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Boo A, Toth T, Yu Q, Pfotenhauer A, Fields BD, Lenaghan SC, Stewart CN, Voigt CA. Synthetic microbe-to-plant communication channels. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1817. [PMID: 38418817 PMCID: PMC10901793 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45897-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Plants and microbes communicate to collaborate to stop pests, scavenge nutrients, and react to environmental change. Microbiota consisting of thousands of species interact with each other and plants using a large chemical language that is interpreted by complex regulatory networks. In this work, we develop modular interkingdom communication channels, enabling bacteria to convey environmental stimuli to plants. We introduce a "sender device" in Pseudomonas putida and Klebsiella pneumoniae, that produces the small molecule p-coumaroyl-homoserine lactone (pC-HSL) when the output of a sensor or circuit turns on. This molecule triggers a "receiver device" in the plant to activate gene expression. We validate this system in Arabidopsis thaliana and Solanum tuberosum (potato) grown hydroponically and in soil, demonstrating its modularity by swapping bacteria that process different stimuli, including IPTG, aTc and arsenic. Programmable communication channels between bacteria and plants will enable microbial sentinels to transmit information to crops and provide the building blocks for designing artificial consortia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Boo
- Department of Biological Engineering, Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Tyler Toth
- Department of Biological Engineering, Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Qiguo Yu
- Department of Biological Engineering, Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Alexander Pfotenhauer
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Brandon D Fields
- Department of Biological Engineering, Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Scott C Lenaghan
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - C Neal Stewart
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Christopher A Voigt
- Department of Biological Engineering, Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
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2
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Cho YB, Boyd RA, Ren Y, Lee MS, Jones SI, Ruiz-Vera UM, McGrath JM, Masters MD, Ort DR. Reducing chlorophyll levels in seed-filling stages results in higher seed nitrogen without impacting canopy carbon assimilation. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2024; 47:278-293. [PMID: 37828764 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14737] [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: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Chlorophyll is the major light-absorbing pigment for plant photosynthesis. While evolution has been selected for high chlorophyll content in leaves, previous work suggests that domesticated crops grown in modern high-density agricultural environments overinvest in chlorophyll production, thereby lowering light use and nitrogen use efficiency. To investigate the potential benefits of reducing chlorophyll levels, we created ethanol-inducible RNAi tobacco mutants that suppress Mg-chelatase subunit I (CHLI) with small RNA within 3 h of induction and reduce chlorophyll within 5 days in field conditions. We initiated chlorophyll reduction later in plant development to avoid the highly sensitive seedling stage and to allow young plants to have full green leaves to maximise light interception before canopy formation. This study demonstrated that leaf chlorophyll reduction >60% during seed-filling stages increased tobacco seed nitrogen concentration by as much as 17% while canopy photosynthesis, biomass and seed yields were maintained. These results indicate that time-specific reduction of chlorophyll could be a novel strategy that decouples the inverse relationship between yield and seed nitrogen by utilising saved nitrogen from the reduction of chlorophyll while maintaining full carbon assimilation capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young B Cho
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Ryan A Boyd
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Yudong Ren
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Moon-Sub Lee
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Sarah I Jones
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Ursula M Ruiz-Vera
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Justin M McGrath
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Michael D Masters
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Donald R Ort
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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3
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Wang W, An X, Yan K, Li Q. Construction and Application of Orthogonal T7 Expression System in Eukaryote: An Overview. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2023; 7:e2200218. [PMID: 36464626 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202200218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The T7 system is an orthogonal transcription-system, which is characterized by simplicity, higher efficiency, and higher processivity, and it is used for protein or mRNA synthesis in various biological-systems. In comparison with prokaryotes, the construction of the T7 expression system is still on-going in eukaryotes, but it shows greatly applicable prospects. In the present paper, development of T7 expression system construction in eukaryotes is reviewed, including its construction in animal (mammalian cells, trypanosomatid protozoa, Xenopus oocytes, zebrafish), plant, and microorganism and its application in vaccine production and gene therapy. In addition, the innate challenges of T7 expression system construction in eukaryote and its potential application in vaccine production and gene therapy are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenya Wang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoyan An
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China
| | - Kun Yan
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China
| | - Qiang Li
- Key Laboratory for Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, P. R. China
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4
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Xu Y, Gan ES, Ito T. Misexpression Approaches for the Manipulation of Flower Development. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2686:429-451. [PMID: 37540372 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3299-4_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
The generation of dominant gain-of-function mutants through activation tagging is a forward genetic approach that can be applied to study the mechanisms of flower development, complementing the screening of loss-of-function mutants. In addition, the functions of genes of interest can be further analyzed through reverse genetics. A commonly used method is gene overexpression, where ectopic expression can result in an opposite phenotype to that caused by a loss-of-function mutation. When overexpression is detrimental, the misexpression of a gene using tissue-specific promoters can be useful to study spatial-specific function. As flower development is a multistep process, it can be advantageous to control gene expression, or its protein product activity, in a temporal and/or spatial manner. This has been made possible through several inducible promoter systems as well as inducible proteins by constructing chimeric fusions between the ligand-binding domain of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and the protein of interest. The recently introduced CRISPR-Cas9-based platform provides a new way of bioengineering transcriptional regulators in plants. By fusing a catalytically inactive dCas9 with functional activation or repression domains, the CRISPR-Cas9 module can achieve transcriptional activation or repression of endogenous genes. All these methods allow us to genetically manipulate gene expression during flower development. In this chapter, we describe methods to produce the expression constructs, method of screening, and more general applications of the techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifeng Xu
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Eng-Seng Gan
- Republic Polytechnic, School of Applied Science (SAS), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Toshiro Ito
- Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Biological Sciences, Plant Stem Cell Regulation and Floral Patterning Laboratory, Ikoma, Nara, Japan.
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5
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Feng Z, Li X, Fan B, Zhu C, Chen Z. Maximizing the Production of Recombinant Proteins in Plants: From Transcription to Protein Stability. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13516. [PMID: 36362299 PMCID: PMC9659199 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The production of therapeutic and industrial recombinant proteins in plants has advantages over established bacterial and mammalian systems in terms of cost, scalability, growth conditions, and product safety. In order to compete with these conventional expression systems, however, plant expression platforms must have additional economic advantages by demonstrating a high protein production yield with consistent quality. Over the past decades, important progress has been made in developing strategies to increase the yield of recombinant proteins in plants by enhancing their expression and reducing their degradation. Unlike bacterial and animal systems, plant expression systems can utilize not only cell cultures but also whole plants for the production of recombinant proteins. The development of viral vectors and chloroplast transformation has opened new strategies to drastically increase the yield of recombinant proteins from plants. The identification of promoters for strong, constitutive, and inducible promoters or the tissue-specific expression of transgenes allows for the production of recombinant proteins at high levels and for special purposes. Advances in the understanding of RNAi have led to effective strategies for reducing gene silencing and increasing recombinant protein production. An increased understanding of protein translation, quality control, trafficking, and degradation has also helped with the development of approaches to enhance the synthesis and stability of recombinant proteins in plants. In this review, we discuss the progress in understanding the processes that control the synthesis and degradation of gene transcripts and proteins, which underlie a variety of developed strategies aimed at maximizing recombinant protein production in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziru Feng
- College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Xifeng Li
- College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Baofang Fan
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2054, USA
| | - Cheng Zhu
- College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Zhixiang Chen
- College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2054, USA
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6
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Tobin E. Adventures in Life and Science, from Light to Rhythms. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 73:1-16. [PMID: 35130444 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-arplant-090921-091346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The author describes her life's pathway from her beginnings at a time when women were not well represented in the sciences. Her grandparents were immigrants to the United States. Although her parents were not able to go to college because of the Great Depression, they supported her education and other adventures. In addition to her interest in science, she describes her interest and involvement in politics. Her education at Oberlin, Stanford, and Harvard prepared her for her independent career at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she was an affirmative action appointment. Her research initially centered on the plant photoreceptor phytochrome, but later in her career she investigated circadian rhythms in plants, discovering and characterizing one of the members of the central oscillator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine Tobin
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA;
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7
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Rahman F, Mishra A, Gupta A, Sharma R. Spatiotemporal Regulation of CRISPR/Cas9 Enables Efficient, Precise, and Heritable Edits in Plant Genomes. Front Genome Ed 2022; 4:870108. [PMID: 35558825 PMCID: PMC9087570 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2022.870108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas-mediated editing has revolutionized crop engineering. Due to the broad scope and potential of this technology, many studies have been carried out in the past decade towards optimizing genome editing constructs. Clearly, the choice of the promoter used to drive gRNA and Cas9 expression is critical to achieving high editing efficiency, precision, and heritability. While some important considerations for choosing a promoter include the number and nature of targets, host organism, mode of transformation and goal of the experiment, spatiotemporal regulation of Cas9 expression using tissue-specific or inducible promoters enables higher heritability and efficiency of targeted mutagenesis with reduced off-target effects. In this review, we discuss specific studies that highlight the prospects and trade-offs associated with the choice of promoters on genome editing and emphasize the need for inductive exploration and discovery to further advance this area of research in crop plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farhanur Rahman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani, India
