Genetic analysis of variation in gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana

Transcriptome variations in hybrids of wild emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccoides)

BACKGROUND

Wild emmer wheat is a great candidate to revitalize domesticated wheat genetic diversity. Recent years have seen intensive investigation into the evolution and domestication of wild emmer wheat, including whole-genome DNA and transcriptome sequencing. However, the impact of intraspecific hybridization on the transcriptome of wild emmer wheat has been poorly studied. In this study, we assessed changes in methylation patterns and transcriptomic variations in two accessions of wild emmer wheat collected from two marginal populations, Mt. Hermon and Mt. Amasa, and in their stable F4 hybrid.

RESULTS

Methylation-Sensitive Amplified Polymorphism (MSAP) detected significant cytosine demethylation in F4 hybrids vs. parental lines, suggesting potential transcriptome variation. After a detailed analysis, we examined nine RNA-Seq samples, which included three biological replicates from the F4 hybrid and its parental lines. RNA-Seq databases contained approximately 200 million reads, with each library consisting of 15 to 25 million reads. There are a total of 62,490 well-annotated genes in these databases, with 6,602 genes showing differential expression between F4 hybrid and parental lines Mt. Hermon and Mt. Amasa. The differentially expressed genes were classified into four main categories based on their expression patterns. Gene ontology (GO) analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes are associated with DNA/RNA metabolism, photosynthesis, stress response, phosphorylation and developmental processes.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the significant transcriptomic changes resulting from intraspecific hybridization within natural plant populations, which might aid the nascent hybrid in adapting to various environmental conditions.

Transcriptome Shock in Developing Embryos of a Brassica napus and Brassica rapa Hybrid

Interspecific crosses that fuse the genomes of two different species may result in overall gene expression changes in the hybrid progeny, called 'transcriptome shock'. To better understand the expression pattern after genome merging during the early stages of allopolyploid formation, we performed RNA sequencing analysis on developing embryos of Brassica rapa, B. napus, and their synthesized allotriploid hybrids. Here, we show that the transcriptome shock occurs in the developing seeds of the hybrids. Of the homoeologous gene pairs, 17.1% exhibit expression bias, with an overall expression bias toward B. rapa. The expression level dominance also biases toward B. rapa, mainly induced by the expression change in homoeologous genes from B. napus. Functional enrichment analysis revealed significant differences in differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to photosynthesis, hormone synthesis, and other pathways. Further study showed that significant changes in the expression levels of the key transcription factors (TFs) could regulate the overall interaction network in the developing embryo, which might be an essential cause of phenotype change. In conclusion, the present results have revealed the global changes in gene expression patterns in developing seeds of the hybrid between B. rapa and B. napus, and provided novel insights into the occurrence of transcriptome shock for harnessing heterosis.

Transcriptome Analysis of Reciprocal Hybrids Between Crassostrea gigas and C. angulata Reveals the Potential Mechanisms Underlying Thermo-Resistant Heterosis

Heterosis, also known as hybrid vigor, is widely used in aquaculture, but the molecular causes for this phenomenon remain obscure. Here, we conducted a transcriptome analysis to unveil the gene expression patterns and molecular bases underlying thermo-resistant heterosis in Crassostrea gigas ♀ × Crassostrea angulata ♂ (GA) and C. angulata ♀ × C. gigas ♂ (AG). About 505 million clean reads were obtained, and 38,210 genes were identified, of which 3779 genes were differentially expressed between the reciprocal hybrids and purebreds. The global gene expression levels were toward the C. gigas genome in the reciprocal hybrids. In GA and AG, 95.69% and 92.00% of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) exhibited a non-additive expression pattern, respectively. We observed all gene expression modes, including additive, partial dominance, high and low dominance, and under- and over-dominance. Of these, 77.52% and 50.00% of the DEGs exhibited under- or over-dominance in GA and AG, respectively. The over-dominance DEGs common to reciprocal hybrids were significantly enriched in protein folding, protein refolding, and intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway, while the under-dominance DEGs were significantly enriched in cell cycle. As possible candidate genes for thermo-resistant heterosis, GRP78, major egg antigen, BAG, Hsp70, and Hsp27 were over-dominantly expressed, while MCM6 and ANAPC4 were under-dominantly expressed. This study extends our understanding of the thermo-resistant heterosis in oysters.

Unravelling structural, functional, evolutionary and genetic basis of SWEET transporters regulating abiotic stress tolerance in maize

Sugars Will Eventually be Exported Transporters (SWEETs) are the novel sugar transporters widely distributed among living systems. SWEETs play a crucial role in various bio-physiological processes, viz., plant developmental, nectar secretion, pollen development, and regulation of biotic and abiotic stresses, in addition to their prime sugar-transporting activity. Thus, in-depth structural, evolutionary, and functional characterization of maize SWEET transporters was performed for their utility in maize improvement. The mining of SWEET genes in the latest maize genome release (v.5) showed an uneven distribution of 20 ZmSWEETs. The comprehensive structural analyses and docking of ZmSWEETs with four sugars, viz., fructose, galactose, glucose, and sucrose, revealed frequent amino acid residues forming hydrogen (asparagine, valine, serine) and hydrophobic (tryptophan, glycine, and phenylalanine) interactions. Evolutionary analyses of SWEETs showed a mixed lineage with 50-100 % commonality of ortho-groups and -sequences evolved under strong purifying selection (Ka/Ks < 0.5). The duplication analysis showed non-functionalization (ZmSWEET18 in B73) and neo- and sub-functionalization (ZmSWEET3, ZmSWEET6, ZmSWEET9, ZmSWEET19, and ZmSWEET20) events in maize. Functional analyses of ZmSWEET genes through co-expression, in silico expression and qRT-PCR assays showed the relevance of ZmSWEETs expression in regulating drought, heat, and waterlogging stress tolerances in maize. The first ever ZmSWEET-regulatory network revealed 286 direct (ZmSWEET-TF: 140 ZmSWEET-miRNA: 146) and 1226 indirect (TF-TF: 597; TF-miRNA: 629) edges. The present investigation has given new insights into the complex transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation and the regulatory and functional relevance of ZmSWEETs in assigning stress tolerance in maize.

Diurnal transcriptomics analysis reveals the regulatory role of the circadian rhythm in super-hybrid rice LY2186

Heterosis, an important biological phenomenon wherein F₁ hybrids exhibit better performance than any of their parents, has been widely applied; however, its underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. Here, we studied and compared the dynamic transcriptional profiles of super-hybrid rice LY2186 and its parents at 17 time points during 2 day/night cycles and identified 1552 rhythmic differentially expressed genes (RDGs). Cluster and functional enrichment analyses revealed that the day- and night-phased RDGs were mainly enriched in the photosynthesis and stress response categories, respectively. Regulatory network analysis indicated that circadian-related RDGs are core components in both the day and night phases and extensively regulate downstream genes involved in photosynthesis, starch synthesis, plant hormone signal transduction, and other pathways. Furthermore, among the 282 RDGs mapped onto the quantitative tract loci of small intervals (≤100 genes), 72.3% were significantly enriched in the yield, vigor, and anatomy categories. These findings provide valuable information for exploring heterosis mechanisms further and guiding breeding practices.

