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Sun T, Hazra A, Lui A, Zeng S, Wang X, Rao S, Owens LA, Fei Z, Zhao Y, Mazourek M, Giovannoni JG, Li L. GLKs directly regulate carotenoid biosynthesis via interacting with GBFs in plants. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2025; 246:645-665. [PMID: 39953697 DOI: 10.1111/nph.20457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2025] [Indexed: 02/17/2025]
Abstract
Carotenoids are vital photosynthetic pigments for plants. Golden2-like transcription factors (GLKs) are widely recognized as major regulators of Chl biosynthesis and chloroplast development. However, despite GLKs being subjected to intensive investigations, whether GLKs directly regulate carotenoid biosynthesis and the molecular mechanisms by which GLKs transcriptionally activate their target genes remain unclear. Here, we report that GLKs directly regulate carotenoid biosynthesis and activate their target genes in a G-box binding factor (GBF)-dependent manner in Arabidopsis. Both in vitro and in vivo studies reveal that GLKs physically interact with GBFs to activate transcription of phytoene synthase (PSY), the gene encoding a rate-limiting enzyme for carotenoid biosynthesis. While GLKs possess transactivation activity, they depend on GBFs to directly bind to the G-box motif to modulate PSY expression. Loss of GBFs impairs GLK function in regulating carotenoid and Chl biosynthesis. Since the G-box motif is an enriched motif in the promoters of GLK-regulated genes, the GLK-GBF regulatory module likely serves as a common mechanism underlying GLK-regulated photosynthetic pigment biosynthesis and chloroplast development. Our findings uncover a novel regulatory machinery of carotenoid biosynthesis, discover a molecular mechanism of transcriptional regulation by GLKs, and divulge GLKs as important regulators to coordinate photosynthetic pigment synthesis in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianhu Sun
- Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USDA-ARS, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 37614, USA
| | - Abhijit Hazra
- Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USDA-ARS, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Andy Lui
- Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USDA-ARS, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Shaohua Zeng
- Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USDA-ARS, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic improvement, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Sombir Rao
- Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USDA-ARS, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Lauren A Owens
- Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USDA-ARS, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Zhangjun Fei
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Yunde Zhao
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Michael Mazourek
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - James G Giovannoni
- Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USDA-ARS, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Li Li
- Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USDA-ARS, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
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Yang Y, Wang X, Liu J, Wang M, Yu L, Wang D, Li J, Lu Y, Zhang J, Zhang H. Identification and role of CmLhcb2.1 in regulating low-light stress resistance in Chinese chestnut ( Castanea mollissima). FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2025; 16:1552618. [PMID: 40129734 PMCID: PMC11931040 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2025.1552618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2025] [Indexed: 03/26/2025]
Abstract
Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima) is a significant woody food plant that has garnered increasing attention due to its potential role in addressing food security challenges. However, low yield remains a critical issue facing the Chinese chestnut industry. One contributing factor to this low yield is insufficient light, particularly since Chinese chestnuts predominantly grow in mountainous regions. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the intrinsic mechanisms underlying chestnut resistance to light stress, identify and validate genes associated with low light stress tolerance, and provide a foundation for targeted breeding of chestnut varieties that can withstand light stress. Studies have demonstrated that the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b (Lhca/b) proteins play key roles in regulating the adaptation of plants to low-light stress. However, there have been no reports on the role of the Lhca/b gene family in the chestnut under light stress. We initially identified 17 CmLhca/b gene members across the chestnut genome and constructed a phylogenetic tree that divided them into five subgroups: the Lhca, the Lhcb, the CP24, the CP26, and the CP29 groups. CmLhcb2.1 and CmLhcb2.2 were grouped on the same branch with GhLhcb2.3 of upland cotton that involved in chlorophyll synthesis.The chestnut leaves exhibited phenotypic and transcriptomic differences under low and normal light conditions. By the 10th day of shading treatment, the leaves showed signs of damage, with the extent of damage intensifying as shading intensity increased. Additionally, the leaf color darkened due to the gradual increase in chlorophyll b content, which was correlated with increased shading intensity. The gene CmLhcb2.1 was upregulated across all shading intensities. Specifically, quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) confirmed the upregulation of CmLhcb2.1 in chestnut under low-light stress. Overexpression studies in tobacco indicated that CmLhcb2.1 enhances chestnut resistance to low-light stress by promoting chlorophyll b synthesis. Finally, yeast one-hybrid and dual-luciferase reporter assays confirmed that the transcription factor CmGLK positively regulated CmLhcb2.1. These findings lay a theoretical foundation for exploring how CmLhcb2.1 regulates chestnut resistance to low-light stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Yang
