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Dusi DMA, Alves ER, Cabral GB, Mello LV, Rigden DJ, Silveira ÉD, Alves-Ferreira M, Guimarães LA, Gomes ACMM, Rodrigues JCM, Carneiro VTC. An exonuclease V homologue is expressed predominantly during early megasporogenesis in apomictic Brachiaria brizantha. PLANTA 2023; 258:5. [PMID: 37219749 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-023-04162-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
MAIN CONCLUSION An exonuclease V homologue from apomictic Brachiaria brizantha is expressed and localized in nucellar cells at key moments when these cells differentiate to give rise to unreduced gametophytes. Brachiaria is a genus of forage grasses with economical and agricultural importance to Brazil. Brachiaria reproduces by aposporic apomixis, in which unreduced embryo sacs, derived from nucellar cells, other than the megaspore mother cell (MMC), are formed. The unreduced embryo sacs produce an embryo without fertilization resulting in clones of the mother plant. Comparative gene expression analysis in ovaries of sexual and apomictic Brachiaria spp. revealed a sequence from B. brizantha that showed a distinct pattern of expression in ovaries of sexual and apomictic plants. In this work, we describe a gene named BbrizExoV with strong identity to exonuclease V (Exo V) genes from other grasses. Sequence analysis in signal prediction tools showed that BbrizExoV might have dual localization, depending on the translation point. A longer form to the nucleus and a shorter form which would be directed to the chloroplast. This is also the case for monocot sequences analyzed from other species. The long form of BbrizExoV protein localizes to the nucleus of onion epidermal cells. Analysis of ExoV proteins from dicot species, with exception of Arabidopsis thaliana ExoVL protein, showed only one localization. Using a template-based AlphaFold 2 modelling approach the structure of BbrizExoV in complex with metal and ssDNA was predicted based on the holo structure of the human counterpart. Features predicted to define ssDNA binding but a lack of sequence specificity are shared between the human enzyme and BbrizExoV. Expression analyses indicated the precise site and timing of transcript accumulation during ovule development, which coincides with the differentiation of nucelar cells to form the typical aposporic four-celled unreduced gametophyte. A putative function for this protein is proposed based on its homology and expression pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diva M A Dusi
- Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Cx. Postal 02372, Brasilia, DF, 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Elizângela R Alves
- Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Cx. Postal 02372, Brasilia, DF, 70770-917, Brazil
- Department of Celular Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Gláucia B Cabral
- Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Cx. Postal 02372, Brasilia, DF, 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Luciane V Mello
- School of Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Daniel J Rigden
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Érica D Silveira
- Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Cx. Postal 02372, Brasilia, DF, 70770-917, Brazil
- Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Prof. Rodolpho Paulo Rocco, s/n Prédio do CCS Instituto de Biologia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Márcio Alves-Ferreira
- Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Prof. Rodolpho Paulo Rocco, s/n Prédio do CCS Instituto de Biologia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Larissa A Guimarães
- Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Cx. Postal 02372, Brasilia, DF, 70770-917, Brazil
- Department of Celular Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Ana Cristina M M Gomes
- Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Cx. Postal 02372, Brasilia, DF, 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Júlio C M Rodrigues
- Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Cx. Postal 02372, Brasilia, DF, 70770-917, Brazil.
| | - Vera T C Carneiro
- Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Cx. Postal 02372, Brasilia, DF, 70770-917, Brazil.
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Hura T, Hura K, Ostrowska A, Gadzinowska J, Urban K, Pawłowska B. The role of invasive plant species in drought resilience in agriculture: the case of sweet briar (Rosa rubiginosa L.). JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:2799-2810. [PMID: 36124695 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac377] [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: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Sweet briar (Rosa rubiginosa) belongs to the group of wild roses. Under natural conditions it grows throughout Europe, and was introduced also into the southern hemisphere, where it has efficiently adapted to dry lands. This review focuses on the high adaptation potential of sweet briar to soil drought in the context of global climatic changes, especially considering steppe formation and desertification of agricultural, orchard, and horticultural areas. We provide a comprehensive overview of current knowledge on sweet briar traits associated with drought tolerance and particularly water use efficiency, sugar accumulation, accumulation of CO2 in intercellular spaces, stomatal conductance, gibberellin level, effective electron transport between photosystem II and photosystem I, and protein content. We discuss the genetics and potential applications in plant breeding and suggest future directions of study concerning invasive populations of R. rubiginosa. Finally, we point out that sweet briar can provide new genes for breeding in the context of depleting gene pools of the crop plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Hura
- Polish Academy of Sciences, The Franciszek Górski Institute of Plant Physiology, Kraków, Niezapominajek 21, 30-239 Kraków, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Hura
- Department of Plant Breeding, Physiology and Seed Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Economics, Agricultural University, Podłużna 3, 30-239 Kraków, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Ostrowska
