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Li X, Lowey D, Lessard J, Caicedo AL. Comparative histology of abscission zones reveals the extent of convergence and divergence in seed shattering in weedy and cultivated rice. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2024; 75:4837-4850. [PMID: 38972665 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erae221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
The modification of seed shattering has been a recurring theme in rice evolution. The wild ancestor of cultivated rice disperses its seeds, but reduced shattering was selected during multiple domestication events to facilitate harvesting. Conversely, selection for increased shattering occurred during the evolution of weedy rice, a weed invading cultivated rice fields that has originated multiple times from domesticated ancestors. Shattering requires formation of a tissue known as the abscission zone (AZ), but how the AZ has been modified throughout rice evolution is unclear. We quantitatively characterized the AZ characteristics of relative length, discontinuity, and intensity in 86 cultivated and weedy rice accessions. We reconstructed AZ evolutionary trajectories and determined the degree of convergence among different cultivated varieties and among independent weedy rice populations. AZ relative length emerged as the best feature to distinguish high and low shattering rice. Cultivated varieties differed in average AZ morphology, revealing lack of convergence in how shattering reduction was achieved during domestication. In contrast, weedy rice populations typically converged on complete AZs, irrespective of origin. By examining AZ population-level morphology, our study reveals its evolutionary plasticity, and suggests that the genetic potential to modify the ecologically and agronomically important trait of shattering is plentiful in rice lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Li
- Plant Biology Graduate Program and Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Daniel Lowey
- Plant Biology Graduate Program and Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Jessica Lessard
- Plant Biology Graduate Program and Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Ana L Caicedo
- Plant Biology Graduate Program and Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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Xu Y, Liu L, Jia M, Teng K, Mu N, Guo Y, Liu M, Wu J, Teng W, Huang L, Fan X, Yue Y. Transcriptomic and physiological analysis provide new insight into seed shattering mechanism in Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Liqiu'. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2024; 137:157. [PMID: 38861001 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-024-04655-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE Through the histological, physiological, and transcriptome-level identification of the abscission zone of Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Liqiu', we explored the structure and the genes related to seed shattering, ultimately revealing the regulatory network of seed shattering in P. alopecuroides. Pennisetum alopecuroides is one of the most representative ornamental grass species of Pennisetum genus. It has unique inflorescence, elegant appearance, and strong stress tolerance. However, the shattering of seeds not only reduces the ornamental effect, but also hinders the seed production. In order to understand the potential mechanisms of seed shattering in P. alopecuroides, we conducted morphological, histological, physiological, and transcriptomic analyses on P. alopecuroides cv. 'Liqiu'. According to histological findings, the seed shattering of 'Liqiu' was determined by the abscission zone at the base of the pedicel. Correlation analysis showed that seed shattering was significantly correlated with cellulase, lignin, auxin, gibberellin, cytokinin and jasmonic acid. Through a combination of histological and physiological analyses, we observed the accumulation of cellulase and lignin during 'Liqiu' seed abscission. We used PacBio full-length transcriptome sequencing (SMRT) combined with next-generation sequencing (NGS) transcriptome technology to improve the transcriptome data of 'Liqiu'. Transcriptomics further identified many differential genes involved in cellulase, lignin and plant hormone-related pathways. This study will provide new insights into the research on the shattering mechanism of P. alopecuroides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Xu
- Institute of Grassland, Flower and Ecology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100097, People's Republic of China
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, Sichuan Agriculture University, Chengdu, 610000, People's Republic of China
| | - Lingyun Liu
- Institute of Grassland, Flower and Ecology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100097, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming Jia
- Institute of Grassland, Flower and Ecology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100097, People's Republic of China
| | - Ke Teng
- Institute of Grassland, Flower and Ecology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100097, People's Republic of China
| | - Na Mu
- Institute of Grassland, Flower and Ecology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100097, People's Republic of China
| | - Yidi Guo
- Institute of Grassland, Flower and Ecology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100097, People's Republic of China
| | - Muye Liu
- Institute of Grassland, Flower and Ecology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100097, People's Republic of China
| | - Juying Wu
- Institute of Grassland, Flower and Ecology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100097, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenjun Teng
- Institute of Grassland, Flower and Ecology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100097, People's Republic of China
| | - Linkai Huang
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, Sichuan Agriculture University, Chengdu, 610000, People's Republic of China
| | - Xifeng Fan
- Institute of Grassland, Flower and Ecology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100097, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yuesen Yue
- Institute of Grassland, Flower and Ecology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100097, People's Republic of China.
