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Shen R, Yao Q, Tan X, Ren W, Zhong D, Zhang X, Li X, Dong C, Cao X, Tian Y, Zhu JK, Lu Y. In-locus gene silencing in plants using genome editing. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024. [PMID: 38798233 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Gene silencing is crucial in crop breeding for desired trait development. RNA interference (RNAi) has been used widely but is limited by ectopic expression of transgenes and genetic instability. Introducing an upstream start codon (uATG) into the 5'untranslated region (5'UTR) of a target gene may 'silence' the target gene by inhibiting protein translation from the primary start codon (pATG). Here, we report an efficient gene silencing method by introducing a tailor-designed uATG-containing element (ATGE) into the 5'UTR of genes in plants, occupying the original start site to act as a new pATG. Using base editing to introduce new uATGs failed to silence two of the tested three rice genes, indicating complex regulatory mechanisms. Precisely inserting an ATGE adjacent to pATG achieved significant target protein downregulation. Through extensive optimization, we demonstrated this strategy substantially and consistently downregulated target protein expression. By designing a bidirectional multifunctional ATGE4, we enabled tunable knockdown from 19% to 89% and observed expected phenotypes. Introducing ATGE into Waxy, which regulates starch synthesis, generated grains with lower amylose, revealing the value for crop breeding. Together, we have developed a programmable and robust method to knock down gene expression in plants, with potential for biological mechanism exploration and crop enhancement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rundong Shen
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds, Joint Center for Single Cell Biology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
- Institute of Crop Sciences/National Nanfan Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), and Key Laboratory of Gene Editing Technologies (Hainan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sanya, 572024, China
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China
| | - Qi Yao
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds, Joint Center for Single Cell Biology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China
| | - Xinhang Tan
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China
| | - Wendan Ren
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds, Joint Center for Single Cell Biology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Dating Zhong
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds, Joint Center for Single Cell Biology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China
| | - Xuening Zhang
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds, Joint Center for Single Cell Biology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Xinbo Li
- Institute of Crop Sciences/National Nanfan Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), and Key Laboratory of Gene Editing Technologies (Hainan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sanya, 572024, China
| | - Chao Dong
- Institute of Crop Sciences/National Nanfan Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), and Key Laboratory of Gene Editing Technologies (Hainan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sanya, 572024, China
| | - Xuesong Cao
- Institute of Advanced Biotechnology, and School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Yifu Tian
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds, Joint Center for Single Cell Biology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
- Institute of Crop Sciences/National Nanfan Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), and Key Laboratory of Gene Editing Technologies (Hainan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sanya, 572024, China
| | - Jian-Kang Zhu
- Institute of Crop Sciences/National Nanfan Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), and Key Laboratory of Gene Editing Technologies (Hainan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sanya, 572024, China
- Institute of Advanced Biotechnology, and School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Yuming Lu
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds, Joint Center for Single Cell Biology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
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2
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Tian J, Tang Z, Niu R, Zhou Y, Yang D, Chen D, Luo M, Mou R, Yuan M, Xu G. Engineering disease-resistant plants with alternative translation efficiency by switching uORF types through CRISPR. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2024:10.1007/s11427-024-2588-9. [PMID: 38679667 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-024-2588-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Engineering disease-resistant plants can be a powerful solution to the issue of food security. However, it requires addressing two fundamental questions: what genes to express and how to control their expressions. To find a solution, we screen CRISPR-edited upstream open reading frame (uORF) variants in rice, aiming to optimize translational control of disease-related genes. By switching uORF types of the 5'-leader from Arabidopsis TBF1, we modulate the ribosome accessibility to the downstream firefly luciferase. We assume that by switching uORF types using CRISPR, we could generate uORF variants with alternative translation efficiency (CRISPR-aTrE-uORF). These variants, capable of boosting translation for resistance-associated genes and dampening it for susceptible ones, can help pinpoint previously unidentified genes with optimal expression levels. To test the assumption, we screened edited uORF variants and found that enhanced translational suppression of the plastic glutamine synthetase 2 can provide broad-spectrum disease resistance in rice with minimal fitness costs. This strategy, which involves modifying uORFs from none to some, or from some to none or different ones, demonstrates how translational agriculture can speed up the development of disease-resistant crops. This is vital for tackling the food security challenges we face due to growing populations and changing climates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Tian
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Centre of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Zhijuan Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Ruixia Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Yulu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Dan Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Centre of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Dan Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Centre of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Ming Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Rui Mou
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Meng Yuan
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Centre of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430070, China.
| | - Guoyong Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China.
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430070, China.
