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Chen S, Han J, Wu S, Guo S, Tang Y, Zheng Y, Hu L, Zhang X, Zhang P, Zhang H, Ren G, Gao S. From non-coding RNAs to histone modification: The epigenetic mechanisms in tomato fruit ripening and quality regulation. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2024; 215:109070. [PMID: 39191041 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.109070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2024] [Revised: 07/28/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
Ripening is one of the most important stages of fruit development and determines the fruit quality. Various factors play a role in this process, with epigenetic mechanisms emerging as important players. Epigenetic regulation encompasses DNA methylation, histone modifications and variants, chromatin remodeling, RNA modifications, and non-coding RNAs. Over the past decade, studies using tomato as a model have made considerable progress in understanding the impact of epigenetic regulation on fleshy fruit ripening and quality. In this paper, we provide an overview of recent advancements in the epigenetic regulation of tomato fruit ripening and quality regulation, focusing on three main mechanisms: DNA/RNA modifications, non-coding RNAs, and histone modifications. Furthermore, we highlight the unresolved issues and challenges within this research field, offering perspectives for future investigations to drive agricultural innovation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengbo Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Quality and Safety Control for Subtropical Fruit and Vege-table, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticultural Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, 311300, China
| | - Jiazhen Han
- The Key Laboratory of Quality and Safety Control for Subtropical Fruit and Vege-table, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticultural Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, 311300, China
| | - Shu Wu
- The Key Laboratory of Quality and Safety Control for Subtropical Fruit and Vege-table, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticultural Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, 311300, China
| | - Shangjing Guo
- Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Yufei Tang
- The Key Laboratory of Quality and Safety Control for Subtropical Fruit and Vege-table, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticultural Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, 311300, China
| | - Yujing Zheng
- The Key Laboratory of Quality and Safety Control for Subtropical Fruit and Vege-table, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticultural Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, 311300, China
| | - Lei Hu
- The Key Laboratory of Quality and Safety Control for Subtropical Fruit and Vege-table, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticultural Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, 311300, China
| | - Xingxing Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Quality and Safety Control for Subtropical Fruit and Vege-table, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticultural Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, 311300, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, China
| | | | - Guodong Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China.
| | - Shuai Gao
- The Key Laboratory of Quality and Safety Control for Subtropical Fruit and Vege-table, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticultural Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, 311300, China.
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Zhang X, Cheng L, Shang H, Chen Q, Lu M, Mu D, Li X, Meng X, Wu Y, Han X, Liu D, Xu Y. Research advances of coloring mechanism regulated by MicroRNAs in plants. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2024; 215:109036. [PMID: 39128404 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.109036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2024] [Revised: 07/27/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
In plants, microRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of important small RNAs involved in their growth and development, and play a very significant role in regulating their tissue coloring. In this paper, the mechanisms on miRNA regulation of plant coloring are mainly reviewed from three aspects: macroscopic physiological and molecular foundations related to tissue coloring, miRNA biosynthesis and function, and specific analysis of miRNA regulation studies on leaf color, flower color, fruit color, and other tissue color formation in plants. Furthermore, we also systematically summarize the miRNA regulatory mechanisms identified on pigments biosynthesis and color formation in plants, and the regulatory mechanisms of these miRNAs mentioned on the existing researches can be divided into four main categories: directly targeting the related transcription factors, directly targeting the related structural genes, directly targeting the related long noncoding RNAs (LncRNAs) and miRNA-mediated production of trans-acting small interfering RNAs (ta-siRNAs). Together, these research results aim to provide a theoretical reference for the in-depth study of plant coloring mechanism and molecular breeding study of related plants in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinpeng Zhang
- Landscape Architecture Research Center, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan, 250101, China
| | - Lizhen Cheng
- Qilu Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Jinan, 250101, China
| | - Hong Shang
- Landscape Architecture Research Center, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan, 250101, China
| | - Qiang Chen
- Landscape Architecture Research Center, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan, 250101, China
| | - Mei Lu
- Landscape Architecture Research Center, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan, 250101, China
| | - Deyu Mu
- Landscape Architecture Research Center, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan, 250101, China
| | - Xiaoyan Li
- Landscape Architecture Research Center, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan, 250101, China
| | - Xiang Meng
- Landscape Architecture Research Center, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan, 250101, China
| | - Yawei Wu
- Landscape Architecture Research Center, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan, 250101, China
| | - Xin Han
- Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 41566, South Korea
| | - Daliang Liu
- Landscape Architecture Research Center, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan, 250101, China.
| | - Yanfang Xu
- Landscape Architecture Research Center, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan, 250101, China.
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Abdelsattar M, Abdeldaym EA, Alsayied NF, Ahmed E, Abd El-Maksoud RM. Overlapping of copper-nanoparticles with microRNA reveals crippling of heat stress pathway in Solanum lycopersicum: Tomato case study. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2024; 213:108791. [PMID: 38861818 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.108791] [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: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Despite the tangible benefits of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) for plants, the increasing use of CuNPs poses a threat to plants and the environment. Although miRNAs have been shown to mediate heat shock and CuNPs by altering gene expression, no study has investigated how CuNPs in combination with heat shock (HS) affect the miRNA expression profile. Here, we exposed tomato plants to 0.01 CuONPs at 42 °C for 1 h after exposure. It was found that the expression levels of miR156a, miR159a and miR172a and their targets SPL3, MYB33 and AP2a were altered under CuNPs and HS + CuNPs. This alteration accelerated the change of vegetative phase and the process of leaf senescence. The overexpression of miR393 under CuNPs and HS + CuNPs could also be an indicator of the attenuation of leaf morphology. Interestingly, the down-regulation of Cu/ZnSOD1 and Cu/ZnSOD2 as target genes of miR398a, which showed strong abnormal expression, was replaced by FeSOD (FSD1), indicating the influence of CuNPs. In addition, CuNPs triggered the expression of some important genes of heat shock response, including HsFA2, HSP70-9 and HSP90-3, which showed lower expression compared to HS. Thus, CuNPs play an important role in altering the gene expression pathway during heat stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Abdelsattar
- Plant Biology Department, Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute (AGERI), Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Giza, Egypt.
| | - Emad A Abdeldaym
- Department of Vegetable Crops, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, 12613, Egypt
| | - Nouf F Alsayied
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Applied Science, Umm Al-Qura University, Makka, Saudi Arabia
| | - Esraa Ahmed
- Plant Biology Department, Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute (AGERI), Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Giza, Egypt
| | - Reem M Abd El-Maksoud
- Nucleic Acid and Protein Chemistry Department, Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute (AGERI), Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Giza, Egypt.
