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Yan H, Mendieta JP, Zhang X, Marand AP, Liang Y, Luo Z, Minow MAA, Jang H, Li X, Roule T, Wagner D, Tu X, Wang Y, Jiang D, Zhong S, Huang L, Wessler SR, Schmitz RJ. Evolution of plant cell-type-specific cis-regulatory elements. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.08.574753. [PMID: 38260561 PMCID: PMC10802394 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.08.574753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Cis-regulatory elements (CREs) are critical in regulating gene expression, and yet understanding of CRE evolution remains challenging. Here, we constructed a comprehensive single-cell atlas of chromatin accessibility in Oryza sativa, integrating data from 103,911 nuclei representing 126 discrete cell states across nine distinct organs. We used comparative genomics to compare cell-type resolved chromatin accessibility between O. sativa and 57,552 nuclei from four additional grass species (Zea mays, Sorghum bicolor, Panicum miliaceum, and Urochloa fusca). Accessible chromatin regions (ACRs) had different levels of conservation depending on the degree of cell-type specificity. We found a complex relationship between ACRs with conserved noncoding sequences, cell-type specificity, conservation, and tissue-specific switching. Additionally, we found that epidermal ACRs were less conserved compared to other cell types, potentially indicating that more rapid regulatory evolution has occurred in the L1-derived epidermal layer of these species. Finally, we identified and characterized a conserved subset of ACRs that overlapped the repressive histone modification H3K27me3, implicating them as potentially silencer-like CREs maintained by evolution. Collectively, this comparative genomics approach highlights the dynamics of plant cell-type-specific CRE evolution.
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Mendieta JP, Tu X, Jiang D, Yan H, Zhang X, Marand AP, Zhong S, Schmitz RJ. Investigating the cis-regulatory basis of C 3 and C 4 photosynthesis in grasses at single-cell resolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2402781121. [PMID: 39312655 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2402781121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024] Open
Abstract
While considerable knowledge exists about the enzymes pivotal for C4 photosynthesis, much less is known about the cis-regulation important for specifying their expression in distinct cell types. Here, we use single-cell-indexed ATAC-seq to identify cell-type-specific accessible chromatin regions (ACRs) associated with C4 enzymes for five different grass species. This study spans four C4 species, covering three distinct photosynthetic subtypes: Zea mays and Sorghum bicolor (NADP-dependent malic enzyme), Panicum miliaceum (NAD-dependent malic enzyme), Urochloa fusca (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase), along with the C3 outgroup Oryza sativa. We studied the cis-regulatory landscape of enzymes essential across all C4 species and those unique to C4 subtypes, measuring cell-type-specific biases for C4 enzymes using chromatin accessibility data. Integrating these data with phylogenetics revealed diverse co-option of gene family members between species, showcasing the various paths of C4 evolution. Besides promoter proximal ACRs, we found that, on average, C4 genes have two to three distal cell-type-specific ACRs, highlighting the complexity and divergent nature of C4 evolution. Examining the evolutionary history of these cell-type-specific ACRs revealed a spectrum of conserved and novel ACRs, even among closely related species, indicating ongoing evolution of cis-regulation at these C4 loci. This study illuminates the dynamic and complex nature of cis-regulatory elements evolution in C4 photosynthesis, particularly highlighting the intricate cis-regulatory evolution of key loci. Our findings offer a valuable resource for future investigations, potentially aiding in the optimization of C3 crop performance under changing climatic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiaoyu Tu
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds, Joint Center for Single-Cell Biology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Daiquan Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR
| | - Haidong Yan
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30605
| | - Xuan Zhang
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30605
| | | | - Silin Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR
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Wang F, Xi Z, Wang M, Wang L, Wang J. Genome-wide chromatin accessibility reveals transcriptional regulation of heterosis in inter-subspecific hybrid rice. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 119:2331-2348. [PMID: 38976378 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
The utilization of rice heterosis is essential for ensuring global food security; however, its molecular mechanism remains unclear. In this study, comprehensive analyses of accessible chromatin regions (ACRs), DNA methylation, and gene expression in inter-subspecific hybrid and its parents were performed to determine the potential role of chromatin accessibility in rice heterosis. The hybrid exhibited abundant ACRs, in which the gene ACRs and proximal ACRs were directly related to transcriptional activation rather than the distal ACRs. Regarding the dynamic accessibility contribution of the parents, paternal ZHF1015 transmitted a greater number of ACRs to the hybrid. Accessible genotype-specific target genes were enriched with overrepresented transcription factors, indicating a unique regulatory network of genes in the hybrid. Compared with its parents, the differentially accessible chromatin regions with upregulated chromatin accessibility were much greater than those with downregulated chromatin accessibility, reflecting a stronger regulation in the hybrid. Furthermore, DNA methylation levels were negatively correlated with ACR intensity, and genes were strongly affected by CHH methylation in the hybrid. Chromatin accessibility positively regulated the overall expression level of each genotype. ACR-related genes with maternal Z04A-bias allele-specific expression tended to be enriched during carotenoid biosynthesis, whereas paternal ZHF1015-bias genes were more active in carbohydrate metabolism. Our findings provide a new perspective on the mechanism of heterosis based on chromatin accessibility in inter-subspecific hybrid rice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Zengde Xi
