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Mishra P, Roggen A, Ljung K, Albani MC, Vayssières A. Adventitious rooting in response to long-term cold: a possible mechanism of clonal growth in alpine perennials. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1352830. [PMID: 38693930 PMCID: PMC11062184 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1352830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Arctic alpine species experience extended periods of cold and unpredictable conditions during flowering. Thus, often, alpine plants use both sexual and asexual means of reproduction to maximize fitness and ensure reproductive success. We used the arctic alpine perennial Arabis alpina to explore the role of prolonged cold exposure on adventitious rooting. We exposed plants to 4°C for different durations and scored the presence of adventitious roots on the main stem and axillary branches. Our physiological studies demonstrated the presence of adventitious roots after 21 weeks at 4°C saturating the effect of cold on this process. Notably, adventitious roots on the main stem developing in specific internodes allowed us to identify the gene regulatory network involved in the formation of adventitious roots in cold using transcriptomics. These data and histological studies indicated that adventitious roots in A. alpina stems initiate during cold exposure and emerge after plants experience growth promoting conditions. While the initiation of adventitious root was not associated with changes of DR5 auxin response and free endogenous auxin level in the stems, the emergence of the adventitious root primordia was. Using the transcriptomic data, we discerned the sequential hormone responses occurring in various stages of adventitious root formation and identified supplementary pathways putatively involved in adventitious root emergence, such as glucosinolate metabolism. Together, our results highlight the role of low temperature during clonal growth in alpine plants and provide insights on the molecular mechanisms involved at distinct stages of adventitious rooting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Mishra
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, “SMART Plants for Tomorrow’s Needs,” Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Allahabad, Prayagraj, India
| | - Adrian Roggen
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, “SMART Plants for Tomorrow’s Needs,” Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany
| | - Karin Ljung
- Umeå Plant Science Centre, Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Maria C. Albani
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, “SMART Plants for Tomorrow’s Needs,” Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany
- Rijk Zwaan, De Lier, Netherlands
| | - Alice Vayssières
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, “SMART Plants for Tomorrow’s Needs,” Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin (IJPB), Versailles, France
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2
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Zhao B, Wang JW. Perenniality: From model plants to applications in agriculture. MOLECULAR PLANT 2024; 17:141-157. [PMID: 38115580 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2023.12.011] [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: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
To compensate for their sessile nature, plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms enabling them to adapt to ever-changing environments. One such prominent feature is the evolution of diverse life history strategies, particularly such that annuals reproduce once followed by seasonal death, while perennials live longer by cycling growth seasonally. This intrinsic phenology is primarily genetic and can be altered by environmental factors. Although evolutionary transitions between annual and perennial life history strategies are common, perennials account for most species in nature because they survive well under year-round stresses. This proportion, however, is reversed in agriculture. Hence, perennial crops promise to likewise protect and enhance the resilience of agricultural ecosystems in response to climate change. Despite significant endeavors that have been made to generate perennial crops, progress is slow because of barriers in studying perennials, and many developed species await further improvement. Recent findings in model species have illustrated that simply rewiring existing genetic networks can lead to lifestyle variation. This implies that engineering plant life history strategy can be achieved by manipulating only a few key genes. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of genetic basis of perenniality and discuss major questions and challenges that remain to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jia-Wei Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 200032, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Carbon Capture, CAS, Shanghai 200032, China; New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Shanghai 200032, China.
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3
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Wunder J, Fulgione A, Toräng P, Wötzel S, Herzog M, Obeso JR, Kourmpetis Y, van Ham R, Odong T, Bink M, Kemi U, Ågren J, Coupland G. Adaptation of perennial flowering phenology across the European range of Arabis alpina. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231401. [PMID: 37989245 PMCID: PMC10688268 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1401] [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: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Flowering phenology is important in the adaptation of many plants to their local environment, but its adaptive value has not been extensively studied in herbaceous perennials. We used Arabis alpina as a model system to determine the importance of flowering phenology to fitness of a herbaceous perennial with a wide geographical range. Individual plants representative of local genetic diversity (accessions) were collected across Europe, including in Spain, the Alps and Scandinavia. The flowering behaviour of these accessions was documented in controlled conditions, in common-garden experiments at native sites and in situ in natural populations. Accessions from the Alps and Scandinavia varied in whether they required exposure to cold (vernalization) to induce flowering, and in the timing and duration of flowering. By contrast, all Spanish accessions obligately required vernalization and had a short duration of flowering. Using experimental gardens at native sites, we show that an obligate requirement for vernalization increases survival in Spain. Based on our analyses of genetic diversity and flowering behaviour across Europe, we propose that in the model herbaceous perennial A. alpina, an obligate requirement for vernalization, which is correlated with short duration of flowering, is favoured by selection in Spain where the plants experience a long growing season.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jörg Wunder
- Department of Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829 Cologne, Germany
| | - Andrea Fulgione
- Department of Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829 Cologne, Germany
| | - Per Toräng