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Divya D, Robin AHK, Cho LH, Kim D, Lee DJ, Kim CK, Chung MY. Genome-wide characterization and expression profiling of E2F/DP gene family members in response to abiotic stress in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 24:436. [PMID: 38773361 PMCID: PMC11110339 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05107-3] [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: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND E2F/DP (Eukaryotic 2 transcription factor/dimerization partner) family proteins play an essential function in the cell cycle development of higher organisms. E2F/DP family genes have been reported only in a few plant species. However, comprehensive genome-wide characterization analysis of the E2F/DP gene family of Solanum lycopersicum has not been reported so far. RESULTS This study identified eight nonredundant SlE2F/DP genes that were classified into seven groups in the phylogenetic analysis. All eight genes had a single E2F-TDP domain and few genes had additional domains. Two segmental duplication gene pairs were observed within tomato, in addition to cis-regulatory elements, miRNA target sites and phosphorylation sites which play an important role in plant development and stress response in tomato. To explore the three-dimensional (3D) models and gene ontology (GO) annotations of SlE2F/DP proteins, we pointed to their putative transporter activity and their interaction with several putative ligands. The localization of SlE2F/DP-GFP fused proteins in the nucleus and endoplasmic reticulum suggested that they may act in other biological functions. Expression studies revealed the differential expression pattern of most of the SlE2F/DP genes in various organs. Moreover, the expression of E2F/DP genes against abiotic stress, particularly SlE2F/DP2 and/or SlE2F/DP7, was upregulated in response to heat, salt, cold and ABA treatment. Furthermore, the co-expression analysis of SlE2F/DP genes with multiple metabolic pathways was co-expressed with defence genes, transcription factors and so on, suggested their crucial role in various biological processes. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our findings provide a way to understand the structure and function of SlE2F/DP genes; it might be helpful to improve fruit development and tolerance against abiotic stress through marker-assisted selection or transgenic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhanasekar Divya
- Department of Agricultural Education, Sunchon National University, 413 Jungangno, Suncheon, Jeonnam, 540-950, Republic of Korea
| | - Arif Hasan Khan Robin
- Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, 2202, Bangladesh
| | - Lae-Hyeon Cho
- Department of Plant Bioscience, College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Pusan National University, Miryang-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, 50463, Republic of Korea
| | - Dohyeon Kim
- Department of Plant Bioscience, College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Pusan National University, Miryang-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, 50463, Republic of Korea
| | - Do-Jin Lee
- Department of Agricultural Education, Sunchon National University, 413 Jungangno, Suncheon, Jeonnam, 540-950, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Kil Kim
- Department of Horticulture, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea.
| | - Mi-Young Chung
- Department of Agricultural Education, Sunchon National University, 413 Jungangno, Suncheon, Jeonnam, 540-950, Republic of Korea.
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Zhang S, Yu Z, Sun L, Liang S, Xu F, Li S, Zheng X, Yan L, Huang Y, Qi X, Ren H. T2T reference genome assembly and genome-wide association study reveal the genetic basis of Chinese bayberry fruit quality. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2024; 11:uhae033. [PMID: 38495030 PMCID: PMC10940123 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhae033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra or Morella rubra; 2n = 16) produces fruit with a distinctive flavor, high nutritional, and economic value. However, previous versions of the bayberry genome lack sequence continuity. Moreover, to date, no large-scale germplasm resource association analysis has examined the allelic and genetic variations determining fruit quality traits. Therefore, in this study, we assembled a telomere-to-telomere (T2T) gap-free reference genome for the cultivar 'Zaojia' using PacBio HiFi long reads. The resulting 292.60 Mb T2T genome, revealed 8 centromeric regions, 15 telomeres, and 28 345 genes. This represents a substantial improvement in the genome continuity and integrity of Chinese bayberry. Subsequently, we re-sequenced 173 accessions, identifying 6 649 674 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Further, the phenotypic analyses of 29 fruit quality-related traits enabled a genome-wide association study (GWAS), which identified 1937 SNPs and 1039 genes significantly associated with 28 traits. An SNP cluster pertinent to fruit color was identified on Chr6: 3407532 to 5 153 151 bp region, harboring two MYB genes (MrChr6G07650 and MrChr6G07660), exhibiting differential expression in extreme phenotype transcriptomes, linked to anthocyanin synthesis. An adjacent, closely linked gene, MrChr6G07670 (MLP-like protein), harbored an exonic missense variant and was shown to increase anthocyanin production in tobacco leaves tenfold. This SNP cluster, potentially a quantitative trait locus (QTL), collectively regulates bayberry fruit color. In conclusion, our study presented a complete reference genome, uncovered a suite of allelic variations related to fruit-quality traits, and identified functional genes that could be harnessed to enhance fruit quality and breeding efficiency of bayberries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuwen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Horticulture, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 298 Desheng Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou 310021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zheping Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Horticulture, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 298 Desheng Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou 310021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Li Sun
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Horticulture, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 298 Desheng Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou 310021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Senmiao Liang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Horticulture, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 298 Desheng Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou 310021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Fei Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Horticulture, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 298 Desheng Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou 310021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Sujuan Li
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Horticulture, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 298 Desheng Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou 310021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiliang Zheng
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Horticulture, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 298 Desheng Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou 310021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lijv Yan
- Linhai Specialty and Technology Extension Station, 219 Dongfang Avenue, Linhai 317000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yinghong Huang
