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Ramírez Gonzales LY, Cannarozzi G, Jäggi L, Assefa K, Chanyalew S, Dell'Acqua M, Tadele Z. The role of omics in improving the orphan crop tef. Trends Genet 2024; 40:449-461. [PMID: 38599921 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2024.03.003] [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] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Tef or teff [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is a cereal crop indigenous to the Horn of Africa, where it is a staple food for a large population. The popularity of tef arises from its resilience to environmental stresses and its nutritional value. For many years, tef has been considered an orphan crop, but recent research initiatives from across the globe are helping to unravel its undisclosed potential. Advanced omics tools and techniques have been directed toward the exploration of tef's diversity with the aim of increasing its productivity. In this review, we report on the most recent advances in tef omics that brought the crop into the spotlight of international research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gina Cannarozzi
- University of Bern, Institute of Plant Sciences, Altenbergrain 21, 3013 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Lea Jäggi
- University of Bern, Institute of Plant Sciences, Altenbergrain 21, 3013 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Kebebew Assefa
- Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center, PO Box 32, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia
| | - Solomon Chanyalew
- Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center, PO Box 32, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia
| | | | - Zerihun Tadele
- University of Bern, Institute of Plant Sciences, Altenbergrain 21, 3013 Bern, Switzerland.
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Beyene G, Chauhan RD, Villmer J, Husic N, Wang N, Gebre E, Girma D, Chanyalew S, Assefa K, Tabor G, Gehan M, McGrone M, Yang M, Lenderts B, Schwartz C, Gao H, Gordon‐Kamm W, Taylor NJ, MacKenzie DJ. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated tetra-allelic mutation of the 'Green Revolution' SEMIDWARF-1 (SD-1) gene confers lodging resistance in tef (Eragrostis tef). PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2022; 20:1716-1729. [PMID: 35560779 PMCID: PMC9398311 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Tef is a staple food and a valuable cash crop for millions of people in Ethiopia. Lodging is a major limitation to tef production, and for decades, the development of lodging resistant varieties proved difficult with conventional breeding approaches. We used CRISPR/Cas9 to introduce knockout mutations in the tef orthologue of the rice SEMIDWARF-1 (SD-1) gene to confer semidwarfism and ultimately lodging resistance. High frequency recovery of transgenic and SD-1 edited tef lines was achieved in two tef cultivars by Agrobacterium-mediated delivery into young leaf explants of gene editing reagents along with transformation and regeneration enhancing morphogenic genes, BABY BOOM (BBM) and WUSCHEL2 (WUS2). All of the 23 lines analyzed by next-generation sequencing had at least two or more alleles of SD-1 mutated. Of these, 83% had tetra-allelic frameshift mutations in the SD-1 gene in primary tef regenerants, which were inherited in subsequent generations. Phenotypic data generated on T1 and T2 generations revealed that the sd-1 lines have reduced culm and internode lengths with no reduction in either panicle or peduncle lengths. These characteristics are comparable with rice sd-1 plants. Measurements of lodging, in greenhouse-grown plants, showed that sd-1 lines have significantly higher resistance to lodging at the heading stage compared with the controls. This is the first demonstration of the feasibility of high frequency genetic transformation and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing in this highly valuable but neglected crop. The findings reported here highlight the potential of genome editing for the improvement of lodging resistance and other important traits in tef.
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Affiliation(s)
- Getu Beyene
- Donald Danforth Plant Science CenterSt. LouisMOUSA
| | | | | | - Nada Husic
- Donald Danforth Plant Science CenterSt. LouisMOUSA
| | | | | | - Dejene Girma
- Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural ResearchAddis AbabaEthiopia
| | | | - Kebebew Assefa
- Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural ResearchAddis AbabaEthiopia
| | | | - Malia Gehan
- Donald Danforth Plant Science CenterSt. LouisMOUSA
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Girija A, Jifar H, Jones C, Yadav R, Doonan J, Mur LAJ. Tef: a tiny grain with enormous potential. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 27:220-223. [PMID: 34865980 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2021.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Tef is a highly nutritious gluten-free Ethiopian cereal with food-feed potential. However, its productivity is affected by lodging, weed infestation, terminal drought, small seed size, and shattering. Following the recent availability of tef genome sequences, we highlight the need to harness the benefits that this underutilised crop offers to improve food security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aiswarya Girija
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3DA, UK
| | - Habte Jifar
- National Tef Improvement Program, Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), P. O. Box 2003, Adis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Chris Jones
- Feed and Forage Development Program, International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
| | - Rattan Yadav
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3DA, UK
| | - John Doonan
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3DA, UK; The National Plant Phenomics Centre (NPPC), Aberystwyth University, Gogerddan campus, Aberystwyth, SY23 3EB, UK
| | - Luis A J Mur
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3DA, UK.
