1
|
Zhai D, Zhang LY, Li LZ, Xu ZG, Liu XL, Shang GD, Zhao B, Gao J, Wang FX, Wang JW. Reciprocal conversion between annual and polycarpic perennial flowering behavior in the Brassicaceae. Cell 2024; 187:3319-3337.e18. [PMID: 38810645 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.04.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
The development of perennial crops holds great promise for sustainable agriculture and food security. However, the evolution of the transition between perenniality and annuality is poorly understood. Here, using two Brassicaceae species, Crucihimalaya himalaica and Erysimum nevadense, as polycarpic perennial models, we reveal that the transition from polycarpic perennial to biennial and annual flowering behavior is a continuum determined by the dosage of three closely related MADS-box genes. Diversification of the expression patterns, functional strengths, and combinations of these genes endows species with the potential to adopt various life-history strategies. Remarkably, we find that a single gene among these three is sufficient to convert winter-annual or annual Brassicaceae plants into polycarpic perennial flowering plants. Our work delineates a genetic basis for the evolution of diverse life-history strategies in plants and lays the groundwork for the generation of diverse perennial Brassicaceae crops in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dong Zhai
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics (NKLPMG), CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 200032, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Lu-Yi Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics (NKLPMG), CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 200032, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ling-Zi Li
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics (NKLPMG), CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhou-Geng Xu
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics (NKLPMG), CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xiao-Li Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics (NKLPMG), CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Guan-Dong Shang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics (NKLPMG), CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 200032, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Bo Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics (NKLPMG), CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jian Gao
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics (NKLPMG), CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Fu-Xiang Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics (NKLPMG), CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jia-Wei Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics (NKLPMG), CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 200032, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Carbon Capture, CAS, Shanghai 200032, China; New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Shanghai 200032, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Zhao B, Wang JW. Perenniality: From model plants to applications in agriculture. MOLECULAR PLANT 2024; 17:141-157. [PMID: 38115580 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2023.12.011] [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: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
To compensate for their sessile nature, plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms enabling them to adapt to ever-changing environments. One such prominent feature is the evolution of diverse life history strategies, particularly such that annuals reproduce once followed by seasonal death, while perennials live longer by cycling growth seasonally. This intrinsic phenology is primarily genetic and can be altered by environmental factors. Although evolutionary transitions between annual and perennial life history strategies are common, perennials account for most species in nature because they survive well under year-round stresses. This proportion, however, is reversed in agriculture. Hence, perennial crops promise to likewise protect and enhance the resilience of agricultural ecosystems in response to climate change. Despite significant endeavors that have been made to generate perennial crops, progress is slow because of barriers in studying perennials, and many developed species await further improvement. Recent findings in model species have illustrated that simply rewiring existing genetic networks can lead to lifestyle variation. This implies that engineering plant life history strategy can be achieved by manipulating only a few key genes. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of genetic basis of perenniality and discuss major questions and challenges that remain to be addressed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bo Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jia-Wei Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 200032, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Carbon Capture, CAS, Shanghai 200032, China; New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Shanghai 200032, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Nishio H, Kudoh H. Distinct responses to autumn and spring temperatures by the key flowering-time regulator FLOWERING LOCUS C. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2023; 78:102016. [PMID: 36549195 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2022.102016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Despite the similarity in temperature regimes between late autumn and early spring, plants exhibit distinct developmental responses that result in distinct morphologies, that is, overwintering and reproductive forms. In Arabidopsis, the control of autumn-spring distinction involves the transcriptional regulation of the floral repressor FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC). The memory of winter cold is registered as epigenetic silencing of FLC. Recent studies on A. thaliana FLC revealed detailed and additional mechanisms of silencing in response to autumn and winter cold. Studies on perennial Arabidopsis FLC revealed that its expression responds to spring warmth and is robustly upregulated, ignoring cold. These new studies provide mechanistic insights into the distinct regulation of FLC under autumn and spring temperature regimes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haruki Nishio
- Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Shiga 520-2113, Japan; Data Science and AI Innovation Research Promotion Center, Shiga University, Shiga 522-8522, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kudoh
- Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Shiga 520-2113, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Hjertaas AC, Preston JC, Kainulainen K, Humphreys AM, Fjellheim S. Convergent evolution of the annual life history syndrome from perennial ancestors. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 13:1048656. [PMID: 36684797 PMCID: PMC9846227 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1048656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Despite most angiosperms being perennial, once-flowering annuals have evolved multiple times independently, making life history traits among the most labile trait syndromes in flowering plants. Much research has focused on discerning the adaptive forces driving the evolution of annual species, and in pinpointing traits that distinguish them from perennials. By contrast, little is known about how 'annual traits' evolve, and whether the same traits and genes have evolved in parallel to affect independent origins of the annual syndrome. Here, we review what is known about the distribution of annuals in both phylogenetic and environmental space and assess the evidence for parallel evolution of annuality through similar physiological, developmental, and/or genetic mechanisms. We then use temperate grasses as a case study for modeling the evolution of annuality and suggest future directions for understanding annual-perennial transitions in other groups of plants. Understanding how convergent life history traits evolve can help predict species responses to climate change and allows transfer of knowledge between model and agriculturally important species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ane C. Hjertaas
- Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Jill C. Preston
- Department of Plant Biology, The University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Kent Kainulainen
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Aelys M. Humphreys
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Siri Fjellheim
- Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Singh RK, Bhalerao RP, Maurya JP. When to branch: seasonal control of shoot architecture in trees. FEBS J 2022; 289:8062-8070. [PMID: 34652884 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Long-lived perennial plants optimize their shoot architecture by responding to seasonal cues. The main strategy used by plants of temperate and boreal regions with respect to surviving the extremely unfavourable conditions of winter comprises the protection of their apical and lateral meristematic tissues. This involves myriads of transcriptional, translational and metabolic changes in the plants because shoot architecture is controlled by multiple pathways that regulate processes such as bud formation and flowering, small RNAs, environmental factors (especially light quality, photoperiod and temperature), hormones, and sugars. Recent studies have begun to reveal how these pathways are recruited for the seasonal adaptation and regulation of shoot architecture in perennial plants, including the role of a regulatory module consisting of antagonistic players terminal flower 1 (TFL1) and like-ap1 (LAP1) in the hybrid aspen. Here, we review recent progress in our understanding of the genetic control of shoot architecture in perennials compared to in annuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh Kumar Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Rishikesh P Bhalerao
- Umeå Plant Science Centre, Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jay P Maurya
- Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Fuerst D, Shermeister B, Mandel T, Hübner S. Evolutionary Conservation and Transcriptome Analyses Attribute Perenniality and Flowering to Day-Length Responsive Genes in Bulbous Barley (Hordeum bulbosum). Genome Biol Evol 2022; 15:6855281. [PMID: 36449556 PMCID: PMC9840211 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evac168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid population growth and dramatic climatic turnovers are challenging global crop production. These challenges are spurring plant breeders to enhance adaptation and sustainability of major crops. One intriguing approach is to turn annual systems into perennial ones, yet long-term classical breeding efforts to induce perenniality have achieved limited success. Here, we report the results of our investigation of the genetic basis of bulb formation in the nonmodel organism Hordeum bulbosum, a perennial species closely related to barley. To identify candidate genes that regulate bulb formation in H. bulbosum, we applied two complementary approaches. First, we explored the evolutionary conservation of expressed genes among annual Poaceae species. Next, we assembled a reference transcriptome for H. bulbosum and conducted a differential expression (DE) analysis before and after stimulating bulb initiation. Low conservation was identified in genes related to perenniality in H. bulbosum compared with other species, including bulb development and sugar accumulation genes. We also inspected these genes using a DE analysis, which enabled identification of additional genes responsible for bulb initiation and flowering regulation. We propose a molecular model for the regulation of bulb formation involving storage organ development and starch biosynthesis genes. The high conservation observed along a major part of the pathway between H. bulbosum and barley suggests a potential for the application of biotechnological techniques to accelerate breeding toward perenniality in barley.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dana Fuerst