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Pourkheirandish M, Komatsuda T. Grain Disarticulation in Wild Wheat and Barley. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 63:1584-1591. [PMID: 35765920 PMCID: PMC9680857 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcac091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Our industrial-scale crop monocultures, which are necessary to provide grain for large-scale food and feed production, are highly vulnerable to biotic and abiotic stresses. Crop wild relatives have adapted to harsh environmental conditions over millennia; thus, they are an important source of genetic variation and crop diversification. Despite several examples where significant yield increases have been achieved through the introgression of genomic regions from wild relatives, more detailed understanding of the differences between wild and cultivated species for favorable and unfavorable traits is still required to harness these valuable resources. Recently, as an alternative to the introgression of beneficial alleles from the wild into domesticated species, a radical suggestion is to domesticate wild relatives to generate new crops. A first and critical step for the domestication of cereal wild relatives would be to prevent grain disarticulation from the inflorescence at maturity. Discovering the molecular mechanisms and understanding the network of interactions behind grain retention/disarticulation would enable the implementation of approaches to select for this character in targeted species. Brittle rachis 1 and Brittle rachis 2 are major genes responsible for grain disarticulation in the wild progenitors of wheat and barley that were the target of mutations during domestication. These two genes are only found in the Triticeae tribe and are hypothesized to have evolved by a duplication followed by neo-functionalization. Current knowledge gaps include the molecular mechanisms controlling grain retention in cereals and the genomic consequences of strong selection for this essential character.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Takao Komatsuda
- Crop Research Institute, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250100, China
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Monitoring Apricot ( Prunus armeniaca L.) Ripening Progression through Candidate Gene Expression Analysis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23094575. [PMID: 35562966 PMCID: PMC9105867 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed at the monitoring of the apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) ripening progression through the expression analysis of 25 genes related to fruit quality traits in nine cultivars with great differences in fruit color and ripening date. The level of pigment compounds, such as anthocyanins and carotenoids, is a key factor in food taste, and is responsible for the reddish blush color or orange skin and flesh color in apricot fruit, which are desirable quality traits in apricot breeding programs. The construction of multiple linear regression models to predict anthocyanins and carotenoids content from gene expression allows us to evaluate which genes have the strongest influence over fruit color, as these candidate genes are key during biosynthetic pathways or gene expression regulation, and are responsible for the final fruit phenotype. We propose the gene CHS as the main predictor for anthocyanins content, CCD4 and ZDS for carotenoids content, and LOX2 and MADS-box for the beginning and end of the ripening process in apricot fruit. All these genes could be applied as RNA markers to monitoring the ripening stage and estimate the anthocyanins and carotenoids content in apricot fruit during the ripening process.