| | - Apurva Mishra
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Archit Gupta
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani, India
| | - Rita Sharma
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani, India
- *Correspondence: Rita Sharma, ,
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Latif S, Gottschamel J, Syed T, Younus I, Gull K, Sameeullah M, Batool N, Lössl AG, Mariz F, Müller M, Mirza B, Waheed MT. Inducible expression of human papillomavirus-16 L1 capsomeres in the plastomes of Nicotiana tabacum: Transplastomic plants develop normal flowers and pollen. Biotechnol Appl Biochem 2022; 69:596-611. [PMID: 33650709 DOI: 10.1002/bab.2136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Human papillomavirus type-16 (HPV-16) is the major HPV type involved in causing cervical cancer among women. The disease burden is high in developing and underdeveloped countries. Previously, the constitutive expression of HPV-16 L1 protein led to male sterility in transplastomic tobacco plants. Here, the HPV-16 L1 gene was expressed in chloroplasts of Nicotiana tabacum under the control of an ethanol-inducible promoter, trans-activated by nucleus-derived signal peptide. Plants containing nuclear component were transformed with transformation vector pEXP-T7-L1 by biolistic gun. The transformation and homoplasmic status of transformed plants was verified by polymerase chain reaction and Southern blotting, respectively. Protein was induced by spraying 5% ethanol for 7 consecutive days. The correct folding of L1 protein was confirmed by antigen-capture ELISA using a conformation-specific antibody. The L1 protein accumulated up to 3 μg/g of fresh plant material. The L1 protein was further purified using affinity chromatography. All transplastomic plants developed normal flowers and produced viable seeds upon self-pollination. Pollens also showed completely normal structure under light microscope and scanning electron microscopy. These data confirm the use of the inducible expression as plant-safe approach for expressing transgenes in plants, especially those genes that cause detrimental effects on plant growth and morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Latif
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Johanna Gottschamel
- Department of Applied Plant Science and Plant Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Tahira Syed
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Iqra Younus
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, , Oxford Road, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Kehkshan Gull
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Sameeullah
- Innovative Food Technologies Development Application and Research Centre, Faculty of Engineering, Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University, Golkoye Campus, Bolu, Turkey
| | - Neelam Batool
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Andreas Günter Lössl
- Department of Applied Plant Science and Plant Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Filipe Mariz
- Tumorvirus-specific Vaccination Strategies, Infection, Inflammation and Cancer Program, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Müller
- Tumorvirus-specific Vaccination Strategies, Infection, Inflammation and Cancer Program, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Bushra Mirza
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
- Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Mohammad Tahir Waheed
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
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9
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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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10
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Garcia-Perez E, Diego-Martin B, Quijano-Rubio A, Moreno-Giménez E, Selma S, Orzaez D, Vazquez-Vilar M. A copper switch for inducing CRISPR/Cas9-based transcriptional activation tightly regulates gene expression in Nicotiana benthamiana. BMC Biotechnol 2022; 22:12. [PMID: 35331211 PMCID: PMC8943966 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-022-00741-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND CRISPR-based programmable transcriptional activators (PTAs) are used in plants for rewiring gene networks. Better tuning of their activity in a time and dose-dependent manner should allow precise control of gene expression. Here, we report the optimization of a Copper Inducible system called CI-switch for conditional gene activation in Nicotiana benthamiana. In the presence of copper, the copper-responsive factor CUP2 undergoes a conformational change and binds a DNA motif named copper-binding site (CBS). RESULTS In this study, we tested several activation domains fused to CUP2 and found that the non-viral Gal4 domain results in strong activation of a reporter gene equipped with a minimal promoter, offering advantages over previous designs. To connect copper regulation with downstream programmable elements, several copper-dependent configurations of the strong dCasEV2.1 PTA were assayed, aiming at maximizing activation range, while minimizing undesired background expression. The best configuration involved a dual copper regulation of the two protein components of the PTA, namely dCas9:EDLL and MS2:VPR, and a constitutive RNA pol III-driven expression of the third component, a guide RNA with anchoring sites for the MS2 RNA-binding domain. With these optimizations, the CI/dCasEV2.1 system resulted in copper-dependent activation rates of 2,600-fold and 245-fold for the endogenous N. benthamiana DFR and PAL2 genes, respectively, with negligible expression in the absence of the trigger. CONCLUSIONS The tight regulation of copper over CI/dCasEV2.1 makes this system ideal for the conditional production of plant-derived metabolites and recombinant proteins in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Sara Selma
- Instituto Biología Molecular de Plantas, CSIC-UPV, Valencia, Spain
| | - Diego Orzaez
- Instituto Biología Molecular de Plantas, CSIC-UPV, Valencia, Spain
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11
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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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12
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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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13
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Wu T, Kerbler SM, Fernie AR, Zhang Y. Plant cell cultures as heterologous bio-factories for secondary metabolite production. PLANT COMMUNICATIONS 2021; 2:100235. [PMID: 34746764 PMCID: PMC8554037 DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2021.100235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic biology has been developing rapidly in the last decade and is attracting increasing attention from many plant biologists. The production of high-value plant-specific secondary metabolites is, however, limited mostly to microbes. This is potentially problematic because of incorrect post-translational modification of proteins and differences in protein micro-compartmentalization, substrate availability, chaperone availability, product toxicity, and cytochrome p450 reductase enzymes. Unlike other heterologous systems, plant cells may be a promising alternative for the production of high-value metabolites. Several commercial plant suspension cell cultures from different plant species have been used successfully to produce valuable metabolites in a safe, low cost, and environmentally friendly manner. However, few metabolites are currently being biosynthesized using plant platforms, with the exception of the natural pigment anthocyanin. Both Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana tabacum cell cultures can be developed by multiple gene transformations and CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing. Given that the introduction of heterologous biosynthetic pathways into Arabidopsis and N. tabacum is not widely used, the biosynthesis of foreign metabolites is currently limited; however, therein lies great potential. Here, we discuss the exemplary use of plant cell cultures and prospects for using A. thaliana and N. tabacum cell cultures to produce valuable plant-specific metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Wu
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Sandra M. Kerbler
- Leibniz-Institute für Gemüse- und Zierpflanzenbau, Theodor-Echtermeyer-Weg 1, 14979 Groβbeeren, Germany
| | - Alisdair R. Fernie
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Youjun Zhang
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
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14
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Engineering cereal crops for enhanced abiotic stress tolerance. PROCEEDINGS OF THE INDIAN NATIONAL SCIENCE ACADEMY 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s43538-021-00006-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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15
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Zhang X, He Y, Li L, Liu H, Hong G. Involvement of the R2R3-MYB transcription factor MYB21 and its homologs in regulating flavonol accumulation in Arabidopsis stamen. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2021; 72:4319-4332. [PMID: 33831169 PMCID: PMC8163065 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erab156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Commonly found flavonols in plants are synthesized from dihydroflavonols by flavonol synthase (FLS). The genome of Arabidopsis thaliana contains six FLS genes, among which FLS1 encodes a functional enzyme. Previous work has demonstrated that the R2R3-MYB subgroup 7 transcription factors MYB11, MYB12, and MYB111 redundantly regulate flavonol biosynthesis. However, flavonol accumulation in pollen grains was unaffected in the myb11myb12myb111 triple mutant. Here we show that MYB21 and its homologs MYB24 and MYB57, which belong to subgroup 19, promote flavonol biosynthesis through regulation of FLS1 gene expression. We used a combination of genetic and metabolite analysis to identify the role of MYB21 in regulating flavonol biosynthesis through direct binding to the GARE cis-element in the FLS1 promoter. Treatment with kaempferol or overexpression of FLS1 rescued stamen defects in the myb21 mutant. We also observed that excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulated in the myb21 stamen, and that treatment with the ROS inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium chloride partly rescued the reduced fertility of the myb21 mutant. Furthermore, drought increased ROS abundance and impaired fertility in myb21, myb21myb24myb57, and chs, but not in the wild type or myb11myb12myb111, suggesting that pollen-specific flavonol accumulation contributes to drought-induced male fertility by ROS scavenging in Arabidopsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueying Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Virology and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 198 Shiqiao Road, Hangzhou 310021, China
| | - Yuqing He
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Virology and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 198 Shiqiao Road, Hangzhou 310021, China
| | - Linying Li
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Virology and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 198 Shiqiao Road, Hangzhou 310021, China
| | - Hongru Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics and National Plant Gene Research Center, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Gaojie Hong
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Virology and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 198 Shiqiao Road, Hangzhou 310021, China
- Correspondence:
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16
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Zhai Z, Liu H, Shanklin J. Ectopic Expression of OLEOSIN 1 and Inactivation of GBSS1 Have a Synergistic Effect on Oil Accumulation in Plant Leaves. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:plants10030513. [PMID: 33803467 PMCID: PMC8000217 DOI: 10.3390/plants10030513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
During the transformation of wild-type (WT) Arabidopsis thaliana, a T-DNA containing OLEOSIN-GFP (OLE1-GFP) was inserted by happenstance within the GBSS1 gene, resulting in significant reduction in amylose and increase in leaf oil content in the transgenic line (OG). The synergistic effect on oil accumulation of combining gbss1 with the expression of OLE1-GFP was confirmed by transforming an independent gbss1 mutant (GABI_914G01) with OLE1-GFP. The resulting OLE1-GFP/gbss1 transgenic lines showed higher leaf oil content than the individual OLE1-GFP/WT or single gbss1 mutant lines. Further stacking of the lipogenic factors WRINKLED1, Diacylglycerol O-Acyltransferase (DGAT1), and Cys-OLEOSIN1 (an engineered sesame OLEOSIN1) in OG significantly elevated its oil content in mature leaves to 2.3% of dry weight, which is 15 times higher than that in WT Arabidopsis. Inducible expression of the same lipogenic factors was shown to be an effective strategy for triacylglycerol (TAG) accumulation without incurring growth, development, and yield penalties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyang Zhai
- Correspondence: (Z.Z.); (J.S.); Tel.: +1-631-344-5360 (Z.Z.); +1-631-344-3414 (J.S.)
| | | | - John Shanklin
- Correspondence: (Z.Z.); (J.S.); Tel.: +1-631-344-5360 (Z.Z.); +1-631-344-3414 (J.S.)