Comparative Transcriptomic Analysis of Gene Expression Inheritance Patterns Associated with Cabbage Head Heterosis

The molecular mechanism of heterosis or hybrid vigor, where F1 hybrids of genetically diverse parents show superior traits compared to their parents, is not well understood. Here, we studied the molecular regulation of heterosis in four F1 cabbage hybrids that showed heterosis for several horticultural traits, including head size and weight. To examine the molecular mechanisms, we performed a global transcriptome profiling in the hybrids and their parents by RNA sequencing. The proportion of genetic variations detected as single nucleotide polymorphisms and small insertion–deletions as well as the numbers of differentially expressed genes indicated a larger role of the female parent than the male parent in the genetic divergence of the hybrids. More than 86% of hybrid gene expressions were non-additive. More than 81% of the genes showing divergent expressions showed dominant inheritance, and more than 56% of these exhibited maternal expression dominance. Gene expression regulation by cis-regulatory mechanisms appears to mediate most of the gene expression divergence in the hybrids; however, trans-regulatory factors appear to have a higher effect compared to cis-regulatory factors on parental expression divergence. These observations bring new insights into the molecular mechanisms of heterosis during the cabbage head development.

Dynamic patterns of circular and linear RNAs in maize hybrid and parental lines

Hybrid vigor, also known as heterosis, has been widely utilized in agronomic production of maize (Zea mays L.) and other crops. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying heterosis are still not fully understood. To provide a more complete understanding of the transcriptomic dynamics associated with heterosis, we collected a comprehensive set of sequence data on linear mRNA transcripts and circular RNAs (circRNAs) from seedling leaves of two widely used maize inbred lines and their F₁ hybrid at the V4 growth stage. We detected over 25,000 expressed genes with more than 1200 circRNAs that showed dramatic and distinct variations in expression level across the three genotypes. Although most linear and circular transcripts exhibited additive expression in the hybrid, the expression of circRNAs was more likely to be nonadditive. Interestingly, the levels of linear transcripts and their corresponding circRNAs from the same loci showed a significant relationship and coordinated expression mode across all three genotypes. Notably, in the hybrid, allele-specific expression of linear transcripts was significantly associated with the expression of circRNAs from the same locus, suggesting potential regulatory cross talk between linear and circular transcripts. Our study provides a deeper understanding of dynamic variations for both the linear and circular transcriptome in a classical hybrid triplet of maize.

Transcriptome and Metabolite Profiling Reveal Novel Insights into Volatile Heterosis in the Tea Plant (Camellia Sinensis)

Tea aroma is a key indicator for evaluating tea quality. Although notable success in tea aroma improvement has been achieved with heterosis breeding technology, the molecular basis underlying heterosis remains largely unexplored. Thus, the present report studies the tea plant volatile heterosis using a high-throughput next-generation RNA-seq strategy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Phenotypically, we found higher terpenoid volatile and green leaf volatile contents by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in the F1 hybrids than in their parental lines. Volatile heterosis was obvious in both F1 hybrids. At the molecular level, the comparative transcriptomics analysis revealed that approximately 41% (9027 of 21,995) of the genes showed non-additive expression, whereas only 7.83% (1723 of 21,995) showed additive expression. Among the non-additive genes, 42.1% showed high parental dominance and 17.6% showed over-dominance. Among different expression genes with high parental dominance and over-dominance expression patterns, KEGG and GO analyses found that plant hormone signal transduction, tea plant physiological process related pathways and most pathways associated with tea tree volatiles were enriched. In addition, we identified multiple genes (CsDXS, CsAATC2, CsSPLA2, etc.) and transcription factors (CsMYB1, CsbHLH79, CsWRKY40, etc.) that played important roles in tea volatile heterosis. Based on transcriptome and metabolite profiling, we conclude that non-additive action plays a major role in tea volatile heterosis. Genes and transcription factors involved in tea volatiles showing over-dominance expression patterns can be considered candidate genes and provide novel clues for breeding high-volatile tea varieties.

Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals important roles of nonadditive genes in maize hybrid An'nong 591 under heat stress

BACKGROUND

Heterosis is the superior performance of F₁ hybrids relative to their parental lines for a wide range of traits. In this study, expression profiling and heterosis associated genes were analyzed by RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) in seedlings of the maize hybrid An'nong 591 and its parental lines under control and heat stress conditions.

RESULTS

Through performing nine pairwise comparisons, the maximum number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was detected between the two parental lines, and the minimum number was identified between the F₁ hybrid and the paternal lines under both conditions, which suggested greater genetic contribution of the paternal line to heat stress tolerance. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis of the 4518 common DEGs indicated that GO terms associated with diverse stress responses and photosynthesis were highly overrepresented in the 76 significant terms of the biological process category. A total of 3970 and 7653 genes exhibited nonadditive expression under control and heat stress, respectively. Among these genes, 2253 (56.8%) genes overlapped, suggesting that nonadditive genes tend to be conserved in expression. In addition, 5400 nonadditive genes were found to be specific for heat stress condition, and further GO analysis indicated that terms associated with stress responses were significantly overrepresented, and 60 genes were assigned to the GO term response to heat. Pathway enrichment analysis indicated that 113 genes were involved in spliceosome metabolic pathways. Nineteen of the 33 overlapping genes assigned to the GO term response to heat showed significantly higher number of alternative splicing (AS) events under heat stress than under control conditions, suggesting that AS of these genes play an important role in response to heat stress.

CONCLUSIONS

This study reveals the transcriptomic divergence of the maize F₁ hybrid and its parental lines under control and heat stress conditions, and provides insight into the underlying molecular mechanisms of heterosis and the response to heat stress in maize.

Differential regulation and interaction of homoeologous WRKY18 and WRKY40 in Arabidopsis allotetraploids and biotic stress responses

WRKY transcription factors (TFs) belong to a large family of regulatory proteins in plants that modulate many plant processes. Extensive studies have been conducted on WRKY-mediated defense response in Arabidopsis thaliana and several crop species. Here, we aimed to investigate the potential roles and contributions of WRKY TFs in improving the defense response in the resynthesized Arabidopsis allotetraploids (Arabidopsis suecica) derived from two related autotetraploid progenitors, Arabidopsis thaliana (At4) and Arabidopsis arenosa (Aa). Rapid and differential induction of WRKY18 and WRKY40 expression was evident in response to Pseudomonas syringae and salicylic acid (SA) treatments in the allotetraploids. Selected direct targets of the WRKYs and PR1 also showed altered induction kinetics in the allotetraploids. Cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence analysis further revealed the accumulation of preferential homoeologous alleles (AtWRKY18, AaWRKY40, and AtWRKY60) in the allotetraploids, suggesting the potential for altered protein-protein interaction networks in the hybrids. Indeed, results showed that the cis-interacting AtWRKY18/AtWRKY18 homodimer or trans-interacting AtWRKY18/AaWRKY40 heterodimer exists as the preferred dimer interaction. Moreover, differential affinities of WRKY18 and WRKY40 homo- and heterodimers toward the W-boxes in the WRKY60 promoter were observed. Transient and stable expression of the selected WRKYs in transgenic Arabidopsis further supported the idea that differential interactions lead to changes in PR1 induction and direct target expression under stress, respectively. Our data suggest that differential expression as well as differences in the strength of protein-protein and/or protein-DNA interactions among the WRKY homoeologs could lead to altered regulatory networks of defense genes, contributing to improved defense in allotetraploids.

