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Galli M, Chen Z, Ghandour T, Chaudhry A, Gregory J, Li M, Zhang X, Dong Y, Song G, Walley JW, Chuck G, Whipple C, Kaeppler HF, Huang SSC, Gallavotti A. Transcription factor binding site divergence across maize inbred lines drives transcriptional and phenotypic variation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.31.596834. [PMID: 38895211 PMCID: PMC11185568 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.31.596834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Regulatory elements are important constituents of plant genomes that have shaped ancient and modern crops. Their identification, function, and diversity in crop genomes however are poorly characterized, thus limiting our ability to harness their power for further agricultural advances using induced or natural variation. Here, we use DNA affinity purification-sequencing (DAP-seq) to map transcription factor (TF) binding events for 200 maize TFs belonging to 30 distinct families and heterodimer pairs in two distinct inbred lines historically used for maize hybrid plant production, providing empirical binding site annotation for 5.3% of the maize genome. TF binding site comparison in B73 and Mo17 inbreds reveals widespread differences, driven largely by structural variation, that correlate with gene expression changes. TF binding site presence-absence variation helps clarify complex QTL such as vgt1, an important determinant of maize flowering time, and DICE, a distal enhancer involved in herbivore resistance. Modification of TF binding regions via CRISPR-Cas9 mediated editing alters target gene expression and phenotype. Our functional catalog of maize TF binding events enables collective and comparative TF binding analysis, and highlights its value for agricultural improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Galli
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854-8020, USA
| | - Zongliang Chen
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854-8020, USA
| | - Tara Ghandour
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Amina Chaudhry
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854-8020, USA
| | - Jason Gregory
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854-8020, USA
| | - Miaomiao Li
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Xuan Zhang
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Yinxin Dong
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Gaoyuan Song
- Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology, and Microbiology, Iowa State University; Ames, IA, 50011
| | - Justin W. Walley
- Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology, and Microbiology, Iowa State University; Ames, IA, 50011
| | - George Chuck
- Plant Gene Expression Center, Albany, CA 94710, USA
| | - Clinton Whipple
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, 4102 LSB, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Heidi F. Kaeppler
- Department of Agronomy, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- Wisconsin Crop Innovation Center, University of Wisconsin, Middleton, WI, USA
| | - Shao-shan Carol Huang
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Andrea Gallavotti
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854-8020, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
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Zhang J, Yue Y, Hu M, Yi F, Chen J, Lai J, Xin B. Dynamic transcriptome landscape of maize pericarp development. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 117:1574-1591. [PMID: 37970738 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16548] [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: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
As a maternal tissue, the pericarp supports and protects for other components of seed, such as embryo and endosperm. Despite the importance of maize pericarp in seed, the genome-wide transcriptome pattern throughout maize pericarp development has not been well characterized. Here, we developed RNA-seq transcriptome atlas of B73 maize pericarp development based on 21 samples from 5 days before fertilization (DBP5) to 32 days after fertilization (DAP32). A total of 25 346 genes were detected in programming pericarp development, including 1887 transcription factors (TFs). Together with pericarp morphological changes, the global clustering of gene expression revealed four developmental stages: undeveloped, thickening, expansion and strengthening. Coexpression analysis provided further insights on key regulators in functional transition of four developmental stages. Combined with non-seed, embryo, endosperm, and nucellus transcriptome data, we identified 598 pericarp-specific genes, including 75 TFs, which could elucidate key mechanisms and regulatory networks of pericarp development. Cell wall related genes were identified that reflected their crucial role in the maize pericarp structure building. In addition, key maternal proteases or TFs related with programmed cell death (PCD) were proposed, suggesting PCD in the maize pericarp was mediated by vacuolar processing enzymes (VPE), and jasmonic acid (JA) and ethylene-related pathways. The dynamic transcriptome atlas provides a valuable resource for unraveling the genetic control of maize pericarp development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry & National Maize Improvement Center, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, P. R. China
| | - Yang Yue
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry & National Maize Improvement Center, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, P. R. China
| | - Mingjian Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry & National Maize Improvement Center, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, P. R. China
| | - Fei Yi
- Engineering Research Center of Plant Growth Regulator, Ministry of Education & College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Jian Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry & National Maize Improvement Center, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, P. R. China
- Center for Crop Functional Genomics and Molecular Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, P. R. China
| | - Jinsheng Lai
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry & National Maize Improvement Center, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, P. R. China
- Center for Crop Functional Genomics and Molecular Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, P. R. China
| | - Beibei Xin
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry & National Maize Improvement Center, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, P. R. China
- Center for Crop Functional Genomics and Molecular Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, P. R. China
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3
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Wu H, Galli M, Spears CJ, Zhan J, Liu P, Yadegari R, Dannenhoffer JM, Gallavotti A, Becraft PW. NAKED ENDOSPERM1, NAKED ENDOSPERM2, and OPAQUE2 interact to regulate gene networks in maize endosperm development. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 36:19-39. [PMID: 37795691 PMCID: PMC10734603 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
NAKED ENDOSPERM1 (NKD1), NKD2, and OPAQUE2 (O2) are transcription factors important for cell patterning and nutrient storage in maize (Zea mays) endosperm. To study the complex regulatory interrelationships among these 3 factors in coregulating gene networks, we developed a set of nkd1, nkd2, and o2 homozygous lines, including all combinations of mutant and wild-type genes. Among the 8 genotypes tested, we observed diverse phenotypes and gene interactions affecting cell patterning, starch content, and storage proteins. From ∼8 to ∼16 d after pollination, maize endosperm undergoes a transition from cellular development to nutrient accumulation for grain filling. Gene network analysis showed that NKD1, NKD2, and O2 dynamically regulate a hierarchical gene network during this period, directing cellular development early and then transitioning to constrain cellular development while promoting the biosynthesis and storage of starch, proteins, and lipids. Genetic interactions regulating this network are also dynamic. The assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) showed that O2 influences the global regulatory landscape, decreasing NKD1 and NKD2 target site accessibility, while NKD1 and NKD2 increase O2 target site accessibility. In summary, interactions of NKD1, NKD2, and O2 dynamically affect the hierarchical gene network and regulatory landscape during the transition from cellular development to grain filling in maize endosperm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wu
- Genetics, Development and Cell Biology Department, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Mary Galli
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08901-8520, USA
| | - Carla J Spears
- Department of Biology, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, USA
| | - Junpeng Zhan
- School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Peng Liu
- Department of Statistics, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Ramin Yadegari
- School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | | | - Andrea Gallavotti
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08901-8520, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
| | - Philip W Becraft
- Genetics, Development and Cell Biology Department, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
- Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
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Zhu W, Miao X, Qian J, Chen S, Jin Q, Li M, Han L, Zhong W, Xie D, Shang X, Li L. A translatome-transcriptome multi-omics gene regulatory network reveals the complicated functional landscape of maize. Genome Biol 2023; 24:60. [PMID: 36991439 PMCID: PMC10053466 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-02890-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important crops worldwide. Although sophisticated maize gene regulatory networks (GRNs) have been constructed for functional genomics and phenotypic dissection, a multi-omics GRN connecting the translatome and transcriptome is lacking, hampering our understanding and exploration of the maize regulatome. RESULTS We collect spatio-temporal translatome and transcriptome data and systematically explore the landscape of gene transcription and translation across 33 tissues or developmental stages of maize. Using this comprehensive transcriptome and translatome atlas, we construct a multi-omics GRN integrating mRNAs and translated mRNAs, demonstrating that translatome-related GRNs outperform GRNs solely using transcriptomic data and inter-omics GRNs outperform intra-omics GRNs in most cases. With the aid of the multi-omics GRN, we reconcile some known regulatory networks. We identify a novel transcription factor, ZmGRF6, which is associated with growth. Furthermore, we characterize a function related to drought response for the classic transcription factor ZmMYB31. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide insights into spatio-temporal changes across maize development at both the transcriptome and translatome levels. Multi-omics GRNs represent a useful resource for dissection of the regulatory mechanisms underlying phenotypic variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanchao Zhu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- HuBei HongShan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Xinxin Miao
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- HuBei HongShan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Jia Qian
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- HuBei HongShan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Sijia Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Qixiao Jin
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- HuBei HongShan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Mingzhu Li
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- HuBei HongShan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Linqian Han
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- HuBei HongShan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Wanshun Zhong
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- HuBei HongShan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Dan Xie
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- HuBei HongShan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Xiaoyang Shang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- HuBei HongShan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Lin Li
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
- HuBei HongShan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430070, China.
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Gavgani HN, Grotewold E, Gray J. Methodology for Constructing a Knowledgebase for Plant Gene Regulation Information. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2698:277-300. [PMID: 37682481 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3354-0_17] [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] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
The amount of biological data is growing at a rapid pace as many high-throughput omics technologies and data pipelines are developed. This is resulting in the growth of databases for DNA and protein sequences, gene expression, protein accumulation, structural, and localization information. The diversity and multi-omics nature of such bioinformatic data requires well-designed databases for flexible organization and presentation. Besides general-purpose online bioinformatic databases, users need narrowly focused online databases to quickly access a meaningful collection of related data for their research. Here, we describe the methodology used to implement a plant gene regulatory knowledgebase, with data, query, and tool features, as well as the ability to expand to accommodate future datasets. We exemplify this methodology for the GRASSIUS knowledgebase, but it is applicable to developing and updating similar plant gene regulatory knowledgebases. GRASSIUS organizes and presents gene regulatory data from grass species with a central focus on maize (Zea mays). The main class of data presented include not only the families of transcription factors (TFs) and co-regulators (CRs) but also protein-DNA interaction data, where available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadi Nayebi Gavgani
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Dandelions Therapeutics Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Erich Grotewold
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - John Gray
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA.