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Numan M, Serba DD, Ligaba-Osena A. Alternative Strategies for Multi-Stress Tolerance and Yield Improvement in Millets. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12050739. [PMID: 34068886 PMCID: PMC8156724 DOI: 10.3390/genes12050739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Millets are important cereal crops cultivated in arid and semiarid regions of the world, particularly Africa and southeast Asia. Climate change has triggered multiple abiotic stresses in plants that are the main causes of crop loss worldwide, reducing average yield for most crops by more than 50%. Although millets are tolerant to most abiotic stresses including drought and high temperatures, further improvement is needed to make them more resilient to unprecedented effects of climate change and associated environmental stresses. Incorporation of stress tolerance traits in millets will improve their productivity in marginal environments and will help in overcoming future food shortage due to climate change. Recently, approaches such as application of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs) have been used to improve growth and development, as well as stress tolerance of crops. Moreover, with the advance of next-generation sequencing technology, genome editing, using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR/Cas9) system are increasingly used to develop stress tolerant varieties in different crops. In this paper, the innate ability of millets to tolerate abiotic stresses and alternative approaches to boost stress resistance were thoroughly reviewed. Moreover, several stress-resistant genes were identified in related monocots such as rice (Oryza sativa), wheat (Triticum aestivum), and maize (Zea mays), and other related species for which orthologs in millets could be manipulated by CRISPR/Cas9 and related genome-editing techniques to improve stress resilience and productivity. These cutting-edge alternative strategies are expected to bring this group of orphan crops at the forefront of scientific research for their potential contribution to global food security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Numan
- Laboratory of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 321 McIver Street, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA;
| | - Desalegn D. Serba
- USDA-ARS, U. S. Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center, 21881 N Cardon Ln., Maricopa, AZ 85138, USA;
| | - Ayalew Ligaba-Osena
- Laboratory of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 321 McIver Street, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA;
- Correspondence:
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Numan M, Khan AL, Asaf S, Salehin M, Beyene G, Tadele Z, Ligaba-Osena A. From Traditional Breeding to Genome Editing for Boosting Productivity of the Ancient Grain Tef [ Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter]. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:628. [PMID: 33806233 PMCID: PMC8066236 DOI: 10.3390/plants10040628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) is a staple food crop for 70% of the Ethiopian population and is currently cultivated in several countries for grain and forage production. It is one of the most nutritious grains, and is also more resilient to marginal soil and climate conditions than major cereals such as maize, wheat and rice. However, tef is an extremely low-yielding crop, mainly due to lodging, which is when stalks fall on the ground irreversibly, and prolonged drought during the growing season. Climate change is triggering several biotic and abiotic stresses which are expected to cause severe food shortages in the foreseeable future. This has necessitated an alternative and robust approach in order to improve resilience to diverse types of stresses and increase crop yields. Traditional breeding has been extensively implemented to develop crop varieties with traits of interest, although the technique has several limitations. Currently, genome editing technologies are receiving increased interest among plant biologists as a means of improving key agronomic traits. In this review, the potential application of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated proteins (CRISPR-Cas) technology in improving stress resilience in tef is discussed. Several putative abiotic stress-resilient genes of the related monocot plant species have been discussed and proposed as target genes for editing in tef through the CRISPR-Cas system. This is expected to improve stress resilience and boost productivity, thereby ensuring food and nutrition security in the region where it is needed the most.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Numan
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA; (M.N.); (M.S.)
| | - Abdul Latif Khan
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, Biotechnology and OMICs Laboratory, University of Nizwa, Nizwa 616, Oman; (A.L.K.); (S.A.)
| | - Sajjad Asaf
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, Biotechnology and OMICs Laboratory, University of Nizwa, Nizwa 616, Oman; (A.L.K.); (S.A.)
| | - Mohammad Salehin
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA; (M.N.); (M.S.)
| | - Getu Beyene
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO 63132, USA;
| | - Zerihun Tadele
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Altenbergrain 21, CH-3013 Bern, Switzerland;
| | - Ayalew Ligaba-Osena
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA; (M.N.); (M.S.)
