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An L, Wang Z, Cui Y, Bai Y, Yao Y, Yao X, Wu K. Comparative Analysis of Hulless Barley Transcriptomes to Regulatory Effects of Phosphorous Deficiency. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:904. [PMID: 39063656 PMCID: PMC11278117 DOI: 10.3390/life14070904] [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: 06/22/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Hulless barley is a cold-resistant crop widely planted in the northwest plateau of China. It is also the main food crop in this region. Phosphorus (P), as one of the important essential nutrient elements, regulates plant growth and defense. This study aimed to analyze the development and related molecular mechanisms of hulless barley under P deficiency and explore the regulatory genes so as to provide a basis for subsequent molecular breeding research. Transcriptome analysis was performed on the root and leaf samples of hulless barley cultured with different concentrations of KH2PO4 (1 mM and 10 μM) Hoagland solution. A total of 46,439 genes were finally obtained by the combined analysis of leaf and root samples. Among them, 325 and 453 genes had more than twofold differences in expression. These differentially expressed genes (DEGs) mainly participated in the abiotic stress biosynthetic process through Gene Ontology prediction. Moreover, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes showed that DEGs were mainly involved in photosynthesis, plant hormone signal transduction, glycolysis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and synthesis of metabolites. These pathways also appeared in other abiotic stresses. Plants initiated multiple hormone synergistic regulatory mechanisms to maintain growth under P-deficient conditions. Transcription factors (TFs) also proved these predictions. The enrichment of ARR-B TFs, which positively regulated the phosphorelay-mediated cytokinin signal transduction, and some other TFs (AP2, GRAS, and ARF) was related to plant hormone regulation. Some DEGs showed different values in their FPKM (fragment per kilobase of transcript per million mapped reads), but the expression trends of genes responding to stress and phosphorylation remained highly consistent. Therefore, in the case of P deficiency, the first response of plants was the expression of stress-related genes. The effects of this stress on plant metabolites need to be further studied to improve the relevant regulatory mechanisms so as to further understand the importance of P in the development and stress resistance of hulless barley.
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Affiliation(s)
- Likun An
- Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (L.A.); (Z.W.); (Y.C.); (Y.B.); (Y.Y.); (X.Y.)
- Laboratory for Research and Utilization of Qinghai Tibet Plateau Germplasm Resources, Xining 810016, China
- Qinghai Key Laboratory of Hulless Barley Genetics and Breeding, Xining 810016, China
- Qinghai Subcenter of National Hulless Barley Improvement, Xining 810016, China
| | - Ziao Wang
- Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (L.A.); (Z.W.); (Y.C.); (Y.B.); (Y.Y.); (X.Y.)
- Laboratory for Research and Utilization of Qinghai Tibet Plateau Germplasm Resources, Xining 810016, China
- Qinghai Key Laboratory of Hulless Barley Genetics and Breeding, Xining 810016, China
- Qinghai Subcenter of National Hulless Barley Improvement, Xining 810016, China
| | - Yongmei Cui
- Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (L.A.); (Z.W.); (Y.C.); (Y.B.); (Y.Y.); (X.Y.)
- Laboratory for Research and Utilization of Qinghai Tibet Plateau Germplasm Resources, Xining 810016, China
- Qinghai Key Laboratory of Hulless Barley Genetics and Breeding, Xining 810016, China
- Qinghai Subcenter of National Hulless Barley Improvement, Xining 810016, China
| | - Yixiong Bai
- Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (L.A.); (Z.W.); (Y.C.); (Y.B.); (Y.Y.); (X.Y.)
- Laboratory for Research and Utilization of Qinghai Tibet Plateau Germplasm Resources, Xining 810016, China
- Qinghai Key Laboratory of Hulless Barley Genetics and Breeding, Xining 810016, China
- Qinghai Subcenter of National Hulless Barley Improvement, Xining 810016, China
| | - Youhua Yao
- Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (L.A.); (Z.W.); (Y.C.); (Y.B.); (Y.Y.); (X.Y.)
- Laboratory for Research and Utilization of Qinghai Tibet Plateau Germplasm Resources, Xining 810016, China
- Qinghai Key Laboratory of Hulless Barley Genetics and Breeding, Xining 810016, China
- Qinghai Subcenter of National Hulless Barley Improvement, Xining 810016, China
| | - Xiaohua Yao
- Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (L.A.); (Z.W.); (Y.C.); (Y.B.); (Y.Y.); (X.Y.)
- Laboratory for Research and Utilization of Qinghai Tibet Plateau Germplasm Resources, Xining 810016, China
- Qinghai Key Laboratory of Hulless Barley Genetics and Breeding, Xining 810016, China
- Qinghai Subcenter of National Hulless Barley Improvement, Xining 810016, China
| | - Kunlun Wu
- Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (L.A.); (Z.W.); (Y.C.); (Y.B.); (Y.Y.); (X.Y.)
- Laboratory for Research and Utilization of Qinghai Tibet Plateau Germplasm Resources, Xining 810016, China
- Qinghai Key Laboratory of Hulless Barley Genetics and Breeding, Xining 810016, China
- Qinghai Subcenter of National Hulless Barley Improvement, Xining 810016, China
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Ochoa-Alejo N, Reyes-Valdés MH, Martínez O. Estimating Transcriptome Diversity and Specialization in Capsicum annuum L. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:983. [PMID: 38611513 PMCID: PMC11013594 DOI: 10.3390/plants13070983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Chili pepper fruits of the genus Capsicum represent excellent experimental models to study the growth, development, and ripening processes in a non-climacteric species at the physiological, biochemical, and molecular levels. Fruit growth, development, and ripening involve a complex, harmonious, and finely controlled regulation of gene expression. The purpose of this study was to estimate the changes in transcriptome diversity and specialization, as well as gene specificities during fruit development in this crop, and to illustrate the advantages of estimating these parameters. To achieve these aims, we programmed and made publicly available an R package. In this study, we applied these methods to a set of 179 RNA-Seq libraries from a factorial experiment that includes 12 different genotypes at various stages of fruit development. We found that the diversity of the transcriptome decreases linearly from the flower to the mature fruit, while its specialization follows a complex and non-linear behavior during this process. Additionally, by defining sets of genes with different degrees of specialization and applying Gene Ontology enrichment analysis, we identified processes, functions, and components that play a central role in particular fruit development stages. In conclusion, the estimation of diversity, specialization, and specificity summarizes the global properties of the transcriptomes, providing insights that are difficult to achieve by other means.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neftalí Ochoa-Alejo
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Unidad Irapuato, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Irapuato 36824, Guanajuato, Mexico;
| | - M. Humberto Reyes-Valdés
- Department of Plant Breeding, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Saltillo 25315, Coahuila, Mexico;
| | - Octavio Martínez
- Unidad de Genómica Avanzada (Langebio), Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (Cinvestav), Irapuato 36824, Guanajuato, Mexico
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Fan Y, Wan X, Zhang X, Zhang J, Zheng C, Yang Q, Yang L, Li X, Feng L, Zou L, Xiang D. GRAS gene family in rye (Secale cereale L.): genome-wide identification, phylogeny, evolutionary expansion and expression analyses. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 24:46. [PMID: 38216860 PMCID: PMC10787399 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-023-04674-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The GRAS transcription factor family plays a crucial role in various biological processes in different plants, such as tissue development, fruit maturation, and environmental stress. However, the GRAS family in rye has not been systematically analyzed yet. RESULTS In this study, 67 GRAS genes in S. cereale were identified and named based on the chromosomal location. The gene structures, conserved motifs, cis-acting elements, gene replications, and expression patterns were further analyzed. These 67 ScGRAS members are divided into 13 subfamilies. All members include the LHR I, VHIID, LHR II, PFYRE, and SAW domains, and some nonpolar hydrophobic amino acid residues may undergo cross-substitution in the VHIID region. Interested, tandem duplications may have a more important contribution, which distinguishes them from other monocotyledonous plants. To further investigate the evolutionary relationship of the GRAS family, we constructed six comparative genomic maps of homologous genes between rye and different representative monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants. The response characteristics of 19 ScGRAS members from different subfamilies to different tissues, grains at filling stages, and different abiotic stresses of rye were systematically analyzed. Paclobutrazol, a triazole-based plant growth regulator, controls plant tissue and grain development by inhibiting gibberellic acid (GA) biosynthesis through the regulation of DELLA proteins. Exogenous spraying of paclobutrazol significantly reduced the plant height but was beneficial for increasing the weight of 1000 grains of rye. Treatment with paclobutrazol, significantly reduced gibberellin levels in grain in the filling period, caused significant alteration in the expression of the DELLA subfamily gene members. Furthermore, our findings with respect to genes, ScGRAS46 and ScGRAS60, suggest that these two family members could be further used for functional characterization studies in basic research and in breeding programmes for crop improvement. CONCLUSIONS We identified 67 ScGRAS genes in rye and further analysed the evolution and expression patterns of the encoded proteins. This study will be helpful for further analysing the functional characteristics of ScGRAS genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Fan
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sichuan Engineering & Technology Research Center of Coarse Cereal Industralization, College of Food and Biological engineering, Chengdu University, Longquanyi District, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan Province, P.R. China
| | - Xianqi Wan
- Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Machinery Science, Chengdu, 610011, P.R. China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sichuan Engineering & Technology Research Center of Coarse Cereal Industralization, College of Food and Biological engineering, Chengdu University, Longquanyi District, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan Province, P.R. China
| | - Jieyu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sichuan Engineering & Technology Research Center of Coarse Cereal Industralization, College of Food and Biological engineering, Chengdu University, Longquanyi District, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan Province, P.R. China
| | - Chunyu Zheng
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Xinjiang Institute of Technology, Aksu, 843100, P.R. China
| | - Qiaohui Yang
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sichuan Engineering & Technology Research Center of Coarse Cereal Industralization, College of Food and Biological engineering, Chengdu University, Longquanyi District, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan Province, P.R. China
| | - Li Yang
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sichuan Engineering & Technology Research Center of Coarse Cereal Industralization, College of Food and Biological engineering, Chengdu University, Longquanyi District, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan Province, P.R. China
| | - Xiaolong Li
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sichuan Engineering & Technology Research Center of Coarse Cereal Industralization, College of Food and Biological engineering, Chengdu University, Longquanyi District, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan Province, P.R. China
| | - Liang Feng
- Chengdu Institute of Food Inspection, Chengdu, 610000, P.R. China
| | - Liang Zou
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sichuan Engineering & Technology Research Center of Coarse Cereal Industralization, College of Food and Biological engineering, Chengdu University, Longquanyi District, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan Province, P.R. China.
