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Hou Q, Zhang T, Qi Y, Dong Z, Wan X. Epigenetic Dynamics and Regulation of Plant Male Reproduction. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810420. [PMID: 36142333 PMCID: PMC9499625 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Flowering plant male germlines develop within anthers and undergo epigenetic reprogramming with dynamic changes in DNA methylation, chromatin modifications, and small RNAs. Profiling the epigenetic status using different technologies has substantially accumulated information on specific types of cells at different stages of male reproduction. Many epigenetically related genes involved in plant gametophyte development have been identified, and the mutation of these genes often leads to male sterility. Here, we review the recent progress on dynamic epigenetic changes during pollen mother cell differentiation, microsporogenesis, microgametogenesis, and tapetal cell development. The reported epigenetic variations between male fertile and sterile lines are summarized. We also summarize the epigenetic regulation-associated male sterility genes and discuss how epigenetic mechanisms in plant male reproduction can be further revealed.
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2
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You C, Yu Y, Wang Y. Small RNA in plant meiosis and gametogenesis. REPRODUCTION AND BREEDING 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.repbre.2022.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
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3
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Oliver C, Martinez G. Accumulation dynamics of ARGONAUTE proteins during meiosis in Arabidopsis. PLANT REPRODUCTION 2022; 35:153-160. [PMID: 34812935 PMCID: PMC9110482 DOI: 10.1007/s00497-021-00434-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Meiosis is a specialized cell division that is key for reproduction and genetic diversity in sexually reproducing plants. Recently, different RNA silencing pathways have been proposed to carry a specific activity during meiosis, but the pathways involved during this process remain unclear. Here, we explored the subcellular localization of different ARGONAUTE (AGO) proteins, the main effectors of RNA silencing, during male meiosis in Arabidopsis thaliana using immunolocalizations with commercially available antibodies. We detected the presence of AGO proteins associated with posttranscriptional gene silencing (AGO1, 2, and 5) in the cytoplasm and the nucleus, while AGOs associated with transcriptional gene silencing (AGO4 and 9) localized exclusively in the nucleus. These results indicate that the localization of different AGOs correlates with their predicted roles at the transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels and provide an overview of their timing and potential role during meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Oliver
- Department of Plant Biology, Uppsala BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural, Sciences and Linnean Center for Plant Biology, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - German Martinez
- Department of Plant Biology, Uppsala BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural, Sciences and Linnean Center for Plant Biology, Uppsala, Sweden.
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4
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Oliver C, Annacondia ML, Wang Z, Jullien PE, Slotkin RK, Köhler C, Martinez G. The miRNome function transitions from regulating developmental genes to transposable elements during pollen maturation. THE PLANT CELL 2022; 34:784-801. [PMID: 34755870 PMCID: PMC8824631 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koab280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Animal and plant microRNAs (miRNAs) are essential for the spatio-temporal regulation of development. Together with this role, plant miRNAs have been proposed to target transposable elements (TEs) and stimulate the production of epigenetically active small interfering RNAs. This activity is evident in the plant male gamete containing structure, the male gametophyte or pollen grain. How the dual role of plant miRNAs, regulating both genes and TEs, is integrated during pollen development and which mRNAs are regulated by miRNAs in this cell type at a genome-wide scale are unknown. Here, we provide a detailed analysis of miRNA dynamics and activity during pollen development in Arabidopsis thaliana using small RNA and degradome parallel analysis of RNA end high-throughput sequencing. Furthermore, we uncover miRNAs loaded into the two main active Argonaute (AGO) proteins in the uninuclear and mature pollen grain, AGO1 and AGO5. Our results indicate that the developmental progression from microspore to mature pollen grain is characterized by a transition from miRNAs targeting developmental genes to miRNAs regulating TE activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Oliver
