeding, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jun Wu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering for Plant Breeding, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qunhui Yang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering for Plant Breeding, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shuhui Liu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering for Plant Breeding, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xinhong Chen
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering for Plant Breeding, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
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10
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Zhang J, Zhang Z, Zhang R, Yang C, Zhang X, Chang S, Chen Q, Rossi V, Zhao L, Xiao J, Xin M, Du J, Guo W, Hu Z, Liu J, Peng H, Ni Z, Sun Q, Yao Y. Type I MADS-box transcription factor TaMADS-GS regulates grain size by stabilizing cytokinin signalling during endosperm cellularization in wheat. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2024; 22:200-215. [PMID: 37752705 PMCID: PMC10754016 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14180] [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: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Grain size is one of the important traits in wheat breeding programs aimed at improving yield, and cytokinins, mainly involved in cell division, have a positive impact on grain size. Here, we identified a novel wheat gene TaMADS-GS encoding type I MADS-box transcription factor, which regulates the cytokinins signalling pathway during early stages of grain development to modulate grain size and weight in wheat. TaMADS-GS is exclusively expressed in grains at early stage of seed development and its knockout leads to delayed endosperm cellularization, smaller grain size and lower grain weight. TaMADS-GS protein interacts with the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) and leads to repression of genes encoding cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenases (CKXs) stimulating cytokinins inactivation by mediating accumulation of the histone H3 trimethylation at lysine 27 (H3K27me3). Through the screening of a large wheat germplasm collection, an elite allele of the TaMADS-GS exhibits higher ability to repress expression of genes inactivating cytokinins and a positive correlation with grain size and weight, thus representing a novel marker for breeding programs in wheat. Overall, these findings support the relevance of TaMADS-GS as a key regulator of wheat grain size and weight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianing Zhang
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Zhaoheng Zhang
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Ruijie Zhang
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Changfeng Yang
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Xiaobang Zhang
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Siyuan Chang
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Qian Chen
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Vincenzo Rossi
- Council for Agricultural Research and EconomicsResearch Centre for Cereal and Industrial CropsBergamoItaly
| | - Long Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Jun Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Mingming Xin
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Jinkun Du
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Weilong Guo
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Zhaorong Hu
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Jie Liu
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Huiru Peng
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Zhongfu Ni
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Qixin Sun
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Yingyin Yao
- Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
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11
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Tian J, Zhang J, Francis F. The role and pathway of VQ family in plant growth, immunity, and stress response. PLANTA 2023; 259:16. [PMID: 38078967 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-023-04292-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: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
MAIN CONCLUSION This review provides a detailed description of the function and mechanism of VQ family gene, which is helpful for further research and application of VQ gene resources to improve crops. Valine-glutamine (VQ) motif-containing proteins are a large class of transcriptional regulatory cofactors. VQ proteins have their own unique molecular characteristics. Amino acids are highly conserved only in the VQ domain, while other positions vary greatly. Most VQ genes do not contain introns and the length of their proteins is less than 300 amino acids. A majority of VQ proteins are predicted to be localized in the nucleus. The promoter of many VQ genes contains stress or growth related elements. Segment duplication and tandem duplication are the main amplification mechanisms of the VQ gene family in angiosperms and gymnosperms, respectively. Purification selection plays a crucial role in the evolution of many VQ genes. By interacting with WRKY, MAPK, and other proteins, VQ proteins participate in the multiple signaling pathways to regulate plant growth and development, as well as defense responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Although there have been some reports on the VQ gene family in plants, most of them only identify family members, with little functional verification, and there is also a lack of complete, detailed, and up-to-date review of research progress. Here, we comprehensively summarized the research progress of VQ genes that have been published so far, mainly including their molecular characteristics, biological functions, importance of VQ motif, and working mechanisms. Finally, the regulatory network and model of VQ genes were drawn, a precise molecular breeding strategy based on VQ genes was proposed, and the current problems and future prospects were pointed out, providing a powerful reference for further research and utilization of VQ genes in plant improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfu Tian
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium.
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, 100081, China.
| | - Jiahui Zhang
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Frédéric Francis
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium
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12
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Chen SP, Kuo YW, Lin JS. Review: Defense responses in sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) against biotic stress. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 337:111893. [PMID: 37813194 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2023.111893] [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: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is regarded as amongst the world's most important crops for food, vegetable, forage, and raw material for starch and alcohol production. Since pest attack and disease infection are the main limiting aspects frequently causing the yield loss and quality degradation of sweetpotato, it is a great demand to develop the effective defense strategies for maintaining productivity. In the past decade, many studies have focused on dynamic analysis at the physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses of sweetpotatoes to environmental challenges. This review offers an overview of the defense mechanisms against biotic stresses in sweetpotato observed so far, particularly insect herbivory and pathogen infections. The defenses of sweetpotato include the regulation of the toxic and anti-digestive proteins, plant-derived compounds, physical barrier formation, and sugar distribution. Ipomoelin and sporamin have been extensively researched for the defense against herbivore wounding. Herbivory-induced plant volatiles, chlorogenic acid, and latex phytochemicals play important roles in defenses for insect herbivory. Induction of IbSWEET10 reduces sugar content to mediate F. oxysporum resistance. Therefore, these researches provide the genetic strategies for improving resistance bioengineering and breeding of sweetpotato crops and future prospects for research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Peng Chen
- Department of Horticulture and Biotechnology, Chinese Culture University, Taipei 11114, Taiwan.
| | - Yun-Wei Kuo
- Department of Agronomy, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan.
| | - Jeng-Shane Lin
- Department of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan; Advanced Plant and Food Crop Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan.
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13
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Gayubas B, Castillo MC, Ramos S, León J. Enhanced meristem development, tolerance to oxidative stress and hyposensitivity to nitric oxide in the hypermorphic vq10-H mutant in AtVQ10 gene. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2023; 46:3445-3463. [PMID: 37565511 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen are common factors in multiple plant responses to stress, and their involvement in hypoxia-triggered responses is key to ensure growth under adverse environmental conditions. Here, we analyse the regulatory functions exerted by hypoxia-, NO- and oxidative stress-inducible Arabidopsis gene coding for the VQ motif-containing protein 10 (VQ10). A hypermorphic vq10-H mutant allowed identifying VQ10-exerted regulation on root and shoot development as well as its role in regulating responses to NO and oxidative stress. Enhanced VQ10 expression in vq10-H plants led to enhanced elongation of the primary root, and increased root cell division and meristem size during early postgermination development. In shoots, VQ10 activation of cell division was counteracted by WRKY33-exerted repression, thus leading to a dwarf bushy phenotype in plants with enhanced VQ10 expression in a wrky33 knock-out background. Low number of differentially expressed genes were identified when vq10-H versus Col-0 plants were compared either under normoxia or hypoxia. vq10-H and VQ10ox plants displayed less tolerance to submergence but, in turn, were more tolerant to oxidative stress and less sensitive to NO than wild-type plants. VQ10 could be a node integrating redox-related regulation on development and stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Gayubas
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Politécnica de Valencia), Valencia, Spain
| | - Mari-Cruz Castillo
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Politécnica de Valencia), Valencia, Spain
| | - Sara Ramos
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Politécnica de Valencia), Valencia, Spain
| | - José León
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Politécnica de Valencia), Valencia, Spain
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14
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Tian J, Zhang J, Francis F. Large-Scale Identification and Characterization Analysis of VQ Family Genes in Plants, Especially Gymnosperms. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14968. [PMID: 37834416 PMCID: PMC10573558 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
VQ motif-containing (VQ) proteins are a class of transcription regulatory cofactors widely present in plants, playing crucial roles in growth and development, stress response, and defense. Although there have been some reports on the member identification and functional research of VQ genes in some plants, there is still a lack of large-scale identification and clear graphical presentation of their basic characterization information to help us to better understand this family. Especially in gymnosperms, the VQ family genes and their evolutionary relationships have not yet been reported. In this study, we systematically identified 2469 VQ genes from 56 plant species, including bryophytes, gymnosperms, and angiosperms, and analyzed their molecular and evolutionary features. We found that amino acids are only highly conserved in the VQ domain, while other positions are relatively variable; most VQ genes encode relatively small proteins and do not have introns. The GC content in Poaceae plants is the highest (up to 70%); these VQ proteins can be divided into nine subgroups. In particular, we analyzed the molecular characteristics, chromosome distribution, duplication events, and expression levels of VQ genes in three gymnosperms: Ginkgo biloba, Taxus chinensis, and Pinus tabuliformis. In gymnosperms, VQ genes are classified into 11 groups, with highly similar motifs in each group; most VQ proteins have less than 300 amino acids and are predicted to be located in nucleus. Tandem duplication is an important driving force for the expansion of the VQ gene family, and the evolutionary processes of most VQ genes and duplication events are relatively independent; some candidate VQ genes are preliminarily screened, and they are likely to be involved in plant growth and stress and defense responses. These results provide detailed information and powerful references for further understanding and utilizing the VQ family genes in various plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfu Tian
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium; (J.T.)
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100081, China
| | - Jiahui Zhang
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium; (J.T.)
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100081, China
| | - Frédéric Francis
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium; (J.T.)