- Polish Academy of Sciences, The Franciszek Górski Institute of Plant Physiology, Kraków, Niezapominajek 21, 30-239 Kraków, Poland
| | - Joanna Gadzinowska
- Polish Academy of Sciences, The Franciszek Górski Institute of Plant Physiology, Kraków, Niezapominajek 21, 30-239 Kraków, Poland
| | - Karolina Urban
- Polish Academy of Sciences, The Franciszek Górski Institute of Plant Physiology, Kraków, Niezapominajek 21, 30-239 Kraków, Poland
| | - Bożena Pawłowska
- Department of Ornamental Plants and Garden Arts, Agricultural University, 29 Listopada 54 Avenue, 31-425 Kraków, Poland
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Ferreira LG, Dusi DMA, Irsigler AST, Gomes ACMM, Florentino LH, Mendes MA, Colombo L, Carneiro VTC. Identification of IPT9 in Brachiaria brizantha (syn. Urochloa brizantha) and expression analyses during ovule development in sexual and apomictic plants. Mol Biol Rep 2023; 50:4887-4897. [PMID: 37072653 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-08295-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In Brachiaria sexual reproduction, during ovule development, a nucellar cell differentiates into a megaspore mother cell (MMC) that, through meiosis and mitosis, gives rise to a reduced embryo sac. In aposporic apomictic Brachiaria, next to the MMC, other nucellar cells differentiate into aposporic initials that enter mitosis directly forming an unreduced embryo sac. The IPT (isopentenyltransferase) family comprises key genes in the cytokinin (CK) pathway which are expressed in Arabidopsis during ovule development. BbrizIPT9, a B. brizantha (syn. Urochloa brizantha) IPT9 gene, highly similar to genes of other Poaceae plants, also shows similarity with Arabidopsis IPT9, AtIPT9. In this work, we aimed to investigate association of BbrizIPT9 with ovule development in sexual and apomictic plants. METHODS AND RESULTS RT-qPCR showed higher BbrizIPT9 expression in the ovaries of sexual than in the apomictic B. brizantha. Results of in-situ hybridization showed strong signal of BbrizIPT9 in the MMC of both plants, at the onset of megasporogenesis. By analyzing AtIPT9 knockdown mutants, we verified enlarged nucellar cell, next to the MMC, in a percentage significantly higher than in the wild type, suggesting that knockout of AtIPT9 gene triggered the differentiation of extra MMC-like cells. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that AtIPT9 might be involved in the proper differentiation of a single MMC during ovule development. The expression of a BbrizIPT9, localized in male and female sporocytes, and lower in apomicts than in sexuals, and effect of IPT9 knockout in Arabidopsis, suggest involvement of IPT9 in early ovule development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana G Ferreira
- Department of Biology, University of Brasília - UnB, Campus Darcy Ribeiro S/N - Asa Norte, Brasília, DF, 70.910-900, Brazil
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Parque Estação Biológica, PqEB Av. W5 Norte., Caixa Postal 02372, Brasília, DF, 70.770-917, Brazil
| | - Diva M A Dusi
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Parque Estação Biológica, PqEB Av. W5 Norte., Caixa Postal 02372, Brasília, DF, 70.770-917, Brazil
| | - André S T Irsigler
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Parque Estação Biológica, PqEB Av. W5 Norte., Caixa Postal 02372, Brasília, DF, 70.770-917, Brazil
| | - Ana C M M Gomes
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Parque Estação Biológica, PqEB Av. W5 Norte., Caixa Postal 02372, Brasília, DF, 70.770-917, Brazil
| | - Lilian H Florentino
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Parque Estação Biológica, PqEB Av. W5 Norte., Caixa Postal 02372, Brasília, DF, 70.770-917, Brazil
| | - Marta A Mendes
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy.
| | - Lucia Colombo
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Vera T C Carneiro
- Department of Biology, University of Brasília - UnB, Campus Darcy Ribeiro S/N - Asa Norte, Brasília, DF, 70.910-900, Brazil.
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Parque Estação Biológica, PqEB Av. W5 Norte., Caixa Postal 02372, Brasília, DF, 70.770-917, Brazil.
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Niccolò T, Anderson AW, Emidio A. Apomixis: oh, what a tangled web we have! PLANTA 2023; 257:92. [PMID: 37000270 PMCID: PMC10066125 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-023-04124-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Apomixis is a complex evolutionary trait with many possible origins. Here we discuss various clues and causes, ultimately proposing a model harmonizing the three working hypotheses on the topic. Asexual reproduction through seeds, i.e., apomixis, is the holy grail of plant biology. Its implementation in modern breeding could be a game-changer for agriculture. It has the potential to generate clonal crops and maintain valuable complex genotypes and their associated heterotic traits without inbreeding depression. The genetic basis and origins of apomixis are still unclear. There are three central hypothesis for the development of apomixis that could be: i) a deviation from the sexual developmental program caused by an asynchronous development, ii) environmentally triggered through epigenetic regulations (a polyphenism of sex), iii) relying on one or more genes/alleles. Because of the ever-increasing complexity of the topic, the path toward a detailed understanding of the mechanisms underlying apomixis remains unclear. Here, we discuss the most recent advances in the evolution perspective of this multifaceted trait. We incorporated our understanding of the effect of endogenous effectors, such as small RNAs, epigenetic regulation, hormonal pathways, protein turnover, and cell wall modification in response to an upside stress. This can be either endogenous (hybridization or polyploidization) or exogenous environmental stress, mainly due to oxidative stress and the corresponding ROS (Reacting Oxygen Species) effectors. Finally, we graphically represented this tangled web.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terzaroli Niccolò
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121, Perugia, Italy.