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3
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Yuan S, Zhou G, Xu G. Translation machinery: the basis of translational control. J Genet Genomics 2024; 51:367-378. [PMID: 37536497 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2023.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Messenger RNA (mRNA) translation consists of initiation, elongation, termination, and ribosome recycling, carried out by the translation machinery, primarily including tRNAs, ribosomes, and translation factors (TrFs). Translational regulators transduce signals of growth and development, as well as biotic and abiotic stresses, to the translation machinery, where global or selective translational control occurs to modulate mRNA translation efficiency (TrE). As the basis of translational control, the translation machinery directly determines the quality and quantity of newly synthesized peptides and, ultimately, the cellular adaption. Thus, regulating the availability of diverse machinery components is reviewed as the central strategy of translational control. We provide classical signaling pathways (e.g., integrated stress responses) and cellular behaviors (e.g., liquid-liquid phase separation) to exemplify this strategy within different physiological contexts, particularly during host-microbe interactions. With new technologies developed, further understanding this strategy will speed up translational medicine and translational agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China
| | - Guilong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China
| | - Guoyong Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China; Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China.
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4
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Zhu S, Yuan S, Niu R, Zhou Y, Wang Z, Xu G. RNAirport: a deep neural network-based database characterizing representative gene models in plants. J Genet Genomics 2024:S1673-8527(24)00057-2. [PMID: 38518981 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2024.03.004] [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: 03/03/2024] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
A 5'-leader, known initially as the 5'-untranslated region, contains multiple isoforms due to alternative splicing (aS) and alternative transcription start site (aTSS). Therefore, a representative 5'-leader is demanded to examine the embedded RNA regulatory elements in controlling translation efficiency. Here, we develop a ranking algorithm and a deep-learning model to annotate representative 5'-leaders for five plant species. We rank the intra-sample and inter-sample frequency of aS-mediated transcript isoforms using the Kruskal-Wallis test-based algorithm and identify the representative aS-5'-leader. To further assign a representative 5'-end, we train the deep-learning model 5'leaderP to learn aTSS-mediated 5'-end distribution patterns from cap-analysis gene expression data. The model accurately predicts the 5'-end, confirmed experimentally in Arabidopsis and rice. The representative 5'-leader-contained gene models and 5'leaderP can be accessed at RNAirport (http://www.rnairport.com/leader5P/). This stage 1 5'-leader annotation records 5'-leader diversity and will pave the way to Ribo-Seq open-reading frame annotation, identical to the project recently initiated by human GENCODE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sitao Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China
| | - Shu Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China
| | - Ruixia Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China
| | - Yulu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China
| | - Zhao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China
| | - Guoyong Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China; Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China.
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5
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Wang J, Liu J, Guo Z. Natural uORF variation in plants. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 29:290-302. [PMID: 37640640 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2023.07.005] [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: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Taking advantage of natural variation promotes our understanding of phenotypic diversity and trait evolution, ultimately accelerating plant breeding, in which the identification of causal variations is critical. To date, sequence variations in the coding region and transcription level polymorphisms caused by variations in the promoter have been prioritized. An upstream open reading frame (uORF) in the 5' untranslated region (5' UTR) regulates gene expression at the post-transcription or translation level. In recent years, studies have demonstrated that natural uORF variations shape phenotypic diversity. This opinion article highlights recent researches and speculates on future directions for natural uORF variation in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangen Wang
- Haixia Institute of Science and Technology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Juhong Liu
- Fuzhou Institute for Data Technology Co., Ltd., Fuzhou 350207, China
| | - Zilong Guo
- Haixia Institute of Science and Technology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
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6
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Xue C, Qiu F, Wang Y, Li B, Zhao KT, Chen K, Gao C. Tuning plant phenotypes by precise, graded downregulation of gene expression. Nat Biotechnol 2023; 41:1758-1764. [PMID: 36894598 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-023-01707-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