| | - Dabing Xiang
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sichuan Engineering & Technology Research Center of Coarse Cereal Industralization, College of Food and Biological engineering, Chengdu University, Longquanyi District, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan Province, P.R. China.
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Neves C, Ribeiro B, Amaro R, Expósito J, Grimplet J, Fortes AM. Network of GRAS transcription factors in plant development, fruit ripening and stress responses. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2023; 10:uhad220. [PMID: 38077496 PMCID: PMC10699852 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhad220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
The plant-specific family of GRAS transcription factors has been wide implicated in the regulation of transcriptional reprogramming associated with a diversity of biological functions ranging from plant development processes to stress responses. Functional analyses of GRAS transcription factors supported by in silico structural and comparative analyses are emerging and clarifying the regulatory networks associated with their biological roles. In this review, a detailed analysis of GRAS proteins' structure and biochemical features as revealed by recent discoveries indicated how these characteristics may impact subcellular location, molecular mechanisms, and function. Nomenclature issues associated with GRAS classification into different subfamilies in diverse plant species even in the presence of robust genomic resources are discussed, in particular how it affects assumptions of biological function. Insights into the mechanisms driving evolution of this gene family and how genetic and epigenetic regulation of GRAS contributes to subfunctionalization are provided. Finally, this review debates challenges and future perspectives on the application of this complex but promising gene family for crop improvement to cope with challenges of environmental transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catarina Neves
- BioISI–Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Beatriz Ribeiro
- BioISI–Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Rute Amaro
- BioISI–Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Jesús Expósito
- BioISI–Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Jérôme Grimplet
- Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón (CITA), Departamento de Ciencia Vegetal, Gobierno de Aragón, Avda. Montañana 930, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain
- Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón—IA2 (CITA-Universidad de Zaragoza), Calle Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Ana Margarida Fortes
- BioISI–Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
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Sun S, Ma W, Mao P. Genomic identification and expression profiling of WRKY genes in alfalfa (Medicago sativa) elucidate their responsiveness to seed vigor. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 23:568. [PMID: 37968658 PMCID: PMC10652462 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-023-04597-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Seed aging is a critical factor contributing to vigor loss, leading to delayed forage seed germination and seedling growth. Numerous studies have revealed the regulatory role of WRKY transcription factors in seed development, germination, and seed vigor. However, a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of WRKY genes in Zhongmu No.1 alfalfa has not yet been conducted. RESULTS In this study, a total of 91 MsWRKY genes were identified from the genome of alfalfa. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that these MsWRKY genes could be categorized into seven distinct subgroups. Furthermore, 88 MsWRKY genes were unevenly mapped on eight chromosomes in alfalfa. Gene duplication analysis revealed segmental duplication as the principal driving force for the expansion of this gene family during the course of evolution. Expression analysis of the 91 MsWRKY genes across various tissues and during seed germination exhibited differential expression patterns. Subsequent RT-qPCR analysis highlighted significant induction of nine selected MsWRKY genes in response to seed aging treatment, suggesting their potential roles in regulating seed vigor. CONCLUSION This study investigated WRKY genes in alfalfa and identified nine candidate WRKY transcription factors involved in the regulation of seed vigor. While this finding provides valuable insights into understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying vigor loss and developing new strategies to enhance alfalfa seed germinability, further research is required to comprehensively elucidate the precise pathways through which the MsWRKY genes modulate seed vigor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoujiang Sun
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Wen Ma
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Peisheng Mao
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
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Weng Y, Chen X, Hao Z, Lu L, Wu X, Zhang J, Wu J, Shi J, Chen J. Genome-wide analysis of the GRAS gene family in Liriodendron chinense reveals the putative function in abiotic stress and plant development. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1211853. [PMID: 37810392 PMCID: PMC10551155 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1211853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Introduction GRAS genes encode plant-specific transcription factors that play essential roles in plant growth and development. However, the members and the function of the GRAS gene family have not been reported in Liriodendron chinense. L. chinense, a tree species in the Magnolia family that produces excellent timber for daily life and industry. In addition, it is a good relict species for plant evolution research. Methods Therefore, we conducted a genome-wide study of the LcGRAS gene family and identified 49 LcGRAS genes in L. chinense. Results We found that LcGRAS could be divided into 13 sub-groups, among which there is a unique branch named HAM-t. We carried out RNA sequencing analysis of the somatic embryos from L. chinense and found that LcGRAS genes are mainly expressed after heart-stage embryo development, suggesting that LcGRAS may have a function during somatic embryogenesis. We also investigated whether GRAS genes are responsive to stress by carrying out RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis, and we found that the genes in the PAT subfamily were activated upon stress treatment, suggesting that these genes may help plants survive stressful environments. We found that PIF was downregulated and COR was upregulated after the transient overexpression of PATs, suggesting that PAT may be upstream regulators of cold stress. Discussion Collectively, LcGRAS genes are conserved and play essential roles in plant development and adaptation to abiotic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhao Weng
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xinying Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhaodong Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lu Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xinru Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiaji Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jingxiang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jisen Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jinhui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
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Tong N, Li D, Zhang S, Tang M, Chen Y, Zhang Z, Huang Y, Lin Y, Cheng Z, Lai Z. Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the GRAS family under low-temperature stress in bananas. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1216070. [PMID: 37719217 PMCID: PMC10502232 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1216070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Introduction GRAS, named after GAI, RGA, and SCR, is a class of plant-specific transcription factors family that plays a crucial role in growth and development, signal transduction, and various stress responses. Methods To understand the biological functions of the banana GRAS gene family, a genome-wide identification and bioinformatics analysis of the banana GRAS gene family was performed based on information from the M. acuminata, M. balbisiana, and M. itinerans genomic databases. Result In the present study, we identified 73 MaGRAS, 59 MbGRAS, and 58 MiGRAS genes in bananas at the whole-genome scale, and 56 homologous genes were identified in the three banana genomes. Banana GRASs can be classified into 10 subfamilies, and their gene structures revealed that most banana GRAS gDNAs lack introns. The promoter sequences of GRASs had a large number of cis-acting elements related to plant growth and development, phytohormone, and adversity stress responsiveness. The expression pattern of seven key members of MaGRAS response to low-temperature stress and different tissues was also examined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The microRNAs-MaGRASs target prediction showed perfect complementarity of seven GRAS genes with the five mac-miRNAs. The expression of all seven genes was lowest in roots, and the expression of five genes was highest in leaves during low-temperature stress. The expression of MaSCL27-2, MaSCL27-3, and MaSCL6-1 was significantly lower under low-temperature stress compared to the control, except for MaSCL27-2, which was slightly higher than the 28°C control at 4 h. The expression of MaSCL27-2, MaSCL27-3, and MaSCL6-1 dropped to the lowest levels at 24 h, 12 h, and 4 h, respectively. The MaSCL27-4 and MaSCL6-2 expression was intermittently upregulated, rising to the highest expression at 24h, while the expression of MaSCL22 was less variable, remaining at the control level with small changes. Discussion In summary, it is tentatively hypothesized that the GRAS family has an important function in low-temperature stress in bananas. This study provides a theoretical basis for further analyzing the function of the banana GRAS gene and the resistance of bananas to cold temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Zhongxiong Lai
- Institute of Horticultural Biotechnology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
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Aslam MM, Fritschi FB, Di Z, Wang G, Li H, Lam HM, Waseem M, Weifeng X, Zhang J. Overexpression of LaGRAS enhances phosphorus acquisition via increased root growth of phosphorus-deficient white lupin. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2023; 175:e13962. [PMID: 37343119 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.13962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