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17
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Buyel JF, Stöger E, Bortesi L. Targeted genome editing of plants and plant cells for biomanufacturing. Transgenic Res 2021; 30:401-426. [PMID: 33646510 PMCID: PMC8316201 DOI: 10.1007/s11248-021-00236-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Plants have provided humans with useful products since antiquity, but in the last 30 years they have also been developed as production platforms for small molecules and recombinant proteins. This initially niche area has blossomed with the growth of the global bioeconomy, and now includes chemical building blocks, polymers and renewable energy. All these applications can be described as “plant molecular farming” (PMF). Despite its potential to increase the sustainability of biologics manufacturing, PMF has yet to be embraced broadly by industry. This reflects a combination of regulatory uncertainty, limited information on process cost structures, and the absence of trained staff and suitable manufacturing capacity. However, the limited adaptation of plants and plant cells to the requirements of industry-scale manufacturing is an equally important hurdle. For example, the targeted genetic manipulation of yeast has been common practice since the 1980s, whereas reliable site-directed mutagenesis in most plants has only become available with the advent of CRISPR/Cas9 and similar genome editing technologies since around 2010. Here we summarize the applications of new genetic engineering technologies to improve plants as biomanufacturing platforms. We start by identifying current bottlenecks in manufacturing, then illustrate the progress that has already been made and discuss the potential for improvement at the molecular, cellular and organism levels. We discuss the effects of metabolic optimization, adaptation of the endomembrane system, modified glycosylation profiles, programmable growth and senescence, protease inactivation, and the expression of enzymes that promote biodegradation. We outline strategies to achieve these modifications by targeted gene modification, considering case-by-case examples of individual improvements and the combined modifications needed to generate a new general-purpose “chassis” for PMF.
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Affiliation(s)
- J F Buyel
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074, Aachen, Germany. .,Institute for Molecular Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
| | - E Stöger
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - L Bortesi
- Aachen-Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials (AMIBM), Maastricht University, Brightlands Chemelot Campus, Urmonderbaan 22, 6167 RD, Geleen, The Netherlands
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18
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Harrington SA, Backhaus AE, Fox S, Rogers C, Borrill P, Uauy C, Richardson A. A heat-shock inducible system for flexible gene expression in cereals. PLANT METHODS 2020; 16:137. [PMID: 33072173 PMCID: PMC7557097 DOI: 10.1186/s13007-020-00677-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Functional characterisation of genes using transgenic methods is increasingly common in cereal crops. Yet standard methods of gene over-expression can lead to undesirable developmental phenotypes, or even embryo lethality, due to ectopic gene expression. Inducible expression systems allow the study of such genes by preventing their expression until treatment with the specific inducer. When combined with the Cre-Lox recombination system, inducible promoters can be used to initiate constitutive expression of a gene of interest. Yet while these systems are well established in dicot model plants, like Arabidopsis thaliana, they have not yet been implemented in grasses. RESULTS Here we present an irreversible heat-shock inducible system developed using Golden Gate-compatible components which utilises Cre recombinase to drive constitutive gene expression in barley and wheat. We show that a heat shock treatment of 38 °C is sufficient to activate the construct and drive expression of the gene of interest. Modulating the duration of heat shock controls the density of induced cells. Short durations of heat shock cause activation of the construct in isolated single cells, while longer durations lead to global construct activation. The system can be successfully activated in multiple tissues and at multiple developmental stages and shows no activation at standard growth temperatures (~ 20 °C). CONCLUSIONS This system provides an adaptable framework for use in gene functional characterisation in cereal crops. The developed vectors can be easily adapted for specific genes of interest within the Golden Gate cloning system. By using an environmental signal to induce activation of the construct, the system avoids pitfalls associated with consistent and complete application of chemical inducers. As with any inducible system, care must be taken to ensure that the expected construct activation has indeed taken place.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Samantha Fox
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH UK
| | - Christian Rogers
- ENSA, Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1LR UK
| | - Philippa Borrill
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK
| | - Cristobal Uauy
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH UK
| | - Annis Richardson
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH UK
- Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF UK
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19
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Castellanos-Arévalo AP, Estrada-Luna AA, Cabrera-Ponce JL, Valencia-Lozano E, Herrera-Ubaldo H, de Folter S, Blanco-Labra A, Délano-Frier JP. Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformation of grain (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) and leafy (A. hybridus) amaranths. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2020; 39:1143-1160. [PMID: 32430681 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-020-02553-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Transgenic A. hypochondriacus and A. hybridus roots were generated. Further, a distinct plant regeneration program via somatic embryos produced from hairy roots was established. Work was implemented to develop an optimized protocol for root genetic transformation of the three grain amaranth species and A. hybridus, their presumed ancestor. Transformation efficiency was species-specific, being higher in A. hypochondriacus and followed by A. hybridus. Amaranthus cruentus and A. caudatus remained recalcitrant. A reliable and efficient Agrobacteruim rhizogenes-mediated transformation of these species was established using cotyledon explants infected with the previously untested BVG strain. Optimal OD600 bacterial cell densities were 0.4 and 0.8 for A. hypochondriacus and A. hybridus, respectively. Hairy roots of both amaranth species were validated by the amplification of appropriate marker genes and, when pertinent, by monitoring green fluorescent protein emission or β-glucuronidase activity. Embryogenic calli were generated from A. hypochondriacus rhizoclones. Subsequent somatic embryo maturation and germination required the activation of cytokinin signaling, osmotic stress, red light, and calcium incorporation. A crucial step to ensure the differentiation of germinating somatic embryos into plantlets was their individualization and subcultivation in 5/5 media containing 5% sucrose, 5 g/L gelrite, and 0.2 mg/L 2-isopentenyladenine (2iP) previously acidified to pH 4.0 with phosphoric acid, followed by their transfer to 5/5 + 2iP media supplemented with 100 mg/L CaCl2. These steps were strictly red light dependent. This process represents a viable protocol for plant regeneration via somatic embryo germination from grain amaranth transgenic hairy roots. Its capacity to overcome the recalcitrance to genetic transformation characteristic of grain amaranth has the potential to significantly advance the knowledge of several unresolved biological aspects of grain amaranths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea P Castellanos-Arévalo
- Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioquímica, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del I.P.N. (Cinvestav), Unidad Irapuato. Km 9.6 del Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León. Apartado Postal 629, C.P. 36824, Irapuato, Gto., México
| | - Andrés A Estrada-Luna
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Cinvestav, Unidad Irapuato, Km 9.6 del Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León. Apartado Postal 629, C.P. 36824, Irapuato, Gto., México
| | - José L Cabrera-Ponce
- Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioquímica, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del I.P.N. (Cinvestav), Unidad Irapuato. Km 9.6 del Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León. Apartado Postal 629, C.P. 36824, Irapuato, Gto., México
| | - Eliana Valencia-Lozano
- Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioquímica, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del I.P.N. (Cinvestav), Unidad Irapuato. Km 9.6 del Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León. Apartado Postal 629, C.P. 36824, Irapuato, Gto., México
| | - Humberto Herrera-Ubaldo
- Unidad de Genómica Avanzada (Cinvestav, UGA-LANGEBIO), Km 9.6 del Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León. Apartado Postal 629, C.P. 36824, Irapuato, Gto., México
| | - Stefan de Folter
- Unidad de Genómica Avanzada (Cinvestav, UGA-LANGEBIO), Km 9.6 del Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León. Apartado Postal 629, C.P. 36824, Irapuato, Gto., México
| | - Alejandro Blanco-Labra
- Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioquímica, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del I.P.N. (Cinvestav), Unidad Irapuato. Km 9.6 del Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León. Apartado Postal 629, C.P. 36824, Irapuato, Gto., México
| | - John P Délano-Frier
- Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioquímica, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del I.P.N. (Cinvestav), Unidad Irapuato. Km 9.6 del Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León. Apartado Postal 629, C.P. 36824, Irapuato, Gto., México.