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6
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Yang Y, Shi J, Chen L, Xiao W, Yu J. ZmEREB46, a maize ortholog of Arabidopsis WAX INDUCER1/SHINE1, is involved in the biosynthesis of leaf epicuticular very-long-chain waxes and drought tolerance. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 321:111256. [PMID: 35696901 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2022.111256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The aerial surfaces of plants are covered by a layer of cuticular wax that is composed of long-chain hydrocarbon compounds for protection against adverse environmental conditions. The current study identified a maize (Zea mays L.) APETALA2/ethylene-responsive element-binding protein (AP2/EREBP)-type transcription factor, ZmEREB46. Ectopic expression of ZmEREB46 in Arabidopsis increased the accumulation of epicuticular wax on the leaves and enhanced the drought tolerance of plants. The amounts of C24/C32 fatty acids, C32/C34 aldehydes, C32/C34 1-alcohols and C31 alkanes in zmereb46 (ZmEREB46 knockout mutant) leaves were reduced. The amount of leaf total epicuticular wax decreased approximately 50% in zmereb46. Compared to wild-type LH244 leaves, the cuticle permeability of zmereb46 leaves was increased, which resulted from decreased epicuticular wax load and a thinner cuticle layer. ZmEREB46 had transcriptional activation activity and directly bound to promoter regions of ZmCER2, ZmCER3.2 and ZmKCS1. The zmereb46 seedlings also exhibited reduced drought tolerance. These results, and the observations in ZmEREB46-overexpressing lines, suggest that ZmEREB46 is involved in cuticular metabolism by influencing the biosynthesis of very-long-chain waxes and participates in the cutin biosynthesis pathway. These results are helpful to further analyze the regulatory network of wax accumulation in maize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; China Tobacco Jiangsu Industry CO., Ltd, Jiangsu 210011, China
| | - Jianxin Shi
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University-University of Adelaide Joint Centre for Agriculture and Health, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Limei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Wenhan Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; Chengdu Shishi High School, Sichuan 610052, China
| | - Jingjuan Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
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7
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Schmitz RJ, Grotewold E, Stam M. Cis-regulatory sequences in plants: Their importance, discovery, and future challenges. THE PLANT CELL 2022; 34:718-741. [PMID: 34918159 PMCID: PMC8824567 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koab281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The identification and characterization of cis-regulatory DNA sequences and how they function to coordinate responses to developmental and environmental cues is of paramount importance to plant biology. Key to these regulatory processes are cis-regulatory modules (CRMs), which include enhancers and silencers. Despite the extraordinary advances in high-quality sequence assemblies and genome annotations, the identification and understanding of CRMs, and how they regulate gene expression, lag significantly behind. This is especially true for their distinguishing characteristics and activity states. Here, we review the current knowledge on CRMs and breakthrough technologies enabling identification, characterization, and validation of CRMs; we compare the genomic distributions of CRMs with respect to their target genes between different plant species, and discuss the role of transposable elements harboring CRMs in the evolution of gene expression. This is an exciting time to study cis-regulomes in plants; however, significant existing challenges need to be overcome to fully understand and appreciate the role of CRMs in plant biology and in crop improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Schmitz
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
| | - Erich Grotewold
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
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8
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Tang J, Bassham DC. Autophagy during drought: function, regulation, and potential application. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 109:390-401. [PMID: 34469611 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Drought is a major challenge for agricultural production since it causes substantial yield reduction and economic loss. Autophagy is a subcellular degradation and recycling pathway that functions in plant development and responses to many stresses, including drought. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the function of autophagy and how autophagy is upregulated during drought stress. Autophagy helps plants to survive drought stress, and the mechanistic basis for this is beginning to be elucidated. Autophagy can selectively degrade aquaporins to adjust water permeability, and also degrades excess heme and damaged proteins to reduce their toxicity. In addition, autophagy can degrade regulators or components of hormone signaling pathways to promote stress responses. During drought recovery, autophagy degrades drought-induced proteins to reset the cell status. Autophagy is activated by multiple mechanisms during drought stress. Several transcription factors are induced by drought to upregulate autophagy-related gene expression, and autophagy is also regulated post-translationally through protein modification and stability. Based on these observations, manipulation of autophagy activity may be a promising approach for conferring drought tolerance in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Tang
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Diane C Bassham
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
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9
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Gao L, Yang G, Li Y, Sun Y, Xu R, Chen Y, Wang Z, Xing J, Zhang Y. A kelch-repeat superfamily gene, ZmNL4, controls leaf width in maize (Zea mays L.). THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 107:817-830. [PMID: 34009654 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15348] [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: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Leaf width (LW) is an important component of plant architecture that extensively affects both light capture during photosynthesis and grain yield, particularly under dense planting conditions. However, the genetic and molecular mechanisms regulating LW remain largely elusive in maize (Zea mays L.). In this study, qLW4a, a major quantitative trait locus controlling LW, was identified in a population constructed with maize inbred lines PH6WC, with wide leaves, and Lin387, with narrow leaves. Map-based cloning revealed that ZmNL4, a kelch-repeat superfamily gene, emerged to be the candidate for qLW4a, and a single-base deletion in the conserved SMC_prok_B domain of ZmNL4 in Lin387 caused a frame shift, leading to premature termination. Consistently, the knockout of ZmNL4 by CRISPR/Cas9 editing significantly reduced the LW, which was attributed to a reduction in the cell number instead of cell size, indicating a role of ZmNL4 in regulating cell division. Transcriptomic comparison of ZmNL4 knockout lines with the wild type B73-329 revealed that ZmNL4 might participate in cell wall biogenesis, asymmetric cell division, metabolic processes, transmembrane transport and response to external stimulus, etc. These results provide insights into the genetic and molecular mechanisms of ZmNL4 in controlling LW and could potentially contribute to optimizing plant architecture for maize breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Gao
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology and Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE) and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Guanghui Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology and Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE) and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yufeng Li
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology and Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE) and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Ying Sun
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology and Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE) and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Ruibin Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology and Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE) and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yongming Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology and Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE) and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Zihao Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology and Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE) and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jiewen Xing
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology and Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE) and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yirong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology and Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE) and Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- National Maize Improvement Center of China, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
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10
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Lee YS, Herrera-Tequia A, Silwal J, Geiger JH, Grotewold E. A hydrophobic residue stabilizes dimers of regulatory ACT-like domains in plant basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors. J Biol Chem 2021; 296:100708. [PMID: 33901489 PMCID: PMC8202348 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
About a third of the plant basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factors harbor a C-terminal aspartate kinase, chorismate mutase, and TyrA (ACT)-like domain, which was originally identified in the maize R regulator of anthocyanin biosynthesis, where it modulates the ability of the bHLH to dimerize and bind DNA. Characterization of other bHLH ACT-like domains, such as the one in the Arabidopsis R ortholog, GL3, has not definitively confirmed dimerization, raising the question of the overall role of this potential regulatory domain. To learn more, we compared the dimerization of the ACT-like domains of R (RACT) and GL3 (GL3ACT). We show that RACT dimerizes with a dissociation constant around 100 nM, over an order of magnitude stronger than GL3ACT. Structural predictions combined with mutational analyses demonstrated that V568, located in a hydrophobic pocket in RACT, is important: when mutated to the Ser residue present in GL3ACT, dimerization affinity dropped by almost an order of magnitude. The converse S595V mutation in GL3ACT significantly increased the dimerization strength. We cloned and assayed dimerization for all identified maize ACT-like domains and determined that 12 of 42 formed heterodimers in yeast two-hybrid assays, irrespective of whether they harbored V568, which was often replaced by other aliphatic amino acids. Moreover, we determined that the presence of polar residues at that position occurs only in a small subset of anthocyanin regulators. The combined results provide new insights into possibly regulatory mechanisms and suggest that many of the other plant ACT-like domains associate to modulate fundamental cellular processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Sun Lee
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Andres Herrera-Tequia
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Jagannath Silwal
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - James H Geiger
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Erich Grotewold
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.