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Growth-Related Genes in Juvenile Chinese Sea Cucumber, Russian Sea Cucumber, and Their Hybrids

Heterosis is important for sea cucumber breeding, but its molecular mechanism remains largely unexplored. In this study, parental lines of Apostichopus japonicus from Russia (R) and China (C) were used to construct hybrids (CR and RC) by reciprocal crossing. We examined the transcriptional profiles of the hybrids (CR and RC) and the purebreds (CC and RR) at different developmental times. A total of 60.27 Gb of clean data was obtained, and 176,649 unigenes were identified, of which 50,312 unigenes were annotated. A total of 414,536 SNPs were identified. A total of 7011 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained between the purebreds and hybrids at 45 days after fertilization (DAF), and a total of 8218 DEGs were obtained between the purebreds and hybrids at 75 DAF. In addition, a total of 7652 DEGs were obtained between 45 DAF and 75 DAF. The significant DEGs were mainly involved in the MAPK and FOXO signaling pathways, especially in the Ras-Raf-MEK1/2-ERK module, which may be a key regulator of development and growth in juvenile A. japonicus. In addition, we also identified key growth-related genes, such as fgfs, igfs, megfs and hgfs, which were upregulated in the hybrids (RC and CR); these genes may play important roles in heterosis in A. japonicus. Our study provides fundamental information on the molecular mechanisms underlying heterosis in sea cucumber and might suggest strategies for the selection of rapidly growing strains of sea cucumber in aquaculture.

Transcriptomic analyses reveal molecular mechanisms underlying growth heterosis and weakness of rubber tree seedlings

BACKGROUND

Breeding rubber tree seedling with growth heterosis is vital for natural rubber production. It is the prerequisites for effectively utilizing growth heterosis to elucidate its molecular mechanisms, but the molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood in rubber tree. To elucidate seedling growth heterosis, we conducted comparative transcriptomic analyses between the two hybrids and their parents.

RESULTS

By identifying and comparing differently expressed genes (DEGs), we found that the hybrids (BT 3410 and WC 11) show significantly differential expression profiles from their parents (PR 107 and RRIM 600). In BT 3410-parent triad, 1092 (49.95%) and 1094 (50.05%) DEGs indicated clear underdominance or overdominance, respectively. Whereas in WC 11-parent triad, most DEGs (78.2%, 721) showed low- or high-parent dominance; 160 (17.35%) exhibited expression patterns that are not statistically distinguishable from additivity, and 8 (0.87%) and 33 (3.58%) DEGs exhibited underdominance and overdominance, respectively. Furthermore, some biological processes are differentially regulated between two hybrids. Interestingly, the pathway in response to stimulus is significantly downregulated and metabolic pathways are more highly regulated in BT 3410.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, the genotypes, transcriptomes and biological pathways (especially, carbohydrate metabolism) are highly divergent between two hybrids, which may be associated with growth heterosis and weakness. Analyzing gene action models in hybrid-parent triads, we propose that overdominance may play important roles on growth heterosis, whereas dominance on hybrid weakness in rubber tree seedlings. These findings bring new insights into our understanding of growth heterosis of rubber tree seedling.

Variable Level of Dominance of Candidate Genes Controlling Drought Functional Traits in Maize Hybrids

Breeding maize for drought tolerance necessitates the knowledge on tolerant genotypes, molecular basis of drought tolerance mechanism, action, and expression pattern of genes. Studying the expression pattern and gene action of candidate genes during drought stress in the hybrids will help in choosing target genes for drought tolerance breeding. In the present investigation, a set of five hybrids and their seven parents with a variable level of tolerance to drought stress was selected to study the magnitude and the direction of 52 drought-responsive candidate genes distributed across various biological functions, viz., stomatal regulation, root development, detoxification, hormone signaling, photosynthesis, and sugar metabolism. The tolerant parents, HKI1105 and CML425, and their hybrid, ADWLH2, were physiologically active under drought stress, since vital parameters viz., chlorophyll, root length and relative water content, were on par with the respective well-watered control. All the genes were up-regulated in ADWLH2, many were down-regulated in HM8 and HM9, and most were down-regulated in PMH1 and PMH3 in the shoots and roots. The nature of the gene action was controlled by the parental combination rather than the parent per se. The differentially expressed genes in all five hybrids explained a mostly non-additive gene action over additivity, which was skewed toward any of the parental lines. Tissue-specific gene action was also noticed in many of the genes. The non-additive gene action is driven by genetic diversity, allele polymorphism, events during gene regulation, and small RNAs under the stress condition. Differential regulation and cross-talk of genes controlling various biological functions explained the basis of drought tolerance in subtropical maize hybrids. The nature of the gene action and the direction of the expression play crucial roles in designing introgression and hybrid breeding programmes to breed drought tolerant maize hybrids.

Stability of Single-Parent Gene Expression Complementation in Maize Hybrids upon Water Deficit Stress

Heterosis is the superior performance of F1 hybrids compared with their homozygous, genetically distinct parents. In this study, we monitored the transcriptomic divergence of the maize (Zea mays) inbred lines B73 and Mo17 and their reciprocal F1 hybrid progeny in primary roots under control and water deficit conditions simulated by polyethylene glycol treatment. Single-parent expression (SPE) of genes is an extreme instance of gene expression complementation, in which genes are active in only one of two parents but are expressed in both reciprocal hybrids. In this study, 1,997 genes only expressed in B73 and 2,024 genes only expressed in Mo17 displayed SPE complementation under control and water deficit conditions. As a consequence, the number of active genes in hybrids exceeded the number of active genes in the parental inbred lines significantly independent of treatment. SPE patterns were substantially more stable to expression changes by water deficit treatment than other genotype-specific expression profiles. While, on average, 75% of all SPE patterns were not altered in response to polyethylene glycol treatment, only 17% of the remaining genotype-specific expression patterns were not changed by water deficit. Nonsyntenic genes that lack syntenic orthologs in other grass species, and thus evolved late in the grass lineage, were significantly overrepresented among SPE genes. Hence, the significant overrepresentation of nonsyntenic genes among SPE patterns and their stability under water limitation might suggest a function of these genes during the early developmental manifestation of heterosis under fluctuating environmental conditions in hybrid progeny of the inbred lines B73 and Mo17.

The Interplay of Temperature and Genotype on Patterns of Alternative Splicing in Drosophila melanogaster

Alternative splicing is the highly regulated process of variation in the removal of introns from premessenger-RNA transcripts. The consequences of alternative splicing on the phenotype are well documented, but the impact of the environment on alternative splicing is not yet clear. We studied variation in alternative splicing among four different temperatures, 13, 18, 23, and 29°, in two Drosophila melanogaster genotypes. We show plasticity of alternative splicing with up to 10% of the expressed genes being differentially spliced between the most extreme temperatures for a given genotype. Comparing the two genotypes at different temperatures, we found <1% of the genes being differentially spliced at 18°. At extreme temperatures, however, we detected substantial differences in alternative splicing-with almost 10% of the genes having differential splicing between the genotypes: a magnitude similar to between species differences. Genes with differential alternative splicing between genotypes frequently exhibit dominant inheritance. Remarkably, the pattern of surplus of differences in alternative splicing at extreme temperatures resembled the pattern seen for gene expression intensity. Since different sets of genes were involved for the two phenotypes, we propose that purifying selection results in the reduction of differences at benign temperatures. Relaxed purifying selection at temperature extremes, on the other hand, may cause the divergence in gene expression and alternative splicing between the two strains in rarely encountered environments.

