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Ma Y, Fu W, Wan S, Li Y, Mao H, Khalid E, Zhang W, Ming R. Gene Regulatory Network Controlling Flower Development in Spinach ( Spinacia oleracea L.). Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6127. [PMID: 38892313 PMCID: PMC11173220 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) is a dioecious, diploid, wind-pollinated crop cultivated worldwide. Sex determination plays an important role in spinach breeding. Hence, this study aimed to understand the differences in sexual differentiation and floral organ development of dioecious flowers, as well as the differences in the regulatory mechanisms of floral organ development of dioecious and monoecious flowers. We compared transcriptional-level differences between different genders and identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to spinach floral development, as well as sex-biased genes to investigate the flower development mechanisms in spinach. In this study, 9189 DEGs were identified among the different genders. DEG analysis showed the participation of four main transcription factor families, MIKC_MADS, MYB, NAC, and bHLH, in spinach flower development. In our key findings, abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellic acid (GA) signal transduction pathways play major roles in male flower development, while auxin regulates both male and female flower development. By constructing a gene regulatory network (GRN) for floral organ development, core transcription factors (TFs) controlling organ initiation and growth were discovered. This analysis of the development of female, male, and monoecious flowers in spinach provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms of floral organ development and sexual differentiation in dioecious and monoecious plants in spinach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaying Ma
- College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (Y.M.); (W.F.)
- Centre for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (S.W.); (Y.L.); (H.M.); (E.K.)
| | - Wenhui Fu
- College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (Y.M.); (W.F.)
| | - Suyan Wan
- Centre for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (S.W.); (Y.L.); (H.M.); (E.K.)
| | - Yikai Li
- Centre for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (S.W.); (Y.L.); (H.M.); (E.K.)
| | - Haoming Mao
- Centre for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (S.W.); (Y.L.); (H.M.); (E.K.)
| | - Ehsan Khalid
- Centre for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (S.W.); (Y.L.); (H.M.); (E.K.)
| | - Wenping Zhang
- School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Hainan University, Sanya 572025, China
| | - Ray Ming
- Centre for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (S.W.); (Y.L.); (H.M.); (E.K.)
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Zhang YL, Wang LY, Yang Y, Zhao X, Zhu HW, You C, Chen N, Wei SJ, Li SF, Gao WJ. Gibberellins regulate masculinization through the SpGAI-SpSTM module in dioecious spinach. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 118:1907-1921. [PMID: 38491869 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16717] [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: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
The sex of dioecious plants is mainly determined by genetic factors, but it can also be converted by environmental cues such as exogenous phytohormones. Gibberellic acids (GAs) are well-known inducers of flowering and sexual development, yet the pathway of gibberellin-induced sex conversion in dioecious spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) remains elusive. Based on sex detection before and after GA3 application using T11A and SSR19 molecular markers, we confirmed and elevated the masculinization effect of GA on a single female plant through exogenous applications of GA3, showing complete conversion and functional stamens. Silencing of GIBBERELLIC ACID INSENSITIVE (SpGAI), a single DELLA family protein that is a central GA signaling repressor, results in similar masculinization. We also show that SpGAI can physically interact with the spinach KNOX transcription factor SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (SpSTM), which is a homolog of the flower meristem identity regulator STM in Arabidopsis. The silencing of SpSTM also masculinized female flowers in spinach. Furthermore, SpSTM could directly bind the intron of SpPI to repress SpPI expression in developing female flowers. Overall, our results suggest that GA induces a female masculinization process through the SpGAI-SpSTM-SpPI regulatory module in spinach. These insights may help to clarify the molecular mechanism underlying the sex conversion system in dioecious plants while also elucidating the physiological basis for the generation of unisexual flowers so as to establish dioecy in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Lan Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China
| | - Li-Ying Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China
| | - Yi Yang
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China
| | - Xu Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China
| | - Hong-Wei Zhu
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China
| | - Chen You
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China
| | - Ning Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China
| | - Shuai-Jie Wei
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China
| | - Shu-Fen Li
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China
| | - Wu-Jun Gao
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China
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Yamano K, Haseda A, Iwabuchi K, Osabe T, Sudo Y, Pachakkil B, Tanaka K, Suzuki Y, Toyoda A, Hirakawa H, Onodera Y. QTL analysis of femaleness in monoecious spinach and fine mapping of a major QTL using an updated version of chromosome-scale pseudomolecules. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0296675. [PMID: 38394294 PMCID: PMC10890751 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Although spinach is predominantly dioecious, monoecious plants with varying proportions of female and male flowers are also present. Recently, monoecious inbred lines with highly female and male conditions have been preferentially used as parents for F1-hybrids, rather than dioecious lines. Accordingly, identifying the loci for monoecism is an important issue for spinach breeding. We here used long-read sequencing and Hi-C technology to construct SOL_r2.0_pseudomolecule, a set of six pseudomolecules of spinach chromosomes (total length: 879.2 Mb; BUSCO complete 97.0%) that are longer and more genetically complete than our previous version of pseudomolecules (688.0 Mb; 81.5%). Three QTLs, qFem2.1, qFem3.1, and qFem6.1, responsible for monoecism were mapped to SOL_r2.0_pseudomolecule. qFem3.1 had the highest LOD score and corresponded to the M locus, which was previously identified as a determinant of monoecious expression, by genetic analysis of progeny from female and monoecious plants. The other QTLs were shown to modulate the ratio of female to male flowers in monoecious plants harboring a dominant allele of the M gene. Our findings will enable breeders to efficiently produce highly female- and male-monoecious parental lines for F1-hybrids by pyramiding the three QTLs. Through fine-mapping, we narrowed the candidate region for the M locus to a 19.5 kb interval containing three protein-coding genes and one long non-coding RNA gene. Among them, only RADIALIS-like-2a showed a higher expression in the reproductive organs, suggesting that it might play a role in reproductive organogenesis. However, there is no evidence that it is involved in the regulation of stamen and pistil initiation, which are directly related to the floral sex differentiation system in spinach. Given that auxin is involved in reproductive organ formation in many plant species, genes related to auxin transport/response, in addition to floral organ formation, were identified as candidates for regulators of floral sex-differentiation from qFem2.1 and qFem6.1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaoru Yamano
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Akane Haseda
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Keisuke Iwabuchi
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Takayuki Osabe
- School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yuki Sudo
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Babil Pachakkil
- Department of International Agricultural Development, Faculty of International Agriculture and Food Studies, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Keisuke Tanaka
- NODAI Genome Research Center, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Informatics, Tokyo University of Information Sciences, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yutaka Suzuki
- Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Atsushi Toyoda
- Department of Genomics and Evolutionary Biology, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - Hideki Hirakawa
- The Department of Technology Development, Kazusa DNA Research Institute, Kisarazu, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Onodera
- The Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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Saul F, Scharmann M, Wakatake T, Rajaraman S, Marques A, Freund M, Bringmann G, Channon L, Becker D, Carroll E, Low YW, Lindqvist C, Gilbert KJ, Renner T, Masuda S, Richter M, Vogg G, Shirasu K, Michael TP, Hedrich R, Albert VA, Fukushima K. Subgenome dominance shapes novel gene evolution in the decaploid pitcher plant Nepenthes gracilis. NATURE PLANTS 2023; 9:2000-2015. [PMID: 37996654 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-023-01562-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Subgenome dominance after whole-genome duplication generates distinction in gene number and expression at the level of chromosome sets, but it remains unclear how this process may be involved in evolutionary novelty. Here we generated a chromosome-scale genome assembly of the Asian pitcher plant Nepenthes gracilis to analyse how its novel traits (dioecy and carnivorous pitcher leaves) are linked to genomic evolution. We found a decaploid karyotype and a clear indication of subgenome dominance. A male-linked and pericentromerically located region on the putative sex chromosome was identified in a recessive subgenome and was found to harbour three transcription factors involved in flower and pollen development, including a likely neofunctionalized LEAFY duplicate. Transcriptomic and syntenic analyses of carnivory-related genes suggested that the paleopolyploidization events seeded genes that subsequently formed tandem clusters in recessive subgenomes with specific expression in the digestive zone of the pitcher, where specialized cells digest prey and absorb derived nutrients. A genome-scale analysis suggested that subgenome dominance likely contributed to evolutionary innovation by permitting recessive subgenomes to diversify functions of novel tissue-specific duplicates. Our results provide insight into how polyploidy can give rise to novel traits in divergent and successful high-ploidy lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Saul
- Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Mathias Scharmann
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology (IBB), University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Takanori Wakatake
- Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sitaram Rajaraman
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - André Marques
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany
| | - Matthias Freund
- Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Gerhard Bringmann
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Louisa Channon
- Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Dirk Becker
- Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Emily Carroll
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Yee Wen Low
- Singapore Botanic Gardens, National Parks Board, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Kadeem J Gilbert
- Department of Plant Biology & W.K. Kellogg Biological Station & Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Michigan State University, Hickory Corners, MI, USA
| | - Tanya Renner
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Sachiko Masuda
- Riken Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Michaela Richter
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Gerd Vogg
- Botanical Garden, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ken Shirasu
- Riken Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Todd P Michael
- Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Rainer Hedrich
- Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Victor A Albert
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA.