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Maity A, Lamichaney A, Joshi DC, Bajwa A, Subramanian N, Walsh M, Bagavathiannan M. Seed Shattering: A Trait of Evolutionary Importance in Plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:657773. [PMID: 34220883 PMCID: PMC8248667 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.657773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Seed shattering refers to the natural shedding of seeds when they ripe, a phenomenon typically observed in wild and weedy plant species. The timing and extent of this phenomenon varies considerably among plant species. Seed shattering is primarily a genetically controlled trait; however, it is significantly influenced by environmental conditions, management practices and their interactions, especially in agro-ecosystems. This trait is undesirable in domesticated crops where consistent efforts have been made to minimize it through conventional and molecular breeding approaches. However, this evolutionary trait serves as an important fitness and survival mechanism for most weeds that utilize it to ensure efficient dispersal of their seeds, paving the way for persistent soil seedbank development and sustained future populations. Weeds have continuously evolved variations in seed shattering as an adaptation under changing management regimes. High seed retention is common in many cropping weeds where weed maturity coincides with crop harvest, facilitating seed dispersal through harvesting operations, though some weeds have notoriously high seed shattering before crop harvest. However, high seed retention in some of the most problematic agricultural weed species such as annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum), wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum), and weedy amaranths (Amaranthus spp.) provides an opportunity to implement innovative weed management approaches such as harvest weed seed control, which aims at capturing and destroying weed seeds retained at crop harvest. The integration of such management options with other practices is important to avoid the rapid evolution of high seed shattering in target weed species. Advances in genetics and molecular biology have shown promise for reducing seed shattering in important crops, which could be exploited for manipulating seed shattering in weed species. Future research should focus on developing a better understanding of various seed shattering mechanisms in plants in relation to changing climatic and management regimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aniruddha Maity
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
- Seed Technology Division, ICAR-Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi, India
| | - Amrit Lamichaney
- Division of Crop Improvement, ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur, India
| | - Dinesh Chandra Joshi
- Division of Crop Improvement, ICAR-Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan, Almora, India
| | - Ali Bajwa
- Weed Research Unit, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia
| | - Nithya Subramanian
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Michael Walsh
- Sydney Institute of Agriculture, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Ntakirutimana F, Xie W. Unveiling the Actual Functions of Awns in Grasses: From Yield Potential to Quality Traits. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21207593. [PMID: 33066600 PMCID: PMC7589186 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21207593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Awns, which are either bristles or hair-like outgrowths of lemmas in the florets, are one of the typical morphological characteristics of grass species. These stiff structures contribute to grain dispersal and burial and fend off animal predators. However, their phenotypic and genetic associations with traits deciding potential yield and quality are not fully understood. Awns appear to improve photosynthesis, provide assimilates for grain filling, thus contributing to the final grain yield, especially under temperature- and water-stress conditions. Long awns, however, represent a competing sink with developing kernels for photosynthates, which can reduce grain yield under favorable conditions. In addition, long awns can hamper postharvest handling, storage, and processing activities. Overall, little is known about the elusive role of awns, thus, this review summarizes what is known about the effect of awns on grain yield and biomass yield, grain nutritional value, and forage-quality attributes. The influence of awns on the agronomic performance of grasses seems to be associated with environmental and genetic factors and varies in different stages of plant development. The contribution of awns to yield traits and quality features previously documented in major cereal crops, such as rice, barley, and wheat, emphasizes that awns can be targeted for yield and quality improvement and may advance research aimed at identifying the phenotypic effects of morphological traits in grasses.
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Li F, Komatsu A, Ohtake M, Eun H, Shimizu A, Kato H. Direct identification of a mutation in OsSh1 causing non-shattering in a rice (Oryza sativa L.) mutant cultivar using whole-genome resequencing. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14936. [PMID: 32913300 PMCID: PMC7483440 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71972-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Loss of seed shattering has been regarded as a key step during crop domestication. Mutagenesis contributes to the development of novel crop cultivars with a desired seed-shattering habit in a relatively short period of time, but also to uncovering the genetic architecture of seed shattering. 'Minamiyutaka', a non-shattering indica rice cultivar, was developed from the easy-shattering cultivar 'Moretsu' by mutation breeding via gamma-ray irradiation. In present study, we observed significant differences in shattering habit, breaking tensile strength, and abscission zone structure between 'Moretsu' and 'Minamiyutaka'. Whole-genome mutation analysis of 'Minamiyutaka' newly identified a 13-bp deletion causing defective splicing in exon 3 of the OsSh1 gene which has previously been referred to as a candidate for controlling seed shattering. Using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, we demonstrated that loss-of-function mutation in OsSh1 causes non-shattering in rice. Furthermore, gene expression analysis suggests that OsSh1 may function downstream of qSH1, a known key gene involved in abscission zone differentiation. Nucleotide diversity analysis of OsSh1 in wild rice accessions and cultivars revealed that OsSh1 has been under strong selection during rice domestication, and a missense mutation might have contributed to the reduction of seed shattering from the wild progenitors to cultivated rice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Li
- Institute of Crop Science, National Agricultural and Food Research Organization (NARO), 2-1-2 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8602, Japan.
| | - Akira Komatsu
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, NARO, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan
| | - Miki Ohtake
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, NARO, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan
| | - Heesoo Eun
- Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, NARO, 3-1-3 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8604, Japan
| | - Akemi Shimizu
- Radiation Breeding Division, Institute of Crop Science, NARO, Hitachi-ohmiya, Ibaraki, 319-2293, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kato
- Genetic Resources Center, NARO, 2-1-2 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8602, Japan.
