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Wang P, Zhou J, Sun W, Li H, Li D, Zhuge Q. Characteristics and function of the pathogenesis-related protein 1 gene family in poplar. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 336:111857. [PMID: 37673220 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2023.111857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
The pathogen-associated protein 1 (PR1) plays an important role in plant response to biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, 17 PtPR1 genes were identified in Populus trichocarpa genome. The 17 PtPR1 genes were distributed on 7 chromosomes, and divided into A, B subfamilies by evolutionary tree analysis. RTqPCR analysis showed that the PtPR1 gene family showed different degrees of response to drought stress. PtPR1 genes showed changes in expression in response to fungal pathogen Septotinia populiperda or insect attacks (Nausinoe geometralis, Hyphantria cunea). Also, we found that subfamily B of PtPR1 may play an important role in response to biotic stress. We identified a new resistance gene PtPR1A. Overexpression of PtPR1A in Arabidopsis thaliana significantly enhanced the resistance to Pseudomonas syringae, while overexpression of PtPR1A in poplar significantly enhanced the resistance to S. populiperda. The present study investigates the expression pattern of the PtPR1 genes under biotic and abiotic stresses, and it found that the characteristics of the PtPR1 genes diverged, which provided a theoretical basis for the further study of the PtPR1 genes in the plant defense response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pu Wang
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Jiangsu Academy of Forestry, Nanjing 211153, China
| | - Weibo Sun
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Hongyan Li
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Dawei Li
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
| | - Qiang Zhuge
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
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2
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Wang L, Lee M, Yi Wan Z, Bai B, Ye B, Alfiko Y, Rahmadsyah R, Purwantomo S, Song Z, Suwanto A, Hua Yue G. A Chromosome-level Reference Genome of African Oil Palm Provides Insights into Its Divergence and Stress Adaptation. GENOMICS, PROTEOMICS & BIOINFORMATICS 2023; 21:440-454. [PMID: 36435453 PMCID: PMC10787024 DOI: 10.1016/j.gpb.2022.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The palm family (Arecaceae), consisting of ∼ 2600 species, is the third most economically important family of plants. The African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is one of the most important palms. However, the genome sequences of palms that are currently available are still limited and fragmented. Here, we report a high-quality chromosome-level reference genome of an oil palm, Dura, assembled by integrating long reads with ∼ 150× genome coverage. The assembled genome was 1.7 Gb in size, covering 94.5% of the estimated genome, of which 91.6% was assigned into 16 pseudochromosomes and 73.7% was repetitive sequences. Relying on the conserved synteny with oil palm, the existing draft genome sequences of both date palm and coconut were further assembled into chromosomal level. Transposon burst, particularly long terminal repeat retrotransposons, following the last whole-genome duplication, likely explains the genome size variation across palms. Sequence analysis of the VIRESCENS gene in palms suggests that DNA variations in this gene are related to fruit colors. Recent duplications of highly tandemly repeated pathogenesis-related proteins from the same tandem arrays play an important role in defense responses to Ganoderma. Whole-genome resequencing of both ancestral African and introduced oil palms in Southeast Asia reveals that genes under putative selection are notably associated with stress responses, suggesting adaptation to stresses in the new habitat. The genomic resources and insights gained in this study could be exploited for accelerating genetic improvement and understanding the evolution of palms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Wang
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, Singapore 117604, Singapore
| | - May Lee
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, Singapore 117604, Singapore
| | - Zi Yi Wan
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, Singapore 117604, Singapore
| | - Bin Bai
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, Singapore 117604, Singapore; Wheat Research Institute, Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Baoqing Ye
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, Singapore 117604, Singapore
| | - Yuzer Alfiko
- Biotech Lab, Wilmar International, Bekasi 17530, Indonesia
| | | | | | - Zhuojun Song
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, Singapore 117604, Singapore
| | | | - Gen Hua Yue
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, Singapore 117604, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117558, Singapore.
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3
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Visser EA, Kampmann TP, Wegrzyn JL, Naidoo S. Multispecies comparison of host responses to Fusarium circinatum challenge in tropical pines show consistency in resistance mechanisms. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2023; 46:1705-1725. [PMID: 36541367 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Fusarium circinatum poses a threat to both commercial and natural pine forests. Large variation in host resistance exists between species, with many economically important species being susceptible. Development of resistant genotypes could be expedited and optimised by investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying host resistance and susceptibility as well as increasing the available genetic resources. RNA-seq data, from F. circinatum inoculated and mock-inoculated ca. 6-month-old shoot tissue at 3- and 7-days postinoculation, was generated for three commercially important tropical pines, Pinus oocarpa, Pinus maximinoi and Pinus greggii. De novo transcriptomes were assembled and used to investigate the NLR and PR gene content within available pine references. Host responses to F. circinatum challenge were investigated in P. oocarpa (resistant) and P. greggii (susceptible), in comparison to previously generated expression profiles from Pinus tecunumanii (resistant) and Pinus patula (susceptible). Expression results indicated crosstalk between induced salicylate, jasmonate and ethylene signalling is involved in host resistance and compromised in susceptible hosts. Additionally, higher constitutive expression of sulfur metabolism and flavonoid biosynthesis in resistant hosts suggest involvement of these metabolites in resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik A Visser
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Tamanique P Kampmann
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Jill L Wegrzyn
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Sanushka Naidoo
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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4
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Rêgo APB, Mora-Ocampo IY, Corrêa RX. Interactions of Different Species of Phytophthora with Cacao Induce Genetic, Biochemical, and Morphological Plant Alterations. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1172. [PMID: 37317146 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11051172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Diseases associated with Phytophthora cause considerable losses in cocoa production worldwide. Analyzing genes, proteins, and metabolites involved in Theobroma cacao's interaction with Phytophthora species is essential to explaining the molecular aspects of plant defense. Through a systematic literature review, this study aims to identify reports of genes, proteins, metabolites, morphological characteristics, and molecular and physiological processes of T. cacao involved in its interaction with species of Phytophthora. After the searches, 35 papers were selected for the data extraction stage, according to pre-established inclusion and exclusion criteria. In these studies, 657 genes and 32 metabolites, among other elements (molecules and molecular processes), were found to be involved in the interaction. The integration of this information resulted in the following conclusions: the expression patterns of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and a possible gene-to-gene interaction participate in cocoa resistance to Phytophthora spp.; the expression pattern of genes that encode pathogenesis-related (PRs) proteins is different between resistant and susceptible genotypes; phenolic compounds play an important role in preformed defenses; and proline accumulation may be involved in cell wall integrity. Only one proteomics study of T. cacao-Phytophthora spp. was found, and some genes proposed via QTL analysis were confirmed in transcriptomic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angra Paula Bomfim Rêgo
- Centro de Biotecnologia e Genética (CBG), Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (UESC), Rodovia Jorge Amado km 16, Ilhéus 45662-900, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Irma Yuliana Mora-Ocampo
- Centro de Biotecnologia e Genética (CBG), Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (UESC), Rodovia Jorge Amado km 16, Ilhéus 45662-900, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Ronan Xavier Corrêa
- Centro de Biotecnologia e Genética (CBG), Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (UESC), Rodovia Jorge Amado km 16, Ilhéus 45662-900, Bahia, Brazil
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas (DCB), Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus 45662-900, Bahia, Brazil