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Stefan Wötzel
- Department of Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829 Cologne, Germany
| | - Michel Herzog
- Laboratoire d’Écologie Alpine, LECA, Université Grenoble Alpes, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - José Ramón Obeso
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO-CSIC-PA), Universidad de Oviedo, Campus de Mieres, 33600 Mieres, Spain
| | - Yiannis Kourmpetis
- Biometris, Wageningen University and Research Centre, 6700 AC Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Roeland van Ham
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Wageningen University, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
- KeyGene, 6708 PW Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas Odong
- Biometris, Wageningen University and Research Centre, 6700 AC Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marco Bink
- Biometris, Wageningen University and Research Centre, 6700 AC Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ulla Kemi
- Department of Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829 Cologne, Germany
| | - Jon Ågren
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - George Coupland
- Department of Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829 Cologne, Germany
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4
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Karami O, Mueller-Roeber B, Rahimi A. The central role of stem cells in determining plant longevity variation. PLANT COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 4:100566. [PMID: 36840355 PMCID: PMC10504568 DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2023.100566] [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: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Vascular plants display a huge variety of longevity patterns, from a few weeks for several annual species up to thousands of years for some perennial species. Understanding how longevity variation is structured has long been considered a fundamental aspect of the life sciences in view of evolution, species distribution, and adaptation to diverse environments. Unlike animals, whose organs are typically formed during embryogenesis, vascular plants manage to extend their life by continuously producing new tissues and organs in apical and lateral directions via proliferation of stem cells located within specialized tissues called meristems. Stem cells are the main source of plant longevity. Variation in plant longevity is highly dependent on the activity and fate identity of stem cells. Multiple developmental factors determine how stem cells contribute to variation in plant longevity. In this review, we provide an overview of the genetic mechanisms, hormonal signaling, and environmental factors involved in controlling plant longevity through long-term maintenance of stem cell fate identity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omid Karami
- Plant Developmental Genetics, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Bernd Mueller-Roeber
- University of Potsdam, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 24-25, Haus 20, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Arezoo Rahimi
- Plant Developmental Genetics, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, the Netherlands
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5
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Karbstein K, Römermann C, Hellwig F, Prinz K. Population size affected by environmental variability impacts genetics, traits, and plant performance in Trifolium montanum L. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10376. [PMID: 37560178 PMCID: PMC10406824 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Population size, genetic diversity, and performance have fundamental importance for ecology, evolution, and nature conservation of plant species. Despite well-studied relationships among environmental, genetic, and intraspecific trait variation (ITV), the influence of population size on these aspects is less understood. To assess the sources of population size variation, but also its impact on genetic, functional trait, and performance aspects, we conducted detailed population size estimations, assessed 23 abiotic and biotic environmental habitat factors, performed population genetic analyses using nine microsatellite markers, and recorded nine functional traits based on 260 Trifolium montanum individuals from 13 semi-dry grassland locations of Central Europe. Modern statistical analyses based on a multivariate framework (path analysis) with preselected linear regression models revealed that the variation of abiotic factors (in contrast to factors per se) almost completely, significantly explained fluctuations in population size (R 2 = .93). In general, abiotic habitat variation (heterogeneity) was not affected by habitat area. Population size significantly explained genetic diversity (N A: R 2 = .42, H o: R 2 = .67, H e: R 2 = .43, and I: R 2 = .59), inbreeding (F IS: R 2 = .35), and differentiation (G ST: R 2 = .20). We also found that iFDCV (ITV) was significantly explained by abiotic habitat heterogeneity, and to a lesser extent by genetic diversity H e (R 2 = .81). Nevertheless, habitat heterogeneity did not statistically affect genetic diversity. This may be due to the use of selectively neutral microsatellite markers, and possibly by insufficient abiotic selective pressures on habitats examined. Small T. montanum populations in nonoptimal habitats were characterized by reduced genetic and functional trait diversity, and elevated genetic inbreeding and differentiation. This indicates reduced adaptability to current and future environmental changes. The long-term survival of small populations with reduced genetic diversity and beginning inbreeding will be highly dependent on habitat protection and adequate land-use actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Karbstein
- Institute of Ecology and EvolutionFriedrich Schiller UniversityJenaGermany
- Department of Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants (with Herbarium)Albrecht‐von‐Haller Institute for Plant SciencesUniversity of GöttingenGöttingenGermany
- Department of Biogeochemical IntegrationMax Planck Institute for BiogeochemistryJenaGermany
| | - Christine Römermann
- Institute of Ecology and EvolutionFriedrich Schiller UniversityJenaGermany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
| | - Frank Hellwig
- Institute of Ecology and EvolutionFriedrich Schiller UniversityJenaGermany
| | - Kathleen Prinz
- Institute of Ecology and EvolutionFriedrich Schiller UniversityJenaGermany
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6