The ability to control gene expression and generate quantitative phenotypic changes is essential for breeding new and desired traits into crops. Here we report an efficient, facile method for downregulating gene expression to predictable, desired levels by engineering upstream open reading frames (uORFs). We used base editing or prime editing to generate de novo uORFs or to extend existing uORFs by mutating their stop codons. By combining these approaches, we generated a suite of uORFs that incrementally downregulate the translation of primary open reading frames (pORFs) to 2.5-84.9% of the wild-type level. By editing the 5' untranslated region of OsDLT, which encodes a member of the GRAS family and is involved in the brassinosteroid transduction pathway, we obtained, as predicted, a series of rice plants with varied plant heights and tiller numbers. These methods offer an efficient way to obtain genome-edited plants with graded expression of traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenxiao Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Center for Genome Editing, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fengti Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Center for Genome Editing, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuxiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Center for Genome Editing, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Boshu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Center for Genome Editing, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | - Kunling Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Center for Genome Editing, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Caixia Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Center for Genome Editing, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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7
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Zhou Y, Niu R, Tang Z, Mou R, Wang Z, Zhu S, Yang H, Ding P, Xu G. Plant HEM1 specifies a condensation domain to control immune gene translation. NATURE PLANTS 2023; 9:289-301. [PMID: 36797349 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-023-01355-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Translational reprogramming is a fundamental layer of immune regulation, but how such a global regulatory mechanism operates remains largely unknown. Here we perform a genetic screen and identify Arabidopsis HEM1 as a global translational regulator of plant immunity. The loss of HEM1 causes exaggerated cell death to restrict bacterial growth during effector-triggered immunity (ETI). By improving ribosome footprinting, we reveal that the hem1 mutant increases the translation efficiency of pro-death immune genes. We show that HEM1 contains a plant-specific low-complexity domain (LCD) absent from animal homologues. This LCD endows HEM1 with the capability of phase separation in vitro and in vivo. During ETI, HEM1 interacts and condensates with the translation machinery; this activity is promoted by the LCD. CRISPR removal of this LCD causes more ETI cell death. Our results suggest that HEM1 condensation constitutes a brake mechanism of immune activation by controlling the tissue health and disease resistance trade-off during ETI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ruixia Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhijuan Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Rui Mou
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Sitao Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hongchun Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, China
| | - Pingtao Ding
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Guoyong Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, China.
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8
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Álvarez-Urdiola R, Borràs E, Valverde F, Matus JT, Sabidó E, Riechmann JL. Peptidomics Methods Applied to the Study of Flower Development. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2686:509-536. [PMID: 37540375 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3299-4_24] [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
Understanding the global and dynamic nature of plant developmental processes requires not only the study of the transcriptome, but also of the proteome, including its largely uncharacterized peptidome fraction. Recent advances in proteomics and high-throughput analyses of translating RNAs (ribosome profiling) have begun to address this issue, evidencing the existence of novel, uncharacterized, and possibly functional peptides. To validate the accumulation in tissues of sORF-encoded polypeptides (SEPs), the basic setup of proteomic analyses (i.e., LC-MS/MS) can be followed. However, the detection of peptides that are small (up to ~100 aa, 6-7 kDa) and novel (i.e., not annotated in reference databases) presents specific challenges that need to be addressed both experimentally and with computational biology resources. Several methods have been developed in recent years to isolate and identify peptides from plant tissues. In this chapter, we outline two different peptide extraction protocols and the subsequent peptide identification by mass spectrometry using the database search or the de novo identification methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Álvarez-Urdiola
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Edifici CRAG, Campus UAB, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eva Borràs
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Federico Valverde
- Institute for Plant Biochemistry and Photosynthesis CSIC - University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - José Tomás Matus
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Edifici CRAG, Campus UAB, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), Universitat de València-CSIC, Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Eduard Sabidó
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Luis Riechmann
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Edifici CRAG, Campus UAB, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain.
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9
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Liu Q, Peng X, Shen M, Qian Q, Xing J, Li C, Gregory R. Ribo-uORF: a comprehensive data resource of upstream open reading frames (uORFs) based on ribosome profiling. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 51:D248-D261. [PMID: 36440758 PMCID: PMC9825487 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac1094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Upstream open reading frames (uORFs) are typically defined as translation sites located within the 5' untranslated region upstream of the main protein coding sequence (CDS) of messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Although uORFs are prevalent in eukaryotic mRNAs and modulate the translation of downstream CDSs, a comprehensive resource for uORFs is currently lacking. We developed Ribo-uORF (http://rnainformatics.org.cn/RiboUORF) to serve as a comprehensive functional resource for uORF analysis based on ribosome profiling (Ribo-seq) data. Ribo-uORF currently supports six species: human, mouse, rat, zebrafish, fruit fly, and worm. Ribo-uORF includes 501 554 actively translated uORFs and 107 914 upstream translation initiation sites (uTIS), which were identified from 1495 Ribo-seq and 77 quantitative translation initiation sequencing (QTI-seq) datasets, respectively. We also developed mRNAbrowse to visualize items such as uORFs, cis-regulatory elements, genetic variations, eQTLs, GWAS-based associations, RNA modifications, and RNA editing. Ribo-uORF provides a very intuitive web interface for conveniently browsing, searching, and visualizing uORF data. Finally, uORFscan and UTR5var were developed in Ribo-uORF to precisely identify uORFs and analyze the influence of genetic mutations on uORFs using user-uploaded datasets. Ribo-uORF should greatly facilitate studies of uORFs and their roles in mRNA translation and posttranscriptional control of gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Liu