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15
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Zhang L, Zheng Y, Xiong X, Li H, Zhang X, Song Y, Zhang X, Min D. The wheat VQ motif-containing protein TaVQ4-D positively regulates drought tolerance in transgenic plants. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:5591-5605. [PMID: 37471263 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
VQ motif-containing proteins play important roles in plant abiotic and biotic stresses. In this study, we cloned the VQ protein gene TaVQ4-D that is induced by drought stress. Arabidopsis and wheat plants overexpressing TaVQ4-D showed increased tolerance to drought stress. In contrast, wheat lines in which TaVQ4-D expression had been silenced showed decreased drought tolerance. Under drought stress conditions, the contents of superoxide dismutase and proline increased and the content of malondialdehyde decreased in transgenic wheat plants overexpressing TaVQ4-D compared with the wild type. At the same time, the expression of reactive oxygen species-scavenging-related genes and stress-related genes was up-regulated. However, plants of TaVQ4-D-silenced wheat lines showed decreased activities of antioxidant enzymes and reduced expression of some stress-related and antioxidant-related genes. In addition, the TaVQ4-D protein physically interacts with two mitogen-activated protein kinases (MPK3 and MPK6) and plays a role in plant drought stress as the phosphorylated substrates of MPK3 and MPK6. In summary, the results of our study suggest that TaVQ4-D can positively regulate drought stress tolerance in wheat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Zhang
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University/State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yan Zheng
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University/State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xinxin Xiong
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University/State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Hui Li
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University/State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yulong Song
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University/State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiaohong Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Donghong Min
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University/State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
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16
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Xiao Y, Dong Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Liu L, Liu P, Wan S, Xu Q, Yu Y. Two galactinol synthases contribute to the drought response of Camellia sinensis. PLANTA 2023; 258:84. [PMID: 37736857 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-023-04238-5] [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: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
MAIN CONCLUSION CsGolS2-1 and CsGolS2-2 are involved in the transcriptional mechanism and play an important role in the drought response of tea plants. GolS is critical for the biosynthesis of galactinol and has been suggested to contribute to drought tolerance in various plants. However, whether GolS plays a role in drought response and the underlying transcriptional mechanism of GolS genes in response to drought stress in tea plants is still unclear. In this study, we found that drought stress promotes the accumulation of galactinol in tea leaves and that the expression of CsGolS2-1 and CsGolS2-2, which encode proteins capable of catalyzing galactinol biosynthesis, is continuously and dramatically induced by drought stress. Moreover, transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing CsGolS2-1 and CsGolS2-2 were more drought-tolerant than WT plants, as evidenced by increased cell membrane stability. In addition, the drought-responsive transcription factor CsWRKY2 has been shown to positively regulate the expression of CsGolS2-1 and CsGolS2-2 by directly binding to their promoters. Furthermore, CsVQ9 was found to interact with CsWRKY2 and promote its transcriptional function to activate CsGolS2-1 and CsGolS2-2 expression. Taken together, our findings provide insights not only into the positive role played by CsGolS2-1 and CsGolS2-2 in the drought response of tea plants but also into the transcriptional mechanisms involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yezi Xiao
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yuan Dong
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yongheng Zhang
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yingao Zhang
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Lu Liu
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Peiying Liu
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Siqing Wan
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qingshan Xu
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Youben Yu
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China.
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17
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Meng X, Lu M, Xia Z, Li H, Liu D, Li K, Yin P, Wang G, Zhou C. Wheat VQ Motif-Containing Protein VQ25-A Facilitates Leaf Senescence via the Abscisic Acid Pathway. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13839. [PMID: 37762142 PMCID: PMC10531066 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Leaf senescence is an important factor affecting the functional transition from nutrient assimilation to nutrient remobilization in crops. The senescence of wheat leaves is of great significance for its yield and quality. In the leaf senescence process, transcriptional regulation is a committed step in integrating various senescence-related signals. Although the plant-specific transcriptional regulation factor valine-glutamine (VQ) gene family is known to participate in different physiological processes, its role in leaf senescence is poorly understood. We isolated TaVQ25-A and studied its function in leaf senescence regulation. TaVQ25-A was mainly expressed in the roots and leaves of wheat. The TaVQ25-A-GFP fusion protein was localized in the nuclei and cytoplasm of wheat protoplasts. A delayed senescence phenotype was observed after dark and abscisic acid (ABA) treatment in TaVQ25-A-silenced wheat plants. Conversely, overexpression of TaVQ25-A accelerated leaf senescence and led to hypersensitivity in ABA-induced leaf senescence in Arabidopsis. A WRKY type transcription factor, TaWRKY133, which is tightly related to the ABA pathway and affects the expression of some ABA-related genes, was found to interact with TaVQ25-A both in vitro and in vivo. Results of this study indicate that TaVQ25-A is a positive regulator of ABA-related leaf senescence and can be used as a candidate gene for wheat molecular breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Geng Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Collaboration Innovation Center for Cell Signaling and Environmental Adaptation, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline Cell Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024, China; (X.M.); (M.L.); (Z.X.); (H.L.); (D.L.); (K.L.); (P.Y.)
| | - Chunjiang Zhou
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Collaboration Innovation Center for Cell Signaling and Environmental Adaptation, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline Cell Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024, China; (X.M.); (M.L.); (Z.X.); (H.L.); (D.L.); (K.L.); (P.Y.)
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18
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Zhang XW, Xu RR, Liu Y, You CX, An JP. MdVQ10 promotes wound-triggered leaf senescence in association with MdWRKY75 and undergoes antagonistic modulation of MdCML15 and MdJAZs in apple. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 115:1599-1618. [PMID: 37277961 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Wounding stress leads to leaf senescence. However, the underlying molecular mechanism has not been elucidated. In this study, we investigated the role of the MdVQ10-MdWRKY75 module in wound-induced leaf senescence. MdWRKY75 was identified as a key positive modulator of wound-induced leaf senescence by activating the expression of the senescence-associated genes MdSAG12 and MdSAG18. MdVQ10 interacted with MdWRKY75 to enhance MdWRKY75-activated transcription of MdSAG12 and MdSAG18, thereby promoting leaf senescence triggered by wounding. In addition, the calmodulin-like protein MdCML15 promoted MdVQ10-mediated leaf senescence by stimulating the interaction between MdVQ10 and MdWRKY75. Moreover, the jasmonic acid signaling repressors MdJAZ12 and MdJAZ14 antagonized MdVQ10-mediated leaf senescence by weakening the MdVQ10-MdWRKY75 interaction. Our results demonstrate that the MdVQ10-MdWRKY75 module is a key modulator of wound-induced leaf senescence and provides insights into the mechanism of leaf senescence caused by wounding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Wei Zhang
- College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai-An, 271018, Shandong, China
| | - Rui-Rui Xu
- College of Biology and Oceanography, Weifang University, Weifang, 261061, Shandong, China
| | - Yankai Liu
- College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai-An, 271018, Shandong, China
| | - Chun-Xiang You
- College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai-An, 271018, Shandong, China
| | - Jian-Ping An
- College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai-An, 271018, Shandong, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430074, China
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19
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Yan X, Luo R, Liu X, Hou Z, Pei W, Zhu W, Cui H. Characterization and the comprehensive expression analysis of tobacco valine-glutamine genes in response to trichomes development and stress tolerance. BOTANICAL STUDIES 2023; 64:18. [PMID: 37423918 DOI: 10.1186/s40529-023-00376-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Valine-glutamine genes (VQ) acted as transcription regulators and played the important roles in plant growth and development, and stress tolerance through interacting with transcription factors and other co-regulators. In this study, sixty-one VQ genes containing the FxxxVQxxTG motif were identified and updated in the Nicotiana tobacum genome. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that NtVQ genes were divided into seven groups and genes of each group had highly conserved exon-intron structure. Expression patterns analysis firstly showed that NtVQ genes expressed individually in different tobacco tissues including mixed-trichome (mT), glandular-trichome (gT), and nonglandular-trichome (nT), and the expression levels were also distinguishing in response to methyl jasmonate (MeJA), salicylic acid (SA), gibberellic acid (GA), ethylene (ETH), high salinity and PEG stresses. Besides, only NtVQ17 of its gene family was verified to have acquired autoactivating activity. This work will not only lead a foundation on revealing the functions of NtVQ genes in tobacco trichomes but also provided references to VQ genes related stress tolerance research in more crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxiao Yan
- National Tobacco Cultivation and Physiology and Biochemistry Research Center, Key Laboratory for Tobacco Cultivation of Tobacco Industry, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Rui Luo
- National Tobacco Cultivation and Physiology and Biochemistry Research Center, Key Laboratory for Tobacco Cultivation of Tobacco Industry, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Xiangyang Liu
- National Tobacco Cultivation and Physiology and Biochemistry Research Center, Key Laboratory for Tobacco Cultivation of Tobacco Industry, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Zihang Hou
- National Tobacco Cultivation and Physiology and Biochemistry Research Center, Key Laboratory for Tobacco Cultivation of Tobacco Industry, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Wenyi Pei
- National Tobacco Cultivation and Physiology and Biochemistry Research Center, Key Laboratory for Tobacco Cultivation of Tobacco Industry, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Wenqi Zhu
- National Tobacco Cultivation and Physiology and Biochemistry Research Center, Key Laboratory for Tobacco Cultivation of Tobacco Industry, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Hong Cui
- National Tobacco Cultivation and Physiology and Biochemistry Research Center, Key Laboratory for Tobacco Cultivation of Tobacco Industry, Zhengzhou, 450002, China.
- College of Tobacco Science, Henan Agricultural University, 63 Nongye Road, Jinshui District, Zhengzhou, China.