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Mengyao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Linyou Wang
- Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Crop and Nuclear Technology Utilization, Hangzhou, 310021, China
| | - Jianbo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
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Zhang B, Ma Z, Guo H, Chen S, Liu J. Single-cell RNA-sequencing provides new insights into the cell-specific expression patterns and transcriptional regulation of photosynthetic genes in bermudagrass leaf blades. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2024; 213:108857. [PMID: 38905728 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.108857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
As an important warm-season turfgrass species, bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.) flourishes in warm areas around the world due to the existence of the C4 photosynthetic pathway. However, how C4 photosynthesis operates in bermudagrass leaves is still poorly understood. In this study, we performed single-cell RNA-sequencing on 5296 cells from bermudagrass leaf blades. Eight cell clusters corresponding to mesophyll, bundle sheath, epidermis and vascular bundle cells were successfully identified using known cell marker genes. Expression profiling indicated that genes encoding NADP-dependent malic enzymes (NADP-MEs) were highly expressed in bundle sheath cells, whereas NAD-ME genes were weakly expressed in all cell types, suggesting C4 photosynthesis of bermudagrass leaf blades might be NADP-ME type rather than NAD-ME type. The results also indicated that starch synthesis-related genes showed preferential expression in bundle sheath cells, whereas starch degradation-related genes were highly expressed in mesophyll cells, which agrees with the observed accumulation of starch-filled chloroplasts in bundle sheath cells. Gene co-expression analysis further revealed that different families of transcription factors were co-expressed with multiple C4 photosynthesis-related genes, suggesting a complex transcription regulatory network of C4 photosynthesis might exist in bermudagrass leaf blades. These findings collectively provided new insights into the cell-specific expression patterns and transcriptional regulation of photosynthetic genes in bermudagrass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
| | - Ziyan Ma
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Hailin Guo
- Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Si Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Jianxiu Liu
- Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
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Huo Q, Song R, Ma Z. Recent advances in exploring transcriptional regulatory landscape of crops. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1421503. [PMID: 38903438 PMCID: PMC11188431 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1421503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Crop breeding entails developing and selecting plant varieties with improved agronomic traits. Modern molecular techniques, such as genome editing, enable more efficient manipulation of plant phenotype by altering the expression of particular regulatory or functional genes. Hence, it is essential to thoroughly comprehend the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms that underpin these traits. In the multi-omics era, a large amount of omics data has been generated for diverse crop species, including genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and single-cell omics. The abundant data resources and the emergence of advanced computational tools offer unprecedented opportunities for obtaining a holistic view and profound understanding of the regulatory processes linked to desirable traits. This review focuses on integrated network approaches that utilize multi-omics data to investigate gene expression regulation. Various types of regulatory networks and their inference methods are discussed, focusing on recent advancements in crop plants. The integration of multi-omics data has been proven to be crucial for the construction of high-confidence regulatory networks. With the refinement of these methodologies, they will significantly enhance crop breeding efforts and contribute to global food security.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Zeyang Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-breeding, Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Joint International Research Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding, National Maize Improvement Center, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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Hsieh JWA, Lin PY, Wang CT, Lee YJ, Chang P, Lu RJH, Chen PY, Wang CJR. Establishing an optimized ATAC-seq protocol for the maize. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1370618. [PMID: 38863553 PMCID: PMC11165127 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1370618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
The advent of next-generation sequencing in crop improvement offers unprecedented insights into the chromatin landscape closely linked to gene activity governing key traits in plant development and adaptation. Particularly in maize, its dynamic chromatin structure is found to collaborate with massive transcriptional variations across tissues and developmental stages, implying intricate regulatory mechanisms, which highlights the importance of integrating chromatin information into breeding strategies for precise gene controls. The depiction of maize chromatin architecture using Assay for Transposase Accessible Chromatin with high-throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq) provides great opportunities to investigate cis-regulatory elements, which is crucial for crop improvement. In this context, we developed an easy-to-implement ATAC-seq protocol for maize with fewer nuclei and simple equipment. We demonstrate a streamlined ATAC-seq protocol with four key steps for maize in which nuclei purification can be achieved without cell sorting and using only a standard bench-top centrifuge. Our protocol, coupled with the bioinformatic analysis, including validation by read length periodicity, key metrics, and correlation with transcript abundance, provides a precise and efficient assessment of the maize chromatin landscape. Beyond its application to maize, our testing design holds the potential to be applied to other crops or other tissues, especially for those with limited size and amount, establishing a robust foundation for chromatin structure studies in diverse crop species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jo-Wei Allison Hsieh