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +86 020 87596559;
| | | | - Mengyuan Shen
- Rice Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China,Guangdong Key Laboratory of New Technology in Rice Breeding, Guangzhou 510640, China,Guangdong Rice Engineering Laboratory, Guangzhou 510640, China,Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding of High Quality Rice in Southern China (Co-construction by Ministry and Province), Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Qian Qian
- Rice Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China,Guangdong Key Laboratory of New Technology in Rice Breeding, Guangzhou 510640, China,Guangdong Rice Engineering Laboratory, Guangzhou 510640, China,Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding of High Quality Rice in Southern China (Co-construction by Ministry and Province), Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Junlian Xing
- Rice Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China,Guangdong Key Laboratory of New Technology in Rice Breeding, Guangzhou 510640, China,Guangdong Rice Engineering Laboratory, Guangzhou 510640, China,Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding of High Quality Rice in Southern China (Co-construction by Ministry and Province), Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Chen Li
- Rice Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China,Guangdong Key Laboratory of New Technology in Rice Breeding, Guangzhou 510640, China,Guangdong Rice Engineering Laboratory, Guangzhou 510640, China,Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding of High Quality Rice in Southern China (Co-construction by Ministry and Province), Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Richard I Gregory
- Correspondence may also be addressed to Richard I. Gregory. Tel: +1 617 919 2273;
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10
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Manske F, Ogoniak L, Jürgens L, Grundmann N, Makałowski W, Wethmar K. The new uORFdb: integrating literature, sequence, and variation data in a central hub for uORF research. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 51:D328-D336. [PMID: 36305828 PMCID: PMC9825577 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Upstream open reading frames (uORFs) are initiated by AUG or near-cognate start codons and have been identified in the transcript leader sequences of the majority of eukaryotic transcripts. Functionally, uORFs are implicated in downstream translational regulation of the main protein coding sequence and may serve as a source of non-canonical peptides. Genetic defects in uORF sequences have been linked to the development of various diseases, including cancer. To simplify uORF-related research, the initial release of uORFdb in 2014 provided a comprehensive and manually curated collection of uORF-related literature. Here, we present an updated sequence-based version of uORFdb, accessible at https://www.bioinformatics.uni-muenster.de/tools/uorfdb. The new uORFdb enables users to directly access sequence information, graphical displays, and genetic variation data for over 2.4 million human uORFs. It also includes sequence data of >4.2 million uORFs in 12 additional species. Multiple uORFs can be displayed in transcript- and reading-frame-specific models to visualize the translational context. A variety of filters, sequence-related information, and links to external resources (UCSC Genome Browser, dbSNP, ClinVar) facilitate immediate in-depth analysis of individual uORFs. The database also contains uORF-related somatic variation data obtained from whole-genome sequencing (WGS) analyses of 677 cancer samples collected by the TCGA consortium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Manske
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Münster, Münster 48149, Germany
| | - Lynn Ogoniak
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Münster, Münster 48149, Germany
| | - Lara Jürgens
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Pneumology, University Hospital Münster, Münster 48149, Germany
| | - Norbert Grundmann
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Münster, Münster 48149, Germany
| | - Wojciech Makałowski
- Correspondence may also be addressed to Wojciech Makałowski. Tel: +49 2518353006;
| | - Klaus Wethmar
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +49 2518347587; Fax: +49 2518347588;
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11
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Multifarious Translational Regulation during Replicative Aging in Yeast. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8090938. [PMID: 36135663 PMCID: PMC9500732 DOI: 10.3390/jof8090938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein synthesis is strictly regulated during replicative aging in yeast, but global translational regulation during replicative aging is poorly characterized. To conduct ribosome profiling during replicative aging, we collected a large number of dividing aged cells using a miniature chemostat aging device. Translational efficiency, defined as the number of ribosome footprints normalized to transcript abundance, was compared between young and aged cells for each gene. We identified more than 700 genes with changes greater than twofold during replicative aging. Increased translational efficiency was observed in genes involved in DNA repair and chromosome organization. Decreased translational efficiency was observed in genes encoding ribosome components, transposon Ty1 and Ty2 genes, transcription factor HAC1 gene associated with the unfolded protein response, genes involved in cell wall synthesis and assembly, and ammonium permease genes. Our results provide a global view of translational regulation during replicative aging, in which the pathways involved in various cell functions are translationally regulated and cause diverse phenotypic changes.