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Mazur O, Bałdysz S, Warowicka A, Nawrot R. Tap the sap - investigation of latex-bearing plants in the search of potential anticancer biopharmaceuticals. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:979678. [PMID: 36388598 PMCID: PMC9664067 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.979678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Latex-bearing plants have been in the research spotlight for the past couple of decades. Since ancient times their extracts have been used in folk medicine to treat various illnesses. Currently they serve as promising candidates for cancer treatment. Up to date there have been several in vitro and in vivo studies related to the topic of cytotoxicity and anticancer activity of extracts from latex-bearing plants towards various cell types. The number of clinical studies still remains scarce, however, over the years the number is systematically increasing. To the best of our knowledge, the scientific community is still lacking in a recent review summarizing the research on the topic of cytotoxicity and anticancer activity of latex-bearing plant extracts. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to review the current knowledge on in vitro and in vivo studies, which focus on the cytotoxicity and anticancer activities of latex-bearing plants. The vast majority of the studies are in vitro, however, the interest in this topic has resulted in the substantial growth of the number of in vivo studies, leading to a promising number of plant species whose latex can potentially be tested in clinical trials. The paper is divided into sections, each of them focuses on specific latex-bearing plant family representatives and their potential anticancer activity, which in some instances is comparable to that induced by commonly used therapeutics currently available on the market. The cytotoxic effect of the plant's crude latex, its fractions or isolated compounds, is analyzed, along with a study of cell apoptosis, chromatin condensation, DNA damage, changes in gene regulation and morphology changes, which can be observed in cell post plant extract addition. The in vivo studies go beyond the molecular level by showing significant reduction of the tumor growth and volume in animal models. Additionally, we present data regarding plant-mediated biosynthesis of nanoparticles, which is regarded as a new branch in plant latex research. It is solely based on the green-synthesis approach, which presents an interesting alternative to chemical-based nanoparticle synthesis. We have analyzed the cytotoxic effect of these particles on cells. Data regarding the cytotoxicity of such particles raises their potential to be involved in the design of novel cancer therapies, which further underlines the significance of latex-bearing plants in biotechnology. Throughout the course of this review, we concluded that plant latex is a rich source of many compounds, which can be further investigated and applied in the design of anticancer pharmaceuticals. The molecules, to which this cytotoxic effect can be attributed, include alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, proteases, nucleases and many novel compounds, which still remain to be characterized. They have been studied extensively in both in vitro and in vivo studies, which provide an excellent starting point for their rapid transfer to clinical studies in the near future. The comprehensive study of molecules from latex-bearing plants can result in finding a promising alternative to several pharmaceuticals on the market and help unravel the molecular mode of action of latex-based preparations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliwia Mazur
- Department of Molecular Virology, Institute of Experimental Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Sophia Bałdysz
- Department of Molecular Virology, Institute of Experimental Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Alicja Warowicka
- Department of Molecular Virology, Institute of Experimental Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
- NanoBioMedical Centre, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Robert Nawrot
- Department of Molecular Virology, Institute of Experimental Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
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Santos IR, Ribeiro DG, Távora FTPK, Maximiano MR, Rabelo AC, Rios TB, Reis Junior FB, Megías M, Silva LP, Mehta A. Priming of defense-related genes in Brassica oleracea var. capitata using concentrated metabolites produced by Rhizobium tropici CIAT 899. Braz J Microbiol 2022; 53:595-604. [PMID: 35318614 PMCID: PMC9151945 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-022-00722-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
To verify the potential of metabolites extracted from Rhizobium tropici to trigger the priming of defense responses in cruciferous plants, we analyzed the expression of defense-related genes by qRT-PCR. Brassica oleracea var. capitata, susceptible to Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, were grown in greenhouse conditions. At 18 days after sowing, plants were inoculated with 1 mL of 1% concentrated metabolites produced by R. tropici (CM-RT) in the root. In a second experiment, leaves were sprayed with 1 mL of a solution containing 1% CM-RT. Aerial and root tissue were collected separately at 0 (non-treated control condition), 24, and 48 h after application, submitted to RNA extraction and gene expression analysis by qRT-PCR. The results showed that, after root treatment with CM-RT, most evaluated genes were upregulated at 24 h after application and downregulated at 48 h after application in roots, while in leaves, genes were downregulated both at 24 and 48 h after application. On the other hand, leaf treatment with CM-RT showed that most evaluated genes in leaves and roots were upregulated at 24 and 48 h after application. These results indicate that the effect of CM-RT applied in roots seems restricted to the applied region and is not sustained, while the application in leaves results in a more systemic response and maintenance of the effect of CM-RT for a longer period. The results obtained in this study emphasize the biotechnological potential of using metabolites of R. tropici as an elicitor of active defense responses in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivonaldo Reis Santos
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos E Biotecnologia, PBI, Av. W/5 Norte Final, Brasília, DF CEP 70770-917 Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências Biológicas (Biologia Molecular), Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília, DF CEP 70910-900 Brazil
| | - Daiane Gonzaga Ribeiro
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos E Biotecnologia, PBI, Av. W/5 Norte Final, Brasília, DF CEP 70770-917 Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências Genômicas E Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília/Campus II, Brasília, CEP 70790160 Brazil
| | - Fabiano Touzdjian Pinheiro Kohlrausch Távora
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos E Biotecnologia, PBI, Av. W/5 Norte Final, Brasília, DF CEP 70770-917 Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências Biológicas (Imunologia e DIP/Genética E Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de, Juiz de Fora, Campus Universitário, Rua José Lourenço Kelmer, s/n - São Pedro, Juiz de Fora, MG CEP 36036-900 Brazil
| | - Mariana Rocha Maximiano
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos E Biotecnologia, PBI, Av. W/5 Norte Final, Brasília, DF CEP 70770-917 Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências Genômicas E Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília/Campus II, Brasília, CEP 70790160 Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Rabelo
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos E Biotecnologia, PBI, Av. W/5 Norte Final, Brasília, DF CEP 70770-917 Brazil
| | - Thuanny Borba Rios
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos E Biotecnologia, PBI, Av. W/5 Norte Final, Brasília, DF CEP 70770-917 Brazil
| | | | - Manuel Megías
- Departamento de Microbiología Y Parasitología, Universidad de Sevilla, Apdo Postal 874, 41080 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Luciano Paulino Silva
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos E Biotecnologia, PBI, Av. W/5 Norte Final, Brasília, DF CEP 70770-917 Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências Biológicas (Biologia Molecular), Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília, DF CEP 70910-900 Brazil
| | - Angela Mehta
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos E Biotecnologia, PBI, Av. W/5 Norte Final, Brasília, DF CEP 70770-917 Brazil