| | - Kenji Fukushima
- Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
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5
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Caperta AD, Fernandes I, Conceição SIR, Marques I, Róis AS, Paulo OS. Ovule Transcriptome Analysis Discloses Deregulation of Genes and Pathways in Sexual and Apomictic Limonium Species (Plumbaginaceae). Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14040901. [PMID: 37107659 PMCID: PMC10137852 DOI: 10.3390/genes14040901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The genus Limonium Mill. (sea lavenders) includes species with sexual and apomixis reproductive strategies, although the genes involved in these processes are unknown. To explore the mechanisms beyond these reproduction modes, transcriptome profiling of sexual, male sterile, and facultative apomictic species was carried out using ovules from different developmental stages. In total, 15,166 unigenes were found to be differentially expressed with apomictic vs. sexual reproduction, of which 4275 were uniquely annotated using an Arabidopsis thaliana database, with different regulations according to each stage and/or species compared. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis indicated that genes related to tubulin, actin, the ubiquitin degradation process, reactive oxygen species scavenging, hormone signaling such as the ethylene signaling pathway and gibberellic acid-dependent signal, and transcription factors were found among differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between apomictic and sexual plants. We found that 24% of uniquely annotated DEGs were likely to be implicated in flower development, male sterility, pollen formation, pollen-stigma interactions, and pollen tube formation. The present study identifies candidate genes that are highly associated with distinct reproductive modes and sheds light on the molecular mechanisms of apomixis expression in Limonium sp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana D Caperta
- Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), Research Center, Associate Laboratory TERRA, Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Isabel Fernandes
- cE3c-Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, CHANGE-Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Sofia I R Conceição
- Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), Research Center, Associate Laboratory TERRA, Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal
- LASIGE Computer Science and Engineering Research Centre, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Isabel Marques
- Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), Research Center, Associate Laboratory TERRA, Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal
- Forest Research Centre (CEF), Associate Laboratory TERRA, Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ana S Róis
- Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), Research Center, Associate Laboratory TERRA, Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal
- School of Psychology and Life Sciences, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias (ULHT), Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Octávio S Paulo
- cE3c-Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, CHANGE-Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
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Zhang X, Wang X, Pan L, Guo W, Li Y, Wang W. Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of MADS-box transcription factors reveal their involvement in sex determination of hardy rubber tree ( Eucommia ulmoides oliv.). Front Genet 2023; 14:1138703. [PMID: 36896236 PMCID: PMC9988917 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1138703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Eucommia ulmoides is a famous rubber-producing and medicinal tree species that produces unisexual flowers on separate individuals from the earliest stage of stamen/pistil primordium formation. To explore the genetic regulation pathway of sex in E. ulmoides, comprehensive genome-wide analyses and tissue-/sex-specific transcriptome comparisons of MADS-box transcription factors were performed for the first time in this work. Quantitative real-time PCR technique was employed to further validate the expression of genes that are assigned to floral organ ABCDE model. A total of 66 non-redundant E. ulmoides MADS-box (EuMADS) genes were identified, they were classified into Type I (M-type, 17 genes) and Type II (MIKC, 49 genes). Complex protein-motif composition, exon-intron structure and phytohormone-response cis-elements were detected in MIKC-EuMADS genes. Furthermore, 24 differentially-expressed EuMADS genes (DEGs) between male and female flowers, and two DEGs between male and female leaves were revealed. Amongst the 14 floral organ ABCDE model-related genes, there were 6 (A/B/C/E-class) and 5 (A/D/E-class) genes displayed male- and female-biased expression respectively. In particular, one B-class gene EuMADS39 and one A-class gene EuMADS65 were almost exclusively expressed in male trees, no matter in flower or leaf tissues. Collectively, these results suggested a critical role of MADS-box transcription factors in sex determination of E. ulmoides, which is conducive to decoding the molecular regulation mechanism of sex in E. ulmoides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianzhi Zhang
- College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinyi Wang
- College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, China
| | - Linsi Pan
- College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Guo
- College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yongquan Li
- College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wencai Wang
- Science and Technology Innovation Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
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Cheng Z, Song W, Zhang X. Genic male and female sterility in vegetable crops. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2022; 10:uhac232. [PMID: 36643746 PMCID: PMC9832880 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhac232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Vegetable crops are greatly appreciated for their beneficial nutritional and health components. Hybrid seeds are widely used in vegetable crops for advantages such as high yield and improved resistance, which require the participation of male (stamen) and female (pistil) reproductive organs. Male- or female-sterile plants are commonly used for production of hybrid seeds or seedless fruits in vegetables. In this review we will focus on the types of genic male sterility and factors affecting female fertility, summarize typical gene function and research progress related to reproductive organ identity and sporophyte and gametophyte development in vegetable crops [mainly tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus)], and discuss the research trends and application perspectives of the sterile trait in vegetable breeding and hybrid production, in order to provide a reference for fertility-related germplasm innovation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihua Cheng
- State Key Laboratories of Agrobiotechnology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Growth and Developmental Regulation for Protected Vegetable Crops, MOE Joint Laboratory for International Cooperation in Crop Molecular Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Weiyuan Song
- State Key Laboratories of Agrobiotechnology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Growth and Developmental Regulation for Protected Vegetable Crops, MOE Joint Laboratory for International Cooperation in Crop Molecular Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xiaolan Zhang
- State Key Laboratories of Agrobiotechnology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Growth and Developmental Regulation for Protected Vegetable Crops, MOE Joint Laboratory for International Cooperation in Crop Molecular Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
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8
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Zhang X, Pan L, Guo W, Li Y, Wang W. A convergent mechanism of sex determination in dioecious plants: Distinct sex-determining genes display converged regulation on floral B-class genes. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:953445. [PMID: 36092432 PMCID: PMC9459113 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.953445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Sex determination in dioecious plants has been broadly and progressively studied with the blooming of genome sequencing and editing techniques. This provides us with a great opportunity to explore the evolution and genetic mechanisms underlining the sex-determining system in dioecious plants. In this study, comprehensively reviewing advances in sex-chromosomes, sex-determining genes, and floral MADS-box genes in dioecious plants, we proposed a convergent model that governs plant dioecy across divergent species using a cascade regulation pathway connecting sex-determining genes and MADS-box genes e.g., B-class genes. We believe that this convergent mechanism of sex determination in dioecious plants will shed light on our understanding of gene regulation and evolution of plant dioecy. Perspectives concerning the evolutionary pathway of plant dioecy are also suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianzhi Zhang
- Department of Horticulture, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, China
| | - Linsi Pan
- Department of Horticulture, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Guo
- Department of Horticulture, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yongquan Li
- Department of Horticulture, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wencai Wang
- Department of Molecular of Biology, Science and Technology Innovation Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
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9
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Liu X, Zhang L, Yang S. Analysis of Floral Organ Development and Sex Determination in Schisandra chinensis by Scanning Electron Microscopy and RNA-Sequencing. LIFE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:life12081260. [PMID: 36013439 PMCID: PMC9410518 DOI: 10.3390/life12081260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