Gene expression analysis and SNP/InDel discovery to investigate yield heterosis of two rubber tree F1 hybrids

As an important industrial material, natural rubber is mainly harvested from the rubber tree. Rubber tree breeding is inefficient, expensive and time-consuming, whereas marker-assisted selection is a feasible method for early selection of high-yield hybrids. We thus sequenced and analyzed the transcriptomes of two parent rubber trees (RRIM 600 and PR 107) and their most productive hybrids (RY 7-33-97 and RY 7-20-59) to understand their gene expression patterns and genetic variations including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and small insertions/deletions (InDels). We discovered >31,000 genetic variations in 112,702 assembled unigenes. Our results showed that the higher yield in F₁ hybrids was positively associated with their higher genome heterozygosity, which was further confirmed by genotyping 10 SNPs in 20 other varieties. We also showed that RY 7-33-97 and RY 7-20-59 were genetically closer to RRIM 600 and PR 107, respectively, in agreement with both their phenotypic similarities and gene expression profiles. After identifying ethylene- and jasmonic acid–responsive genes at the transcription level, we compared and analyzed the genetic variations underlying rubber biosynthesis and the jasmonic acid and ethylene pathways in detail. Our results suggest that genome-wide genetic variations play a substantive role in maintaining rubber tree heterosis.

Transcriptomic changes following synthesis of a Populus full-sib diploid and allotriploid population with different heterozygosities driven by three types of 2n female gamete

Diploid gametes are usually applied to produce triploids of Populus [originating from first-division restitution (FDR), second-division restitution (SDR), and postmeiotic restitution (PMR) 2n eggs]. Three types of 2n gametes transmitted different parental heterozygosities in Populus. Failed spindle formation and no chromosomal separation to opposite poles during meiosis I mean that FDR 2n gametes carry nonsister chromatids that are potentially heterozygous. By contrast, SDR 2n gametes result from failed sister chromatid separation in meiosis II, and therefore, they carry sister chromatid that are potentially homozygous. Completely homozygous 2n gametes can arise from the PMR mechanism. The alteration of gene expression resulting from allopolyploidization is a prominent feature in plants. We compared gene expression in the full-sib progeny of three allotriploid Populus populations (triploid-F, triploid-S, and triploid-P) with that in its parent species, and their full-sib diploid F1 hybrid. Genome-wide expression level dominance was biased toward the maternal in the diploid F1 hybrid and three allotriploid populations, whereas our data indicated important, but different, effects of the transmission of different heterozygosity by 2n female gametes in the expression patterns of allopolyploids. Because of the higher level of heterozygosity, the triploids had higher rates of non-additive and transgressive expression patterns in the triploid-F than in triploid-S and triploid-P. Compared with diploid F1, about 30-fold more genes (251) were differently expressed in the triploid-F than in the triploid-S (9) and triploid-P (8), respectively. These findings indicate that hybridization and polyploidization have immediate and distinct effects on the large-scale patterns of gene expression, and different effects on the transmission of heterozygosity by three 2n female gametes.

Heterosis and differential gene expression in hybrids and parents in Bombyx mori by digital gene expression profiling

Heterosis is a concern to all breeders, but the mechanism of heterosis remains unknown. In F1 organisms, genetic material is inherited from the two parents and theoretically, heterosis might be caused by differences in gene expression or modification. Differential gene expression was analyzed in hybrids and parents in Bombyx mori. The results showed that there were significant changes in gene expression in the fat body involving biological regulation, cellular and metabolic processes. Consistent trends in expression patterns covering different hybrid combinations were seen in 74 genes. Moreover, these differential gene expression patterns included overdominance, dominance, and additive effects. By correlating these patterns with economic traits, a potential relationship was found. Differential gene expression was seen in different cross combinations and in different sexes. In addition, a regulatory mechanism involving metabolism and ErbB signaling pathways was also found, suggesting that such a network might also be related to heterosis in Bombyx mori. Together, our data provide a comprehensive overview and useful resource for transcriptional analysis of heterosis of Bombyx mori.

The regulatory network mediated by circadian clock genes is related to heterosis in rice

Exploitation of heterosis in rice (Oryza sativa L.) has contributed greatly to global food security. In this study, we generated three sets of reciprocal F1 hybrids of indica and japonica subspecies to evaluate the relationship between yield heterosis and the circadian clock. There were no differences in trait performance or heterosis between the reciprocal hybrids, indicating no maternal effects on heterosis. The indica-indica and indica-japonica reciprocal F1 hybrids exhibited pronounced heterosis for chlorophyll and starch content in leaves and for grain yield/biomass. In contrast, the japonica-japonica F1 hybrids showed low heterosis. The three circadian clock genes investigated expressed in an above-high-parent pattern (AHP) at seedling stage in all the hybrids. The five genes downstream of the circadian clock, and involved in chlorophyll and starch metabolic pathways, were expressed in AHP in hybrids with strong better-parent heterosis (BPH). Similarly, three of these five genes in the japonica-japonica F1 hybrids showing low BPH were expressed in positive overdominance, but the other two genes were expressed in additive or negative overdominance. These results indicated that the expression patterns of circadian clock genes and their downstream genes are associated with heterosis, which suggests that the circadian rhythm pathway may be related to heterosis in rice.

Genomic variation in Arabidopsis: tools and insights from next-generation sequencing

The release of a reference genome for Arabidopsis thaliana in 2000 has been an enormous boon for the study of plant genetics. Less than a decade later, however, a revolution in sequencing technology had enabled rapid and inexpensive re-sequencing of whole A. thaliana genomes. Large-scale efforts to characterize natural genomic variation in A. thaliana have revealed remarkable intra-specific variation in this species, ranging from single-nucleotide differences to large structural rearrangements. The partitioning of this variation by geography and local adaptation has been described using powerful new methods and tools. Simultaneously, an ambitious research agenda has emerged to sequence 1001 A. thaliana lines from around the world, while sequencing of related species is enabling powerful evolutionary genomic analyses. In this review, I summarize recent progress in genomic analysis of natural variation in A. thaliana and its close relatives. This progress has set the stage for the emergence of Arabidopsis as a model genus for evolutionary and functional genomics.

Heterosis in early maize ear inflorescence development: a genome-wide transcription analysis for two maize inbred lines and their hybrid

Heterosis, or hybrid vigor, contributes to superior agronomic performance of hybrids compared to their inbred parents. Despite its importance, little is known about the genetic and molecular basis of heterosis. Early maize ear inflorescences formation affects grain yield, and are thus an excellent model for molecular mechanisms involved in heterosis. To determine the parental contributions and their regulation during maize ear-development-genesis, we analyzed genome-wide digital gene expression profiles in two maize elite inbred lines (B73 and Mo17) and their F₁ hybrid using deep sequencing technology. Our analysis revealed 17,128 genes expressed in these three genotypes and 22,789 genes expressed collectively in the present study. Approximately 38% of the genes were differentially expressed in early maize ear inflorescences from heterotic cross, including many transcription factor genes and some presence/absence variations (PAVs) genes, and exhibited multiple modes of gene action. These different genes showing differential expression patterns were mainly enriched in five cellular component categories (organelle, cell, cell part, organelle part and macromolecular complex), five molecular function categories (structural molecule activity, binding, transporter activity, nucleic acid binding transcription factor activity and catalytic activity), and eight biological process categories (cellular process, metabolic process, biological regulation, regulation of biological process, establishment of localization, cellular component organization or biogenesis, response to stimulus and localization). Additionally, a significant number of genes were expressed in only one inbred line or absent in both inbred lines. Comparison of the differences of modes of gene action between previous studies and the present study revealed only a small number of different genes had the same modes of gene action in both maize seedlings and ear inflorescences. This might be an indication that in different tissues or developmental stages, different global expression patterns prevail, which might nevertheless be related to heterosis. Our results support the hypotheses that multiple molecular mechanisms (dominance and overdominance modes) contribute to heterosis.