The GRAS transcription factors play an indispensable role in plant growth and responses to environmental stresses. The GRAS gene family has extensively been explored in various plant species; however, the comprehensive investigation of GRAS genes in white lupin remains insufficient. In this study, bioinformatics analysis of white lupin genome revealed 51 LaGRAS genes distributed into 10 distinct phylogenetic clades. Gene structure analyses revealed that LaGRAS proteins were considerably conserved among the same subfamilies. Notably, 25 segmental duplications and a single tandem duplication showed that segmental duplication was the major driving force for the expansion of GRAS genes in white lupin. Moreover, LaGRAS genes exhibited preferential expression in young cluster root and mature cluster roots and may play key roles in nutrient acquisition, particularly phosphorus (P). To validate this, RT-qPCR analysis of white lupin plants grown under +P (normal P) and -P (P deficiency) conditions elucidated significant differences in the transcript level of GRAS genes. Among them, LaGRAS38 and LaGRAS39 were identified as potential candidates with induced expression in MCR under -P. Additionally, white lupin transgenic hairy root overexpressing OE-LaGRAS38 and OE-LaGRAS39 showed increased root growth, and P concentration in root and leaf compared to those with empty vector control, suggesting their role in P acquisition. We believe this comprehensive analysis of GRAS members in white lupin is a first step in exploring their role in the regulation of root growth, tissue development, and ultimately improving P use efficiency in legume crops under natural environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehtab Muhammad Aslam
- College of Agriculture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
- College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR), Division of Plant Sciences & Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Felix B Fritschi
- College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR), Division of Plant Sciences & Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Zhang Di
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Guanqun Wang
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Haoxuan Li
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Hon-Ming Lam
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Muhammad Waseem
- College of Horticulture, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- Department of Botany, University of Narowal, Narowal, Pakistan
| | - Xu Weifeng
- College of Agriculture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Center for Plant Water-Use and Nutrition Regulation and College of Resource and Environment, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jianhua Zhang
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
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Chang J, Fan D, Lan S, Cheng S, Chen S, Lin Y, Cao S. Genome-Wide Identification, Expression and Stress Analysis of the GRAS Gene Family in Phoebe bournei. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:2048. [PMID: 37653964 PMCID: PMC10222183 DOI: 10.3390/plants12102048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
GRAS genes are important transcriptional regulators in plants that govern plant growth and development through enhancing plant hormones, biosynthesis, and signaling pathways. Drought and other abiotic factors may influence the defenses and growth of Phoebe bournei, which is a superb timber source for the construction industry and building exquisite furniture. Although genome-wide identification of the GRAS gene family has been completed in many species, that of most woody plants, particularly P. bournei, has not yet begun. We performed a genome-wide investigation of 56 PbGRAS genes, which are unequally distributed across 12 chromosomes. They are divided into nine subclades. Furthermore, these 56 PbGRAS genes have a substantial number of components related to abiotic stress responses or phytohormone transmission. Analysis using qRT-PCR showed that the expression of four PbGRAS genes, namely PbGRAS7, PbGRAS10, PbGRAS14 and PbGRAS16, was differentially increased in response to drought, salt and temperature stresses, respectively. We hypothesize that they may help P. bournei to successfully resist harsh environmental disturbances. In this work, we conducted a comprehensive survey of the GRAS gene family in P. bournei plants, and the results provide an extensive and preliminary resource for further clarification of the molecular mechanisms of the GRAS gene family in P. bournei in response to abiotic stresses and forestry improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiarui Chang
- International College, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China;
| | - Dunjin Fan
- College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (D.F.); (S.C.); (S.C.)
| | - Shuoxian Lan
- College of Horticulture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Shengze Cheng
- College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (D.F.); (S.C.); (S.C.)
| | - Shipin Chen
- College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (D.F.); (S.C.); (S.C.)
| | - Yuling Lin
- College of Horticulture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Shijiang Cao
- College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (D.F.); (S.C.); (S.C.)
- Key Laboratory of Fujian Universities for Stress Physiology Ecology and Molecular Biology of Forest, Fuzhou 350002, China
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Yu L, Fei C, Wang D, Huang R, Xuan W, Guo C, Jing L, Meng W, Yi L, Zhang H, Zhang J. Genome-wide identification, evolution and expression profiles analysis of bHLH gene family in Castanea mollissima. Front Genet 2023; 14:1193953. [PMID: 37252667 PMCID: PMC10213225 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1193953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) gene family is an important gene family in plants, and participates in regulation of plant apical meristem growth, metabolic regulation and stress resistance. However, its characteristics and potential functions have not been studied in chestnut (Castanea mollissima), an important nut with high ecological and economic value. In the present study, 94 CmbHLHs were identified in chestnut genome, of which 88 were unevenly distributed on chromosomes, and other six were located on five unanchored scaffolds. Almost all CmbHLH proteins were predicted in the nucleus, and subcellular localization demonstrated the correctness of the above predictions. Based on the phylogenetic analysis, all of the CmbHLH genes were divided into 19 subgroups with distinct features. Abundant cis-acting regulatory elements related to endosperm expression, meristem expression, and responses to gibberellin (GA) and auxin were identified in the upstream sequences of CmbHLH genes. This indicates that these genes may have potential functions in the morphogenesis of chestnut. Comparative genome analysis showed that dispersed duplication was the main driving force for the expansion of the CmbHLH gene family inferred to have evolved through purifying selection. Transcriptome analysis and qRT-PCR experiments showed that the expression patterns of CmbHLHs were different in different chestnut tissues, and revealed some members may have potential functions in chestnut buds, nuts, fertile/abortive ovules development. The results from this study will be helpful to understand the characteristics and potential functions of the bHLH gene family in chestnut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyang Yu
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
- Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center of Chestnut Industry, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Cao Fei
- Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center of Chestnut Industry, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Horticultural Germplasm Excavation and Innovative Utilization, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Dongsheng Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
- Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center of Chestnut Industry, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Ruimin Huang
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
- Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center of Chestnut Industry, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Wang Xuan
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
- Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center of Chestnut Industry, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Chunlei Guo
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
- Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center of Chestnut Industry, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Liu Jing
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
- Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center of Chestnut Industry, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Wang Meng
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
- Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center of Chestnut Industry, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Lu Yi
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
- Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center of Chestnut Industry, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Haie Zhang
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
- Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center of Chestnut Industry, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Jingzheng Zhang
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
- Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center of Chestnut Industry, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Horticultural Germplasm Excavation and Innovative Utilization, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
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11
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Ling L, Li M, Chen N, Ren G, Qu L, Yue H, Wu X, Zhao J. Genome-Wide Analysis and Expression of the GRAS Transcription Factor Family in Avena sativa. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14010164. [PMID: 36672905 PMCID: PMC9858933 DOI: 10.3390/genes14010164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The GRAS transcription factor is an important transcription factor in plants. In recent years, more GRAS genes have been identified in many plant species. However, the GRAS gene family has not yet been studied in Avena sativa. We identified 100 members of the GRAS gene family in A. sativa (Avena sativa), named them AsGRAS1~AsGRAS100 according to the positions of 21 chromosomes, and classified them into 9 subfamilies. In this study, the motif and gene structures were also relatively conserved in the same subfamilies. At the same time, we found a great deal related to the stress of cis-acting promoter regulatory elements (MBS, ABRE, and TC-rich repeat elements). qRT-PCR suggested that the AsGRAS gene family (GRAS gene family in A. sativa) can regulate the response to salt, saline-alkali, and cold and freezing abiotic stresses. The current study provides original and detailed information about the AsGRAS gene family, which contributes to the functional characterization of GRAS proteins in other plants.