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20
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Bernabé-Orts JM, Quijano-Rubio A, Vazquez-Vilar M, Mancheño-Bonillo J, Moles-Casas V, Selma S, Gianoglio S, Granell A, Orzaez D. A memory switch for plant synthetic biology based on the phage ϕC31 integration system. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:3379-3394. [PMID: 32083668 PMCID: PMC7102980 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Synthetic biology has advanced from the setup of basic genetic devices to the design of increasingly complex gene circuits to provide organisms with new functions. While many bacterial, fungal and mammalian unicellular chassis have been extensively engineered, this progress has been delayed in plants due to the lack of reliable DNA parts and devices that enable precise control over these new synthetic functions. In particular, memory switches based on DNA site-specific recombination have been the tool of choice to build long-term and stable synthetic memory in other organisms, because they enable a shift between two alternative states registering the information at the DNA level. Here we report a memory switch for whole plants based on the bacteriophage ϕC31 site-specific integrase. The switch was built as a modular device made of standard DNA parts, designed to control the transcriptional state (on or off) of two genes of interest by alternative inversion of a central DNA regulatory element. The state of the switch can be externally operated by action of the ϕC31 integrase (Int), and its recombination directionality factor (RDF). The kinetics, memory, and reversibility of the switch were extensively characterized in Nicotiana benthamiana plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan Miquel Bernabé-Orts
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Alfredo Quijano-Rubio
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Marta Vazquez-Vilar
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Javier Mancheño-Bonillo
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Victor Moles-Casas
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Sara Selma
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Silvia Gianoglio
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Antonio Granell
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Diego Orzaez
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
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21
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Leonhardt N, Divol F, Chiarenza S, Deschamps S, Renaud J, Giacalone C, Nussaume L, Berthomé R, Péret B. Tissue-specific inactivation by cytosine deaminase/uracil phosphoribosyl transferase as a tool to study plant biology. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 101:731-741. [PMID: 31625644 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in the study of plant developmental and physiological responses have benefited from tissue-specific approaches, revealing the role of some cell types in these processes. Such approaches have relied on the inactivation of target cells using either toxic compounds or deleterious genes; however, both tissue-specific and truly inducible tools are lacking in order to precisely target a developmental window or specific growth response. We engineered the yeast fluorocytosine deaminase (FCY1) gene by creating a fusion with the bacterial uracil phosphoribosyl transferase (UPP) gene. The recombinant protein converts the precursor 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) into 5-fluorouracyl, a drug used in the treatment of a range of cancers, which triggers DNA and RNA damage. We expressed the FCY-UPP gene construct in specific cell types using enhancer trap lines and promoters, demonstrating that this marker acts in a cell-autonomous manner. We also showed that it can inactivate slow developmental processes like lateral root formation by targeting pericycle cells. It also revealed a role for the lateral root cap and the epidermis in controlling root growth, a faster response. The 5-FC precursor acts systemically, as demonstrated by its ability to inhibit stomatal movements when supplied to the roots in combination with a guard cell-specific promoter. Finally, we demonstrate that the tissular inactivation is reversible, and can therefore be used to synchronize plant responses or to determine cell type-specific functions during different developmental stages. This tool will greatly enhance our capacity to understand the respective role of each cell type in plant physiology and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Leonhardt
- UMR7265, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement des Plantes, Service de Biologie Végétale et de Microbiologie Environnementales, Institut de Biologie Environnementale et Biotechnologie, CNRS-CEA-Université Aix-Marseille Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, Saint Paul les Durance Cedex, France
| | - Fanchon Divol
- BPMP, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, INRA, SupAgro, Montpellier, France
| | - Serge Chiarenza
- UMR7265, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement des Plantes, Service de Biologie Végétale et de Microbiologie Environnementales, Institut de Biologie Environnementale et Biotechnologie, CNRS-CEA-Université Aix-Marseille Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, Saint Paul les Durance Cedex, France
| | - Sabrina Deschamps
- UMR7265, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement des Plantes, Service de Biologie Végétale et de Microbiologie Environnementales, Institut de Biologie Environnementale et Biotechnologie, CNRS-CEA-Université Aix-Marseille Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, Saint Paul les Durance Cedex, France
| | - Jeanne Renaud
- UMR7265, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement des Plantes, Service de Biologie Végétale et de Microbiologie Environnementales, Institut de Biologie Environnementale et Biotechnologie, CNRS-CEA-Université Aix-Marseille Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, Saint Paul les Durance Cedex, France
| | - Cécile Giacalone
- UMR7265, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement des Plantes, Service de Biologie Végétale et de Microbiologie Environnementales, Institut de Biologie Environnementale et Biotechnologie, CNRS-CEA-Université Aix-Marseille Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, Saint Paul les Durance Cedex, France
| | - Laurent Nussaume
- UMR7265, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement des Plantes, Service de Biologie Végétale et de Microbiologie Environnementales, Institut de Biologie Environnementale et Biotechnologie, CNRS-CEA-Université Aix-Marseille Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, Saint Paul les Durance Cedex, France
| | - Richard Berthomé
- LIPM, Université de Toulouse, INRA, CNRS, UPS, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Benjamin Péret
- BPMP, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, INRA, SupAgro, Montpellier, France
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22
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Saba K, Gottschamel J, Younus I, Syed T, Gull K, Lössl AG, Mirza B, Waheed MT. Chloroplast-based inducible expression of ESAT-6 antigen for development of a plant-based vaccine against tuberculosis. J Biotechnol 2019; 305:1-10. [PMID: 31454508 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2019.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes tuberculosis in humans. The major disease burden of tuberculosis lies in developing countries. Lack of an effective vaccine for adults is one of the major hurdles for controlling this deadly disease. In the present study, 6 kDa early secretory antigenic target (ESAT-6) of M. tuberculosis was inducibly expressed in chloroplasts of Nicotiana tabacum. The expression of ESAT-6 in chloroplasts was controlled by T7 promoter that was activated by nuclear-generated signal peptide. Tobacco plants, containing nuclear component, were transformed via biolistic bombardment with pEXP-T7-ESAT-6 obtained by Gateway® cloning. Transformation and homoplasmic status of transplastomic plants was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction and Southern blotting. Plants were induced for protein expression by spraying with 5% ethanol for 1 day, 3 days, 7 days and 10 days. ESAT-6 protein was detected by immunoblot analysis and maximum protein was obtained for 10 days induced plants that was estimated to accumulate up to 1.2% of total soluble fraction of protein. Transplastomic plants showed completely normal morphology. Transplastomic and untransformed plants became slightly chlorotic upon prolonged exposure to ethanol until 10 days. Taken together, this data could help in the development of an antigen-based subunit vaccine against tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiran Saba
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, 45320, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Johanna Gottschamel
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180, Vienna, Austria
| | - Iqra Younus
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, 45320, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Tahira Syed
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, 45320, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Kehkshan Gull
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, 45320, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Andreas Günter Lössl
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bushra Mirza
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, 45320, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Mohammad Tahir Waheed
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, 45320, Islamabad, Pakistan.
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23
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Ma Y, Miotk A, Šutiković Z, Ermakova O, Wenzl C, Medzihradszky A, Gaillochet C, Forner J, Utan G, Brackmann K, Galván-Ampudia CS, Vernoux T, Greb T, Lohmann JU. WUSCHEL acts as an auxin response rheostat to maintain apical stem cells in Arabidopsis. Nat Commun 2019; 10:5093. [PMID: 31704928 PMCID: PMC6841675 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13074-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
To maintain the balance between long-term stem cell self-renewal and differentiation, dynamic signals need to be translated into spatially precise and temporally stable gene expression states. In the apical plant stem cell system, local accumulation of the small, highly mobile phytohormone auxin triggers differentiation while at the same time, pluripotent stem cells are maintained throughout the entire life-cycle. We find that stem cells are resistant to auxin mediated differentiation, but require low levels of signaling for their maintenance. We demonstrate that the WUSCHEL transcription factor confers this behavior by rheostatically controlling the auxin signaling and response pathway. Finally, we show that WUSCHEL acts via regulation of histone acetylation at target loci, including those with functions in the auxin pathway. Our results reveal an important mechanism that allows cells to differentially translate a potent and highly dynamic developmental signal into stable cell behavior with high spatial precision and temporal robustness. Spatial control of auxin signaling maintains a balance between stem-cell self-renewal and differentiation at the plant shoot apex. Here Ma et al. show that rheostatic control of auxin response by the WUSCHEL transcription factor maintains stem cells by conferring resistance to auxin mediated differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanfei Ma
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andrej Miotk
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Zoran Šutiković
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Olga Ermakova
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian Wenzl
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anna Medzihradszky
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christophe Gaillochet
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Joachim Forner
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gözde Utan
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Klaus Brackmann
- Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Carlos S Galván-Ampudia
- Laboratoire Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, University of Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCB Lyon 1, CNRS, INRA, F-69342, Lyon, France
| | - Teva Vernoux
- Laboratoire Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, University of Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCB Lyon 1, CNRS, INRA, F-69342, Lyon, France
| | - Thomas Greb
- Department of Developmental Physiology, Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jan U Lohmann
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
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24
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Mohapatra S, Mishra SS, Bhalla P, Thatoi H. Engineering grass biomass for sustainable and enhanced bioethanol production. PLANTA 2019; 250:395-412. [PMID: 31236698 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-019-03218-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Bioethanol from lignocellulosic biomass is a promising step for the future energy requirements. Grass is a potential lignocellulosic biomass which can be utilised for biorefinery-based bioethanol production. Grass biomass is a suitable feedstock for bioethanol production due to its all the year around production, requirement of less fertile land and noninterference with food system. However, the processes involved, i.e. pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation for bioethanol production from grass biomass, are both time consuming and costly. Developing the grass biomass in planta for enhanced bioethanol production is a promising step for maximum utilisation of this valuable feedstock and, thus, is the focus of the present review. Modern breeding techniques and transgenic processes are attractive methods which can be utilised for development of the feedstock. However, the outcomes are not always predictable and the time period required for obtaining a robust variety is generation dependent. Sophisticated genome editing technologies such as synthetic genetic circuits (SGC) or clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) systems are advantageous for induction of desired traits/heritable mutations in a foreseeable genome location in the 1st mutant generation. Although, its application in grass biomass for bioethanol is limited, these sophisticated techniques are anticipated to exhibit more flexibility in engineering the expression pattern for qualitative and qualitative traits. Nevertheless, the fundamentals rendered by the genetics of the transgenic crops will remain the basis of such developments for obtaining biorefinery-based bioethanol concepts from grass biomass. Grasses which are abundant and widespread in nature epitomise attractive lignocellulosic feedstocks for bioethanol production. The complexity offered by the grass cell wall in terms of lignin recalcitrance and its binding to polysaccharides forms a barricade for its commercialization as a biofuel feedstock. Inspired by the possibilities for rewiring the genetic makeup of grass biomass for reduced lignin and lignin-polysaccharide linkages along with increase in carbohydrates, innovative approaches for in planta modifications are forging ahead. In this review, we highlight the progress made in the field of transgenic grasses for bioethanol production and focus our understanding on improvements of simple breeding techniques and post-harvest techniques for development in shortening of lignin-carbohydrate and carbohydrate-carbohydrate linkages. Further, we discuss about the designer lignins which are aimed for qualitable lignins and also emphasise on remodelling of polysaccharides and mixed-linkage glucans for enhancing carbohydrate content and in planta saccharification efficiency. As a final point, we discuss the role of synthetic genetic circuits and CRISPR systems in targeted improvement of cell wall components without compromising the plant growth and health. It is anticipated that this review can provide a rational approach towards a better understanding of application of in planta genetic engineering aspects for designing synthetic genetic circuits which can promote grass feedstocks for biorefinery-based bioethanol concepts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonali Mohapatra
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Engineering and Technology, Biju Patnaik University of Technology, Bhubaneswar, 751003, India.