| | - Aaron W Anderson
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121, Perugia, Italy
- Fulbright Scholar From Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, USA
| | - Albertini Emidio
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121, Perugia, Italy
- Consorzio Interuniversitario per le Biotecnologie (CIB), Trieste, Italy
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Roy AK, Chakraborti M, Radhakrishna A, Dwivedi KK, Srivastava MK, Saxena S, Paul S, Khare A, Malaviya DR, Kaushal P. Alien genome mobilization and fixation utilizing an apomixis mediated genome addition (AMGA) strategy in Pennisetum to improve domestication traits of P. squamulatum. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2022; 135:2555-2575. [PMID: 35726065 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-022-04138-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
An approach to release 'frozen' variability in apomictic species using sexuality of another species, eventually its utilization in crop improvement and de-novo domestication of crop wild relatives is presented. Pennisetum squamulatum, a secondary gene pool species of pearl millet (P. glaucum), harbours many desirable traits. However, it was neither utilized to improve pearl millet fodder traits nor improvement of its own domestication traits was attempted, due to the complexities of genomes and apomictic reproduction. To overcome this, we followed an Apomixis Mediated Genome Addition (AMGA) strategy and utilized the contrasting reproductive capacities (sexuality and apomixis) of both the species to access the otherwise un-available variability embedded in P. squamulatum. Segregating population of interspecific hybrids exhibited significant variability and heterosis for desired morphological, agronomical, and nutritional traits. Elite apomictic and perennial hybrids were evaluated in breeding trials, and eventually a novel grass cultivar was released for commercial cultivation in India. The performance of newly developed cultivar was superior to other adapted perennial grasses of arid and semi-arid rangelands. Through AMGA, the sexuality of one species was successfully utilized to 'release' the 'frozen' variability embedded in another species. Subsequently, the hybrids representing desirable trait combinations were again 'fixed' utilizing the apomixis alleles from the male parent in a back-and-forth apomixis-sexual-apomixis selection cycle. This study also demonstrated the potential of AMGA to improve crop relatives through genomes introgression as well as de novo domestication of new crops from wild species.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Roy
- ICAR - Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi, 284003, India
| | - M Chakraborti
- ICAR - National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, 753006, India
| | - A Radhakrishna
- ICAR - Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi, 284003, India
| | - K K Dwivedi
- ICAR - Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi, 284003, India
| | - M K Srivastava
- ICAR - Indian Institute of Soybean Research, Indore, 452001, India
| | - S Saxena
- ICAR - Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi, 284003, India
| | - S Paul
- ICAR - Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi, 284003, India
| | - Aarti Khare
- ICAR - Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi, 284003, India
| | - D R Malaviya
- ICAR - Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow, 226002, India
| | - P Kaushal
- ICAR - National Institute of Biotic Stress Management, Raipur, 493225, India.
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Palumbo F, Draga S, Vannozzi A, Lucchin M, Barcaccia G. Trends in Apomixis Research: The 10 Most Cited Research Articles Published in the Pregenomic and Genomic Eras. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:878074. [PMID: 35599856 PMCID: PMC9115752 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.878074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Apomixis, or asexual reproduction by seed, represents an easy shortcut for life cycle renewal based on maternal embryo production without ploidy reduction (meiosis) and ploidy restitution (syngamy). Although the first studies officially published on this topic in scientific journals date back to the early 1930s, the identification and introduction of genes involved in asexual reproduction in species of agronomic interest still represent a major challenge. Through a bibliometric analysis of the research programs implemented in apomixis over the last 40 years, the present study was aimed to discuss not only the main findings achieved but also the investigational methods and model species used. We split the critical survey of the most cited original articles into pregenomic and genomic eras to identify potential trends and depict scenarios that have emerged in the scientific community working on apomixis, as well as to determine any correlation between the exponential increase in acquired basic knowledge and the development of advanced analytical technologies. This review found a substantial stagnation in the use of the same model species, with few exceptions, for at least 40 years. In contrast, the development of new molecular techniques, genomic platforms, and repositories has directly affected the approaches used in research, which has been directed toward an increasingly focused study of the genetic and epigenetic determinants of apomixis.