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Genome and Systems Biology Degree Program, Academia Sinica and National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Yu Lin
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Ting Wang
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Jing Lee
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pearl Chang
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Tropical Agriculture and International Cooperation/Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan
| | - Rita Jui-Hsien Lu
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pao-Yang Chen
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Genome and Systems Biology Degree Program, Academia Sinica and National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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Kumar V, Singh B, Kumar Singh R, Sharma N, Muthamilarasan M, Sawant SV, Prasad M. Histone deacetylase 9 interacts with SiHAT3.1 and SiHDA19 to repress dehydration responses through H3K9 deacetylation in foxtail millet. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2024; 75:1098-1111. [PMID: 37889853 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad425] [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: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Climate change inflicts several stresses on plants, of which dehydration stress severely affects growth and productivity. C4 plants possess better adaptability to dehydration stress; however, the role of epigenetic modifications underlying this trait is unclear. In particular, the molecular links between histone modifiers and their regulation remain elusive. In this study, genome-wide H3K9 acetylation (H3K9ac) enrichment using ChIP-sequencing was performed in two foxtail millet cultivars with contrasting dehydration tolerances (IC403579, cv. IC4-tolerant, and IC480117, cv. IC41-sensitive). It revealed that a histone deacetylase, SiHDA9, was significantly up-regulated in the sensitive cultivar. Further characterization indicated that SiHDA9 interacts with SiHAT3.1 and SiHDA19 to form a repressor complex. SiHDA9 might be recruited through the SiHAT3.1 recognition sequence onto the upstream of dehydration-responsive genes to decrease H3K9 acetylation levels. The silencing of SiHDA9 resulted in the up-regulation of crucial genes, namely, SiRAB18, SiRAP2.4, SiP5CS2, SiRD22, SiPIP1;4, and SiLHCB2.3, which imparted dehydration tolerance in the sensitive cultivar (IC41). Overall, the study provides mechanistic insights into SiHDA9-mediated regulation of dehydration stress response in foxtail millet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verandra Kumar
- National Institute of Plant Genome Research, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, Delhi, India
| | - Babita Singh
- Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow 226001, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Roshan Kumar Singh
- National Institute of Plant Genome Research, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, Delhi, India
| | - Namisha Sharma
- National Institute of Plant Genome Research, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, Delhi, India
| | | | - Samir V Sawant
- Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow 226001, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Manoj Prasad
- National Institute of Plant Genome Research, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, Delhi, India
- Department of Plant Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500046, Telangana, India
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Zhang L, Liu L, Li H, He J, Chao H, Yan S, Yin Y, Zhao W, Li M. 3D genome structural variations play important roles in regulating seed oil content of Brassica napus. PLANT COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 5:100666. [PMID: 37496273 PMCID: PMC10811347 DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2023.100666] [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: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Dissecting the complex regulatory mechanism of seed oil content (SOC) is one of the main research goals in Brassica napus. Increasing evidence suggests that genome architecture is linked to multiple biological functions. However, the effect of genome architecture on SOC regulation remains unclear. Here, we used high-throughput chromatin conformation capture to characterize differences in the three-dimensional (3D) landscape of genome architecture of seeds from two B. napus lines, N53-2 (with high SOC) and Ken-C8 (with low SOC). Bioinformatics analysis demonstrated that differentially accessible regions and differentially expressed genes between N53-2 and Ken-C8 were preferentially enriched in regions with quantitative trait loci (QTLs)/associated genomic regions (AGRs) for SOC. A multi-omics analysis demonstrated that expression of SOC-related genes was tightly correlated with genome structural variations in QTLs/AGRs of B. napus. The candidate gene BnaA09g48250D, which showed structural variation in a QTL/AGR on chrA09, was identified by fine-mapping of a KN double-haploid population derived from hybridization of N53-2 and Ken-C8. Overexpression and knockout of BnaA09g48250D led to significant increases and decreases in SOC, respectively, in the transgenic lines. Taken together, our results reveal the 3D genome architecture of B. napus seeds and the roles of genome structural variations in SOC regulation, enriching our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of SOC regulation from the perspective of spatial chromatin structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Libin Zhang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Lin Liu
- Wuhan Frasergen Bioinformatics Co., Ltd., Wuhan 430075, China
| | - Huaixin Li
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Jianjie He
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Hongbo Chao
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Shuxiang Yan
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Yontai Yin
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Weiguo Zhao
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Maoteng Li
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Wuhan 430074, China.