- Department of Plant Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Linnean Center for Plant Biology, Uppsala 75007, Sweden
| | - Maria Luz Annacondia
- Department of Plant Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Linnean Center for Plant Biology, Uppsala 75007, Sweden
| | - Zhenxing Wang
- Department of Plant Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Linnean Center for Plant Biology, Uppsala 75007, Sweden
- College of Horticulture and State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Landscaping, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Key Laboratory of Biology of Ornamental Plants in East China, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Pauline E Jullien
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Bern 3013, Switzerland
| | - R Keith Slotkin
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, Missouri 63132, USA
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri Columbia, Columbia, Missouri 65201, USA
| | - Claudia Köhler
- Department of Plant Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Linnean Center for Plant Biology, Uppsala 75007, Sweden
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam-Golm 14476, Germany
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5
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Petrella R, Cucinotta M, Mendes MA, Underwood CJ, Colombo L. The emerging role of small RNAs in ovule development, a kind of magic. PLANT REPRODUCTION 2021; 34:335-351. [PMID: 34142243 PMCID: PMC8566443 DOI: 10.1007/s00497-021-00421-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
In plants, small RNAs have been recognized as key genetic and epigenetic regulators of development. Small RNAs are usually 20 to 30 nucleotides in length and they control, in a sequence specific manner, the transcriptional or post-transcriptional expression of genes. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of the most recent findings about the function of small RNAs in ovule development, including megasporogenesis and megagametogenesis, both in sexual and apomictic plants. We discuss recent studies on the role of miRNAs, siRNAs and trans-acting RNAs (ta-siRNAs) in early female germline differentiation. The mechanistic complexity and unique regulatory features are reviewed, and possible directions for future research are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosanna Petrella
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Mara Cucinotta
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Marta A Mendes
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Charles J Underwood
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829, Cologne, Germany
| | - Lucia Colombo
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy.
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6
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Gutiérrez Pinzón Y, González Kise JK, Rueda P, Ronceret A. The Formation of Bivalents and the Control of Plant Meiotic Recombination. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:717423. [PMID: 34557215 PMCID: PMC8453087 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.717423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
During the first meiotic division, the segregation of homologous chromosomes depends on the physical association of the recombined homologous DNA molecules. The physical tension due to the sites of crossing-overs (COs) is essential for the meiotic spindle to segregate the connected homologous chromosomes to the opposite poles of the cell. This equilibrated partition of homologous chromosomes allows the first meiotic reductional division. Thus, the segregation of homologous chromosomes is dependent on their recombination. In this review, we will detail the recent advances in the knowledge of the mechanisms of recombination and bivalent formation in plants. In plants, the absence of meiotic checkpoints allows observation of subsequent meiotic events in absence of meiotic recombination or defective meiotic chromosomal axis formation such as univalent formation instead of bivalents. Recent discoveries, mainly made in Arabidopsis, rice, and maize, have highlighted the link between the machinery of double-strand break (DSB) formation and elements of the chromosomal axis. We will also discuss the implications of what we know about the mechanisms regulating the number and spacing of COs (obligate CO, CO homeostasis, and interference) in model and crop plants.
