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Elliott L, Kalde M, Schürholz AK, Zhang X, Wolf S, Moore I, Kirchhelle C. A self-regulatory cell-wall-sensing module at cell edges controls plant growth. NATURE PLANTS 2024; 10:483-493. [PMID: 38454063 PMCID: PMC10954545 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-024-01629-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Morphogenesis of multicellular organs requires coordination of cellular growth. In plants, cell growth is determined by turgor pressure and the mechanical properties of the cell wall, which also glues cells together. Because plants have to integrate tissue-scale mechanical stresses arising through growth in a fixed tissue topology, they need to monitor cell wall mechanical status and adapt growth accordingly. Molecular factors have been identified, but whether cell geometry contributes to wall sensing is unknown. Here we propose that plant cell edges act as cell-wall-sensing domains during growth. We describe two Receptor-Like Proteins, RLP4 and RLP4-L1, which occupy a unique polarity domain at cell edges established through a targeted secretory transport pathway. We show that RLP4s associate with the cell wall at edges via their extracellular domain, respond to changes in cell wall mechanics and contribute to directional growth control in Arabidopsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam Elliott
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Laboratoire Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, Université Lyon 1, ENS de Lyon, CNRS, INRAE, Lyon, France
| | - Monika Kalde
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Xinyu Zhang
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Laboratoire Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, Université Lyon 1, ENS de Lyon, CNRS, INRAE, Lyon, France
| | - Sebastian Wolf
- Centre for Organismal Studies, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ian Moore
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Charlotte Kirchhelle
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Laboratoire Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, Université Lyon 1, ENS de Lyon, CNRS, INRAE, Lyon, France.
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Vandepoele K, Kaufmann K. Characterization of Gene Regulatory Networks in Plants Using New Methods and Data Types. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2698:1-11. [PMID: 37682465 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3354-0_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
A major question in plant biology is to understand how plant growth, development, and environmental responses are controlled and coordinated by the activities of regulatory factors. Gene regulatory network (GRN) analyses require integrated approaches that combine experimental approaches with computational analyses. A wide range of experimental approaches and tools are now available, such as targeted perturbation of gene activities, quantitative and cell-type specific measurements of dynamic gene activities, and systematic analysis of the molecular 'hard-wiring' of the systems. At the computational level, different tools and databases are available to study regulatory sequences, including intuitive visualizations to explore data-driven gene regulatory networks in different plant species. Furthermore, advanced data integration approaches have recently been developed to efficiently leverage complementary regulatory data types and learn context-specific networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaas Vandepoele
- Ghent University, Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent, Belgium.
- VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium.
- Bioinformatics Institute Ghent, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Kerstin Kaufmann
- Institute of Biology, Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Sidhu GS, Conner JA, Ozias-Akins P. Controlled Induction of Parthenogenesis in Transgenic Rice via Post-translational Activation of PsASGR-BBML. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:925467. [PMID: 35873991 PMCID: PMC9305695 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.925467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Modern plant breeding programs rely heavily on the generation of homozygous lines, with the traditional process requiring the inbreeding of a heterozygous cross for five to six generations. Doubled haploid (DH) technology, a process of generating haploid plants from an initial heterozygote, followed by chromosome doubling, reduces the process to two generations. Currently established in vitro methods of haploid induction include androgenesis and gynogenesis, while in vivo methods are based on uni-parental genome elimination. Parthenogenesis, embryogenesis from unfertilized egg cells, presents another potential method of haploid induction. PsASGR-BABY BOOM-like, an AP2 transcription factor, induces parthenogenesis in a natural apomictic species, Pennisetum squamulatum (Cenchrus squamulatus) and PsASGR-BBML transgenes promote parthenogenesis in several crop plants, including rice, maize, and pearl millet. The dominant nature of PsASGR-BBML transgenes impedes their use in DH technology. Using a glucocorticoid-based post-translational regulation system and watering with a 100 μM DEX solution before anthesis, PsASGR-BBML can be regulated at the flowering stage to promote parthenogenesis. Conditional expression presents a novel opportunity to use parthenogenetic genes in DH production technology and to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying parthenogenetic embryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gurjot Singh Sidhu
- Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA, United States
| | - Joann A. Conner
- Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA, United States
- Department of Horticulture, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA, United States
| | - Peggy Ozias-Akins
- Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA, United States
- Department of Horticulture, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA, United States
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Schubert J, Li Y, Mendes MA, Fei D, Dickinson H, Moore I, Baroux C. A procedure for Dex-induced gene transactivation in Arabidopsis ovules. PLANT METHODS 2022; 18:41. [PMID: 35351175 PMCID: PMC8962214 DOI: 10.1186/s13007-022-00879-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Elucidating the genetic and molecular control of plant reproduction often requires the deployment of functional approaches based on reverse or forward genetic screens. The loss-of-function of essential genes, however, may lead to plant lethality prior to reproductive development or to the formation of sterile structures before the organ-of-interest can be analyzed. In these cases, inducible approaches that enable a spatial and temporal control of the genetic perturbation are extremely valuable. Genetic induction in reproductive organs, such as the ovule, deeply embedded in the flower, is a delicate procedure that requires both optimization and validation. RESULTS Here we report on a streamlined procedure enabling reliable induction of gene expression in Arabidopsis ovule and anther tissues using the popular pOP/LhGR Dex-inducible system. We demonstrate its efficiency and reliability using fluorescent reporter proteins and histochemical detection of the GUS reporter gene. CONCLUSION The pOP/LhGR system allows for a rapid, efficient, and reliable induction of transgenes in developing ovules without compromising developmental progression. This approach opens new possibilities for the functional analysis of candidate regulators in sporogenesis and gametogenesis, which is otherwise affected by early lethality in conventional, stable mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmin Schubert
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology and Zürich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of Zürich, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Yanru Li
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology and Zürich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of Zürich, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marta A Mendes
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Universitá degli Studi di Milano, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Danli Fei
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology and Zürich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of Zürich, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hugh Dickinson
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK
| | - Ian Moore
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK
| | - Célia Baroux
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology and Zürich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of Zürich, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Optogenetic and Chemical Induction Systems for Regulation of Transgene Expression in Plants: Use in Basic and Applied Research. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031737. [PMID: 35163658 PMCID: PMC8835832 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Continuous and ubiquitous expression of foreign genes sometimes results in harmful effects on the growth, development and metabolic activities of plants. Tissue-specific promoters help to overcome this disadvantage, but do not allow one to precisely control transgene expression over time. Thus, inducible transgene expression systems have obvious benefits. In plants, transcriptional regulation is usually driven by chemical agents under the control of chemically-inducible promoters. These systems are diverse, but usually contain two elements, the chimeric transcription factor and the reporter gene. The commonly used chemically-induced expression systems are tetracycline-, steroid-, insecticide-, copper-, and ethanol-regulated. Unlike chemical-inducible systems, optogenetic tools enable spatiotemporal, quantitative and reversible control over transgene expression with light, overcoming limitations of chemically-inducible systems. This review updates and summarizes optogenetic and chemical induction methods of transgene expression used in basic plant research and discusses their potential in field applications.
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Samalova M, Moore I. The steroid-inducible pOp6/LhGR gene expression system is fast, sensitive and does not cause plant growth defects in rice (Oryza sativa). BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 21:461. [PMID: 34627147 PMCID: PMC8501728 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-021-03241-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Inducible systems for transgene expression activated by a chemical inducer or an inducer of non-plant origin are desirable tools for both basic plant research and biotechnology. Although, the technology has been widely exploited in dicotyledonous model plants such as Arabidopsis, it has not been optimised for use with the monocotyledonous model species, namely rice. We have adapted the dexamethasone-inducible pOp6/LhGR system for rice and the results indicated that it is fast, sensitive and tightly regulated, with high levels of induction that remain stable over several generations. Most importantly, we have shown that the system does not cause negative growth defects in vitro or in soil grown plants. Interestingly in the process of testing, we found that another steroid, triamcinolone acetonide, is a more potent inducer in rice than dexamethasone. We present serious considerations for the construct design to avoid undesirable effects caused by the system in plants, leakiness and possible silencing, as well as simple steps to maximize translation efficiency of a gene of interest. Finally, we compare the performance of the pOp6/LhGR system with other chemically inducible systems tested in rice in terms of the properties of an ideal inducible system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marketa Samalova