| | - Suruchee Samparana Mishra
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Engineering and Technology, Biju Patnaik University of Technology, Bhubaneswar, 751003, India
| | - Prerna Bhalla
- Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences Building, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, India
| | - Hrudayanath Thatoi
- Department of Biotechnology, North Orissa University, Sriram Chandra Vihar, Takatpur, Baripada, 757003, Odisha, India
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25
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Rojas M, Yu Q, Williams-Carrier R, Maliga P, Barkan A. Engineered PPR proteins as inducible switches to activate the expression of chloroplast transgenes. NATURE PLANTS 2019; 5:505-511. [PMID: 31036912 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-019-0412-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The engineering of plant genomes presents exciting opportunities to modify agronomic traits and to produce high-value products in plants. Expression of foreign proteins from transgenes in the chloroplast genome offers advantages that include the capacity for prodigious protein output, the lack of transgene silencing and the ability to express multicomponent pathways from polycistronic mRNA. However, there remains a need for robust methods to regulate plastid transgene expression. We designed orthogonal activators that boost the expression of chloroplast transgenes harbouring cognate cis-elements. Our system exploits the programmable RNA sequence specificity of pentatricopeptide repeat proteins and their native functions as activators of chloroplast gene expression. When expressed from nuclear transgenes, the engineered proteins stimulate the expression of plastid transgenes by up to ~40-fold, with maximal protein abundance approaching that of Rubisco. This strategy provides a means to regulate and optimize the expression of foreign genes in chloroplasts and to avoid deleterious effects of their products on plant growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarita Rojas
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Qiguo Yu
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | | | - Pal Maliga
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Alice Barkan
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA.
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26
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Bui LT, Novi G, Lombardi L, Iannuzzi C, Rossi J, Santaniello A, Mensuali A, Corbineau F, Giuntoli B, Perata P, Zaffagnini M, Licausi F. Conservation of ethanol fermentation and its regulation in land plants. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2019; 70:1815-1827. [PMID: 30861072 PMCID: PMC6436157 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erz052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/24/2019] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Ethanol fermentation is considered as one of the main metabolic adaptations to ensure energy production in higher plants under anaerobic conditions. Following this pathway, pyruvate is decarboxylated and reduced to ethanol with the concomitant oxidation of NADH to NAD+. Despite its acknowledgement as an essential metabolic strategy, the conservation of this pathway and its regulation throughout plant evolution have not been assessed so far. To address this question, we compared ethanol fermentation in species representing subsequent steps in plant evolution and related it to the structural features and transcriptional regulation of the two enzymes involved: pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). We observed that, despite the conserved ability to produce ethanol upon hypoxia in distant phyla, transcriptional regulation of the enzymes involved is not conserved in ancient plant lineages, whose ADH homologues do not share structural features distinctive for acetaldehyde/ethanol-processing enzymes. Moreover, Arabidopsis mutants devoid of ADH expression exhibited enhanced PDC activity and retained substantial ethanol production under hypoxic conditions. Therefore, we concluded that, whereas ethanol production is a highly conserved adaptation to low oxygen, its catalysis and regulation in land plants probably involve components that will be identified in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liem T Bui
- Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giacomo Novi
- Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Cristina Iannuzzi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Jacopo Rossi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Anna Mensuali
- Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy
| | - Françoise Corbineau
- UMR 7622 CNRS-UPMC, Biologie du développement, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Beatrice Giuntoli
- Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy
- Biology Department, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Mirko Zaffagnini
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesco Licausi
- Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy
- Biology Department, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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27
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Kassaw TK, Donayre-Torres AJ, Antunes MS, Morey KJ, Medford JI. Engineering synthetic regulatory circuits in plants. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2018; 273:13-22. [PMID: 29907304 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2018.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2018] [Revised: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/07/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Plant synthetic biology is a rapidly emerging field that aims to engineer genetic circuits to function in plants with the same reliability and precision as electronic circuits. These circuits can be used to program predictable plant behavior, producing novel traits to improve crop plant productivity, enable biosensors, and serve as platforms to synthesize chemicals and complex biomolecules. Herein we introduce the importance of developing orthogonal plant parts and the need for quantitative part characterization for mathematical modeling of complex circuits. In particular, transfer functions are important when designing electronic-like genetic controls such as toggle switches, positive/negative feedback loops, and Boolean logic gates. We then discuss potential constraints and challenges in synthetic regulatory circuit design and integration when using plants. Finally, we highlight current and potential plant synthetic regulatory circuit applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessema K Kassaw
- Department of Biology, 1878 Campus Delivery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1878, USA
| | - Alberto J Donayre-Torres
- Department of Biology, 1878 Campus Delivery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1878, USA
| | - Mauricio S Antunes
- Department of Biology, 1878 Campus Delivery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1878, USA
| | - Kevin J Morey
- Department of Biology, 1878 Campus Delivery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1878, USA
| | - June I Medford
- Department of Biology, 1878 Campus Delivery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1878, USA.
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28
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Gerlitz N, Gerum R, Sauer N, Stadler R. Photoinducible DRONPA-s: a new tool for investigating cell-cell connectivity. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 94:751-766. [PMID: 29654648 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.13918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Revised: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The development of multicellular plants relies on the ability of their cells to exchange solutes, proteins and signalling compounds through plasmodesmata, symplasmic pores in the plant cell wall. The aperture of plasmodesmata is regulated in response to developmental cues or external factors such as pathogen attack. This regulation enables tight control of symplasmic cell-to-cell transport. Here we report on an elegant non-invasive method to quantify the passive movement of protein between selected cells even in deeper tissue layers. The system is based on the fluorescent protein DRONPA-s, which can be switched on and off repeatedly by illumination with different light qualities. Using transgenic 35S::DRONPA-s Arabidopsis thaliana and a confocal microscope it was possible to activate DRONPA-s fluorescence in selected cells of the root meristem. This enabled us to compare movement of DRONPA-s from the activated cells into the respective neighbouring cells. Our analyses showed that pericycle cells display the highest efflux capacity with a good lateral connectivity. In contrast, root cap cells showed the lowest efflux of DRONPA-s. Plasmodesmata of quiescent centre cells mediated a stronger efflux into columella cells than into stele initials. To simplify measurements of fluorescence intensity in a complex tissue we developed software that allows simultaneous analyses of fluorescence intensities of several neighbouring cells. Our DRONPA-s system generates reproducible data and is a valuable tool for studying symplasmic connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadja Gerlitz
- Molecular Plant Physiology, University of Erlangen, Staudtstrasse 5, Erlangen, 91058, Germany
| | - Richard Gerum
- Biophysics, University of Erlangen, Henkestrasse 91, Erlangen, 91052, Germany
| | - Norbert Sauer
- Molecular Plant Physiology, University of Erlangen, Staudtstrasse 5, Erlangen, 91058, Germany
| | - Ruth Stadler
- Molecular Plant Physiology, University of Erlangen, Staudtstrasse 5, Erlangen, 91058, Germany
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29
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Abstract
Assessing molecular changes that occur through altering a gene's activity is often hampered by difficulties that arise due to the typically static nature of the introduced perturbation. This is especially problematic when investigating molecular events at specific stages and/or in certain tissues or organs during Arabidopsis development. To circumvent these issues, we have employed chemically inducible artificial microRNAs (amiRNAs) for the specific knockdown of developmental regulators. For our own research, we have combined this gene perturbation approach with a floral induction system, which allows the simultaneous induction of a large number of flowers on the inflorescence of a single plant, and the ability to knock down a gene's activity at any given stage of development. To enable the plant community to avail of the full benefits of these systems, we describe, in this chapter, strategies for amiRNA-mediated gene perturbations and address some common problems that can be encountered when generating inducible amiRNA constructs, growing these plants, and collecting floral buds for analysis.