Comparative transcriptional profiling of three super-hybrid rice combinations

Utilization of heterosis has significantly increased rice yields. However, its mechanism remains unclear. In this study, comparative transcriptional profiles of three super-hybrid rice combinations, LY2163, LY2186 and LYP9, at the flowering and filling stages, were created using rice whole-genome oligonucleotide microarray. The LY2163, LY2186 and LYP9 hybrids yielded 1193, 1630 and 1046 differentially expressed genes (DGs), accounting for 3.2%, 4.4% and 2.8% of the total number of genes (36,926), respectively, after using the z-test (p < 0.01). Functional category analysis showed that the DGs in each hybrid combination were mainly classified into the carbohydrate metabolism and energy metabolism categories. Further analysis of the metabolic pathways showed that DGs were significantly enriched in the carbon fixation pathway (p < 0.01) for all three combinations. Over 80% of the DGs were located in rice quantitative trait loci (QTLs) of the Gramene database, of which more than 90% were located in the yield related QTLs in all three combinations, which suggested that there was a correlation between DGs and rice heterosis. Pathway Studio analysis showed the presence of DGs in the circadian regulatory network of all three hybrid combinations, which suggested that the circadian clock had a role in rice heterosis. Our results provide information that can help to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying rice heterosis.

Transcriptomic and physiological variations of three Arabidopsis ecotypes in response to salt stress

Salt stress is one of the major abiotic stresses in agriculture worldwide. Analysis of natural genetic variation in Arabidopsis is an effective approach to characterize candidate salt responsive genes. Differences in salt tolerance of three Arabidopsis ecotypes were compared in this study based on their responses to salt treatments at two developmental stages: seed germination and later growth. The Sha ecotype had higher germination rates, longer roots and less accumulation of superoxide radical and hydrogen peroxide than the Ler and Col ecotypes after short term salt treatment. With long term salt treatment, Sha exhibited higher survival rates and lower electrolyte leakage. Transcriptome analysis revealed that many genes involved in cell wall, photosynthesis, and redox were mainly down-regulated by salinity effects, while transposable element genes, microRNA and biotic stress related genes were significantly changed in comparisons of Sha vs. Ler and Sha vs. Col. Several pathways involved in tricarboxylic acid cycle, hormone metabolism and development, and the Gene Ontology terms involved in response to stress and defense response were enriched after salt treatment, and between Sha and other two ecotypes. Collectively, these results suggest that the Sha ecotype is preconditioned to withstand abiotic stress. Further studies about detailed gene function are needed. These comparative transcriptomic and analytical results also provide insight into the complexity of salt stress tolerance mechanisms.

Pollen transcriptome analysis of Solanum tuberosum (2n = 4x = 48), S. demissum (2n = 6x = 72), and their reciprocal F1 hybrids

Pollen mRNAs were different in reciprocal F 1 hybrids, which were probably caused by a cytoplasm-nuclear chromosomal genes interaction. We have found reciprocal differences in crossability between F1 hybrids of Solanum tuberosum (T) and a Mexican wild potato species S. demissum (D). When the reciprocal hybrids were crossed as pollen parents with S. demissum, a significantly higher berry-setting rate was obtained in TD compared with DT. In this study, we performed a whole-genome transcript analysis of the pollen mRNA using a high-throughput sequencer. We obtained 12.6 billion bases that were aligned into 13,020 transcripts with 9,366 loci. All possible genetic modes were observed between the parents and their progeny, where over-dominance and under-recessive types were relatively frequent (15.7 and 15.3 %, respectively). We found that 59.1 % of transcripts were more abundant in TD and over fourfold higher transcription levels were found in 66 TD transcripts and three DT transcripts. A higher proportion of over-dominance and a lower proportion of under-recessive transcription types were also observed in TD. The percentage contributions of multiple transcripts at the same locus varied greatly and were transcribed differently between species. In the new allelic combinations created by hybridization, approximately three-fourth of the transcripts had intermediate percentage contributions between the parents but no differential transcription patterns were apparent between the reciprocal hybrids. A broad spectrum of functionally different nuclear genes was over-represented in TD pollen, some of which were directly related to pollen behavior. Since TD and DT pollen had the same composition of nuclear genes, a cytoplasm-nuclear chromosomal genes interaction is suggested for the cause of transcriptional and phenotypic differences between reciprocal hybrids.

Transcriptome analysis of artificial hybrid pufferfish Jiyan-1 and its parental species: implications for pufferfish heterosis

Jiyan-1 puffer, the F1 hybrid of Takifugu rubripes and Takifugu flavidus, displays obvious heterosis in the growth performance, flavor and stress tolerance. In the present study, comparative analysis for the transcriptomes of T. rubripes, T. flavidus and Jiyan-1 was performed aiming to reveal the possible mechanisms of heterosis in pufferfish. Whole transcriptomes were sequenced using the SOLiD4 platform, and a total of 44,305 transcripts corresponding to 18,164 genes were identified collectively. A total of 14,148 transcripts were differentially expressed. By comparing the gene expression patterns of the three samples, the coexistence of overdominance, dominance, underdominance and additivity was observed in the gene action modes of Jiyan-1. There were 2,237 transcripts in the intersection of the differentially expressed transcripts from Jiyan-1 versus T. rubripes and Jiyan-1 versus T. flavidus, among which 213 transcripts were also in the T. rubripes versus T. flavidus. The potential functions of the remaining 2,024 transcripts were mainly associated with metabolic process, nucleotide binding and catalytic activity. The enrichment results indicated metabolism was the most activated biological function in the heterosis. In addition, 35 KEGG pathways were retrieved as affiliated with more than three differentially expressed transcripts and 8,579 potentially novel transcript isoforms were identified for Jiyan-1. The present study revealed the coexistence of multiple gene actions in the hybrid puffer, indicated the importance of metabolism, ion binding function and kinase activity, as well as provided a list of candidate genes and pathways for heterosis. It could be helpful for the better understanding of the determination and regulation mechanisms of heterosis.

Transcriptome analysis of rice root heterosis by RNA-Seq

Background

Heterosis is a phenomenon in which hybrids exhibit superior performance relative to parental phenotypes. In addition to the heterosis of above-ground agronomic traits on which most existing studies have focused, root heterosis is also an indispensable component of heterosis in the entire plant and of major importance to plant breeding. Consequently, systematic investigations of root heterosis, particularly in reproductive-stage rice, are needed. The recent advent of RNA sequencing technology (RNA-Seq) provides an opportunity to conduct in-depth transcript profiling for heterosis studies.

Results

Using the Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform, the root transcriptomes of the super-hybrid rice variety Xieyou 9308 and its parents were analyzed at tillering and heading stages. Approximately 391 million high-quality paired-end reads (100-bp in size) were generated and aligned against the Nipponbare reference genome. We found that 38,872 of 42,081 (92.4%) annotated transcripts were represented by at least one sequence read. A total of 829 and 4186 transcripts that were differentially expressed between the hybrid and its parents (DG_HP) were identified at tillering and heading stages, respectively. Out of the DG_HP, 66.59% were down-regulated at the tillering stage and 64.41% were up-regulated at the heading stage. At the heading stage, the DG_HP were significantly enriched in pathways related to processes such as carbohydrate metabolism and plant hormone signal transduction, with most of the key genes that are involved in the two pathways being up-regulated in the hybrid. Several significant DG_HP that could be mapped to quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for yield and root traits are also involved in carbohydrate metabolism and plant hormone signal transduction pathways.

Conclusions

An extensive transcriptome dataset was obtained by RNA-Seq, giving a comprehensive overview of the root transcriptomes at tillering and heading stages in a heterotic rice cross and providing a useful resource for the rice research community. Using comparative transcriptome analysis, we detected DG_HP and identified a group of potential candidate transcripts. The changes in the expression of the candidate transcripts may lay a foundation for future studies on molecular mechanisms underlying root heterosis.