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11
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Labroo MR, Studer AJ, Rutkoski JE. Heterosis and Hybrid Crop Breeding: A Multidisciplinary Review. Front Genet 2021; 12:643761. [PMID: 33719351 PMCID: PMC7943638 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.643761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Although hybrid crop varieties are among the most popular agricultural innovations, the rationale for hybrid crop breeding is sometimes misunderstood. Hybrid breeding is slower and more resource-intensive than inbred breeding, but it allows systematic improvement of a population by recurrent selection and exploitation of heterosis simultaneously. Inbred parental lines can identically reproduce both themselves and their F1 progeny indefinitely, whereas outbred lines cannot, so uniform outbred lines must be bred indirectly through their inbred parents to harness heterosis. Heterosis is an expected consequence of whole-genome non-additive effects at the population level over evolutionary time. Understanding heterosis from the perspective of molecular genetic mechanisms alone may be elusive, because heterosis is likely an emergent property of populations. Hybrid breeding is a process of recurrent population improvement to maximize hybrid performance. Hybrid breeding is not maximization of heterosis per se, nor testing random combinations of individuals to find an exceptional hybrid, nor using heterosis in place of population improvement. Though there are methods to harness heterosis other than hybrid breeding, such as use of open-pollinated varieties or clonal propagation, they are not currently suitable for all crops or production environments. The use of genomic selection can decrease cycle time and costs in hybrid breeding, particularly by rapidly establishing heterotic pools, reducing testcrossing, and limiting the loss of genetic variance. Open questions in optimal use of genomic selection in hybrid crop breeding programs remain, such as how to choose founders of heterotic pools, the importance of dominance effects in genomic prediction, the necessary frequency of updating the training set with phenotypic information, and how to maintain genetic variance and prevent fixation of deleterious alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jessica E. Rutkoski
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
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12
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Ko DK, Brandizzi F. A temporal hierarchy underpins the transcription factor-DNA interactome of the maize UPR. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 105:254-270. [PMID: 33098715 PMCID: PMC7942231 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Adverse environmental conditions reduce crop productivity and often increase the load of unfolded or misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). This potentially lethal condition, known as ER stress, is buffered by the unfolded protein response (UPR), a set of signaling pathways designed to either recover ER functionality or ignite programmed cell death. Despite the biological significance of the UPR to the life of the organism, the regulatory transcriptional landscape underpinning ER stress management is largely unmapped, especially in crops. To fill this significant knowledge gap, we performed a large-scale systems-level analysis of the protein-DNA interaction (PDI) network in maize (Zea mays). Using 23 promoter fragments of six UPR marker genes in a high-throughput enhanced yeast one-hybrid assay, we identified a highly interconnected network of 262 transcription factors (TFs) associated with significant biological traits and 831 PDIs underlying the UPR. We established a temporal hierarchy of TF binding to gene promoters within the same family as well as across different families of TFs. Cistrome analysis revealed the dynamic activities of a variety of cis-regulatory elements (CREs) in ER stress-responsive gene promoters. By integrating the cistrome results into a TF network analysis, we mapped a subnetwork of TFs associated with a CRE that may contribute to UPR management. Finally, we validated the role of a predicted network hub gene using the Arabidopsis system. The PDIs, TF networks, and CREs identified in our work are foundational resources for understanding transcription-regulatory mechanisms in the stress responses and crop improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dae Kwan Ko
- MSU-DOE Plant Research Lab, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824
| | - Federica Brandizzi
- MSU-DOE Plant Research Lab, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824
- Correspondence:
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13
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Gomez-Cano F, Carey L, Lucas K, García Navarrete T, Mukundi E, Lundback S, Schnell D, Grotewold E. CamRegBase: a gene regulation database for the biofuel crop, Camelina sativa. DATABASE-THE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL DATABASES AND CURATION 2020; 2020:6031001. [PMID: 33306801 PMCID: PMC7731927 DOI: 10.1093/database/baaa075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Camelina is an annual oilseed plant from the Brassicaceae family that is gaining momentum as a biofuel winter cover crop. However, a significant limitation in further enhancing its utility as a producer of oils that can be used as biofuels, jet fuels or bio-based products is the absence of a repository for all the gene expression and regulatory information that is being rapidly generated by the community. Here, we provide CamRegBase (https://camregbase.org/) as a one-stop resource to access Camelina information on gene expression and co-expression, transcription factors, lipid associated genes and genome-wide orthologs in the close-relative reference plant Arabidopsis. We envision this as a resource of curated information for users, as well as a repository of new gene regulation information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Gomez-Cano
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 603 Wilson Road, Room 212, Biochemistry Building, East Lansing, MI 48824-6473, USA
| | - Lisa Carey
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, 612 Wilson Road, Room 166, East Lansing, MI 48824-1312, USA
| | - Kevin Lucas
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 603 Wilson Road, Room 212, Biochemistry Building, East Lansing, MI 48824-6473, USA
| | - Tatiana García Navarrete
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 603 Wilson Road, Room 212, Biochemistry Building, East Lansing, MI 48824-6473, USA
| | - Eric Mukundi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 603 Wilson Road, Room 212, Biochemistry Building, East Lansing, MI 48824-6473, USA
| | - Steve Lundback
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 603 Wilson Road, Room 212, Biochemistry Building, East Lansing, MI 48824-6473, USA
| | - Danny Schnell
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, 612 Wilson Road, Room 166, East Lansing, MI 48824-1312, USA
| | - Erich Grotewold
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 603 Wilson Road, Room 212, Biochemistry Building, East Lansing, MI 48824-6473, USA
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14
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Gentzel IN, Park CH, Bellizzi M, Xiao G, Gadhave KR, Murphree C, Yang Q, LaMantia J, Redinbaugh MG, Balint-Kurti P, Sit TL, Wang GL. A CRISPR/dCas9 toolkit for functional analysis of maize genes. PLANT METHODS 2020; 16:133. [PMID: 33024447 PMCID: PMC7532566 DOI: 10.1186/s13007-020-00675-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 system has become a powerful tool for functional genomics in plants. The RNA-guided nuclease can be used to not only generate precise genomic mutations, but also to manipulate gene expression when present as a deactivated protein (dCas9). RESULTS In this study, we describe a vector toolkit for analyzing dCas9-mediated activation (CRISPRa) or inactivation (CRISPRi) of gene expression in maize protoplasts. An improved maize protoplast isolation and transfection method is presented, as well as a description of dCas9 vectors to enhance or repress maize gene expression. CONCLUSIONS We anticipate that this maize protoplast toolkit will streamline the analysis of gRNA candidates and facilitate genetic studies of important trait genes in this transformation-recalcitrant plant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene N. Gentzel
- Department of Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University, 483B Kottman Hall, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
| | - Chan Ho Park
- Department of Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University, 483B Kottman Hall, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
| | - Maria Bellizzi
- Department of Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University, 483B Kottman Hall, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
| | - Guiqing Xiao
- Department of Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University, 483B Kottman Hall, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
| | - Kiran R. Gadhave
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695 USA
| | - Colin Murphree
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695 USA
| | - Qin Yang
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695 USA
| | - Jonathan LaMantia
- Corn, Soybean and Wheat Quality Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Wooster, OH 44691 USA
| | - Margaret G. Redinbaugh
- Department of Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University, 483B Kottman Hall, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
- Corn, Soybean and Wheat Quality Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Wooster, OH 44691 USA
| | - Peter Balint-Kurti
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695 USA
| | - Tim L. Sit
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695 USA
| | - Guo-Liang Wang
- Department of Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University, 483B Kottman Hall, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
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15
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Ko DK, Brandizzi F. Network-based approaches for understanding gene regulation and function in plants. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 104:302-317. [PMID: 32717108 PMCID: PMC8922287 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Expression reprogramming directed by transcription factors is a primary gene regulation underlying most aspects of the biology of any organism. Our views of how gene regulation is coordinated are dramatically changing thanks to the advent and constant improvement of high-throughput profiling and transcriptional network inference methods: from activities of individual genes to functional interactions across genes. These technical and analytical advances can reveal the topology of transcriptional networks in which hundreds of genes are hierarchically regulated by multiple transcription factors at systems level. Here we review the state of the art of experimental and computational methods used in plant biology research to obtain large-scale datasets and model transcriptional networks. Examples of direct use of these network models and perspectives on their limitations and future directions are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dae Kwan Ko
- MSU-DOE Plant Research Lab, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Federica Brandizzi
- MSU-DOE Plant Research Lab, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- For correspondence ()
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16
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Parvathaneni RK, Bertolini E, Shamimuzzaman M, Vera DL, Lung PY, Rice BR, Zhang J, Brown PJ, Lipka AE, Bass HW, Eveland AL. The regulatory landscape of early maize inflorescence development. Genome Biol 2020; 21:165. [PMID: 32631399 PMCID: PMC7336428 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-020-02070-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The functional genome of agronomically important plant species remains largely unexplored, yet presents a virtually untapped resource for targeted crop improvement. Functional elements of regulatory DNA revealed through profiles of chromatin accessibility can be harnessed for fine-tuning gene expression to optimal phenotypes in specific environments. RESULT Here, we investigate the non-coding regulatory space in the maize (Zea mays) genome during early reproductive development of pollen- and grain-bearing inflorescences. Using an assay for differential sensitivity of chromatin to micrococcal nuclease (MNase) digestion, we profile accessible chromatin and nucleosome occupancy in these largely undifferentiated tissues and classify at least 1.6% of the genome as accessible, with the majority of MNase hypersensitive sites marking proximal promoters, but also 3' ends of maize genes. This approach maps regulatory elements to footprint-level resolution. Integration of complementary transcriptome profiles and transcription factor occupancy data are used to annotate regulatory factors, such as combinatorial transcription factor binding motifs and long non-coding RNAs, that potentially contribute to organogenesis, including tissue-specific regulation between male and female inflorescence structures. Finally, genome-wide association studies for inflorescence architecture traits based solely on functional regions delineated by MNase hypersensitivity reveals new SNP-trait associations in known regulators of inflorescence development as well as new candidates. CONCLUSIONS These analyses provide a comprehensive look into the cis-regulatory landscape during inflorescence differentiation in a major cereal crop, which ultimately shapes architecture and influences yield potential.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Md Shamimuzzaman