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20
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Yang M, Liu Z, Yu Y, Yang M, Guo L, Han X, Ma X, Huang Z, Gao Q. Genome-wide identification of the valine-glutamine motif containing gene family and the role of VQ25-1 in pollen germination in Brassica oleracea. Genes Genomics 2023; 45:921-934. [PMID: 37004590 DOI: 10.1007/s13258-023-01375-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The plant-specific valine-glutamine (VQ) motif containing proteins tightly regulate plant growth, development, and stress responses. However, the genome-wide identification and functional analysis of Brassica oleracea (B. oleracea) VQ genes have not been reported. OBJECTIVE To identify the VQ gene family in B. oleracea and analyze the function of Bo25-1 in pollen germination. METHODS The Hidden Markov Model (HMM) of VQ family was used to query the BoVQ genes in the B. oleracea genome. The BoVQ genes preferentially expressed in anthers were screened by qRT-PCR. Subcellular localization of VQ25-1 was observed in Nicotiana benthamiana (N. benthamiana) leaves. To analysis the role of BoVQ25-1 in pollen germination, the expression of BoVQ25-1 was suppressed using antisense-oligonucleotides (AS-ODN). RESULTS A total of 64 BoVQ genes were identified in the B. oleracea genome. BoVQ25-1 was found to be preferentially expressed in the B. oleracea anthers. BoVQ25-1 was cloned from the anthers of the B. oleracea cultivar 'Fast Cycle'. BoVQ25-1 is localized to the nucleus. The pollen germination rate significantly decreased after AS-ODN treatment. CONCLUSION Sixty-four BoVQ genes were identified in the B. oleracea genome, of which BoVQ25-1 plays an important role in pollen germination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaomiao Yang
- Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountains Regions of Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ziwei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountains Regions of Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuanhui Yu
- Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountains Regions of Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Min Yang
- Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountains Regions of Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Li Guo
- Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountains Regions of Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xuejie Han
- Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountains Regions of Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiangjie Ma
- Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountains Regions of Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ziya Huang
- Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountains Regions of Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qiguo Gao
- Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountains Regions of Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
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21
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Zhang J, Zhang X, Liu X, Pai Q, Wang Y, Wu X. Molecular Network for Regulation of Seed Size in Plants. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10666. [PMID: 37445843 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The size of seeds is particularly important for agricultural development, as it is a key trait that determines yield. It is controlled by the coordinated development of the integument, endosperm, and embryo. Large seeds are an important way of improving the ultimate "sink strength" of crops, providing more nutrients for early plant growth and showing certain tolerance to abiotic stresses. There are several pathways for regulating plant seed size, including the HAIKU (IKU) pathway, ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, G (Guanosine triphosphate) protein regulatory pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, transcriptional regulators pathway, and phytohormone regulatory pathways including the auxin, brassinosteroid (BR), gibberellin (GA), jasmonic acid (JA), cytokinin (CK), Abscisic acid (ABA), and microRNA (miRNA) regulatory pathways. This article summarizes the seed size regulatory network and prospective ways of improving yield. We expect that it will provide a valuable reference to researchers in related fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinghua Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Xuan Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Xueman Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Qiaofeng Pai
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Yahui Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Xiaolin Wu
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
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22
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Ma J, Wang R, Zhao H, Li L, Zeng F, Wang Y, Chen M, Chang J, He G, Yang G, Li Y. Genome-wide characterization of the VQ genes in Triticeae and their functionalization driven by polyploidization and gene duplication events in wheat. Int J Biol Macromol 2023:125264. [PMID: 37302635 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.125264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Valine-glutamine motif-containing (VQ) proteins are transcriptional cofactors widely involved in plant growth, development, and response to various stresses. Although the VQ family has been genome-wide identified in some species, but the knowledge regarding duplication-driven functionalization of VQ genes among evolutionarily related species is still lacking. Here, 952 VQ genes have been identified from 16 species, emphasizing seven Triticeae species including the bread wheat. Comprehensive phylogenetic and syntenic analyses allow us to establish the orthologous relationship of VQ genes from rice (Oryza sativa) to bread wheat (Triticum aestivum). The evolutionary analysis revealed that whole-genome duplication (WGD) drives the expansion of OsVQs, while TaVQs expansion is associated with a recent burst of gene duplication (RBGD). We also analyzed the motif composition and molecular properties of TaVQ proteins, enriched biological functions, and expression patterns of TaVQs. We demonstrate that WGD-derived TaVQs have become divergent in both protein motif composition and expression pattern, while RBGD-derived TaVQs tend to adopt specific expression patterns, suggesting their functionalization in certain biological processes or in response to specific stresses. Furthermore, some RBGD-derived TaVQs are found to be associated with salt tolerance. Several of the identified salt-related TaVQ proteins were located in the cytoplasm and nucleus and their salt-responsive expression patterns were validated by qPCR analysis. Yeast-based functional experiments confirmed that TaVQ27 may be a new regulator to salt response and regulation. Overall, this study lays the foundation for further functional validation of VQ family members within the Triticeae species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingfei Ma
- The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Ruibin Wang
- The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Hongyan Zhao
- The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Li Li
- The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Fang Zeng
- The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Yuesheng Wang
- The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Mingjie Chen
- The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Junli Chang
- The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Guangyuan He
- The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.
| | - Guangxiao Yang
- The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.
| | - Yin Li
- The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.
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23
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Wang H, Chen W, Xu Z, Chen M, Yu D. Functions of WRKYs in plant growth and development. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 28:630-645. [PMID: 36628655 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2022.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
As sessile organisms, plants must overcome various stresses. Accordingly, they have evolved several plant-specific growth and developmental processes. These plant processes may be related to the evolution of plant-specific protein families. The WRKY transcription factors originated in eukaryotes and expanded in plants, but are not present in animals. Over the past two decades, there have been many studies on WRKYs in plants, with much of the research concentrated on their roles in stress responses. Nevertheless, recent findings have revealed that WRKYs are also required for seed dormancy and germination, postembryonic morphogenesis, flowering, gametophyte development, and seed production. Thus, WRKYs may be important for plant adaptations to a sessile lifestyle because they simultaneously regulate stress resistance and plant-specific growth and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houping Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Wanqin Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Zhiyu Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Mifen Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Diqiu Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, China.
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24
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Liu M, Li C, Li Y, An Y, Ruan X, Guo Y, Dong X, Ruan Y. Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of the VQ Motif-Containing Gene Family Based on Their Evolution and Expression Analysis under Abiotic Stress and Hormone Treatments in Foxtail Millet ( Setaria italica L.). Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14051032. [PMID: 37239391 DOI: 10.3390/genes14051032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Valine-glutamine (VQ) motif-containing proteins are transcriptional regulatory cofactors that play critical roles in plant growth and response to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, information on the VQ gene family in foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.) is currently limited. In this study, a total of 32 SiVQ genes were identified in foxtail millet and classified into seven groups (I-VII), based on the constructed phylogenetic relationships; the protein-conserved motif showed high similarity within each group. Gene structure analysis showed that most SiVQs had no introns. Whole-genome duplication analysis revealed that segmental duplications contributed to the expansion of the SiVQ gene family. The cis-element analysis demonstrated that growth and development, stress response, and hormone-response-related cis-elements were all widely distributed in the promoters of the SiVQs. Gene expression analysis demonstrated that the expression of most SiVQ genes was induced by abiotic stress and phytohormone treatments, and seven SiVQ genes showed significant upregulation under both abiotic stress and phytohormone treatments. A potential interaction network between SiVQs and SiWRKYs was predicted. This research provides a basis to further investigate the molecular function of VQs in plant growth and abiotic stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiling Liu
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Cong Li
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Yuntong Li
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Yingtai An
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Xiaoxi Ruan
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
| | - Yicheng Guo
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Xiaomei Dong
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Yanye Ruan
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
- Shenyang Key Laboratory of Maize Genomic Selection Breeding, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
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25
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Si Z, Wang L, Ji Z, Qiao Y, Zhang K, Han J. Genome-wide comparative analysis of the valine glutamine motif containing genes in four Ipomoea species. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 23:209. [PMID: 37085761 PMCID: PMC10122360 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-023-04235-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genes with valine glutamine (VQ) motifs play an essential role in plant growth, development, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, little information on the VQ genes in sweetpotato and other Ipomoea species is available. RESULTS This study identified 55, 58, 50 and 47 VQ genes from sweetpotato (I. batatas), I.triflida, I. triloba and I. nil, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the VQ genes formed eight clades (I-VII), and the members in the same group exhibited similar exon-intron structure and conserved motifs distribution. The distribution of the VQ genes among the chromosomes of Ipomoea species was disproportional, with no VQ genes mapped on a few of each species' chromosomes. Duplication analysis suggested that segmental duplication significantly contributes to their expansion in sweetpotato, I.trifida, and I.triloba, while the segmental and tandem duplication contributions were comparable in I.nil. Cis-regulatory elements involved in stress responses, such as W-box, TGACG-motif, CGTCA-motif, ABRE, ARE, MBS, TCA-elements, LTR, and WUN-motif, were detected in the promoter regions of the VQ genes. A total of 30 orthologous groups were detected by syntenic analysis of the VQ genes. Based on the analysis of RNA-seq datasets, it was found that the VQ genes are expressed distinctly among different tissues and hormone or stress treatments. A total of 40 sweetpotato differentially expressed genes (DEGs) refer to biotic (sweetpotato stem nematodes and Ceratocystis fimbriata pathogen infection) or abiotic (cold, salt and drought) stress treatments were detected. Moreover, IbVQ8, IbVQ25 and IbVQ44 responded to the five stress treatments and were selected for quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis, and the results were consistent with the transcriptome analysis. CONCLUSIONS Our study may provide new insights into the evolution of VQ genes in the four Ipomoea genomes and contribute to the future molecular breeding of sweetpotatoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zengzhi Si