Progress toward understanding heterosis in crop plants

Although heterosis, or hybrid vigor, is widely exploited in agriculture, a complete description of its molecular underpinnings has remained elusive despite extensive investigation. It appears that there is not a single, simple explanation for heterosis. Instead, it is likely that heterosis arises in crosses between genetically distinct individuals as a result of a diversity of mechanisms. Heterosis generally results from the action of multiple loci, and different loci affect heterosis for different traits and in different hybrids. Hence, multigene models are likely to prove most informative for understanding heterosis. Complementation of allelic variation, as well as complementation of variation in gene content and gene expression patterns, is likely to be an important contributor to heterosis. Epigenetic variation has the potential to interact in hybrid genotypes via novel mechanisms. Several other intriguing hypotheses are also under investigation. In crops, heterosis must be considered within the context of the genomic impacts of prior selection for agronomic traits.

RNA-seq analysis of allele-specific expression, hybrid effects, and regulatory divergence in hybrids compared with their parents from natural populations

Hybridization is a prominent process among natural plant populations that can result in phenotypic novelty, heterosis, and changes in gene expression. The effects of intraspecific hybridization on F1 hybrid gene expression were investigated using parents from divergent, natural populations of Cirsium arvense, an invasive Compositae weed. Using an RNA-seq approach, the expression of 68,746 unigenes was quantified in parents and hybrids. The expression levels of 51% of transcripts differed between parents, a majority of which had less than 1.25× fold-changes. More unigenes had higher expression in the invasive parent (P1) than the noninvasive parent (P2). Of those that were divergently expressed between parents, 10% showed additive and 81% showed nonadditive (transgressive or dominant) modes of gene action in the hybrids. A majority of the dominant cases had P2-like expression patterns in the hybrids. Comparisons of allele-specific expression also enabled a survey of cis- and trans-regulatory effects. Cis- and trans-regulatory divergence was found at 70% and 68% of 62,281 informative single-nucleotide polymorphism sites, respectively. Of the 17% of sites exhibiting both cis- and trans-effects, a majority (70%) had antagonistic regulatory interactions (cis x trans); trans-divergence tended to drive higher expression of the P1 allele, whereas cis-divergence tended to increase P2 transcript abundance. Trans-effects correlated more highly than cis with parental expression divergence and accounted for a greater proportion of the regulatory divergence at sites with additive compared with nonadditive inheritance patterns. This study explores the nature of, and types of mechanisms underlying, expression changes that occur in upon intraspecific hybridization in natural populations.

Complementation contributes to transcriptome complexity in maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids relative to their inbred parents

Typically, F₁-hybrids are more vigorous than their homozygous, genetically distinct parents, a phenomenon known as heterosis. In the present study, the transcriptomes of the reciprocal maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids B73×Mo17 and Mo17×B73 and their parental inbred lines B73 and Mo17 were surveyed in primary roots, early in the developmental manifestation of heterotic root traits. The application of statistical methods and a suitable experimental design established that 34,233 (i.e., 86%) of all high-confidence maize genes were expressed in at least one genotype. Nearly 70% of all expressed genes were differentially expressed between the two parents and 42%–55% of expressed genes were differentially expressed between one of the parents and one of the hybrids. In both hybrids, ∼10% of expressed genes exhibited nonadditive gene expression. Consistent with the dominance model (i.e., complementation) for heterosis, 1124 genes that were expressed in the hybrids were expressed in only one of the two parents. For 65 genes, it could be shown that this was a consequence of complementation of genomic presence/absence variation. For dozens of other genes, alleles from the inactive inbred were activated in the hybrid, presumably via interactions with regulatory factors from the active inbred. As a consequence of these types of complementation, both hybrids expressed more genes than did either parental inbred. Finally, in hybrids, ∼14% of expressed genes exhibited allele-specific expression (ASE) levels that differed significantly from the parental-inbred expression ratios, providing further evidence for interactions of regulatory factors from one parental genome with target genes from the other parental genome.

A comparison of transcriptome and epigenetic status between closely related species in the genus Arabidopsis

Difference in the level of expression of genes is one of the factors contributing to plant phenotype. As well as being under genetic control, gene expression is regulated by epigenetic processes such as DNA methylation and histone modifications. We compared genome-wide gene expression between Arabidopsis thaliana and the related species Arabidopsis lyrata subsp. lyrata and Arabidopsis halleri subsp. gemmifera to understand which genes might contribute to species differences. Genes categorized into response to stress tended to show differential expression between species, suggesting that divergence of expression in these genes contributes to adaptation to environmental conditions following the divergence of species. Regions methylated in A. lyrata were identified from Methylated-DNA immunoprecipitation, and this DNA methylation profile together with transcriptome data revealed that gene body methylation was not associated with differential gene expression between A. thaliana and A. lyrata. The DNA methylation status of four putative imprinted genes of A. lyrata was examined and found to be conserved in vegetative tissues between A. thaliana and A. lyrata in FIS2, HDG3, and HDG9, but not in HDG8.

MicroRNA transcriptomic analysis of heterosis during maize seed germination

Heterosis has been utilized widely in the breeding of maize and other crops, and plays an important role in increasing yield, improving quality and enhancing stresses resistance, but the molecular mechanism responsible for heterosis is far from clear. To illustrate whether miRNA-dependent gene regulation is responsible for heterosis during maize germination, a deep-sequencing technique was applied to germinating embryos of a maize hybrid, Yuyu22, which is cultivated widely in China and its parental inbred lines, Yu87-1 and Zong3. The target genes of several miRNAs showing significant expression in the hybrid and parental lines were predicted and tested using real-time PCR. A total of 107 conserved maize miRNAs were co-detected in the hybrid and parental lines. Most of these miRNAs were expressed non-additively in the hybrid compared to its parental lines. These results indicated that miRNAs might participate in heterosis during maize germination and exert an influence via the decay of their target genes. Novel miRNAs were predicted follow a rigorous criterion and only the miRNAs detected in all three samples were treated as a novel maize miRNA. In total, 34 miRNAs belonged to 20 miRNA families were predicted in germinating maize seeds. Global repression of miRNAs in the hybrid, which might result in enhanced gene expression, might be one reason why the hybrid showed higher embryo germination vigor compared to its parental lines.

Next generation quantitative genetics in plants

Most characteristics in living organisms show continuous variation, which suggests that they are controlled by multiple genes. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis can identify the genes underlying continuous traits by establishing associations between genetic markers and observed phenotypic variation in a segregating population. The new high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technologies greatly facilitate QTL analysis by providing genetic markers at genome-wide resolution in any species without previous knowledge of its genome. In addition HTS serves to quantify molecular phenotypes, which aids to identify the loci responsible for QTLs and to understand the mechanisms underlying diversity. The constant improvements in price, experimental protocols, computational pipelines, and statistical frameworks are making feasible the use of HTS for any research group interested in quantitative genetics. In this review I discuss the application of HTS for molecular marker discovery, population genotyping, and expression profiling in QTL analysis.