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30
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Zheng B, Thomson B, Wellmer F. A Specific Knockdown of Transcription Factor Activities in Arabidopsis. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1830:81-92. [PMID: 30043365 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8657-6_5] [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: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Transcription factors are pivotal for the control of development and the response of organisms to changes in the environment. Therefore, a detailed understanding of their functions is of central importance for biology. Over the years, different experimental methods have been developed to study the activities of transcription factors in plants. These methods include perturbation assays, where the activity of a given transcription factor is disrupted and subsequently, the resulting effects are monitored using molecular, genomic, or physiological approaches. Perturbation assays can also be used to distinguish primary roles of transcription factors of interest from secondary effects. Thus, molecular genetic experiments after perturbation can be advantageous or even necessary for the precise understanding of transcription factor function at a certain stage of plant development or in a single tissue or organ type. In this chapter, we describe several commonly used techniques to knock down transcription factor activities and provide detailed information on how those techniques are employed in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beibei Zheng
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Bennett Thomson
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Frank Wellmer
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
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31
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Lee S, Lee YJ, Choi S, Park SB, Tran QG, Heo J, Kim HS. Development of an alcohol-inducible gene expression system for recombinant protein expression in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYCOLOGY 2018; 30:2297-2304. [PMID: 30147236 PMCID: PMC6096782 DOI: 10.1007/s10811-018-1480-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Revised: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/12/2018] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Microalgae have been widely considered for the production of valuable products, such as lipid-based biofuel, value-added pigments, and anti-photo aging reagents. More recently, microalgae have been considered an alternative host for recombinant protein production because of their economic benefits and ecofriendly characteristics. Additionally, many microalgal strains identified to date are generally recognized as safe (GRAS); therefore, the use of microalgae-based technology is promising. However, basic studies on the genetic engineering of microalgae are rare, despite their importance. Particularly, inducible promoter systems that can be applied for strain engineering or recombinant protein production are rarely studied; hence, a number of challenging issues remain unsolved. Therefore, in this study, we focused on the development of a convenient and compact-inducible promoter system that can be used in microalgae. Based on previous success with plant systems, we employed the alcohol-inducible AlcR-P alcA system, which originates from the filamentous fungus, Aspergillus nidulans. This system comprises only two components, a regulatory protein, AlcR, and an inducible promoter, P alcA. Therefore, construction and transformation of the gene cassettes can be easily performed. Ethanol-dependent gene expression was observed in the transformants with no significant growth retardation or inducer consumption observed in the cells cultivated under optimized conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujin Lee
- Cell Factory Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, KRIBB school of Biotechnology, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, 34113 Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Jae Lee
- Cell Factory Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Saehae Choi
- Cell Factory Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
- Present Address: K-Biohealth, Osong, Chungbuk, 28160 Republic of Korea
| | - Su-Bin Park
- Cell Factory Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, KRIBB school of Biotechnology, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, 34113 Republic of Korea
| | - Quynh-Giao Tran
- Cell Factory Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, KRIBB school of Biotechnology, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, 34113 Republic of Korea
| | - Jina Heo
- Cell Factory Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, KRIBB school of Biotechnology, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, 34113 Republic of Korea
| | - Hee-Sik Kim
- Cell Factory Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, KRIBB school of Biotechnology, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, 34113 Republic of Korea
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32
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Aggarwal P, Challa KR, Rath M, Sunkara P, Nath U. Generation of Inducible Transgenic Lines of Arabidopsis Transcription Factors Regulated by MicroRNAs. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1830:61-79. [PMID: 30043364 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8657-6_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Transcription factors play key regulatory roles in all the life processes across kingdoms. In plants, the genome of a typical model species such as Arabidopsis thaliana encodes over 1500 transcription factors that regulate the expression dynamics of all the genes in time and space. Therefore, studying their function by analyzing the loss and gain-of-function lines is of prime importance in basic plant biology and its agricultural application. However, the current approach of knocking out genes often causes embryonic lethal phenotype, while inactivating one or two members of a redundant gene family yields little phenotypic changes, thereby making the functional analysis a technically challenging task. In such cases, inducible knock-down or overexpression of transcription factors appears to be a more effective approach. Restricting the transcription factors in the cytoplasm by fusing them with animal glucocorticoid/estrogen receptors (GR/ER) and then re-localizing them to the nucleus by external application of animal hormone analogues has been a useful method of gene function analysis in the model plants. In this chapter, we describe the recent advancements in the GR and ER expression systems and their use in analyzing the function of transcription factors in Arabidopsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja Aggarwal
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Krishna Reddy Challa
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Monalisha Rath
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Preethi Sunkara
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Utpal Nath
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.
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33
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Caggiano MP, Yu X, Bhatia N, Larsson A, Ram H, Ohno CK, Sappl P, Meyerowitz EM, Jönsson H, Heisler MG. Cell type boundaries organize plant development. eLife 2017; 6:27421. [PMID: 28895530 PMCID: PMC5617630 DOI: 10.7554/elife.27421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In plants the dorsoventral boundary of leaves defines an axis of symmetry through the centre of the organ separating the top (dorsal) and bottom (ventral) tissues. Although the positioning of this boundary is critical for leaf morphogenesis, how the boundary is established and how it influences development remains unclear. Using live-imaging and perturbation experiments we show that leaf orientation, morphology and position are pre-patterned by HD-ZIPIII and KAN gene expression in the shoot, leading to a model in which dorsoventral genes coordinate to regulate plant development by localizing auxin response between their expression domains. However we also find that auxin levels feedback on dorsoventral patterning by spatially organizing HD-ZIPIII and KAN expression in the shoot periphery. By demonstrating that the regulation of these genes by auxin also governs their response to wounds, our results also provide a parsimonious explanation for the influence of wounds on leaf dorsoventrality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiulian Yu
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Neha Bhatia
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany.,School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - André Larsson
- Computational Biology and Biological Physics, Department of Astronomy and Theoretical Physics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Hasthi Ram
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carolyn K Ohno
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany.,School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Pia Sappl
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Elliot M Meyerowitz
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Pasadena, United States
| | - Henrik Jönsson
- Computational Biology and Biological Physics, Department of Astronomy and Theoretical Physics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Marcus G Heisler
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany.,School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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34
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Adeyemo OS, Chavarriaga P, Tohme J, Fregene M, Davis SJ, Setter TL. Overexpression of Arabidopsis FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) gene improves floral development in cassava (Manihot esculenta, Crantz). PLoS One 2017; 12:e0181460. [PMID: 28753668 PMCID: PMC5533431 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0181460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cassava is a tropical storage-root crop that serves as a worldwide source of staple food for over 800 million people. Flowering is one of the most important breeding challenges in cassava because in most lines flowering is late and non-synchronized, and flower production is sparse. The FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) gene is pivotal for floral induction in all examined angiosperms. The objective of the current work was to determine the potential roles of the FT signaling system in cassava. The Arabidopsis thaliana FT gene (atFT) was transformed into the cassava cultivar 60444 through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and was found to be overexpressed constitutively. FT overexpression hastened flower initiation and associated fork-type branching, indicating that cassava has the necessary signaling factors to interact with and respond to the atFT gene product. In addition, overexpression stimulated lateral branching, increased the prolificacy of flower production and extended the longevity of flower development. While FT homologs in some plant species stimulate development of vegetative storage organs, atFT inhibited storage-root development and decreased root harvest index in cassava. These findings collectively contribute to our understanding of flower development in cassava and have the potential for applications in breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- O. Sarah Adeyemo
- Soil and Crop Sciences Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- Department of Plant Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Cali, Colombia
| | - Paul Chavarriaga
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Cali, Colombia
| | - Joe Tohme
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Cali, Colombia
| | - Martin Fregene
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Cali, Colombia
| | - Seth J. Davis
- Department of Plant Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany
| | - Tim L. Setter
- Soil and Crop Sciences Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
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35
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Abstract
Plants are attractive platforms for synthetic biology and metabolic engineering. Plants' modular and plastic body plans, capacity for photosynthesis, extensive secondary metabolism, and agronomic systems for large-scale production make them ideal targets for genetic reprogramming. However, efforts in this area have been constrained by slow growth, long life cycles, the requirement for specialized facilities, a paucity of efficient tools for genetic manipulation, and the complexity of multicellularity. There is a need for better experimental and theoretical frameworks to understand the way genetic networks, cellular populations, and tissue-wide physical processes interact at different scales. We highlight new approaches to the DNA-based manipulation of plants and the use of advanced quantitative imaging techniques in simple plant models such as Marchantia polymorpha. These offer the prospects of improved understanding of plant dynamics and new approaches to rational engineering of plant traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian R Boehm
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EA, United Kingdom
| | - Bernardo Pollak
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EA, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Jim Haseloff
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EA, United Kingdom
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36
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Abstract