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, 066000 China
| | - Lianjun Wang
- Institute of Food Corps, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, 430072 China
| | - Zhixin Ji
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, 066000 China
| | - Yake Qiao
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, 066000 China
| | - Kai Zhang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, 066000 China
| | - Jinling Han
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, 066000 China
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26
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Yang Z, Qin T, Jin H, Wang J, Li C, Lim KJ, Wang Z. Quantitative Phosphoproteomic Analysis Reveals Potential Regulatory Mechanisms of Early Fruit Enlargement in Pecan ( Carya illinoinensis). JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2023; 71:4901-4914. [PMID: 36938622 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c08876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) is a popular tree nut. Its fruit development undergoes slow growth, rapid expansion, core hardening, and kernel maturation stages. However, little is known about how pecan initiates fruit development and enlargement after pollination. In this study, we performed the first large-scale identification of potential phosphorylation sites and proteins at early development of pecan fruit by a label-free phosphoproteomic quantification technique. A total of 2155 phosphosites were identified from 1953 phosphopeptides covering 1311 phosphoproteins in unpollinated pistils and fruits at 5 and 9 weeks after pollination. Of these, 699 nonredundant phosphoproteins were differentially phosphorylated (DP). Furthermore, the phosphorylation intensity of DP proteins in brassinolide (BR) and auxin signaling were analyzed, and the function of CiBZR1 was investigated. Ectopic expression of CiBZR1 resulted in BR response phenotypes with curled leaves and fruit, while enlarged seed size in Arabidopsis. Subcellular localization and transcriptional activation activity assay demonstrated that CiBZR1 distributed in both the nucleus and cytoplasm with transcriptional activity. When two phosphosites mutated, CiBZR1S201P,S205G moved to the nucleus completely, while the transcriptional activity remained unchanged. Taken together, our data reveal extensive phosphoproteins and lay a foundation to comprehensively dissect the potential post-translational regulation mechanism of early development of pecan fruit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengfu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'an District, 311300 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Tao Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'an District, 311300 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hongmiao Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'an District, 311300 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jiani Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'an District, 311300 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Caiyun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'an District, 311300 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Kean-Jin Lim
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'an District, 311300 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhengjia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'an District, 311300 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Zumajo-Cardona C, Aguirre M, Castillo-Bravo R, Mizzotti C, Di Marzo M, Banfi C, Mendes MA, Spillane C, Colombo L, Ezquer I. Maternal control of triploid seed development by the TRANSPARENT TESTA 8 (TT8) transcription factor in Arabidopsis thaliana. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1316. [PMID: 36693864 PMCID: PMC9873634 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28252-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The balance between parental genome dosage is critical to offspring development in both animals and plants. In some angiosperm species, despite the imbalance between maternally and paternally inherited chromosome sets, crosses between parental lines of different ploidy may result in viable offspring. However, many plant species, like Arabidopsis thaliana, present a post-zygotic reproductive barrier, known as triploid block which results in the inability of crosses between individuals of different ploidy to generate viable seeds but also, in defective development of the seed. Several paternal regulators have been proposed as active players in establishing the triploid block. Maternal regulators known to be involved in this process are some flavonoid biosynthetic (FB) genes, expressed in the innermost layer of the seed coat. Here we explore the role of selected flavonoid pathway genes in triploid block, including TRANSPARENT TESTA 4 (TT4), TRANSPARENT TESTA 7 (TT7), SEEDSTICK (STK), TRANSPARENT TESTA 16 (TT16), TT8 and TRANSPARENT TESTA 13 (TT13). This approach allowed us to detect that TT8, a bHLH transcription factor, member of this FB pathway is required for the paternal genome dosage, as loss of function tt8, leads to complete rescue of the triploid block to seed development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Zumajo-Cardona
- Dipartimento Di BioScienze, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Manuel Aguirre
- Dipartimento Di BioScienze, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy.,Translational Plant & Microbial Biology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rosa Castillo-Bravo
- Genetics and Biotechnology Laboratory, Plant and AgriBioscience Research Centre (PABC), Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, H91 REW4, Ireland
| | - Chiara Mizzotti
- Dipartimento Di BioScienze, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Maurizio Di Marzo
- Dipartimento Di BioScienze, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Camilla Banfi
- Dipartimento Di BioScienze, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Marta A Mendes
- Dipartimento Di BioScienze, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Charles Spillane
- Genetics and Biotechnology Laboratory, Plant and AgriBioscience Research Centre (PABC), Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, H91 REW4, Ireland
| | - Lucia Colombo
- Dipartimento Di BioScienze, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Ignacio Ezquer
- Dipartimento Di BioScienze, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy.
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28
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Nerva L, Dalla Costa L, Ciacciulli A, Sabbadini S, Pavese V, Dondini L, Vendramin E, Caboni E, Perrone I, Moglia A, Zenoni S, Michelotti V, Micali S, La Malfa S, Gentile A, Tartarini S, Mezzetti B, Botta R, Verde I, Velasco R, Malnoy MA, Licciardello C. The Role of Italy in the Use of Advanced Plant Genomic Techniques on Fruit Trees: State of the Art and Future Perspectives. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:977. [PMID: 36674493 PMCID: PMC9861864 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24020977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate change is deeply impacting the food chain production, lowering quality and yield. In this context, the international scientific community has dedicated many efforts to enhancing resilience and sustainability in agriculture. Italy is among the main European producers of several fruit trees; therefore, national research centers and universities undertook several initiatives to maintain the specificity of the 'Made in Italy' label. Despite their importance, fruit crops are suffering from difficulties associated with the conventional breeding approaches, especially in terms of financial commitment, land resources availability, and long generation times. The 'new genomic techniques' (NGTs), renamed in Italy as 'technologies for assisted evolution' (TEAs), reduce the time required to obtain genetically improved cultivars while precisely targeting specific DNA sequences. This review aims to illustrate the role of the Italian scientific community in the use of NGTs, with a specific focus on Citrus, grapevine, apple, pear, chestnut, strawberry, peach, and kiwifruit. For each crop, the key genes and traits on which the scientific community is working, as well as the technological improvements and advancements on the regeneration of local varieties, are presented. Lastly, a focus is placed on the legal aspects in the European and in Italian contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Nerva
- Research Center for Viticulture and Enology, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, 31015 Conegliano, Italy
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council, 10135 Torino, Italy
| | - Lorenza Dalla Costa
- Research and Innovation Centre, Foundation Edmund Mach, 38098 San Michele all’Adige, Italy
| | - Angelo Ciacciulli
- Research Center for Olive Fruit and Citrus Crops, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, 95024 Acireale, Italy
| | - Silvia Sabbadini
- Department of Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Marche Polytechnic University, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Vera Pavese
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, 10095 Torino, Italy
| | - Luca Dondini
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Elisa Vendramin
- Research Center for Olive Fruit and Citrus Crops, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, 00134 Rome, Italy
| | - Emilia Caboni
- Research Center for Olive Fruit and Citrus Crops, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, 00134 Rome, Italy
| | - Irene Perrone
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council, 10135 Torino, Italy
| | - Andrea Moglia
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, 10095 Torino, Italy
| | - Sara Zenoni
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Vania Michelotti
- Research Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, 29017 Fiorenzuola D’Arda, Italy
| | - Sabrina Micali
- Research Center for Olive Fruit and Citrus Crops, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, 00134 Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano La Malfa
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy
| | - Alessandra Gentile
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy
| | - Stefano Tartarini
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Bruno Mezzetti
- Department of Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Marche Polytechnic University, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Roberto Botta
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, 10095 Torino, Italy
| | - Ignazio Verde
- Research Center for Olive Fruit and Citrus Crops, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, 00134 Rome, Italy
| | - Riccardo Velasco
- Research Center for Viticulture and Enology, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, 31015 Conegliano, Italy
| | - Mickael Arnaud Malnoy
- Research and Innovation Centre, Foundation Edmund Mach, 38098 San Michele all’Adige, Italy
| | - Concetta Licciardello
- Research Center for Olive Fruit and Citrus Crops, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, 95024 Acireale, Italy
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Fang X, Wang Y, Cui J, Yue L, Jiang A, Liu J, Wu Y, He X, Li C, Zhang J, Ding M, Yi Z. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses reveal the key genes related to grain size of big grain mutant in Tartary Buckwheat ( Fagopyrum tartaricum). FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1079212. [PMID: 36618631 PMCID: PMC9815120 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1079212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Grain size with high heritability and stability is an important selection target during Tartary buckwheat breeding. However, the mechanisms that regulate Tartary buckwheat grain development are unknown. We generated transcriptome and metabolome sequencing from 10 and 15 days past anthesis (DPA) grains of big grain mutant (bg1) and WT, and identified 4108 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) including 93 significantly up-regulated differential genes and 85 significantly down-regulated genes in both stages, simultaneously. Meanwhile, we identified DEGs involved in ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, HAI-KU (IKU) pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, plant hormone (auxin, brassinosteroids and cytokinins) transduction pathway and five transcription factor families, including APETALA (AP2), GROWTH-REGULATING FACTORS (GRF), AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR (ARF), WRKY and MYB. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed and obtained 9 core DEGs. Conjoint analyses of transcriptome and metabolome sequencing screened out 394 DEGs. Using a combined comprehensive analysis, we identified 24 potential candidate genes that encode E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase HIP1, EMBRYO-DEFECTIVE (EMB) protein, receptor-like protein kinase FERONIA (FER), kinesin-4 protein SRG1, and so on, which may be associated with the big-grain mutant bg1. Finally, a quantitative real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) assay was conducted to validate the identified DEGs. Our results provide additional knowledge for identification and functions of causal candidate genes responsible for the variation in grain size and will be an invaluable resource for the genetic dissection of Tartary buckwheat high-yield molecular breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomei Fang
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Engineering Research Center of South Upland Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
| | - Yingqian Wang
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jingbin Cui
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Linqing Yue
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Aohua Jiang
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiaqi Liu
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yichao Wu