Gene expression profiles of two intraspecific Larix lines and their reciprocal hybrids

Heterosis has been widely explored in Larix breeding for more than a century, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain elusive. In the present study, the genome-wide transcript profiles from two Larix genotypes and their reciprocal hybrids were analyzed using Arabidopsis 70-mer oligonucleotide microarrays. Despite sharing the same two parental lines, one of the hybrids showed obvious heterosis, while the other did not. In total, 1,171 genes were differentially expressed between the heterotic hybrid and its parents, of which 133 genes were nonadditive expression. The number of differentially expressed genes between the non-heterotic hybrid and the parents was 939, but only 54 of these genes were nonadditive expression. Further, gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analyses indicated that most of these differentially expressed genes in the heterotic hybrid were associated with several important biological functions such as physiological processes, responses to stimulus, and starch and sucrose metabolism. The reliability of the microarray data was further validated by the Real-time quantitative RT-PCR. A high Pearson linear correlation coefficient value was detected (r = 0.759, P < 0.01). In conclusion, the gene expression profile in the Larix heterotic hybrid was significantly different from that obtained from the non-heterotic hybrid, and more nonadditive differentially expressed genes were detected in the heterotic hybrid, implying that nonadditive effects may be closely associated with the formation of heterosis in the intraspecific Larix hybridization.

Genetic architecture of regulatory variation in Arabidopsis thaliana

Studying the genetic regulation of expression variation is a key method to dissect complex phenotypic traits. To examine the genetic architecture of regulatory variation in Arabidopsis thaliana, we performed genome-wide association (GWA) mapping of gene expression in an F(1) hybrid diversity panel. At a genome-wide false discovery rate (FDR) of 0.2, an associated single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) explains >38% of trait variation. In comparison with SNPs that are distant from the genes to which they were associated, locally associated SNPs are preferentially found in regions with extended linkage disequilibrium (LD) and have distinct population frequencies of the derived alleles (where Arabidopsis lyrata has the ancestral allele), suggesting that different selective forces are acting. Locally associated SNPs tend to have additive inheritance, whereas distantly associated SNPs are primarily dominant. In contrast to results from mapping of expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) in linkage studies, we observe extensive allelic heterogeneity for local regulatory loci in our diversity panel. By association mapping of allele-specific expression (ASE), we detect a significant enrichment for cis-acting variation in local regulatory variation. In addition to gene expression variation, association mapping of splicing variation reveals both local and distant genetic regulation for intron and exon level traits. Finally, we identify candidate genes for 59 diverse phenotypic traits that were mapped to eQTL.

Yield quantitative trait loci from wild tomato are predominately expressed by the shoot

Plant yield is the integrated outcome of processes taking place above and below ground. To explore genetic, environmental and developmental aspects of fruit yield in tomato, we phenotyped an introgression line (IL) population derived from a cross between the cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and a wild species (Solanum pennellii). Both homozygous and heterozygous ILs were grown in irrigated and non-irrigated fields and evaluated for six yield components. Thirteen lines displayed transgressive segregation that increased agronomic yield consistently over 2 years and defined at least 11 independent yield-improving QTL. To determine if these QTL were expressed in the shoots or the roots of the plants, we conducted field trials of reciprocally grafted ILs; out of 13 lines with an effect on yield, 10 QTL were active in the shoot and only IL8-3 showed a consistent root effect. To further examine this unusual case, we evaluated the metabolic profiles of fruits from both the homo- and heterozygous lines for IL8-3 and compared these to those obtained from the fruit of their equivalent genotypes in the root effect population. We observed that several of these metabolic QTL, like the yield QTL, were root determined; however, further studies will be required to delineate the exact mechanism mediating this effect in this specific line. The results presented here suggest that genetic variation for root traits, in comparison to that present in the shoot, represents only a minor component in the determination of tomato fruit yield.

Regulatory network identification by genetical genomics: signaling downstream of the Arabidopsis receptor-like kinase ERECTA

Gene expression differences between individuals within a species can be largely explained by differences in genetic background. The effect of genetic variants (alleles) of genes on expression can be studied in a multifactorial way by the application of genetical genomics or expression quantitative trait locus mapping. In this paper, we present a strategy to construct regulatory networks by the application of genetical genomics in combination with transcript profiling of mutants that are disrupted in single genes. We describe the network identification downstream of the receptor-like kinase ERECTA in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Extending genetical genomics on the Landsberg erecta/Cape Verde Islands (Ler/Cvi) recombinant inbred population with expression profiling of monogenic mutants enabled the identification of regulatory networks in the so far elusive ERECTA signal transduction cascade. We provide evidence that ERECTA is the causal gene for the major hotspot for transcript regulation in the Arabidopsis Ler/Cvi recombinant inbred population. We further propose additional genetic variation between Ler and Cvi in loci of the signaling pathway downstream of ERECTA and suggest candidate genes underlying these loci. Integration of publicly available microarray expression data of other monogenic mutants allowed us to link ERECTA to a downstream mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascade. Our study shows that microarray data of monogenic mutants can be effectively used in combination with genetical genomics data to enhance the identification of genetic regulatory networks.

Nonadditive protein accumulation patterns in Maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids during embryo development

Heterosis describes the superior performance of heterozygous F(1)-hybrid plants compared to their homozygous parental inbred lines. In the present study, heterosis was detected for length, weight, and the time point of seminal root primordia initiation in maize (Zea mays L.) embryos of the reciprocal F(1)-hybrids UH005xUH250 and UH250xUH005. A two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) proteome survey of the most abundant proteins of the reciprocal hybrids and their parental inbred lines 25 and 35 days after pollination revealed that 141 of 597 detected proteins (24%) exhibited nonadditive accumulation in at least one hybrid. Approximately 44% of all nonadditively accumulated proteins displayed an expression pattern that was not distinguishable from the low parent value. Electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) analyses and subsequent functional classification of the 141 proteins revealed that development, protein metabolism, redox-regulation, glycolysis, and amino acid metabolism were the most prominent functional classes among nonadditively accumulated proteins. In 35-day-old embryos of the hybrid UH250xUH005, a significant up-regulation of enzymes related to glucose metabolism which often exceeded the best parent values was observed. A comparison of nonadditive protein accumulation between rice and maize embryo data sets revealed a significant overlap of nonadditively accumulated proteins suggesting conserved organ- or tissue-specific regulatory mechanisms in monocots related to heterosis.

Diversification in the genetic architecture of gene expression and transcriptional networks in organ differentiation of Populus

A fundamental goal of systems biology is to identify genetic elements that contribute to complex phenotypes and to understand how they interact in networks predictive of system response to genetic variation. Few studies in plants have developed such networks, and none have examined their conservation among functionally specialized organs. Here we used genetical genomics in an interspecific hybrid population of the model hardwood plant Populus to uncover transcriptional networks in xylem, leaves, and roots. Pleiotropic eQTL hotspots were detected and used to construct coexpression networks a posteriori, for which regulators were predicted based on cis-acting expression regulation. Networks were shown to be enriched for groups of genes that function in biologically coherent processes and for cis-acting promoter motifs with known roles in regulating common groups of genes. When contrasted among xylem, leaves, and roots, transcriptional networks were frequently conserved in composition, but almost invariably regulated by different loci. Similarly, the genetic architecture of gene expression regulation is highly diversified among plant organs, with less than one-third of genes with eQTL detected in two organs being regulated by the same locus. However, colocalization in eQTL position increases to 50% when they are detected in all three organs, suggesting conservation in the genetic regulation is a function of ubiquitous expression. Genes conserved in their genetic regulation among all organs are primarily cis regulated (approximately 92%), whereas genes with eQTL in only one organ are largely trans regulated. Trans-acting regulation may therefore be the primary driver of differentiation in function between plant organs.