S. chinensis is a typical monoecious plant, and the number and development of female flowers determines the yield of S. chinensis. Due to a lack of genetic information, the molecular mechanism of sex differentiation in S. chinensis remains unclear. In this study, the combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was used to understand the way of sex differentiation of S. chinensis and to mine the related genes of sex determination. The result shows the development of male and female S. chinensis flowers was completed at the same time, the unisexual S. chinensis flowers did not undergo a transition stage between sexes, and sex may have been determined at an early stage in flower development. The results of the gene function analysis of the plant hormone signaling pathway and sucrose metabolism pathway suggest that auxin and JA could be the key hormones for sex differentiation in S. chinensis, and sucrose may promote pollen maturation at the later stage of male flower development. Two AGAMOUS (GAG) genes, 10 AGAMOUS-like MADS-box (AGLs) genes, and the MYB, NAC, WRKY, bHLH, and Trihelix transcription factor families may play important roles in sex determination in S. chinensis. Taken together, the present findings provide valuable genetic information on flower development and sex determination in S. chinensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuyan Liu
- College of Chinese Medicine Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
- School of Life Sciences, Tonghua Normal University, Tonghua 134000, China
| | - Lifan Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Tonghua Normal University, Tonghua 134000, China
| | - Shihai Yang
- College of Chinese Medicine Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
- Correspondence:
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Ma X, Yu L, Fatima M, Wadlington WH, Hulse-Kemp AM, Zhang X, Zhang S, Xu X, Wang J, Huang H, Lin J, Deng B, Liao Z, Yang Z, Ma Y, Tang H, Van Deynze A, Ming R. The spinach YY genome reveals sex chromosome evolution, domestication, and introgression history of the species. Genome Biol 2022; 23:75. [PMID: 35255946 PMCID: PMC8902716 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-022-02633-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) is a dioecious species with an XY sex chromosome system, but its Y chromosome has not been fully characterized. Our knowledge about the history of its domestication and improvement remains limited. Results A high-quality YY genome of spinach is assembled into 952 Mb in six pseudo-chromosomes. By a combination of genetic mapping, Genome-Wide Association Studies, and genomic analysis, we characterize a 17.42-Mb sex determination region (SDR) on chromosome 1. The sex chromosomes of spinach evolved when an insertion containing sex determination genes occurred, followed by a large genomic inversion about 1.98 Mya. A subsequent burst of SDR-specific repeats (0.1–0.15 Mya) explains the large size of this SDR. We identify a Y-specific gene, NRT1/PTR 6.4 which resides in this insertion, as a strong candidate for the sex determination or differentiation factor. Resequencing of 112 spinach genomes reveals a severe domestication bottleneck approximately 10.87 Kya, which dates the domestication of spinach 7000 years earlier than the archeological record. We demonstrate that a strong selection signal associated with internode elongation and leaf area expansion is associated with domestication of edibility traits in spinach. We find that several strong genomic introgressions from the wild species Spinacia turkestanica and Spinacia tetrandra harbor desirable alleles of genes related to downy mildew resistance, frost resistance, leaf morphology, and flowering-time shift, which likely contribute to spinach improvement. Conclusions Analysis of the YY genome uncovers evolutionary forces shaping nascent sex chromosome evolution in spinach. Our findings provide novel insights about the domestication and improvement of spinach. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13059-022-02633-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaokai Ma
- Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Li'ang Yu
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Mahpara Fatima
- Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - William H Wadlington
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Amanda M Hulse-Kemp
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,USDA-ARS, Genomics and Bioinformatics Research Unit, North Carolina, 27695, Raleigh, USA
| | - Xingtan Zhang
- Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Shengcheng Zhang
- Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Xindan Xu
- Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Jingjing Wang
- Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Huaxing Huang
- Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Jing Lin
- Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Ban Deng
- Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Zhenyang Liao
- Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Zhenhui Yang
- Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Yanhong Ma
- Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Haibao Tang
- Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Allen Van Deynze
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Ray Ming
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
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11
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Rodriguez-Granados NY, Ramirez-Prado JS, Brik-Chaouche R, An J, Manza-Mianza D, Sircar S, Troadec C, Hanique M, Soulard C, Costa R, Dogimont C, Latrasse D, Raynaud C, Boualem A, Benhamed M, Bendahmane A. CmLHP1 proteins play a key role in plant development and sex determination in melon (Cucumis melo). THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 109:1213-1228. [PMID: 34897855 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In monoecious melon (Cucumis melo), sex is determined by the differential expression of sex determination genes (SDGs) and adoption of sex-specific transcriptional programs. Histone modifications such as H3K27me3 have been previously shown to be a hallmark associated to unisexual flower development in melon; yet, no genetic approaches have been conducted for elucidating the roles of H3K27me3 writers, readers, and erasers in this process. Here we show that melon homologs to Arabidopsis LHP1, CmLHP1A and B, redundantly control several aspects of plant development, including sex expression. Cmlhp1ab double mutants displayed an overall loss and redistribution of H3K27me3, leading to a deregulation of genes involved in hormone responses, plant architecture, and flower development. Consequently, double mutants display pleiotropic phenotypes and, interestingly, a general increase of the male:female ratio. We associated this phenomenon with a general deregulation of some hormonal response genes and a local activation of male-promoting SDGs and MADS-box transcription factors. Altogether, these results reveal a novel function for CmLHP1 proteins in maintenance of monoecy and provide novel insights into the polycomb-mediated epigenomic regulation of sex lability in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Yaneth Rodriguez-Granados
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), CNRS, INRA, University Paris-Sud, University of Evry, University Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris-Cite, University of Paris-Saclay, Batiment, 630, 91405, Orsay, France
| | - Juan Sebastian Ramirez-Prado
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Rim Brik-Chaouche
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), CNRS, INRA, University Paris-Sud, University of Evry, University Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris-Cite, University of Paris-Saclay, Batiment, 630, 91405, Orsay, France
| | - Jing An
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), CNRS, INRA, University Paris-Sud, University of Evry, University Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris-Cite, University of Paris-Saclay, Batiment, 630, 91405, Orsay, France
| | - Deborah Manza-Mianza
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), CNRS, INRA, University Paris-Sud, University of Evry, University Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris-Cite, University of Paris-Saclay, Batiment, 630, 91405, Orsay, France
| | - Sanchari Sircar
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), CNRS, INRA, University Paris-Sud, University of Evry, University Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris-Cite, University of Paris-Saclay, Batiment, 630, 91405, Orsay, France
| | - Christelle Troadec
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), CNRS, INRA, University Paris-Sud, University of Evry, University Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris-Cite, University of Paris-Saclay, Batiment, 630, 91405, Orsay, France
| | - Melissa Hanique
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), CNRS, INRA, University Paris-Sud, University of Evry, University Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris-Cite, University of Paris-Saclay, Batiment, 630, 91405, Orsay, France
| | - Camille Soulard
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), CNRS, INRA, University Paris-Sud, University of Evry, University Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris-Cite, University of Paris-Saclay, Batiment, 630, 91405, Orsay, France
| | - Rafael Costa
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), CNRS, INRA, University Paris-Sud, University of Evry, University Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris-Cite, University of Paris-Saclay, Batiment, 630, 91405, Orsay, France
| | - Catherine Dogimont
- INRA, UR 1052, Unité de Génétique et d'Amélioration des Fruits et Légumes, BP 94, F-84143, Montfavet, France
| | - David Latrasse
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), CNRS, INRA, University Paris-Sud, University of Evry, University Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris-Cite, University of Paris-Saclay, Batiment, 630, 91405, Orsay, France
| | - Cécile Raynaud
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), CNRS, INRA, University Paris-Sud, University of Evry, University Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris-Cite, University of Paris-Saclay, Batiment, 630, 91405, Orsay, France
| | - Adnane Boualem
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), CNRS, INRA, University Paris-Sud, University of Evry, University Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris-Cite, University of Paris-Saclay, Batiment, 630, 91405, Orsay, France
| | - Moussa Benhamed
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), CNRS, INRA, University Paris-Sud, University of Evry, University Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris-Cite, University of Paris-Saclay, Batiment, 630, 91405, Orsay, France
| | - Abdelhafid Bendahmane
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), CNRS, INRA, University Paris-Sud, University of Evry, University Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris-Cite, University of Paris-Saclay, Batiment, 630, 91405, Orsay, France