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12
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Plant proteostasis: a proven and promising target for crop improvement. Essays Biochem 2022; 66:75-85. [PMID: 35929615 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20210078] [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: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The Green Revolution of the 1960s accomplished dramatic increases in crop yields through genetic improvement, chemical fertilisers, irrigation, and mechanisation. However, the current trajectory of population growth, against a backdrop of climate change and geopolitical unrest, predicts that agricultural production will be insufficient to ensure global food security in the next three decades. Improvements to crops that go beyond incremental gains are urgently needed. Plant biology has also undergone a revolution in recent years, through the development and application of powerful technologies including genome sequencing, a pantheon of 'omics techniques, precise genome editing, and step changes in structural biology and microscopy. Proteostasis - the collective processes that control the protein complement of the cell, comprising synthesis, modification, localisation, and degradation - is a field that has benefitted from these advances. This special issue presents a selection of the latest research in this vibrant field, with a particular focus on protein degradation. In the current article, we highlight the diverse and widespread contributions of plant proteostasis to agronomic traits, suggest opportunities and strategies to manipulate different elements of proteostatic mechanisms for crop improvement, and discuss the challenges involved in bringing these ideas into practice.
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Guo Z, Cao H, Zhao J, Bai S, Peng W, Li J, Sun L, Chen L, Lin Z, Shi C, Yang Q, Yang Y, Wang X, Tian J, Chen Z, Liao H. A natural uORF variant confers phosphorus acquisition diversity in soybean. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3796. [PMID: 35778398 PMCID: PMC9249851 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31555-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Phosphorus (P) is an essential element for all organisms. Because P fertilizers are a non-renewable resource and high fixation in soils, sustainable agriculture requires researchers to improve crop P acquisition efficiency. Here, we report a strong association signal at a locus of CPU1 (component of phosphorus uptake 1), from a genome-wide association study of P acquisition efficiency in a soybean core collection grown in the field. A SEC12-like gene, GmPHF1, is identified as the causal gene for CPU1. GmPHF1 facilitates the ER (endoplasmic reticulum) exit of the phosphate transporter, GmPT4, to the plasma membrane of root epidermal cells. A common SNP in an upstream open reading frame (uORF) of GmPHF1, which alters the abundance of GmPHF1 in a tissue-specific manner, contributes to P acquisition diversity in soybean. A natural genetic variation conditions diversity in soybean P acquisition, which can be used to develop P-efficient soybean genotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zilong Guo
- Root Biology Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Hongrui Cao
- Root Biology Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Root Biology Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuang Bai
- Root Biology Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Wenting Peng
- Root Biology Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jian Li
- Root Biology Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Lili Sun
- Root Biology Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Liyu Chen
- Root Biology Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zhihao Lin
- Root Biology Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chen Shi
- Root Biology Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Qing Yang
- Root Biology Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yongqing Yang
- Root Biology Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiurong Wang
- Root Biology Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiang Tian
- Root Biology Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhichang Chen
- Root Biology Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.
| | - Hong Liao
- Root Biology Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.
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Zhang RX, Li BB, Yang ZG, Huang JQ, Sun WH, Bhanbhro N, Liu WT, Chen KM. Dissecting Plant Gene Functions Using CRISPR Toolsets for Crop Improvement. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2022; 70:7343-7359. [PMID: 35695482 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c01754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The CRISPR-based gene editing technology has become more and more powerful in genome manipulation for agricultural breeding, with numerous improved toolsets springing up. In recent years, many CRISPR toolsets for gene editing, such as base editors (BEs), CRISPR interference (CRISPRi), CRISPR activation (CRISPRa), and plant epigenetic editors (PEEs), have been developed to clarify gene function and full-level gene regulation. Here, we comprehensively summarize the application and capacity of the different CRISPR toolsets in the study of plant gene expression regulation, highlighting their potential application in gene regulatory networks' analysis. The general problems in CRISPR application and the optimal solutions in the existing schemes for high-throughput gene function analysis are also discussed. The CRISPR toolsets targeting gene manipulation discussed here provide new solutions for further genetic improvement and molecular breeding of crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui-Xiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Area/College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Bin-Bin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Area/College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Zheng-Guang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Area/College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Jia-Qi Huang
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
| | - Wei-Hang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Area/College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Nadeem Bhanbhro
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Area/College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Wen-Ting Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Area/College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Kun-Ming Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Area/College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