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xingxing He
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chunhua Li
- Baicheng Academy of Agricultural Sciences of Jilin Province, Baicheng, Jilin, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Engineering Research Center of South Upland Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
| | - Mengqi Ding
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Engineering Research Center of South Upland Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
| | - Zelin Yi
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Engineering Research Center of South Upland Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
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Zhang S, Gao H, Wang L, Zhang Y, Zhou D, Anwar A, Li J, Wang F, Li C, Zhang Y, Gao J. Comparative Transcriptome and Co-Expression Network Analyses Reveal the Molecular Mechanism of Calcium-Deficiency-Triggered Tipburn in Chinese Cabbage ( Brassica rapa L. ssp. Pekinensis). PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:3555. [PMID: 36559667 PMCID: PMC9785529 DOI: 10.3390/plants11243555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Chinese cabbage tipburn is characterized by the formation of necrotic lesions on the margin of leaves, including on the insides of the leafy head. This physiological disorder is associated with a localized calcium deficiency during leaf development. However, little information is available regarding the molecular mechanisms governing Ca-deficiency-triggered tipburn. This study comprehensively analysed the transcriptomic comparison between control and calcium treatments (CK and 0 mM Ca) in Chinese cabbage to determine its molecular mechanism in tipburn. Our analysis identified that the most enriched gene ontology (GO) categories are photosynthesis, thylakoid and cofactor binding. Moreover, the KEGG pathway was most enriched in photosynthesis, carbon metabolism and carbon fixation. We also analyzed the co-expression network by functional categories and identified ten critical hub differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in each gene regulatory network (GRN). These DEGs might involve abiotic stresses, developmental processes, cell wall metabolism, calcium distribution, transcription factors, plant hormone biosynthesis and signal transduction pathways. Under calcium deficiency, CNX1, calmodulin-binding proteins and CMLs family proteins were downregulated compared to CK. In addition, plant hormones such as GA, JA, BR, Auxin and ABA biosynthesis pathways genes were downregulated under calcium treatment. Likewise, HATs, ARLs and TCP transcription factors were reported as inactive under calcium deficiency, and potentially involved in the developmental process. This work explores the specific DEGs' significantly different expression levels in 0 mM Ca and the control involved in plant hormones, cell wall developments, a light response such as chlorophylls and photosynthesis, transport metabolism and defence mechanism and redox. Our results provide critical evidence of the potential roles of the calcium signal transduction pathway and candidate genes governing Ca-deficiency-triggered tipburn in Chinese cabbage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Zhang
- Institute of Vegetables, Shandong Key Laboratory of Greenhouse Vegetable Biology, Shandong Branch of National Vegetable Improvement Center, Huanghuai Region Vegetable Scientific Station of Ministry of Agriculture (Shandong), Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Hanzhong Gao
- Columbian College of Arts & Sciences, Phillips Hall, The George Washington University, 801 22nd St. NW., Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Lixia Wang
- Institute of Vegetables, Shandong Key Laboratory of Greenhouse Vegetable Biology, Shandong Branch of National Vegetable Improvement Center, Huanghuai Region Vegetable Scientific Station of Ministry of Agriculture (Shandong), Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Yihui Zhang
- Institute of Vegetables, Shandong Key Laboratory of Greenhouse Vegetable Biology, Shandong Branch of National Vegetable Improvement Center, Huanghuai Region Vegetable Scientific Station of Ministry of Agriculture (Shandong), Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250061, China
| | - Dandan Zhou
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250061, China
| | - Ali Anwar
- Institute of Vegetables, Shandong Key Laboratory of Greenhouse Vegetable Biology, Shandong Branch of National Vegetable Improvement Center, Huanghuai Region Vegetable Scientific Station of Ministry of Agriculture (Shandong), Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Jingjuan Li
- Institute of Vegetables, Shandong Key Laboratory of Greenhouse Vegetable Biology, Shandong Branch of National Vegetable Improvement Center, Huanghuai Region Vegetable Scientific Station of Ministry of Agriculture (Shandong), Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Fengde Wang
- Institute of Vegetables, Shandong Key Laboratory of Greenhouse Vegetable Biology, Shandong Branch of National Vegetable Improvement Center, Huanghuai Region Vegetable Scientific Station of Ministry of Agriculture (Shandong), Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Cheng Li
- Institute of Vegetables, Shandong Key Laboratory of Greenhouse Vegetable Biology, Shandong Branch of National Vegetable Improvement Center, Huanghuai Region Vegetable Scientific Station of Ministry of Agriculture (Shandong), Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Ye Zhang
- College of Life Science, Huangshan University, Huangshan 245061, China
| | - Jianwei Gao
- Institute of Vegetables, Shandong Key Laboratory of Greenhouse Vegetable Biology, Shandong Branch of National Vegetable Improvement Center, Huanghuai Region Vegetable Scientific Station of Ministry of Agriculture (Shandong), Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
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Comprehensive Identification and Expression Profiling of the VQ Motif-Containing Gene Family in Brassica juncea. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11121814. [PMID: 36552323 PMCID: PMC9776337 DOI: 10.3390/biology11121814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Valine-glutamine (VQ) motif-containing proteins are a class of highly conserved transcriptional regulators in plants and play key roles in plant growth, development, and response to various stresses. However, the VQ family genes in mustard have not yet been comprehensively identified and analyzed. In this study, a total of 120 VQ family genes (BjuVQ1 to BjuVQ120), which were unevenly distributed on 18 chromosomes (AA_Chr01 to BB_Chr08), were characterized in mustard. A phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that the BjuVQ proteins were clustered into nine distinct groups (groups I to IX), and members in the same group shared a highly conserved motif composition. A gene structure analysis suggested that most BjuVQ genes were intronless. A gene duplication analysis revealed that 254 pairs of BjuVQ genes were segmentally duplicated and one pair was tandemly duplicated. Expression profiles obtained from RNA-seq data demonstrated that most BjuVQ genes have different gene expression profiles in different organs, including leaf, stem, root, flower bud, pod, and seed. In addition, over half of the BjuVQ genes were differentially expressed at some time points under low temperature treatment. The qRT-PCR data revealed that BjuVQ23, BjuVQ55, BjuVQ57, BjuVQ67, BjuVQ100, and BjuVQ117 were upregulated in response to cold stress. Taken together, our study provides new insights into the roles of different BjuVQ genes in mustard and their possible roles in growth and development, as well as in response to cold stress.
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Developing Genetic Engineering Techniques for Control of Seed Size and Yield. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232113256. [PMID: 36362043 PMCID: PMC9655546 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Many signaling pathways regulate seed size through the development of endosperm and maternal tissues, which ultimately results in a range of variations in seed size or weight. Seed size can be determined through the development of zygotic tissues (endosperm and embryo) and maternal ovules. In addition, in some species such as rice, seed size is largely determined by husk growth. Transcription regulator factors are responsible for enhancing cell growth in the maternal ovule, resulting in seed growth. Phytohormones induce significant effects on entire features of growth and development of plants and also regulate seed size. Moreover, the vegetative parts are the major source of nutrients, including the majority of carbon and nitrogen-containing molecules for the reproductive part to control seed size. There is a need to increase the size of seeds without affecting the number of seeds in plants through conventional breeding programs to improve grain yield. In the past decades, many important genetic factors affecting seed size and yield have been identified and studied. These important factors constitute dynamic regulatory networks governing the seed size in response to environmental stimuli. In this review, we summarized recent advances regarding the molecular factors regulating seed size in Arabidopsis and other crops, followed by discussions on strategies to comprehend crops' genetic and molecular aspects in balancing seed size and yield.
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Wu D, Wei Y, Zhao X, Li B, Zhang H, Xu G, Lv J, Zhang D, Zhang X, Ni M. Ancestral function but divergent epigenetic regulation of HAIKU2 reveals routes of seed developmental evolution. MOLECULAR PLANT 2022; 15:1575-1589. [PMID: 36071671 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2022.09.002] [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: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Evolution is driven by various mechanisms. A directional increase in the embryo to endosperm ratio is an evolutionary trend within the angiosperms. The endosperm constitutes a major portion of the seed volume in Poales and some dicots. However, in other dicots such as Arabidopsis and soybean, the endosperm proliferates early, followed by embryo growth to replace the endosperm. The Arabidopsis leucine-rich repeat receptor protein kinase AtHAIKU2 (AtIKU2) is a key regulator of early endosperm proliferation. In this study, we found that IKU2s from Brachypodium, rice, and soybean can complement the abnormal seed developmental phenotype of Atiku2, while AtIKU2 also rescues the defective endosperm proliferation in the Brachypodium BdIKU2 knockout mutant seeds. AtIKU2 and soybean GmIKU2 are actively expressed a few days after fertilization. Thereafter, expression of AtIKU2 is suppressed by the FIS-PRC2 complex-mediated H3K27me3. The soybean GmIKU2 locus is also enriched with H3K27me3 marks. The histone methyltransferase AtMEA is unique to Brassicaceae, but one GmSWN in soybean plays a similar role in seed development as AtMEA. By contrast, the BdIKU2 and rice OsIKU2 loci are continuously expressed and are devoid of H3K27me3 marks. Taken together, these results suggest that IKU2 genes retain an ancestral function, but the duration of their expression that is controlled by PRC2-mediated epigenetic silencing contributes to silenced or persistent endosperm proliferation in different species. Our study reveals an epigenetic mechanism that drives the development of vastly different seed ontogenies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Wu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China
| | - Yiming Wei
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China
| | - Xiangyu Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China
| | - Boka Li
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Huankai Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China
| | - Gang Xu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China
| | - Juntong Lv
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China
| | - Dajian Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China
| | - Xiansheng Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China.
| | - Min Ni
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota at Twin Cities, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA.
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Genetic dissection of grain iron and zinc, and thousand kernel weight in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) using genome-wide association study. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12444. [PMID: 35858934 PMCID: PMC9300641 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15992-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic biofortification is recognized as a cost-effective and sustainable strategy to reduce micronutrient malnutrition. Genomic regions governing grain iron concentration (GFeC), grain zinc concentration (GZnC), and thousand kernel weight (TKW) were investigated in a set of 280 diverse bread wheat genotypes. The genome-wide association (GWAS) panel was genotyped using 35 K Axiom Array and phenotyped in five environments. The GWAS analysis showed a total of 17 Bonferroni-corrected marker-trait associations (MTAs) in nine chromosomes representing all the three wheat subgenomes. The TKW showed the highest MTAs (7), followed by GZnC (5) and GFeC (5). Furthermore, 14 MTAs were identified with more than 10% phenotypic variation. One stable MTA i.e. AX-95025823 was identified for TKW in both E4 and E5 environments along with pooled data, which is located at 68.9 Mb on 6A chromosome. In silico analysis revealed that the SNPs were located on important putative candidate genes such as Multi antimicrobial extrusion protein, F-box domain, Late embryogenesis abundant protein, LEA-18, Leucine-rich repeat domain superfamily, and C3H4 type zinc finger protein, involved in iron translocation, iron and zinc homeostasis, and grain size modifications. The identified novel MTAs will be validated to estimate their effects in different genetic backgrounds for subsequent use in marker-assisted selection. The identified SNPs will be valuable in the rapid development of biofortified wheat varieties to ameliorate the malnutrition problems.