- Jiangsu Taihu Evergreen Fruit Tree Technology Promotion Center, Dongshan Town, Wuzhong District, Suzhou 215107, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xingjiang Qi
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Horticulture, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 298 Desheng Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou 310021, Zhejiang, China
- Xianghu Laboratory, 168 Gengwen Road, Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou 311231, Zhejiang, China
| | - Haiying Ren
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Horticulture, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 298 Desheng Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou 310021, Zhejiang, China
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Sharma D, Koul A, Bhushan S, Gupta S, Kaul S, Dhar MK. Insights into microRNA-mediated interaction and regulation of metabolites in tomato. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2023; 25:1142-1153. [PMID: 37681459 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
microRNAs direct regulation of various metabolic pathways in plants and animals. miRNAs may be useful in developing novel/elite genotypes, with enhanced metabolites and disease resistance. We examined miRNAs in tomato. In tomato, miRNAs in the carotenoid pathway have not been fully elucidated. We examined the potential role of miRNAs in biosynthesis of carotenoids, transcript profiling of miRNAs and their possible targets (genes and transcription factors) at different development stages of tomato using stem-loop PCR and RT-qPCR. We also identified miRNAs targeting key flavonoid genes, such as chalcone isomerase (CHI), and dihydroflavonol-4-reductase (DFR). Distinct expression profiles of miRNAs and their targets were found in fruits of three tomato accessions, suggesting carotenoid regulation by miRNAs at various stages of fruit development. This was also confirmed using HPLC of the carotenoids. The present study may help in understanding possible regulation of carotenoid biosynthesis. The identified miRNAs can be exploited to enhance biosynthesis of different carotenoids in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Sharma
- Genome Research Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, University of Jammu, Jammu, India
| | - A Koul
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - S Bhushan
- Department of Botany, Central University of Jammu, Bagla (Rahya Suchani), Samba, Jammu, India
| | - S Gupta
- Genome Research Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, University of Jammu, Jammu, India
| | - S Kaul
- Genome Research Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, University of Jammu, Jammu, India
| | - M K Dhar
- Genome Research Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, University of Jammu, Jammu, India
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Xia Y, Lai Z, Do YY, Huang PL. Characterization of MicroRNAs and Gene Expression in ACC Oxidase RNA Interference-Based Transgenic Bananas. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:3414. [PMID: 37836154 PMCID: PMC10574930 DOI: 10.3390/plants12193414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Banana (Musa acuminata, AAA group) is a typically respiratory climacteric fruit. Previously, genes encoding ACC oxidase, one of the key enzymes in ethylene biosynthesis, Mh-ACO1 and Mh-ACO2 in bananas were silenced individually using RNAi interference technology, and fruit ripening of transgenic bananas was postponed. Here, the differential expression of miRNAs and their targeted mRNAs were analyzed in the transcriptomes of fruits at the third ripening stage, peel color more green than yellow, from the untransformed and RNAi transgenic bananas. Five significantly differentially expressed miRNAs (mac-miR169a, mac-miR319c-3p, mac-miR171a, mac-miR156e-5p, and mac-miR164a-5p) were identified. The predicted miRNA target genes were mainly enriched in six KEGG pathways, including 'sulfur relay system', 'protein digestion and absorption', 'histidine metabolism', 'pathogenic E. coli infection', 'sulfur metabolism', and 'starch and sucrose metabolism'. After ethylene treatment, the expression of ACC oxidase silencing-associated miRNAs was down-regulated, and that of their target genes was up-regulated along with fruit ripening. The evolutionary clustering relationships of miRNA precursors among 12 gene families related to fruit ripening were analyzed. The corresponding expression patterns of mature bodies were mainly concentrated in flowers, fruits, and leaves. Our results indicated that ethylene biosynthesis is associated with miRNAs regulating the expression of sulfur metabolism-related genes in bananas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Xia
- Institute of Horticultural Biotechnology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China;
| | - Zhongxiong Lai
- Institute of Horticultural Biotechnology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China;
| | - Yi-Yin Do
- Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Pung-Ling Huang
- Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
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Naeem M, Zhao W, Ahmad N, Zhao L. Beyond green and red: unlocking the genetic orchestration of tomato fruit color and pigmentation. Funct Integr Genomics 2023; 23:243. [PMID: 37453947 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-023-01162-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Fruit color is a genetic trait and a key factor for consumer acceptability and is therefore receiving increasing importance in several breeding programs. Plant pigments offer plants with a variety of colored organs that attract animals for pollination, favoring seed dispersers and conservation of species. The pigments inside plant cells not only play a light-harvesting role but also provide protection against light damage and exhibit nutritional and ecological value for health and visual pleasure in humans. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a leading vegetable crop; its fruit color formation is associated with the accumulation of several natural pigments, which include carotenoids in the pericarp, flavonoids in the peel, as well as the breakdown of chlorophyll during fruit ripening. To improve tomato fruit quality, several techniques, such as genetic engineering and genome editing, have been used to alter fruit color and regulate the accumulation of secondary metabolites in related pathways. Recently, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-based systems have been extensively used for genome editing in many crops, including tomatoes, and promising results have been achieved using modified CRISPR systems, including CAS9 (CRISPR/CRISPR-associated-protein) and CRISPR/Cas12a systems. These advanced tools in biotechnology and whole genome sequencing of various tomato species will certainly advance the breeding of tomato fruit color with a high degree of precision. Here, we attempt to summarize the current advancement and effective application of genetic engineering techniques that provide further flexibility for fruit color formation. Furthermore, we have also discussed the challenges and opportunities of genetic engineering and genome editing to improve tomato fruit color.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Naeem
- Department of Plant Science, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Weihua Zhao
- Department of Plant Science, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Naveed Ahmad
- Joint Center for Single Cell Biology, Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Lingxia Zhao
- Department of Plant Science, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China.