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Ligaba-Osena A, Guo W, Choi SC, Limmer MA, Seyfferth AL, Hankoua BB. Silicon Enhances Biomass and Grain Yield in an Ancient Crop Tef [ Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter]. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:608503. [PMID: 33329679 PMCID: PMC7732538 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.608503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Silicon (Si) is one of the beneficial plant mineral nutrients which is known to improve biotic and abiotic stress resilience and productivity in several crops. However, its beneficial role in underutilized or "orphan" crop such as tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] has never been studied before. In this study, we investigated the effect of Si application on tef plant performance. Plants were grown in soil with or without exogenous application of Na2SiO3 (0, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 mM), and biomass and grain yield, mineral content, chlorophyll content, plant height, and expression patterns of putative Si transporter genes were studied. Silicon application significantly increased grain yield (100%) at 3.0 mM Si, and aboveground biomass yield by 45% at 5.0 mM Si, while it had no effect on plant height. The observed increase in grain yield appears to be due to enhanced stress resilience and increased total chlorophyll content. Increasing the level of Si increased shoot Si and Na content while it significantly decreased the content of other minerals including K, Ca, Mg, P, S, Fe, and Mn in the shoot, which is likely due to the use of Na containing Si amendment. A slight decrease in grain Ca, P, S, and Mn was also observed with increasing Si treatment. The increase in Si content with increasing Si levels prompted us to analyze the expression of Si transporter genes. The tef genome contains seven putative Si transporters which showed high homology with influx and efflux Lsi transporters reported in various plant species including rice. The tef Lsi homologs were deferentially expressed between tissues (roots, leaves, nodes, and inflorescences) and in response to Si, suggesting that they may play a role in Si uptake and/or translocation. Taken together, these results show that Si application improves stress resilience and yield and regulates the expression of putative Si transporter genes. However, further study is needed to determine the physiological function of the putative Si transporters, and to study the effect of field application of Si on tef productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayalew Ligaba-Osena
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United States
| | - Wanli Guo
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United States
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Sang Chul Choi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United States
| | - Matthew Alan Limmer
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, The University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
| | - Angelia L. Seyfferth
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, The University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
| | - Bertrand B. Hankoua
- Plant Biotechnology Lab, Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, College of Agriculture, Sciences and Technology, Delaware State University, Dover, DE, United States
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Sheahan MB, Collings DA, Rose RJ, McCurdy DW. ACTIN7 Is Required for Perinuclear Clustering of Chloroplasts during Arabidopsis Protoplast Culture. PLANTS 2020; 9:plants9020225. [PMID: 32050601 PMCID: PMC7076399 DOI: 10.3390/plants9020225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In Arabidopsis, the actin gene family comprises eight expressed and two non-expressed ACTIN (ACT) genes. Of the eight expressed isoforms, ACT2, ACT7, and ACT8 are differentially expressed in vegetative tissues and may perform specific roles in development. Using tobacco mesophyll protoplasts, we previously demonstrated that actin-dependent clustering of chloroplasts around the nucleus prior to cell division ensures unbiased chloroplast inheritance. Here, we report that actin-dependent chloroplast clustering in Arabidopsis mesophyll protoplasts is defective in act7 mutants, but not act2-1 or act8-2. ACT7 expression was upregulated during protoplast culture whereas ACT2 and ACT8 expression did not substantially change. In act2-1, ACT7 expression increased in response to loss of ACT2, whereas in act7-1, neither ACT2 nor ACT8 expression changed appreciably in response to the absence of ACT7. Semi-quantitative immunoblotting revealed increased actin concentrations during culture, although total actin in act7-1 was only two-thirds that of wild-type or act2-1 after 96 h culture. Over-expression of ACT2 and ACT8 under control of ACT7 regulatory sequences restored normal levels of chloroplast clustering. These results are consistent with a requirement for ACT7 in actin-dependent chloroplast clustering due to reduced levels of actin protein and gene induction in act7 mutants, rather than strong functional specialization of the ACT7 isoform.