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Jáquez-Gutiérrez M, Atarés A, Pineda B, Angarita P, Ribelles C, García-Sogo B, Sánchez-López J, Capel C, Yuste-Lisbona FJ, Lozano R, Moreno V. Phenotypic and genetic characterization of tomato mutants provides new insights into leaf development and its relationship to agronomic traits. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2019; 19:141. [PMID: 30987599 PMCID: PMC6466659 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-019-1735-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tomato mutants altered in leaf morphology are usually identified in the greenhouse, which demands considerable time and space and can only be performed in adequate periods. For a faster but equally reliable scrutiny method we addressed the screening in vitro of 971 T-DNA lines. Leaf development was evaluated in vitro in seedlings and shoot-derived axenic plants. New mutants were characterized in the greenhouse to establish the relationship between in vitro and in vivo leaf morphology, and to shed light on possible links between leaf development and agronomic traits, a promising field in which much remains to be discovered. RESULTS Following the screening in vitro of tomato T-DNA lines, putative mutants altered in leaf morphology were evaluated in the greenhouse. The comparison of results in both conditions indicated a general phenotypic correspondence, showing that in vitro culture is a reliable system for finding mutants altered in leaf development. Apart from providing homogeneous conditions, the main advantage of screening in vitro lies in the enormous time and space saving. Studies on the association between phenotype and nptII gene expression showed co-segregation in two lines (P > 99%). The use of an enhancer trap also allowed identifying gain-of-function mutants through reporter expression analysis. These studies suggested that genes altered in three other mutants were T-DNA tagged. New mutants putatively altered in brassinosteroid synthesis or perception, mutations determining multiple pleiotropic effects, lines affected in organ curvature, and the first tomato mutant with helical growth were discovered. Results also revealed new possible links between leaf development and agronomic traits, such as axillary branching, flower abscission, fruit development and fruit cracking. Furthermore, we found that the gene tagged in mutant 2635-MM encodes a Sterol 3-beta-glucosyltransferase. Expression analysis suggested that abnormal leaf development might be due to the lack-off-function of this gene. CONCLUSION In vitro culture is a quick, efficient and reliable tool for identifying tomato mutants altered in leaf morphology. The characterization of new mutants in vivo revealed new links between leaf development and some agronomic traits. Moreover, the possible implication of a gene encoding a Sterol 3-beta-glucosyltransferase in tomato leaf development is reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marybel Jáquez-Gutiérrez
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), Universitat Politècnica de València – Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Ingeniero Fausto Elio s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Alejandro Atarés
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), Universitat Politècnica de València – Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Ingeniero Fausto Elio s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Benito Pineda
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), Universitat Politècnica de València – Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Ingeniero Fausto Elio s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Pilar Angarita
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), Universitat Politècnica de València – Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Ingeniero Fausto Elio s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
- Facultad Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Carrera 35#36-99, Barrio Barzal, Villavicencio, Colombia
| | - Carlos Ribelles
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), Universitat Politècnica de València – Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Ingeniero Fausto Elio s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Begoña García-Sogo
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), Universitat Politècnica de València – Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Ingeniero Fausto Elio s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Jorge Sánchez-López
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), Universitat Politècnica de València – Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Ingeniero Fausto Elio s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
- Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, Km 17.5 Carretera Culiacán-El Dorado, C.P 80000 Culiacán, Sinaloa Mexico
| | - Carmen Capel
- Centro de Investigación en Biotecnología Agroalimentaria (BITAL), Universidad de Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain
| | - Fernando J. Yuste-Lisbona
- Centro de Investigación en Biotecnología Agroalimentaria (BITAL), Universidad de Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain
| | - Rafael Lozano
- Centro de Investigación en Biotecnología Agroalimentaria (BITAL), Universidad de Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain
| | - Vicente Moreno
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), Universitat Politècnica de València – Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Ingeniero Fausto Elio s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