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Dziegielewski W, Ziolkowski PA. License to Regulate: Noncoding RNA Special Agents in Plant Meiosis and Reproduction. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:662185. [PMID: 34489987 PMCID: PMC8418119 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.662185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The complexity of the subcellular processes that take place during meiosis requires a significant remodeling of cellular metabolism and dynamic changes in the organization of chromosomes and the cytoskeleton. Recently, investigations of meiotic transcriptomes have revealed additional noncoding RNA factors (ncRNAs) that directly or indirectly influence the course of meiosis. Plant meiosis is the point at which almost all known noncoding RNA-dependent regulatory pathways meet to influence diverse processes related to cell functioning and division. ncRNAs have been shown to prevent transposon reactivation, create germline-specific DNA methylation patterns, and affect the expression of meiosis-specific genes. They can also influence chromosome-level processes, including the stimulation of chromosome condensation, the definition of centromeric chromatin, and perhaps even the regulation of meiotic recombination. In many cases, our understanding of the mechanisms underlying these processes remains limited. In this review, we will examine how the different functions of each type of ncRNA have been adopted in plants, devoting attention to both well-studied examples and other possible functions about which we can only speculate for now. We will also briefly discuss the most important challenges in the investigation of ncRNAs in plant meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Piotr A. Ziolkowski
- Laboratory of Genome Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
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9
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Girard C, Budin K, Boisnard S, Zhang L, Debuchy R, Zickler D, Espagne E. RNAi-Related Dicer and Argonaute Proteins Play Critical Roles for Meiocyte Formation, Chromosome-Axes Lengths and Crossover Patterning in the Fungus Sordaria macrospora. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:684108. [PMID: 34262901 PMCID: PMC8274715 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.684108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) is a cellular process involving small RNAs that target and regulate complementary RNA transcripts. This phenomenon has well-characterized roles in regulating gene and transposon expression. In addition, Dicer and Argonaute proteins, which are key players of RNAi, also have functions unrelated to gene repression. We show here that in the filamentous Ascomycete Sordaria macrospora, genes encoding the two Dicer (Dcl1 and Dcl2) and the two Argonaute (Sms2 and Qde2) proteins are dispensable for vegetative growth. However, we identified roles for all four proteins in the sexual cycle. Dcl1 and Sms2 are essential for timely and successful ascus/meiocyte formation. During meiosis per se, Dcl1, Dcl2, and Qde2 modulate, more or less severely, chromosome axis length and crossover numbers, patterning and interference. Additionally, Sms2 is necessary both for correct synaptonemal complex formation and loading of the pro-crossover E3 ligase-protein Hei10. Moreover, meiocyte formation, and thus meiotic induction, is completely blocked in the dcl1 dcl2 and dcl1 sms2 null double mutants. These results indicate complex roles of the RNAi machinery during major steps of the meiotic process with newly uncovered roles for chromosomes-axis length modulation and crossover patterning regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe Girard
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomiques et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Karine Budin
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomiques et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Stéphanie Boisnard
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomiques et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Liangran Zhang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Robert Debuchy
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomiques et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Denise Zickler
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomiques et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Eric Espagne
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomiques et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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10
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Lei X, Liu B. Tapetum-Dependent Male Meiosis Progression in Plants: Increasing Evidence Emerges. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 10:1667. [PMID: 32010157 PMCID: PMC6979054 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.01667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
In higher plants, male meiosis is a key process during microsporogenesis and is crucial for male fertility and seed set. Meiosis involves a highly dynamic organization of chromosomes and cytoskeleton and specifically takes place within sexual cells. However, studies in multiple plant species have suggested that the normal development of tapetum, the somatic cell layer surrounding the developing male meiocytes, is indispensable for the completion of the male meiotic cell cycle. Disrupted tapetum development causes alterations in the expression of a large range of genes involved in male reproduction. Moreover, recent experiments suggest that small RNAs (sRNAs) present in the anthers, including microRNAs (miRNAs) and phased, secondary, small interfering RNAs (phasiRNAs), play a potential but important role in controlling male meiosis, either by influencing the expression of meiotic genes in the meiocytes or through other unclear mechanisms, supporting the hypothesis that male meiosis is non-cell autonomously regulated. In this mini review, we summarize the recorded meiotic defects that occur in plants with defective tapetum development in both Arabidopsis and crops. Thereafter, we outline the latest understanding on the molecular mechanisms that potentially underpin the tapetum-dependent regulation of male meiosis, and we especially discuss the regulatory role of sRNAs. At the end, we propose several outstanding questions that should be addressed in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoning Lei