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12
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Yu L, Hui C, Huang R, Wang D, Fei C, Guo C, Zhang J. Genome-wide identification, evolution and transcriptome analysis of GRAS gene family in Chinese chestnut ( Castanea mollissima). Front Genet 2023; 13:1080759. [PMID: 36685835 PMCID: PMC9845266 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1080759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
GRAS transcription factors play an important role in regulating various biological processes in plant growth and development. However, their characterization and potential function are still vague in Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima), an important nut with rich nutrition and high economic value. In this study, 48 CmGRAS genes were identified in Chinese chestnut genome and phylogenetic analysis divided CmGRAS genes into nine subfamilies, and each of them has distinct conserved structure domain and features. Genomic organization revealed that CmGRAS tend to have a representative GRAS domain and fewer introns. Tandem duplication had the greatest contribution for the CmGRAS expansion based on the comparative genome analysis, and CmGRAS genes experienced strong purifying selection pressure based on the Ka/Ks. Gene expression analysis revealed some CmGRAS members with potential functions in bud development and ovule fertility. CmGRAS genes with more homologous relationships with reference species had more cis-acting elements and higher expression levels. Notably, the lack of DELLA domain in members of the DELLA subfamily may cause de functionalization, and the differences between the three-dimensional structures of them were exhibited. This comprehensive study provides theoretical and practical basis for future research on the evolution and function of GRAS gene family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyang Yu
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China,Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center of Chestnut Industry, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Cai Hui
- The Office of Scientific Research, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Ruimin Huang
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China,Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center of Chestnut Industry, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Dongsheng Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China,Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center of Chestnut Industry, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Cao Fei
- Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center of Chestnut Industry, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China,Hebei Key Laboratory of Horticultural Germplasm Excavation and Innovative Utilization, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Chunlei Guo
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China,Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center of Chestnut Industry, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Jingzheng Zhang
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China,Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center of Chestnut Industry, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China,Hebei Key Laboratory of Horticultural Germplasm Excavation and Innovative Utilization, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China,*Correspondence: Jingzheng Zhang,
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13
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Hou S, Zhang Q, Chen J, Meng J, Wang C, Du J, Guo Y. Genome-Wide Identification and Analysis of the GRAS Transcription Factor Gene Family in Theobroma cacao. Genes (Basel) 2022; 14:57. [PMID: 36672798 PMCID: PMC9858872 DOI: 10.3390/genes14010057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
GRAS genes exist widely and play vital roles in various physiological processes in plants. In this study, to identify Theobroma cacao (T. cacao) GRAS genes involved in environmental stress and phytohormones, we conducted a genome-wide analysis of the GRAS gene family in T. cacao. A total of 46 GRAS genes of T. cacao were identified. Chromosomal distribution analysis showed that all the TcGRAS genes were evenly distributed on ten chromosomes. Phylogenetic relationships revealed that GRAS proteins could be divided into twelve subfamilies (HAM: 6, LISCL: 10, LAS: 1, SCL4/7: 1, SCR: 4, DLT: 1, SCL3: 3, DELLA: 4, SHR: 5, PAT1: 6, UN1: 1, UN2: 4). Of the T. cacao GRAS genes, all contained the GRAS domain or GRAS superfamily domain. Subcellular localization analysis predicted that TcGRAS proteins were located in the nucleus, chloroplast, and endomembrane system. Gene duplication analysis showed that there were two pairs of tandem repeats and six pairs of fragment duplications, which may account for the rapid expansion in T. cacao. In addition, we also predicted the physicochemical properties and cis-acting elements. The analysis of GO annotation predicted that the TcGRAS genes were involved in many biological processes. This study highlights the evolution, diversity, and characterization of the GRAS genes in T. cacao and provides the first comprehensive analysis of this gene family in the cacao genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sijia Hou
- Center for Computational Biology, National Engineering Laboratory for Tree Breeding, College of Biological Science and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Qianqian Zhang
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China
- College of Biological Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Center for Computational Biology, National Engineering Laboratory for Tree Breeding, College of Biological Science and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Jianqiao Meng
- Center for Computational Biology, National Engineering Laboratory for Tree Breeding, College of Biological Science and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Cong Wang
- Center for Computational Biology, National Engineering Laboratory for Tree Breeding, College of Biological Science and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Junhong Du
- Center for Computational Biology, National Engineering Laboratory for Tree Breeding, College of Biological Science and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yunqian Guo
- Center for Computational Biology, National Engineering Laboratory for Tree Breeding, College of Biological Science and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
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14
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Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Pattern of the GRAS Gene Family in Pitaya ( Selenicereus undatus L.). BIOLOGY 2022; 12:biology12010011. [PMID: 36671704 PMCID: PMC9854919 DOI: 10.3390/biology12010011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The GRAS gene family is one of the most important families of transcriptional factors that have diverse functions in plant growth and developmental processes including axillary meristem patterning, signal-transduction, cell maintenance, phytohormone and light signaling. Despite their importance, the function of GRAS genes in pitaya fruit (Selenicereus undatus L.) remains unknown. Here, 45 members of the HuGRAS gene family were identified in the pitaya genome, which was distributed on 11 chromosomes. All 45 members of HuGRAS were grouped into nine subfamilies using phylogenetic analysis with six other species: maize, rice, soybeans, tomatoes, Medicago truncatula and Arabidopsis. Among the 45 genes, 12 genes were selected from RNA-Seq data due to their higher expression in different plant tissues of pitaya. In order to verify the RNA-Seq data, these 12 HuGRAS genes were subjected for qRT-PCR validation. Nine HuGRAS genes exhibited higher relative expression in different tissues of the plant. These nine genes which were categorized into six subfamilies inlcuding DELLA (HuGRAS-1), SCL-3 (HuGRAS-7), PAT1 (HuGRAS-34, HuGRAS-35, HuGRAS-41), HAM (HuGRAS-37), SCR (HuGRAS-12) and LISCL (HuGRAS-18, HuGRAS-25) might regulate growth and development in the pitaya plant. The results of the present study provide valuable information to improve tropical pitaya through a molecular and conventional breeding program.
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15
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Jaiswal V, Kakkar M, Kumari P, Zinta G, Gahlaut V, Kumar S. Multifaceted Roles of GRAS Transcription Factors in Growth and Stress Responses in Plants. iScience 2022; 25:105026. [PMID: 36117995 PMCID: PMC9474926 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Vandana Jaiswal
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh 176061, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201002, India
| | - Mrinalini Kakkar
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi, South Campus, New Delhi 110021, India
| | - Priya Kumari
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh 176061, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201002, India
| | - Gaurav Zinta
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh 176061, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201002, India
- Corresponding author
| | - Vijay Gahlaut
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh 176061, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201002, India
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi, South Campus, New Delhi 110021, India
- Corresponding author
| | - Sanjay Kumar
- Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh 176061, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201002, India
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16
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Waseem M, Nkurikiyimfura O, Niyitanga S, Jakada BH, Shaheen I, Aslam MM. GRAS transcription factors emerging regulator in plants growth, development, and multiple stresses. Mol Biol Rep 2022; 49:9673-9685. [PMID: 35713799 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-07425-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
GRAS transcription factors play multifunctional roles in plant growth, development, and resistance to various biotic and abiotic stresses. The structural and functional features of GRAS TFs have been unveiled in the last two decades. A typical GRAS protein contained a C-terminal GRAS domain with a highly variable N-terminal region. Studies on these TFs increase in numbers and are reported to be involved in various important developmental processes such as flowering, root formation, and stress responses. The GRAS TFs and hormone signaling crosstalk can be implicated in plant development and to stress responses. There are relatively few reports about GRAS TFs roles in plants, and no related reviews have been published. In this review, we summarized the features of GRAS TFs, their targets, and the roles these GRAS TFs playing in plant development and multiple stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Waseem
- Department of Botany, University of Narowal, Narowal, Punjab, Pakistan. .,College of Life Science, Hainan University, Hainan, P.R. China.