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Bhowmik P, Bilichak A. Advances in Gene Editing of Haploid Tissues in Crops. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:1410. [PMID: 34573392 PMCID: PMC8468125 DOI: 10.3390/genes12091410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging threats of climate change require the rapid development of improved varieties with a higher tolerance to abiotic and biotic factors. Despite the success of traditional agricultural practices, novel techniques for precise manipulation of the crop's genome are needed. Doubled haploid (DH) methods have been used for decades in major crops to fix desired alleles in elite backgrounds in a short time. DH plants are also widely used for mapping of the quantitative trait loci (QTLs), marker-assisted selection (MAS), genomic selection (GS), and hybrid production. Recent discoveries of genes responsible for haploid induction (HI) allowed engineering this trait through gene editing (GE) in non-inducer varieties of different crops. Direct editing of gametes or haploid embryos increases GE efficiency by generating null homozygous plants following chromosome doubling. Increased understanding of the underlying genetic mechanisms responsible for spontaneous chromosome doubling in haploid plants may allow transferring this trait to different elite varieties. Overall, further improvement in the efficiency of the DH technology combined with the optimized GE could accelerate breeding efforts of the major crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pankaj Bhowmik
- Aquatic and Crop Resource Development, National Research Council of Canada, Saskatoon, SK S7N 0W9, Canada;
| | - Andriy Bilichak
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Morden Research and Development Centre, Morden, MB R6M 1Y5, Canada
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Belyaeva EV, Elkonin LA, Vladimirova AA, Panin VM. Manifestation of apomictic potentials in the line AS-3 of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench. PLANTA 2021; 254:37. [PMID: 34309737 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-021-03681-6] [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: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
AS-3 line of Sorghum bicolor possesses functional components of apomixis-apospory, parthenogenesis and autonomous endospermogenesis. The data obtained indicate efficiency of selection for apomixis components in diploid species of cultivated crops. Apomixis (seed formation without fertilization) is one of most attractive phenomena in plant biology. In this paper, we provide the results of long-term selection for apomixis components in the progeny of grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) hybrid plants with male sterility mutation. Selection was carried out for a high frequency of aposporous embryo sacs (ESs), autonomous pro-embryos, and the presence of maternal-type plants in test crosses with the line Volzhskoe-4v (V4v) homozygous for the Rs1 genes determining the red color of the leaves and stem of the hybrids. As a result of using this approach, the line, AS-3, was created, in which the frequency of ovaries with parthenogenetic embryos reached 42-45%. The autonomous development of embryos and endosperm was observed in the panicles of each of the 10 cytologically studied plants of this line. The frequency of parthenogenesis positively correlated with the high average daily air temperature during the first five out of 10 days preceding the onset of flowering (r = 0.75; P > 0.01). Genotyping of the plants from the progeny of hand-emasculated panicles of AS-3 pollinated with V4v performed using co-dominant SSR markers revealed that the F1 hybrids carrying the Rs1 gene (chromosome 6) possessed both paternal and maternal alleles of Sb1-10 (chromosome 4) and Xtxp320 (chromosome 10) markers, while in the maternal-type plants (rs1rs1), only the maternal alleles of these markers were present. In the endosperm of the kernels from which the maternal-type seedlings were obtained, only the maternal alleles were present, while in the endosperm of the kernels that produced hybrid seedlings, both the paternal and maternal alleles were observed. The data obtained indicate the presence of functional components of apomixis (apospory, parthenogenesis, autonomous endospermogenesis) in the grain sorghum line AS-3, and the efficiency of selection for apomixis in functionally diploid species of cultivated crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena V Belyaeva
- Department of Biotechnology, Federal Center of Agriculture Research of the South-East Region, Saratov, 410010, Russia
| | - Lev A Elkonin
- Department of Biotechnology, Federal Center of Agriculture Research of the South-East Region, Saratov, 410010, Russia.
| | - Anastasia A Vladimirova
- Department of Biotechnology, Federal Center of Agriculture Research of the South-East Region, Saratov, 410010, Russia
| | - Valery M Panin
- Department of Biotechnology, Federal Center of Agriculture Research of the South-East Region, Saratov, 410010, Russia
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9
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Ke Y, Podio M, Conner J, Ozias-Akins P. Single-cell transcriptome profiling of buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris) eggs unveils apomictic parthenogenesis signatures. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9880. [PMID: 33972603 PMCID: PMC8110759 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89170-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Apomixis, a type of asexual reproduction in angiosperms, results in progenies that are genetically identical to the mother plant. It is a highly desirable trait in agriculture due to its potential to preserve heterosis of F1 hybrids through subsequent generations. However, no major crops are apomictic. Deciphering mechanisms underlying apomixis becomes one of the alternatives to engineer self-reproducing capability into major crops. Parthenogenesis, a major component of apomixis, commonly described as the ability to initiate embryo formation from the egg cell without fertilization, also can be valuable in plant breeding for doubled haploid production. A deeper understanding of transcriptional differences between parthenogenetic and sexual or non-parthenogenetic eggs can assist with pathway engineering. By conducting laser capture microdissection-based RNA-seq on sexual and parthenogenetic egg cells on the day of anthesis, a de novo transcriptome for the Cenchrus ciliaris egg cells was created, transcriptional profiles that distinguish the parthenogenetic egg from its sexual counterpart were identified, and functional roles for a few transcription factors in promoting natural parthenogenesis were suggested. These transcriptome data expand upon previous gene expression studies and will be a resource for future research on the transcriptome of egg cells in parthenogenetic and sexual genotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuji Ke
- Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA, 31793, USA
| | - Maricel Podio
- Department of Horticulture, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA, 31793, USA
| | - Joann Conner
- Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA, 31793, USA.,Department of Horticulture, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA, 31793, USA
| | - Peggy Ozias-Akins
- Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA, 31793, USA. .,Department of Horticulture, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA, 31793, USA.