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12
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Jabbour F, Espinosa F, Dejonghe Q, Le Péchon T. Development and Evolution of Unisexual Flowers: A Review. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:plants11020155. [PMID: 35050043 PMCID: PMC8780417 DOI: 10.3390/plants11020155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The development of unisexual flowers has been described in a large number of taxa, sampling the diversity of floral phenotypes and sexual systems observed in extant angiosperms, in studies focusing on floral ontogeny, on the evo-devo of unisexuality, or on the genetic and chromosomal bases of unisexuality. We review here such developmental studies, aiming at characterizing the diversity of ontogenic pathways leading to functionally unisexual flowers. In addition, we present for the first time and in a two-dimensional morphospace a quantitative description of the developmental rate of the sexual organs in functionally unisexual flowers, in a non-exhaustive sampling of angiosperms with contrasted floral morphologies. Eventually, recommendations are provided to help plant evo-devo researchers and botanists addressing macroevolutionary and ecological issues to more precisely select the taxa, the biological material, or the developmental stages to be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Jabbour
- Institut de Systématique Évolution Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, 57 rue Cuvier, CP39, 75005 Paris, France;
| | - Felipe Espinosa
- Independent Researcher, Carrera 13 # 113-24, Bogotá 110111, Colombia;
| | - Quentin Dejonghe
- Institut de Systématique Évolution Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, 57 rue Cuvier, CP39, 75005 Paris, France;
| | - Timothée Le Péchon
- Meise Botanic Garden, Nieuwelaan 38, 1860 Meise, Belgium;
- Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Service Général de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche Scientifique, Rue A. Lavalée, 1, 1080 Brussels, Belgium
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13
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Ye X, Zhao X, Sun Y, Zhang M, Feng S, Zhou A, Wu W, Ma S, Liu S. The underlying molecular conservation and diversification of dioecious flower and leaf buds provide insights into the development, dormancy breaking, flowering, and sex association of willows. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2021; 167:651-664. [PMID: 34488151 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2021.08.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
As harbingers of bursting growth, flower buds and leaf buds generally show similar surface morphologies but different structural and functional changes. Dioecious plants further generate four types of Female/Male Flower/Leaf Buds (FFB, FLB, MFB, and MLB), showing a complex regulation. However, little is known about their underlying molecular mechanisms. Here, we exemplify the woody dioecious Salix linearistipularis to investigate their morphological characteristics and potential molecular mechanisms by combining cytological, physiological, phenological, and transcriptomic datasets. First, FFB and MFB have simultaneous development dynamics and so do FLB and MLB. Interestingly, FLB and MLB show very similar expression profiles preparing for photosynthesis and stress-tolerance, whereas FFB and MFB show great similarities but also striking sexual differences. Comparing flower buds and leaf buds after their revival from dormancy shows different cold- and vernalization-responsive genes (e.g. SliVRN1, SliAGL19, and SliAGL24), implying different programming processes for dormancy breaking between the buds. Moreover, except SliAP3, the expression of ABCDE model genes is consistent with their roles in the buds, suggesting a conserved mechanism of flower development between dioecious Salix and hermaphrodite Arabidopsis. Finally, considering sex-associated genes (e.g. SliCLE25, SliTPS21, and SliARR9) on Salix chromosomes and other reports, we hypothesize a dynamic model of sex determination on chromosomes 15 and 19 in the last ancestor of Salix and Populus but evolutionarily on 15 in Salix after their divergence. Together, our study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms of dioecious four-type buds by showing the genes involved in their development, dormancy breaking, flowering, and sexual association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxue Ye
- Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China; State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'an, Hangzhou, 311300, China; Institute of Tropical Biosciences and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, 571101, Hainan, China.
| | - Xijuan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'an, Hangzhou, 311300, China.
| | - Yajun Sun
- Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China; Qiqihar Eco-environmental Monitoring Center of Heilongjiang Province, Qiqihar, 161005, China.
| | - Meijiao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China.
| | - Shuang Feng
- Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China.
| | - Aimin Zhou
- College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China.
| | - Wenwu Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'an, Hangzhou, 311300, China.
| | - Shurong Ma
- Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China.
| | - Shenkui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'an, Hangzhou, 311300, China.
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14
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The Dynamics of Flower Development in Castanea sativa Mill. PLANTS 2021; 10:plants10081538. [PMID: 34451583 PMCID: PMC8398726 DOI: 10.3390/plants10081538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The sweet chestnut tree (Castanea sativa Mill.) is one of the most significant Mediterranean tree species, being an important natural resource for the wood and fruit industries. It is a monoecious species, presenting unisexual male catkins and bisexual catkins, with the latter having distinct male and female flowers. Despite the importance of the sweet chestnut tree, little is known regarding the molecular mechanisms involved in the determination of sexual organ identity. Thus, the study of how the different flowers of C. sativa develop is fundamental to understand the reproductive success of this species and the impact of flower phenology on its productivity. In this study, a C. sativa de novo transcriptome was assembled and the homologous genes to those of the ABCDE model for floral organ identity were identified. Expression analysis showed that the C. sativa B- and C-class genes are differentially expressed in the male flowers and female flowers. Yeast two-hybrid analysis also suggested that changes in the canonical ABCDE protein-protein interactions may underlie the mechanisms necessary to the development of separate male and female flowers, as reported for the monoecious Fagaceae Quercus suber. The results here depicted constitute a step towards the understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in unisexual flower development in C. sativa, also suggesting that the ABCDE model for flower organ identity may be molecularly conserved in the predominantly monoecious Fagaceae family.
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15
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Liu J, Chen LY, Zhou P, Liao Z, Lin H, Yu Q, Ming R. Sex biased expression of hormone related genes at early stage of sex differentiation in papaya flowers. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2021; 8:147. [PMID: 34193826 PMCID: PMC8245580 DOI: 10.1038/s41438-021-00581-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Sex types of papaya are controlled by a pair of nascent sex chromosomes, but molecular genetic mechanisms of sex determination and sex differentiation in papaya are still unclear. We performed comparative analysis of transcriptomic profiles of male and female floral buds at the early development stage before the initiation of reproductive organ primordia at which there is no morphological difference between male and female flowers. A total of 1734 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, of which 923 showed female-biased expression and 811 showed male-biased expression. Functional annotation revealed that genes related to plant hormone biosynthesis and signaling pathways, especially in abscisic acid and auxin pathways, were overrepresented in the DEGs. Transcription factor binding motifs, such as MYB2, GAMYB, and AP2/EREBP, were enriched in the promoters of the hormone-related DEGs, and transcription factors with those motifs also exhibited differential expression between sex types. Among these DEGs, we also identified 11 genes in the non-recombining region of the papaya sex chromosomes and 9 genes involved in stamen and carpel development. Our results suggested that sex differentiation in papaya may be regulated by multiple layers of regulation and coordination and involved transcriptional, epigenetic, and phytohormone regulation. Hormones, especially ABA and auxin, transcription factors, and genes in the non-recombination region of the sex chromosome could be involved in this process. Our findings may facilitate the elucidation of signal transduction and gene interaction in sex differentiation of unisexual flowers in papaya.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Liu
- FAFU and UIUC Joint Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology; College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, Fujian, China
- Key Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Li-Yu Chen
- FAFU and UIUC Joint Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology; College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, Fujian, China
| | - Ping Zhou
- FAFU and UIUC Joint Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology; College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, Fujian, China
| | - Zhenyang Liao
- FAFU and UIUC Joint Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology; College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, Fujian, China
| | - Hai Lin
- FAFU and UIUC Joint Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology; College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, Fujian, China
| | - Qingyi Yu
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at Dallas, Texas A&M University System, Dallas, TX, 75252, USA
- Department of Plant Pathology & Microbiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Ray Ming
- FAFU and UIUC Joint Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology; College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, Fujian, China.