| | - Oswald Nkurikiyimfura
- Key Lab for Bio-Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 350002, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Sylvain Niyitanga
- Department of Plant Pathology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 350002, Fuzhou, China
| | - Bello Hassan Jakada
- College of Life Science, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 350002, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Iffat Shaheen
- Faculty of Agriculture Science and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan
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Khan Y, Xiong Z, Zhang H, Liu S, Yaseen T, Hui T. Expression and roles of GRAS gene family in plant growth, signal transduction, biotic and abiotic stress resistance and symbiosis formation-a review. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2022; 24:404-416. [PMID: 34854195 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The GRAS (derived from GAI, RGA and SCR) gene family consists of plant-specific genes, works as a transcriptional regulator and plays a key part in the regulation of plant growth and development. The past decade has witnessed significant progress in understanding and advances on GRAS transcription factors in various plants. A notable concern is to what extent the mechanisms found in plants, particularly crops, are shared by other species, and what other characteristics are dependent on GRAS transcription factor (TFS)-mediated gene expression. GRAS are involved in many processes that are intimately linked to plant growth regulation. However, GRAS also perform additional roles against environmental stresses, allowing plants to function more efficiently. GRAS increase plant growth and development by improving several physiological processes, such as phytohormone, biosynthetic and signalling pathways. Furthermore, the GRAS gene family plays an important role in response to abiotic stresses, e.g. photooxidative stress. Moreover, evidence shows the involvement of GRAS in arbuscule development during plant-mycorrhiza associations. In this review, the diverse roles of GRAS in plant systems are highlighted that could be useful in enhancing crop productivity through genetic modification, especially of crops. This is the first review to report the role and function of the GRAS gene family in plant systems. Furthermore, a large number of studies are reviewed, and several limitations and research gaps identified that must be addressed in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Khan
- Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Agri-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Natural Resource and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Z Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Agri-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Natural Resource and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - H Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Agri-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Natural Resource and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - S Liu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Agri-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Natural Resource and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - T Yaseen
- Department of Botany, Bacha Khan University, Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - T Hui
- Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Agri-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Natural Resource and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
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18
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Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the GRAS gene family in response to drought stress in chickpea ( Cicer arietinum L.). 3 Biotech 2022; 12:64. [PMID: 35186661 PMCID: PMC8828820 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-021-03104-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The GRAS (gibberellic acid insensitive, repressor of GAI and scarecrow) transcription factors (TFs) regulate diverse biological processes involved in plant growth and development. These TFs are also known to regulate gene expression in response to various abiotic stress factors like cold, drought, etc. In chickpea one of the most devastating abiotic stress factors is terminal drought. The GRAS TF family has not been characterized in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) until now. In this study, we report 46 GRAS TF genes (CaGRAS genes) in the chickpea genome. The CaGRAS proteins were categorized into nine subfamilies based on their phylogenetic relationship with known GRAS members of Arabidopsis and soybean. The PAT subfamily was the largest consisting of ten CaGRAS members whereas the LAS subfamily was the smallest with only one member. Gene duplication analysis revealed that segmental duplication was the primary reason for the expansion of this gene family within the chickpea genome. The gene expression levels of CaGRAS genes were analysed using two different chickpea varieties contrasting for drought tolerance trait, i.e., ICC 4958 (drought tolerant) and ICC 1882 (drought sensitive). On exposure to drought stress, the two chickpea genotypes, exhibited differential drought response, which was quantified and estimated in terms of differences in leaf relative water content (RWC). The well-watered or control plants of the drought tolerant variety were able to maintain a higher leaf RWC by the end of the drought stress period, whereas the control plants of the drought sensitive variety continued to show a decline in leaf RWC. The two genotypes also differed in their root morphologies, under well-watered and drought stress conditions. The gene expression analysis revealed a potential role of PAT, SCR, SCL3 and SHR GRAS members in the regulation of differential response to drought, in the root tissues, for both the genotypes. CaGRAS 12 (SCR) was identified as a drought-responsive GRAS TF gene, which could serve as a potential candidate gene for utilization in developing chickpea varieties with improved drought tolerance. This study demonstrates the drought-responsive expression of CaGRAS genes in chickpea and also describes the morpho-physiological response of chickpea plants to drought stress conditions. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-021-03104-z.
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Laskar P, Bhattacharya S, Chaudhuri A, Kundu A. Exploring the GRAS gene family in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.): characterization, evolutionary relationships, and expression analyses in response to abiotic stresses. PLANTA 2021; 254:84. [PMID: 34561734 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-021-03725-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Genome-wide identification reveals 55 PvuGRAS genes belonging to 16 subfamilies and their gene structures and evolutionary relationships were characterized. Expression analyses highlight their prominence in plant growth, development and abiotic stress responses. GRAS proteins comprise a plant-specific transcription factor family involved in multiple growth regulatory pathways and environmental cues including abiotic/biotic stresses. Despite its crucial importance, characterization of this gene family is still elusive in common bean. A systematic genome-wide scan identified 55 PvuGRAS genes unevenly anchored to the 11 common bean chromosomes. Segmental duplication appeared to be the key driving force behind expansion of this gene family that underwent purifying selection during evolution. Computational investigation unraveled their intronless organization and identified similar motif composition within the same subfamily. Phylogenetic analyses clustered the PvuGRAS proteins into 16 phylogenetic clades and established extensive orthologous relationships with Arabidopsis and rice. Analysis of the upstream promoter region uncovered cis-elements responsive to growth, development, and abiotic stresses that may account for their differential expression. The identified SSRs could serve as putative molecular markers facilitating future breeding programs. 37 PvuGRAS transcripts were post-transcriptionally regulated by different miRNA families, miR171 being the major player preferentially targeting members of the HAM subfamily. Global expression profile based on RNA-seq data indicates a clade specific expression pattern in various tissues and developmental stages. Additionally, nine PvuGRAS genes were chosen for further qPCR analyses under drought, salt, and cold stress suggesting their involvement in acclimation to environmental stimuli. Combined, the present results significantly contribute to the current understanding of the complexity and biological function of the PvuGRAS gene family. The resources generated will provide a solid foundation in future endeavors for genetic improvement in common bean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parbej Laskar
- Plant Genomics and Bioinformatics Laboratory, P.G. Department of Botany, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College (Autonomous), Rahara, Kolkata, 700118, India
| | - Saswati Bhattacharya
- Department of Botany, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Government College, New Town, Rajarhat, India
| | - Atreyee Chaudhuri
- Aquatic Bioresource Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology , University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India
| | - Anirban Kundu
- Plant Genomics and Bioinformatics Laboratory, P.G. Department of Botany, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College (Autonomous), Rahara, Kolkata, 700118, India.
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20
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Chen J, Yan Q, Li J, Feng L, Zhang Y, Xu J, Xia R, Zeng Z, Liu Y. The GRAS gene family and its roles in seed development in litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn). BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 21:423. [PMID: 34535087 PMCID: PMC8447652 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-021-03193-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The GRAS gene family plays crucial roles in multiple biological processes of plant growth, including seed development, which is related to seedless traits of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.). However, it hasn't been fully identified and analyzed in litchi, an economic fruit tree cultivated in subtropical regions. RESULTS In this study, 48 LcGRAS proteins were identified and termed according to their chromosomal location. LcGRAS proteins can be categorized into 14 subfamilies through phylogenetic analysis. Gene structure and conserved domain analysis revealed that different subfamilies harbored various motif patterns, suggesting their functional diversity. Synteny analysis revealed that the expansion of the GRAS family in litchi may be driven by their tandem and segmental duplication. After comprehensively analysing degradome data, we found that four LcGRAS genes belong to HAM subfamily were regulated via miR171-mediated degradation. The various expression patterns of LcGRAS genes in different tissues uncovered they were involved in different biological processes. Moreover, the different temporal expression profiles of LcGRAS genes between abortive and bold seed indicated some of them were involved in maintaining the normal development of the seed. CONCLUSION Our study provides comprehensive analyses on GRAS family members in litchi, insight into a better understanding of the roles of GRAS in litchi development, and lays the foundation for further investigations on litchi seed development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwen Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, 483 Wushan Road, Tianhe, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Germplasm Enhancement of Horticultural Crops in South China, Ministry of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Litchi Engineering Research Center, College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qian Yan
- Key Laboratory of South Subtropical Fruit Biology and Genetic Resource Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture / Guangdong ProvinceKey Laboratary of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Tree Research / Institute of Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiawei Li
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, 483 Wushan Road, Tianhe, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Germplasm Enhancement of Horticultural Crops in South China, Ministry of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Litchi Engineering Research Center, College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Feng
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, 483 Wushan Road, Tianhe, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Germplasm Enhancement of Horticultural Crops in South China, Ministry of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Litchi Engineering Research Center, College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, 483 Wushan Road, Tianhe, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Germplasm Enhancement of Horticultural Crops in South China, Ministry of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Litchi Engineering Research Center, College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, 483 Wushan Road, Tianhe, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong Province, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Germplasm Enhancement of Horticultural Crops in South China, Ministry of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Litchi Engineering Research Center, College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rui Xia
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, 483 Wushan Road, Tianhe, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong Province, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Germplasm Enhancement of Horticultural Crops in South China, Ministry of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
- Guangdong Litchi Engineering Research Center, College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Zaohai Zeng
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, 483 Wushan Road, Tianhe, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong Province, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Germplasm Enhancement of Horticultural Crops in South China, Ministry of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
- Guangdong Litchi Engineering Research Center, College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Yuanlong Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, 483 Wushan Road, Tianhe, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong Province, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Germplasm Enhancement of Horticultural Crops in South China, Ministry of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
- Guangdong Litchi Engineering Research Center, College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
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Genome-Wide Identification of GRAS Gene Family and Their Responses to Abiotic Stress in Medicago sativa. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22147729. [PMID: 34299352 PMCID: PMC8304046 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a high-quality legume forage crop worldwide, and alfalfa production is often threatened by abiotic environmental stresses. GRAS proteins are important transcription factors that play a vital role in plant development, as well as in response to environmental stress. In this study, the availability of alfalfa genome "Zhongmu No.1" allowed us to identify 51 GRAS family members, i.e., MsGRAS. MsGRAS proteins could be classified into nine subgroups with distinct conserved domains, and tandem and segmental duplications were observed as an expansion strategy of this gene family. In RNA-Seq analysis, 14 MsGRAS genes were not expressed in the leaf or root, 6 GRAS genes in 3 differentially expressed gene clusters were involved in the salinity stress response in the leaf. Moreover, qRT-PCR results confirmed that MsGRAS51 expression was induced under drought stress and hormone treatments (ABA, GA and IAA) but down-regulated in salinity stress. Collectively, our genome-wide characterization, evolutionary, and expression analysis suggested that the MsGRAS proteins might play crucial roles in response to abiotic stresses and hormonal cues in alfalfa. For the breeding of alfalfa, it provided important information on stress resistance and functional studies on MsGRAS and hormone signaling.