- Galilee Research Institute (MIGAL), Tel-Hai College, Upper Galilee, Israel
| | - Bar Shermeister
- Galilee Research Institute (MIGAL), Tel-Hai College, Upper Galilee, Israel
| | - Tali Mandel
- Galilee Research Institute (MIGAL), Tel-Hai College, Upper Galilee, Israel
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Zuo (左胜) S, Guo (郭新异) X, Mandáková T, Edginton M, Al-Shehbaz IA, Lysak MA. Genome diploidization associates with cladogenesis, trait disparity, and plastid gene evolution. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 190:403-420. [PMID: 35670733 PMCID: PMC9434143 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Angiosperm genome evolution was marked by many clade-specific whole-genome duplication events. The Microlepidieae is one of the monophyletic clades in the mustard family (Brassicaceae) formed after an ancient allotetraploidization. Postpolyploid cladogenesis has resulted in the extant c. 17 genera and 60 species endemic to Australia and New Zealand (10 species). As postpolyploid genome diploidization is a trial-and-error process under natural selection, it may proceed with different intensity and be associated with speciation events. In Microlepidieae, different extents of homoeologous recombination between the two parental subgenomes generated clades marked by slow ("cold") versus fast ("hot") genome diploidization. To gain a deeper understanding of postpolyploid genome evolution in Microlepidieae, we analyzed phylogenetic relationships in this tribe using complete chloroplast sequences, entire 35S rDNA units, and abundant repetitive sequences. The four recovered intra-tribal clades mirror the varied diploidization of Microlepidieae genomes, suggesting that the intrinsic genomic features underlying the extent of diploidization are shared among genera and species within one clade. Nevertheless, even congeneric species may exert considerable morphological disparity (e.g. in fruit shape), whereas some species within different clades experience extensive morphological convergence despite the different pace of their genome diploidization. We showed that faster genome diploidization is positively associated with mean morphological disparity and evolution of chloroplast genes (plastid-nuclear genome coevolution). Higher speciation rates in perennials than in annual species were observed. Altogether, our results confirm the potential of Microlepidieae as a promising subject for the analysis of postpolyploid genome diploidization in Brassicaceae.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Terezie Mandáková
- CEITEC – Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, CZ-625 00, Czech Republic
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, CZ-625 00, Czech Republic
| | - Mark Edginton
- Queensland Herbarium, Department of Environment and Science, Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Mt Coot-tha Road, Toowong, QLD 4066, Australia
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Chapman MA, He Y, Zhou M. Beyond a reference genome: pangenomes and population genomics of underutilized and orphan crops for future food and nutrition security. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 234:1583-1597. [PMID: 35318683 PMCID: PMC9994440 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Underutilized crops are, by definition, under-researched compared to staple crops yet come with traits that may be especially important given climate change and the need to feed a globally increasing population. These crops are often stress-tolerant, and this combined with unique and beneficial nutritional profiles. Whilst progress is being made by generating reference genome sequences, in this Tansley Review, we show how this is only the very first step. We advocate that going 'beyond a reference genome' should be a priority, as it is only at this stage one can identify the specific genes and the adaptive alleles that underpin the valuable traits. We sum up how population genomic and pangenomic approaches have led to the identification of stress- and disease-tolerant alleles in staple crops and compare this to the small number of examples from underutilized crops. We also demonstrate how previously underutilized crops have benefitted from genomic advances and that many breeding targets in underutilized crops are often well studied in staple crops. This cross-crop population-level resequencing could lead to an understanding of the genetic basis of adaptive traits in underutilized crops. This level of investment may be crucial for fully understanding the value of these crops before they are lost.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark A. Chapman
- Biological SciencesUniversity of SouthamptonLife Sciences Building 85, Highfield CampusSouthamptonSO17 1BJUK
| | - Yuqi He
- Institute of Crop SciencesChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesRoom 405, National Crop Gene Bank BuildingZhongguancun South Street No. 12Haidian DistrictBeijing100081China
| | - Meiliang Zhou