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Baruah IK, Ali SS, Shao J, Lary D, Bailey BA. Changes in Gene Expression in Leaves of Cacao Genotypes Resistant and Susceptible to Phytophthora palmivora Infection. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 12:780805. [PMID: 35211126 PMCID: PMC8861199 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.780805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Black pod rot, caused by Phytophthora palmivora, is a devastating disease of Theobroma cacao L. (cacao) leading to huge losses for farmers and limiting chocolate industry supplies. To understand resistance responses of cacao leaves to P. palmivora, Stage 2 leaves of genotypes Imperial College Selection 1 (ICS1), Colección Castro Naranjal 51 (CCN51), and Pound7 were inoculated with zoospores and monitored for symptoms up to 48 h. Pound7 consistently showed less necrosis than ICS1 and CCN51 48 h after inoculation. RNA-Seq was carried out on samples 24 h post inoculation. A total of 24,672 expressed cacao genes were identified, and 2,521 transcripts showed induction in at least one P. palmivora-treated genotype compared to controls. There were 115 genes induced in the P. palmivora-treated samples in all three genotypes. Many of the differentially expressed genes were components of KEGG pathways important in plant defense signal perception (the plant MAPK signaling pathway, plant hormone signal transduction, and plant pathogen interactions), and plant defense metabolite biosynthesis (phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, α-linolenic acid metabolism, ethylene biosynthesis, and terpenoid backbone biosynthesis). A search of putative cacao resistance genes within the cacao transcriptome identified 89 genes with prominent leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domains, 170 protein kinases encoding genes, 210 genes with prominent NB-ARC domains, 305 lectin-related genes, and 97 cysteine-rich RK genes. We further analyzed the cacao leaf transcriptome in detail focusing on gene families-encoding proteins important in signal transduction (MAP kinases and transcription factors) and direct plant defense (Germin-like, ubiquitin-associated, lectin-related, pathogenesis-related, glutathione-S-transferases, and proteases). There was a massive reprogramming of defense gene processes in susceptible cacao leaf tissue after infection, which was restricted in the resistant genotype Pound7. Most genes induced in Pound7 were induced in ICS1/CCN51. The level of induction was not always proportional to the infection level, raising the possibility that genes are responding to infection more strongly in Pound7. There were also defense-associated genes constitutively differentially expressed at higher levels in specific genotypes, possibly providing a prepositioned defense. Many of the defense genes occur in blocks where members are constitutively expressed at different levels, and some members are induced by Ppal infection. With further study, the identified candidate genes and gene blocks may be useful as markers for breeding disease-resistant cacao genotypes against P. palmivora.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indrani K. Baruah
- Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center-West, Beltsville, MD, United States
| | - Shahin S. Ali
- Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center-West, Beltsville, MD, United States
- Department of Viticulture and Enology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Jonathan Shao
- United States Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service, Northeast Area, Beltsville, MD, United States
| | - David Lary
- Department of Physics, University of Texas, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Bryan A. Bailey
- Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center-West, Beltsville, MD, United States
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Etaware PM. The effects of the phytochemistry of cocoa on the food chemistry of chocolate(s) and how disease resistance in cocoa can be improved using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. FOOD CHEMISTRY. MOLECULAR SCIENCES 2021; 3:100043. [PMID: 35415660 PMCID: PMC8991945 DOI: 10.1016/j.fochms.2021.100043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Consumers' rating of "chocolate brands" are majorly based on texture and taste rather than packaging. The texture/taste of a chocolate bar is largely influenced by the cocoa variety used for its production, whereas, its bioactive constituent is directly affected by the seed processing/chocolate manufacturing technique(s) adopted, and the additives used. Cacao is the key ingredient for chocolate production; therefore, the choicest varieties must be used to protect consumers' interest. Currently, the availability of the African variety is the only reason why it is globally sought-after for chocolate production rather than its taste. Therefore, a transfer of genetic materials from quality cocoa breeds into the high-yielding and resilient African variety or vice versa, would inferably increase the availability of quality cocoa beans all-year-round, and also increase the chances of obtaining sumptuous and palatable chocolates anywhere in the world.
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Key Words
- (-)-Catechin (PubChem CID: 73160)
- AFLP, Amplification Fragment Length Polymorphism
- Anthocyanin (PubChem CID: 11979368)
- BbsI, Biobricks Standard Idempotency (Restriction Endonuclease)
- CRISPR, Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats
- CRISPR/Cas9 technology for gene editing
- CTAB, Cetyl trimethylammonium bromide
- Cacao beans
- Caffeine (PubChem CID: 2519)
- Cas9, CRISPR-associated protein 9
- Chocolate
- Disease resistance
- EcoRI, Restriction Endonuclease Enzyme isolated from E. coli
- Epicatechin (PubChem CID: 1203)
- Food chemistry
- Genetically modified hybrids
- HDL, High-Density Lipoprotein
- HindIII, Site-specific Deoxyribonuclease Enzyme from Haemophilus Influenzae
- IL-1 to IL-10, Interleukin 1 to 10
- LDL, Low-Density Lipoprotein
- ORAC, Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity
- Oleic acid (PubChem CID: 445639)
- PAM, Protospacer-Adjacent Motif
- PCR, Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Palmitic acid (PubChem CID: 9881577)
- Phytochemicals
- Proanthocyanidin (PubChem CID: 108065)
- RDA, Recommended Dietary Allowance
- RFLP, Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism
- ROS, Reactive Oxygen Species
- Stearic acid (PubChem CID: 5281)
- T generation, Transgenic generation
- T-DNA, Transfer Deoxyribonucleic Acid
- TNF-a, Tumor Necrosis Factor “a”
- Theobromine (PubChem CID: 5429)
- Theophylline (PubChem CID: 2153)
- cGMP, Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate
- crRNA, CRISPR RNA
- dCAPs, Derived Cleaved Amplified Polymorphic Sequences
- eNOS, Endothelium-derived Nitric Oxide Synthase
- psgR-Cas9-At, Phosphorylated Single Guide RNA-Cas9-At
- sgRNA, Single Guide Ribonucleic Acid
- tracrRNA, Trans-Activating CRISPR RNA
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Mudiaga Etaware
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
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Navarro JA, Saiz-Bonilla M, Sanchez-Navarro JA, Pallas V. The mitochondrial and chloroplast dual targeting of a multifunctional plant viral protein modulates chloroplast-to-nucleus communication, RNA silencing suppressor activity, encapsidation, pathogenesis and tissue tropism. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 108:197-218. [PMID: 34309112 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Plant defense against melon necrotic spot virus (MNSV) is triggered by the viral auxiliary replicase p29 that is targeted to mitochondrial membranes causing morphological alterations, oxidative burst and necrosis. Here we show that MNSV coat protein (CP) was also targeted to mitochondria and mitochondrial-derived replication complexes [viral replication factories or complex (VRC)], in close association with p29, in addition to chloroplasts. CP import resulted in the cleavage of the R/arm domain previously implicated in genome binding during encapsidation and RNA silencing suppression (RSS). We also show that CP organelle import inhibition enhanced RSS activity, CP accumulation and VRC biogenesis but resulted in inhibition of systemic spreading, indicating that MNSV whole-plant infection requires CP organelle import. We hypothesize that to alleviate the p29 impact on host physiology, MNSV could moderate its replication and p29 accumulation by regulating CP RSS activity through organelle targeting and, consequently, eluding early-triggered antiviral response. Cellular and molecular events also suggested that S/P domains, which correspond to processed CP in chloroplast stroma or mitochondrion matrix, could mitigate host response inhibiting p29-induced necrosis. S/P deletion mainly resulted in a precarious balance between defense and counter-defense responses, generating either cytopathic alterations and MNSV cell-to-cell movement restriction or some degree of local movement. In addition, local necrosis and defense responses were dampened when RSS activity but not S/P organelle targeting was affected. Based on a robust biochemical and cellular analysis, we established that the mitochondrial and chloroplast dual targeting of MNSV CP profoundly impacts the viral infection cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose A Navarro
- Department of Molecular and Evolutionary Plant Virology, Institute for Plant Molecular and Cell Biology, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universitat Politècnica de València, Av. Ingeniero Fausto Elio, Valencia, 46022, Spain
| | - Maria Saiz-Bonilla
- Department of Molecular and Evolutionary Plant Virology, Institute for Plant Molecular and Cell Biology, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universitat Politècnica de València, Av. Ingeniero Fausto Elio, Valencia, 46022, Spain
| | - Jesus A Sanchez-Navarro
- Department of Molecular and Evolutionary Plant Virology, Institute for Plant Molecular and Cell Biology, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universitat Politècnica de València, Av. Ingeniero Fausto Elio, Valencia, 46022, Spain
| | - Vicente Pallas
- Department of Molecular and Evolutionary Plant Virology, Institute for Plant Molecular and Cell Biology, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universitat Politècnica de València, Av. Ingeniero Fausto Elio, Valencia, 46022, Spain