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO 63132 USA
- Current address: USDA-ARS Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center, Fargo, ND 58102 USA
| | - Daniel L. Vera
- The Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306 USA
- Current address: Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 USA
| | - Pei-Yau Lung
- Department of Statistics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306 USA
| | - Brian R. Rice
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801 USA
| | - Jinfeng Zhang
- Department of Statistics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306 USA
| | - Patrick J. Brown
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Alexander E. Lipka
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801 USA
| | - Hank W. Bass
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306 USA
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17
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Zhou P, Li Z, Magnusson E, Gomez Cano F, Crisp PA, Noshay JM, Grotewold E, Hirsch CN, Briggs SP, Springer NM. Meta Gene Regulatory Networks in Maize Highlight Functionally Relevant Regulatory Interactions. THE PLANT CELL 2020; 32:1377-1396. [PMID: 32184350 PMCID: PMC7203921 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.20.00080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The regulation of gene expression is central to many biological processes. Gene regulatory networks (GRNs) link transcription factors (TFs) to their target genes and represent maps of potential transcriptional regulation. Here, we analyzed a large number of publically available maize (Zea mays) transcriptome data sets including >6000 RNA sequencing samples to generate 45 coexpression-based GRNs that represent potential regulatory relationships between TFs and other genes in different populations of samples (cross-tissue, cross-genotype, and tissue-and-genotype samples). While these networks are all enriched for biologically relevant interactions, different networks capture distinct TF-target associations and biological processes. By examining the power of our coexpression-based GRNs to accurately predict covarying TF-target relationships in natural variation data sets, we found that presence/absence changes rather than quantitative changes in TF gene expression are more likely associated with changes in target gene expression. Integrating information from our TF-target predictions and previous expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) mapping results provided support for 68 TFs underlying 74 previously identified trans-eQTL hotspots spanning a variety of metabolic pathways. This study highlights the utility of developing multiple GRNs within a species to detect putative regulators of important plant pathways and provides potential targets for breeding or biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Zhou
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108
| | - Zhi Li
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108
| | - Erika Magnusson
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108
| | - Fabio Gomez Cano
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824
| | - Peter A Crisp
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108
| | - Jaclyn M Noshay
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108
| | - Erich Grotewold
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824
| | - Candice N Hirsch
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108
| | - Steven P Briggs
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093
| | - Nathan M Springer
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108
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18
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Shrestha S, Sewell JA, Santoso CS, Forchielli E, Carrasco Pro S, Martinez M, Fuxman Bass JI. Discovering human transcription factor physical interactions with genetic variants, novel DNA motifs, and repetitive elements using enhanced yeast one-hybrid assays. Genome Res 2020; 29:1533-1544. [PMID: 31481462 PMCID: PMC6724672 DOI: 10.1101/gr.248823.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Identifying transcription factor (TF) binding to noncoding variants, uncharacterized DNA motifs, and repetitive genomic elements has been technically and computationally challenging. Current experimental methods, such as chromatin immunoprecipitation, generally test one TF at a time, and computational motif algorithms often lead to false-positive and -negative predictions. To address these limitations, we developed an experimental approach based on enhanced yeast one-hybrid assays. The first variation of this approach interrogates the binding of >1000 human TFs to repetitive DNA elements, while the second evaluates TF binding to single nucleotide variants, short insertions and deletions (indels), and novel DNA motifs. Using this approach, we detected the binding of 75 TFs, including several nuclear hormone receptors and ETS factors, to the highly repetitive Alu elements. Further, we identified cancer-associated changes in TF binding, including gain of interactions involving ETS TFs and loss of interactions involving KLF TFs to different mutations in the TERT promoter, and gain of a MYB interaction with an 18-bp indel in the TAL1 superenhancer. Additionally, we identified TFs that bind to three uncharacterized DNA motifs identified in DNase footprinting assays. We anticipate that these enhanced yeast one-hybrid approaches will expand our capabilities to study genetic variation and undercharacterized genomic regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaleen Shrestha
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - Jared Allan Sewell
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | | | - Elena Forchielli
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | | | - Melissa Martinez
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - Juan Ignacio Fuxman Bass
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.,Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
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19
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Gomez-Cano L, Gomez-Cano F, Dillon FM, Alers-Velazquez R, Doseff AI, Grotewold E, Gray J. Discovery of modules involved in the biosynthesis and regulation of maize phenolic compounds. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2020; 291:110364. [PMID: 31928683 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2019.110364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Phenolic compounds are among the most diverse and widespread of specialized plant compounds and underly many important agronomic traits. Our comprehensive analysis of the maize genome unraveled new aspects of the genes involved in phenylpropanoid, monolignol, and flavonoid production in this important crop. Remarkably, just 19 genes accounted for 70 % of the overall mRNA accumulation of these genes across 95 tissues, indicating that these are the main contributors to the flux of phenolic metabolites. Eighty genes with intermediate to low expression play minor and more specialized roles. Remaining genes are likely undergoing loss of function or are expressed in limited cell types. Phylogenetic and expression analyses revealed which members of gene families governing metabolic entry and branch points exhibit duplication, subfunctionalization, or loss of function. Co-expression analysis applied to genes in sequential biosynthetic steps revealed that certain isoforms are highly co-expressed and are candidates for metabolic complexes that ensure metabolite delivery to correct cellular compartments. Co-expression of biosynthesis genes with transcription factors discovered connections that provided candidate components for regulatory modules governing this pathway. Our study provides a comprehensive analysis of maize phenylpropanoid related genes, identifies major pathway contributors, and novel candidate enzymatic and regulatory modules of the metabolic network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Gomez-Cano
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Fabio Gomez-Cano
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Francisco M Dillon
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | | | - Andrea I Doseff
- Department of Physiology, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Erich Grotewold
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - John Gray
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43606, USA.
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20
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Yu F, Liang K, Fang T, Zhao H, Han X, Cai M, Qiu F. A group VII ethylene response factor gene, ZmEREB180, coordinates waterlogging tolerance in maize seedlings. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2019; 17:2286-2298. [PMID: 31033158 PMCID: PMC6835127 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Revised: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Group VII ethylene response factors (ERFVIIs) play important roles in ethylene signalling and plant responses to flooding. However, natural ERFVII variations in maize (ZmERFVIIs) that are directly associated with waterlogging tolerance have not been reported. Here, a candidate gene association analysis of the ZmERFVII gene family showed that a waterlogging-responsive gene, ZmEREB180, was tightly associated with waterlogging tolerance. ZmEREB180 expression specifically responded to waterlogging and was up-regulated by ethylene; in addition, its gene product localized to the nucleus. Variations in the 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR) and mRNA abundance of this gene under waterlogging conditions were significantly associated with survival rate (SR). Ectopic expression of ZmEREB180 in Arabidopsis increased the SR after submergence stress, and overexpression of ZmEREB180 in maize also enhanced the SR after long-term waterlogging stress, apparently through enhanced formation of adventitious roots (ARs) and regulation of antioxidant levels. Transcriptomic assays of the transgenic maize line under normal and waterlogged conditions further provided evidence that ZmEREB180 regulated AR development and reactive oxygen species homeostasis. Our study provides direct evidence that a ZmERFVII gene is involved in waterlogging tolerance. These findings could be applied directly to breed waterlogging-tolerant maize cultivars and improve our understanding of waterlogging stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Yu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Kun Liang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Tian Fang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Hailiang Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Xuesong Han
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Manjun Cai
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Fazhan Qiu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic ImprovementHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
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21
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Tian S, Li L, Wei M, Yang F. Genome-wide analysis of basic helix-loop-helix superfamily members related to anthocyanin biosynthesis in eggplant ( Solanum melongena L.). PeerJ 2019; 7:e7768. [PMID: 31616588 PMCID: PMC6790105 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) superfamily is considered the second largest transcription factor (TF) family. It plays regulatory roles in the developmental processes of plants and in their defense responses. In recent years, many bHLH superfamily genes have been identified and characterized in herbaceous and woody plants. However, the comprehensive genomic and functional analyses of these genes in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) have not been reported. In this study, 121 bHLH TFs were identified in the recently released eggplant genome. The phylogeny, gene structure and conserved motifs of the SmbHLH gene were comprehensively studied. Subsequently, the phylogenetic relationship between the bHLH of eggplant and the bHLH of other species was analyzed, and the proteins were classified into 17 subfamilies. Among these protein sequences, 16 subgroups were clustered into the functional clades of Arabidopsis. Two candidate genes (SmbHLH1, SmbHLH117) that may be involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis were screened. The tissue specificity or differential expression of the bHLH genes in different tissues and under various light and temperature conditions suggested the differential regulation of tissue development and metabolism. This study not only provides a solid foundation for the functional dissection of the eggplant bHLH gene family but may also be useful for the future synthesis of anthocyanins in eggplant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyu Tian
- College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University/ State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Taian, China
| | - Lujun Li
- College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University/ State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Taian, China
| | - Min Wei
- College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University/ State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Taian, China.,Shandong Collaborative Innovation Center of Fruit & Vegetable Quality and Efficient Production, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, China
| | - Fengjuan Yang
- College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University/ State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Taian, China.,Shandong Collaborative Innovation Center of Fruit & Vegetable Quality and Efficient Production, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, China.,Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (Huanghuai Region), Ministry of Agriculture, Taian, China
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22