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Shen J, Wang X, Li Y, Guo L, Hou X. Screening of Reference miRNA of Different Early- and Late-Flowering Tree Peony Varieties. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:2629. [PMID: 37514244 PMCID: PMC10384584 DOI: 10.3390/plants12142629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
miRNA plays an important role in plant growth and development and in response to various stresses. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) technology is often used to detect the expression level of miRNAs and genes by comparing with reference genes. In order to screen out the optimal reference miRNAs in different tree peony varieties, the petals of 42 different early- and late-flowering tree peony varieties were used as experimental materials, and geNorm, NormFinder, Bestkeeper, and RefFinder software were used to evaluate the stability of 16 candidate reference miRNAs. The results showed that the average Ct values of all candidate reference miRNAs were between 15.34 ± 0.29 and 32.64 ± 0.38. The optimal number of reference miRNAs was four, which were PsPC-5p-19095, PsPC-3p-51259, PsmiR159a, and PsPC-3p-6660 in geNorm. The stability of PsPC-3p-6660 was the highest in the analysis results of NormFinder software. Among the analysis results of Bestkeeper software, PsMIR319-p5 has the highest stability. Among the results of comprehensive evaluation and analysis of several software using RefFinder, the candidate reference miRNA with the highest stability was PsPC-3p-6660. When PsPC-3p-6660 was used as the reference miRNA, the expression of PomiR171 and PomiR414 in response to different flowering times of tree peony was relatively stable in 42 tree peony varieties, indicating that PsPC-3p-6660 was stable and reliable. The results of this study provide a reference miRNA for studying the expression changes of miRNA in different tree peony varieties and further exploring the regulatory mechanism of miRNA in different peony varieties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajia Shen
- College of Agriculture, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- Luoyang Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Luoyang 471002, China
| | - Yuying Li
- College of Agriculture, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China
| | - Lili Guo
- College of Agriculture, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China
| | - Xiaogai Hou
- College of Agriculture, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China
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10
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Wang W, Wang Y, Chen T, Qin G, Tian S. Current insights into posttranscriptional regulation of fleshy fruit ripening. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 192:1785-1798. [PMID: 36250906 PMCID: PMC10315313 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Fruit ripening is a complicated process that is accompanied by the formation of fruit quality. It is not only regulated at the transcriptional level via transcription factors or DNA methylation but also fine-tuned after transcription occurs. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of key regulatory mechanisms of fleshy fruit ripening after transcription. We mainly highlight the typical mechanisms by which fruit ripening is controlled, namely, alternative splicing, mRNA N6-methyladenosine RNA modification methylation, and noncoding RNAs at the posttranscriptional level; regulation of translation efficiency and upstream open reading frame-mediated translational repression at the translational level; and histone modifications, protein phosphorylation, and protein ubiquitination at the posttranslational level. Taken together, these posttranscriptional regulatory mechanisms, along with transcriptional regulation, constitute the molecular framework of fruit ripening. We also critically discuss the potential usage of some mechanisms to improve fruit traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weihao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Yuying Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Tong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Guozheng Qin
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Shiping Tian
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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He R, Tang Y, Wang D. Coordinating Diverse Functions of miRNA and lncRNA in Fleshy Fruit. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:411. [PMID: 36679124 PMCID: PMC9866404 DOI: 10.3390/plants12020411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Non-coding RNAs play vital roles in the diverse biological processes of plants, and they are becoming key topics in horticulture research. In particular, miRNAs and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are receiving increased attention in fruit crops. Recent studies in horticulture research provide both genetic and molecular evidence that miRNAs and lncRNAs regulate biological function and stress responses during fruit development. Here, we summarize multiple regulatory modules of miRNAs and lncRNAs and their biological roles in fruit sets and stress responses, which would guide the development of molecular breeding techniques on horticultural crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reqing He
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Gene Engineering in Jiangxi Province, College of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Yajun Tang
- Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University Institute of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Weifang 261325, China
| | - Dong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Gene Engineering in Jiangxi Province, College of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
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12
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Sun D, Zhang J, He J, Geng Z, Li S, Zhang J, Li P, Zhang L, Wang Z, Wang L, Chen F, Song A. Whole-transcriptome profiles of Chrysanthemum seticuspe improve genome annotation and shed new light on mRNA-miRNA-lncRNA networks in ray florets and disc florets. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 22:515. [PMID: 36333790 PMCID: PMC9636758 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-022-03889-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chrysanthemum seticuspe has emerged as a model plant species of cultivated chrysanthemums, especially for studies involving diploid and self-compatible pure lines (Gojo-0). Its genome was sequenced and assembled into chromosomes. However, the genome annotation of C. seticuspe still needs to be improved to elucidate the complex regulatory networks in this species. RESULTS In addition to the 74,259 mRNAs annotated in the C. seticuspe genome, we identified 18,265 novel mRNAs, 51,425 novel lncRNAs, 501 novel miRNAs and 22,065 novel siRNAs. Two C-class genes and YABBY family genes were highly expressed in disc florets, while B-class genes were highly expressed in ray florets. A WGCNA was performed to identify the hub lncRNAs and mRNAs in ray floret- and disc floret-specific modules, and CDM19, BBX22, HTH, HSP70 and several lncRNAs were identified. ceRNA and lncNAT networks related to flower development were also constructed, and we found a latent functional lncNAT-mRNA combination, LXLOC_026470 and MIF2. CONCLUSIONS The annotations of mRNAs, lncRNAs and small RNAs in the C. seticuspe genome have been improved. The expression profiles of flower development-related genes, ceRNA networks and lncNAT networks were identified, laying a foundation for elucidating the regulatory mechanisms underlying disc floret and ray floret formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daojin Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Key Laboratory of Landscaping, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Key Laboratory of Landscaping, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Jun He
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Key Laboratory of Landscaping, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Zhiqiang Geng
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Key Laboratory of Landscaping, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Song Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Key Laboratory of Landscaping, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Jiali Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Key Laboratory of Landscaping, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Peiling Li
- Henan Key Laboratory of Tea Comprehensive utilization in South Henan, Xinyang Agriculture and Forestry University, Xinyang, 464000, China
| | - Lingling Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Key Laboratory of Landscaping, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Zhenxing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Key Laboratory of Landscaping, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Likai Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Key Laboratory of Landscaping, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Fadi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Key Laboratory of Landscaping, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Aiping Song
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Key Laboratory of Landscaping, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
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13
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Tomato MicroRNAs and Their Functions. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911979. [PMID: 36233279 PMCID: PMC9569937 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) define an essential class of non-coding small RNAs that function as posttranscriptional modulators of gene expression. They are coded by MIR genes, several hundreds of which exist in the genomes of Arabidopsis and rice model plants. The functional analysis of Arabidopsis and rice miRNAs indicate that their miRNAs regulate a wide range of processes including development, reproduction, metabolism, and stress. Tomato serves as a major model crop for the study of fleshy fruit development and ripening but until recently, information on the identity of its MIR genes and their coded miRNAs was limited and occasionally contradictory. As a result, the majority of tomato miRNAs remained uncharacterized. Recently, a comprehensive annotation of tomato MIR genes has been carried out by several labs and us. In this review, we curate and organize the resulting partially overlapping MIR annotations into an exhaustive and non-redundant atlas of tomato MIR genes. There are 538 candidate and validated MIR genes in the atlas, of which, 169, 18, and 351 code for highly conserved, Solanaceae-specific, and tomato-specific miRNAs, respectively. Furthermore, a critical review of functional studies on tomato miRNAs is presented, highlighting validated and possible functions, creating a useful resource for future tomato miRNA research.