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Zhao Y, Zhang J, Zhang Z, Xie W. Elymus nutans genes for seed shattering and candidate gene-derived EST-SSR markers for germplasm evaluation. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2019; 19:102. [PMID: 30866819 PMCID: PMC6416926 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-019-1691-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Elymus nutans and E. sibiricus are two important forage grasses of the genus Elymus. But they are difficult to grow for commercial seed production due to serious seed shattering. We conducted a comparative transcriptome analysis of abscission zone to find possible transcription changes associated with seed shattering, explore candidate genes involved in seed shattering and identify candidate gene-based EST-SSR markers for germplasm evaluation. RESULTS cDNA libraries from abscission zone (AZ) and non-abscission zone (NAZ) tissues of E. nutans were constructed and sequenced. A total of 111,667 unigenes were annotated and 7644 differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) were predicted, corresponding to 6936 up-regulated in AZ and 708 down-regulated in NAZ. We identified 489 candidate genes related to transcription factor, cell wall hydrolysis or modification, hydrolase activity, phytohormone signaling and response, lignin biosynthesis, and signal transduction or protein turnover. Eleven similar candidate genes involved in polygalacturonase activity, hydrolase activity, and mitogen-activated protein kinase were up-regulated in the abscission zone of the two Elymus species, suggesting these genes may have specific function for abscission zone development and seed shattering. A total of 67 polymorphic EST-SSR markers were developed and characterized based on the sequences of these candidate genes. Fourteen polymorphic EST-SSR primers were finally used to study genetic diversity in 48 E. nutans genotypes with contrasting seed shattering habit. The dendrogram based on molecular data showed that most accessions with similar seed shattering degree tended to group together. CONCLUSIONS The expression data generated from this study provides an important resource for future molecular biological research. Many DETs were associated with abscission zone development, and EST-SSR loci related to candidate genes may have potential application in identifying trait-associated markers in E. nutans in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongqiang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020 People’s Republic of China
| | - Junchao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020 People’s Republic of China
| | - Zongyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020 People’s Republic of China
| | - Wengang Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020 People’s Republic of China
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Treep J, de Jager M, Kuiper LS, Duman T, Katul GG, Soons MB. Costs and benefits of non-random seed release for long-distance dispersal in wind-dispersed plant species. OIKOS 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.04430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jelle Treep
- Dept of Biology; Utrecht Univ.; Padualaan 8 NL-3584 CH Utrecht the Netherlands
| | - Monique de Jager
- Dept of Biology; Utrecht Univ.; Padualaan 8 NL-3584 CH Utrecht the Netherlands
| | - Leandra S. Kuiper
- Dept of Biology; Utrecht Univ.; Padualaan 8 NL-3584 CH Utrecht the Netherlands
| | - Tomer Duman
- Dept of Biological Sciences; Rutgers Univ.; Newark NJ USA
| | | | - Merel B. Soons
- Dept of Biology; Utrecht Univ.; Padualaan 8 NL-3584 CH Utrecht the Netherlands
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Xie W, Zhang J, Zhao X, Zhang Z, Wang Y. Transcriptome profiling of Elymus sibiricus, an important forage grass in Qinghai-Tibet plateau, reveals novel insights into candidate genes that potentially connected to seed shattering. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2017; 17:78. [PMID: 28431567 PMCID: PMC5399857 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-017-1026-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Elymus sibiricus is an important forage grass in semi-arid regions, but it is difficult to grow for commercial seed production due to high seed shattering. To better understand the underlying mechanism and explore the putative genes related to seed shattering, we conducted a combination of morphological, histological, physiochemical and transcriptome analysis on two E. sibiricus genotypes (XH09 and ZhN03) that have contrasting seed shattering. RESULTS The results show that seed shattering is generally caused by a degradation of the abscission layer. Early degradation of abscission layers was associated with the increased seed shattering in high seed shattering genotype XH09. Two cell wall degrading enzymes, cellulase (CE) and polygalacturonase (PG), had different activity in the abscission zone, indicating their roles in differentiation of abscission layer. cDNA libraries from abscission zone tissue of XH09 and ZhN03 at 7 days, 21 days and 28 days after heading were constructed and sequenced. A total of 86,634 unigenes were annotated and 7110 differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) were predicted from "XH09-7 vs ZhN03-7", "XH09-21 vs ZhN03-21" and "XH09-28 vs ZhN03-28", corresponding to 2058 up-regulated and 5052 down-regulated unigenes. The expression profiles of 10 candidate transcripts involved in cell