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Soliman M, Podio M, Marconi G, Di Marsico M, Ortiz JPA, Albertini E, Delgado L. Differential Epigenetic Marks Are Associated with Apospory Expressivity in Diploid Hybrids of Paspalum rufum. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:plants10040793. [PMID: 33920644 PMCID: PMC8072704 DOI: 10.3390/plants10040793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Apomixis seems to emerge from the deregulation of preexisting genes involved in sexuality by genetic and/or epigenetic mechanisms. The trait is associated with polyploidy, but diploid individuals of Paspalum rufum can form aposporous embryo sacs and develop clonal seeds. Moreover, diploid hybrid families presented a wide apospory expressivity variation. To locate methylation changes associated with apomixis expressivity, we compare relative DNA methylation levels, at CG, CHG, and CHH contexts, between full-sib P. rufum diploid genotypes presenting differential apospory expressivity. The survey was performed using a methylation content-sensitive enzyme ddRAD (MCSeEd) strategy on samples at premeiosis/meiosis and postmeiosis stages. Based on the relative methylation level, principal component analysis and heatmaps, clearly discriminate samples with contrasting apospory expressivity. Differential methylated contigs (DMCs) showed 14% of homology to known transcripts of Paspalum notatum reproductive transcriptome, and almost half of them were also differentially expressed between apomictic and sexual samples. DMCs showed homologies to genes involved in flower growth, development, and apomixis. Moreover, a high proportion of DMCs aligned on genomic regions associated with apomixis in Setaria italica. Several stage-specific differential methylated sequences were identified as associated with apospory expressivity, which could guide future functional gene characterization in relation to apomixis success at diploid and tetraploid levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariano Soliman
- CONICET-UNR/Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Agrarias de Rosario (IICAR), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Zavalla S2123, Argentina; (M.S.); (M.P.); (J.P.A.O.)
| | - Maricel Podio
- CONICET-UNR/Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Agrarias de Rosario (IICAR), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Zavalla S2123, Argentina; (M.S.); (M.P.); (J.P.A.O.)
| | - Gianpiero Marconi
- Department Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, 06121 Perugia, Italy; (G.M.); (M.D.M.)
| | - Marco Di Marsico
- Department Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, 06121 Perugia, Italy; (G.M.); (M.D.M.)
| | - Juan Pablo A. Ortiz
- CONICET-UNR/Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Agrarias de Rosario (IICAR), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Zavalla S2123, Argentina; (M.S.); (M.P.); (J.P.A.O.)
| | - Emidio Albertini
- Department Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, 06121 Perugia, Italy; (G.M.); (M.D.M.)
| | - Luciana Delgado
- CONICET-UNR/Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Agrarias de Rosario (IICAR), Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Zavalla S2123, Argentina; (M.S.); (M.P.); (J.P.A.O.)
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11
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Molecular Basis of Apomixis in Plants. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12040576. [PMID: 33923377 PMCID: PMC8071507 DOI: 10.3390/genes12040576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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12
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Fei X, Lei Y, Qi Y, Wang S, Hu H, Wei A. Small RNA sequencing provides candidate miRNA-target pairs for revealing the mechanism of apomixis in Zanthoxylum bungeanum. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 21:178. [PMID: 33849456 PMCID: PMC8042946 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-021-02935-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Apomixis is a form of asexual reproduction that produces offspring without the need for combining male and female gametes, and the offspring have the same genetic makeup as the mother. Therefore, apomixis technology has great application potential in plant breeding. To identify the apomixis types and critical period, embryonic development at different flower development stages of Zanthoxylum bungeanum was observed by cytology. RESULTS The results show that the S3 stage is the critical period of apomixis, during which the nucellar cells develop into an adventitious primordial embryo. Cytological observations showed that the type of apomixis in Z. bungeanum is sporophytic apomixis. Furthermore, miRNA sequencing, miRNA-target gene interaction, dual luciferase reporter assay, and RT-qPCR verification were used to reveal the dynamic regulation of miRNA-target pairs in Z. bungeanum apomixis. The miRNA sequencing identified 96 mature miRNAs, of which 40 were known and 56 were novel. Additionally, 29 differentially expressed miRNAs were screened according to the miRNAs expression levels at the different developmental stages. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analyses showed that the target genes of the differentially expressed miRNAs were mainly enriched in plant hormone signal transduction, RNA biosynthetic process, and response to hormone pathways. CONCLUSIONS During the critical period of apomictic embryonic development, miR172c significantly reduces the expression levels of TOE3 and APETALA 2 (AP2) genes, thereby upregulating the expression of the AGAMOUS gene. A molecular regulation model of miRNA-target pairs was constructed based on their interactions and expression patterns to further understand the role of miRNA-target pairs in apomixis. Our data suggest that miR172c may regulates AGAMOUS expression by inhibiting TOE3 in the critical period of apomixis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xitong Fei
- College of Forestry, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Xianyang, 712100, China
- Research Centre for Engineering and Technology of Zanthoxylum State Forestry Administration, Yangling, Xianyang, 712100, China
| | - Yu Lei
- College of Forestry, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Xianyang, 712100, China
- Research Centre for Engineering and Technology of Zanthoxylum State Forestry Administration, Yangling, Xianyang, 712100, China
| | - Yichen Qi
- College of Forestry, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Xianyang, 712100, China
- Research Centre for Engineering and Technology of Zanthoxylum State Forestry Administration, Yangling, Xianyang, 712100, China
| | - Shujie Wang
- College of Forestry, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Xianyang, 712100, China
- Research Centre for Engineering and Technology of Zanthoxylum State Forestry Administration, Yangling, Xianyang, 712100, China
| | - Haichao Hu
- College of Forestry, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Xianyang, 712100, China
- Research Centre for Engineering and Technology of Zanthoxylum State Forestry Administration, Yangling, Xianyang, 712100, China
| | - Anzhi Wei
- College of Forestry, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Xianyang, 712100, China.