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14
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Lu Y, Zhang J, Han Z, Han Z, Li S, Zhang J, Ma H, Han Y. Screening of differentially expressed microRNAs and target genes in two potato varieties under nitrogen stress. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 22:478. [PMID: 36207676 PMCID: PMC9547441 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-022-03866-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A reasonable supply of nitrogen (N) fertilizer is essential for obtaining high-quality, high-level, and stable potato yields, and an improvement in the N utilization efficiency can effectively reduce N fertilizer use. It is important to use accurate, straightforward, and efficient transgenic breeding techniques for the identification of genes that can improve nitrogen use efficiency, thus enabling us to achieve the ultimate goal of breeding N-efficient potato varieties. In recent years, some of the mechanisms of miRNAs have been elucidated via the analysis of the correlation between the expression levels of potato miRNA target genes and regulated genes under conditions of stress, but the role of miRNAs in the inhibition/expression of key genes regulating N metabolism under N stress is still unclear. Our study aimed to identify the role played by specific enzymes and miRNAs in the responses of plants to N stress. RESULTS The roots and leaves of the N-efficient potato variety, Yanshu4 ("Y"), and N-inefficient potato variety, Atlantic ("D"), were collected at the seedling and budding stages after they were exposed to different N fertilizer treatments. The miRNAs expressed differentially under the two types of N stress and their corresponding target genes were first predicted using miRNA and degradome analysis. Then, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to verify the expression of differential miRNAs that were closely related to N metabolism. Finally, the shearing relationship between stu-miR396-5p and its target gene StNiR was determined by analyzing luciferase activity levels. The results showed that NiR activity increased significantly with an increase in the applied N levels from the seedling stage to the budding stage, and NiR responded significantly to different N treatments. miRNA sequencing enabled us to predict 48 families with conserved miRNAs that were mainly involved in N metabolism, carbon metabolism, and amino acid biosynthesis. The differences in the expression of the following miRNAs were identified via screening (high expression levels and P < 0.05): stu-miR396-5p, stu-miR408b-3p_R-1, stu-miR3627-3p, stu-miR482a-3p, stu-miR8036-3p, stu-miR482a-5p, stu-miR827-5p, stu-miR156a_L-1, stu-miR827-3p, stu-miR172b-5p, stu-miR6022-p3_7, stu-miR398a-5p, and stu-miR166c-5p_L-3. Degradome analysis showed that most miRNAs had many-to-many relationships with target genes. The main target genes involved in N metabolism were NiR, NiR1, NRT2.5, and NRT2.7. qRT-PCR analysis showed that there were significant differences in the expression levels of stu-miR396-5p, stu-miR8036-3p, and stu-miR482a-3p in the leaves and roots of the Yanshu4 and Atlantic varieties at the seedling and budding stages under conditions that involved no N and excessive N application; the expression of these miRNAs was induced in response to N stress. The correlation between the differential expression of stu-miR396-5p and its corresponding target gene NiR was further verified by determining the luciferase activity level and was found to be strongly negative. CONCLUSION The activity of NiR was significantly positively correlated with N application from the seedling to the budding stage. Differential miRNAs and target genes showed a many-to-many relationship with each other. The expression of stu-miR396-5p, stu-miR482a-3p, and stu-miR8036-3p in the roots and leaves of the Yanshu4 and Atlantic varieties at the seedling and budding stages was notably different under two types of N stress. Under two types of N stress, stu-miR396-5p was down-regulated in Yanshu4 in the seedling-stage and shoot-stage roots, and up-regulated in seedling-stage roots and shoot-stage leaves; stu-miR482a-3p was up-regulated in the seedling and shoot stages. The expression of stu-miR8036-3p was up-regulated in the leaves and roots at the seedling and budding stages, and down-regulated in roots under both types of N stress. The gene expressing the key enzyme involved in N metabolism, StNiR, and the stu-miR396-5p luciferase assay reporter gene had a strong regulatory relationship with each other. This study provides candidate miRNAs related to nitrogen metabolism and highlights that differential miRNAs play a key role in nitrogen stress in potato, providing insights for future research on miRNAs and their target genes in nitrogen metabolic pathways and breeding nitrogen-efficient potatoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Lu
- College of Horticulture Research, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun City, 130118, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingying Zhang
- College of Horticulture Research, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun City, 130118, People's Republic of China
- College of Resources and Environment, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun City, 130118, P.R. China
| | - Zhijun Han
- College of Horticulture Research, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun City, 130118, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhongcai Han
- Jilin Provincial Research Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Changchun City, 130052, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuang Li
- Teaching and Research Base Management Office, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun City, 130118, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiayue Zhang
- College of Horticulture Research, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun City, 130118, People's Republic of China
| | - Haoran Ma
- College of Horticulture Research, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun City, 130118, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuzhu Han
- College of Horticulture Research, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun City, 130118, People's Republic of China.