- Department of Experimental Biology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Ian Moore
- Department of Plant Sciences, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
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Glowa D, Comelli P, Chandler JW, Werr W. Clonal sector analysis and cell ablation confirm a function for DORNROESCHEN-LIKE in founder cells and the vasculature in Arabidopsis. PLANTA 2021; 253:27. [PMID: 33420666 PMCID: PMC7794208 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-020-03545-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Inducible lineage analysis and cell ablation via conditional toxin expression in cells expressing the DORNRÖSCHEN-LIKE transcription factor represent an effective and complementary adjunct to conventional methods of functional gene analysis. Classical methods of functional gene analysis via mutational and expression studies possess inherent limitations, and therefore, the function of a large proportion of transcription factors remains unknown. We have employed two complementary, indirect methods to obtain functional information for the AP2/ERF transcription factor DORNRÖSCHEN-LIKE (DRNL), which is dynamically expressed in flowers and marks lateral organ founder cells. An inducible, two-component Cre-Lox system was used to express beta-glucuronidase GUS in cells expressing DRNL, to perform a sector analysis that reveals lineages of cells that transiently expressed DRNL throughout plant development. In a complementary approach, an inducible system was used to ablate cells expressing DRNL using diphtheria toxin A chain, to visualise the phenotypic consequences. These complementary analyses demonstrate that DRNL functionally marks founder cells of leaves and floral organs. Clonal sectors also included the vasculature of the leaves and petals, implicating a previously unidentified role for DRNL in provasculature development, which was confirmed in cotyledons by closer analysis of drnl mutants. Our findings demonstrate that inducible gene-specific lineage analysis and cell ablation via conditional toxin expression represent an effective and informative adjunct to conventional methods of functional gene analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothea Glowa
- Developmental Biology, Institute of Zoology, Cologne Biocenter, Cologne University, Zülpicher Straße 47b, 50674, Cologne, Germany
| | - Petra Comelli
- Developmental Biology, Institute of Zoology, Cologne Biocenter, Cologne University, Zülpicher Straße 47b, 50674, Cologne, Germany
| | - John W Chandler
- Developmental Biology, Institute of Zoology, Cologne Biocenter, Cologne University, Zülpicher Straße 47b, 50674, Cologne, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Werr
- Developmental Biology, Institute of Zoology, Cologne Biocenter, Cologne University, Zülpicher Straße 47b, 50674, Cologne, Germany.
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Persad R, Reuter DN, Dice LT, Nguyen MA, Rigoulot SB, Layton JS, Schmid MJ, Poindexter MR, Occhialini A, Stewart CN, Lenaghan SC. The Q-System as a Synthetic Transcriptional Regulator in Plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:245. [PMID: 32218793 PMCID: PMC7078239 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
A primary focus of the rapidly growing field of plant synthetic biology is to develop technologies to precisely regulate gene expression and engineer complex genetic circuits into plant chassis. At present, there are few orthogonal tools available for effectively controlling gene expression in plants, with most researchers instead using a limited set of viral elements or truncated native promoters. A powerful repressible-and engineerable-binary system that has been repurposed in a variety of eukaryotic systems is the Q-system from Neurospora crassa. Here, we demonstrate the functionality of the Q-system in plants through transient expression in soybean (Glycine max) protoplasts and agroinfiltration in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. Further, using functional variants of the QF transcriptional activator, it was possible to modulate the expression of reporter genes and to fully suppress the system through expression of the QS repressor. As a potential application for plant-based biosensors (phytosensors), we demonstrated the ability of the Q-system to amplify the signal from a weak promoter, enabling remote detection of a fluorescent reporter that was previously undetectable. In addition, we demonstrated that it was possible to coordinate the expression of multiple genes through the expression of a single QF activator. Based on the results from this study, the Q-system represents a powerful orthogonal tool for precise control of gene expression in plants, with envisioned applications in metabolic engineering, phytosensors, and biotic and abiotic stress tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramona Persad
- Department of Food Science, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - D. Nikki Reuter
- Department of Food Science, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Lezlee T. Dice
- Department of Food Science, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Mary-Anne Nguyen
- Department of Food Science, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Stephen B. Rigoulot
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Jessica S. Layton
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Manuel J. Schmid
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Magen R. Poindexter
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Alessandro Occhialini
- Department of Food Science, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - C. Neal Stewart
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Scott C. Lenaghan
- Department of Food Science, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
- *Correspondence: Scott C. Lenaghan,
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