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Thomazella DPDT, Seong K, Mackelprang R, Dahlbeck D, Geng Y, Gill US, Qi T, Pham J, Giuseppe P, Lee CY, Ortega A, Cho MJ, Hutton SF, Staskawicz B. Loss of function of a DMR6 ortholog in tomato confers broad-spectrum disease resistance. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2026152118. [PMID: 34215692 PMCID: PMC8271637 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2026152118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant diseases are among the major causes of crop yield losses around the world. To confer disease resistance, conventional breeding relies on the deployment of single resistance (R) genes. However, this strategy has been easily overcome by constantly evolving pathogens. Disabling susceptibility (S) genes is a promising alternative to R genes in breeding programs, as it usually offers durable and broad-spectrum disease resistance. In Arabidopsis, the S gene DMR6 (AtDMR6) encodes an enzyme identified as a susceptibility factor to bacterial and oomycete pathogens. Here, we present a model-to-crop translational work in which we characterize two AtDMR6 orthologs in tomato, SlDMR6-1 and SlDMR6-2. We show that SlDMR6-1, but not SlDMR6-2, is up-regulated by pathogen infection. In agreement, Sldmr6-1 mutants display enhanced resistance against different classes of pathogens, such as bacteria, oomycete, and fungi. Notably, disease resistance correlates with increased salicylic acid (SA) levels and transcriptional activation of immune responses. Furthermore, we demonstrate that SlDMR6-1 and SlDMR6-2 display SA-5 hydroxylase activity, thus contributing to the elucidation of the enzymatic function of DMR6. We then propose that SlDMR6 duplication in tomato resulted in subsequent subfunctionalization, in which SlDMR6-2 specialized in balancing SA levels in flowers/fruits, while SlDMR6-1 conserved the ability to fine-tune SA levels during pathogen infection of the plant vegetative tissues. Overall, this work not only corroborates a mechanism underlying SA homeostasis in plants, but also presents a promising strategy for engineering broad-spectrum and durable disease resistance in crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Paula de Toledo Thomazella
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94704
| | - Kyungyong Seong
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Rebecca Mackelprang
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Douglas Dahlbeck
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94704
| | - Yu Geng
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Upinder S Gill
- Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108
| | - Tiancong Qi
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Julie Pham
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94704
| | - Priscila Giuseppe
- Brazilian Biorenewables National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials, Campinas SP 13083-100, Brazil
| | - Clara Youngna Lee
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Arturo Ortega
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94704
| | - Myeong-Je Cho
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94704
| | - Samuel F Hutton
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, Wimauma, FL 33598
| | - Brian Staskawicz
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720;
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94704
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11
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Thomazella DPDT, Seong K, Mackelprang R, Dahlbeck D, Geng Y, Gill US, Qi T, Pham J, Giuseppe P, Lee CY, Ortega A, Cho MJ, Hutton SF, Staskawicz B. Loss of function of a DMR6 ortholog in tomato confers broad-spectrum disease resistance. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2026152118. [PMID: 34215692 DOI: 10.1101/064824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant diseases are among the major causes of crop yield losses around the world. To confer disease resistance, conventional breeding relies on the deployment of single resistance (R) genes. However, this strategy has been easily overcome by constantly evolving pathogens. Disabling susceptibility (S) genes is a promising alternative to R genes in breeding programs, as it usually offers durable and broad-spectrum disease resistance. In Arabidopsis, the S gene DMR6 (AtDMR6) encodes an enzyme identified as a susceptibility factor to bacterial and oomycete pathogens. Here, we present a model-to-crop translational work in which we characterize two AtDMR6 orthologs in tomato, SlDMR6-1 and SlDMR6-2. We show that SlDMR6-1, but not SlDMR6-2, is up-regulated by pathogen infection. In agreement, Sldmr6-1 mutants display enhanced resistance against different classes of pathogens, such as bacteria, oomycete, and fungi. Notably, disease resistance correlates with increased salicylic acid (SA) levels and transcriptional activation of immune responses. Furthermore, we demonstrate that SlDMR6-1 and SlDMR6-2 display SA-5 hydroxylase activity, thus contributing to the elucidation of the enzymatic function of DMR6. We then propose that SlDMR6 duplication in tomato resulted in subsequent subfunctionalization, in which SlDMR6-2 specialized in balancing SA levels in flowers/fruits, while SlDMR6-1 conserved the ability to fine-tune SA levels during pathogen infection of the plant vegetative tissues. Overall, this work not only corroborates a mechanism underlying SA homeostasis in plants, but also presents a promising strategy for engineering broad-spectrum and durable disease resistance in crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Paula de Toledo Thomazella
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94704
| | - Kyungyong Seong
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Rebecca Mackelprang
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Douglas Dahlbeck
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94704
| | - Yu Geng
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Upinder S Gill
- Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108
| | - Tiancong Qi
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Julie Pham
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94704
| | - Priscila Giuseppe
- Brazilian Biorenewables National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials, Campinas SP 13083-100, Brazil
| | - Clara Youngna Lee
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Arturo Ortega
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94704
| | - Myeong-Je Cho
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94704
| | - Samuel F Hutton
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, Wimauma, FL 33598
| | - Brian Staskawicz
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720;
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94704
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12
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Garcia A, Santamaria ME, Diaz I, Martinez M. Disentangling transcriptional responses in plant defense against arthropod herbivores. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12996. [PMID: 34155286 PMCID: PMC8217245 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92468-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The success in the response of a plant to a pest depends on the regulatory networks that connect plant perception and plant response. Meta-analyses of transcriptomic responses are valuable tools to discover novel mechanisms in the plant/herbivore interplay. Considering the quantity and quality of available transcriptomic analyses, Arabidopsis thaliana was selected to test the ability of comprehensive meta-analyses to disentangle plant responses. The analysis of the transcriptomic data showed a general induction of biological processes commonly associated with the response to herbivory, like jasmonate signaling or glucosinolate biosynthesis. However, an uneven induction of many genes belonging to these biological categories was found, which was likely associated with the particularities of each specific Arabidopsis-herbivore interaction. A thorough analysis of the responses to the lepidopteran Pieris rapae and the spider mite Tetranychus urticae highlighted specificities in the perception and signaling pathways associated with the expression of receptors and transcription factors. This information was translated to a variable alteration of secondary metabolic pathways. In conclusion, transcriptomic meta-analysis has been revealed as a potent way to sort out relevant physiological processes in the plant response to herbivores. Translation of these transcriptomic-based analyses to crop species will permit a more appropriate design of biotechnological programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Garcia
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid - Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, Madrid, Spain
| | - M Estrella Santamaria
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid - Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Diaz
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid - Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Biotecnología-Biología Vegetal, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Martinez
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid - Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, Madrid, Spain. .,Departamento de Biotecnología-Biología Vegetal, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
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13
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De Wever J, Tulkens D, Verwaeren J, Everaert H, Rottiers H, Dewettinck K, Lefever S, Messens K. A Combined RNA Preservation and Extraction Protocol for Gene Expression Studies in Cacao Beans. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:992. [PMID: 32695136 PMCID: PMC7338848 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Despite the high economic importance of cacao beans, few RNA-based studies have been conducted on this plant material and hence no optimal RNA-extraction has been reported. Moreover, extraction of high-quality RNA from recalcitrant cacao bean tissue has shown many difficulties and requires optimization. Furthermore, cacao beans are mostly found at remote and under-resourced locations, which pressures the outsourcing of such analysis and thereby demands RNA-stable preservation and transportation of cacao beans. This study aims to select an appropriate RNA extraction and preservation/transportation method for cacao beans. For this purpose, three sample homogenization and five extraction protocols on cacao beans were compared. In addition, 13 preservation conditions-differing in tissue crushing degree, preservation method, duration, and temperature-were compared and evaluated. A comparative analysis revealed that CTAB-based homogenization and extraction outcompeted all tested commercial protocols in RNA yield and integrity, respectively. Preservation at -80°C affected RNA quality the least, whereas freeze-drying was most suitable for transportation at room temperature for maximum 1 week. The cacao bean RNA obtained from the selected methods were compatible for downstream applications. The results of this study will facilitate on-field sampling and transportation of genetically sensitive cacao material prior to cacao bean transcriptomic studies. In addition, valuable insights on sample homogenization, extraction, preservation, and transportation have been provided, which is of interest to every plant geneticist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jocelyn De Wever