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Hjertaas AC, Preston JC, Kainulainen K, Humphreys AM, Fjellheim S. Convergent evolution of the annual life history syndrome from perennial ancestors. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 13:1048656. [PMID: 36684797 PMCID: PMC9846227 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1048656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Despite most angiosperms being perennial, once-flowering annuals have evolved multiple times independently, making life history traits among the most labile trait syndromes in flowering plants. Much research has focused on discerning the adaptive forces driving the evolution of annual species, and in pinpointing traits that distinguish them from perennials. By contrast, little is known about how 'annual traits' evolve, and whether the same traits and genes have evolved in parallel to affect independent origins of the annual syndrome. Here, we review what is known about the distribution of annuals in both phylogenetic and environmental space and assess the evidence for parallel evolution of annuality through similar physiological, developmental, and/or genetic mechanisms. We then use temperate grasses as a case study for modeling the evolution of annuality and suggest future directions for understanding annual-perennial transitions in other groups of plants. Understanding how convergent life history traits evolve can help predict species responses to climate change and allows transfer of knowledge between model and agriculturally important species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ane C. Hjertaas
- Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Jill C. Preston
- Department of Plant Biology, The University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Kent Kainulainen
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Aelys M. Humphreys
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Siri Fjellheim
- Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
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7
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Viñegra de la Torre N, Vayssières A, Obeng-Hinneh E, Neumann U, Zhou Y, Lázaro A, Roggen A, Sun H, Stolze SC, Nakagami H, Schneeberger K, Timmers T, Albani MC. FLOWERING REPRESSOR AAA + ATPase 1 is a novel regulator of perennial flowering in Arabis alpina. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 236:729-744. [PMID: 35832005 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Arabis alpina is a polycarpic perennial, in which PERPETUAL FLOWERING1 (PEP1) regulates flowering and perennial traits in a vernalization-dependent manner. Mutagenesis screens of the pep1 mutant established the role of other flowering time regulators in PEP1-parallel pathways. Here we characterized three allelic enhancers of pep1 (eop002, 085 and 091) which flower early. We mapped the causal mutations and complemented mutants with the identified gene. Using quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR and reporter lines, we determined the protein spatiotemporal expression patterns and localization within the cell. We also characterized its role in Arabidopsis thaliana using CRISPR and in A. alpina by introgressing mutant alleles into a wild-type background. These mutants carried lesions in an AAA+ ATPase of unknown function, FLOWERING REPRESSOR AAA+ ATPase 1 (AaFRAT1). AaFRAT1 was detected in the vasculature of young leaf primordia and the rib zone of flowering shoot apical meristems. At the subcellular level, AaFRAT1 was localized at the interphase between the endoplasmic reticulum and peroxisomes. Introgression lines carrying Aafrat1 alleles required less vernalization to flower and reduced number of vegetative axillary branches. By contrast, A. thaliana CRISPR lines showed weak flowering phenotypes. AaFRAT1 contributes to flowering time regulation and the perennial growth habit of A. alpina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natanael Viñegra de la Torre
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, 50674, Cologne, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné Weg 10, 50829, Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences "From Complex Traits towards Synthetic Modules", 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Alice Vayssières
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, 50674, Cologne, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné Weg 10, 50829, Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences "From Complex Traits towards Synthetic Modules", 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Evelyn Obeng-Hinneh
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, 50674, Cologne, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné Weg 10, 50829, Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences "From Complex Traits towards Synthetic Modules", 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Ulla Neumann
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné Weg 10, 50829, Cologne, Germany
| | - Yanhao Zhou
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, 50674, Cologne, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné Weg 10, 50829, Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences "From Complex Traits towards Synthetic Modules", 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Ana Lázaro
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, 50674, Cologne, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné Weg 10, 50829, Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences "From Complex Traits towards Synthetic Modules", 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Adrian Roggen
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, 50674, Cologne, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné Weg 10, 50829, Cologne, Germany
| | - Hequan Sun
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné Weg 10, 50829, Cologne, Germany
| | - Sara C Stolze
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné Weg 10, 50829, Cologne, Germany
| | - Hirofumi Nakagami
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné Weg 10, 50829, Cologne, Germany
| | - Korbinian Schneeberger
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné Weg 10, 50829, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ton Timmers
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné Weg 10, 50829, Cologne, Germany
| | - Maria C Albani
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, 50674, Cologne, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné Weg 10, 50829, Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences "From Complex Traits towards Synthetic Modules", 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
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8
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Voogd C, Brian LA, Wu R, Wang T, Allan AC, Varkonyi-Gasic E. A MADS-box gene with similarity to FLC is induced by cold and correlated with epigenetic changes to control budbreak in kiwifruit. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 233:2111-2126. [PMID: 34907541 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Temperate perennials require exposure to chilling temperatures to resume growth in the following spring. Growth and dormancy cycles are controlled by complex genetic regulatory networks and are governed by epigenetic mechanisms, but the specific genes and mechanisms remain poorly understood. To understand how seasonal changes and chilling regulate dormancy and growth in the woody perennial vine kiwifruit (Ac, Actinidia chinensis), a transcriptome study of kiwifruit buds in the field and controlled conditions was performed. A MADS-box gene with homology to Arabidopsis FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) was identified and characterized. Elevated expression of AcFLC-like (AcFLCL) was detected during bud dormancy and chilling. A long noncoding (lnc) antisense transcript with an expression pattern opposite to AcFLCL and shorter sense noncoding RNAs were identified. Chilling induced an increase in trimethylation of lysine-4 of histone H3 (H3K4me3) in the 5' end of the gene, indicating multiple layers of epigenetic regulation in response to cold. Overexpression of AcFLCL in kiwifruit gave rise to plants with earlier budbreak, whilst gene editing using CRISPR-Cas9 resulted in transgenic lines with substantially delayed budbreak, suggesting a role in activation of growth. These results have implications for the future management and breeding of perennials for resilience to changing climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Voogd