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Buschmann H, Borchers A. Handedness in plant cell expansion: a mutant perspective on helical growth. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 225:53-69. [PMID: 31254400 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Many plant mutants are known that exhibit some degree of helical growth. This 'twisted' phenotype has arisen frequently in mutant screens of model organisms, but it is also found in cultivars of ornamental plants, including trees. The phenomenon, in many cases, is based on defects in cell expansion symmetry. Any complete model which explains the anisotropy of plant cell growth must ultimately explain how helical cell expansion comes into existence - and how it is normally avoided. While the mutations observed in model plants mainly point to the microtubule system, additional affected components involve cell wall functions, auxin transport and more. Evaluation of published data suggests a two-way mechanism underlying the helical growth phenomenon: there is, apparently, a microtubular component that determines handedness, but there is also an influence arising in the cell wall that feeds back into the cytoplasm and affects cellular handedness. This idea is supported by recent reports demonstrating the involvement of the cell wall integrity pathway. In addition, there is mounting evidence that calcium is an important relayer of signals relating to the symmetry of cell expansion. These concepts suggest experimental approaches to untangle the phenomenon of helical cell expansion in plant mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Buschmann
- Botanical Institute, Biology and Chemistry Department, University of Osnabrück, 49076, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Agnes Borchers
- Botanical Institute, Biology and Chemistry Department, University of Osnabrück, 49076, Osnabrück, Germany
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Succurro A, Schuler-Bermann M, Ivanov R, Jacoby R, Kopriva S, Jobe TO. Orphan crops at the food for future conference. PLANTA 2019; 250:1005-1010. [PMID: 31290030 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-019-03229-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In her 1929 essay A Room of One's Own, Virginia Wolf famously wrote, "One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." While this popular quote is perhaps not the most inspiring, it is an elegant reminder that food and the cultural practices surrounding food are paramount for our wellbeing. However, in our quest to feed a growing global population, we have become focused on increasing the production of a few staple crops and overlooked hundreds or thousands of locally and regionally important crops that may represent the future of agriculture. The growing interest in identifying and developing promising new crops and novel food sources prompted the 1st Cologne Conference on Food for Future, which took place between the 5 and 7th of September 2018 at the Rautenstrauch-Joest museum in Cologne, Germany. It offered a unique platform for researchers, journalists, politicians, and entrepreneurs to present and discuss their views, visions, and concerns on the topics of Food Security. This interdisciplinary meeting acted as a stage to cover diverse aspects of crop science, food research, and food production in the context of global food and nutrition security. Three sessions accommodated scientific contributions on the topics of "Orphan Crops", "Functional food", and "Innovative food sources and production systems", and two public events (a public lecture and a plenary discussion) engaged the citizens with informative discussions on relevant and mediatic topics. With delegates from Africa, Europe, and the United States of America, the conference aimed at building bridges between different communities through scientific exchange.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Succurro
- Botanical Institute, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, Cologne, Germany
- Life and Medical Sciences Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- West German Genome Center, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Mara Schuler-Bermann
- Developmental and Molecular Plant Biology, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Science (CEPLAS), Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Rumen Ivanov
- Institute of Botany, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Richard Jacoby
- Botanical Institute, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, Cologne, Germany
| | - Stanislav Kopriva
- Botanical Institute, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, Cologne, Germany
| | - Timothy O Jobe
- Botanical Institute, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, Cologne, Germany.
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Martinelli F, Cannarozzi G, Balan B, Siegrist F, Weichert A, Blösch R, Tadele Z. Identification of miRNAs linked with the drought response of tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter]. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 224-225:163-172. [PMID: 29656008 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2018.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Revised: 01/25/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter], a staple food crop in the Horn of Africa and particularly in Ethiopia, has several beneficial agronomical and nutritional properties, including waterlogging and drought tolerance. In this study, we performed microRNA profiling of tef using the Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform, analyzing both shoots and roots of two tef genotypes, one drought-tolerant (Tsedey) and one drought-susceptible (Alba). We obtained more than 10 million filtered reads for each of the 24 sequenced small cDNA libraries. Reads mapping to known miRNAs were more abundant in the root than shoot tissues. Thirteen and 35 miRNAs were significantly modulated in response to drought, in Alba and Tsedey roots, respectively. One miRNA was upregulated under drought conditions in both genotypes. In shoots, nine miRNAs were modulated in common between the two genotypes and all showed similar trends of expression. One-hundred and forty-seven new miRNA mature sequences were identified in silico, 22 of these were detected in all relevant samples and seven were differentially regulated when comparing drought with normal watering. Putative targets of the miRNA regulated under drought in root and shoot tissues were predicted. Among the targets were transcription factors such as CCAAT-HAP2, MADS and NAC. Verification with qRT-PCR revealed that five of six potential targets showed a pattern of expression that was consistent with the correspondent miRNA amount measured by RNA-Seq. In general, candidate miRNAs involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of the tef response to drought could be included in next-generation breeding programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Martinelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie Alimentari Forestali, Università di Palermo, viale delle scienze Ed. 4., Palermo, Italy.