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Fan Y, Yan J, Lai D, Yang H, Xue G, He A, Guo T, Chen L, Cheng XB, Xiang DB, Ruan J, Cheng J. Genome-wide identification, expression analysis, and functional study of the GRAS transcription factor family and its response to abiotic stress in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:509. [PMID: 34229611 PMCID: PMC8259154 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07848-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background GRAS, an important family of transcription factors, have played pivotal roles in regulating numerous intriguing biological processes in plant development and abiotic stress responses. Since the sequencing of the sorghum genome, a plethora of genetic studies were mainly focused on the genomic information. The indepth identification or genome-wide analysis of GRAS family genes, especially in Sorghum bicolor, have rarely been studied. Results A total of 81 SbGRAS genes were identified based on the S. bicolor genome. They were named SbGRAS01 to SbGRAS81 and grouped into 13 subfamilies (LISCL, DLT, OS19, SCL4/7, PAT1, SHR, SCL3, HAM-1, SCR, DELLA, HAM-2, LAS and OS4). SbGRAS genes are not evenly distributed on the chromosomes. According to the results of the gene and motif composition, SbGRAS members located in the same group contained analogous intron/exon and motif organizations. We found that the contribution of tandem repeats to the increase in sorghum GRAS members was slightly greater than that of fragment repeats. By quantitative (q) RT-PCR, the expression of 13 SbGRAS members in different plant tissues and in plants exposed to six abiotic stresses at the seedling stage were quantified. We further investigated the relationship between DELLA genes, GAs and grain development in S. bicolor. The paclobutrazol treatment significantly increased grain weight, and affected the expression levels of all DELLA subfamily genes. SbGRAS03 is the most sensitive to paclobutrazol treatment, but also has a high response to abiotic stresses. Conclusions Collectively, SbGRAs play an important role in plant development and response to abiotic stress. This systematic analysis lays the foundation for further study of the functional characteristics of GRAS genes of S. bicolor. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-07848-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Fan
- College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, 550025, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Yan
- School of Food and Biological engineering, Chengdu University, 610106, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Dili Lai
- College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, 550025, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Yang
- College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, 550025, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Guoxing Xue
- College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, 550025, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Ailing He
- College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, 550025, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Tianrong Guo
- Chengdu Institute of Food Inspection, 610030, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Long Chen
- Department of Nursing, Sichuan Tianyi College, 618200, Mianzhu, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Bin Cheng
- Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Sichuan MinZu College, 626001, Kangding, People's Republic of China
| | - Da-Bing Xiang
- School of Food and Biological engineering, Chengdu University, 610106, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingjun Ruan
- College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, 550025, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianping Cheng
- College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, 550025, Guiyang, People's Republic of China.
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Liu Y, Wang W. Characterization of the GRAS gene family reveals their contribution to the high adaptability of wheat. PeerJ 2021; 9:e10811. [PMID: 33665016 PMCID: PMC7908883 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
GRAS transcription factors play important roles in many processes of plant development as well as abiotic and biotic stress responses. However, little is known about this gene family in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum), one of the most important crops worldwide. The completion of a quality draft genome allows genome-wide detection and evolutionary analysis of the GRAS gene family in wheat. In this study, 188 TaGRAS genes were detected and divided into 12 subfamilies based on phylogenetic analyses: DELLA, DLT, HAM, LISCL, SCL3, SCL4/7, SCR, SHR, PAT1, Os19, Os4 and LAS. Tandem and segmental duplications are the main contributors to the expansion of TaGRAS, which may contribute to the adaptation of wheat to various environmental conditions. A high rate of homoeolog retention during hexaploidization was detected, suggesting the nonredundancy and biological importance of TaGRAS homoeologs. Systematic analyses of TaGRAS indicated the conserved expression pattern and function of the same subfamily during evolution. In addition, we detected five genes belonging to the LISCL subfamily induced by both biotic and abiotic stresses and they may be potential targets for further research through gene editing. Using degradome and ChIP-seq data, we identified the targets of miR171 and histone modifications and further analyzed the contribution of epigenetic modification to the subfunctionalization of TaGRAS. This study laid a foundation for further functional elucidation of TaGRAS genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanfeng Liu
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Ludong University, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Wei Wang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Ludong University, Yantai, Shandong, China
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24
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Sharma R, Mahanty B, Mishra R, Joshi RK. Genome wide identification and expression analysis of pepper C 2H 2 zinc finger transcription factors in response to anthracnose pathogen Colletotrichum truncatum. 3 Biotech 2021; 11:118. [PMID: 33747699 PMCID: PMC7933328 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-020-02601-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Although, the C2H2 zinc finger (ZF) family of plant transcription factors have been implicated in multiple biological processes, they are yet to be characterized in the economically important chilli pepper (Capsicum annuum). In this study, a total of 79 C2H2 ZF genes were identified in the pepper genome. Phylogenetic analysis categorized the pepper C2H2 ZF (CaZF) members into five subfamilies each with unique conserved domains and functions. Genomic organization revealed that CaZF genes have variable number of introns consistent with the characteristics defined by the evolutionary analysis. Segmental duplication-based purifying selection contributed to the expansion of CaZF genes in pepper. Additionally, 11 CaZF genes were identified as targets for 38 miRNAs indicating their role in post-transcriptional silencing-mediated genetic regulation. Gene expression analysis revealed that 18 CaZF genes were differentially expressed post-infection with the anthrocnose pathogen Colletotrichum truncatum, uncovering their potential function in pepper response to biotic stresses. Moreover, CaZFs were significantly induced post-treatment with methyl jasmonate and ethylene indicating their role in defense signaling. Notably, the MeJA responsive cis-elements were detected in the promoter regions of majority of CaZF genes, suggesting that CaZFs may be implicated in defense-responsive signal cross talking. Additionally, 18 CaZF genes were differentially expressed under drought and heat treatment, indicating their involvement in plant response to abiotic stresses. Overall, a comprehensive analysis of CaZF gene family in pepper provided significant insights into the understanding of C2H2 ZF-mediated stress regulation network, which would benefit the genetic improvement of pepper and other allied plants. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-020-02601-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richa Sharma
- Department of Biotechnology, Rama Devi Women’s University, Vidya Vihar, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751022 India
| | - Bijayalaxmi Mahanty
- Department of Biotechnology, Rama Devi Women’s University, Vidya Vihar, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751022 India
| | - Rukmini Mishra
- School of Applied Sciences, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Bhubaneswar, Odisha India
| | - Raj Kumar Joshi
- Department of Biotechnology, Rama Devi Women’s University, Vidya Vihar, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751022 India
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25
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Genome-Wide Characterization of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) GRAS Genes and Their Response to Various Abiotic Stresses. HORTICULTURAE 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/horticulturae6040110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The GRAS (gibberellic acid insensitive, repressor of GAI, and scarecrow) proteins are a family of plant-specific transcription factors that regulate plant growth, development, and stress response. Currently, the role of GRAS transcription factors in various abiotic stress responses has not been systematically studied in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), a popular vegetable crop. Here, we provide a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of the 35 GRAS genes identified in the cucumber genome. In this study, cucumber genotypes, i.e., “CG104”, which is stress-tolerant, and genotype “CG37”, which is stress-sensitive, were examined to provide insight on potential differences in the GRAS-regulated abiotic stress pathways. Transcriptional analysis by RNA-seq or qRT-PCR of these two genotypes revealed common and divergent functions of CsGRAS genes regulated by low and high temperatures, salinity, and by exposure to the phytohormones gibberellin (GA) and abscisic acid (ABA). Notably, CsGRAS2 (DELLA) and CsGRAS26 (LISCL) were regulated by all abiotic stresses and hormone treatments, suggesting that they may function in the biological cross-talk between multiple signaling pathways. This study provides candidate genes for improving cucumber tolerance to various environmental stresses.