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Manosalva Pérez N, Ferrari C, Engelhorn J, Depuydt T, Nelissen H, Hartwig T, Vandepoele K. MINI-AC: inference of plant gene regulatory networks using bulk or single-cell accessible chromatin profiles. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 117:280-301. [PMID: 37788349 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Gene regulatory networks (GRNs) represent the interactions between transcription factors (TF) and their target genes. Plant GRNs control transcriptional programs involved in growth, development, and stress responses, ultimately affecting diverse agricultural traits. While recent developments in accessible chromatin (AC) profiling technologies make it possible to identify context-specific regulatory DNA, learning the underlying GRNs remains a major challenge. We developed MINI-AC (Motif-Informed Network Inference based on Accessible Chromatin), a method that combines AC data from bulk or single-cell experiments with TF binding site (TFBS) information to learn GRNs in plants. We benchmarked MINI-AC using bulk AC datasets from different Arabidopsis thaliana tissues and showed that it outperforms other methods to identify correct TFBS. In maize, a crop with a complex genome and abundant distal AC regions, MINI-AC successfully inferred leaf GRNs with experimentally confirmed, both proximal and distal, TF-target gene interactions. Furthermore, we showed that both AC regions and footprints are valid alternatives to infer AC-based GRNs with MINI-AC. Finally, we combined MINI-AC predictions from bulk and single-cell AC datasets to identify general and cell-type specific maize leaf regulators. Focusing on C4 metabolism, we identified diverse regulatory interactions in specialized cell types for this photosynthetic pathway. MINI-AC represents a powerful tool for inferring accurate AC-derived GRNs in plants and identifying known and novel candidate regulators, improving our understanding of gene regulation in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás Manosalva Pérez
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Camilla Ferrari
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Julia Engelhorn
- Molecular Physiology Department, Heinrich-Heine University, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, 50829, Cologne, Germany
| | - Thomas Depuydt
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Hilde Nelissen
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Thomas Hartwig
- Molecular Physiology Department, Heinrich-Heine University, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, 50829, Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Klaas Vandepoele
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
- Bioinformatics Institute Ghent, Ghent University, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
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Wei Z, Zhang H, Fang M, Lin S, Zhu M, Li Y, Jiang L, Cui T, Cui Y, Kui H, Peng L, Gou X, Li J. The Dof transcription factor COG1 acts as a key regulator of plant biomass by promoting photosynthesis and starch accumulation. MOLECULAR PLANT 2023; 16:1759-1772. [PMID: 37742075 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2023.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthetic efficiency is the primary determinant of crop yield, including vegetative biomass and grain yield. Manipulation of key transcription factors known to directly control photosynthetic machinery can be an effective strategy to improve photosynthetic traits. In this study, we identified an Arabidopsis gain-of-function mutant, cogwheel1-3D, that shows a significantly enlarged rosette and increased biomass compared with wild-type plants. Overexpression of COG1, a Dof transcription factor, recapitulated the phenotype of cogwheel1-3D, whereas knocking out COG1 and its six paralogs resulted in a reduced rosette size and decreased biomass. Transcriptomic and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analyses demonstrated that COG1 and its paralogs were required for light-induced expression of genes involved in photosynthesis. Further chromatin immunoprecipitation and electrophoretic mobility shift assays indicated that COG1 can directly bind to the promoter regions of multiple genes encoding light-harvesting antenna proteins. Physiological, biochemical, and microscopy analyses revealed that COG1 enhances photosynthetic capacity and starch accumulation in Arabidopsis rosette leaves. Furthermore, combined results of bioinformatic, genetic, and molecular experiments suggested that the functions of COG1 in increasing biomass are conserved in different plant species. These results collectively demonstrated that COG1 acts as a key regulator of plant biomass by promoting photosynthesis and starch accumulation. Manipulating COG1 to optimize photosynthetic capacity would create new strategies for future crop yield improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuoyun Wei
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Gene Editing for Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Haoyong Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Meng Fang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Shuyuan Lin
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Mingsong Zhu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yuxiu Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Limin Jiang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Tianliang Cui
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yanwei Cui
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Gene Editing for Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Hong Kui
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Gene Editing for Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Liang Peng
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Gene Editing for Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xiaoping Gou