- School of Public Health, Key Lab of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education and NHC Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bing Liu
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Protection and Application of Special Plants in Wuling Area of China, College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory for Biotechnology of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission, College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, China
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11
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Huang J, Wang C, Li X, Fang X, Huang N, Wang Y, Ma H, Wang Y, Copenhaver GP. Conservation and Divergence in the Meiocyte sRNAomes of Arabidopsis, Soybean, and Cucumber. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 182:301-317. [PMID: 31719152 PMCID: PMC6945826 DOI: 10.1104/pp.19.00807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Meiosis is a critical process for sexual reproduction. During meiosis, genetic information on homologous chromosomes is shuffled through meiotic recombination to produce gametes with novel allelic combinations. Meiosis and recombination are orchestrated by several mechanisms including regulation by small RNAs (sRNAs). Our previous work in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) meiocytes showed that meiocyte-specific sRNAs (ms-sRNAs) have distinct characteristics, including positive association with the coding region of genes that are transcriptionally upregulated during meiosis. Here, we characterized the ms-sRNAs in two important crops, soybean (Glycine max) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus). Ms-sRNAs in soybean have the same features as those in Arabidopsis, suggesting that they may play a conserved role in eudicots. We also investigated the profiles of microRNAs (miRNAs) and phased secondary small interfering RNAs in the meiocytes of all three species. Two conserved miRNAs, miR390 and miR167, are highly abundant in the meiocytes of all three species. In addition, we identified three novel cucumber miRNAs. Intriguingly, our data show that the previously identified phased secondary small interfering RNA pathway involving soybean-specific miR4392 is more abundant in meiocytes. These results showcase the conservation and divergence of ms-sRNAs in flowering plants, and broaden our understanding of sRNA function in crop species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiyue Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Department of Biology and the Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences, Genome Science Building, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3280
| | - Cong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Xiang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Xiaolong Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Ning Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Ying Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Hong Ma
- Department of Biology, the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, the Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
| | - Yingxiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Gregory P Copenhaver
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Department of Biology and the Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences, Genome Science Building, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3280
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
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12
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Wei SJ, Chai S, Zhu RM, Duan CY, Zhang Y, Li S. HUA ENHANCER1 Mediates Ovule Development. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:397. [PMID: 32351522 PMCID: PMC7174553 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Ovules are female reproductive organs of angiosperms, containing sporophytic integuments and gametophytic embryo sacs. After fertilization, embryo sacs develop into embryos and endosperm whereas integuments into seed coat. Ovule development is regulated by transcription factors (TF) whose expression is often controlled by microRNAs. Mutations of Arabidopsis DICER-LIKE 1 (DCL1), a microRNA processing protein, caused defective ovule development and reduced female fertility. However, it was not clear whether other microRNA processing proteins participate in this process and how defective ovule development influenced female fertility. We report that mutations of HUA ENHANCER1 (HEN1) and HYPONASTIC LEAVES 1 (HYL1) interfered with integument growth. The sporophytic defect caused abnormal embryo sac development and inability of mutant ovules to attract pollen tubes, leading to reduced female fertility. We show that the role of HEN1 in integument growth is cell-autonomous. Although AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR 6 (ARF6) and ARF8 were ectopically expressed in mutant ovules, consistent with the reduction of microRNA167 in hen1, introducing arf6;arf8 did not suppress ovule defects of hen1, suggesting the involvement of more microRNAs in this process. Results presented indicate that the microRNA processing machinery is critical for ovule development and seed production through multiple microRNAs and their targets.