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26
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Lopez-Ortiz C, Peña-Garcia Y, Natarajan P, Bhandari M, Abburi V, Dutta SK, Yadav L, Stommel J, Nimmakayala P, Reddy UK. The ankyrin repeat gene family in Capsicum spp: Genome-wide survey, characterization and gene expression profile. Sci Rep 2020; 10:4044. [PMID: 32132613 PMCID: PMC7055287 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61057-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The ankyrin (ANK) repeat protein family is largely distributed across plants and has been found to participate in multiple processes such as plant growth and development, hormone response, response to biotic and abiotic stresses. It is considered as one of the major markers of capsaicin content in pepper fruits. In this study, we performed a genome-wide identification and expression analysis of genes encoding ANK proteins in three Capsicum species: Capsicum baccatum, Capsicum annuum and Capsicum chinense. We identified a total of 87, 85 and 96 ANK genes in C. baccatum, C. annuum and C. chinense genomes, respectively. Next, we performed a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of the Capsicum ANK gene family including gene chromosomal localization, Cis-elements, conserved motif identification, intron/exon structural patterns and gene ontology classification as well as profile expression. Phylogenetic and domain organization analysis grouped the Capsicum ANK gene family into ten subfamilies distributed across all 12 pepper chromosomes at different densities. Analysis of the expression of ANK genes in leaf and pepper fruits suggested that the ANKs have specific expression patterns at various developmental stages in placenta tissue. Our results provide valuable information for further studies of the evolution, classification and putative functions of ANK genes in pepper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Lopez-Ortiz
- Department of Biology, Gus R. Douglass Institute, West Virginia State University, Institute, West Virginia, United States of America
| | - Yadira Peña-Garcia
- Department of Biology, Gus R. Douglass Institute, West Virginia State University, Institute, West Virginia, United States of America
| | - Purushothaman Natarajan
- Department of Biology, Gus R. Douglass Institute, West Virginia State University, Institute, West Virginia, United States of America.,Department of Genetic Engineering, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, 603203, India
| | - Menuka Bhandari
- Department of Biology, Gus R. Douglass Institute, West Virginia State University, Institute, West Virginia, United States of America
| | - Venkata Abburi
- Department of Biology, Gus R. Douglass Institute, West Virginia State University, Institute, West Virginia, United States of America
| | - Sudip Kumar Dutta
- Department of Biology, Gus R. Douglass Institute, West Virginia State University, Institute, West Virginia, United States of America.,ICAR RC NEH Region, Mizoram Centre, Kolasib, Mizoram, India
| | - Lav Yadav
- Department of Biology, Gus R. Douglass Institute, West Virginia State University, Institute, West Virginia, United States of America
| | - John Stommel
- Genetic Improvement of Fruits and Vegetables Laboratory (USDA, ARS), Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA
| | - Padma Nimmakayala
- Department of Biology, Gus R. Douglass Institute, West Virginia State University, Institute, West Virginia, United States of America.
| | - Umesh K Reddy
- Department of Biology, Gus R. Douglass Institute, West Virginia State University, Institute, West Virginia, United States of America.
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27
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Ali M, Muhammad I, ul Haq S, Alam M, Khattak AM, Akhtar K, Ullah H, Khan A, Lu G, Gong ZH. The CaChiVI2 Gene of Capsicum annuum L. Confers Resistance Against Heat Stress and Infection of Phytophthora capsici. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:219. [PMID: 32174952 PMCID: PMC7057250 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Extreme environmental conditions seriously affect crop growth and development, resulting in substantial reduction in yield and quality. However, chitin-binding proteins (CBP) family member CaChiVI2 plays a crucial role in eliminating the impact of adverse environmental conditions, such as cold and salt stress. Here, for the first time it was discovered that CaChiVI2 (Capana08g001237) gene of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) had a role in resistance to heat stress and physiological processes. The full-length open-reading frame (ORF) of CaChiVI2 (606-bp, encoding 201-amino acids), was cloned into TRV2:CaChiVI2 vector for silencing. The CaChiVI2 gene carries heat shock elements (HSE, AAAAAATTTC) in the upstream region, and thereby shows sensitivity to heat stress at the transcriptional level. The silencing effect of CaChiVI2 in pepper resulted in increased susceptibility to heat and Phytophthora capsici infection. This was evident from the severe symptoms on leaves, the increase in superoxide (O2 -) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) accumulation, higher malondialdehyde (MDA), relative electrolyte leakage (REL) and lower proline contents compared with control plants. Furthermore, the transcript level of other resistance responsive genes was also altered. In addition, the CaChiIV2-overexpression in Arabidopsis thaliana showed mild heat and drought stress symptoms and increased transcript level of a defense-related gene (AtHSA32), indicating its role in the co-regulation network of the plant. The CaChiVI2-overexpressed plants also showed a decrease in MDA contents and an increase in antioxidant enzyme activity and proline accumulation. In conclusion, the results suggest that CaChiVI2 gene plays a decisive role in heat and drought stress tolerance, as well as, provides resistance against P. capsici by reducing the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and modulating the expression of defense-related genes. The outcomes obtained here suggest that further studies should be conducted on plants adaptation mechanisms in variable environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Ali
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
- Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Izhar Muhammad
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Saeed ul Haq
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Mukhtar Alam
- Department of Agriculture, The University of Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Abdul Mateen Khattak
- Department of Horticulture, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Kashif Akhtar
- Institute of Nuclear Agricultural Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hidayat Ullah
- Department of Agriculture, The University of Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Abid Khan
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Gang Lu
- Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhen-Hui Gong
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
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28
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Wang N, Wang K, Li S, Jiang Y, Li L, Zhao M, Jiang Y, Zhu L, Wang Y, Su Y, Wang Y, Zhang M. Transcriptome-Wide Identification, Evolutionary Analysis, and GA Stress Response of the GRAS Gene Family in Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer. PLANTS 2020; 9:plants9020190. [PMID: 32033157 PMCID: PMC7076401 DOI: 10.3390/plants9020190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
GRAS transcription factors are a kind of plant-specific transcription factor that have been found in a variety of plants. According to previous studies, GRAS proteins are widely involved in the physiological processes of plant signal transduction, stress, growth and development. The Jilin ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) is a heterogeneous tetraploid perennial herb of the Araliaceae family, ginseng genus. Important information regarding the GRAS transcription factors has not been reported in ginseng. In this study, 59 Panax ginseng GRAS (PgGRAS) genes were obtained from the Jilin ginseng transcriptome data and divided into 13 sub-families according to the classification of Arabidopsis thaliana. Through systematic evolution, structural variation, function and gene expression analysis, we further reveal GRAS’s potential function in plant growth processes and its stress response. The expression of PgGRAS genes responding to gibberellin acids (GAs) suggests that these genes could be activated after application concentration of GA. The qPCR analysis result shows that four PgGRAS genes belonging to the DELLA sub-family potentially have important roles in the GA stress response of ginseng hairy roots. This study provides not only a preliminary exploration of the potential functions of the GRAS genes in ginseng, but also valuable data for further exploration of the candidate PgGRAS genes of GA signaling in Jilin ginseng, especially their roles in ginseng hairy root development and GA stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Wang
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China; (N.W.); (K.W.); (S.L.); (Y.J.); (L.L.); (M.Z.); (Y.J.); (L.Z.); (Y.S.)
- Research Center Ginseng Genetic Resources Development and Utilization, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China;
| | - Kangyu Wang
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China; (N.W.); (K.W.); (S.L.); (Y.J.); (L.L.); (M.Z.); (Y.J.); (L.Z.); (Y.S.)
- Research Center Ginseng Genetic Resources Development and Utilization, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China;
| | - Shaokun Li
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China; (N.W.); (K.W.); (S.L.); (Y.J.); (L.L.); (M.Z.); (Y.J.); (L.Z.); (Y.S.)
- Research Center Ginseng Genetic Resources Development and Utilization, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China;
| | - Yang Jiang
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China; (N.W.); (K.W.); (S.L.); (Y.J.); (L.L.); (M.Z.); (Y.J.); (L.Z.); (Y.S.)
- Research Center Ginseng Genetic Resources Development and Utilization, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China;
| | - Li Li
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China; (N.W.); (K.W.); (S.L.); (Y.J.); (L.L.); (M.Z.); (Y.J.); (L.Z.); (Y.S.)
- Research Center Ginseng Genetic Resources Development and Utilization, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China;
| | - Mingzhu Zhao
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China; (N.W.); (K.W.); (S.L.); (Y.J.); (L.L.); (M.Z.); (Y.J.); (L.Z.); (Y.S.)
- Research Center Ginseng Genetic Resources Development and Utilization, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China;
| | - Yue Jiang
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China; (N.W.); (K.W.); (S.L.); (Y.J.); (L.L.); (M.Z.); (Y.J.); (L.Z.); (Y.S.)
- Research Center Ginseng Genetic Resources Development and Utilization, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China;
| | - Lei Zhu
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China; (N.W.); (K.W.); (S.L.); (Y.J.); (L.L.); (M.Z.); (Y.J.); (L.Z.); (Y.S.)