| | - Gina Cannarozzi
- Institute of Plant Sciences, Altenbergrain 21, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Bipin Balan
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie Alimentari Forestali, Università di Palermo, viale delle scienze Ed. 4., Palermo, Italy.
| | - Fredy Siegrist
- Institute of Plant Sciences, Altenbergrain 21, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Annett Weichert
- Institute of Plant Sciences, Altenbergrain 21, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Regula Blösch
- Institute of Plant Sciences, Altenbergrain 21, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Zerihun Tadele
- Institute of Plant Sciences, Altenbergrain 21, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Institute of Biotechnology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
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Huang P, Shyu C, Coelho CP, Cao Y, Brutnell TP. Setaria viridis as a Model System to Advance Millet Genetics and Genomics. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2016; 7:1781. [PMID: 27965689 PMCID: PMC5124564 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.01781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Accepted: 11/11/2016] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Millet is a common name for a group of polyphyletic, small-seeded cereal crops that include pearl, finger and foxtail millet. Millet species are an important source of calories for many societies, often in developing countries. Compared to major cereal crops such as rice and maize, millets are generally better adapted to dry and hot environments. Despite their food security value, the genetic architecture of agronomically important traits in millets, including both morphological traits and climate resilience remains poorly studied. These complex traits have been challenging to dissect in large part because of the lack of sufficient genetic tools and resources. In this article, we review the phylogenetic relationship among various millet species and discuss the value of a genetic model system for millet research. We propose that a broader adoption of green foxtail (Setaria viridis) as a model system for millets could greatly accelerate the pace of gene discovery in the millets, and summarize available and emerging resources in S. viridis and its domesticated relative S. italica. These resources have value in forward genetics, reverse genetics and high throughput phenotyping. We describe methods and strategies to best utilize these resources to facilitate the genetic dissection of complex traits. We envision that coupling cutting-edge technologies and the use of S. viridis for gene discovery will accelerate genetic research in millets in general. This will enable strategies and provide opportunities to increase productivity, especially in the semi-arid tropics of Asia and Africa where millets are staple food crops.
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12
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Biotechnological aspects of cytoskeletal regulation in plants. Biotechnol Adv 2015; 33:1043-62. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2015.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2014] [Revised: 03/03/2015] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Cheng A, Mayes S, Dalle G, Demissew S, Massawe F. Diversifying crops for food and nutrition security - a case of teff. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2015; 92:188-198. [PMID: 26456883 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2015] [Revised: 09/01/2015] [Accepted: 09/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
There are more than 50000 known edible plants in the world, yet two-thirds of global plant-derived food is provided by only three major cereals - maize (Zea mays), wheat (Triticum aestivum) and rice (Oryza sativa). The dominance of this triad, now considered truly global food commodities, has led to a decline in the number of crop species contributing to global food supplies. Our dependence on only a few crop species limits our capability to deal with challenges posed by the adverse effects of climate change and the consequences of dietary imbalance. Emerging evidence suggests that climate change will cause shifts in crop production and yield loss due to more unpredictable and hostile weather patterns. One solution to this problem is through the wider use of underutilised (also called orphan or minor) crops to diversify agricultural systems and food sources. In addition to being highly nutritious, underutilised crops are resilient in natural and agricultural conditions, making them a suitable surrogate to the major crops. One such crop is teff [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter], a warm-season annual cereal with the tiniest grain in the world. Native to Ethiopia and often the sustenance for local small farmers, teff thrives in both moisture-stressed and waterlogged soil conditions, making it a dependable staple within and beyond its current centre of origin. Today, teff is deemed a healthy wheat alternative in the West and is sought-after by health aficionados and those with coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity. The blooming market for healthy food is breathing new life into this underutilised crop, which has received relatively limited attention from mainstream research perhaps due to its 'orphan crop' status. This review presents the past, present and future of an ancient grain with a potential beyond its size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Acga Cheng
- Biotechnology Research Centre, School of Biosciences, The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, 43500, Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Sean Mayes
- Crops For the Future, The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, 43500, Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Gemedo Dalle
- Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute, P.O. Box 30726, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Sebsebe Demissew
- The National Herbarium, Department of Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management, College of Natural Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P. O. Box 3434, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Festo Massawe
- Biotechnology Research Centre, School of Biosciences, The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, 43500, Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.,Crops For the Future, The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, 43500, Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
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