Background: A mechanism of innate antiviral immunity operating against viruses infecting mammalian cells has been described during the last decade. Host cytidine deaminases (
e.g., APOBEC3 proteins) edit viral genomes, giving rise to hypermutated nonfunctional viruses; consequently, viral fitness is reduced through lethal mutagenesis. By contrast, sub-lethal hypermutagenesis may contribute to virus evolvability by increasing population diversity. To prevent genome editing, some viruses have evolved proteins that mediate APOBEC3 degradation. The model plant
Arabidopsis thaliana genome encodes nine cytidine deaminases (
AtCDAs), raising the question of whether deamination is an antiviral mechanism in plants as well. Methods: Here we tested the effects of expression of
AtCDAs on the pararetrovirus Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV). Two different experiments were carried out. First, we transiently overexpressed each one of the nine
A. thalianaAtCDA genes in
Nicotianabigelovii plants infected with CaMV, and characterized the resulting mutational spectra, comparing them with those generated under normal conditions. Secondly, we created
A. thaliana transgenic plants expressing an artificial microRNA designed to knock-out the expression of up to six
AtCDA genes. This and control plants were then infected with CaMV. Virus accumulation and mutational spectra where characterized in both types of plants. Results: We have shown that the
A. thalianaAtCDA1 gene product exerts a mutagenic activity, significantly increasing the number of G to A mutations
in vivo, with a concomitant reduction in the amount of CaMV genomes accumulated. Furthermore, the magnitude of this mutagenic effect on CaMV accumulation is positively correlated with the level of
AtCDA1 mRNA expression in the plant. Conclusions: Our results suggest that deamination of viral genomes may also work as an antiviral mechanism in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana Martín
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), CSIC-Universidad Politécnica de València, Campus UPV CPI 8E, Ingeniero Fausto Elio s/n, 46022 València, Spain
| | - José M Cuevas
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), CSIC-Universidad Politécnica de València, Campus UPV CPI 8E, Ingeniero Fausto Elio s/n, 46022 València, Spain.,Instituto de Biología Integrativa de Sistemas (I2SysBio), CSIC-Universitat de València, Parc Científic UV, Catedrático Agustín Escardino 9, 46980 Paterna, València, Spain
| | - Ana Grande-Pérez
- Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea "La Mayora", CSIC-Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos, 29071 Málaga, Spain.,Área de Genética, Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos, 29071 Málaga, Spain
| | - Santiago F Elena
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), CSIC-Universidad Politécnica de València, Campus UPV CPI 8E, Ingeniero Fausto Elio s/n, 46022 València, Spain.,Instituto de Biología Integrativa de Sistemas (I2SysBio), CSIC-Universitat de València, Parc Científic UV, Catedrático Agustín Escardino 9, 46980 Paterna, València, Spain.,The Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Road, Santa Fe, NM, 87501, USA
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37
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Keicher J, Jaspert N, Weckermann K, Möller C, Throm C, Kintzi A, Oecking C. Arabidopsis 14-3-3 epsilon members contribute to polarity of PIN auxin carrier and auxin transport-related development. eLife 2017. [PMID: 28422008 DOI: 10.7554/elife.24336.001] [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: 05/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic 14-3-3 proteins have been implicated in the regulation of diverse biological processes by phosphorylation-dependent protein-protein interactions. The Arabidopsis genome encodes two groups of 14-3-3s, one of which - epsilon - is thought to fulfill conserved cellular functions. Here, we assessed the in vivo role of the ancestral 14-3-3 epsilon group members. Their simultaneous and conditional repression by RNA interference and artificial microRNA in seedlings led to altered distribution patterns of the phytohormone auxin and associated auxin transport-related phenotypes, such as agravitropic growth. Moreover, 14-3-3 epsilon members were required for pronounced polar distribution of PIN-FORMED auxin efflux carriers within the plasma membrane. Defects in defined post-Golgi trafficking processes proved causal for this phenotype and might be due to lack of direct 14-3-3 interactions with factors crucial for membrane trafficking. Taken together, our data demonstrate a fundamental role for the ancient 14-3-3 epsilon group members in regulating PIN polarity and plant development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jutta Keicher
- Plant Physiology, Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nina Jaspert
- Plant Physiology, Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Katrin Weckermann
- Plant Physiology, Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Claudia Möller
- Plant Physiology, Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christian Throm
- Plant Physiology, Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Aaron Kintzi
- Plant Physiology, Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Claudia Oecking
- Plant Physiology, Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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38
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Keicher J, Jaspert N, Weckermann K, Möller C, Throm C, Kintzi A, Oecking C. Arabidopsis 14-3-3 epsilon members contribute to polarity of PIN auxin carrier and auxin transport-related development. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28422008 PMCID: PMC5397284 DOI: 10.7554/elife.24336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic 14-3-3 proteins have been implicated in the regulation of diverse biological processes by phosphorylation-dependent protein-protein interactions. The Arabidopsis genome encodes two groups of 14-3-3s, one of which - epsilon - is thought to fulfill conserved cellular functions. Here, we assessed the in vivo role of the ancestral 14-3-3 epsilon group members. Their simultaneous and conditional repression by RNA interference and artificial microRNA in seedlings led to altered distribution patterns of the phytohormone auxin and associated auxin transport-related phenotypes, such as agravitropic growth. Moreover, 14-3-3 epsilon members were required for pronounced polar distribution of PIN-FORMED auxin efflux carriers within the plasma membrane. Defects in defined post-Golgi trafficking processes proved causal for this phenotype and might be due to lack of direct 14-3-3 interactions with factors crucial for membrane trafficking. Taken together, our data demonstrate a fundamental role for the ancient 14-3-3 epsilon group members in regulating PIN polarity and plant development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jutta Keicher
- Plant Physiology, Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nina Jaspert
- Plant Physiology, Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Katrin Weckermann
- Plant Physiology, Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Claudia Möller
- Plant Physiology, Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christian Throm
- Plant Physiology, Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Aaron Kintzi
- Plant Physiology, Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Claudia Oecking
- Plant Physiology, Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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39
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Keicher J, Jaspert N, Weckermann K, Möller C, Throm C, Kintzi A, Oecking C. Arabidopsis 14-3-3 epsilon members contribute to polarity of PIN auxin carrier and auxin transport-related development. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28422008 DOI: 10.7554/elife.24336.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic 14-3-3 proteins have been implicated in the regulation of diverse biological processes by phosphorylation-dependent protein-protein interactions. The Arabidopsis genome encodes two groups of 14-3-3s, one of which - epsilon - is thought to fulfill conserved cellular functions. Here, we assessed the in vivo role of the ancestral 14-3-3 epsilon group members. Their simultaneous and conditional repression by RNA interference and artificial microRNA in seedlings led to altered distribution patterns of the phytohormone auxin and associated auxin transport-related phenotypes, such as agravitropic growth. Moreover, 14-3-3 epsilon members were required for pronounced polar distribution of PIN-FORMED auxin efflux carriers within the plasma membrane. Defects in defined post-Golgi trafficking processes proved causal for this phenotype and might be due to lack of direct 14-3-3 interactions with factors crucial for membrane trafficking. Taken together, our data demonstrate a fundamental role for the ancient 14-3-3 epsilon group members in regulating PIN polarity and plant development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jutta Keicher
- Plant Physiology, Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nina Jaspert
- Plant Physiology, Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Katrin Weckermann
- Plant Physiology, Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Claudia Möller
- Plant Physiology, Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christian Throm
- Plant Physiology, Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Aaron Kintzi
- Plant Physiology, Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Claudia Oecking
- Plant Physiology, Center for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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40
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Bastow EL, Bych K, Crack JC, Le Brun NE, Balk J. NBP35 interacts with DRE2 in the maturation of cytosolic iron-sulphur proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 89:590-600. [PMID: 27801963 PMCID: PMC5324674 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.13409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2016] [Revised: 10/04/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Proteins of the cytosolic pathway for iron-sulphur (FeS) cluster assembly are conserved, except that plants lack a gene for CFD1 (Cytosolic FeS cluster Deficient 1). This poses the question of how NBP35 (Nucleotide-Binding Protein 35 kDa), the heteromeric partner of CFD1 in metazoa, functions on its own in plants. Firstly, we created viable mutant alleles of NBP35 in Arabidopsis to overcome embryo lethality of previously reported knockout mutations. RNAi knockdown lines with less than 30% NBP35 protein surprisingly showed no developmental or biochemical differences to wild-type. Substitution of Cys14 to Ala, which destabilized the N-terminal Fe4 S4 cluster in vitro, caused mild growth defects and a significant decrease in the activity of cytosolic FeS enzymes such as aconitase and aldehyde oxidases. The DNA glycosylase ROS1 was only partially decreased in activity and xanthine dehydrogenase not at all. Plants with strongly depleted NBP35 protein in combination with Cys14 to Ala substitution had distorted leaf development and decreased FeS enzyme activities. To find protein interaction partners of NBP35, a yeast-two-hybrid screen was carried out that identified NBP35 and DRE2 (Derepressed for Ribosomal protein S14 Expression). NBP35 is known to form a dimer, and DRE2 acts upstream in the cytosolic FeS protein assembly pathway. The NBP35-DRE2 interaction was not disrupted by Cys14 to Ala substitution. Our results show that NBP35 has a function in the maturation of FeS proteins that is conserved in plants, and is closely allied to the function of DRE2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma L. Bastow
- John Innes CentreNorwichNR4 7UHUK
- University of East AngliaNorwichNR4 7TJUK
| | - Katrine Bych
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 3EAUK
- Present address: Glycom A/SDK – 2800 Kgs.LyngbyDenmark
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41
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Steffens A, Jakoby M, Hülskamp M. Physical, Functional and Genetic Interactions between the BEACH Domain Protein SPIRRIG and LIP5 and SKD1 and Its Role in Endosomal Trafficking to the Vacuole in Arabidopsis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2017; 8:1969. [PMID: 29209342 PMCID: PMC5701936 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2017.01969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Beige and Chediak Higashi (BEACH) domain-containing proteins (BDCPs) are facilitators of membrane-dependent cellular processes in eukaryotes. Mutations in BDCPs cause malfunctions of endosomal compartments in various cell types. Recently, the molecular analysis of the BDCP homolog gene SPIRRIG (SPI) has revealed a molecular function in P-bodies and the regulation of RNA stability. We therefore aimed to analyze, whether SPI has also a role in membrane-dependent processes. In this study, we show that SPI physically interacts with endosomal sorting complex required for transport associated ATPase Suppressor of K+-transport growth defect1 (SKD1) and its positive regulator, LYST Interacting Protein 5 (LIP5) and report genetic interactions between SPI and SKD1 and LIP5. We further show that the endosomal transport route of soluble proteins to the lytic vacuole is disturbed in spi lip5 double mutants but not in the single mutants. These vacuolar transport defects were suppressed by additional expression of SKD1. Our results indicate that the BEACH domain protein SPI has in addition to a role in P-bodies a function in endosomal transport routes.