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15
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He M, Kong X, Jiang Y, Qu H, Zhu H. MicroRNAs: emerging regulators in horticultural crops. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 27:936-951. [PMID: 35466027 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2022.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Horticulture is one of the oldest agricultural practices with great popularity throughout the world. Horticultural crops include fruits, vegetables, ornamental plants, as well as medicinal and beverage plants. They are cultivated for food, specific nutrition, and medical use, or for aesthetic pleasure. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), which constitute a major class of endogenous small RNAs in plants, affect a multitude of developmental and physiological processes by imparting sequence specificity to gene regulation. Over the past decade, tens of thousands of miRNAs have been identified in more than 100 horticultural crops and their critical roles in regulating quality development of diverse horticultural crops have been demonstrated. Here, we review how miRNAs have emerged as important regulators and promising tools for horticultural crop improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiying He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiangjin Kong
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yueming Jiang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hongxia Qu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Hong Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China.
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16
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Begum Y. Regulatory role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the recent development of abiotic stress tolerance of plants. Gene 2022; 821:146283. [PMID: 35143944 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a distinct groups of single-stranded non-coding, tiny regulatory RNAs approximately 20-24 nucleotides in length. miRNAs negatively influence gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and have evolved considerably in the development of abiotic stress tolerance in a number of model plants and economically important crop species. The present review aims to deliver the information on miRNA-mediated regulation of the expression of major genes or Transcription Factors (TFs), as well as genetic and regulatory pathways. Also, the information on adaptive mechanisms involved in plant abiotic stress responses, prediction, and validation of targets, computational tools, and databases available for plant miRNAs, specifically focus on their exploration for engineering abiotic stress tolerance in plants. The regulatory function of miRNAs in plant growth, development, and abiotic stresses consider in this review, which uses high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technologies to generate large-scale libraries of small RNAs (sRNAs) for conventional screening of known and novel abiotic stress-responsive miRNAs adds complexity to regulatory networks in plants. The discoveries of miRNA-mediated tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses, including salinity, drought, cold, heat stress, nutritional deficiency, UV-radiation, oxidative stress, hypoxia, and heavy metal toxicity, are highlighted and discussed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin Begum
- Department of Biophysics, Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Calcutta, 92, APC Road, Kolkata 700009, West Bengal, India; Center of Excellence in Systems Biology and Biomedical Engineering (TEQIP Phase-III), University of Calcutta, JD-2, Sector III, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700106, West Bengal, India.
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17
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Ma X, Zhao F, Zhou B. The Characters of Non-Coding RNAs and Their Biological Roles in Plant Development and Abiotic Stress Response. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23084124. [PMID: 35456943 PMCID: PMC9032736 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23084124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant growth and development are greatly affected by the environment. Many genes have been identified to be involved in regulating plant development and adaption of abiotic stress. Apart from protein-coding genes, more and more evidence indicates that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including small RNAs and long ncRNAs (lncRNAs), can target plant developmental and stress-responsive mRNAs, regulatory genes, DNA regulatory regions, and proteins to regulate the transcription of various genes at the transcriptional, posttranscriptional, and epigenetic level. Currently, the molecular regulatory mechanisms of sRNAs and lncRNAs controlling plant development and abiotic response are being deeply explored. In this review, we summarize the recent research progress of small RNAs and lncRNAs in plants, focusing on the signal factors, expression characters, targets functions, and interplay network of ncRNAs and their targets in plant development and abiotic stress responses. The complex molecular regulatory pathways among small RNAs, lncRNAs, and targets in plants are also discussed. Understanding molecular mechanisms and functional implications of ncRNAs in various abiotic stress responses and development will benefit us in regard to the use of ncRNAs as potential character-determining factors in molecular plant breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Ma
- Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Northeast Forestry University, Ministry of Education, Harbin 150040, China;
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Fei Zhao
- Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China
- Correspondence: (F.Z.); (B.Z.); Tel.: +86-0538-8243-965 (F.Z.); +86-0451-8219-1738 (B.Z.)
| | - Bo Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Northeast Forestry University, Ministry of Education, Harbin 150040, China;
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
- Correspondence: (F.Z.); (B.Z.); Tel.: +86-0538-8243-965 (F.Z.); +86-0451-8219-1738 (B.Z.)
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18
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Huang X, Xia R, Liu Y. microRNA mediated regulation in fruit quality. Curr Opin Food Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cofs.2022.100837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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19
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An Integrated Analysis of Transcriptome and miRNA Sequencing Provides Insights into the Dynamic Regulations during Flower Morphogenesis in Petunia. HORTICULTURAE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/horticulturae8040284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Published genome sequences can facilitate multiple genome sequencing studies of flower development, which can serve as the basis for later analysis of variation in flower phenotypes. To identify potential regulators related to flower morphology, we captured dynamic expression patterns under five different developmental stages of petunia flowers, a popular bedding plant, using transcriptome and miRNA sequencing. The significant transcription factor (TF) families, including MYB, MADS, and bHLH, were elucidated. MADS-box genes exhibited co-expression patterns with BBR-BPC, GATA, and Dof genes in different modules according to a weighted gene co-expression network analysis. Through miRNA sequencing, a total of 45 conserved and 26 novel miRNAs were identified. According to GO and KEGG enrichment analysis, the carbohydrate metabolic process, photosynthesis, and phenylalanine metabolism were significant at the transcriptomic level, while the response to hormone pathways was significantly enriched by DEmiR-targeted genes. Finally, an miRNA–RNA network was constructed, which suggested the possibility of novel miRNA-mediated regulation pathways being activated during flower development. Overall, the expression data in the present study provide novel insights into the developmental gene regulatory network facilitated by TFs, miRNA, and their target genes.