- Institute of Crop SciencesChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesRoom 405, National Crop Gene Bank BuildingZhongguancun South Street No. 12Haidian DistrictBeijing100081China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Sergeeva A, Liu H, Mai HJ, Mettler-Altmann T, Kiefer C, Coupland G, Bauer P. Cytokinin-promoted secondary growth and nutrient storage in the perennial stem zone of Arabis alpina. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 105:1459-1476. [PMID: 33336445 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Perennial plants maintain their lifespan through several growth seasons. Arabis alpina serves as a model Brassicaceae species to study perennial traits. Lateral stems of A. alpina have a proximal vegetative zone with a dormant bud zone and a distal senescing seed-producing inflorescence zone. We addressed how this zonation is distinguished at the anatomical level, whether it is related to nutrient storage and which signals affect the zonation. We found that the vegetative zone exhibits secondary growth, which we termed the perennial growth zone (PZ). High-molecular-weight carbon compounds accumulate there in cambium and cambium derivatives. Neither vernalization nor flowering were requirements for secondary growth and the sequestration of storage compounds. The inflorescence zone with only primary growth, termed the annual growth zone (AZ), or roots exhibited different storage characteristics. Following cytokinin application cambium activity was enhanced and secondary phloem parenchyma was formed in the PZ and also in the AZ. In transcriptome analysis, cytokinin-related genes represented enriched gene ontology terms and were expressed at a higher level in the PZ than in the AZ. Thus, A. alpina primarily uses the vegetative PZ for nutrient storage, coupled to cytokinin-promoted secondary growth. This finding lays a foundation for future studies addressing signals for perennial growth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Sergeeva
- Institute of Botany, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, D-40225, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Science (CEPLAS), Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Hongjiu Liu
- Institute of Botany, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, D-40225, Germany
| | - Hans-Jörg Mai
- Institute of Botany, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, D-40225, Germany
| | - Tabea Mettler-Altmann
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Science (CEPLAS), Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, D-40225, Germany
| | - Christiane Kiefer
- Department of Plant Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, D-50829, Germany
| | - George Coupland
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Science (CEPLAS), Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Plant Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, D-50829, Germany
| | - Petra Bauer
- Institute of Botany, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, D-40225, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Science (CEPLAS), Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Ortiz R, Geleta M, Gustafsson C, Lager I, Hofvander P, Löfstedt C, Cahoon EB, Minina E, Bozhkov P, Stymne S. Oil crops for the future. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2020; 56:181-189. [PMID: 31982290 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2019.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2019] [Revised: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Agriculture faces enormous challenges including the need to substantially increase productivity, reduce environmental footprint, and deliver renewable alternatives that are being addressed by developing new oil crops for the future. The efforts include domestication of Lepidium spp. using genomics-aided breeding as a cold hardy perennial high-yielding oil crop that provides substantial environmental benefits, expands the geography for oil crops, and improves farmers' economy. In addition, genetic engineering in Crambe abyssinica may lead to a dedicated industrial oil crop to replace fossil oil. Redirection of photosynthates from starch to oil in plant tubers and cereal endosperm also provides a path for enhancing oil production to meet the growing demands for food, fuel, and biomaterials. Insect pheromone components are produced in seed oil plants in a cost-effective and environmentally friendly pest management replacing synthetically produced pheromones. Autophagy is explored for increasing crop fitness and oil accumulation using genetic engineering in Arabidopsis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rodomiro Ortiz
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Department of Plant Breeding, Alnarp, Sweden.
| | - Mulatu Geleta
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Department of Plant Breeding, Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Cecilia Gustafsson
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Department of Plant Breeding, Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Ida Lager
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Department of Plant Breeding, Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Per Hofvander
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Department of Plant Breeding, Alnarp, Sweden
| | | | | | - Elena Minina
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Uppsala BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Linnean Center for Plant Biology, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Peter Bozhkov
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Uppsala BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Linnean Center for Plant Biology, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sten Stymne