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Pecher P, Moro G, Canale MC, Capdevielle S, Singh A, MacLean A, Sugio A, Kuo CH, Lopes JRS, Hogenhout SA. Phytoplasma SAP11 effector destabilization of TCP transcription factors differentially impact development and defence of Arabidopsis versus maize. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1008035. [PMID: 31557268 PMCID: PMC6802841 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Revised: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Phytoplasmas are insect-transmitted bacterial pathogens that colonize a wide range of plant species, including vegetable and cereal crops, and herbaceous and woody ornamentals. Phytoplasma-infected plants often show dramatic symptoms, including proliferation of shoots (witch's brooms), changes in leaf shapes and production of green sterile flowers (phyllody). Aster Yellows phytoplasma Witches' Broom (AY-WB) infects dicots and its effector, secreted AYWB protein 11 (SAP11), was shown to be responsible for the induction of shoot proliferation and leaf shape changes of plants. SAP11 acts by destabilizing TEOSINTE BRANCHED 1-CYCLOIDEA-PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR (TCP) transcription factors, particularly the class II TCPs of the CYCLOIDEA/TEOSINTE BRANCHED 1 (CYC/TB1) and CINCINNATA (CIN)-TCP clades. SAP11 homologs are also present in phytoplasmas that cause economic yield losses in monocot crops, such as maize, wheat and coconut. Here we show that a SAP11 homolog of Maize Bushy Stunt Phytoplasma (MBSP), which has a range primarily restricted to maize, destabilizes specifically TB1/CYC TCPs. SAP11MBSP and SAP11AYWB both induce axillary branching and SAP11AYWB also alters leaf development of Arabidopsis thaliana and maize. However, only in maize, SAP11MBSP prevents female inflorescence development, phenocopying maize tb1 lines, whereas SAP11AYWB prevents male inflorescence development and induces feminization of tassels. SAP11AYWB promotes fecundity of the AY-WB leafhopper vector on A. thaliana and modulates the expression of A. thaliana leaf defence response genes that are induced by this leafhopper, in contrast to SAP11MBSP. Neither of the SAP11 effectors promote fecundity of AY-WB and MBSP leafhopper vectors on maize. These data provide evidence that class II TCPs have overlapping but also distinct roles in regulating development and defence in a dicot and a monocot plant species that is likely to shape SAP11 effector evolution depending on the phytoplasma host range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Pecher
- John Innes Centre, Department of Crop Genetics, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Gabriele Moro
- John Innes Centre, Department of Crop Genetics, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Cristina Canale
- John Innes Centre, Department of Crop Genetics, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, United Kingdom
- Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, Department of Entomology and Acarology, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil
| | - Sylvain Capdevielle
- John Innes Centre, Department of Crop Genetics, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Archana Singh
- John Innes Centre, Department of Crop Genetics, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Allyson MacLean
- John Innes Centre, Department of Crop Genetics, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Akiko Sugio
- John Innes Centre, Department of Crop Genetics, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Chih-Horng Kuo
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Joao R. S. Lopes
- Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, Department of Entomology and Acarology, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil
| | - Saskia A. Hogenhout
- John Innes Centre, Department of Crop Genetics, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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23
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López-González C, Juárez-Colunga S, Morales-Elías NC, Tiessen A. Exploring regulatory networks in plants: transcription factors of starch metabolism. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6841. [PMID: 31328026 PMCID: PMC6625501 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological networks are complex (non-linear), redundant (cyclic) and compartmentalized at the subcellular level. Rational manipulation of plant metabolism may have failed due to inherent difficulties of a comprehensive understanding of regulatory loops. We first need to identify key factors controlling the regulatory loops of primary metabolism. The paradigms of plant networks are revised in order to highlight the differences between metabolic and transcriptional networks. Comparison between animal and plant transcription factors (TFs) reveal some important differences. Plant transcriptional networks function at a lower hierarchy compared to animal regulatory networks. Plant genomes contain more TFs than animal genomes, but plant proteins are smaller and have less domains as animal proteins which are often multifunctional. We briefly summarize mutant analysis and co-expression results pinpointing some TFs regulating starch enzymes in plants. Detailed information is provided about biochemical reactions, TFs and cis regulatory motifs involved in sucrose-starch metabolism, in both source and sink tissues. Examples about coordinated responses to hormones and environmental cues in different tissues and species are listed. Further advancements require combined data from single-cell transcriptomic and metabolomic approaches. Cell fractionation and subcellular inspection may provide valuable insights. We propose that shuffling of promoter elements might be a promising strategy to improve in the near future starch content, crop yield or food quality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Axel Tiessen
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, CINVESTAV Unidad Irapuato, Irapuato, México.,Laboratorio Nacional PlanTECC, Irapuato, México
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24
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Kimotho RN, Baillo EH, Zhang Z. Transcription factors involved in abiotic stress responses in Maize ( Zea mays L.) and their roles in enhanced productivity in the post genomics era. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7211. [PMID: 31328030 PMCID: PMC6622165 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maize (Zea mays L.) is a principal cereal crop cultivated worldwide for human food, animal feed, and more recently as a source of biofuel. However, as a direct consequence of water insufficiency and climate change, frequent occurrences of both biotic and abiotic stresses have been reported in various regions around the world, and recently, this has become a constant threat in increasing global maize yields. Plants respond to abiotic stresses by utilizing the activities of transcription factors (TFs), which are families of genes coding for specific TF proteins. TF target genes form a regulon that is involved in the repression/activation of genes associated with abiotic stress responses. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to have a systematic study on each TF family, the downstream target genes they regulate, and the specific TF genes involved in multiple abiotic stress responses in maize and other staple crops. METHOD In this review, the main TF families, the specific TF genes and their regulons that are involved in abiotic stress regulation will be briefly discussed. Great emphasis will be given on maize abiotic stress improvement throughout this review, although other examples from different plants like rice, Arabidopsis, wheat, and barley will be used. RESULTS We have described in detail the main TF families in maize that take part in abiotic stress responses together with their regulons. Furthermore, we have also briefly described the utilization of high-efficiency technologies in the study and characterization of TFs involved in the abiotic stress regulatory networks in plants with an emphasis on increasing maize production. Examples of these technologies include next-generation sequencing, microarray analysis, machine learning, and RNA-Seq. CONCLUSION In conclusion, it is expected that all the information provided in this review will in time contribute to the use of TF genes in the research, breeding, and development of new abiotic stress tolerant maize cultivars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roy Njoroge Kimotho
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water Resources, Hebei Laboratory of Agricultural Water Saving, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Elamin Hafiz Baillo
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water Resources, Hebei Laboratory of Agricultural Water Saving, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhengbin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water Resources, Hebei Laboratory of Agricultural Water Saving, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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25
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Zhang B, Chopra D, Schrader A, Hülskamp M. Evolutionary comparison of competitive protein-complex formation of MYB, bHLH, and WDR proteins in plants. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2019; 70:3197-3209. [PMID: 31071215 PMCID: PMC6598095 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erz155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
A protein complex consisting of a MYB, basic Helix-Loop-Helix, and a WDR protein, the MBW complex, regulates five traits, namely the production of anthocyanidin, proanthocyanidin, and seed-coat mucilage, and the development of trichomes and root hairs. For complexes involved in trichome and root hair development it has been shown that the interaction of two MBW proteins can be counteracted by the respective third protein (called competitive complex formation). We examined competitive complex formation for selected MBW proteins from Arabidopsis thaliana, Arabis alpina, Gossypium hirsutum, Petunia hybrida, and Zea mays. Quantitative analyses of the competitive binding of MYBs and WDRs to bHLHs were done by pull-down assays using ProtA- and luciferase-tagged proteins expressed in human HEC cells. We found that some bHLHs show competitive complex formation whilst others do not. Competitive complex formation strongly correlated with a phylogenetic tree constructed with the bHLH proteins under investigation, suggesting a functional relevance. We demonstrate that this different behavior can be explained by changes in one amino acid and that this position is functionally relevant in trichome development but not in anthocyanidin regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bipei Zhang
- Botanical Institute, Biocenter, Cologne University, Cologne, Germany
| | - Divykriti Chopra
- Botanical Institute, Biocenter, Cologne University, Cologne, Germany
| | - Andrea Schrader
- Botanical Institute, Biocenter, Cologne University, Cologne, Germany
| | - Martin Hülskamp
- Botanical Institute, Biocenter, Cologne University, Cologne, Germany
- Correspondence:
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26
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Hajheidari M, Koncz C, Bucher M. Chromatin Evolution-Key Innovations Underpinning Morphological Complexity. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:454. [PMID: 31031789 PMCID: PMC6474313 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The history of life consists of a series of major evolutionary transitions, including emergence and radiation of complex multicellular eukaryotes from unicellular ancestors. The cells of multicellular organisms, with few exceptions, contain the same genome, however, their organs are composed of a variety of cell types that differ in both structure and function. This variation is largely due to the transcriptional activity of different sets of genes in different cell types. This indicates that complex transcriptional regulation played a key role in the evolution of complexity in eukaryotes. In this review, we summarize how gene duplication and subsequent evolutionary innovations, including the structural evolution of nucleosomes and chromatin-related factors, contributed to the complexity of the transcriptional system and provided a basis for morphological diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Hajheidari
- Botanical Institute, Cologne Biocenter, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Csaba Koncz
- Department of Plant Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany
- Biological Research Center, Institute of Plant Biology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Marcel Bucher
- Botanical Institute, Cologne Biocenter, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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27
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Screening Arrayed Libraries with DNA and Protein Baits to Identify Interacting Proteins. Methods Mol Biol 2019; 1794:131-149. [PMID: 29855955 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7871-7_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Molecular interactions are an integral part of the regulatory mechanisms controlling gene expression. The yeast one- and two-hybrid systems (Y1H/Y2H) have been widely used by many laboratories to detect DNA-protein (Y1H) and protein-protein interactions (Y2H). The development of efficient cloning systems have promoted the generation of large open reading frame (ORF) clone collections (libraries) for several organisms. Functional analyses of such large collections require the establishment of adequate protocols. Here, we describe a simple straightforward procedure for high-throughput screenings of arrayed libraries with DNA or protein baits that can be carried out by one person with minimal labor and not requiring robotics. The protocol can also be scaled up or down and is compatible with several library formats. Procedures to make yeast stocks for long-term storage (tube and microplate formats) are also provided.