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Willems P, Ndah E, Jonckheere V, Van Breusegem F, Van Damme P. To New Beginnings: Riboproteogenomics Discovery of N-Terminal Proteoforms in Arabidopsis Thaliana. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 12:778804. [PMID: 35069635 PMCID: PMC8770321 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.778804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Alternative translation initiation is a widespread event in biology that can shape multiple protein forms or proteoforms from a single gene. However, the respective contribution of alternative translation to protein complexity remains largely enigmatic. By complementary ribosome profiling and N-terminal proteomics (i.e., riboproteogenomics), we provide clear-cut evidence for ~90 N-terminal proteoform pairs shaped by (alternative) translation initiation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Next to several cases additionally confirmed by directed mutagenesis, identified alternative protein N-termini follow the enzymatic rules of co-translational N-terminal protein acetylation and initiator methionine removal. In contrast to other eukaryotic models, N-terminal acetylation in plants cannot generally be considered as a proxy of translation initiation because of its posttranslational occurrence on mature proteolytic neo-termini (N-termini) localized in the chloroplast stroma. Quantification of N-terminal acetylation revealed differing co- vs. posttranslational N-terminal acetylation patterns. Intriguingly, our data additionally hints to alternative translation initiation serving as a common mechanism to supply protein copies in multiple cellular compartments, as alternative translation sites are often in close proximity to cleavage sites of N-terminal transit sequences of nuclear-encoded chloroplastic and mitochondrial proteins. Overall, riboproteogenomics screening enables the identification of (differential localized) N-terminal proteoforms raised upon alternative translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Willems
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB)-Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Elvis Ndah
- integrative Riboproteogenomics, Interactomics and Proteomics Unit, Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Veronique Jonckheere
- integrative Riboproteogenomics, Interactomics and Proteomics Unit, Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Frank Van Breusegem
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB)-Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Petra Van Damme
- integrative Riboproteogenomics, Interactomics and Proteomics Unit, Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Li Z, Fu Y, Shen J, Liang J. Upstream Open Reading Frame Mediated Translation of WNK8 Is Required for ABA Response in Arabidopsis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910683. [PMID: 34639024 PMCID: PMC8509022 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
With no lysine (K) (WNK) kinases comprise a family of serine/threonine kinases belonging to an evolutionary branch of the eukaryotic kinome. These special kinases contain a unique active site and are found in a wide range of eukaryotes. The model plant Arabidopsis has been reported to have 11 WNK members, of which WNK8 functions as a negative regulator of abscisic acid (ABA) signaling. Here, we found that the expression of WNK8 is post-transcriptionally regulated through an upstream open reading frame (uORF) found in its 5′ untranslated region (5′-UTR). This uORF has been predicted to encode a conserved peptide named CPuORF58 in both monocotyledons and dicotyledons. The analysis of the published ribosome footprinting studies and the study of the frameshift CPuORF58 peptide with altered repression capability suggested that this uORF causes ribosome stalling. Plants transformed with the native WNK8 promoter driving WNK8 expression were comparable with wild-type plants, whereas the plants transformed with a similar construct with mutated CPuORF58 start codon were less sensitive to ABA. In addition, WNK8 and its downstream target RACK1 were found to synergistically coordinate ABA signaling rather than antagonistically modulating glucose response and flowering in plants. Collectively, these results suggest that the WNK8 expression must be tightly regulated to fulfill the demands of ABA response in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyong Li
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China; (Y.F.); (J.S.)
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Correspondence: (Z.L.); (J.L.)
| | - Yajuan Fu
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China; (Y.F.); (J.S.)
| | - Jinyu Shen
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China; (Y.F.); (J.S.)
| | - Jiansheng Liang
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China; (Y.F.); (J.S.)
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Correspondence: (Z.L.); (J.L.)
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17
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Bonnot T, Nagel DH. Time of the day prioritizes the pool of translating mRNAs in response to heat stress. THE PLANT CELL 2021; 33:2164-2182. [PMID: 33871647 PMCID: PMC8364243 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koab113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The circadian clock helps organisms to anticipate and coordinate gene regulatory responses to changes in environmental stimuli. Under growth limiting temperatures, the time of the day modulates the accumulation of polyadenylated mRNAs. In response to heat stress, plants will conserve energy and selectively translate mRNAs. How the clock and/or the time of the day regulates polyadenylated mRNAs bound by ribosomes in response to heat stress is unknown. In-depth analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana translating mRNAs found that the time of the day gates the response of approximately one-third of the circadian-regulated heat-responsive translatome. Specifically, the time of the day and heat stress interact to prioritize the pool of mRNAs in cue to be translated. For a subset of mRNAs, we observed a stronger gated response during the day, and preferentially before the peak of expression. We propose previously overlooked transcription factors (TFs) as regulatory nodes and show that the clock plays a role in the temperature response for select TFs. When the stress was removed, the redefined priorities for translation recovered within 1 h, though slower recovery was observed for abiotic stress regulators. Through hierarchical network connections between clock genes and prioritized TFs, our work provides a framework to target key nodes underlying heat stress tolerance throughout the day.