- Research Center Ginseng Genetic Resources Development and Utilization, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China;
| | - Yanfang Wang
- Research Center Ginseng Genetic Resources Development and Utilization, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China;
- College of Chinese Medicinal Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China
| | - Yingjie Su
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China; (N.W.); (K.W.); (S.L.); (Y.J.); (L.L.); (M.Z.); (Y.J.); (L.Z.); (Y.S.)
| | - Yi Wang
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China; (N.W.); (K.W.); (S.L.); (Y.J.); (L.L.); (M.Z.); (Y.J.); (L.Z.); (Y.S.)
- Research Center Ginseng Genetic Resources Development and Utilization, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China;
- Correspondence: (Y.W.); (M.Z.)
| | - Meiping Zhang
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China; (N.W.); (K.W.); (S.L.); (Y.J.); (L.L.); (M.Z.); (Y.J.); (L.Z.); (Y.S.)
- Research Center Ginseng Genetic Resources Development and Utilization, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China;
- Correspondence: (Y.W.); (M.Z.)
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Shan Z, Luo X, Wu M, Wei L, Fan Z, Zhu Y. Genome-wide identification and expression of GRAS gene family members in cassava. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2020; 20:46. [PMID: 31996133 PMCID: PMC6990482 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-020-2242-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cassava is highly tolerant to stressful conditions, especially drought stress conditions; however, the mechanisms underlying this tolerance are poorly understood. The GRAS gene family is a large family of transcription factors that are involved in regulating the growth, development, and stress responses of plants. Currently, GRAS transcription factors have not been systematically studied in cassava, which is the sixth most important crop in the world. RESULTS Seventy-seven MeGRAS genes were identified from the cassava genome database. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the MeGRAS proteins could be divided into 14 subfamilies. The gene structure and motif compositions of the proteins were considerably conserved within the same subfamily. Duplication events, particularly segmental duplication, were identified as the main driving force for GRAS gene expansion in cassava. Global expression analysis revealed that MeGRAS genes exhibited similar or distinct expression profiles within different tissues among different varieties. Moreover, qRT-PCR analysis revealed the expression patterns of MeGRAS genes in response to abiotic stress (drought, salt, cold, and H2O2), and the results suggest that these genes may have multiple functions. CONCLUSION This study is the first to provide comprehensive information on GRAS gene family members in cassava. The data will increase our understanding of both the molecular basis and the effects of GRAS genes. In addition, the results will contribute further to identifying the responses to various environmental conditions and provide insights into the potential functions of GRAS genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongying Shan
- Agricultural College, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530005 China
- College of Ecology and Garden Architecture, Dezhou University, Dezhou, 253023 China
| | - Xinglu Luo
- Agricultural College, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530005 China
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Nanning, 530004 China
| | - Meiyan Wu
- Agricultural College, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530005 China
| | - Limei Wei
- Agricultural College, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530005 China
| | - Zhupeng Fan
- Agricultural College, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530005 China
| | - Yanmei Zhu
- Agricultural College, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530005 China
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Wang TT, Yu TF, Fu JD, Su HG, Chen J, Zhou YB, Chen M, Guo J, Ma YZ, Wei WL, Xu ZS. Genome-Wide Analysis of the GRAS Gene Family and Functional Identification of GmGRAS37 in Drought and Salt Tolerance. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:604690. [PMID: 33424904 PMCID: PMC7793673 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.604690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
GRAS genes, which form a plant-specific transcription factor family, play an important role in plant growth and development and stress responses. However, the functions of GRAS genes in soybean (Glycine max) remain largely unknown. Here, 117 GRAS genes distributed on 20 chromosomes were identified in the soybean genome and were classified into 11 subfamilies. Of the soybean GRAS genes, 80.34% did not have intron insertions, and 54 pairs of genes accounted for 88.52% of duplication events (61 pairs). RNA-seq analysis demonstrated that most GmGRASs were expressed in 14 different soybean tissues examined and responded to multiple abiotic stresses. Results from quantitative real-time PCR analysis of six selected GmGRASs suggested that GmGRAS37 was significantly upregulated under drought and salt stress conditions and abscisic acid and brassinosteroid treatment; therefore, this gene was selected for further study. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that the GmGRAS37 protein was located in the plasma membrane, nucleus, and cytosol. Soybean hairy roots overexpressing GmGRAS37 had improved resistance to drought and salt stresses. In addition, these roots showed increased transcript levels of several drought- and salt-related genes. The results of this study provide the basis for comprehensive analysis of GRAS genes and insight into the abiotic stress response mechanism in soybean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting-Ting Wang
- College of Agriculture, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
- Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Grain Industry, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
- Engineering Research Center of Ecology and Agricultural Use of Wetland, Ministry of Education, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
- Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS)/National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Triticeae Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Tai-Fei Yu
- Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS)/National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Triticeae Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Jin-Dong Fu
- Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Hong-Gang Su
- Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS)/National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Triticeae Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS)/National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Triticeae Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Yong-Bin Zhou
- Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS)/National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Triticeae Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Ming Chen
- Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS)/National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Triticeae Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - You-Zhi Ma
- Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS)/National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Triticeae Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Wen-Liang Wei
- College of Agriculture, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
- Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Grain Industry, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
- Engineering Research Center of Ecology and Agricultural Use of Wetland, Ministry of Education, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
- Wen-Liang Wei,
| | - Zhao-Shi Xu
- Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS)/National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Triticeae Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Zhao-Shi Xu,
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Liu M, Huang L, Ma Z, Sun W, Wu Q, Tang Z, Bu T, Li C, Chen H. Genome-wide identification, expression analysis and functional study of the GRAS gene family in Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum). BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2019; 19:342. [PMID: 31387526 PMCID: PMC6683366 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-019-1951-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND GRAS are plant-specific transcription factors that play important roles in plant growth and development. Although the GRAS gene family has been studied in many plants, there has been little research on the GRAS genes of Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum), which is an important crop rich in rutin. The recently published whole genome sequence of Tartary buckwheat allows us to study the characteristics and expression patterns of the GRAS gene family in Tartary buckwheat at the genome-wide level. RESULTS In this study, 47 GRAS genes of Tartary buckwheat were identified and divided into 10 subfamilies: LISCL, HAM, DELLA, SCR, PAT1, SCL4/7, LAS, SHR, SCL3, and DLT. FtGRAS genes were unevenly distributed on 8 chromosomes, and members of the same subfamily contained similar gene structures and motif compositions. Some FtGRAS genes may have been produced by gene duplications; tandem duplication contributed more to the expansion of the GRAS gene family in Tartary buckwheat. Real-time PCR showed that the transcription levels of FtGRAS were significantly different in different tissues and fruit development stages, implying that FtGRAS might have different functions. Furthermore, an increase in fruit weight was induced by exogenous paclobutrazol, and the transcription level of the DELLA subfamily member FtGRAS22 was significantly upregulated during the whole fruit development stage. Therefore, FtGRAS22 may be a potential target for molecular breeding or genetic editing. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, this systematic analysis lays a foundation for further study of the functional characteristics of GRAS genes and for the improvement of Tartary buckwheat crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moyang Liu
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Huang
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
| | - Zhaotang Ma
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
| | - Wenjun Sun
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
| | - Qi Wu
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
| | - Zizhong Tang
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
| | - Tongliang Bu
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
| | - Chenglei Li
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
| | - Hui Chen
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
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Niu X, Chen S, Li J, Liu Y, Ji W, Li H. Genome-wide identification of GRAS genes in Brachypodium distachyon and functional characterization of BdSLR1 and BdSLRL1. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:635. [PMID: 31387534 PMCID: PMC6683515 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5985-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background As one of the most important transcription factor families, GRAS proteins are involved in numerous regulatory processes, especially plant growth and development. However, they have not been systematically analyzed in Brachypodium distachyon, a new model grass. Results In this study, 48 BdGRAS genes were identified. Duplicated genes account for 41.7% of them and contribute to the expansion of this gene family. 33, 39, 35 and 35 BdGRAS genes were identified by synteny with their orthologs in rice, sorghum, maize and wheat genome, respectively, indicating close relationships among these species. Based on their phylogenic relationships to GRAS genes in rice and maize, BdGRAS genes can be divided into ten subfamilies in which members of the same subfamily showed similar protein sequences, conserved motifs and gene structures, suggesting possible conserved functions. Although expression variation is high, some BdGRAS genes are tissue-specific, phytohormones- or abiotic stresses-responsive, and they may play key roles in development, signal transduction pathways and stress responses. In addition, DELLA genes BdSLR1 and BdSLRL1 were functionally characterized to play a role in plant growth via the GA signal pathway, consistent with GO annotations and KEGG pathway analyses. Conclusions Systematic analyses of BdGRAS genes indicated that members of the same subfamily may play similar roles. This was supported by the conserved functions of BdSLR1 and BdSLRL1 in GA pathway. These results laid a foundation for further functional elucidation of BdGRAS genes, especially, BdSLR1 and BdSLRL1. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-019-5985-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Shoukun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Jiawei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Yue Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Wanquan Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China.
| | - Haifeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China.
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