Transcriptional regulation of aquaporins in accessions of Arabidopsis in response to drought stress

Aquaporins facilitate water transport over cellular membranes, and are therefore believed to play an important role in water homeostasis. In higher plants aquaporin-like proteins, also called major intrinsic proteins (MIPs), are divided into five subfamilies. We have previously shown that MIP transcription in Arabidopsis thaliana is generally downregulated in leaves upon drought stress, apart from two members of the plasma membrane intrinsic protein (PIP) subfamily, AtPIP1;4 and AtPIP2;5, which are upregulated. In order to assess whether this regulation is general or accession-specific we monitored the gene expression of all PIPs in five Arabidopsis accessions. The overall drought regulation of PIPs was well conserved for all five accessions tested, suggesting a general and fundamental physiological role of this drought response. In addition, significant differences among accessions were identified for transcripts of three PIP genes. Principal component analysis showed that most of the PIP transcriptional variation during drought stress could be explained by one variable linked to leaf water content. Promoter-GUS constructs of AtPIP1;4, AtPIP2;5 and also AtPIP2;6, which is unresponsive to drought stress, had distinct expression patterns concentrated in the base of the leaf petioles and parts of the flowers. The presence of drought stress response elements within the 1.6-kb promoter regions of AtPIP1;4 and AtPIP2;5 was demonstrated by comparing transcription of the promoter reporter construct and the endogenous gene upon drought stress. Analysis by ATTED-II and other web-based bioinformatical tools showed that several of the MIPs downregulated upon drought are strongly co-expressed, whereas AtPIP1;4, AtPIP2;5 and AtPIP2;6 are not co-expressed.

Enriched partial correlations in genome-wide gene expression profiles of hybrids (A. thaliana): a systems biological approach towards the molecular basis of heterosis

Heterosis is a well-known phenomenon but the underlying molecular mechanisms are not yet established. To contribute to the understanding of heterosis at the molecular level, we analyzed genome-wide gene expression profile data of Arabidopsis thaliana in a systems biological approach. We used partial correlations to estimate the global interaction structure of regulatory networks. Our hypothesis states that heterosis comes with an increased number of partial correlations which we interpret as increased numbers of regulatory interactions leading to enlarged adaptability of the hybrids. This hypothesis is true for mid-parent heterosis for our dataset of gene expression in two homozygous parental lines and their reciprocal crosses. For the case of best-parent heterosis just one hybrid is significant regarding our hypothesis based on a resampling analysis. Summarizing, both metabolome and gene expression level of our illustrative dataset support our proposal of a systems biological approach towards a molecular basis of heterosis.

Heterosis in early seed development: a comparative study of F1 embryo and endosperm tissues 6 days after fertilization

Heterosis specifies the superior performance of heterozygous individuals and although used in plant breeding the underlying molecular mechanisms still remain largely elusive. In this study, we demonstrate the manifestation of heterosis in hybrid maize embryo and endosperm tissue 6 days after fertilization in crosses of several inbred lines. We provide a comparative analysis of heterosis-associated gene expression in these tissues by a combined approach of suppression subtractive hybridization and microarray hybridizations. Non-additive expression pattern indicated a trans-regulatory mechanism to act early after fertilization in hybrid embryo and endosperm although the majority of genes showed mid-parental expression levels in embryo and dosage dependent expression levels in endosperm. The consistent expression pattern within both tissues and both inbred line genotype combinations of genes coding for chromatin related proteins pointed to heterosis-related epigenetic processes. These and genes involved in other biological processes, identified in this study, might provide entry points for the investigation of regulatory networks associated with the specification of heterosis.

Promoter architecture and the evolvability of gene expression

Evolutionary changes in gene expression are a main driver of phenotypic evolution. In yeast, genes that have rapidly diverged in expression are associated with particular promoter features, including the presence of a TATA box, a nucleosome-covered promoter and unstable tracts of tandem repeats. Here, we discuss how these promoter properties may confer an inherent capacity for flexibility of expression.

The effects of probe binding affinity differences on gene expression measurements and how to deal with them

MOTIVATION

When comparing gene expression levels between species or strains using microarrays, sequence differences between the groups can cause false identification of expression differences. Our simulated dataset shows that a sequence divergence of only 1% between species can lead to falsely reported expression differences for >50% of the transcripts-similar levels of effect have been reported previously in comparisons of human and chimpanzee expression. We propose a method for identifying probes that cause such false readings, using only the microarray data, so that problematic probes can be excluded from analysis. We then test the power of the method to detect sequence differences and to correct for falsely reported expression differences. Our method can detect 70% of the probes with sequence differences using human and chimpanzee data, while removing only 18% of probes with no sequence differences. Although only 70% of the probes with sequence differences are detected, the effect of removing probes on falsely reported expression differences is more dramatic: the method can remove 98% of the falsely reported expression differences from a simulated dataset. We argue that the method should be used even when sequence data are available.

CONTACT

lachmann@eva.mpg.de

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Comparative gene expression profiles between heterotic and non-heterotic hybrids of tetraploid Medicago sativa

BACKGROUND

Heterosis, the superior performance of hybrids relative to parents, has clear agricultural value, but its genetic control is unknown. Our objective was to test the hypotheses that hybrids expressing heterosis for biomass yield would show more gene expression levels that were different from midparental values and outside the range of parental values than hybrids that do not exhibit heterosis.

RESULTS

We tested these hypotheses in three Medicago sativa (alfalfa) genotypes and their three hybrids, two of which expressed heterosis for biomass yield and a third that did not, using Affymetrix M. truncatula GeneChip arrays. Alfalfa hybridized to approximately 47% of the M. truncatula probe sets. Probe set signal intensities were analyzed using MicroArray Suite v.5.0 (MAS) and robust multi-array average (RMA) algorithms. Based on MAS analysis, the two heterotic hybrids performed similarly, with about 27% of genes showing differential expression among the parents and their hybrid compared to 12.5% for the non-heterotic hybrid. At a false discovery rate of 0.15, 4.7% of differentially expressed genes in hybrids (approximately 300 genes) showed nonadditive expression compared to only 0.5% (16 genes) in the non-heterotic hybrid. Of the nonadditively expressed genes, approximately 50% showed expression levels that fell outside the parental range in heterotic hybrids, but only one of 16 showed a similar profile in the non-heterotic hybrid. Genes whose expression differed in the parents were three times more likely to show nonadditive expression than genes whose parental transcript levels were equal.

CONCLUSION

The higher proportions of probe sets with expression level that differed from the parental midparent value and that were more extreme than either parental value in the heterotic hybrids compared to a non-heterotic hybrid were also found using RMA. We conclude that nonadditive expression of transcript levels may contribute to heterosis for biomass yield in alfalfa.

Regulatory divergence in Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans, a genomewide analysis of allele-specific expression

Species-specific regulation of gene expression contributes to the development and maintenance of reproductive isolation and to species differences in ecologically important traits. A better understanding of the evolutionary forces that shape regulatory variation and divergence can be developed by comparing expression differences among species and interspecific hybrids. Once expression differences are identified, the underlying genetics of regulatory variation or divergence can be explored. With the goal of associating cis and/or trans components of regulatory divergence with differences in gene expression, overall and allele-specific expression levels were assayed genomewide in female adult heads of Drosophila melanogaster, D. simulans, and their F1 hybrids. A greater proportion of cis differences than trans differences were identified for genes expressed in heads and, in accordance with previous studies, cis differences also explained a larger number of species differences in overall expression level. Regulatory divergence was found to be prevalent among genes associated with defense, olfaction, and among genes downstream of the Drosophila sex determination hierarchy. In addition, two genes, with critical roles in sex determination and micro RNA processing, Sxl and loqs, were identified as misexpressed in hybrid female heads, potentially contributing to hybrid incompatibility.