- Research Unit Molecular Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Medical Genetics Ghent (CMGG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dieter Tulkens
- Research Unit Molecular Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Medical Genetics Ghent (CMGG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jan Verwaeren
- Research Unit Knowledge-based Systems (KERMIT), Department of Data Analysis and Mathematical Modelling, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Helena Everaert
- Research Unit Molecular Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Food Structure & Function Research Group (FSF), Department of Food Technology, Safety and Health, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Hayley Rottiers
- Research Unit Molecular Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Food Structure & Function Research Group (FSF), Department of Food Technology, Safety and Health, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Koen Dewettinck
- Food Structure & Function Research Group (FSF), Department of Food Technology, Safety and Health, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Steve Lefever
- Center for Medical Genetics Ghent (CMGG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Bioinformatics Institute Ghent (BIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Kathy Messens
- Research Unit Molecular Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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14
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Christian N, Sedio BE, Florez-Buitrago X, Ramírez-Camejo LA, Rojas EI, Mejía LC, Palmedo S, Rose A, Schroeder JW, Herre EA. Host affinity of endophytic fungi and the potential for reciprocal interactions involving host secondary chemistry. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2020; 107:219-228. [PMID: 32072625 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/23/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Interactions between fungal endophytes and their host plants present useful systems for identifying important factors affecting assembly of host-associated microbiomes. Here we investigated the role of secondary chemistry in mediating host affinity of asymptomatic foliar endophytic fungi using Psychotria spp. and Theobroma cacao (cacao) as hosts. METHODS First, we surveyed endophytic communities in Psychotria species in a natural common garden using culture-based methods. Then we compared differences in endophytic community composition with differences in foliar secondary chemistry in the same host species, determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Finally, we tested how inoculation with live and heat-killed endophytes affected the cacao chemical profile. RESULTS Despite sharing a common environment and source pool for endophyte spores, different Psychotria host species harbored strikingly different endophytic communities that reflected intrinsic differences in their leaf chemical profiles. In T. cacao, inoculation with live and heat-killed endophytes produced distinct cacao chemical profiles not found in uninoculated plants or pure fungal cultures, suggesting that endophytes, like pathogens, induce changes in secondary chemical profiles of their host plant. CONCLUSIONS Collectively our results suggest at least two potential processes: (1) Plant secondary chemistry influences assembly and composition of fungal endophytic communities, and (2) host colonization by endophytes subsequently induces changes in the host chemical landscape. We propose a series of testable predictions based on the possibility that reciprocal chemical interactions are a general property of plant-endophyte interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Christian
- Department of Plant Biology, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois, 505 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, 139 Life Sciences Bldg., Louisville, KY, 40208, USA
| | - Brian E Sedio
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Unit 9100 Box 0948, DPO AA 34002-9998, USA
- Center for Biodiversity and Drug Discovery, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología, Apartado 0843-01103, Ciudad del Saber, Ancón, Republic of Panama
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, 2415 Speedway #C0930, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | | | - Luis A Ramírez-Camejo
- Center for Biodiversity and Drug Discovery, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología, Apartado 0843-01103, Ciudad del Saber, Ancón, Republic of Panama
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, 915 W. State St., West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Enith I Rojas
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Unit 9100 Box 0948, DPO AA 34002-9998, USA
| | - Luis C Mejía
- Center for Biodiversity and Drug Discovery, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología, Apartado 0843-01103, Ciudad del Saber, Ancón, Republic of Panama
| | - Sage Palmedo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, 106A Guyot Ln., Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Autumn Rose
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, 106A Guyot Ln., Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - John W Schroeder
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Unit 9100 Box 0948, DPO AA 34002-9998, USA
- Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California Santa-Barbara, Noble Hall 2116, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Edward Allen Herre
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Unit 9100 Box 0948, DPO AA 34002-9998, USA
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15
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Irigoyen ML, Garceau DC, Bohorquez-Chaux A, Lopez-Lavalle LAB, Perez-Fons L, Fraser PD, Walling LL. Genome-wide analyses of cassava Pathogenesis-related (PR) gene families reveal core transcriptome responses to whitefly infestation, salicylic acid and jasmonic acid. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:93. [PMID: 31996126 PMCID: PMC6990599 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-6443-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Whiteflies are a threat to cassava (Manihot esculenta), an important staple food in many tropical/subtropical regions. Understanding the molecular mechanisms regulating cassava’s responses against this pest is crucial for developing control strategies. Pathogenesis-related (PR) protein families are an integral part of plant immunity. With the availability of whole genome sequences, the annotation and expression programs of the full complement of PR genes in an organism can now be achieved. An understanding of the responses of the entire complement of PR genes during biotic stress and to the defense hormones, salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA), is lacking. Here, we analyze the responses of cassava PR genes to whiteflies, SA, JA, and other biotic aggressors. Results The cassava genome possesses 14 of the 17 plant PR families, with a total of 447 PR genes. A cassava PR gene nomenclature is proposed. Phylogenetic relatedness of cassava PR proteins to each other and to homologs in poplar, rice and Arabidopsis identified cassava-specific PR gene family expansions. The temporal programs of PR gene expression in response to the whitefly (Aleurotrachelus socialis) in four whitefly-susceptible cassava genotypes showed that 167 of the 447 PR genes were regulated after whitefly infestation. While the timing of PR gene expression varied, over 37% of whitefly-regulated PR genes were downregulated in all four genotypes. Notably, whitefly-responsive PR genes were largely coordinately regulated by SA and JA. The analysis of cassava PR gene expression in response to five other biotic stresses revealed a strong positive correlation between whitefly and Xanthomonas axonopodis and Cassava Brown Streak Virus responses and negative correlations between whitefly and Cassava Mosaic Virus responses. Finally, certain associations between PR genes in cassava expansions and response to biotic stresses were observed among PR families. Conclusions This study represents the first genome-wide characterization of PR genes in cassava. PR gene responses to six biotic stresses and to SA and JA are demonstrably different to other angiosperms. We propose that our approach could be applied in other species to fully understand PR gene regulation by pathogens, pests and the canonical defense hormones SA and JA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria L Irigoyen
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences and Institute of Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Danielle C Garceau
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences and Institute of Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | | | | | - Laura Perez-Fons
- Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK
| | - Paul D Fraser
- Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK
| | - Linda L Walling
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences and Institute of Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA.