wall-degrading enzymes, lignin biosynthesis and phytohormone activity were validated using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), 8 of which were up-regulated in low seed shattering genotype ZhN03, suggesting these genes may be associated with reduction of seed shattering. CONCLUSIONS The expression data generated in this study provides an important resource for future molecular biological research in E. sibiricus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wengang Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Junchao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xuhong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zongyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yanrong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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Zhao X, Xie W, Zhang J, Zhang Z, Wang Y. Histological Characteristics, Cell Wall Hydrolytic Enzymes Activity and Candidate Genes Expression Associated with Seed Shattering of Elymus sibiricus Accessions. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2017; 8:606. [PMID: 28469634 PMCID: PMC5395624 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2017.00606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2016] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Elymus sibiricus (siberian wildrye) is a perennial, cool-season, self-pollinating, and allotetraploid grass. As an economically important species, it has been widely grown and used for pasture and hay in northern China. Because of serious seed shattering (SS), however, E. sibiricus is difficult to grow for commercial seed production. To better understand the underlying mechanism of SS, we investigated the differences in SS of cultivars and wild accessions in relation to morphological and genetic diversity, histological characteristics, lignin staining, cell wall hydrolytic enzymes activity and candidate genes expressions. We found high level of morphological and genetic diversity among E. sibiricus accessions. In general, cultivars had higher average pedicel breaking tensile strength (BTS) value than wild accessions, of which PI655199 had the highest average BTS value (144.51 gf) and LQ04 had the lowest average BTS value (47.17 gf) during seed development. SS showed a significant correlation with seed length, awn length and 1000-seed weight. SS was caused by degradation of abscission layers that formed at early heading stage, and degradation of abscission layers occurred at 14 days after heading. Histological analysis of abscission zone (AZ) showed a smooth fracture surface on the rachilla in high SS genotype, suggesting higher degradation degree of abscission layers. This may resulted from the increased cellulase and polygalacturonase activity found in AZ at seed physiological maturity. Staining of pedicels of two contrasting genotypes suggested more lignin deposition in low SS genotype may play a role in resistance of SS. Furthermore, candidate genes that involved in cell wall-degrading enzyme and lignin biosynthesis were differentially expressed in AZ, indicating the involvement and role in SS. This study provided novel insights into the mechanism of SS in E. sibiricus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wengang Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou UniversityLanzhou, China
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Qi X, Liu Y, Vigueira CC, Young ND, Caicedo AL, Jia Y, Gealy DR, Olsen KM. More than one way to evolve a weed: parallel evolution of US weedy rice through independent genetic mechanisms. Mol Ecol 2015; 24:3329-44. [PMID: 26031196 DOI: 10.1111/mec.13256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2015] [Revised: 05/26/2015] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Many different crop species were selected for a common suite of 'domestication traits', which facilitates their use for studies of parallel evolution. Within domesticated rice (Oryza sativa), there has also been independent evolution of weedy strains from different cultivated varieties. This makes it possible to examine the genetic basis of parallel weed evolution and the extent to which this process occurs through shared genetic mechanisms. We performed comparative QTL mapping of weediness traits using two recombinant inbred line populations derived from crosses between an indica crop variety and representatives of each of the two independently evolved weed strains found in US rice fields, strawhull (S) and blackhull awned (B). Genotyping-by-sequencing provided dense marker coverage for linkage map construction (average marker interval <0.25 cM), with 6016 and 13 730 SNPs mapped in F5 lines of the S and B populations, respectively. For some weediness traits (awn length, hull pigmentation and pericarp pigmentation), QTL mapping and sequencing of underlying candidate genes confirmed that trait variation was largely attributable to individual loci. However, for more complex quantitative traits (including heading date, panicle length and seed shattering), we found multiple QTL, with little evidence of shared genetic bases between the S and B populations or across previous studies of weedy rice. Candidate gene sequencing revealed causal genetic bases for 8 of 27 total mapped QTL. Together these findings suggest that despite the genetic bottleneck that occurred during rice domestication, there is ample genetic variation in this crop to allow agricultural weed evolution through multiple genetic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinshuai Qi
- Department of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Yan Liu
- Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center, USDA-ARS, Stuttgart, AR, 72160, USA
| | - Cynthia C Vigueira
- Department of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA.,Department of Biology, High Point University, High Point, NC, 27268, USA
| | - Nelson D Young
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Ana L Caicedo
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Yulin Jia
- Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center, USDA-ARS, Stuttgart, AR, 72160, USA
| | - David R Gealy
- Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center, USDA-ARS, Stuttgart, AR, 72160, USA
| | - Kenneth M Olsen
- Department of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
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Yan H, Ma L, Wang Z, Lin Z, Su J, Lu BR. Multiple tissue-specific expression of rice seed-shattering gene SH4 regulated by its promoter pSH4. RICE (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2015; 8:12. [PMID: 25844117 PMCID: PMC4384984 DOI: 10.1186/s12284-015-0047-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2014] [Accepted: 02/02/2015] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rice seed shattering is an important domestication syndrome encoded by a gene named as SH4. The coding region of SH4 has been well studied regarding its function and roles in evolution. However, its promoter has not been identified, which limited our understanding of the detailed regulatory mechanisms of this gene. It is therefore critical to characterize the promoter and study its expression pattern. RESULTS We analyzed the 5' upstream sequences of this gene and identified a ~2.6 kb fragment with typical promoter features, which was designated as pSH4. The promoter contained a number of cis-acting elements related to abscisic acid (ABA) and a CpG island that were characteristics of multiple tissue-specific expression. We isolated and ligated pSH4 to the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene, and transformed it into a japonica rice cultivar to determine the multiple expression pattern of SH4. Histochemical location and fluorescence analyses of GUS activity of transgenic plants indicated multiple tissue-specific expression of pSH4 in the seed-pedicel junction region of mature panicles (with highest level), stems, coleoptiles of germinated seeds, and scutella of mature seeds. CONCLUSIONS The multiple tissue-specific expression pSH4 is categorized as a spatiotemporal promoter that drives the expression of the SH4 gene in different rice tissues, in addition to the seed-pedicel junction region. Our findings suggest that SH4 may have additional functions in the growth and development of rice, apart from its major role in seed shattering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanxin Yan
- />Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, Fudan University, Songhu Road 2005, Shanghai, 200436 China
| | - Li Ma
- />Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, Fudan University, Songhu Road 2005, Shanghai, 200436 China
| | - Zhe Wang
- />Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, Fudan University, Songhu Road 2005, Shanghai, 200436 China
| | - Zhimin Lin
- />Fujian Province Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering for Agriculture, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wusi Road 247, Fuzhou, 350003 China
| | - Jun Su
- />Fujian Province Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering for Agriculture, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wusi Road 247, Fuzhou, 350003 China
| | - Bao-Rong Lu
- />Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, Fudan University, Songhu Road 2005, Shanghai, 200436 China
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Nunes AL, Delatorre CA, Merotto A. Gene expression related to seed shattering and the cell wall in cultivated and weedy rice. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2014; 16:888-896. [PMID: 24597823 DOI: 10.1111/plb.12133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2012] [Accepted: 10/18/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Seed shattering is an evolutionary trait that is essential to the survival of wild and weedy rice. Discovery of the qSH1 gene in rice subspecies Japonica and Sh4 in the rice subspecies Indica indicated the possibility that seed shattering is governed by major genes in a qualitative manner. However, observation of the large variability of seed shattering in weedy rice has led us to hypothesise that other genes related to abscission layer integrity could also be important in the regulation of seed shattering in rice. Gene expression 10 days after pollination and nucleotide composition revealed that qSH1 and Sh4 that are described as major players in seed shattering were not important in weedy rice. High expression of the gene OsCPL1 was positively associated with the occurrence of high seed shattering in weedy rice, which did not concur in previous studies of cultivated rice. This result is related to the absence of four SNPs and an indel in the OsCPL1 gene in weedy rice that are related to seed shattering in previous studies. Analysis of the expression of six genes related to cell wall synthesis/degradation revealed the importance of the genes OsXTH8 and OsCel9D in seed shattering in weedy rice. Therefore, in addition to qSH1 and Sh4, the genes OsCPL1, OsXTH8 and OsCel9D should be considered in studies of rice evolution and in the development of mitigation approaches of gene flow in transgenic rice.