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (Plant & Food Research) Mt Albert, Private Bag 92169, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Lara A Brian
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (Plant & Food Research) Mt Albert, Private Bag 92169, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Rongmei Wu
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (Plant & Food Research) Mt Albert, Private Bag 92169, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Tianchi Wang
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (Plant & Food Research) Mt Albert, Private Bag 92169, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Andrew C Allan
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (Plant & Food Research) Mt Albert, Private Bag 92169, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Erika Varkonyi-Gasic
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (Plant & Food Research) Mt Albert, Private Bag 92169, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
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9
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Wötzel S, Andrello M, Albani MC, Koch MA, Coupland G, Gugerli F. Arabis alpina: A perennial model plant for ecological genomics and life-history evolution. Mol Ecol Resour 2021; 22:468-486. [PMID: 34415668 PMCID: PMC9293087 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Many model organisms were chosen and achieved prominence because of an advantageous combination of their life‐history characteristics, genetic properties and also practical considerations. Discoveries made in Arabidopsis thaliana, the most renowned noncrop plant model species, have markedly stimulated studies in other species with different biology. Within the family Brassicaceae, the arctic–alpine Arabis alpina has become a model complementary to Arabidopsis thaliana to study the evolution of life‐history traits, such as perenniality, and ecological genomics in harsh environments. In this review, we provide an overview of the properties that facilitated the rapid emergence of A. alpina as a plant model. We summarize the evolutionary history of A. alpina, including genomic aspects, the diversification of its mating system and demographic properties, and we discuss recent progress in the molecular dissection of developmental traits that are related to its perennial life history and environmental adaptation. From this published knowledge, we derive open questions that might inspire future research in A. alpina, other Brassicaceae species or more distantly related plant families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Wötzel
- Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt and Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt (Main), Germany
| | - Marco Andrello
- Institute for the Study of Anthropic Impacts and Sustainability in the Marine Environment, National Research Council, CNR-IAS, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria C Albani
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Marcus A Koch
- Biodiversity and Plant Systematics, Centre for Organismal Studies (COS), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - George Coupland
- Department of Plant Development Biology, MPI for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany
| | - Felix Gugerli
- WSL Swiss Federal Research Institute, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
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10
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Penfield S, Warner S, Wilkinson L. Molecular responses to chilling in a warming climate and their impacts on plant reproductive development and yield. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2021:erab375. [PMID: 34409451 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erab375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Responses to prolonged winter chilling are universal in temperate plants which use seasonal temperature cues in the seed, vegetative and reproductive phases to align development with the earth's orbit. Climate change is driving a decline in reliable winter chill and affecting the sub-tropical extent of cultivation for temperate over-wintering crops. Here we explore molecular aspects of plant responses to winter chill including seasonal bud break and flowering, and how variation in the intensity of winter chilling or de-vernalisation can lead to effects on post-chilling plant development, including that of structures necessary for crop yields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Penfield
- Department of Crop Genetics, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Samuel Warner
- Department of Crop Genetics, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Laura Wilkinson
- Department of Crop Genetics, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
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11
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Chen F, Li Y, Li X, Li W, Xu J, Cao H, Wang Z, Li Y, Soppe WJJ, Liu Y. Ectopic expression of the Arabidopsis florigen gene FLOWERING LOCUS T in seeds enhances seed dormancy via the GA and DOG1 pathways. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 107:909-924. [PMID: 34037275 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Ectopic expression of specific genes in seeds could be a tool for molecular design of crops to alter seed dormancy and germination, thereby improving production. Here, a seed-specific vector, 12S-pLEELA, was applied to study the roles of genes in Arabidopsis seeds. Transgenic lines containing FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) driven by the 12S promoter exhibited significantly increased seed dormancy and earlier flowering. Mutated FT(Y85H) and TERMINAL FLOWER1 (TFL1) transgenic lines also showed increased seed dormancy but without altered flowering time. FT(Y85H) and TFL1 caused weaker seed dormancy enhancement compared to FT. The FT and TFL1 transgenic lines showed hypersensitivity to paclobutrazol, but not to abscisic acid in seed germination. The levels of bioactive gibberellin 3 (GA3 ) and GA4 were significantly reduced, consistent with decreased expression of COPALYL DIPHOSPHATE SYNTHASE (CPS), KAURENE OXIDASE (KO), GIBBERELLIN 3-OXIDASE2 (GA3ox2), and GA20ox1 in p12S::FT lines. Exogenous GA4+7 could recover the germination ability of FT transgenic lines. These results revealed that FT regulates GA biosynthesis. A genetic analysis indicated that the GA signaling regulator SPINDLY (SPY) is epistatic to FT in GA-mediated seed germination. Furthermore, DELAY OF GERMINATION1 (DOG1) showed significantly higher transcript levels in p12S::FT lines. Seed dormancy analysis of dog1-2 spy-3 p12S::FT-2 indicated that the combination of SPY and DOG1 is epistatic to FT in the regulation of dormancy. Overall, we showed that ectopic expression of FT and TFL1 in seeds enhances dormancy through affecting GA and DOG1 pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengying Chen