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16
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Wang Y, Casaburi G, Lin W, Li Y, Wang F, Pan Y. Genomic evidence of the illumination response mechanism and evolutionary history of magnetotactic bacteria within the Rhodospirillaceae family. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:407. [PMID: 31117953 PMCID: PMC6532209 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5751-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2018] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) are ubiquitous in natural aquatic environments. MTB can produce intracellular magnetic particles, navigate along geomagnetic field, and respond to light. However, the potential mechanism by which MTB respond to illumination and their evolutionary relationship with photosynthetic bacteria remain elusive. RESULTS We utilized genomes of the well-sequenced genus Magnetospirillum, including the newly sequenced MTB strain Magnetospirillum sp. XM-1 to perform a comprehensive genomic comparison with phototrophic bacteria within the family Rhodospirillaceae regarding the illumination response mechanism. First, photoreceptor genes were identified in the genomes of both MTB and phototrophic bacteria in the Rhodospirillaceae family, but no photosynthesis genes were found in the MTB genomes. Most of the photoreceptor genes in the MTB genomes from this family encode phytochrome-domain photoreceptors that likely induce red/far-red light phototaxis. Second, illumination also causes damage within the cell, and in Rhodospirillaceae, both MTB and phototrophic bacteria possess complex but similar sets of response and repair genes, such as oxidative stress response, iron homeostasis and DNA repair system genes. Lastly, phylogenomic analysis showed that MTB cluster closely with phototrophic bacteria in this family. One photoheterotrophic genus, Phaeospirillum, clustered within and displays high genomic similarity with Magnetospirillum. Moreover, the phylogenetic tree topologies of magnetosome synthesis genes in MTB and photosynthesis genes in phototrophic bacteria from the Rhodospirillaceae family were reasonably congruent with the phylogenomic tree, suggesting that these two traits were most likely vertically transferred during the evolution of their lineages. CONCLUSION Our new genomic data indicate that MTB and phototrophic bacteria within the family Rhodospirillaceae possess diversified photoreceptors that may be responsible for phototaxis. Their genomes also contain comprehensive stress response genes to mediate the negative effects caused by illumination. Based on phylogenetic studies, most of MTB and phototrophic bacteria in the Rhodospirillaceae family evolved vertically with magnetosome synthesis and photosynthesis genes. The ancestor of Rhodospirillaceae was likely a magnetotactic phototrophic bacteria, however, gain or loss of magnetotaxis and phototrophic abilities might have occurred during the evolution of ancestral Rhodospirillaceae lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinzhao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Giorgio Casaburi
- Departments of Microbiology and Cell Science, Space Life Sciences Laboratory, University of Florida, Merritt Island, FL 32953 USA
| | - Wei Lin
- Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029 China
| | - Ying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology and College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Fengping Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongxin Pan
- Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
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17
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Christian N, Herre EA, Clay K. Foliar endophytic fungi alter patterns of nitrogen uptake and distribution in Theobroma cacao. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 222:1573-1583. [PMID: 30664252 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Colonization by foliar endophytic fungi can affect the expression of host plant defenses and other ecologically important traits. However, whether endophyte colonization affects the uptake or redistribution of resources within and among host plant tissues remains unstudied. We inoculated leaves of Theobroma cacao with four common colonizers that range in their effect from protective to pathogenic (Colletotrichum tropicale, Pestalotiopsis sp., Colletotrichum theobromicola, or Phytophthora palmivora). We pulsed the soil with nitrogen-15 (15 N) and then traced 15 N uptake and its subsequent distribution to whole plants and individual leaves. At a whole-plant level, C. tropicale-inoculated plants showed significantly greater 15 N uptake than endophyte-free plants did in the same pot. Among leaves within plants, younger leaves were particularly enriched in 15 N, but endophyte inoculation at the individual leaf level did not alter 15 N distribution within plants. However, leaves co-inoculated with pathogenic Phytophthora and protective C. tropicale experienced significantly elevated 15 N content as pathogen damage increased, compared with leaves inoculated only with the pathogen. Further, endophyte-pathogen co-infection also increased total plant biomass. Our results indicate that colonization by foliar endophytes significantly affects N uptake and distribution among and within host plants in ways that appear to be context dependent on other microbiome components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Christian
- Department of Plant Biology, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois, 505 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Evolution, Ecology and Behavior Program, Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 E. 3rd St., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Edward Allen Herre
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Unit 9100 Box 0948, Miami, FL, 34002-9998, USA
| | - Keith Clay
- Evolution, Ecology and Behavior Program, Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 E. 3rd St., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, 6823 St Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
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18
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Pokou DN, Fister AS, Winters N, Tahi M, Klotioloma C, Sebastian A, Marden JH, Maximova SN, Guiltinan MJ. Resistant and susceptible cacao genotypes exhibit defense gene polymorphism and unique early responses to Phytophthora megakarya inoculation. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2019; 99:499-516. [PMID: 30739243 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-019-00832-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/24/2019] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Key genes potentially involved in cacao disease resistance were identified by transcriptomic analysis of important cacao cultivars. Defense gene polymorphisms were identified which could contribute to pathogen recognition capacity. Cacao suffers significant annual losses to the water mold Phytophthora spp. (Oomycetes). In West Africa, P. megakarya poses a major threat to farmer livelihood and the stability of cocoa production. As part of a long-term goal to define key disease resistance genes in cacao, here we use a transcriptomic analysis of the disease-resistant cacao clone SCA6 and the susceptible clone NA32 to characterize basal differences in gene expression, early responses to infection, and polymorphisms in defense genes. Gene expression measurements by RNA-seq along a time course revealed the strongest transcriptomic response 24 h after inoculation in the resistant genotype. We observed strong regulation of several pathogenesis-related genes, pattern recognition receptors, and resistance genes, which could be critical for the ability of SCA6 to combat infection. These classes of genes also showed differences in basal expression between the two genotypes prior to infection, suggesting that prophylactic expression of defense-associated genes could contribute to SCA6's broad-spectrum disease resistance. Finally, we analyzed polymorphism in a set of defense-associated receptors, identifying coding variants between SCA6 and NA32 which could contribute to unique capacities for pathogen recognition. This work is an important step toward characterizing genetic differences underlying a successful defense response in cacao.
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Affiliation(s)
- Désiré N Pokou
- Centre National de Recherche Agronomique, Laboratoire Central de Biotechnologie, 01 BP 1740, Abidjan 01, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Andrew S Fister
- Department of Plant Sciences, Life Sciences Building, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Noah Winters
- Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Mathias Tahi
- Centre National de Recherche Agronomique, Laboratoire Central de Biotechnologie, 01 BP 1740, Abidjan 01, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Coulibaly Klotioloma
- Centre National de Recherche Agronomique, Laboratoire Central de Biotechnologie, 01 BP 1740, Abidjan 01, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Aswathy Sebastian
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - James H Marden
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Siela N Maximova
- Department of Plant Sciences, Life Sciences Building, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Mark J Guiltinan
- Department of Plant Sciences, Life Sciences Building, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
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19
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Visser EA, Wegrzyn JL, Myburg AA, Naidoo S. Defence transcriptome assembly and pathogenesis related gene family analysis in Pinus tecunumanii (low elevation). BMC Genomics 2018; 19:632. [PMID: 30139335 PMCID: PMC6108113 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-5015-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fusarium circinatum is a pressing threat to the cultivation of many economically important pine tree species. Efforts to develop effective disease management strategies can be aided by investigating the molecular mechanisms involved in the host-pathogen interaction between F. circinatum and pine species. Pinus tecunumanii and Pinus patula are two closely related tropical pine species that differ widely in their resistance to F. circinatum challenge, being resistant and susceptible respectively, providing the potential for a useful pathosystem to investigate the molecular responses underlying resistance to F. circinatum. However, no genomic resources are available for P. tecunumanii. Pathogenesis-related proteins are classes of proteins that play important roles in plant-microbe interactions, e.g. chitinases; proteins that break down the major structural component of fungal cell walls. Generating a reference sequence for P. tecunumanii and characterizing pathogenesis related gene families in these two pine species is an important step towards unravelling the pine-F. circinatum interaction. RESULTS Eight reference based and 12 de novo assembled transcriptomes were produced, for juvenile shoot tissue from both species. EvidentialGene pipeline redundancy reduction, expression filtering, protein clustering and taxonomic filtering produced a 50 Mb shoot transcriptome consisting of 28,621 contigs for P. tecunumanii and a 72 Mb shoot transcriptome consisting of 52,735 contigs for P. patula. Predicted protein sequences encoded by the assembled transcriptomes were clustered with reference proteomes from 92 other species to identify pathogenesis related gene families in P. patula, P. tecunumanii and other pine species. CONCLUSIONS The P. tecunumanii transcriptome is the first gene catalogue for the species, representing an important resource for studying resistance to the pitch canker pathogen, F. circinatum. This study also constitutes, to our knowledge, the largest index of gymnosperm PR-genes to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik A. Visser