- Research Centre for Engineering and Technology of Zanthoxylum State Forestry Administration, Yangling, Xianyang, 712100, China.
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13
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A study of the heterochronic sense/antisense RNA representation in florets of sexual and apomictic Paspalum notatum. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:185. [PMID: 33726667 PMCID: PMC7962388 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07450-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Apomixis, an asexual mode of plant reproduction, is a genetically heritable trait evolutionarily related to sexuality, which enables the fixation of heterozygous genetic combinations through the development of maternal seeds. Recently, reference floral transcriptomes were generated from sexual and apomictic biotypes of Paspalum notatum, one of the most well-known plant models for the study of apomixis. However, the transcriptome dynamics, the occurrence of apomixis vs. sexual expression heterochronicity across consecutive developmental steps and the orientation of transcription (sense/antisense) remain unexplored. Results We produced 24 Illumina TruSeq®/ Hiseq 1500 sense/antisense floral transcriptome libraries covering four developmental stages (premeiosis, meiosis, postmeiosis, and anthesis) in biological triplicates, from an obligate apomictic and a full sexual genotype. De novo assemblies with Trinity yielded 103,699 and 100,114 transcripts for the apomictic and sexual samples respectively. A global comparative analysis involving reads from all developmental stages revealed 19,352 differentially expressed sense transcripts, of which 13,205 (68%) and 6147 (32%) were up- and down-regulated in apomictic samples with respect to the sexual ones. Interestingly, 100 differentially expressed antisense transcripts were detected, 55 (55%) of them up- and 45 (45%) down-regulated in apomictic libraries. A stage-by-stage comparative analysis showed a higher number of differentially expressed candidates due to heterochronicity discrimination: the highest number of differential sense transcripts was detected at premeiosis (23,651), followed by meiosis (22,830), postmeiosis (19,100), and anthesis (17,962), while the highest number of differential antisense transcripts were detected at anthesis (495), followed by postmeiosis (164), meiosis (120) and premeiosis (115). Members of the AP2, ARF, MYB and WRKY transcription factor families, as well as the auxin, jasmonate and cytokinin plant hormone families appeared broadly deregulated. Moreover, the chronological expression profile of several well-characterized apomixis controllers was examined in detail. Conclusions This work provides a quantitative sense/antisense gene expression catalogue covering several subsequent reproductive developmental stages from premeiosis to anthesis for apomictic and sexual P. notatum, with potential to reveal heterochronic expression between reproductive types and discover sense/antisense mediated regulation. We detected a contrasting transcriptional and hormonal control in apomixis and sexuality as well as specific sense/antisense modulation occurring at the onset of parthenogenesis. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-07450-3.