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Li
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoying Li
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenlong Li
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Science and Technology Daily, Beijing, China
| | - Jimei Xu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Cao
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, China
| | - Yong Li
- Institute of Genetic Epidemiology, Medical Centre - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Yongxiu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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12
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Sergeeva A, Liu H, Mai HJ, Mettler-Altmann T, Kiefer C, Coupland G, Bauer P. Cytokinin-promoted secondary growth and nutrient storage in the perennial stem zone of Arabis alpina. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 105:1459-1476. [PMID: 33336445 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Perennial plants maintain their lifespan through several growth seasons. Arabis alpina serves as a model Brassicaceae species to study perennial traits. Lateral stems of A. alpina have a proximal vegetative zone with a dormant bud zone and a distal senescing seed-producing inflorescence zone. We addressed how this zonation is distinguished at the anatomical level, whether it is related to nutrient storage and which signals affect the zonation. We found that the vegetative zone exhibits secondary growth, which we termed the perennial growth zone (PZ). High-molecular-weight carbon compounds accumulate there in cambium and cambium derivatives. Neither vernalization nor flowering were requirements for secondary growth and the sequestration of storage compounds. The inflorescence zone with only primary growth, termed the annual growth zone (AZ), or roots exhibited different storage characteristics. Following cytokinin application cambium activity was enhanced and secondary phloem parenchyma was formed in the PZ and also in the AZ. In transcriptome analysis, cytokinin-related genes represented enriched gene ontology terms and were expressed at a higher level in the PZ than in the AZ. Thus, A. alpina primarily uses the vegetative PZ for nutrient storage, coupled to cytokinin-promoted secondary growth. This finding lays a foundation for future studies addressing signals for perennial growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Sergeeva
- Institute of Botany, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, D-40225, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Science (CEPLAS), Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Hongjiu Liu
- Institute of Botany, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, D-40225, Germany
| | - Hans-Jörg Mai
- Institute of Botany, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, D-40225, Germany
| | - Tabea Mettler-Altmann
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Science (CEPLAS), Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, D-40225, Germany
| | - Christiane Kiefer
- Department of Plant Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, D-50829, Germany
| | - George Coupland
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Science (CEPLAS), Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Plant Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, D-50829, Germany
| | - Petra Bauer
- Institute of Botany, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, D-40225, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Science (CEPLAS), Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
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13
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Wieters B, Steige KA, He F, Koch EM, Ramos-Onsins SE, Gu H, Guo YL, Sunyaev S, de Meaux J. Polygenic adaptation of rosette growth in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1008748. [PMID: 33493157 PMCID: PMC7861555 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The rate at which plants grow is a major functional trait in plant ecology. However, little is known about its evolution in natural populations. Here, we investigate evolutionary and environmental factors shaping variation in the growth rate of Arabidopsis thaliana. We used plant diameter as a proxy to monitor plant growth over time in environments that mimicked latitudinal differences in the intensity of natural light radiation, across a set of 278 genotypes sampled within four broad regions, including an outgroup set of genotypes from China. A field experiment conducted under natural conditions confirmed the ecological relevance of the observed variation. All genotypes markedly expanded their rosette diameter when the light supply was decreased, demonstrating that environmental plasticity is a predominant source of variation to adapt plant size to prevailing light conditions. Yet, we detected significant levels of genetic variation both in growth rate and growth plasticity. Genome-wide association studies revealed that only 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms associate with genetic variation for growth above Bonferroni confidence levels. However, marginally associated variants were significantly enriched among genes with an annotated role in growth and stress reactions. Polygenic scores computed from marginally associated variants confirmed the polygenic basis of growth variation. For both light regimes, phenotypic divergence between the most distantly related population (China) and the various regions in Europe is smaller than the variation observed within Europe, indicating that the evolution of growth rate is likely to be constrained by stabilizing selection. We observed that Spanish genotypes, however, reach a significantly larger size than Northern European genotypes. Tests of adaptive divergence and analysis of the individual burden of deleterious mutations reveal that adaptive processes have played a more important role in shaping regional differences in rosette growth than maladaptive evolution. The rate at which plants grow is a major functional trait in plant ecology. However, little is known about its genetic variation in natural populations. Here, we investigate genetic and environmental factors shaping variation in the growth rate of Arabidopsis thaliana and ask whether genetic variation in plant growth contributes to adaptation to local environmental conditions. We grew plants under two light regimes that mimic latitudinal differences in the intensity of natural light radiation, and measured plant diameter as it grew over time. When the light supply was decreased, plant diameter grew more slowly but reached a markedly larger final size, confirming that plants can adjust their growth to prevailing light conditions. Yet, we also detected significant levels of genetic variation both in growth rate and in how the growth dynamics is adjusted to the light conditions. We show that this variation is encoded by many loci of small effect that are hard to locate in the genome but overall significantly enriched among genes associated with growth and stress reactions. We further observe that Spanish genotypes tended to reach, on average, a significantly larger rosette size than Northern European genotypes. Tests of adaptive divergence indicate that these differences may reflect adaptation to local environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kim A. Steige