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Li N, Zhang Y, Wang X, Ma H, Sun Y, Li G, Zhang S. Integration of Transcriptomic and Proteomic Profiles Reveals Multiple Levels of Genetic Regulation of Taproot Growth in Sugar Beet ( Beta vulgaris L.). FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:882753. [PMID: 35909753 PMCID: PMC9326478 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.882753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Sugar beet taproot growth and development is a complex biological process involving morphogenesis and dry matter accumulation. However, the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying taproot growth and development remain elusive. We performed a correlation analysis of the proteome and transcriptome in two cultivars (SD13829 and BS02) at the start and the highest points of the taproot growth rate. The corresponding correlation coefficients were 0.6189, 0.7714, 0.6803, and 0.7056 in four comparison groups. A total of 621 genes were regulated at both transcriptional and translational levels, including 190, 71, 140, and 220 in the BS59-VS-BS82, BS59-VS-SD59, BS82-VS-SD82, and SD59-VS-SD82 groups, respectively. Ten, 32, and 68 correlated-DEGs-DEPs (cor-DEGs-DEPs) were significantly enrdiched in the proteome and transcriptome of the BS59-VS-BS82, SD59-VS-SD82, and BS82-VS-SD82 groups, respectively, which included ribonuclease 1-like protein, DEAD-box ATP-dependent RNA helicase, TolB protein, heat shock protein 83, 20 kDa chaperonin, polygalacturonase, endochitinase, brassinolide and gibberellin receptors (BRI1 and GID1), and xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase (XTH). In addition, Beta vulgaris XTH could enhance the growth and development of Arabidopsis primary roots by improving cell growth in the root tip elongation zone. These findings suggested that taproot growth and expansion might be regulated at transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels and also may be attributed to cell wall metabolism to improve cell wall loosening and elongation.
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A Comprehensive Identification and Expression Analysis of VQ Motif-Containing Proteins in Sugarcane (Saccharum spontaneum L.) under Phytohormone Treatment and Cold Stress. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23116334. [PMID: 35683012 PMCID: PMC9181594 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23116334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The VQ motif-containing proteins play a vital role in various processes such as growth, resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses and development. However, there is currently no report on the VQ genes in sugarcane (Saccharum spp.). Herein, 78 VQ genes in Saccharum spontaneum were identified and classified into nine subgroups (I-IX) by comparative genomic analyses. Each subgroup had a similar structural and conservative motif. These VQ genes expanded mainly through whole-genome segmental duplication. The cis-regulatory elements (CREs) of the VQ genes were widely involved in stress responses, phytohormone responses and physiological regulation. The RNA-seq data showed that SsVQ gene expression patterns in 10 different samples, including different developmental stages, revealed distinct temporal and spatial patterns. A total of 23 SsVQ genes were expressed in all tissues, whereas 13 SsVQ genes were not expressed in any tissues. Sequence Read Archive (SRA) data showed that the majority of SsVQs responded to cold and drought stress. In addition, quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that the SsVQs were variously expressed under salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), abscisic acid (ABA) and cold treatment. This study conducted a full-scale analysis of the VQ gene family in sugarcane, which could be beneficial for the functional characterization of sugarcane VQ genes and provide candidate genes for molecular resistance breeding in cultivated sugarcane in the future.
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Abstract
In angiosperms, double fertilization triggers the concomitant development of two closely juxtaposed tissues, the embryo and the endosperm. Successful seed development and germination require constant interactions between these tissues, which occur across their common interface. The embryo-endosperm interface is a complex and poorly understood compound apoplast comprising components derived from both tissues, across which nutrients transit to fuel embryo development. Interface properties, which affect molecular diffusion and thus communication, are themselves dynamically regulated by molecular and physical dialogues between the embryo and endosperm. We review the current understanding of embryo-endosperm interactions, with a focus on the structure, properties, and function of their shared interface. Concentrating on Arabidopsis, but with reference to other species, we aim to situate recent findings within the broader context of seed physiology, developmental biology, and genetic factors such as parental conflicts over resource allocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas M Doll
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium;
- VIB Center of Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Gwyneth C Ingram
- Laboratoire Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, ENS de Lyon, CNRS, INRAE, Université de Lyon 1, Lyon, France;
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Ma Y, Li D, Xu Z, Gu R, Wang P, Fu J, Wang J, Du W, Zhang H. Dissection of the Genetic Basis of Yield Traits in Line per se and Testcross Populations and Identification of Candidate Genes for Hybrid Performance in Maize. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:5074. [PMID: 35563470 PMCID: PMC9102962 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23095074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Dissecting the genetic basis of yield traits in hybrid populations and identifying the candidate genes are important for molecular crop breeding. In this study, a BC1F3:4 population, the line per se (LPS) population, was constructed by using elite inbred lines Zheng58 and PH4CV as the parental lines. The population was genotyped with 55,000 SNPs and testcrossed to Chang7-2 and PH6WC (two testers) to construct two testcross (TC) populations. The three populations were evaluated for hundred kernel weight (HKW) and yield per plant (YPP) in multiple environments. Marker-trait association analysis (MTA) identified 24 to 151 significant SNPs in the three populations. Comparison of the significant SNPs identified common and specific quantitative trait locus/loci (QTL) in the LPS and TC populations. Genetic feature analysis of these significant SNPs proved that these SNPs were associated with the tested traits and could be used to predict trait performance of both LPS and TC populations. RNA-seq analysis was performed using maize hybrid varieties and their parental lines, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between hybrid varieties and parental lines were identified. Comparison of the chromosome positions of DEGs with those of significant SNPs detected in the TC population identified potential candidate genes that might be related to hybrid performance. Combining RNA-seq analysis and MTA results identified candidate genes for hybrid performance, providing information that could be useful for maize hybrid breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Ma
- Agronomy College, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China;
- National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (D.L.); (P.W.); (J.F.)
| | - Dongdong Li
- National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (D.L.); (P.W.); (J.F.)
| | - Zhenxiang Xu
- Center for Seed Science and Technology, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (Z.X.); (R.G.); (J.W.)
| | - Riliang Gu
- Center for Seed Science and Technology, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (Z.X.); (R.G.); (J.W.)
| | - Pingxi Wang
- National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (D.L.); (P.W.); (J.F.)
| | - Junjie Fu
- National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (D.L.); (P.W.); (J.F.)
| | - Jianhua Wang
- Center for Seed Science and Technology, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (Z.X.); (R.G.); (J.W.)
| | - Wanli Du
- Agronomy College, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China;
| | - Hongwei Zhang
- National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; (D.L.); (P.W.); (J.F.)
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Zhang L, Wang K, Han Y, Yan L, Zheng Y, Bi Z, Zhang X, Zhang X, Min D. Genome-wide analysis of the VQ motif-containing gene family and expression profiles during phytohormones and abiotic stresses in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). BMC Genomics 2022; 23:292. [PMID: 35410124 PMCID: PMC8996428 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08519-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND VQ motif-containing (VQ) proteins are cofactors of transcriptional regulation that are widely involved in plant growth and development and respond to various stresses. The VQ gene family has been identified and characterized for many plants, but there is little research on VQ gene family proteins in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). RESULTS In this study, 113 TaVQ genes (40 homoeologous groups) were identified in the wheat genome. TaVQ proteins all contain the conserved motif FxxhVQxhTG, and most of the TaVQ genes do not contain introns. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that TaVQ proteins can be divided into 8 subgroups (I-VIII). The chromosomal location mapping analysis indicated that TaVQ genes are disproportionally distributed on 21 wheat chromosomes. Gene duplication analysis revealed that segmental duplication significantly contributes to the expansion of the TaVQ gene family. Gene expression analysis demonstrated that the expression pattern of TaVQ genes varies in different tissues. The results of quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) found that TaVQ genes displayed different expression levels under different phytohormones and abiotic stresses. The cis-elements analysis of the promoter region demonstrated that stress responses, hormone responses, growth and development, and WRKY binding elements are all widely distributed. Additionally, a potential regulatory network between TaVQ proteins and WRKY transcription factors was visualized. CONCLUSION This study systematically analyzed the wheat TaVQ gene family, providing a reference for further functional characterization of TaVQ genes in wheat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Zhang
- College of Agronomy, State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, Yangling, China
| | - Keke Wang
- College of Agronomy, State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, Yangling, China
| | - Yuxuan Han
- College of Agronomy, State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, Yangling, China
| | - Luyu Yan
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yan Zheng
- College of Agronomy, State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, Yangling, China
| | - Zhenzhen Bi
- College of Agronomy, State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, Yangling, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- College of Agronomy, State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, Yangling, China
| | - Xiaohong Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Donghong Min
- College of Agronomy, State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, Yangling, China.