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14
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Khanday I, Sundaresan V. Plant zygote development: recent insights and applications to clonal seeds. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 59:101993. [PMID: 33422964 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2020.101993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
In flowering plants, haploid gametes - an egg cell and a sperm cell fuse to form the first diploid cell - the zygote. The zygote is the progenitor stem cell that gives rise to all the embryonic and post embryonic tissues and organs. Unlike animals, both maternal and paternal gene products participate in the initial development of zygotes in plants. Here, we discuss recent advances in understanding of the zygotic transition and embryo initiation in angiosperms, including the role of parental contributions to gene expression in the zygote. We further discuss utilization of this knowledge in agricultural biotechnology through synthetic apomixis. Parthenogenesis obtained by manipulation of embryogenic factors, combined with mutations that bypass meiosis, enables clonal propagation of hybrid crops through seeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imtiyaz Khanday
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Venkatesan Sundaresan
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA; Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
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15
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Chen G, Zhou Y, Kishchenko O, Stepanenko A, Jatayev S, Zhang D, Borisjuk N. Gene editing to facilitate hybrid crop production. Biotechnol Adv 2020; 46:107676. [PMID: 33285253 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2020.107676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Capturing heterosis (hybrid vigor) is a promising way to increase productivity in many crops; hybrid crops often have superior yields, disease resistance, and stress tolerance compared with their parental inbred lines. The full utilization of heterosis faces a number of technical problems related to the specifics of crop reproductive biology, such as difficulties with generating and maintaining male-sterile lines and the low efficiency of natural cross-pollination for some genetic combinations. Innovative technologies, such as development of artificial in vitro systems for hybrid production and apomixis-based systems for maintenance of the resulting heterotic progeny, may substantially facilitate the production of hybrids. Genome editing using specifically targeted nucleases, such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated nuclease 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) systems, which recognize targets by RNA:DNA complementarity, has recently become an integral part of research and development in life science. In this review, we summarize the progress of genome editing technologies for facilitating the generation of mutant male sterile lines, applications of haploids for hybrid production, and the use of apomixis for the clonal propagation of elite hybrid lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guimin Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Eco-Agricultural Biotechnology around Hongze Lake, School of Life Sciences, Huaiyin Normal University, Huai'an, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Centre of Regional Modern Agriculture & Environmental Protection, Huaiyin Normal University, Huai'an, China
| | - Yuzhen Zhou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Eco-Agricultural Biotechnology around Hongze Lake, School of Life Sciences, Huaiyin Normal University, Huai'an, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Centre of Regional Modern Agriculture & Environmental Protection, Huaiyin Normal University, Huai'an, China.
| | - Olena Kishchenko
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Eco-Agricultural Biotechnology around Hongze Lake, School of Life Sciences, Huaiyin Normal University, Huai'an, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Centre of Regional Modern Agriculture & Environmental Protection, Huaiyin Normal University, Huai'an, China; Institute of Cell Biology & Genetic Engineering, National Academy of Science of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine.
| | - Anton Stepanenko
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Eco-Agricultural Biotechnology around Hongze Lake, School of Life Sciences, Huaiyin Normal University, Huai'an, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Centre of Regional Modern Agriculture & Environmental Protection, Huaiyin Normal University, Huai'an, China; Institute of Cell Biology & Genetic Engineering, National Academy of Science of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine.
| | - Satyvaldy Jatayev
- Faculty of Agronomy, S. Seifullin Kazakh AgroTechnical University, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
| | - Dabing Zhang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University-University of Adelaide Joint Centre for Agriculture and Health, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, SA, Australia.
| | - Nikolai Borisjuk
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Eco-Agricultural Biotechnology around Hongze Lake, School of Life Sciences, Huaiyin Normal University, Huai'an, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Centre of Regional Modern Agriculture & Environmental Protection, Huaiyin Normal University, Huai'an, China.
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16
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Ortiz JPA, Pupilli F, Acuña CA, Leblanc O, Pessino SC. How to Become an Apomixis Model: The Multifaceted Case of Paspalum. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:E974. [PMID: 32839398 PMCID: PMC7564465 DOI: 10.3390/genes11090974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In the past decades, the grasses of the Paspalum genus have emerged as a versatile model allowing evolutionary, genetic, molecular, and developmental studies on apomixis as well as successful breeding applications. The rise of such an archetypal system progressed through integrative phases, which were essential to draw conclusions based on solid standards. Here, we review the steps adopted in Paspalum to establish the current body of knowledge on apomixis and provide model breeding programs for other agronomically important apomictic crops. In particular, we discuss the need for previous detailed cytoembryological and cytogenetic germplasm characterization; the establishment of sexual and apomictic materials of identical ploidy level; the development of segregating populations useful for inheritance analysis, positional mapping, and epigenetic control studies; the development of omics data resources; the identification of key molecular pathways via comparative gene expression studies; the accurate molecular characterization of genomic loci governing apomixis; the in-depth functional analysis of selected candidate genes in apomictic and model species; the successful building of a sexual/apomictic combined breeding scheme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Pablo A. Ortiz
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Agrarias de Rosario (IICAR), CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, S2125ZAA Zavalla, Argentina;
| | - Fulvio Pupilli