- Institute of Botany, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Fei He
- Institute of Botany, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Evan M. Koch
- Genetics Division, Brigham & Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, United States of America
| | | | - Hongya Gu
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Ya-Long Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shamil Sunyaev
- Genetics Division, Brigham & Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, United States of America
| | - Juliette de Meaux
- Institute of Botany, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- * E-mail:
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14
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Soppe WJJ, Viñegra de la Torre N, Albani MC. The Diverse Roles of FLOWERING LOCUS C in Annual and Perennial Brassicaceae Species. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:627258. [PMID: 33679840 PMCID: PMC7927791 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.627258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Most temperate species require prolonged exposure to winter chilling temperatures to flower in the spring. In the Brassicaceae, the MADS box transcription factor FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) is a major regulator of flowering in response to prolonged cold exposure, a process called vernalization. Winter annual Arabidopsis thaliana accessions initiate flowering in the spring due to the stable silencing of FLC by vernalization. The role of FLC has also been explored in perennials within the Brassicaceae family, such as Arabis alpina. The flowering pattern in A. alpina differs from the one in A. thaliana. A. alpina plants initiate flower buds during vernalization but only flower after subsequent exposure to growth-promoting conditions. Here we discuss the role of FLC in annual and perennial Brassicaceae species. We show that, besides its conserved role in flowering, FLC has acquired additional functions that contribute to vegetative and seed traits. PERPETUAL FLOWERING 1 (PEP1), the A. alpina FLC ortholog, contributes to the perennial growth habit. We discuss that PEP1 directly and indirectly, regulates traits such as the duration of the flowering episode, polycarpic growth habit and shoot architecture. We suggest that these additional roles of PEP1 are facilitated by (1) the ability of A. alpina plants to form flower buds during long-term cold exposure, (2) age-related differences between meristems, which enable that not all meristems initiate flowering during cold exposure, and (3) differences between meristems in stable silencing of PEP1 after long-term cold, which ensure that PEP1 expression levels will remain low after vernalization only in meristems that commit to flowering during cold exposure. These features result in spatiotemporal seasonal changes of PEP1 expression during the A. alpina life cycle that contribute to the perennial growth habit. FLC and PEP1 have also been shown to influence the timing of another developmental transition in the plant, seed germination, by influencing seed dormancy and longevity. This suggests that during evolution, FLC and its orthologs adopted both similar and divergent roles to regulate life history traits. Spatiotemporal changes of FLC transcript accumulation drive developmental decisions and contribute to life history evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Natanael Viñegra de la Torre
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, “SMART Plants for Tomorrow’s Needs,” Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Maria C. Albani
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, “SMART Plants for Tomorrow’s Needs,” Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- *Correspondence: Maria C. Albani, ;
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15
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Sergeeva A, Mettler‐Altmann T, Liu H, Mai H, Bauer P. Glycerolipid profile differences between perennial and annual stem zones in the perennial model plant Arabis alpina. PLANT DIRECT 2021; 5:e00302. [PMID: 33506166 PMCID: PMC7814627 DOI: 10.1002/pld3.302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The perennial life style is a successful ecological strategy, and Arabis alpina is a recently developed model Brassicaceae species for studying it. One aspect, poorly investigated until today, concerns the differing patterns of allocation, storage, and metabolism of nutrients between perennials and annuals and the yet unknown signals that regulate this process. A. alpina has a complex lateral stem architecture with a proximal vegetative perennial (PZ) and a distal annual flowering zone (AZ) inside the same stems. Lipid bodies (LBs) with triacylglycerols (TAGs) accumulate in the PZ. To identify potential processes of lipid metabolism linked with the perennial lifestyle, we analyzed lipid species in the PZ versus AZ. Glycerolipid fractions, including neutral lipids with mainly TAGs, phospholipids, and glycolipids, were present at higher levels in the PZ as compared to AZ or roots. Concomitantly, contents of specific long-chain and very long-chain fatty acids increased during formation of the PZ. Corresponding gene expression data, gene ontology term enrichment, and correlation analysis with lipid species pinpoint glycerolipid-related genes to be active during the development of the PZ. Possibilities that lipid metabolism genes may be targets of regulatory mechanisms specifying PZ differentiation in A. alpina are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Sergeeva
- Institute of BotanyHeinrich Heine UniversityDüsseldorfGermany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Science (CEPLAS)Heinrich Heine UniversityDüsseldorfGermany
| | - Tabea Mettler‐Altmann
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Science (CEPLAS)Heinrich Heine UniversityDüsseldorfGermany
- Institute of Plant BiochemistryHeinrich Heine UniversityDüsseldorfGermany
| | - Hongjiu Liu
- Institute of BotanyHeinrich Heine UniversityDüsseldorfGermany
| | - Hans‐Jörg Mai
- Institute of BotanyHeinrich Heine UniversityDüsseldorfGermany
| | - Petra Bauer
- Institute of BotanyHeinrich Heine UniversityDüsseldorfGermany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Science (CEPLAS)Heinrich Heine UniversityDüsseldorfGermany
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16
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Ponraj U, Theres K. Keep a distance to be different: axillary buds initiating at a distance from the shoot apical meristem are crucial for the perennial lifestyle of Arabis alpina. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 227:116-131. [PMID: 32112411 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