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20
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Aiese Cigliano R, Aversano R, Di Matteo A, Palombieri S, Termolino P, Angelini C, Bostan H, Cammareri M, Consiglio FM, Della Ragione F, Paparo R, Valkov VT, Vitiello A, Carputo D, Chiusano ML, D’Esposito M, Grandillo S, Matarazzo MR, Frusciante L, D’Agostino N, Conicella C. Multi-omics data integration provides insights into the post-harvest biology of a long shelf-life tomato landrace. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2022; 9:uhab042. [PMID: 35039852 PMCID: PMC8801724 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhab042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In this study we investigated the transcriptome and epigenome dynamics of the tomato fruit during post-harvest in a landrace belonging to a group of tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) collectively known as "Piennolo del Vesuvio", all characterized by a long shelf-life. Expression of protein-coding genes and microRNAs as well as DNA methylation patterns and histone modifications were analysed in distinct post-harvest phases. Multi-omics data integration contributed to the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying processes leading to long shelf-life. We unveiled global changes in transcriptome and epigenome. DNA methylation increased and the repressive histone mark H3K27me3 was lost as the fruit progressed from red ripe to 150 days post-harvest. Thousands of genes were differentially expressed, about half of which were potentially epi-regulated as they were engaged in at least one epi-mark change in addition to being microRNA targets in ~5% of cases. Down-regulation of the ripening regulator MADS-RIN and of genes involved in ethylene response and cell wall degradation was consistent with the delayed fruit softening. Large-scale epigenome reprogramming that occurred in the fruit during post-harvest likely contributed to delayed fruit senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Riccardo Aversano
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Universita’ 100, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Antonio Di Matteo
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Universita’ 100, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Samuela Palombieri
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council of Italy, Via Universita` 133, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Pasquale Termolino
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council of Italy, Via Universita` 133, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Claudia Angelini
- Institute for Applied Calculus, National Research Council of Italy, Via P. Castellino 111, 80131, Napoli
| | - Hamed Bostan
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Universita’ 100, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Maria Cammareri
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council of Italy, Via Universita` 133, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Federica Maria Consiglio
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council of Italy, Via Universita` 133, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Floriana Della Ragione
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics "Adriano Buzzati Traverso", National Research Council of Italy, Via P. Castellino 111, 80131, Napoli
| | - Rosa Paparo
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council of Italy, Via Universita` 133, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Vladimir Totev Valkov
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council of Italy, Via P. Castellino 111, 80131 Napoli, Italy
| | - Antonella Vitiello
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council of Italy, Via Universita` 133, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Domenico Carputo
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Universita’ 100, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Maria Luisa Chiusano
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Universita’ 100, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Maurizio D’Esposito
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics "Adriano Buzzati Traverso", National Research Council of Italy, Via P. Castellino 111, 80131, Napoli
| | - Silvana Grandillo
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council of Italy, Via Universita` 133, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Matarazzo
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics "Adriano Buzzati Traverso", National Research Council of Italy, Via P. Castellino 111, 80131, Napoli
| | - Luigi Frusciante
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Universita’ 100, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Nunzio D’Agostino
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Universita’ 100, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Clara Conicella
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council of Italy, Via Universita` 133, 80055 Portici, Italy
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21
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Rao S, Das JR, Balyan S, Verma R, Mathur S. Cultivar-biased regulation of HSFA7 and HSFB4a govern high-temperature tolerance in tomato. PLANTA 2022; 255:31. [PMID: 34982240 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-021-03813-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Cultivar-biased regulation of HSFB4a and HSFA7 mediates heat stress tolerance/sensitivity in tomato. Reduced HSFB4a repressor levels and enhanced HSFA7 activator levels govern thermo-tolerance in tolerant cultivars. Heat shock factors (HSFs) are at the core of heat stress (HS) response in plants. However, the contribution of HSFs governing the inherent thermo-tolerance mechanism in tomato from sub-tropical hot climates is poorly understood. With the above aim, comparative expression profiles of the HSF family in a HS-tolerant (CLN1621L) and -sensitive cultivars (CA4 and Pusa Ruby) of tomato under HS revealed cultivar-biased regulation of an activator (HSFA7) and a repressor (HSFB4a) class HSF. HSFA7 exhibited strong upregulation while HSFB4a showed downregulation in tolerant tomato cultivar upon HS. Functional characterization of HSFA7 and HSFB4a in a tolerant-sensitive cultivar pair by virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS)-based silencing and transient overexpression established them as a positive and a negative regulator of HS tolerance, respectively. Promoter:GUS reporter assays and promoter sequence analyses suggest heat-mediated transcriptional control of both the HSF genes in the contrasting cultivars. Moreover, degradome data highlighted HSFB4a is a probable target of microRNA Sly-miR4200. Transient in-planta Sly-MIR4200-effector:HSFB4a-reporter assays showed miRNA-dependent target down-regulation. Chelation of miRNA by short-tandem-target-mimic of Sly-miR4200 increased target abundance, highlighting a link between Sly-miR4200 and HSFB4a. This miRNA has induced several folds upon HS in the tolerant cultivar where HSFB4a levels are reduced, thus exhibiting the inverse miR:target expression. Thus, we speculate that the alleviation of HSFB4a and increased HSFA7 levels govern thermo-tolerance in the tolerant cultivar by regulating downstream heat stress-responsive genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sombir Rao
- National Institute of Plant Genome Research, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, P.O. Box No. 10531, New Delhi, 110 067, India
| | - Jaishri Rubina Das
- National Institute of Plant Genome Research, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, P.O. Box No. 10531, New Delhi, 110 067, India
| | - Sonia Balyan
- National Institute of Plant Genome Research, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, P.O. Box No. 10531, New Delhi, 110 067, India
| | - Radhika Verma
- National Institute of Plant Genome Research, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, P.O. Box No. 10531, New Delhi, 110 067, India
| | - Saloni Mathur
- National Institute of Plant Genome Research, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, P.O. Box No. 10531, New Delhi, 110 067, India.