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13
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Damayanti F, Lombardo F, Masuda JI, Shinozaki Y, Ichino T, Hoshikawa K, Okabe Y, Wang N, Fukuda N, Ariizumi T, Ezura H. Functional Disruption of the Tomato Putative Ortholog of HAWAIIAN SKIRT Results in Facultative Parthenocarpy, Reduced Fertility and Leaf Morphological Defects. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:1234. [PMID: 31681360 PMCID: PMC6801985 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.01234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
A number of plant microRNAs have been demonstrated to regulate developmental processes by integrating internal and environmental cues. Recently, the Arabidopsis thaliana F-box protein HAWAIIAN SKIRT (HWS) gene has been described for its role in miRNA biogenesis. We have isolated in a forward genetic screen a tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) line mutated in the putative ortholog of HWS. We show that the tomato hws-1 mutant exhibits reduction in leaflet serration, leaflet fusion, some degree of floral organ fusion, and alteration in miRNA levels, similarly to the original A. thaliana hws-1 mutant. We also describe novel phenotypes for hws such as facultative parthenocarpy, reduction in fertility and flowering delay. In slhws-1, the parthenocarpy trait is influenced by temperature, with higher parthenocarpy rate in warmer environmental conditions. Conversely, slhws-1 is able to produce seeds when grown in cooler environment. We show that the reduction in seed production in the mutant is mainly due to a defective male function and that the levels of several miRNAs are increased, in accordance with previous HWS studies, accounting for the abnormal leaf and floral phenotypes as well as the altered flowering and fruit development processes. This is the first study of HWS in fleshy fruit plant, providing new insights in the function of this gene in fruit development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farida Damayanti
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Fabien Lombardo
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Jun-ichiro Masuda
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Yoshihito Shinozaki
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Tsukuba Plant Innovation Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Takuji Ichino
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ken Hoshikawa
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Biological Resources and Post-harvest Division, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Okabe
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Innovation Center, Nippon Flour Mills Co., Ltd, Atsugi, Japan
| | - Ning Wang
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Tsukuba Plant Innovation Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Naoya Fukuda
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Tsukuba Plant Innovation Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Tohru Ariizumi
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Tsukuba Plant Innovation Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Ezura
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Tsukuba Plant Innovation Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- *Correspondence: Hiroshi Ezura,
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14
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Pradillo M, Santos JL. Genes involved in miRNA biogenesis affect meiosis and fertility. Chromosome Res 2018; 26:233-241. [PMID: 30343461 DOI: 10.1007/s10577-018-9588-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Revised: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small (containing about 22 nucleotides) single-stranded non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level in plants and animals, being absent from unicellular organisms. They act on diverse key physiological and cellular processes, such as development and tissue differentiation, cell identity, cell cycle progression, and programmed cell death. They are also likely to be involved in a broad spectrum of human diseases. Particularly, this review examines and summarizes work characterizing the function of miRNAs in gametogenesis and fertility. Although numerous studies have elucidated the involvement of reproductive-specific small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) in regulating germ cell development and meiosis, less is known about the role of miRNAs in these processes. We focus on the study of hypomorphic and null alleles of genes encoding components of miRNA biogenesis in both plants (Arabidopsis thaliana) and mammals (Mus musculus). We compare the consequences of the presence of these mutations on male meiosis in both species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Pradillo
- Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Juan L Santos
- Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, 28040, Madrid, Spain
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15
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Lambing C, Heckmann S. Tackling Plant Meiosis: From Model Research to Crop Improvement. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:829. [PMID: 29971082 PMCID: PMC6018109 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 05/28/2018] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Genetic engineering and traditional plant breeding, which harnesses the natural genetic variation that arises during meiosis, will have key roles to improve crop varieties and thus deliver Food Security in the future. Meiosis, a specialized cell division producing haploid gametes to maintain somatic diploidy following their fusion, assures genetic variation by regulated genetic exchange through homologous recombination. However, meiotic recombination events are restricted in their total number and their distribution along chromosomes limiting allelic variations in breeding programs. Thus, modifying the number and distribution of meiotic recombination events has great potential to improve and accelerate plant breeding. In recent years much progress has been made in understanding meiotic progression and recombination in plants. Many genes and factors involved in these processes have been identified primarily in Arabidopsis thaliana but also more recently in crops such as Brassica, rice, barley, maize, or wheat. These advances put researchers in the position to translate acquired knowledge to various crops likely improving and accelerating breeding programs. However, although fundamental aspects of meiotic progression and recombination are conserved between species, differences in genome size and organization (due to repetitive DNA content and ploidy level) exist, particularly among plants, that likely account for differences in meiotic progression and recombination patterns found between species. Thus, tools and approaches are needed to better understand differences and similarities in meiotic progression and recombination among plants, to study fundamental aspects of meiosis in a variety of plants including crops and non-model species, and to transfer knowledge into crop species. In this article, we provide an overview of tools and approaches available to study plant meiosis, highlight new techniques, give examples of areas of future research and review distinct aspects of meiosis in non-model species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Lambing
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Christophe Lambing, Stefan Heckmann,
| | - Stefan Heckmann
- Independent Research Group Meiosis, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Seeland, Germany
- *Correspondence: Christophe Lambing, Stefan Heckmann,
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