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Affiliation(s)
- Titouan Bonnot
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Dawn H. Nagel
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
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18
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Liu X, Liu H, Zhang Y, He M, Li R, Meng W, Wang Z, Li X, Bu Q. Fine-tuning Flowering Time via Genome Editing of Upstream Open Reading Frames of Heading Date 2 in Rice. RICE (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2021; 14:59. [PMID: 34189630 PMCID: PMC8241947 DOI: 10.1186/s12284-021-00504-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Flowering time of rice (Oryza sativa L.) is among the most important agronomic traits for region adaptation and grain yield. In the process of rice breeding, efficient and slightly modulating the flowering time of an elite cultivar would be more popular with breeder. Hence, we are interested in slightly increasing the expression of flowering repressors by CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system. It was predicated there were three uORFs in 5' leader sequence of Hd2. In this study, through editing Hd2 uORFs, we got four homozygous mutant lines. Phenotypic analysis showed that the hd2 urf edited lines flowered later by 4.6-11.2 days relative to wild type SJ2. Supporting the later flowering phenotype, the expression of Ehd1, Hd3a, and RFT1 is significantly decreased in hd2 urf than that in wild type. Moreover, we found that the transcription level of Hd2 is not affected, whereas the Hd2 protein level was increased in hd2 urf compared with wild type, which indicated that Hd2 uORFs indeed affect the translation of a downstream Hd2 pORF. In summary, we developed a efficient approach for delaying rice heading date based on editing uORF region of flowering repressor, which is time and labor saving compared to traditional breeding. In future, uORF of other flowering time related genes, including flowering promoter and flowering repressor genes, can also be used as targets to fine-tune the flowering time of varieties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Liu
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Key Laboratory of Soybean Molecular Design Breeding, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Hualong Liu
- Rice Research Institute, College of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China
| | - Yuanye Zhang
- College of Life Science, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, 150080, China
| | - Mingliang He
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Key Laboratory of Soybean Molecular Design Breeding, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harbin, 150081, China
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Rongtian Li
- College of Life Science, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, 150080, China
| | - Wei Meng
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China
| | - Zhenyu Wang
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Key Laboratory of Soybean Molecular Design Breeding, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Xiufeng Li
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Key Laboratory of Soybean Molecular Design Breeding, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harbin, 150081, China.
| | - Qingyun Bu
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Key Laboratory of Soybean Molecular Design Breeding, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harbin, 150081, China.
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19
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Um T, Park T, Shim JS, Kim YS, Lee GS, Choi IY, Kim JK, Seo JS, Park SC. Application of Upstream Open Reading Frames (uORFs) Editing for the Development of Stress-Tolerant Crops. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22073743. [PMID: 33916772 PMCID: PMC8038395 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Global population growth and climate change are posing increasing challenges to the production of a stable crop supply using current agricultural practices. The generation of genetically modified (GM) crops has contributed to improving crop stress tolerance and productivity; however, many regulations are still in place that limit their commercialization. Recently, alternative biotechnology-based strategies, such as gene-edited (GE) crops, have been in the spotlight. Gene-editing technology, based on the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) platform, has emerged as a revolutionary tool for targeted gene mutation, and has received attention as a game changer in the global biotechnology market. Here, we briefly introduce the concept of upstream open reading frames (uORFs) editing, which allows for control of the translation of downstream ORFs, and outline the potential for enhancing target gene expression by mutating uORFs. We discuss the current status of developing stress-tolerant crops, and discuss uORF targets associated with salt stress-responsive genes in rice that have already been verified by transgenic research. Finally, we overview the strategy for developing GE crops using uORF editing via the CRISPR-Cas9 system. A case is therefore made that the mutation of uORFs represents an efficient method for developing GE crops and an expansion of the scope of application of genome editing technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taeyoung Um
- Agriculture and Life Sciences Research Institute, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea; (T.U.); (Y.S.K.)
| | - Taehyeon Park
- Crop Biotechnology Institute, GreenBio Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Pyeongchang 25354, Korea; (T.P.); (J.-K.K.)
| | - Jae Sung Shim
- School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea;
| | - Youn Shic Kim
- Agriculture and Life Sciences Research Institute, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea; (T.U.); (Y.S.K.)
| | - Gang-Seob Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, National Academy of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration, Jeonju 54874, Korea;
| | - Ik-Young Choi
- Department of Agricultural and Life Industry, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea;
| | - Ju-Kon Kim
- Crop Biotechnology Institute, GreenBio Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Pyeongchang 25354, Korea; (T.P.); (J.-K.K.)
| | - Jun Sung Seo
- Crop Biotechnology Institute, GreenBio Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Pyeongchang 25354, Korea; (T.P.); (J.-K.K.)