In many seed plants, perennialism is achieved through axillary buds and side shoots that remain vegetative. This work aimed to analyse the pattern of axillary bud (AB) formation in the perennial model plant Arabis alpina and to study the role of the LATERAL SUPPRESSOR (AaLAS) gene. This study combines stereomicroscopic analysis with RNA sequencing to monitor the correlation between patterns of AB formation and gene expression. The role of AaLAS was studied using an RNA interference (RNAi) approach. During vegetative development, ABs initiate at a distance from the shoot apical meristem (SAM), whereas after floral induction, they initiate adjacent to the SAM. Dormant buds are established before the onset of vernalization. Transcript profiles of ABs initiated at a distance differed from those in the SAM, whereas those of buds initiated in close proximity were similar. Knockdown of AaLAS leads to the loss of dormant buds and vegetative side shoots, strongly compromising the perennial life cycle. AB formation is regulated differently during vegetative and reproductive development. New meristems that possess different gene expression profiles from those in the SAM are established at a distance from the SAM. AaLAS is essential for the perennial life cycle by modulating the establishment of dormant buds and vegetative side shoots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Udhaya Ponraj
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, D-50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Klaus Theres
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, D-50931, Cologne, Germany
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17
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Karbstein K, Prinz K, Hellwig F, Römermann C. Plant intraspecific functional trait variation is related to within-habitat heterogeneity and genetic diversity in Trifolium montanum L. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:5015-5033. [PMID: 32551078 PMCID: PMC7297743 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Intraspecific trait variation (ITV), based on available genetic diversity, is one of the major means plant populations can respond to environmental variability. The study of functional trait variation and diversity has become popular in ecological research, for example, as a proxy for plant performance influencing fitness. Up to now, it is unclear which aspects of intraspecific functional trait variation (iFDCV) can be attributed to the environment or genetics under natural conditions. Here, we examined 260 individuals from 13 locations of the rare (semi-)dry calcareous grassland species Trifolium montanum L. in terms of iFDCV, within-habitat heterogeneity, and genetic diversity. The iFDCV was assessed by measuring functional traits (releasing height, biomass, leaf area, specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, Fv/Fm, performance index, stomatal pore surface, and stomatal pore area index). Abiotic within-habitat heterogeneity was derived from altitude, slope exposure, slope, leaf area index, soil depth, and further soil factors. Based on microsatellites, we calculated expected heterozygosity (He) because it best-explained, among other indices, iFDCV. We performed multiple linear regression models quantifying relationships among iFDCV, abiotic within-habitat heterogeneity and genetic diversity, and also between separate functional traits and abiotic within-habitat heterogeneity or genetic diversity. We found that abiotic within-habitat heterogeneity influenced iFDCV twice as strong compared to genetic diversity. Both aspects together explained 77% of variation in iFDCV ( R adj 2 = .77, F 2, 10 = 21.66, p < .001). The majority of functional traits (releasing height, biomass, specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, Fv/Fm, and performance index) were related to abiotic habitat conditions indicating responses to environmental heterogeneity. In contrast, only morphology-related functional traits (releasing height, biomass, and leaf area) were related to genetics. Our results suggest that both within-habitat heterogeneity and genetic diversity affect iFDCV and are thus crucial to consider when aiming to understand or predict changes of plant species performance under changing environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Karbstein
- Institute of Ecology and SystematicsFriedrich‐Schiller‐University JenaJenaGermany
- Present address:
Department of Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants (with Herbarium)University of GoettingenAlbrecht‐von‐Haller Institute for Plant SciencesGoettingenGermany
| | - Kathleen Prinz
- Institute of Ecology and SystematicsFriedrich‐Schiller‐University JenaJenaGermany
- Present address:
Landschaftspflegeverband Suedharz/Kyffhaeuser e.V.NordhausenGermany
| | - Frank Hellwig
- Institute of Ecology and SystematicsFriedrich‐Schiller‐University JenaJenaGermany
| | - Christine Römermann
- Institute of Ecology and SystematicsFriedrich‐Schiller‐University JenaJenaGermany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
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18
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Mishra P, Roggen A, Ljung K, Albani MC. Natural Variation in Adventitious Rooting in the Alpine Perennial Arabis alpina. PLANTS 2020; 9:plants9020184. [PMID: 32028613 PMCID: PMC7076489 DOI: 10.3390/plants9020184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Arctic alpine species follow a mixed clonal-sexual reproductive strategy based on the environmental conditions at flowering. Here, we explored the natural variation for adventitious root formation among genotypes of the alpine perennial Arabis alpina that show differences in flowering habit. We scored the presence of adventitious roots on the hypocotyl, main stem and axillary branches on plants growing in a long-day greenhouse. We also assessed natural variation for adventitious rooting in response to foliar auxin spray. In both experimental approaches, we did not detect a correlation between adventitious rooting and flowering habit. In the greenhouse, and without the application of synthetic auxin, the accession Wca showed higher propensity to produce adventitious roots on the main stem compared to the other accessions. The transcript accumulation of the A. alpina homologue of the auxin inducible GH3.3 gene (AaGH3.3) on stems correlated with the adventitious rooting phenotype of Wca. Synthetic auxin, 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid (1-NAA), enhanced the number of plants with adventitious roots on the main stem and axillary branches. A. alpina plants showed an age-, dosage- and genotype-dependent response to 1-NAA. Among the genotypes tested, the accession Dor was insensitive to auxin and Wca responded to auxin on axillary branches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Mishra
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47B, 50674 Cologne, Germany (A.R.)
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829 Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences “From Complex Traits towards Synthetic Modules”, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Adrian Roggen
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47B, 50674 Cologne, Germany (A.R.)
| | - Karin Ljung
- Umeå Plant Science Centre, Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90736 Umeå, Sweden;
| | - Maria C. Albani
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47B, 50674 Cologne, Germany (A.R.)