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28
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Li Z, Bonaldi K, Kang SE, Pruneda-Paz JL. High-Throughput Yeast One-Hybrid Screens Using a Cell Surface gLUC Reporter. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 4:e20086. [PMID: 30742367 DOI: 10.1002/cppb.20086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Gene-centered yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) screens using arrayed genome-wide transcription factor (TF) clone collections provide a simple and effective strategy to identify TF-promoter interactions using a DNA fragment as bait. In an effort to improve the assay we recently developed a Y1H system that uses a cell surface Gaussia luciferase reporter (gLUC59). Compared to other available methods, this luciferase-based strategy requires a shorter processing time, enhances the throughput and improves result analysis of gene-centered Y1H screens. Here, we described the procedure to perform high-throughput screens using this novel strategy, which involves a protocol for mating two haploid yeast strains carrying an arrayed TF clone collection and a promoter::gLUC59 reporter, respectively, and a protocol for analyzing gLUC59 activity in the resulting diploid cells. © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Li
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Katia Bonaldi
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - S Earl Kang
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
- Present address: Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Jose L Pruneda-Paz
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
- Center for Circadian Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
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29
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Shrestha S, Liu X, Santoso CS, Fuxman Bass JI. Enhanced Yeast One-hybrid Screens To Identify Transcription Factor Binding To Human DNA Sequences. J Vis Exp 2019. [PMID: 30799854 DOI: 10.3791/59192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Identifying the sets of transcription factors (TFs) that regulate each human gene is a daunting task that requires integrating numerous experimental and computational approaches. One such method is the yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) assay, in which interactions between TFs and DNA regions are tested in the milieu of the yeast nucleus using reporter genes. Y1H assays involve two components: a 'DNA-bait' (e.g., promoters, enhancers, silencers, etc.) and a 'TF-prey,' which can be screened for reporter gene activation. Most published protocols for performing Y1H screens are based on transforming TF-prey libraries or arrays into DNA-bait yeast strains. Here, we describe a pipeline, called enhanced Y1H (eY1H) assays, where TF-DNA interactions are interrogated by mating DNA-bait strains with an arrayed collection of TF-prey strains using a high density array (HDA) robotic platform that allows screening in a 1,536 colony format. This allows for a dramatic increase in throughput (60 DNA-bait sequences against >1,000 TFs takes two weeks per researcher) and reproducibility. We illustrate the different types of expected results by testing human promoter sequences against an array of 1,086 human TFs, as well as examples of issues that can arise during screens and how to troubleshoot them.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xing Liu
- Department of Biology, Boston University
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30
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Galli M, Khakhar A, Lu Z, Chen Z, Sen S, Joshi T, Nemhauser JL, Schmitz RJ, Gallavotti A. The DNA binding landscape of the maize AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR family. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4526. [PMID: 30375394 PMCID: PMC6207667 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06977-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
AUXIN RESPONSE FACTORS (ARFs) are plant-specific transcription factors (TFs) that couple perception of the hormone auxin to gene expression programs essential to all land plants. As with many large TF families, a key question is whether individual members determine developmental specificity by binding distinct target genes. We use DAP-seq to generate genome-wide in vitro TF:DNA interaction maps for fourteen maize ARFs from the evolutionarily conserved A and B clades. Comparative analysis reveal a high degree of binding site overlap for ARFs of the same clade, but largely distinct clade A and B binding. Many sites are however co-occupied by ARFs from both clades, suggesting transcriptional coordination for many genes. Among these, we investigate known QTLs and use machine learning to predict the impact of cis-regulatory variation. Overall, large-scale comparative analysis of ARF binding suggests that auxin response specificity may be determined by factors other than individual ARF binding site selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Galli
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854-8020, USA
| | - Arjun Khakhar
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195-1800, USA
| | - Zefu Lu
- Department of Genetics, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Zongliang Chen
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854-8020, USA
| | - Sidharth Sen
- Informatics Institute, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | - Trupti Joshi
- Informatics Institute, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA.,Department of Health Management and Informatics and Christopher S. Bond Life Science Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | | | - Robert J Schmitz
- Department of Genetics, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Andrea Gallavotti
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854-8020, USA. .,Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.
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31
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Li W, Yang Z, Yao J, Li J, Song W, Yang X. Cellulose synthase-like D1 controls organ size in maize. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2018; 18:239. [PMID: 30326832 PMCID: PMC6192064 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-018-1453-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plant architecture is a critical factor that affects planting density and, consequently, grain yield in maize. The genes or loci that determine organ size are the key regulators of plant architecture. Thus, understanding the genetic and molecular mechanisms of organ size will inform the use of a molecular manipulation approach to improve maize plant architecture and grain yield. RESULTS A total of 18 unique quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified for 11 agronomic traits in the F2 and F2:3 segregating populations derived from a cross between a double haploid line with a small plant architecture (MT03-1) and an inbred line with a large plant architecture (LEE-12). Subsequently, we showed that one QTL, qLW10, for multiple agronomic traits that relate to plant organ size reflects allelic variation in ZmCSLD1, which encodes a cellulose synthase-like D protein. ZmCSLD1 was localized to the trans-Golgi and was highly expressed in the rapidly growing regions. The loss of ZmCSLD1 function decreased cell division, which resulted in smaller organs with fewer cell numbers and, in turn, pleiotropic effects on multiple agronomic traits. In addition, intragenic complementation was investigated for two Zmcsld1 alleles with nonsynonymous SNPs in different functional domains, and the mechanism of this complementation was determined to be through homodimeric interactions. CONCLUSIONS Through positional cloning by using two populations and allelism tests, qLW10 for organ size was resolved to be a cellulose synthase-like D family gene, ZmCSLD1. ZmCSLD1 has pleiotropic effects on multiple agronomic traits that alter plant organ size by changing the process of cell division. These findings provide new insight into the regulatory mechanism that underlies plant organ development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiya Li
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
- National Maize Improvement Center of China, MOA Key Lab of Maize Biology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Zhixing Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
- National Maize Improvement Center of China, MOA Key Lab of Maize Biology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Jieyuan Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
- National Maize Improvement Center of China, MOA Key Lab of Maize Biology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Jiansheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
- National Maize Improvement Center of China, MOA Key Lab of Maize Biology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Weibin Song
- National Maize Improvement Center of China, MOA Key Lab of Maize Biology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Xiaohong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
- National Maize Improvement Center of China, MOA Key Lab of Maize Biology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
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32
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Zhan J, Li G, Ryu CH, Ma C, Zhang S, Lloyd A, Hunter BG, Larkins BA, Drews GN, Wang X, Yadegari R. Opaque-2 Regulates a Complex Gene Network Associated with Cell Differentiation and Storage Functions of Maize Endosperm. THE PLANT CELL 2018; 30:2425-2446. [PMID: 30262552 PMCID: PMC6241275 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.18.00392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Revised: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Development of the cereal endosperm involves cell differentiation processes that enable nutrient uptake from the maternal plant, accumulation of storage products, and their utilization during germination. However, little is known about the regulatory mechanisms that link cell differentiation processes with those controlling storage product synthesis and deposition, including the activation of zein genes by the maize (Zea mays) bZIP transcription factor Opaque-2 (O2). Here, we mapped in vivo binding sites of O2 in B73 endosperm and compared the results with genes differentially expressed in B73 and B73o2 We identified 186 putative direct O2 targets and 1677 indirect targets, encoding a broad set of gene functionalities. Examination of the temporal expression patterns of O2 targets revealed at least two distinct modes of O2-mediated gene activation. Two O2-activated genes, bZIP17 and NAKED ENDOSPERM2 (NKD2), encode transcription factors, which can in turn coactivate other O2 network genes with O2. NKD2 (with its paralog NKD1) was previously shown to be involved in regulation of aleurone development. Collectively, our results provide insights into the complexity of the O2-regulated network and its role in regulation of endosperm cell differentiation and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junpeng Zhan
- School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721
| | - Guosheng Li
- School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721
| | - Choong-Hwan Ryu
- School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721
| | - Chuang Ma
- School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721
| | - Shanshan Zhang
- School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721
| | - Alan Lloyd
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
| | - Brenda G Hunter
- School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721
| | - Brian A Larkins
- School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588
| | - Gary N Drews
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
| | - Xiangfeng Wang
- School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721
| | - Ramin Yadegari
- School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721
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33
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Huang J, Zheng J, Yuan H, McGinnis K. Distinct tissue-specific transcriptional regulation revealed by gene regulatory networks in maize. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2018; 18:111. [PMID: 29879919 PMCID: PMC6040155 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-018-1329-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2018] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcription factors (TFs) are proteins that can bind to DNA sequences and regulate gene expression. Many TFs are master regulators in cells that contribute to tissue-specific and cell-type-specific gene expression patterns in eukaryotes. Maize has been a model organism for over one hundred years, but little is known about its tissue-specific gene regulation through TFs. In this study, we used a network approach to elucidate gene regulatory networks (GRNs) in four tissues (leaf, root, SAM and seed) in maize. We utilized GENIE3, a machine-learning algorithm combined with large quantity of RNA-Seq expression data to construct four tissue-specific GRNs. Unlike some other techniques, this approach is not limited by high-quality Position Weighed Matrix (PWM), and can therefore predict GRNs for over 2000 TFs in maize. RESULTS Although many TFs were expressed across multiple tissues, a multi-tiered analysis predicted tissue-specific regulatory functions for many transcription factors. Some well-studied TFs emerged within the four tissue-specific GRNs, and the GRN predictions matched expectations based upon published results for many of these examples. Our GRNs were also validated by ChIP-Seq datasets (KN1, FEA4 and O2). Key TFs were identified for each tissue and matched expectations for key regulators in each tissue, including GO enrichment and identity with known regulatory factors for that tissue. We also found functional modules in each network by clustering analysis with the MCL algorithm. CONCLUSIONS By combining publicly available genome-wide expression data and network analysis, we can uncover GRNs at tissue-level resolution in maize. Since ChIP-Seq and PWMs are still limited in several model organisms, our study provides a uniform platform that can be adapted to any species with genome-wide expression data to construct GRNs. We also present a publicly available database, maize tissue-specific GRN (mGRN, https://www.bio.fsu.edu/mcginnislab/mgrn/ ), for easy querying. All source code and data are available at Github ( https://github.com/timedreamer/maize_tissue-specific_GRN ).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Huang
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 32306, USA
| | - Juefei Zheng
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Hui Yuan
- Department of Statistics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 32306, USA
| | - Karen McGinnis
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 32306, USA.