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Gene Editing for Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jia Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Gene Editing for Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Adaptation and Molecular Design, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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Zhao W, Li J, Sun X, Zheng Q, Liu J, Hua W, Liu J. Integrated global analysis in spider flowers illuminates features underlying the evolution and maintenance of C 4 photosynthesis. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2023; 10:uhad129. [PMID: 37560018 PMCID: PMC10407600 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhad129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
The carbon concentrating mechanism-C4 photosynthesis-represents a classic example of convergent evolution, but how this important trait originated and evolved remains largely enigmatic. The spider flower Gynandropsis gynandra is a valuable leafy vegetable crop and medicinal plant that has also been recognized as a C4 model species. Here we present a high-quality chromosome-scale annotated genome assembly of G. gynandra through a combination of Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT), HiFi and Hi-C technology. The 17 super-scaffolds cover 98.66% of the estimated genome (997.61 Mb), with a contig N50 of 11.43 Mb and a scaffold N50 of 51.02 Mb. Repetitive elements occupy up to 71.91% of its genome, and over half are long terminal repeat retrotransposons (LTR-RTs) derived from recent bursts, contributing to genome size expansion. Strikingly, LTR-RT explosion also played a critical role in C4 evolution by altering expression features of photosynthesis-associated genes via preferential insertion in promoters. Integrated multiomics analyses of G. gynandra and the ornamental horticulture C3 relative Tarenaya hassleriana reveal that species-specific whole-genome duplication, gene family expansion, recent LTR-RT amplification, and more recent tandem duplication events have all facilitated the evolution of C4 photosynthesis, revealing uniqueness of C4 evolution in the Cleome genus. Moreover, high leaf vein density and heat stress resilience are associated with shifted gene expression patterns. The mode of C3-to-C4 transition found here yields new insights into evolutionary convergence of a complex plant trait. The availability of this reference-grade genomic resource makes G. gynandra an ideal model system facilitating efforts toward C4-aimed crop engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Jun Li
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Xingchao Sun
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Qiwei Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Wei Hua
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
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12
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Miao X, Zhu W, Jin Q, Song Z, Li L. ZmHOX32 is related to photosynthesis and likely functions in plant architecture of maize. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1119678. [PMID: 37035059 PMCID: PMC10073575 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1119678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
HOX32, a member of the HD-ZIP III family, functions in the leaf morphogenesis and plant photosynthesis. However, the regulatory mechanism of HOX32 in maize has not been studied and the regulatory relationship in photosynthesis is unclear. We conducted a comprehensive study, including phylogenetic analysis, expression profiling at both transcriptome and translatome levels, subcellular localization, tsCUT&Tag, co-expression analysis, and association analysis with agronomic traits on HOX32 for the dissection of the functional roles of HOX32. ZmHOX32 shows conservation in plants. As expected, maize HOX32 protein is specifically expressed in the nucleus. ZmHOX32 showed constitutively expression at both transcriptome and translatome levels. We uncovered the downstream target genes of ZmHOX32 by tsCUT&Tag and constructed a cascaded regulatory network combining the co-expression networks. Both direct and indirect targets of ZmHOX32 showed significant gene ontology enrichment in terms of photosynthesis in maize. The association study suggested that ZmHOX32 plays an important role in regulation of plant architecture. Our results illustrate a complex regulatory network of HOX32 involving in photosynthesis and plant architecture, which deepens our understanding of the phenotypic variation in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Miao
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, China
| | - Wanchao Zhu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, China
| | - Qixiao Jin
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, China
| | - Zemeng Song
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, China
| | - Lin Li
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, China
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13
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Wang P, Gu M, Yu X, Shao S, Du J, Wang Y, Wang F, Chen S, Liao Z, Ye N, Zhang X. Allele-specific expression and chromatin accessibility contribute to heterosis in tea plants (Camellia sinensis). THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 112:1194-1211. [PMID: 36219505 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16004] [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: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Heterosis is extensively used to improve crop productivity, yet its allelic and chromatin regulation remains unclear. Based on our resolved genomes of the maternal TGY and paternal HD, we analyzed the contribution of allele-specific expression (ASE) and chromatin accessibility of JGY and HGY, the artificial hybrids of oolong tea with the largest cultivated area in China. The ASE genes (ASEGs) of tea hybrids with maternal-biased were mainly related to the energy and terpenoid metabolism