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829 Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences “From Complex Traits towards Synthetic Modules”, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Correspondence: or
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19
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Auge GA, Penfield S, Donohue K. Pleiotropy in developmental regulation by flowering-pathway genes: is it an evolutionary constraint? THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 224:55-70. [PMID: 31074008 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2019] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Pleiotropy occurs when one gene influences more than one trait, contributing to genetic correlations among traits. Consequently, it is considered a constraint on the evolution of adaptive phenotypes because of potential antagonistic selection on correlated traits, or, alternatively, preservation of functional trait combinations. Such evolutionary constraints may be mitigated by the evolution of different functions of pleiotropic genes in their regulation of different traits. Arabidopsis thaliana flowering-time genes, and the pathways in which they operate, are among the most thoroughly studied regarding molecular functions, phenotypic effects, and adaptive significance. Many of them show strong pleiotropic effects. Here, we review examples of pleiotropy of flowering-time genes and highlight those that also influence seed germination. Some genes appear to operate in the same genetic pathways when regulating both traits, whereas others show diversity of function in their regulation, either interacting with the same genetic partners but in different ways or potentially interacting with different partners. We discuss how functional diversification of pleiotropic genes in the regulation of different traits across the life cycle may mitigate evolutionary constraints of pleiotropy, permitting traits to respond more independently to environmental cues, and how it may even contribute to the evolutionary divergence of gene function across taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela A Auge
- Fundación Instituto Leloir, IIBBA-CONICET, Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, C1405BWE3, Argentina
| | - Steven Penfield
- The John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Kathleen Donohue
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Box 90338, Durham , NC 27708-0338, USA
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20
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Donohue K. Multi-tasking as an ancient skill: When one gene does many things well. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:917-919. [PMID: 30938043 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Multi-tasking is in our DNA. Many genes perform more than one function, and the question is how well it can do them all. Pleiotropy is frequently considered to be an adaptive constraint that prevents optimal phenotypes from evolving because of antagonistic indirect selection acting on genetically correlated traits. However, as geneticists increasingly study the effects of genes under more realistic natural environments, even the most well studied genes are expressing fascinating pleiotropic effects. Pleiotropy appears to be utterly common. The genes involved in the regulation of flowering time in Arabidopsis thaliana, such as FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC), offer case examples of such pleiotropy. Studying an ortholog of FLC in Arabis alpina, PERPETUAL FLOWERING 1 (PEP1), Hughes, Soppe and Albani (2019) present evidence that such pleiotropy in flowering-time genes persists through taxonomic diversification, albeit the precise function of the genes has evolved in response to taxon-specific natural selection. Their observation that trait-specific function can evolve even in highly pleiotropic genes suggests that pleiotropy may not constrain adaptation as much as is commonly assumed.
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21
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Hughes PW, Soppe WJJ, Albani MC. Seed traits are pleiotropically regulated by the flowering time gene PERPETUAL FLOWERING 1 (PEP1) in the perennial Arabis alpina. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:1183-1201. [PMID: 30712274 PMCID: PMC6850658 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Revised: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The life cycles of plants are characterized by two major life history transitions-germination and the initiation of flowering-the timing of which are important determinants of fitness. Unlike annuals, which make the transition from the vegetative to reproductive phase only once, perennials iterate reproduction in successive years. The floral repressor PERPETUAL FLOWERING 1 (PEP1), an ortholog of FLOWERING LOCUS C, in the alpine perennial Arabis alpina ensures the continuation of vegetative growth after flowering and thereby restricts the duration of the flowering episode. We performed greenhouse and garden experiments to compare flowering phenology, fecundity and seed traits between A. alpina accessions that have a functional PEP1 allele and flower seasonally and pep1 mutants and accessions that carry lesions in PEP1 and flower perpetually. In the garden, perpetual genotypes flower asynchronously and show higher winter mortality than seasonal ones. PEP1 also pleiotropically regulates seed dormancy and longevity in a way that is functionally divergent from FLC. Seeds from perpetual genotypes have shallow dormancy and reduced longevity regardless of whether they after-ripened in plants grown in the greenhouse or in the experimental garden. These results suggest that perpetual genotypes have higher mortality during winter but compensate by showing higher seedling establishment. Differences in seed traits between seasonal and perpetual genotypes are also coupled with differences in hormone sensitivity and expression of genes involved in hormonal pathways. Our study highlights the existence of pleiotropic regulation of seed traits by hub developmental regulators such as PEP1, suggesting that seed and flowering traits in perennial plants might be optimized in a coordinated fashion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick William Hughes
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding ResearchCologneGermany
- Botanical InstituteUniversity of CologneCologneGermany
| | - Wim J. J. Soppe
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding ResearchCologneGermany
- Institute of Molecular Physiology and Biotechnology of Plants (IMBIO)University of BonnBonnGermany
- Present address:
Rijk ZwaanDe LierThe Netherlands
| | - Maria C. Albani
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding ResearchCologneGermany
- Botanical InstituteUniversity of CologneCologneGermany
- Center of Excellence in Plant Sciences (CEPLAS)DüsseldorfGermany
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