- Department of Plant Biology, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
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16
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Liu Z, Wang H, Xu Z, Zhang H, Li G, Wang X, Qian W. Transcriptome profiling of differentially expressed genes of male and female inflorescences in spinach ( Spinacia oleracea L.). Genome 2021; 64:777-788. [PMID: 33539259 DOI: 10.1139/gen-2020-0122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) is commonly considered a dioecious plant with heterogametic (XY) and homogametic (XX) sex chromosomes. The characteristic is also utilized for the production of spinach hybrid seeds. However, the molecular mechanisms of sex determination in spinach are still unclear because of a lack of genomic and transcriptomic information. In this study, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed in male and female inflorescences to provide insight into the molecular basis of sex determination in spinach. Comparative transcriptome analyses showed that 2278 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between male and female inflorescences. A high correlation between the RNA-Seq and qRT-PCR validation for DEGs was observed. Among these, 182 DEGs were annotated to transcription factors including the MYB family protein, bHLH family, and MADS family, suggesting these factors might play a vital role in sex determination. Moreover, 26 DEGs related to flower development, including nine ABCE class genes, were detected. Expression analyses of hormone pathways showed that brassinosteroids may be key hormones related to sex determination in spinach. Overall, this study provides a large amount of DEGs related to sexual expression and lays a foundation for unraveling the regulatory mechanism of sex determination in spinach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyuan Liu
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 12 Zhongguancun Nandajie, Beijing 100081, People's Republic of China
| | - Haoying Wang
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 12 Zhongguancun Nandajie, Beijing 100081, People's Republic of China.,Horticulture & landscape college, Hunan Agricultural University, Furong District, Changsha City, Hunan Province 410128, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhaosheng Xu
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 12 Zhongguancun Nandajie, Beijing 100081, People's Republic of China
| | - Helong Zhang
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 12 Zhongguancun Nandajie, Beijing 100081, People's Republic of China
| | - Guoliang Li
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 12 Zhongguancun Nandajie, Beijing 100081, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaowu Wang
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 12 Zhongguancun Nandajie, Beijing 100081, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Qian
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 12 Zhongguancun Nandajie, Beijing 100081, People's Republic of China
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17
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Li N, Meng Z, Tao M, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Li S, Gao W, Deng C. Comparative transcriptome analysis of male and female flowers in Spinacia oleracea L. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:850. [PMID: 33256615 PMCID: PMC7708156 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-07277-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Dioecious spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.), a commercial and nutritional vegetable crop, serves as a model for studying the mechanisms of sex determination and differentiation in plants. However, this mechanism is still unclear. Herein, based on PacBio Iso-seq and Illumina RNA-seq data, comparative transcriptome analysis of male and female flowers were performed to explore the sex differentiation mechanism in spinach. Results Compared with published genome of spinach, 10,800 transcripts were newly annotated; alternative splicing, alternative polyadenylation and lncRNA were analyzed for the first time, increasing the diversity of spinach transcriptome. A total of 2965 differentially expressed genes were identified between female and male flowers at three early development stages. The differential expression of RNA splicing-related genes, polyadenylation-related genes and lncRNAs suggested the involvement of alternative splicing, alternative polyadenylation and lncRNA in sex differentiation. Moreover, 1946 male-biased genes and 961 female-biased genes were found and several candidate genes related to gender development were identified, providing new clues to reveal the mechanism of sex differentiation. In addition, weighted gene co-expression network analysis showed that auxin and gibberellin were the common crucial factors in regulating female or male flower development; however, the closely co-expressed genes of these two factors were different between male and female flower, which may result in spinach sex differentiation. Conclusions In this study, 10,800 transcripts were newly annotated, and the alternative splicing, alternative polyadenylation and long-noncoding RNA were comprehensively analyzed for the first time in spinach, providing valuable information for functional genome study. Moreover, candidate genes related to gender development were identified, shedding new insight on studying the mechanism of sex determination and differentiation in plant. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-020-07277-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Li
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China
| | - Ziwei Meng
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China
| | - Minjie Tao
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China
| | - Yueyuan Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China
| | - Yulan Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China
| | - Shufen Li
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China
| | - Wujun Gao
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China
| | - Chuanliang Deng
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China.
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18
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Kim H, Onodera Y, Masuta C. Application of cucumber mosaic virus to efficient induction and long-term maintenance of virus-induced gene silencing in spinach. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY (TOKYO, JAPAN) 2020; 37:83-88. [PMID: 32362752 PMCID: PMC7193834 DOI: 10.5511/plantbiotechnology.19.1227a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is a useful tool for functional genomics in plants. In this study, we tried to apply cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) to efficient induction of VIGS in spinach. Although VIGS for spinach had been previously developed based on two viruses (beet curly top virus and tobacco rattle virus), they still have some problems with systemic movement and long-term maintenance of VIGS in spinach. Although ordinary CMV strains infect spinach inducing distinct mosaic symptoms, using a CMV pseudorecombinant, we can modify the viral pathogenicity to attenuate viral symptoms that may mask the silencing phenotype. We here successfully demonstrated the viral ability to silence the phytoene desaturase (PDS) and the dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) genes in spinach. Because CMV could quickly induce VIGS even at 7-10 days postinoculation and the virus did not disappear even at the flowering stage, this CMV-based VIGS system would contribute to functional genomics in spinach and especially to the elucidation of molecular mechanisms for some properties unique to spinach such as plasticity of sex expression; the CMV-induced VIGS can last until the flowering stage after the virus was inoculated onto the seedling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hangil Kim
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku Kita9 Nishi9, Sapporo 706-2807, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Onodera
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku Kita9 Nishi9, Sapporo 706-2807, Japan
| | - Chikara Masuta
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku Kita9 Nishi9, Sapporo 706-2807, Japan
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19
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Barcaccia G, Palumbo F, Scariolo F, Vannozzi A, Borin M, Bona S. Potentials and Challenges of Genomics for Breeding Cannabis Cultivars. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:573299. [PMID: 33101342 PMCID: PMC7546024 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.573299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) is an influential yet controversial agricultural plant with a very long and prominent history of recreational, medicinal, and industrial usages. Given the importance of this species, we deepened some of the main challenges-along with potential solutions-behind the breeding of new cannabis cultivars. One of the main issues that should be fixed before starting new breeding programs is the uncertain taxonomic classification of the two main taxa (e.g., indica and sativa) of the Cannabis genus. We tried therefore to examine this topic from a molecular perspective through the use of DNA barcoding. Our findings seem to support a unique species system (C. sativa) based on two subspecies: C. sativa subsp. sativa and C. sativa subsp. indica. The second key issue in a breeding program is related to the dioecy behavior of this species and to the comprehension of those molecular mechanisms underlying flower development, the main cannabis product. Given the role of MADS box genes in flower identity, we analyzed and reorganized all the genomic and transcriptomic data available for homeotic genes, trying to decipher the applicability of the ABCDE model in Cannabis. Finally, reviewing the limits of the conventional breeding methods traditionally applied for developing new varieties, we proposed a new breeding scheme for the constitution of F1 hybrids, without ignoring the indisputable contribution offered by genomics. In this sense, in parallel, we resumed the main advances in the genomic field of this species and, ascertained the lack of a robust set of SNP markers, provided a discriminant and polymorphic panel of SSR markers as a valuable tool for future marker assisted breeding programs.
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20
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Xu Z, Wang Y, Chen Y, Yin H, Wu L, Zhao Y, Wang M, Gao M. A Model of Hormonal Regulation of Stamen Abortion during Pre-Meiosis of Litsea cubeba. Genes (Basel) 2019; 11:genes11010048. [PMID: 31906074 PMCID: PMC7017044 DOI: 10.3390/genes11010048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers., a popular essential oil plant, is a dioecious species with degenerative sexual organs in both male and female individuals. Yet, the mechanism of degenerative organs development in male and female flowers is poorly understood. Here, we analyzed the morphological characters of degenerative organ development by morphological and histological observations, and determined the critical stage of abortion that occurs at pre-meiosis in male and female flowers. We also conducted RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to understand the genetic basis of stamen abortion in female flowers. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified during the staminode development in female flowers; functional enrichment analysis revealed some important biological pathways involved the regulation of stamen abortion, including plant hormone signal transduction, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis and monoterpenoid biosynthesis. Furthermore, 15 DEGs involved in the hormone pathways were found to regulate stamen development. By HPLC-MS/MS analysis, there were a salicylic acid (SA) content peak and the gibberellin (GA) content lowest point in the abortion processes in female flowers, suggesting a vital function of hormonal processes. Co-expression network analysis further identified several hub genes that potentially played significant roles in the stamen abortion of L. cubeba. Taken together, we proposed a model involved in plant hormones pathways underlying stamen abortion during pre-meiosis in female flowers of L. cubeba.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zilong Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; (Z.X.); (Y.W.); (Y.C.); (H.Y.); (L.W.); (Y.Z.); (M.W.)
- Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou 311400, China
| | - Yangdong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; (Z.X.); (Y.W.); (Y.C.); (H.Y.); (L.W.); (Y.Z.); (M.W.)
- Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou 311400, China
| | - Yicun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; (Z.X.); (Y.W.); (Y.C.); (H.Y.); (L.W.); (Y.Z.); (M.W.)
- Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou 311400, China
| | - Hengfu Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; (Z.X.); (Y.W.); (Y.C.); (H.Y.); (L.W.); (Y.Z.); (M.W.)
- Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou 311400, China
| | - Liwen Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; (Z.X.); (Y.W.); (Y.C.); (H.Y.); (L.W.); (Y.Z.); (M.W.)
- Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou 311400, China
| | - Yunxiao Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; (Z.X.); (Y.W.); (Y.C.); (H.Y.); (L.W.); (Y.Z.); (M.W.)
- Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou 311400, China
| | - Minyan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; (Z.X.); (Y.W.); (Y.C.); (H.Y.); (L.W.); (Y.Z.); (M.W.)
- Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou 311400, China
| | - Ming Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; (Z.X.); (Y.W.); (Y.C.); (H.Y.); (L.W.); (Y.Z.); (M.W.)
- Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou 311400, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-571-6332-7982
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21
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Khadka J, Yadav NS, Guy M, Grafi G, Golan-Goldhirsh A. Epigenetic aspects of floral homeotic genes in relation to sexual dimorphism in the dioecious plant Mercurialis annua. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2019; 70:6245-6259. [PMID: 31504768 PMCID: PMC6859717 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erz379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
In plants, dioecy characterizes species that carry male and female flowers on separate plants and it occurs in about 6% of angiosperms; however, the molecular mechanisms that underlie dioecy are essentially unknown. The ability for sex-reversal by hormone application raises the hypothesis that the genes required for the expression of both sexes are potentially functional but are regulated by epigenetic means. In this study, proteomic analysis of nuclear proteins isolated from flower buds of females, males, and feminized males of the dioecious plant Mercurialis annua revealed differential expression of nuclear proteins that are implicated in chromatin structure and function, including floral homeotic proteins. Focusing on floral genes, we found that class B genes were mainly expressed in male flowers, while class D genes, as well as SUPERMAN-like genes, were mainly expressed in female flowers. Cytokinin-induced feminization of male plants was associated with down-regulation of male-specific genes concomitantly with up-regulation of female-specific genes. No correlation was found between the expression of class B and D genes and the changes in DNA methylation or chromatin conformation of these genes. Thus, we could not confirm DNA methylation or chromatin conformation of floral genes to be the major determinant regulating sexual dimorphisms. Instead, determination of sex in M. annua might be controlled upstream of floral genes by one or more sex-specific factors that affect hormonal homeostasis. A comprehensive model is proposed for sex-determination in M. annua.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janardan Khadka
- French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben Gurion, Israel
| | | | - Micha Guy
- French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben Gurion, Israel
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22
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Zhou B, Wang J, Lou H, Wang H, Xu Q. Comparative transcriptome analysis of dioecious, unisexual floral development in Ribes diacanthum pall. Gene 2019; 699:43-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2019.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Revised: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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23
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Yang H, Akagi T, Kawakatsu T, Tao R. Gene networks orchestrated by MeGI: a single-factor mechanism underlying sex determination in persimmon. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2019; 98:97-111. [PMID: 30556936 PMCID: PMC6850717 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Separating male and female sex organs is one of the main strategies used to maintain genetic diversity within a species. However, the genetic determinants and their regulatory mechanisms have been identified in only a few species. In dioecious persimmons, the homeodomain transcription factor, MeGI, which is the target of a Y chromosome-encoded small-RNA, OGI, can determine floral sexuality. The basic features of this system are conserved in the monoecious hexaploid Oriental persimmon, in which an additional epigenetic regulation of MeGI determines floral sexuality. The downstream regulatory pathways of MeGI remain uncharacterized. In this study, we examined transcriptomic data for male and female flowers from monoecious persimmon cultivars to unveil the gene networks orchestrated by MeGI. A network visualization and cistrome assessment suggested that class-1 KNOTTED-like homeobox (KNOX)/ovate family protein (OFP)/growth regulating factors (GRFs) and short vegetative phase (SVP) genes mediate the differences in gynoecium and androecium development between male and female flowers, respectively. The expression of these genes is directly controlled by MeGI. The gene networks also suggested that some cytokinin, auxin, and gibberellin signaling genes function cooperatively in the KNOX/OFP/GRF pathway during gynoecium differentiation. Meanwhile, SVP may repress PI expression in developing androecia. Overall, our results suggest that MeGI evolved the ability to promote gynoecium development and suppress androecium development by regulating KNOX/OFP/GRF and SVP expression levels, respectively. These insights may help to clarify the molecular mechanism underlying the production of unisexual flowers, while also elucidating the physiological background enabling a single-factor system to establish dioecy in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ho‐Wen Yang
- Graduate School of AgricultureKyoto UniversityKyoto606‐8502Japan
| | - Takashi Akagi
- Graduate School of AgricultureKyoto UniversityKyoto606‐8502Japan
- Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)PRESTOKawaguchi‐shiSaitama332‐0012Japan
| | - Taiji Kawakatsu
- Division of BiotechnologyInstitute of Agrobiological SciencesNational Agriculture and Food Research OrganizationTsukubaIbaraki305‐8602Japan
| | - Ryutaro Tao
- Graduate School of AgricultureKyoto UniversityKyoto606‐8502Japan
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24
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Lu H, Klocko AL, Brunner AM, Ma C, Magnuson AC, Howe GT, An X, Strauss SH. RNA interference suppression of AGAMOUS and SEEDSTICK alters floral organ identity and impairs floral organ determinacy, ovule differentiation, and seed-hair development in Populus. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 222:923-937. [PMID: 30565259 PMCID: PMC6590139 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/09/2018] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The role of the floral homeotic gene AGAMOUS (AG) and its close homologues in development of anemophilous, unisexual catkins has not previously been studied. We transformed two RNA interference (RNAi) constructs, PTG and its matrix-attachment-region flanked version MPG, into the early-flowering female poplar clone 6K10 (Populus alba) to suppress the expression of its two duplicate AG orthologues. By early 2018, six out of 22 flowering PTG events and 11 out of 12 flowering MPG events showed modified floral phenotypes in a field trial in Oregon, USA. Flowers in catkins from modified events had 'carpel-inside-carpel' phenotypes. Complete disruption of seed production was observed in seven events, and sterile anther-like organs in 10 events. Events with strong co-suppression of both the two AG and two SEEDSTICK (STK) paralogues lacked both seeds and associated seed hairs. Alterations in all of the modified floral phenotypes were stable over 4 yr of study. Trees from floral-modified events did not differ significantly (P < 0.05) from nonmodified transgenic or nontransgenic controls in biomass growth or leaf morphology. AG and STK genes show strong conservation of gene function during poplar catkin development and are promising targets for genetic containment of exotic or genetically engineered trees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiwei Lu
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and SocietyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOR97331USA
| | - Amy L. Klocko
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and SocietyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOR97331USA
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Colorado Colorado SpringsColorado SpringsCO80918USA
| | - Amy M. Brunner
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and SocietyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOR97331USA
- Department of Forest Resources and Environmental ConservationVirginia TechBlacksburgVA24061USA
| | - Cathleen Ma
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and SocietyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOR97331USA
| | - Anna C. Magnuson
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and SocietyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOR97331USA
| | - Glenn T. Howe
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and SocietyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOR97331USA
| | - Xinmin An
- National Engineering Laboratory for Tree BreedingCollege of Biological Sciences and BiotechnologyBeijing Forestry UniversityBeijing100083China
| | - Steven H. Strauss
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and SocietyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOR97331USA
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25
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Coito JL, Silva H, Ramos MJN, Montez M, Cunha J, Amâncio S, Costa MMR, Rocheta M. Vitis Flower Sex Specification Acts Downstream and Independently of the ABCDE Model Genes. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:1029. [PMID: 30061913 PMCID: PMC6055017 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The most discriminating characteristic between the cultivated Vitis vinifera subsp. vinifera and the wild-form Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris is their sexual system. Flowers of cultivars are mainly hermaphroditic, whereas wild plants have female and male individuals whose flowers follow a hermaphroditic pattern during early stages of development and later develop non-functional reproductive organs. In angiosperms, the basic developmental system for floral organ identity is explained by the ABCDE model. This model postulates that regulatory gene functions work in a combinatorial way to confer organ identity in each whorl. In wild Vitis nothing is known about the function and expression profile of these genes. Here we show an overall view of the temporal and spatial expression pattern of the ABCDE genes as well as the pattern of VviSUPERMAN that establishes a boundary between the stamen and the carpel whorls, in the male, female and complete flower types. The results show a similar pattern in Vitis species suggesting that the pathway leading to unisexuality acts independently and/or downstream of B- and C- function genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- João L. Coito
- Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Helena Silva
- Plant Functional Biology Centre, Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Miguel J. N. Ramos
- Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Miguel Montez
- Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Jorge Cunha
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Sara Amâncio
- Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Maria M. R. Costa
- Plant Functional Biology Centre, Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Margarida Rocheta
- Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
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West NW, Golenberg EM. Gender-specific expression of GIBBERELLIC ACID INSENSITIVE is critical for unisexual organ initiation in dioecious Spinacia oleracea. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2018; 217:1322-1334. [PMID: 29226967 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
While unisexual flowers have evolved repeatedly throughout angiosperm families, the actual identification of sex-determining genes has been elusive, and their regulation within populations remains largely undefined. Here, we tested the mechanism of the feminization pathway in cultivated spinach (Spinacia oleracea), and investigated how this pathway may regulate alternative sexual development. We tested the effect of gibberellic acid (GA) on sex determination through exogenous applications of GA and inhibitors of GA synthesis and proteasome activity. GA concentrations in multiple tissues were estimated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analysis. Gene function was investigated and pathway analysis was performed through virus-induced gene silencing. Relative gene expression levels were estimated by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Inhibition of GA production and proteasome activity feminized male flowers. However, there was no difference in GA content in tissues between males and females. We characterized a single DELLA family transcription factor gene (GIBBERELLIC ACID INSENSITIVE (SpGAI)) and observed inflorescence expression in females two-fold higher than in males. Reduction of SpGAI expression in females to male levels phenocopied exogenous GA application with respect to flower development. These results implicate SpGAI as the feminizing factor in spinach, and suggest that the feminizing pathway is epistatic to the masculinizing pathway. We present a unified model for alternative sexual development and discuss the implications for established theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas W West
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Edward M Golenberg
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
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27
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Sobral R, Costa MMR. Role of floral organ identity genes in the development of unisexual flowers of Quercus suber L. Sci Rep 2017; 7:10368. [PMID: 28871195 PMCID: PMC5583232 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10732-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Monoecious species provide an excellent system to study the specific determinants that underlie male and female flower development. Quercus suber is a monoecious species with unisexual flowers at inception. Despite the overall importance of this and other tree species with a similar reproductive habit, little is known regarding the mechanisms involved in the development of their male and female flowers. Here, we have characterised members of the ABCDE MADS-box gene family of Q. suber. The temporal expression of these genes was found to be sex-biased. The B-class genes, in particular, are predominantly, or exclusively (in the case of QsPISTILLATA), expressed in the male flowers. Functional analysis in Arabidopsis suggests that the B-class genes have their function conserved. The identification of sex-biased gene expression plus the identification of unusual protein-protein interactions suggest that the floral organ identity of Q. suber may be under control of specific changes in the dynamics of the ABCDE model. This study constitutes a major step towards the characterisation of the mechanisms involved in reproductive organ identity in a monoecious tree with a potential contribution towards the knowledge of conserved developmental mechanisms in other species with a similar sex habit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rómulo Sobral
- Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute (BioISI), Plant Functional Biology Center, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
| | - M Manuela R Costa
- Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute (BioISI), Plant Functional Biology Center, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal.