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources (IBBR-CNR), 06128 Perugia, Italy;
| | - Carlos A. Acuña
- Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste (IBONE), CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, 3400 Corrientes, Argentina;
| | - Olivier Leblanc
- UMR DIADE, IRD, Univ. Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France;
| | - Silvina C. Pessino
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Agrarias de Rosario (IICAR), CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, S2125ZAA Zavalla, Argentina;
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17
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Van Dijk PJ, Op den Camp R, Schauer SE. Genetic Dissection of Apomixis in Dandelions Identifies a Dominant Parthenogenesis Locus and Highlights the Complexity of Autonomous Endosperm Formation. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11090961. [PMID: 32825294 PMCID: PMC7565526 DOI: 10.3390/genes11090961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [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: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Apomixis in the common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) consists of three developmental components: diplospory (apomeiosis), parthenogenesis, and autonomous endosperm development. The genetic basis of diplospory, which is inherited as a single dominant factor, has been previously elucidated. To uncover the genetic basis of the remaining components, a cross between a diploid sexual seed parent and a triploid apomictic pollen donor was made. The resulting 95 triploid progeny plants were genotyped with co-dominant simple-sequence repeat (SSR) markers and phenotyped for apomixis as a whole and for the individual apomixis components using Nomarski Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) microscopy of cleared ovules and seed flow cytometry. From this, a new SSR marker allele was discovered that was closely linked to parthenogenesis and unlinked to diplospory. The segregation of apomixis as a whole does not differ significantly from a three-locus model, with diplospory and parthenogenesis segregating as unlinked dominant loci. Autonomous endosperm is regularly present without parthenogenesis, suggesting that the parthenogenesis locus does not also control endosperm formation. However, the high recovery of autonomous endosperm is inconsistent with this phenotype segregating as the third dominant locus. These results highlight the genetic complexity underlying apomixis in the dandelion and underline the challenge of introducing autonomous apomixis into sexual crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J. Van Dijk
- Keygene N.V., Agro Business Park 90, 6708 PW Wageningen, The Netherlands;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +31-317-466-866
| | - Rik Op den Camp
- Keygene N.V., Agro Business Park 90, 6708 PW Wageningen, The Netherlands;
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18
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Barcaccia G, Palumbo F, Sgorbati S, Albertini E, Pupilli F. A Reappraisal of the Evolutionary and Developmental Pathway of Apomixis and Its Genetic Control in Angiosperms. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:E859. [PMID: 32731368 PMCID: PMC7466056 DOI: 10.3390/genes11080859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Apomixis sensu stricto (agamospermy) is asexual reproduction by seed. In angiosperms it represents an easy byway of life cycle renewal through gamete-like cells that give rise to maternal embryos without ploidy reduction (meiosis) and ploidy restitution (syngamy). The origin of apomixis still represents an unsolved problem, as it may be either evolved from sex or the other way around. This review deals with a reappraisal of the origin of apomixis in order to deepen knowledge on such asexual mode of reproduction which seems mainly lacking in the most basal angiosperm orders (i.e., Amborellales, Nymphaeales and Austrobaileyales, also known as ANA-grade), while it clearly occurs in different forms and variants in many unrelated families of monocots and eudicots. Overall findings strengthen the hypothesis that apomixis as a whole may have evolved multiple times in angiosperm evolution following different developmental pathways deviating to different extents from sexuality. Recent developments on the genetic control of apomixis in model species are also presented and adequately discussed in order to shed additional light on the antagonist theories of gain- and loss-of-function over sexuality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianni Barcaccia
- Department of Agronomy Food Natural Resources Animals Environment, University of Padova, Campus of Agripolis, Viale dell’Università 16, Legnaro, 35020 Padova, Italy;
| | - Fabio Palumbo
- Department of Agronomy Food Natural Resources Animals Environment, University of Padova, Campus of Agripolis, Viale dell’Università 16, Legnaro, 35020 Padova, Italy;
| | - Sergio Sgorbati
- Department of Environmental and Territory Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milano, Italy;
| | - Emidio Albertini
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, 06121 Perugia, Italy;
| | - Fulvio Pupilli
- Research Division of Perugia, Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council (CNR), Via Madonna Alta 130, 06128 Perugia, Italy;
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Scheben A, Hojsgaard D. Can We Use Gene-Editing to Induce Apomixis in Sexual Plants? Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:E781. [PMID: 32664641 PMCID: PMC7397034 DOI: 10.3390/genes11070781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [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: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Apomixis, the asexual formation of seeds, is a potentially valuable agricultural trait. Inducing apomixis in sexual crop plants would, for example, allow breeders to fix heterosis in hybrid seeds and rapidly generate doubled haploid crop lines. Molecular models explain the emergence of functional apomixis, i.e., apomeiosis + parthenogenesis + endosperm development, as resulting from a combination of genetic or epigenetic changes that coordinate altered molecular and developmental steps to form clonal seeds. Apomixis-like features and synthetic clonal seeds have been induced with limited success in the sexual plants rice and maize by using gene editing to mutate genes related to meiosis and fertility or via egg-cell specific expression of embryogenesis genes. Inducing functional apomixis and increasing the penetrance of apomictic seed production will be important for commercial deployment of the trait. Optimizing the induction of apomixis with gene editing strategies that use known targets as well as identifying alternative targets will be possible by better understanding natural genetic variation in apomictic species. With the growing availability of genomic data and precise gene editing tools, we are making substantial progress towards engineering apomictic crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armin Scheben
- Simons Center for Quantitative Biology, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA;
| | - Diego Hojsgaard
- Department of Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants, Albrecht-von-Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspuele 2, 37073 Goettingen, Germany
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