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Affiliation(s)
- A L Nunes
- Federal Institute of Education Science and Technology of Rio Grande do Sul - Campus Sertão, Sertão, Brazil
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Seed shattering in a wild sorghum is conferred by a locus unrelated to domestication. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013; 110:15824-9. [PMID: 24019506 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1305213110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Suppression of seed shattering was a key step during crop domestication that we have previously suggested to be convergent among independent cereal lineages. Positional, association, expression, and mutant complementation data all implicate a WRKY transcription factor, SpWRKY, in conferring shattering to a wild sorghum relative, Sorghum propinquum. We hypothesize that SpWRKY functions in a manner analogous to Medicago and Arabidopsis homologs that regulate cell wall biosynthesis genes, with low expression toward the end of floral development derepressing downstream cell wall biosynthesis genes to allow deposition of lignin that initiates the abscission zone in the seed-pedicel junction. The recent discovery of a YABBY locus that confers shattering within Sorghum bicolor and other cereals validated our prior hypothesis that some parallel domestication may have been convergent. Ironically, however, the shattering allele of SpWRKY appears to be recently evolved in S. propinquum and illustrates a case in which the genetic control of a trait in a wild relative fails to extrapolate even to closely related crops. Remarkably, the SpWRKY and YABBY loci lie only 300 kb apart and may have appeared to be a single genetic locus in some sorghum populations.
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Thurber CS, Jia MH, Jia Y, Caicedo AL. Similar traits, different genes? Examining convergent evolution in related weedy rice populations. Mol Ecol 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.12147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Carrie S. Thurber
- Biology Department; University of Massachusetts; Amherst MA 01003 USA
| | - Melissa H. Jia
- USDA-ARS Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center; Stuttgart AR 72160 USA
| | - Yulin Jia
- USDA-ARS Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center; Stuttgart AR 72160 USA
| | - Ana L. Caicedo
- Biology Department; University of Massachusetts; Amherst MA 01003 USA
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The red queen in the corn: agricultural weeds as models of rapid adaptive evolution. Heredity (Edinb) 2012. [PMID: 23188175 DOI: 10.1038/hdy.2012.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Weeds are among the greatest pests of agriculture, causing billions of dollars in crop losses each year. As crop field management practices have changed over the past 12 000 years, weeds have adapted in turn to evade human removal. This evolutionary change can be startlingly rapid, making weeds an appealing system to study evolutionary processes that occur over short periods of time. An understanding of how weeds originate and adapt is needed for successful management; however, relatively little emphasis has been placed on genetically characterizing these systems. Here, we review the current literature on agricultural weed origins and their mechanisms of adaptation. Where possible, we have included examples that have been genetically well characterized. Evidence for three possible, non-mutually exclusive weed origins (from wild species, crop-wild hybrids or directly from crops) is discussed with respect to what is known about the microevolutionary signatures that result from these processes. We also discuss what is known about the genetic basis of adaptive traits in weeds and the range of genetic mechanisms that are responsible. With a better understanding of genetic mechanisms underlying adaptation in weedy species, we can address the more general process of adaptive evolution and what can be expected as we continue to apply selective pressures in agroecosystems around the world.
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