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Liu S, Wang Z, Wu J, Wu C, Xiong R, Xiang Y, Yan H. The poplar VQ1 gene confers salt tolerance and pathogen resistance in transgenic Arabidopsis plants via changes in hormonal signaling. G3 GENES|GENOMES|GENETICS 2022; 12:6535243. [PMID: 35199162 PMCID: PMC8982420 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The VQ protein family is plant-specific, and is involved in growth, development, and biotic and abiotic stress responses. In this study, we found that the gene expression of poplar VQ1(Potri.001G029700) from Populus trichocarpa varied remarkably under salt stress and hormones associated with disease. A subcellular localization experiment showed that VQ1 was localized in the nucleus and cytomembrane in tobacco. The overexpression of VQ1 in Arabidopsis thaliana enhanced its resistance to salt stress and disease, and was also responsive to it through abscisic acid. Compared with wild-type, transgenic Arabidopsis lines had significantly increased levels of abscisic acid and salicylic acid. The expression of some stress-related genes, such as MPK6, NPR1, and PDF1.2, was significantly up-regulated by salt in transgenic plants, while WRKY70, ABI1, KUP6, and NCED2 were significantly down-regulated by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 in transgenic plants. Together, these results demonstrate that VQ1 modulates hormonal signaling to confer multiple biotic and abiotic stress responses in transgenic Arabidopsis plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shifan Liu
- Laboratory of Modern Biotechnology, School of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Zhaocheng Wang
- Laboratory of Modern Biotechnology, School of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Jing Wu
- Laboratory of Modern Biotechnology, School of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Caijuan Wu
- Laboratory of Modern Biotechnology, School of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Rui Xiong
- Laboratory of Modern Biotechnology, School of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Yan Xiang
- Laboratory of Modern Biotechnology, School of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
- National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Hanwei Yan
- Laboratory of Modern Biotechnology, School of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
- National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
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Lan X, Wang X, Tao Q, Zhang H, Li J, Meng Y, Shan W. Activation of the VQ Motif-Containing Protein Gene VQ28 Compromised Nonhost Resistance of Arabidopsis thaliana to Phytophthora Pathogens. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:plants11070858. [PMID: 35406838 PMCID: PMC9002740 DOI: 10.3390/plants11070858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Nonhost resistance refers to resistance of a plant species to all genetic variants of a non-adapted pathogen. Such resistance has the potential to become broad-spectrum and durable crop disease resistance. We previously employed Arabidopsis thaliana and a forward genetics approach to identify plant mutants susceptible to the nonhost pathogen Phytophthora sojae, which resulted in identification of the T-DNA insertion mutant esp1 (enhanced susceptibility to Phytophthora). In this study, we report the identification of VQ motif-containing protein 28 (VQ28), whose expression was highly up-regulated in the mutant esp1. Stable transgenic A. thaliana plants constitutively overexpressing VQ28 compromised nonhost resistance (NHR) against P. sojae and P. infestans, and supported increased infection of P. parasitica. Transcriptomic analysis showed that overexpression of VQ28 resulted in six differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that are involved in the response to abscisic acid (ABA). High performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) detection showed that the contents of endogenous ABA, salicylic acid (SA), and jasmonate (JA) were enriched in VQ28 overexpression lines. These findings suggest that overexpression of VQ28 may lead to an imbalance in plant hormone homeostasis. Furthermore, transient overexpression of VQ28 in Nicotiana benthamiana rendered plants more susceptible to Phytophthora pathogens. Deletion mutant analysis showed that the C-terminus and VQ-motif were essential for plant susceptibility. Taken together, our results suggest that VQ28 negatively regulates plant NHR to Phytophthora pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingjie Lan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China; (X.L.); (X.W.); (Q.T.); (H.Z.); (J.L.); (Y.M.)
- College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
| | - Xiaoxia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China; (X.L.); (X.W.); (Q.T.); (H.Z.); (J.L.); (Y.M.)
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
| | - Quandan Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China; (X.L.); (X.W.); (Q.T.); (H.Z.); (J.L.); (Y.M.)
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
| | - Haotian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China; (X.L.); (X.W.); (Q.T.); (H.Z.); (J.L.); (Y.M.)
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
| | - Jinyang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China; (X.L.); (X.W.); (Q.T.); (H.Z.); (J.L.); (Y.M.)
- College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
| | - Yuling Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China; (X.L.); (X.W.); (Q.T.); (H.Z.); (J.L.); (Y.M.)
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
| | - Weixing Shan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China; (X.L.); (X.W.); (Q.T.); (H.Z.); (J.L.); (Y.M.)
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
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Cheng X, Gao C, Liu X, Xu D, Pan X, Gao W, Yan S, Yao H, Cao J, Min X, Lu J, Chang C, Zhang H, Ma C. Characterization of the wheat VQ protein family and expression of candidate genes associated with seed dormancy and germination. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 22:119. [PMID: 35291943 PMCID: PMC8925178 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-022-03430-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Seed dormancy and germination determine wheat resistance to pre-harvest sprouting and thereby affect grain yield and quality. Arabidopsis VQ genes have been shown to influence seed germination; however, the functions of wheat VQ genes have not been characterized. RESULTS We identified 65 TaVQ genes in common wheat and named them TaVQ1-65. We identified 48 paralogous pairs, 37 of which had Ka/Ks values greater than 1, suggesting that most TaVQ genes have experienced positive selection. Chromosome locations, gene structures, promoter element analysis, and gene ontology annotations of the TaVQs showed that their structures determined their functions and that structural changes reflected functional diversity. Transcriptome-based expression analysis of 62 TaVQ genes and microarray analysis of 11 TaVQ genes indicated that they played important roles in diverse biological processes. We compared TaVQ gene expression and seed germination index values among wheat varieties with contrasting seed dormancy and germination phenotypes and identified 21 TaVQ genes that may be involved in seed dormancy and germination. CONCLUSIONS Sixty-five TaVQ proteins were identified for the first time in common wheat, and bioinformatics analyses were used to investigate their phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary divergence. qRT-PCR data showed that 21 TaVQ candidate genes were potentially involved in seed dormancy and germination. These findings provide useful information for further cloning and functional analysis of TaVQ genes and introduce useful candidate genes for the improvement of PHS resistance in wheat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinran Cheng
- College of Agronomy, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement On Southern Yellow & Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, Anhui, China
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Chang Gao
- College of Agronomy, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement On Southern Yellow & Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, Anhui, China
| | - Xue Liu
- College of Agronomy, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement On Southern Yellow & Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, Anhui, China
| | - Dongmei Xu
- College of Agronomy, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement On Southern Yellow & Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, Anhui, China
| | - Xu Pan
- College of Agronomy, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement On Southern Yellow & Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, Anhui, China
| | - Wei Gao
- College of Agronomy, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement On Southern Yellow & Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, Anhui, China
| | - Shengnan Yan
- College of Agronomy, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement On Southern Yellow & Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, Anhui, China
| | - Hui Yao
- College of Agronomy, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement On Southern Yellow & Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, Anhui, China
| | - Jiajia Cao
- College of Agronomy, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement On Southern Yellow & Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, Anhui, China
| | - Xiaoyu Min
- College of Agronomy, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement On Southern Yellow & Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, Anhui, China
| | - Jie Lu
- College of Agronomy, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement On Southern Yellow & Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, Anhui, China
| | - Cheng Chang
- College of Agronomy, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement On Southern Yellow & Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, Anhui, China.
| | - Haiping Zhang
- College of Agronomy, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement On Southern Yellow & Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, Anhui, China.
| | - Chuanxi Ma
- College of Agronomy, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement On Southern Yellow & Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, Anhui, China
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Mathur S, Paritosh K, Tandon R, Pental D, Pradhan AK. Comparative Analysis of Seed Transcriptome and Coexpression Analysis Reveal Candidate Genes for Enhancing Seed Size/Weight in Brassica juncea. Front Genet 2022; 13:814486. [PMID: 35281836 PMCID: PMC8907137 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.814486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Seed size/weight is a multigenic trait that is governed by complex transcriptional regulatory pathways. An understanding of the genetic basis of seed size is of great interest in the improvement of seed yield and quality in oilseed crops. A global transcriptome analysis was performed at the initial stages of seed development in two lines of Brassica juncea, small-seeded EH-2 and large-seeded PJ. The anatomical analyses revealed significant differences in cell number and cell size in the outer layer of the seed coat between EH-2 and PJ. Pairwise comparisons at each developmental stage identified 5,974 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the two lines, of which 954 genes belong to different families of transcription factors. Two modules were found to be significantly correlated with an increased seed size using weighted gene coexpression network analysis. The DEG and coexpression datasets were integrated with the thousand seed weight (Tsw) quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapped earlier in the EPJ (EH-2 × PJ) doubled haploid (DH) population, which identified forty potential key components controlling seed size. The candidate genes included genes regulating the cell cycle, cell wall biogenesis/modification, solute/sugar transport, and hormone signaling. The results provide a valuable resource to widen the current understanding of regulatory mechanisms underlying seed size in B. juncea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shikha Mathur
- Department of Genetics, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi, India
| | - Kumar Paritosh
- Centre of Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi, India
| | - Rajesh Tandon
- Department of Botany, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Deepak Pental
- Centre of Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi, India
| | - Akshay K. Pradhan
- Centre of Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi, India
- *Correspondence: Akshay K. Pradhan,
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Wang W, Xiong H, Sun K, Zhang B, Sun MX. New insights into cell-cell communications during seed development in flowering plants. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 64:215-229. [PMID: 34473416 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13170] [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: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The evolution of seeds is a major reason why flowering plants are a dominant life form on Earth. The developing seed is composed of two fertilization products, the embryo and endosperm, which are surrounded by a maternally derived seed coat. Accumulating evidence indicates that efficient communication among all three seed components is required to ensure coordinated seed development. Cell communication within plant seeds has drawn much attention in recent years. In this study, we review current knowledge of cross-talk among the endosperm, embryo, and seed coat during seed development, and highlight recent advances in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Hanxian Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Kaiting Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Meng-Xiang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
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Xu K, Wang P. Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the VQ gene family in Cucurbita pepo L. PeerJ 2022; 10:e12827. [PMID: 35116202 PMCID: PMC8785662 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