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Fujita N, Ayukawa Y, Fuke M, Teraoka T, Watanabe K, Arie T, Komatsu K. Rapid sex identification method of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) in the vegetative stage using loop-mediated isothermal amplification. PLANTA 2017; 245:221-226. [PMID: 27838842 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-016-2618-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2016] [Accepted: 11/08/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
A LAMP-mediated, simple and rapid method for sex identification in spinach was developed. Nutrient compositional analysis showed a higher iron content in male than female plants. Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) is a dioecious plant with its sex determined by the XY system. Male and female floral organs differ morphologically, but plants do not differ in the vegetative stage before flowering. PCR with Y chromosome markers has been used to determine the sex of dioecious plants before flowering. In this study, we developed a genotype-specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for sex identification of individual vegetative-stage spinach plants, using primers designed for the genomic region flanked by male-specific markers. LAMP could specifically detect spinach males. The method was further modified to omit DNA purification and use just an aliquot of crude leaf extract homogenized in water. We compared the nutrient composition of males and females, finding higher amounts of iron in the males. Our method could therefore be used for rapidly discriminating male plants in the field, which is useful for efficient hybrid breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoko Fujita
- Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwaicho, Fuchu, Tokyo, 183-8509, Japan
| | - Yu Ayukawa
- Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwaicho, Fuchu, Tokyo, 183-8509, Japan
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, 183-8509, Japan
| | - Mitsutoshi Fuke
- Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwaicho, Fuchu, Tokyo, 183-8509, Japan
| | - Tohru Teraoka
- Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwaicho, Fuchu, Tokyo, 183-8509, Japan
| | - Kyoko Watanabe
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Tamagawa University, Machida, 194-8610, Japan
- Mycology and Metabolic Diversity Research Center, Tamagawa University Research Institute, Machida, 194-8610, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Arie
- Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwaicho, Fuchu, Tokyo, 183-8509, Japan
| | - Ken Komatsu
- Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwaicho, Fuchu, Tokyo, 183-8509, Japan.
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Sobral R, Silva HG, Morais-Cecílio L, Costa MMR. The Quest for Molecular Regulation Underlying Unisexual Flower Development. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2016; 7:160. [PMID: 26925078 PMCID: PMC4759290 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.00160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2015] [Accepted: 01/30/2016] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The understanding of the molecular mechanisms responsible for the making of a unisexual flower has been a long-standing quest in plant biology. Plants with male and female flowers can be divided mainly into two categories: dioecious and monoecious, and both sexual systems co-exist in nature in ca of 10% of the angiosperms. The establishment of male and female traits has been extensively described in a hermaphroditic flower and requires the interplay of networks, directly and indirectly related to the floral organ identity genes including hormonal regulators, transcription factors, microRNAs, and chromatin-modifying proteins. Recent transcriptomic studies have been uncovering the molecular processes underlying the establishment of unisexual flowers and there are many parallelisms between monoecious, dioecious, and hermaphroditic individuals. Here, we review the paper entitled "Comparative transcriptomic analysis of male and female flowers of monoecious Quercus suber" published in 2014 in the Frontiers of Plant Science (volume 5 |Article 599) and discussed it in the context of recent studies with other dioecious and monoecious plants that utilized high-throughput platforms to obtain transcriptomic profiles of male and female unisexual flowers. In some unisexual flowers, the developmental programs that control organ initiation fail and male or female organs do not form, whereas in other species, organ initiation and development occur but they abort or arrest during different species-specific stages of differentiation. Therefore, a direct comparison of the pathways responsible for the establishment of unisexual flowers in different species are likely to reveal conserved modules of gene regulatory hubs involved in stamen or carpel development, as well as differences that reflect the different stages of development in which male and/or female organ arrest or loss-of-function occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rómulo Sobral
- Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute, Plant Functional Biology Centre, University of MinhoBraga, Portugal
| | - Helena G. Silva
- Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute, Plant Functional Biology Centre, University of MinhoBraga, Portugal
| | - Leonor Morais-Cecílio
- Departamento de Recursos Naturais Ambiente e Território, Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de LisboaLisboa, Portugal
| | - Maria M. R. Costa
- Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute, Plant Functional Biology Centre, University of MinhoBraga, Portugal
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Abstract
The genome of spinach single chromosome complement is about 1000 Mbp, which is the model material to study the molecular mechanisms of plant sex differentiation. The cytological study showed that the biggest spinach chromosome (chromosome 1) was taken as spinach sex chromosome. It had three alleles of sex-related X,X(m) and Y. Many researchers have been trying to clone the sex-determining genes and investigated the molecular mechanism of spinach sex differentiation. However,there are no successful cloned reports about these genes. A new technology combining chromosome microdissection with hybridization-specific amplification (HSA) was adopted. The spinach Y chromosome degenerate oligonucleotide primed-PCR (DOP-PCR) products were hybridized with cDNA of the male spinach flowers in florescence. The female spinach genome was taken as blocker and cDNA library specifically expressed in Y chromosome was constructed. Moreover, expressed sequence tag (EST) sequences in cDNA library were cloned, sequenced and bioinformatics was analysed. There were 63 valid EST sequences obtained in this study. The fragment size was between 53 and 486 bp. BLASTn homologous alignment indicated that 12 EST sequences had homologous sequences of nucleic acids, the rest were new sequences. BLASTx homologous alignment indicated that 16 EST sequences had homologous protein-encoding nucleic acid sequence. The spinach Y chromosome-specific EST sequences laid the foundation for cloning the functional genes, specifically expressed in spinach Y chromosome. Meanwhile, the establishment of the technology system in the research provided a reference for rapid cloning of other biological sex chromosome-specific EST sequences.