pathways, whereas the ASEGs with paternal-biased tend to be enriched in glutathione metabolism, and these parental bias of hybrids may coordinate and lead to the acquisition of heterosis in more biological pathways. ATAC-seq results showed that hybrids have significantly higher accessible chromatin regions (ACRs) compared with their parents, which may confer broader and stronger transcriptional activity of genes in hybrids. The number of ACRs with significantly increased accessibility in hybrids was much greater than decreased, and the associated alleles were also affected by differential ACRs across different parents, suggesting enhanced positive chromatin regulation and potential genetic effects in hybrids. Core ASEGs of terpene and purine alkaloid metabolism pathways with significant positive heterosis have greater chromatin accessibility in hybrids, and were potentially regulated by several members of the MYB, DOF and TRB families. The binding motif of CsMYB85 in the promoter ACR of the rate-limiting enzyme CsDXS was verified by DAP-seq. These results suggest that higher numbers and more accessible ACRs in hybrids contribute to the regulation of ASEGs, thereby affecting the formation of heterotic metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengjie Wang
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, 518120, China
- College of Horticulture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University/Key Laboratory of Tea Science in Universities of Fujian Province, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Mengya Gu
- College of Horticulture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University/Key Laboratory of Tea Science in Universities of Fujian Province, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Xikai Yu
- College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Shuxian Shao
- College of Horticulture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University/Key Laboratory of Tea Science in Universities of Fujian Province, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Jiayin Du
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, 518120, China
| | - Yibin Wang
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, 518120, China
| | - Feiquan Wang
- College of Tea and Food Science, Wuyi University, Wuyishan, Fujian, 354300, China
| | - Shuai Chen
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, 518120, China
| | - Zhenyang Liao
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, 518120, China
| | - Naixing Ye
- College of Horticulture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University/Key Laboratory of Tea Science in Universities of Fujian Province, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Xingtan Zhang
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, 518120, China
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14
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Sano N, Malabarba J, Chen Z, Gaillard S, Windels D, Verdier J. Chromatin dynamics associated with seed desiccation tolerance/sensitivity at early germination in Medicago truncatula. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1059493. [PMID: 36507374 PMCID: PMC9729785 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1059493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Desiccation tolerance (DT) has contributed greatly to the adaptation of land plants to severe water-deficient conditions. DT is mostly observed in reproductive parts in flowering plants such as seeds. The seed DT is lost at early post germination stage but is temporally re-inducible in 1 mm radicles during the so-called DT window following a PEG treatment before being permanently silenced in 5 mm radicles of germinating seeds. The molecular mechanisms that activate/reactivate/silence DT in developing and germinating seeds have not yet been elucidated. Here, we analyzed chromatin dynamics related to re-inducibility of DT before and after the DT window at early germination in Medicago truncatula radicles to determine if DT-associated genes were transcriptionally regulated at the chromatin levels. Comparative transcriptome analysis of these radicles identified 948 genes as DT re-induction-related genes, positively correlated with DT re-induction. ATAC-Seq analyses revealed that the chromatin state of genomic regions containing these genes was clearly modulated by PEG treatment and affected by growth stages with opened chromatin in 1 mm radicles with PEG (R1P); intermediate openness in 1 mm radicles without PEG (R1); and condensed chromatin in 5 mm radicles without PEG (R5). In contrast, we also showed that the 103 genes negatively correlated with the re-induction of DT did not show any transcriptional regulation at the chromatin level. Additionally, ChIP-Seq analyses for repressive marks H2AK119ub and H3K27me3 detected a prominent signal of H3K27me3 on the DT re-induction-related gene sequences at R5 but not in R1 and R1P. Moreover, no clear H2AK119ub marks was observed on the DT re-induction-related gene sequences at both developmental radicle stages, suggesting that silencing of DT process after germination will be mainly due to H3K27me3 marks by the action of the PRC2 complex, without involvement of PRC1 complex. The dynamic of chromatin changes associated with H3K27me3 were also confirmed on seed-specific genes encoding potential DT-related proteins such as LEAs, oleosins and transcriptional factors. However, several transcriptional factors did not show a clear link between their decrease of chromatin openness and H3K27me3 levels, suggesting that their accessibility may also be regulated by additional factors, such as other histone modifications. Finally, in order to make these comprehensive genome-wide analyses of transcript and chromatin dynamics useful to the scientific community working on early germination and DT, we generated a dedicated genome browser containing all these data and publicly available at https://iris.angers.inrae.fr/mtseedepiatlas/jbrowse/?data=Mtruncatula.