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Genomics Research Institute (GRI), University of Pretoria, Private bag X20, Pretoria, 0028 South Africa
| | - Jill L. Wegrzyn
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269 USA
| | - Alexander A. Myburg
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Genomics Research Institute (GRI), University of Pretoria, Private bag X20, Pretoria, 0028 South Africa
| | - Sanushka Naidoo
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Genomics Research Institute (GRI), University of Pretoria, Private bag X20, Pretoria, 0028 South Africa
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20
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Barreto LR, Barreto T, Melo S, Pungartnik C, Brendel M. Sensitivity of Yeast Mutants Deficient in Mitochondrial or Vacuolar ABC Transporters to Pathogenesis-Related Protein TcPR-10 of Theobroma cacao. BIOLOGY 2018; 7:biology7020035. [PMID: 29899284 PMCID: PMC6022951 DOI: 10.3390/biology7020035] [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: 08/27/2017] [Revised: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Pathogenesis-related proteins (PRs) are induced in plants after infection by pathogens and/or abiotic stress. Among these proteins, the family 10 (PR-10) influences the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites and shows antimicrobial ribonuclease activity. TcPR-10p (Pathogenesis-related Protein 10 of Theobroma cacao) was isolated from resistant and susceptible Moniliophthora perniciosa cacao cultivars. Cell survival with Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant lines deficient in ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter proteins indicated the influence on resistance to TcPR-10p. Proteins of the ABC transport type are considered important in the process of resistance to antimicrobials and toxins. Thus, the objective of this work was to observe the sensitivity of ABC transporter yeast mutants in the presence of the TcPR-10p. Chronic exposure of S. cerevisiae mitochondrial (BYatm1Δ and BYmdl1Δ) and vacuole (BYnft1Δ, BYvmr1Δ, BYybt1Δ, BYycf1Δ and BYbpt1Δ) ABC transporter mutants to TcPR-10p (3 μg/mL, 0, 6, 12 and 24 h) was performed. Two TcPR-10p sensitive strains (BYmdl1Δ and BYnft1Δ) were submitted to a fluorescence test with the fluorogenic dihydroethidium (DHE), to visualize the presence of oxidative stress in the cells. Oxidative stress-increased sensitivity was confirmed by flow cytometry indicating induced cell death either via apoptosis or necrosis. This yeast data combined with previous data of literature (of M. perniciosa sensitivity to TcPR-10p) show that increased sensitivity to TcPR-10p in these mutants could be due to the TcPR10p-generated higher levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to increased cell death either via necrosis or apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise R Barreto
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Biologia de Fungos, Centro de Biotecnologia e Genética, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (UESC), Rodovia Jorge Amado, km 16, Ilhéus, Bahia, CEP 42665-000, Brazil.
| | - Thayná Barreto
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Biologia de Fungos, Centro de Biotecnologia e Genética, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (UESC), Rodovia Jorge Amado, km 16, Ilhéus, Bahia, CEP 42665-000, Brazil.
| | - Sonia Melo
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Biologia de Fungos, Centro de Biotecnologia e Genética, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (UESC), Rodovia Jorge Amado, km 16, Ilhéus, Bahia, CEP 42665-000, Brazil.
| | - Cristina Pungartnik
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Biologia de Fungos, Centro de Biotecnologia e Genética, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (UESC), Rodovia Jorge Amado, km 16, Ilhéus, Bahia, CEP 42665-000, Brazil.
| | - Martin Brendel
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Biologia de Fungos, Centro de Biotecnologia e Genética, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (UESC), Rodovia Jorge Amado, km 16, Ilhéus, Bahia, CEP 42665-000, Brazil.
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21
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McElroy MS, Navarro AJR, Mustiga G, Stack C, Gezan S, Peña G, Sarabia W, Saquicela D, Sotomayor I, Douglas GM, Migicovsky Z, Amores F, Tarqui O, Myles S, Motamayor JC. Prediction of Cacao ( Theobroma cacao) Resistance to Moniliophthora spp. Diseases via Genome-Wide Association Analysis and Genomic Selection. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:343. [PMID: 29662497 PMCID: PMC5890178 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2017] [Accepted: 02/28/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Cacao (Theobroma cacao) is a globally important crop, and its yield is severely restricted by disease. Two of the most damaging diseases, witches' broom disease (WBD) and frosty pod rot disease (FPRD), are caused by a pair of related fungi: Moniliophthora perniciosa and Moniliophthora roreri, respectively. Resistant cultivars are the most effective long-term strategy to address Moniliophthora diseases, but efficiently generating resistant and productive new cultivars will require robust methods for screening germplasm before field testing. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) and genomic selection (GS) provide two potential avenues for predicting the performance of new genotypes, potentially increasing the selection gain per unit time. To test the effectiveness of these two approaches, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and GS on three related populations of cacao in Ecuador genotyped with a 15K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarray for three measures of WBD infection (vegetative broom, cushion broom, and chirimoya pod), one of FPRD (monilia pod) and two productivity traits (total fresh weight of pods and % healthy pods produced). GWAS yielded several SNPs associated with disease resistance in each population, but none were significantly correlated with the same trait in other populations. Genomic selection, using one population as a training set to estimate the phenotypes of the remaining two (composed of different families), varied among traits, from a mean prediction accuracy of 0.46 (vegetative broom) to 0.15 (monilia pod), and varied between training populations. Simulations demonstrated that selecting seedlings using GWAS markers alone generates no improvement over selecting at random, but that GS improves the selection process significantly. Our results suggest that the GWAS markers discovered here are not sufficiently predictive across diverse germplasm to be useful for MAS, but that using all markers in a GS framework holds substantial promise in accelerating disease-resistance in cacao.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel S. McElroy
- Department of Plant, Food and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Truro, NS, Canada
| | - Alberto J. R. Navarro
- MARS, Incorporated c/o United States Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research Service, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Guiliana Mustiga
- MARS, Incorporated c/o United States Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research Service, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Conrad Stack
- MARS, Incorporated c/o United States Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research Service, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Salvador Gezan
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Geover Peña
- Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Widem Sarabia
- Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Diego Saquicela
- Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, Quito, Ecuador
| | | | - Gavin M. Douglas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Zoë Migicovsky
- Department of Plant, Food and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Truro, NS, Canada
| | - Freddy Amores
- Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Técnica Estatal de Quevedo, Quevedo, Ecuador
| | - Omar Tarqui
- Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Sean Myles
- Department of Plant, Food and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Truro, NS, Canada
| | - Juan C. Motamayor
- MARS, Incorporated c/o United States Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research Service, Miami, FL, United States
- *Correspondence: Juan C. Motamayor,
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22
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Wickramasuriya AM, Dunwell JM. Cacao biotechnology: current status and future prospects. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2018; 16:4-17. [PMID: 28985014 PMCID: PMC5785363 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2017] [Revised: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 09/28/2017] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Theobroma cacao-The Food of the Gods, provides the raw material for the multibillion dollar chocolate industry and is also the main source of income for about 6 million smallholders around the world. Additionally, cocoa beans have a number of other nonfood uses in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Specifically, the potential health benefits of cocoa have received increasing attention as it is rich in polyphenols, particularly flavonoids. At present, the demand for cocoa and cocoa-based products in Asia is growing particularly rapidly and chocolate manufacturers are increasing investment in this region. However, in many Asian countries, cocoa production is hampered due to many reasons including technological, political and socio-economic issues. This review provides an overview of the present status of global cocoa production and recent advances in biotechnological applications for cacao improvement, with special emphasis on genetics/genomics, in vitro embryogenesis and genetic transformation. In addition, in order to obtain an insight into the latest innovations in the commercial sector, a survey was conducted on granted patents relating to T. cacao biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jim M. Dunwell