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42
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Han H, Krizek BA. AINTEGUMENTA-LIKE6 can functionally replace AINTEGUMENTA but alters Arabidopsis flower development when misexpressed at high levels. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 92:597-612. [PMID: 27605095 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-016-0535-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2016] [Accepted: 08/24/2016] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Expression differences underlie the functional differences between two related transcription factors: AINTEGUMENTA and AINTEGUMENTA-LIKE6. Ectopic expression of AINTEGUMENTA-LIKE6 at high levels alters floral organ initiation, growth and identity specification. AINTEGUMENTA (ANT) and AINTEGUMENTA-LIKE6 (AIL6) encode related transcription factors with partially overlapping roles in floral organ development in Arabidopsis thaliana. To investigate whether the functional differences between ANT and AIL6 are a consequence of differences in gene expression and/or protein activity, we made transgenic plants in which a genomic copy of AIL6 was expressed under the control of the ANT promoter. ANT:gAIL6 can rescue the floral organ size defects of ant mutants when AIL6 is expressed at similar levels as ANT in wild type. Thus, the functional differences between ANT and AIL6 result primarily from gene expression differences. However, lines that express AIL6 at higher levels display additional phenotypes that include reduced numbers of floral organs and the production of mosaic floral organs. These phenotypes were also observed in two different inducible AIL6 transgenic lines but not in 35S:ANT, suggesting that AIL6 protein may have activities distinct from ANT, although the in vivo relevance of such differences is not clear. Similar to 35S:ANT plants, overexpression of AIL6 in the inducible lines also results in the production of larger flowers. The distinct phenotypes resulting from AIL6 misexpression in the transgenic lines described here and those previously characterized appear to result from different levels and patterns of AIL6 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Han
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - Beth A Krizek
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.
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43
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Zürcher E, Liu J, di Donato M, Geisler M, Müller B. Plant development regulated by cytokinin sinks. Science 2016; 353:1027-1030. [PMID: 27701112 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf7254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2016] [Accepted: 08/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Morphogenetic signals control the patterning of multicellular organisms. Cytokinins are mobile signals that are perceived by subsets of plant cells. We found that the responses to cytokinin signaling during Arabidopsis development are constrained by the transporter PURINE PERMEASE 14 (PUP14). In our experiments, the expression of PUP14 was inversely correlated to the cytokinin signaling readout. Loss of PUP14 function allowed ectopic cytokinin signaling accompanied by aberrant morphogenesis in embryos, roots, and the shoot apical meristem. PUP14 protein localized to the plasma membrane and imported bioactive cytokinins, thus depleting apoplastic cytokinin pools and inhibiting perception by plasma membrane-localized cytokinin sensors to create a sink for active ligands. We propose that the spatiotemporal cytokinin sink patterns established by PUP14 determine the cytokinin signaling landscape that shapes the morphogenesis of land plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyne Zürcher
- Zürich-Basel Plant Science Center, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zürich, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Jingchun Liu
- Zürich-Basel Plant Science Center, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zürich, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Martin di Donato
- Plant Biology, Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Markus Geisler
- Plant Biology, Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Bruno Müller
- Zürich-Basel Plant Science Center, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zürich, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland.
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44
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Gottschamel J, Lössl A, Ruf S, Wang Y, Skaugen M, Bock R, Clarke JL. Production of dengue virus envelope protein domain III-based antigens in tobacco chloroplasts using inducible and constitutive expression systems. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 91:497-512. [PMID: 27116001 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-016-0484-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2016] [Accepted: 04/17/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Dengue fever is a disease in many parts of the tropics and subtropics and about half the world's population is at risk of infection according to the World Health Organization. Dengue is caused by any of the four related dengue virus serotypes DEN-1, -2, -3 and -4, which are transmitted to people by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Currently there is only one vaccine (Dengvaxia(®)) available (limited to a few countries) on the market since 2015 after half a century's intensive efforts. Affordable and accessible vaccines against dengue are hence still urgently needed. The dengue envelop protein domain III (EDIII), which is capable of eliciting serotype-specific neutralizing antibodies, has become the focus for subunit vaccine development. To contribute to the development of an accessible and affordable dengue vaccine, in the current study we have used plant-based vaccine production systems to generate a dengue subunit vaccine candidate in tobacco. Chloroplast genome engineering was applied to express serotype-specific recombinant EDIII proteins in tobacco chloroplasts using both constitutive and ethanol-inducible expression systems. Expression of a tetravalent antigen fusion construct combining EDIII polypeptides from all four serotypes was also attempted. Transplastomic EDIII-expressing tobacco lines were obtained and homoplasmy was verified by Southern blot analysis. Northern blot analyses showed expression of EDIII antigen-encoding genes. EDIII protein accumulation levels varied for the different recombinant EDIII proteins and the different expression systems, and reached between 0.8 and 1.6 % of total cellular protein. Our study demonstrates the suitability of the chloroplast compartment as a production site for an EDIII-based vaccine candidate against dengue fever and presents a Gateway(®) plastid transformation vector for inducible transgene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Gottschamel
- NIBIO-Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, P.O. Box 115, 1431, Ås, Norway
- BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreas Lössl
- BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stephanie Ruf
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Yanliang Wang
- NIBIO-Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, P.O. Box 115, 1431, Ås, Norway
| | | | - Ralph Bock
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany.
| | - Jihong Liu Clarke
- NIBIO-Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, P.O. Box 115, 1431, Ås, Norway.
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45
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De Guglielmo C ZM, Fernandez Da Silva R. Principales promotores utilizados en la transformación genética de plantas. REVISTA COLOMBIANA DE BIOTECNOLOGÍA 2016. [DOI: 10.15446/rev.colomb.biote.v18n2.61529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
El conocimiento pleno de los promotores determina el éxito en la obtención de nuevos cultivares de plantas a través de técnicas biotecnológicas, ya que dicha secuencia del ADN regula la transcripción de otras regiones adyacentes o cercanas, encontrándose los siguientes promotores: constitutivos, tejido-específicos o estadio-específicos, inducibles y sintéticos. En esta revisión se resume de manera precisa los conceptos, ventajas y limitaciones de los distintos tipos de promotores, con ejemplos claros de ello.Palabras clave: promotor, biotecnología vegetal, transcripción genética.
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46
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Tobin EM. My Path from Chemistry to Phytochrome and Circadian Rhythms. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2016; 7:261. [PMID: 27014288 PMCID: PMC4791383 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.00261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2015] [Accepted: 02/18/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
I summarize my scientific journey from my first interest in science to my career investigating how plants use the phytochrome photoreceptor to regulate what genes they express. I then describe how this work led to an understanding of how circadian rhythms function in plants and to the discovery of CCA1, a component of the plant central oscillator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine M. Tobin
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA, USA
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47
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Antunes MS, Hodges TK, Carpita NC. A benzoate-activated promoter from Aspergillus niger and regulation of its activity. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2016; 100:5479-89. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-016-7373-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Revised: 01/29/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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48
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Flores-Sandoval E, Dierschke T, Fisher TJ, Bowman JL. Efficient and Inducible Use of Artificial MicroRNAs in Marchantia polymorpha. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 57:281-90. [PMID: 25971256 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcv068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2014] [Accepted: 05/07/2015] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
We describe the efficient use of artificial microRNAs (amiRs) in Marchantia polymorpha using both endogenous and heterologous primary microRNA (pri-miR) hairpin backbones. Targeting of two transcription factor genes, MpARF1 and MpRR-B, mediating different hormonal responses, demonstrated that amiRs can create specific and reproducible physiological and morphological defects, facilitating interpretation of gene function. A third amiR was designed to target a gene encoding a component of the Polycomb recessive complex 2, MpE(z), and constitutive expression of this amiR results in sporeling lethality. Adaptation of an estrogen-inducible system allowed analysis of the phenotypic effects of induction of this amiR during other stages of the life cycle. We discuss the advantages and challenges of the use of amiRs as a tool for reverse genetic analysis in M. polymorpha.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tom Dierschke
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Tom J Fisher
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - John L Bowman
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia Department of Plant Biology, UC Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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49
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Michalko J, Glanc M, Perrot-Rechenmann C, Friml J. Strong morphological defects in conditional Arabidopsis abp1 knock-down mutants generated in absence of functional ABP1 protein. F1000Res 2016; 5:86. [PMID: 26925228 PMCID: PMC4748827 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.7654.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The Auxin Binding Protein 1 (ABP1) is one of the most studied proteins in plants. Since decades ago, it has been the prime receptor candidate for the plant hormone auxin with a plethora of described functions in auxin signaling and development. The developmental importance of ABP1 has recently been questioned by identification of Arabidopsis thaliana abp1 knock-out alleles that show no obvious phenotypes under normal growth conditions. In this study, we examined the contradiction between the normal growth and development of the abp1 knock-outs and the strong morphological defects observed in three different ethanol-inducible abp1 knock-down mutants ( abp1-AS, SS12K, SS12S). By analyzing segregating populations of abp1 knock-out vs. abp1 knock-down crosses we show that the strong morphological defects that were believed to be the result of conditional down-regulation of ABP1 can be reproduced also in the absence of the functional ABP1 protein. This data suggests that the phenotypes in abp1 knock-down lines are due to the off-target effects and asks for further reflections on the biological function of ABP1 or alternative explanations for the missing phenotypic defects in the abp1 loss-of-function alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaroslav Michalko
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuberg, Austria
- Institute of Plant Genetics and Biotechnology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Nitra, Slovakia
| | - Matouš Glanc
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuberg, Austria
- Department of Experimental Plant Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Jiří Friml
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuberg, Austria
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50
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Gene Expression Systems in Industrial Ascomycetes: Advancements and Applications. Fungal Biol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-27951-0_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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