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Department of Plant Breeding, Alnarp, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Lo S, Fatokun C, Boukar O, Gepts P, Close TJ, Muñoz-Amatriaín M. Identification of QTL for perenniality and floral scent in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.). PLoS One 2020; 15:e0229167. [PMID: 32343700 PMCID: PMC7188242 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Perennial habit and floral scent are major traits that distinguish domesticated cowpeas from their wild relatives. However, the genetic basis of these two important traits remains largely unknown in cowpea. Plant longevity, a perenniality-related trait, and floral scent, an outcrossing trait, were investigated using a RIL population derived from a cross between a domesticated and a wild cowpea. QTL analysis revealed three significant loci, one on chromosome 8 associated with plant longevity and two, on chromosomes 1 and 11, for floral scent. Genes within the QTL regions were identified. Genes encoding an F-box protein (Vigun08g215300) and two kinases (Vigun08g217000, Vigun08g217800), and involved in physiological processes including regulation of flowering time and plant longevity, were identified within the perenniality QTL region. A cluster of O-methyltransferase genes (Vigun11g096800, Vigun11g096900, Vigun11g097000, Vigun11g097600, and Vigun11g097800) was identified within the floral scent QTL region. These O-methyltransferase cowpea genes are orthologs of the Arabidopsis N-acetylserotonin O-methyltransferase (ASMT) gene, which is involved in the biosynthesis of melatonin. Melatonin is an indole derivative, which is an essential molecule for plant interactions with pollinators. These findings lay the foundation for further exploration of the genetic mechanisms of perenniality and floral scent in cowpea. Knowledge from this study can help in the development of new extended-growth cycle lines with increased yield or lines with increased outcrossing for population breeding.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sassoum Lo
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail: (MMA); (SL)
| | | | - Ousmane Boukar
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Paul Gepts
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States of America
| | - Timothy J. Close
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States of America
| | - María Muñoz-Amatriaín
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
- * E-mail: (MMA); (SL)
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Whittle CA, Extavour CG. Contrasting patterns of molecular evolution in metazoan germ line genes. BMC Evol Biol 2019; 19:53. [PMID: 30744572 PMCID: PMC6371493 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-019-1363-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Germ lines are the cell lineages that give rise to the sperm and eggs in animals. The germ lines first arise from primordial germ cells (PGCs) during embryogenesis: these form from either a presumed derived mode of preformed germ plasm (inheritance) or from an ancestral mechanism of inductive cell-cell signalling (induction). Numerous genes involved in germ line specification and development have been identified and functionally studied. However, little is known about the molecular evolutionary dynamics of germ line genes in metazoan model systems. RESULTS Here, we studied the molecular evolution of germ line genes within three metazoan model systems. These include the genus Drosophila (N=34 genes, inheritance), the fellow insect Apis (N=30, induction), and their more distant relative Caenorhabditis (N=23, inheritance). Using multiple species and established phylogenies in each genus, we report that germ line genes exhibited marked variation in the constraint on protein sequence divergence (dN/dS) and codon usage bias (CUB) within each genus. Importantly, we found that de novo lineage-specific inheritance (LSI) genes in Drosophila (osk, pgc) and in Caenorhabditis (pie-1, pgl-1), which are essential to germ plasm functions under the derived inheritance mode, displayed rapid protein sequence divergence relative to the other germ line genes within each respective genus. We show this may reflect the evolution of specialized germ plasm functions and/or low pleiotropy of LSI genes, features not shared with other germ line genes. In addition, we observed that the relative ranking of dN/dS and of CUB between genera were each more strongly correlated between Drosophila and Caenorhabditis, from different phyla, than between Drosophila and its insect relative Apis, suggesting taxonomic differences in how germ line genes have evolved. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, the present results advance our understanding of the evolution of animal germ line genes within three well-known metazoan models. Further, the findings provide insights to the molecular evolution of germ line genes with respect to LSI status, pleiotropy, adaptive evolution as well as PGC-specification mode.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carrie A Whittle
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Cassandra G Extavour
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Exploring the History of Chloroplast Capture in Arabis Using Whole Chloroplast Genome Sequencing. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19020602. [PMID: 29463014 PMCID: PMC5855824 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19020602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Revised: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Chloroplast capture occurs when the chloroplast of one plant species is introgressed into another plant species. The phylogenies of nuclear and chloroplast markers from East Asian Arabis species are incongruent, which indicates hybrid origin and shows chloroplast capture. In the present study, the complete chloroplast genomes of A. hirsuta, A. nipponica, and A. flagellosa were sequenced in order to analyze their divergence and their relationships. The chloroplast genomes of A. nipponica and A. flagellosa were similar, which indicates chloroplast replacement. If hybridization causing chloroplast capture occurred once, divergence between recipient species would be lower than between donor species. However, the chloroplast genomes of species with possible hybrid origins, A. nipponica and A. stelleri, differ at similar levels to possible maternal donor species A. flagellosa, which suggests that multiple hybridization events have occurred in their respective histories. The mitochondrial genomes exhibited similar patterns, while A. nipponica and A. flagellosa were more similar to each other than to A. hirsuta. This suggests that the two organellar genomes were co-transferred during the hybridization history of the East Asian Arabis species.
Collapse
|