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Kersten B, Pakull B, Groppe K, Lueneburg J, Fladung M. The sex-linked region in Populus tremuloides Turesson 141 corresponds to a pericentromeric region of about two million base pairs on P. trichocarpa chromosome 19. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2014; 16:411-8. [PMID: 23710995 DOI: 10.1111/plb.12048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2013] [Accepted: 04/11/2013] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
In the dioecious genus Populus, sex determination has been located to chromosome 19. However, despite a high degree of genome collinearity, various Populus species seem to differ with regard to the location of the sex-determining region on the respective chromosome and the apparent heterogametic sex. In this study, the boundaries of the recombination-suppressed, sex-linked region of the male P. tremuloides clone Turesson 141 were localised by genetic mapping using new SNP and InDel markers. The respective region seems to be located in a pericentromeric position. The corresponding P. trichocarpa genome region spans about two million bp and comprises 65 gene loci, which were bioinformatically evaluated for their potential as candidate genes for sex determination. Three putative transcription factor genes and four genes that are potentially involved in flower development processes, e.g. meristem transition from the vegetative to the reproductive phase, were identified. Populus tremuloides sequence data of the sex-linked region is required for a final search for candidate genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Kersten
- Department of Genome Research, Thuenen-Institute of Forest Genetics, Grosshansdorf, Germany
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32
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Deng CL, Qin RY, Cao Y, Gao J, Li SF, Gao WJ, Lu LD. Microdissection and painting of the Y chromosome in spinach (Spinacia oleracea). JOURNAL OF PLANT RESEARCH 2013; 126:549-56. [PMID: 23381038 DOI: 10.1007/s10265-013-0549-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2012] [Accepted: 01/07/2013] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Spinach has long been used as a model for genetic and physiological studies of sex determination and expression. Although trisomic analysis from a cross between diploid and triploid plants identified the XY chromosome as the largest chromosome, no direct evidence has been provided to support this at the molecular level. In this study, the largest chromosomes of spinach from mitotic metaphase spreads were microdissected using glass needles. Degenerate oligonucleotide primed polymerase chain reaction was used to amplify the dissected chromosomes. The amplified products from the Y chromosome were identified using the male-specific marker T11A. For the first time, the largest spinach chromosome was confirmed to be a sex chromosome at the molecular level. PCR products from the isolated chromosomes were used in an in situ probe mixture for painting the Y chromosome. The fluorescence signals were mainly distributed on all chromosomes and four pair of weaker punctate fluorescence signal sites were observed on the terminal region of two pair of autosomes. These findings provide a foundation for the study of sex chromosome evolution in spinach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuan-Liang Deng
- College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, People's Republic of China.
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33
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LaRue NC, Sullivan AM, Di Stilio VS. Functional recapitulation of transitions in sexual systems by homeosis during the evolution of dioecy in Thalictrum. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2013; 4:487. [PMID: 24348491 PMCID: PMC3842162 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2013.00487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2013] [Accepted: 11/11/2013] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Sexual systems are highly variable in flowering plants and an important contributor to floral diversity. The ranunculid genus Thalictrum is especially well-suited to study evolutionary transitions in sexual systems. Homeotic transformation of sexual organs (stamens and carpels) is a plausible mechanism for the transition from hermaphroditic to unisexual flowers in this lineage because flowers of dioecious species develop unisexually from inception. The single-copy gene PISTILLATA (PI) constitutes a likely candidate for rapid switches between stamen and carpel identity. Here, we first characterized the expression pattern of all B class genes in the dioecious species T. dioicum. As expected, all B class orthologs are expressed in stamens from the earliest stages. Certain AP3 lineages were also expressed late in sepal development. We then tested whether orthologs of PI could potentially control sexual system transitions in Thalictrum, by knocking-down their expression in T. dioicum and the hermaphroditic species T. thalictroides. In T. dioicum, we found that ThdPI-1/2 silencing caused stamen primordia to develop into carpels, resulting in male to female flower conversions. In T. thalictroides, we found that ThtPI silencing caused stamen primordia to develop into supernumerary carpels, resulting in hermaphroditic to female flower conversions. These phenotypes illustrate the ability for homeotic mutations to bring about sudden and potentially adaptive changes by altering the function of a single gene. We propose a two-step evolutionary model where transitions from hermaphroditic to unisexual plants in Thalictrum result from two independent mutations at a B class gene locus. Our PI knockdown experiments in T. thalictroides recapitulate the second step in this model: the evolution of female plants as a result of a loss-of-function mutation in a B class gene.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Verónica S. Di Stilio
- *Correspondence: Verónica S. Di Stilio, Department of Biology, University of Washington, BOX 351800, Kincaid 24, Seattle, WA 98195-1800, USA e-mail:
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Lange M, Yellina AL, Orashakova S, Becker A. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) in plants: an overview of target species and the virus-derived vector systems. Methods Mol Biol 2013; 975:1-14. [PMID: 23386291 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-62703-278-0_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The analysis of gene functions in non-model plant species is often hampered by the fact that stable genetic transformation to downregulate gene expression is laborious and time-consuming, or, for some species, even not achievable. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) can serve as an alternative to mutant collections or stable transgenic plants to allow the characterization of gene functions in a wide range of angiosperm species, albeit in a transient way. VIGS vector systems have been developed from both RNA and DNA plant viral sources to specifically silence target genes in plants. VIGS is nowadays widely used in plant genetics for gene knockdown due to its ease of use and the short time required to generating phenotypes. Here, we summarize successfully targeted eudicot and monocot plant species along with their specific VIGS vector systems which are already available for researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Lange
- Plant Evodevo Group, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Gießen, Germany
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35
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Smaczniak C, Immink RGH, Angenent GC, Kaufmann K. Developmental and evolutionary diversity of plant MADS-domain factors: insights from recent studies. Development 2012; 139:3081-98. [PMID: 22872082 DOI: 10.1242/dev.074674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 340] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Members of the MADS-box transcription factor family play essential roles in almost every developmental process in plants. Many MADS-box genes have conserved functions across the flowering plants, but some have acquired novel functions in specific species during evolution. The analyses of MADS-domain protein interactions and target genes have provided new insights into their molecular functions. Here, we review recent findings on MADS-box gene functions in Arabidopsis and discuss the evolutionary history and functional diversification of this gene family in plants. We also discuss possible mechanisms of action of MADS-domain proteins based on their interactions with chromatin-associated factors and other transcriptional regulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cezary Smaczniak
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Wageningen University, 6708PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
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36
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Multiple developmental processes underlie sex differentiation in angiosperms. Trends Genet 2012; 27:368-76. [PMID: 21962972 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2011.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2011] [Revised: 05/03/2011] [Accepted: 05/04/2011] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The production of unisexual flowers has evolved numerous times in dioecious and monoecious plant taxa. Based on repeated evolutionary origins, a great variety of developmental and genetic mechanisms underlying unisexual flower development is predicted. Here, we comprehensively review the modes of development of unisexual flowers, test potential correlations with sexual system, and end with a synthesis of the genetics and hormonal regulation of plant sex determination. We find that the stage of organ abortion in male and female flowers is temporally correlated within species and also confirm that the arrest of development does not tend to occur preferentially at a particular stage, or via a common process.
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37
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Di Stilio VS. Empowering plant evo-devo: Virus induced gene silencing validates new and emerging model systems. Bioessays 2011; 33:711-8. [DOI: 10.1002/bies.201100040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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38
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Onodera Y, Yonaha I, Masumo H, Tanaka A, Niikura S, Yamazaki S, Mikami T. Mapping of the genes for dioecism and monoecism in Spinacia oleracea L.: evidence that both genes are closely linked. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2011; 30:965-971. [PMID: 21301852 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-010-0998-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2010] [Revised: 12/28/2010] [Accepted: 12/29/2010] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Spinach is basically a dioecious species, with occasional monoecious plants in some populations. Sexual dimorphism in dioecious spinach plants is controlled by an allelic pair termed X and Y located on the short arm of the longest chromosome (x = 6). Ten AFLP markers, closely linked to the X/Y locus, were identified using bulked segregant analysis, four of which were revealed to co-segregate with Y in the present mapping population. We mapped the AFLP markers and two known male-specific DNAs to a 13.4 cM region encompassing the locus. These markers will be the basis for positional cloning of the sex-determination gene. We also showed that a single, incompletely dominant gene is responsible for the highly staminate monoecious character. The gene was found to be located at a distance of 4.3 cM from microsatellite marker SO4, which mapped 1.6 cM from the X/Y locus. This indicates that the monoecious gene seems not to be allelic to but closely linked to the X/Y gene pair. SO4 will enable breeders to efficiently select highly male monoecious plants for preferential use as the pollen parent for hybrid seed production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuyuki Onodera
- Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, N-9, W-9, Sapporo 060-8589, Japan
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