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Kandel R, Yang X, Song J, Wang J. Potentials, Challenges, and Genetic and Genomic Resources for Sugarcane Biomass Improvement. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:151. [PMID: 29503654 PMCID: PMC5821101 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Lignocellulosic biomass has become an emerging feedstock for second-generation bioethanol production. Sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids), a very efficient perennial C4 plant with a high polyploid level and complex genome, is considered a top-notch candidate for biomass production due to its salient features viz. fast growth rate and abilities for high tillering, ratooning, and photosynthesis. Energy cane, an ideal type of sugarcane, has been bred specifically as a biomass crop. In this review, we described (1) biomass potentials of sugarcane and its underlying genetics, (2) challenges associated with biomass improvement such as large and complex genome, narrow gene pool in existing commercial cultivars, long breeding cycle, and non-synchronous flowering, (3) available genetic resources such as germplasm resources, and genomic and cell wall-related databases that facilitate biomass improvement, and (4) mining candidate genes controlling biomass in genomic databases. We extensively reviewed databases for biomass-related genes and their usefulness in biofuel generation. This review provides valuable resources for sugarcane breeders, geneticists, and broad scientific communities involved in bioenergy production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramkrishna Kandel
- Agronomy Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Xiping Yang
- Agronomy Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Jian Song
- Agronomy Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- College of Life Sciences, Dezhou University, Dezhou, China
| | - Jianping Wang
- Agronomy Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- FAFU and UIUC-SIB Joint Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
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35
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Construction of Arabidopsis Transcription Factor ORFeome Collections and Identification of Protein-DNA Interactions by High-Throughput Yeast One-Hybrid Screens. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1794:151-182. [PMID: 29855956 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7871-7_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Identification of transcription factor (TF)-promoter interactions is key to understanding the basic molecular underpinnings of gene regulation. The complexity of gene regulation, however, is driven by the combined function of several TFs recruited to the promoter region, which often confounds the discovery of transcriptional regulatory mechanisms. Genome sequencing enabled the construction of TF-specific ORFeome clone collections that can be used to study TF function with unprecedented coverage. Among the recently developed methods, gene-centered yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) screens performed with these ORFeome collections provide a simple and reliable strategy to identify TF-promoter interactions. Here, we describe high-throughput cloning protocols used to generate a gold standard TF ORFeome collection for the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana. Furthermore, we outline the protocol to build a daughter clone collection suitable for the Y1H assay and a high-throughput Y1H screening procedure that enables rapid assessment of thousands TF-promoter interactions using a robotic platform. These protocols can be universally adopted to build ORFeome libraries and thus expand the usage of gene-centered Y1H screens or other alternative strategies for discovery and characterization of TF functions.
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36
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Bonaldi K, Li Z, Kang SE, Breton G, Pruneda-Paz JL. Novel cell surface luciferase reporter for high-throughput yeast one-hybrid screens. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:e157. [PMID: 28985361 PMCID: PMC5737895 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene-centered yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) screens provide a powerful and effective strategy to identify transcription factor (TF)-promoter interactions. While genome-wide TF ORFeome clone collections are increasingly available, screening protocols have limitations inherent to the properties of the enzymatic reaction used to identify interactions and to the procedure required to perform the assay in a high-throughput format. Here, we present the development and validation of a streamlined strategy for quantitative and fully automated gene-centered Y1H screens using a novel cell surface Gaussia luciferase reporter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katia Bonaldi
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.,Center for Circadian Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Zheng Li
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.,Center for Circadian Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - S Earl Kang
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Ghislain Breton
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jose L Pruneda-Paz
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.,Center for Circadian Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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37
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Yang F, Li W, Jiang N, Yu H, Morohashi K, Ouma WZ, Morales-Mantilla DE, Gomez-Cano FA, Mukundi E, Prada-Salcedo LD, Velazquez RA, Valentin J, Mejía-Guerra MK, Gray J, Doseff AI, Grotewold E. A Maize Gene Regulatory Network for Phenolic Metabolism. MOLECULAR PLANT 2017; 10:498-515. [PMID: 27871810 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2016.10.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2016] [Revised: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The translation of the genotype into phenotype, represented for example by the expression of genes encoding enzymes required for the biosynthesis of phytochemicals that are important for interaction of plants with the environment, is largely carried out by transcription factors (TFs) that recognize specific cis-regulatory elements in the genes that they control. TFs and their target genes are organized in gene regulatory networks (GRNs), and thus uncovering GRN architecture presents an important biological challenge necessary to explain gene regulation. Linking TFs to the genes they control, central to understanding GRNs, can be carried out using gene- or TF-centered approaches. In this study, we employed a gene-centered approach utilizing the yeast one-hybrid assay to generate a network of protein-DNA interactions that participate in the transcriptional control of genes involved in the biosynthesis of maize phenolic compounds including general phenylpropanoids, lignins, and flavonoids. We identified 1100 protein-DNA interactions involving 54 phenolic gene promoters and 568 TFs. A set of 11 TFs recognized 10 or more promoters, suggesting a role in coordinating pathway gene expression. The integration of the gene-centered network with information derived from TF-centered approaches provides a foundation for a phenolics GRN characterized by interlaced feed-forward loops that link developmental regulators with biosynthetic genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Yang
- Center for Applied Sciences (CAPS), The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Nan Jiang
- Center for Applied Sciences (CAPS), The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Haidong Yu
- Center for Applied Sciences (CAPS), The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Kengo Morohashi
- Center for Applied Sciences (CAPS), The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Wilberforce Zachary Ouma
- Center for Applied Sciences (CAPS), The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB) Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Daniel E Morales-Mantilla
- Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Success in Graduate Education (SiGuE) Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Fabio Andres Gomez-Cano
- Center for Applied Sciences (CAPS), The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Eric Mukundi
- Center for Applied Sciences (CAPS), The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Luis Daniel Prada-Salcedo
- Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Roberto Alers Velazquez
- Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Success in Graduate Education (SiGuE) Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Jasmin Valentin
- Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Success in Graduate Education (SiGuE) Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Maria Katherine Mejía-Guerra
- Center for Applied Sciences (CAPS), The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - John Gray
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43560, USA
| | - Andrea I Doseff
- Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Erich Grotewold
- Center for Applied Sciences (CAPS), The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
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Cao H, Qi S, Sun M, Li Z, Yang Y, Crawford NM, Wang Y. Overexpression of the Maize ZmNLP6 and ZmNLP8 Can Complement the Arabidopsis Nitrate Regulatory Mutant nlp7 by Restoring Nitrate Signaling and Assimilation. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2017; 8:1703. [PMID: 29051766 PMCID: PMC5634353 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2017.01703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Nitrate is a key nutrient that affects maize growth and yield, and much has yet to be learned about nitrate regulatory genes and mechanisms in maize. Here, we identified nine ZmNLP genes in maize and analyzed the functions of two ZmNLP members in nitrate signaling. qPCR results revealed a broad pattern of expression for ZmNLP genes in different stages and organs with the highest levels of transcript expression of ZmNLP6 and ZmNLP8. When ZmNLP6 and ZmNLP8 were overexpressed in the Arabidopsis nitrate regulatory gene mutant nlp7-4, nitrate assimilation and induction of nitrate-responsive genes in the transgenic plants were recovered to WT levels, indicating that ZmNLP6 and ZmNLP8 can replace the essential roles of the master nitrate regulatory gene AtNLP7 in nitrate signaling and metabolism. ZmNLP6 and ZmNLP8 are localized in the nucleus and can bind candidate nitrate-responsive cis-elements in vitro. The biomass and yield of transgenic Arabidopsis lines overexpressing ZmNLP6 and ZmNLP8 showed significant increase compared with WT and nlp7-4 mutant line in low nitrate conditions. Thus, ZmNLP6 and ZmNLP8 regulate nitrate signaling in transgenic Arabidopsis plants and may be potential candidates for improving nitrogen use efficiency of maize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huairong Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, China
| | - Shengdong Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, China
| | - Mengwei Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, China
| | - Zehui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, China
| | - Yi Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, China
| | - Nigel M. Crawford
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Yong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, China
- *Correspondence: Yong Wang,
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Sánchez-Montesino R, Oñate-Sánchez L. Yeast One- and Two-Hybrid High-Throughput Screenings Using Arrayed Libraries. Methods Mol Biol 2017. [PMID: 28623579 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7125-1_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Since their original description more than 25 years ago, the yeast one- and two-hybrid systems (Y1H/Y2H) have been used by many laboratories to detect DNA-protein (Y1H) and protein-protein interactions (Y2H). These systems use yeast cells (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) as a eukaryotic "test tube" and are amenable for most labs in the world. The development of highly efficient cloning methods has fostered the generation of large collections of open reading frames (ORFs) for several organisms that have been used for yeast screenings. Here, we describe a simple mating based method for high-throughput screenings of arrayed ORF libraries with DNA (Y1H) or protein (Y2H) baits not requiring robotics. One person can easily carry out this protocol in approximately 10 h of labor spread over 5 days. It can also be scaled down to test one-to-one (few) interactions, scaled up (i.e., robotization) and is compatible with several library formats (i.e., 96, 384-well microtiter plates).