- School of Agriculture, Policy and DevelopmentUniversity of ReadingReadingUK
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23
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Fister AS, Landherr L, Maximova SN, Guiltinan MJ. Transient Expression of CRISPR/Cas9 Machinery Targeting TcNPR3 Enhances Defense Response in Theobroma cacao. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:268. [PMID: 29552023 PMCID: PMC5841092 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 02/14/2018] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Theobroma cacao, the source of cocoa, suffers significant losses to a variety of pathogens resulting in reduced incomes for millions of farmers in developing countries. Development of disease resistant cacao varieties is an essential strategy to combat this threat, but is limited by sources of genetic resistance and the slow generation time of this tropical tree crop. In this study, we present the first application of genome editing technology in cacao, using Agrobacterium-mediated transient transformation to introduce CRISPR/Cas9 components into cacao leaves and cotyledon cells. As a first proof of concept, we targeted the cacao Non-Expressor of Pathogenesis-Related 3 (TcNPR3) gene, a suppressor of the defense response. After demonstrating activity of designed single-guide RNAs (sgRNA) in vitro, we used Agrobacterium to introduce a CRISPR/Cas9 system into leaf tissue, and identified the presence of deletions in 27% of TcNPR3 copies in the treated tissues. The edited tissue exhibited an increased resistance to infection with the cacao pathogen Phytophthora tropicalis and elevated expression of downstream defense genes. Analysis of off-target mutagenesis in sequences similar to sgRNA target sites using high-throughput sequencing did not reveal mutations above background sequencing error rates. These results confirm the function of NPR3 as a repressor of the cacao immune system and demonstrate the application of CRISPR/Cas9 as a powerful functional genomics tool for cacao. Several stably transformed and genome edited somatic embryos were obtained via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, and ongoing work will test the effectiveness of this approach at a whole plant level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew S. Fister
- Department of Plant Science, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Lena Landherr
- Department of Plant Science, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Siela N. Maximova
- Department of Plant Science, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Mark J. Guiltinan
- Department of Plant Science, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- *Correspondence: Mark J. Guiltinan
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24
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Christian N, Herre EA, Mejia LC, Clay K. Exposure to the leaf litter microbiome of healthy adults protects seedlings from pathogen damage. Proc Biol Sci 2017; 284:20170641. [PMID: 28679727 PMCID: PMC5524495 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.0641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2017] [Accepted: 05/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
It is increasingly recognized that microbiota affect host health and physiology. However, it is unclear what factors shape microbiome community assembly in nature, and how microbiome assembly can be manipulated to improve host health. All plant leaves host foliar endophytic fungi, which make up a diverse, environmentally acquired fungal microbiota. Here, we experimentally manipulated assembly of the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao) fungal microbiome in nature and tested the effect of assembly outcome on host health. Using next-generation sequencing, as well as culture-based methods coupled with Sanger sequencing, we found that manipulating leaf litter exposure and location within the forest canopy significantly altered microbiome composition in cacao. Exposing cacao seedlings to leaf litter from healthy conspecific adults enriched the seedling microbiome with Colletotrichum tropicale, a fungal endophyte known to enhance pathogen resistance of cacao seedlings by upregulating host defensive pathways. As a result, seedlings exposed to healthy conspecific litter experienced reduced pathogen damage. Our results link processes that affect the assembly and composition of microbiome communities to their functional consequences for host success, and have broad implications for understanding plant-microbe interactions. Deliberate manipulation of the plant-fungal microbiome also has potentially important applications for cacao production and other agricultural systems in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Christian
- Evolution, Ecology and Behavior Program, Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 East 3rd Street, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Edward Allen Herre
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Unit 9100 Box 0948, DPO AA 34002-9998, USA
| | - Luis C Mejia
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Unit 9100 Box 0948, DPO AA 34002-9998, USA
- Institute for Scientific Research and High Technology Services (INDICASAT), Building 219, City of Knowledge, Clayton, Panama, Republic of Panama
| | - Keith Clay
- Evolution, Ecology and Behavior Program, Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 East 3rd Street, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
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25
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Ali SS, Shao J, Lary DJ, Strem MD, Meinhardt LW, Bailey BA. Phytophthora megakarya and P. palmivora, Causal Agents of Black Pod Rot, Induce Similar Plant Defense Responses Late during Infection of Susceptible Cacao Pods. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2017; 8:169. [PMID: 28261234 PMCID: PMC5306292 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2017.00169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2016] [Accepted: 01/27/2017] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Phytophthora megakarya (Pmeg) and Phytophthora palmivora (Ppal) cause black pod rot of Theobroma cacao L. (cacao). Of these two clade 4 species, Pmeg is more virulent and is displacing Ppal in many cacao production areas in Africa. Symptoms and species specific sporangia production were compared when the two species were co-inoculated onto pod pieces in staggered 24 h time intervals. Pmeg sporangia were predominantly recovered from pod pieces with unwounded surfaces even when inoculated 24 h after Ppal. On wounded surfaces, sporangia of Ppal were predominantly recovered if the two species were simultaneously applied or Ppal was applied first but not if Pmeg was applied first. Pmeg demonstrated an advantage over Ppal when infecting un-wounded surfaces while Ppal had the advantage when infecting wounded surfaces. RNA-Seq was carried out on RNA isolated from control and Pmeg and Ppal infected pod pieces 3 days post inoculation to assess their abilities to alter/suppress cacao defense. Expression of 4,482 and 5,264 cacao genes was altered after Pmeg and Ppal infection, respectively, with most genes responding to both species. Neural network self-organizing map analyses separated the cacao RNA-Seq gene expression profiles into 24 classes, 6 of which were largely induced in response to infection. Using KEGG analysis, subsets of genes composing interrelated pathways leading to phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, ethylene and jasmonic acid biosynthesis and action, plant defense signal transduction, and endocytosis showed induction in response to infection. A large subset of genes encoding putative Pr-proteins also showed differential expression in response to infection. A subset of 36 cacao genes was used to validate the RNA-Seq expression data and compare infection induced gene expression patterns in leaves and wounded and unwounded pod husks. Expression patterns between RNA-Seq and RT-qPCR were generally reproducible. The level and timing of altered gene expression was influenced by the tissues studied and by wounding. Although, in these susceptible interactions gene expression patterns were similar, some genes did show differential expression in a Phytophthora species dependent manner. The biggest difference was the more intense changes in expression in Ppal inoculated wounded pod pieces further demonstrating its rapid progression when penetrating through wounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahin S. Ali
- Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center-West, Plant Sciences InstituteBeltsville, MD, USA
| | - Jonathan Shao
- Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center-West, Plant Sciences InstituteBeltsville, MD, USA
| | - David J. Lary
- Physics Department, University of Texas at DallasRichardson, TX, USA
| | - Mary D. Strem
- Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center-West, Plant Sciences InstituteBeltsville, MD, USA
| | - Lyndel W. Meinhardt
- Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center-West, Plant Sciences InstituteBeltsville, MD, USA
| | - Bryan A. Bailey
- Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center-West, Plant Sciences InstituteBeltsville, MD, USA
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26
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Fister AS, Mejia LC, Zhang Y, Herre EA, Maximova SN, Guiltinan MJ. Erratum to: Theobroma cacao L. pathogenesis-related gene tandem array members show diverse expression dynamics in response to pathogen colonization. BMC Genomics 2016; 17:715. [PMID: 27604351 PMCID: PMC5013561 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-3073-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 09/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew S Fister
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, 422 Life Sciences Building, University Park, 16802, PA, USA
| | - Luis C Mejia
- Institute for Scientific Research and High Technology Services (INDICASAT-AIP), Panama City, Panama.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), Unit 9100, Box 0948, Balboa, Ancon, DPO AA 34002-9998, Panama
| | - Yufan Zhang
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Edward Allen Herre
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), Unit 9100, Box 0948, Balboa, Ancon, DPO AA 34002-9998, Panama
| | - Siela N Maximova
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, 422 Life Sciences Building, University Park, 16802, PA, USA.,The Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, 422 Life Sciences Building, University Park, 16802, PA, USA
| | - Mark J Guiltinan
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, 422 Life Sciences Building, University Park, 16802, PA, USA. .,The Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, 422 Life Sciences Building, University Park, 16802, PA, USA.
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