VQ protein is a plant specific protein, which plays an important role in plant growth and development and biological and abiotic stress response. This study aimed to systematically analyze for the first time the VQ of Cucurbita pepo and understand their expression patterns in response to different stimuli. Herein, 44 VQ genes were identified, which were divided into eight groups (I-VIII) based on phylogenetic analysis. Two genes (CpVQ1 and CpVQ2) could not be located on the chromosome, whereas the remaining CpVQ genes were randomly distributed on the chromosomes, except for chromosomes 15 and 18. Noteworthy, the main event driving the expansion of the VQ gene family was chromosome fragment duplication. Based on qRT-PCR analysis, VQ genes are expressed in different tissues, and VQ genes are differentially regulated under a variety of abiotic stresses and powdery mildew stress, indicating that they play an important role in plant stress response and other aspects. This report presents the first systematic analysis of VQ genes from C. pepo and provides a solid foundation for further research of the specific functions of VQ proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Xu
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhehaote, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Ping Wang
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhehaote, Inner Mongolia, China
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46
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Dong Q, Duan D, Zheng W, Huang D, Wang Q, Yang J, Liu C, Li C, Gong X, Li C, Ma F, Mao K. Overexpression of MdVQ37 reduces drought tolerance by altering leaf anatomy and SA homeostasis in transgenic apple. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 42:160-174. [PMID: 34328189 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpab098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Drought stress is an environmental factor that seriously threatens plant growth, development and yield. VQ proteins are transcriptional regulators that have been reported to be involved in plant growth, development and the responses to biotic and abiotic stressors. However, the relationship between VQ proteins and drought stress has not been well documented in plants. In this study, overexpressing the apple VQ motif-containing protein (MdVQ37) gene in apple plants markedly reduced the tolerance to drought. Physiological and biochemical studies further demonstrated lower enzymatic activities and decreased photosynthetic capacity in transgenic lines compared with wild-type (WT) plants under drought stress. Ultrastructural analysis of leaves showed that the leaves and palisade tissues from the transgenic lines were significantly thinner than those from WT plants. Salicylic acid (SA) analysis indicated that overexpression of MdVQ37 increased the accumulation of 2,5-DHBA by up-regulating the expression of the SA catabolic gene, which ultimately resulted to a significant reduction in endogenous SA content and the disruption of the SA-dependent signaling pathway under drought stress. Applying SA partially increased the survival rate of the transgenic lines under drought stress. These results demonstrate that the regulatory function of apple MdVQ37 is implicated in drought stress, through a change in leaf development and SA homeostasis. This study provides novel insight into understanding the multiple functions of VQ proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinglong Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, P.R. China
| | - Dingyue Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, P.R. China
| | - Wenqian Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, P.R. China
| | - Dong Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, P.R. China
| | - Qian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, P.R. China
| | - Jie Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, P.R. China
| | - Changhai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, P.R. China
| | - Chao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoqing Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, P.R. China
| | - Cuiying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, P.R. China
| | - Fengwang Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, P.R. China
| | - Ke Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, P.R. China
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Zhang H, Zhang L, Ji Y, Jing Y, Li L, Chen Y, Wang R, Zhang H, Yu D, Chen L. Arabidopsis SIGMA FACTOR BINDING PROTEIN1 (SIB1) and SIB2 inhibit WRKY75 function in abscisic acid-mediated leaf senescence and seed germination. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2022; 73:182-196. [PMID: 34435636 PMCID: PMC8730687 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erab391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The plant-specific VQ gene family participates in diverse physiological processes but little information is available on their role in leaf senescence. Here, we show that the VQ motif-containing proteins, Arabidopsis SIGMA FACTOR BINDING PROTEIN1 (SIB1) and SIB2 are negative regulators of abscisic acid (ABA)-mediated leaf senescence. Loss of SIB1 and SIB2 function resulted in increased sensitivity of ABA-induced leaf senescence. In contrast, overexpression of SIB1 significantly delayed this process. Moreover, biochemical studies revealed that SIBs interact with WRKY75 transcription factor. Loss of WRKY75 function decreased sensitivity to ABA-induced leaf senescence, while overexpression of WRKY75 significantly accelerated this process. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that WRKY75 directly binds to the promoters of GOLDEN 2-LIKE1(GLK1) and GLK2, to repress their expression. SIBs repress the transcriptional function of WRKY75 and negatively regulate ABA-induced leaf senescence in a WRKY75-dependent manner. In contrast, WRKY75 positively modulates ABA-mediated leaf senescence in a GLK-dependent manner. In addition, SIBs inhibit WRKY75 function in ABA-mediated seed germination. These results demonstrate that SIBs can form a complex with WRKY75 to regulate ABA-mediated leaf senescence and seed germination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyan Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Liping Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Yunrui Ji
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yifen Jing
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lanxin Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yanli Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ruling Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- Center of Economic Botany, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
| | - Huimin Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- Center of Economic Botany, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
| | - Diqiu Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
- Correspondence: or
| | - Ligang Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- Center of Economic Botany, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- Correspondence: or
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48
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Ruan YL. CWIN-sugar transporter nexus is a key component for reproductive success. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 268:153572. [PMID: 34839101 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2021.153572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Reproductive development is critical for completion of plant life cycle and realization of crop yield potential. Reproductive organs comprise multiple distinctive or even transgenerational tissues, which are symplasmically disconnected from each other for protection and better control of nutrition and development. Cell wall invertases (CWINs) and sugar transporters are often specifically or abundantly expressed in these apoplasmic interfaces to provide carbon nutrients and sugar signals to developing pollens, endosperm and embryo. Emerging evidence shows that some of those genes were indeed targeted for selection during crop domestication. In this Opinion paper, I discuss the functional significance of the localized expression of CWINs and sugar transporters in reproductive organs followed by an analysis on how their spatial patterning may be regulated at the molecular levels and how the localized CWIN activity may be exploited for improvement of reproductive output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Ling Ruan
- School of Environmental and Life Science, University of Newcastle, NSW, 2308, Australia; Centre of Plant Reproductive and Stress Biology, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
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49
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Cheng X, Yao H, Cheng Z, Tian B, Gao C, Gao W, Yan S, Cao J, Pan X, Lu J, Ma C, Chang C, Zhang H. The Wheat Gene TaVQ14 Confers Salt and Drought Tolerance in Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana Plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:870586. [PMID: 35620700 PMCID: PMC9127792 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.870586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Wheat is one of the most widely cultivated food crops worldwide, and the safe production of wheat is essential to ensure food security. Soil salinization and drought have severely affected the yield and quality of wheat. Valine-glutamine genes play important roles in abiotic stress response. This study assessed the effect of the gene TaVQ14 on drought and salt stresses resistance. Sequence analysis showed that TaVQ14 encoded a basic unstable hydrophobic protein with 262 amino acids. Subcellular localization showed that TaVQ14 was localized in the nucleus. TaVQ14 was upregulated in wheat seeds under drought and salt stress. Under NaCl and mannitol treatments, the percentage of seed germination was higher in Arabidopsis lines overexpressing TaVQ14 than in wild-type lines, whereas the germination rate was significantly lower in plants with a mutation in the atvq15 gene (a TaVQ14 homolog) than in WT controls, suggesting that TaVQ14 increases resistance to salt and drought stress in Arabidopsis seeds. Moreover, under salt and drought stress, Arabidopsis lines overexpressing TaVQ14 had higher catalase, superoxide dismutase, and proline levels and lower malondialdehyde concentrations than WT controls, suggesting that TaVQ14 improves salt and drought resistance in Arabidopsis by scavenging reactive oxygen species. Expression analysis showed that several genes responsive to salt and drought stress were upregulated in Arabidopsis plants overexpressing TaVQ14. Particularly, salt treatment increased the expression of AtCDPK2 in these plants. Moreover, salt treatment increased Ca2+ concentrations in plants overexpressing TaVQ14, suggesting that TaVQ14 enhances salt resistance in Arabidopsis seeds through calcium signaling. In summary, this study demonstrated that the heterologous expression of TaVQ14 increases the resistance of Arabidopsis seeds to salt and drought stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinran Cheng
- College of Agronomy, Anhui Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement on Southern Yellow and Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hefei, China
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hui Yao
- College of Agronomy, Anhui Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement on Southern Yellow and Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hefei, China
| | - Zuming Cheng
- College of Agronomy, Anhui Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement on Southern Yellow and Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hefei, China
| | - Bingbing Tian
- College of Agronomy, Anhui Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement on Southern Yellow and Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hefei, China
| | - Chang Gao
- College of Agronomy, Anhui Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement on Southern Yellow and Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hefei, China
| | - Wei Gao
- College of Agronomy, Anhui Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement on Southern Yellow and Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hefei, China
| | - Shengnan Yan
- College of Agronomy, Anhui Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement on Southern Yellow and Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hefei, China
| | - Jiajia Cao
- College of Agronomy, Anhui Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement on Southern Yellow and Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hefei, China
| | - Xu Pan
- College of Agronomy, Anhui Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement on Southern Yellow and Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hefei, China
| | - Jie Lu
- College of Agronomy, Anhui Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement on Southern Yellow and Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hefei, China
| | - Chuanxi Ma
- College of Agronomy, Anhui Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement on Southern Yellow and Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hefei, China
| | - Cheng Chang
- College of Agronomy, Anhui Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement on Southern Yellow and Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hefei, China
- *Correspondence: Cheng Chang,
| | - Haiping Zhang
- College of Agronomy, Anhui Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement on Southern Yellow and Huai River Valley, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hefei, China
- Haiping Zhang,
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50
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Recent Duplications Dominate VQ and WRKY Gene Expansions in Six Prunus Species. Int J Genomics 2021; 2021:4066394. [PMID: 34961840 PMCID: PMC8710041 DOI: 10.1155/2021/4066394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Genes encoding VQ motif-containing (VQ) transcriptional regulators and WRKY transcription factors can participate separately or jointly in plant growth, development, and abiotic and biotic stress responses. In this study, 222 VQ and 645 WRKY genes were identified in six Prunus species. Based on phylogenetic tree topologies, the VQ and WRKY genes were classified into 13 and 32 clades, respectively. Therefore, at least 13 VQ gene copies and 32 WRKY gene copies were present in the genome of the common ancestor of the six Prunus species. Similar small Ks value peaks for the VQ and WRKY genes suggest that the two gene families underwent recent duplications in the six studied species. The majority of the Ka/Ks ratios were less than 1, implying that most of the VQ and WRKY genes had undergone purifying selection. Pi values were significantly higher in the VQ genes than in the WRKY genes, and the VQ genes therefore exhibited greater nucleotide diversity in the six species. Forty-one of the Prunus VQ genes were predicted to interact with 44 of the WRKY genes, and the expression levels of some predicted VQ-WRKY interacting pairs were significantly correlated. Differential expression patterns of the VQ and WRKY genes suggested that some might be involved in regulating aphid resistance in P. persica and fruit development in P. avium.
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