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Zhai Y, Fan Z, Cui Y, Gu X, Chen S, Ma H. APETALA2/ethylene responsive factor in fruit ripening: Roles, interactions and expression regulation. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:979348. [PMID: 36061806 PMCID: PMC9434019 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.979348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Insects and animals are attracted to, and feed on ripe fruit, thereby promoting seed dispersal. As a vital vitamin and nutrient source, fruit make up an indispensable and enjoyable component of the human diet. Fruit ripening involves a series of physiological and biochemical changes in, among others, pigmentation, chlorophyll (Chl) degradation, texture, sugar accumulation, and flavor. Growing evidence indicates that the coordinated and ordered trait changes during fruit ripening depend on a complex regulatory network consisting of transcription factors, co-regulators, hormonal signals, and epigenetic modifications. As one of the predominant transcription factor families in plants and a downstream component of ethylene signaling, more and more studies are showing that APETALA2/ethylene responsive factor (AP2/ERF) family transcription factors act as critical regulators in fruit ripening. In this review, we focus on the regulatory mechanisms of AP2/ERFs in fruit ripening, and in particular the recent results on their target genes and co-regulators. We summarize and discuss the role of AP2/ERFs in the formation of key fruit-ripening attributes, the enactment of their regulatory mechanisms by interaction with other proteins, their role in the orchestration of phytohormone-signaling networks, and the epigenetic modifications associated with their gene expression. Our aim is to provide a multidimensional perspective on the regulatory mechanisms of AP2/ERFs in fruit ripening, and a reference for understanding and furthering research on the roles of AP2/ERF in fruit ripening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlei Zhai
- College of Horticulture, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiyi Fan
- College of Horticulture, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuanyuan Cui
- College of Horticulture, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaojiao Gu
- College of Horticulture, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Shangwu Chen
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Huiqin Ma
- College of Horticulture, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Huiqin Ma,
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23
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DNA methylation: from model plants to vegetable crops. Biochem Soc Trans 2021; 49:1479-1487. [PMID: 34060587 DOI: 10.1042/bst20210353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
As a subgroup of horticultural crops, vegetable food is a kind of indispensable energy source for human beings, providing necessary nutritional components including vitamins, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and active substances such as carotenoids and flavonoids. The developmental process of vegetable crops is not only regulated by environmental stimulations, but also manipulated by both genetic and epigenetic modifications. Epigenetic modifications are composed by several regulatory mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modification, chromatin remodeling, and non-coding RNAs. Among these modifications, DNA methylation functions in multiple biological pathways ranging from fundamental development to environmental stimulations by mediating transcriptomic alterations, resulting in the activation or silencing of target genes. In recent years, intensive studies have revealed that DNA methylation is essential to fruit development and ripening, indicating that the epigenome of fruit crops could be dynamically modified according to the specific requirements in the commercial production. Firstly, this review will present the mechanisms of DNA methylation, and update the understanding on active DNA demethylation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Secondly, this review will summarize the recent progress on the function of DNA methylation in regulating fruit ripening. Moreover, the possible functions of DNA methylation on controlling the expansion of edible organs, senescence of leafy vegetables, and anthocyanin pigmentation in several important vegetable crops will be discussed. Finally, this review will highlight the intractable issues that need to be resolved in the application of epigenome in vegetable crops, and provide perspectives for the potential challenges in the further studies.
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24
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MIR172d Is Required for Floral Organ Identity and Number in Tomato. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22094659. [PMID: 33925088 PMCID: PMC8124722 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
MicroRNA172 (miR172) functions as a central regulator of flowering time and flower development by post-transcriptional repression of APETALA2-LIKE transcription factors. In the model crop Solanum lycopersicum (tomato), the miR172 family is still poorly annotated and information about the functions of specific members is lacking. Here, de-novo prediction of tomato miR172 coding loci identified seven genes (SlMIR172a-g), that code for four unique species of miR172 (sly-miR172). During reproductive development, sly-miR172s are differentially expressed, with sly-miR172c and sly-miR172d being the most abundant members in developing flowers, and are predicted to guide the cleavage of eight APETALA2-LIKE transcription factors. By CRISPR-Cas9 co-targeting of SlMIR172c and SlMIR172d we have generated a battery of loss-of-function and hypomorphic mutants (slmir172c-dCR). The slmir172c-dCR plants developed normal shoot but their flowers displayed graded floral organ abnormalities. Whereas slmir172cCR loss-of-function caused only a slight greening of petals and stamens, hypomorphic and loss-of-function slmir172dCR alleles were associated with the conversion of petals and stamens to sepaloids, which were produced in excess. Interestingly, the degrees of floral organ identity alteration and proliferation were directly correlated with the reduction in sly-miR172d activity. These results suggest that sly-miR172d regulates in a dose-dependent manner floral organ identity and number, likely by negatively regulating its APETALA2-like targets.
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25
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Sheng L, Ma C, Chen Y, Gao H, Wang J. Genome-Wide Screening of AP2 Transcription Factors Involving in Fruit Color and Aroma Regulation of Cultivated Strawberry. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12040530. [PMID: 33916467 PMCID: PMC8067195 DOI: 10.3390/genes12040530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Fragaria × ananassa Duch, which among the youngest fruit crops, comprises many popular cultivars that are famous for their favored color and aroma. The regulation roles of AP2/ERF (APETALA2/ethylene-responsive element-binding factor) transcription factors in fruit flavor and color regulation have been studied in several fruit crops. The AP2 family of strawberry, which was ignored in recent AP2/ERF identification studies, was explored in this study. A total of 64 FaAP2 (Fragaria × ananassa AP2) transcription factors belonging to the euAP2, euANT (AINTEGUMENTA), and baselANT groups were identified with canonical insertion motifs in two AP2 domains. The motif identification illustrated that motifs 1, 5, and 2 indicated a corresponding AP2 domain repeat 1 with a linker region, and motifs 6, 4, 3 indicated a corresponding AP2 domain repeat 2, all of which were highly conserved. By synteny analysis, FaAP2 paralogs were identified in each sub-genome, and FaAP2 gene duplication and loss explained the unequal AP2 loci of sub-genomes. The expression profile in three cultivars indicated that six FaAP2 paralogs—four WRI (WRINKLED) gene homologs and two AP2 gene homologs—were candidate regulators of red fruit color and/or special fruit aroma. All these finds provide a basis for further investigations into role of AP2 in fruit color and aroma and would be helpful in the targeted selection of strawberry fruit quality to improve breeding.
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