- Correspondence: (J.S.S.); (S.C.P.); Tel.: +82-33-339-5826 (J.S.S.); +82-63-238-4584 (S.C.P.)
| | - Soo Chul Park
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, National Academy of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration, Jeonju 54874, Korea;
- Correspondence: (J.S.S.); (S.C.P.); Tel.: +82-33-339-5826 (J.S.S.); +82-63-238-4584 (S.C.P.)
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Abstract
Bicistronic transcripts (operon-like transcripts) have occasionally been reported in eukaryotes, including unicellular yeasts, plants, and humans, despite the fact that they lack trans-splice mechanisms. However, the characteristics of eukaryotic bicistronic transcripts are poorly understood, except for those in nematodes. Here, we describe the genomic, transcriptomic, and ribosome profiling features of bicistronic transcripts in unicellular yeasts. By comparing the expression level of bicistronic transcripts with their monocistronic equivalents, we identify two main categories of bicistronic transcripts: highly and lowly expressed. These two categories exhibit quite different features. First, highly expressed bicistronic transcripts have higher conservation within and between strains and shorter intergenic spacers with higher GC content and less stable secondary structure. Second, genes in highly expressed bicistronic transcripts have lower translation efficiency, with the second gene showing statistically significant lower translation efficiency than the first. Finally, the genes found in these highly expressed bicistronic transcripts tend to be younger, with more recent origins. Together, these results suggest that bicistronic transcripts in yeast are heterogeneous. We further propose that at least some highly expressed bicistronic transcripts appear to play a role in modulating monocistronic translation.IMPORTANCE Operons, where a single mRNA transcript encodes multiple adjacent proteins, are a widespread feature of bacteria and archaea. In contrast, the genes of eukaryotes are generally considered monocistronic. However, a number of studies have revealed the presence of bicistronic transcripts in eukaryotes, including humans. The basic features of these transcripts are largely unknown in eukaryotes, especially in organisms lacking trans-splice mechanisms. Our analyses characterize bicistronic transcripts in one such eukaryotic group, yeasts. We show that highly expressed bicistronic transcripts have unusual features compared to lowly expressed bicistronic transcripts, with several features influencing translational modulation.
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Zhang H, Wang Y, Wu X, Tang X, Wu C, Lu J. Determinants of genome-wide distribution and evolution of uORFs in eukaryotes. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1076. [PMID: 33597535 PMCID: PMC7889888 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21394-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Upstream open reading frames (uORFs) play widespread regulatory functions in modulating mRNA translation in eukaryotes, but the principles underlying the genomic distribution and evolution of uORFs remain poorly understood. Here, we analyze ~17 million putative canonical uORFs in 478 eukaryotic species that span most of the extant taxa of eukaryotes. We demonstrate how positive and purifying selection, coupled with differences in effective population size (Ne), has shaped the contents of uORFs in eukaryotes. Besides, gene expression level is important in influencing uORF occurrences across genes in a species. Our analyses suggest that most uORFs might play regulatory roles rather than encode functional peptides. We also show that the Kozak sequence context of uORFs has evolved across eukaryotic clades, and that noncanonical uORFs tend to have weaker suppressive effects than canonical uORFs in translation regulation. This study provides insights into the driving forces underlying uORF evolution in eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yirong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, China
| | - Xinkai Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaolu Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Changcheng Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
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22
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uORFs: Important Cis-Regulatory Elements in Plants. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21176238. [PMID: 32872304 PMCID: PMC7503886 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene expression is regulated at many levels, including mRNA transcription, translation, and post-translational modification. Compared with transcriptional regulation, mRNA translational control is a more critical step in gene expression and allows for more rapid changes of encoded protein concentrations in cells. Translation is highly regulated by complex interactions between cis-acting elements and trans-acting factors. Initiation is not only the first phase of translation, but also the core of translational regulation, because it limits the rate of protein synthesis. As potent cis-regulatory elements in eukaryotic mRNAs, upstream open reading frames (uORFs) generally inhibit the translation initiation of downstream major ORFs (mORFs) through ribosome stalling. During the past few years, with the development of RNA-seq and ribosome profiling, functional uORFs have been identified and characterized in many organisms. Here, we review uORF identification, uORF classification, and uORF-mediated translation initiation. More importantly, we summarize the translational regulation of uORFs in plant metabolic pathways, morphogenesis, disease resistance, and nutrient absorption, which open up an avenue for precisely modulating the plant growth and development, as well as environmental adaption. Additionally, we also discuss prospective applications of uORFs in plant breeding.
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