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Li Z, Li M, Wang J. Asymmetric subgenomic chromatin architecture impacts on gene expression in resynthesized and natural allopolyploid Brassica napus. Commun Biol 2022; 5:762. [PMID: 35906482 PMCID: PMC9338098 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03729-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Although asymmetric subgenomic epigenetic modification and gene expression have been revealed in the successful establishment of allopolyploids, the changes in chromatin accessibility and their relationship with epigenetic modifications and gene expression are poorly understood. Here, we synthetically analyzed chromatin accessibility, four epigenetic modifications and gene expression in natural allopolyploid Brassica napus, resynthesized allopolyploid B. napus, and diploid progenitors (B. rapa and B. oleracea). “Chromatin accessibility shock” occurred in both allopolyploidization and natural evolutionary processes, and genic accessible chromatin regions (ACRs) increased after allopolyploidization. ACRs associated with H3K27me3 modifications were more accessible than those with H3K27ac or H3K4me3. Although overall chromatin accessibility may be defined by H3K27me3, the enrichment of H3K4me3 and H3K27ac and depletion of DNA methylation around transcriptional start sites up-regulated gene expression. Moreover, we found that subgenome Cn exhibited higher chromatin accessibility than An, which depended on the higher chromatin accessibility of Cn-unique genes but not homologous genes. Changes in chromatin accessibility occuring during the process of allopolyploidization of Brassica napus are analysed using ATAC and ChIPseq, with differences in asymmetric chromatin accessibility between subgenomes of B. napus investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, Hubei, China
| | - Mengdi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, Hubei, China.,Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China
| | - Jianbo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, Hubei, China.
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16
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Tao S, Zhang W. Network and epigenetic characterization of subsets of genes specifically expressed in maize bundle sheath cells. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:3581-3590. [PMID: 35860403 PMCID: PMC9287181 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Bundle sheath (BS) cells exhibit dramatically structural differences and functional variations at physiological, biochemical and epigenetic levels as compared to mesophyll (M) cells in maize. The regulatory mechanisms controlling functional divergences between M and BS have been extensively investigated. However, BS cell-related regulatory networks are still not completely characterized. To address this, we herein conducted WGCNA-related co-expression assays using bulk M and BS cell RNA-seq data sets and identified a module containing 384 genes highly expressed in BS cells (including 20 hub TFs) instead of M cells. According to the hub TF centered regulatory network, we found that Dof22 and Dof30 might act as key regulators in the regulation of expression of BS-specific genes, and several MYB TFs exhibited a high collaboration with Dof TFs. By comparing the enrichment levels of histone modifications, we found that genes in the aforementioned module were more enriched with histone acetylation as compared to other BS-enriched DEGs with similar expression levels. Moreover, we found that a subset of genes functioning in photosynthesis, protein auto processing and enzymatic activities were significantly enriched with broad H3K4me3. Thus, our study provides evidence showing that regulatory network and histone modifications may play vital roles in the regulation of a subset of genes with important functions in BS cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shentong Tao
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production co-sponsored by Province and Ministry (CIC-MCP), Nanjing Agricultural University, No.1 Weigang, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, PR China
| | - Wenli Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production co-sponsored by Province and Ministry (CIC-MCP), Nanjing Agricultural University, No.1 Weigang, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, PR China
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