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío Sánchez-Montesino
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (UPM-INIA), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Campus de Montegancedo, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Oñate-Sánchez
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (UPM-INIA), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Campus de Montegancedo, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223, Madrid, Spain.
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40
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Brkljacic J, Grotewold E. Combinatorial control of plant gene expression. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2016; 1860:31-40. [PMID: 27427484 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2016.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Revised: 07/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Combinatorial gene regulation provides a mechanism by which relatively small numbers of transcription factors can control the expression of a much larger number of genes with finely tuned temporal and spatial patterns. This is achieved by transcription factors assembling into complexes in a combinatorial fashion, exponentially increasing the number of genes that they can target. Such an arrangement also increases the specificity and affinity for the cis-regulatory sequences required for accurate target gene expression. Superimposed on this transcription factor combinatorial arrangement is the increasing realization that histone modification marks expand the regulatory information, which is interpreted by histone readers and writers that are part of the regulatory apparatus. Here, we review the progress in these areas from the perspective of plant combinatorial gene regulation, providing examples of different regulatory solutions and comparing them to other metazoans. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Plant Gene Regulatory Mechanisms and Networks, edited by Dr. Erich Grotewold and Dr. Nathan Springer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Brkljacic
- Center for Applied Plant Sciences (CAPS),The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Erich Grotewold
- Center for Applied Plant Sciences (CAPS),The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
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41
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Franco-Zorrilla JM, Solano R. Identification of plant transcription factor target sequences. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2016; 1860:21-30. [PMID: 27155066 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2016.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Revised: 05/01/2016] [Accepted: 05/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Regulation of gene expression depends on specific cis-regulatory sequences located in the gene promoter regions. These DNA sequences are recognized by transcription factors (TFs) in a sequence-specific manner, and their identification could help to elucidate the regulatory networks that underlie plant physiological responses to developmental programs or to environmental adaptation. Here we review recent advances in high throughput methodologies for the identification of plant TF binding sites. Several approaches offer a map of the TF binding locations in vivo and of the dynamics of the gene regulatory networks. As an alternative, high throughput in vitro methods provide comprehensive determination of the DNA sequences recognized by TFs. These advances are helping to decipher the regulatory lexicon and to elucidate transcriptional network hierarchies in plants in response to internal or external cues. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Plant Gene Regulatory Mechanisms and Networks, edited by Dr. Erich Grotewold and Dr. Nathan Springer.
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Affiliation(s)
- José M Franco-Zorrilla
- Genomics Unit, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Roberto Solano
- Department of Plant Molecular Genetics, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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42
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Gaudinier A, Brady SM. Mapping Transcriptional Networks in Plants: Data-Driven Discovery of Novel Biological Mechanisms. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PLANT BIOLOGY 2016; 67:575-94. [PMID: 27128468 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-arplant-043015-112205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
In plants, systems biology approaches have led to the generation of a variety of large data sets. Many of these data are created to elucidate gene expression profiles and their corresponding transcriptional regulatory mechanisms across a range of tissue types, organs, and environmental conditions. In an effort to map the complexity of this transcriptional regulatory control, several types of experimental assays have been used to map transcriptional regulatory networks. In this review, we discuss how these methods can be best used to identify novel biological mechanisms by focusing on the appropriate biological context. Translating network biology back to gene function in the plant, however, remains a challenge. We emphasize the need for validation and insight into the underlying biological processes to successfully exploit systems approaches in an effort to determine the emergent properties revealed by network analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Gaudinier
- Department of Plant Biology and Genome Center, University of California, Davis, California 95616;
| | - Siobhan M Brady
- Department of Plant Biology and Genome Center, University of California, Davis, California 95616;
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44
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Mejía-Guerra MK, Li W, Galeano NF, Vidal M, Gray J, Doseff AI, Grotewold E. Core Promoter Plasticity Between Maize Tissues and Genotypes Contrasts with Predominance of Sharp Transcription Initiation Sites. THE PLANT CELL 2015; 27:3309-20. [PMID: 26628745 PMCID: PMC4707454 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.15.00630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2015] [Accepted: 11/11/2015] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Core promoters are crucial for gene regulation, providing blueprints for the assembly of transcriptional machinery at transcription start sites (TSSs). Empirically, TSSs define the coordinates of core promoters and other regulatory sequences. Thus, experimental TSS identification provides an essential step in the characterization of promoters and their features. Here, we describe the application of CAGE (cap analysis of gene expression) to identify genome-wide TSSs used in root and shoot tissues of two maize (Zea mays) inbred lines (B73 and Mo17). Our studies indicate that most TSS clusters are sharp in maize, similar to mice, but distinct from Arabidopsis thaliana, Drosophila melanogaster, or zebra fish, in which a majority of genes have broad-shaped TSS clusters. We established that ∼38% of maize promoters are characterized by a broader TATA-motif consensus, and this motif is significantly enriched in genes with sharp TSSs. A noteworthy plasticity in TSS usage between tissues and inbreds was uncovered, with ∼1500 genes showing significantly different dominant TSSs, sometimes affecting protein sequence by providing alternate translation initiation codons. We experimentally characterized instances in which this differential TSS utilization results in protein isoforms with additional domains or targeted to distinct subcellular compartments. These results provide important insights into TSS selection and gene expression in an agronomically important crop.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Katherine Mejía-Guerra
- Center for Applied Plant Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, 305B Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
| | - Narmer F Galeano
- Center for Applied Plant Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 Instituto de Investigación en Microbiología y Biotecnología Agroindustrial, Universidad Católica de Manizales, Carrera 23 No 60-63 Manizales, Colombia
| | - Mabel Vidal
- Center for Applied Plant Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
| | - John Gray
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio 43606
| | - Andrea I Doseff
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, 305B Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
| | - Erich Grotewold
- Center for Applied Plant Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
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45
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Auxin signaling modules regulate maize inflorescence architecture. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:13372-7. [PMID: 26464512 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1516473112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In plants, small groups of pluripotent stem cells called axillary meristems are required for the formation of the branches and flowers that eventually establish shoot architecture and drive reproductive success. To ensure the proper formation of new axillary meristems, the specification of boundary regions is required for coordinating their development. We have identified two maize genes, BARREN INFLORESCENCE1 and BARREN INFLORESCENCE4 (BIF1 and BIF4), that regulate the early steps required for inflorescence formation. BIF1 and BIF4 encode AUXIN/INDOLE-3-ACETIC ACID (Aux/IAA) proteins, which are key components of the auxin hormone signaling pathway that is essential for organogenesis. Here we show that BIF1 and BIF4 are integral to auxin signaling modules that dynamically regulate the expression of BARREN STALK1 (BA1), a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcriptional regulator necessary for axillary meristem formation that shows a striking boundary expression pattern. These findings suggest that auxin signaling directly controls boundary domains during axillary meristem formation and define a fundamental mechanism that regulates inflorescence architecture in one of the most widely grown crop species.
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