- College of Horticulture Science and Technology, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Changli, Hebei, China
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Xuan Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Horticultural Germplasm Excavation and Innovative Utilization, College of Horticulture Science and Technology, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Changli, Hebei, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Meng Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Liyang Yu
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Dongsheng Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Jingshi Li
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Yi Lu
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Jingzheng Zhang
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
| | - Haie Zhang
- Engineering Research Center of Chestnut Industry Technology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Horticultural Germplasm Excavation and Innovative Utilization, College of Horticulture Science and Technology, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Changli, Hebei, China
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3
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Arrones A, Manrique S, Gomis-Cebolla J, Baraja-Fonseca V, Plazas M, Prohens J, Portis E, Barchi L, Giuliano G, Gramazio P, Vilanova S. Irregular green netting of eggplant fruit peel: a domestication trait controlled by SmGLK2 with potential for fruit colour diversification. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2024; 75:7066-7078. [PMID: 39171373 PMCID: PMC11630072 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erae355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
The distribution of chlorophylls in eggplant (Solanum melongena) peel exhibits either a uniform pattern or an irregular green netting pattern. The latter, manifested as a gradient of dark green netting that is intensified in the proximal part of the fruit on a pale green background, is common in wild relatives and some eggplant landraces. Despite the selection of uniform chlorophylls during domestication, the netting pattern contributes to a greater diversity of fruit colours. Here, we used over 2300 individuals from different populations, including a multi-parent advanced generation inter-cross population for candidate genomic region identification, an F2 population for bulked segregant analysis by sequencing, and advanced backcrosses for edges-to-core fine-mapping, to identify SmGLK2 gene as responsible for the irregular netting in eggplant fruits. We also analysed the gene sequence of 178 S. melongena accessions and 22 wild relative species for tracing the evolutionary changes that the gene has undergone during domestication. Three different mutations were identified leading to the absence of netting. The main causative indel induces a premature stop codon disrupting the protein conformation and function, which was confirmed by western blot analysis and confocal microscopy observations. SmGLK2 has a major role in regulating chlorophyll biosynthesis in eggplant fruit peel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Arrones
- Instituto de Conservación y Mejora de la Agrodiversidad Valenciana, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera 14, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Silvia Manrique
- Instituto de Conservación y Mejora de la Agrodiversidad Valenciana, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera 14, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Joaquin Gomis-Cebolla
- Instituto de Conservación y Mejora de la Agrodiversidad Valenciana, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera 14, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Virginia Baraja-Fonseca
- Instituto de Conservación y Mejora de la Agrodiversidad Valenciana, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera 14, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Mariola Plazas
- Instituto de Conservación y Mejora de la Agrodiversidad Valenciana, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera 14, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Jaime Prohens
- Instituto de Conservación y Mejora de la Agrodiversidad Valenciana, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera 14, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Ezio Portis
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Forestali e Alimentari (DISAFA), Plant Genetics and Breeding, University of Turin, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Barchi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Forestali e Alimentari (DISAFA), Plant Genetics and Breeding, University of Turin, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Giovanni Giuliano
- Agenzia Nazionale Per Le Nuove Tecnologie, L’energia e Lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile (ENEA), Casaccia Research Centre, Rome, Italy
| | - Pietro Gramazio
- Instituto de Conservación y Mejora de la Agrodiversidad Valenciana, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera 14, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Santiago Vilanova
- Instituto de Conservación y Mejora de la Agrodiversidad Valenciana, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera 14, 46022 Valencia, Spain
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4
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Yang Z, Bai T, E Z, Niu B, Chen C. OsNF-YB7 inactivates OsGLK1 to inhibit chlorophyll biosynthesis in rice embryo. eLife 2024; 13:RP96553. [PMID: 39288070 PMCID: PMC11407766 DOI: 10.7554/elife.96553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/19/2024] Open
Abstract
As a master regulator of seed development, Leafy Cotyledon 1 (LEC1) promotes chlorophyll (Chl) biosynthesis in Arabidopsis, but the mechanism underlying this remains poorly understood. Here, we found that loss of function of OsNF-YB7, a LEC1 homolog of rice, leads to chlorophyllous embryo, indicating that OsNF-YB7 plays an opposite role in Chl biosynthesis in rice compared with that in Arabidopsis. OsNF-YB7 regulates the expression of a group of genes responsible for Chl biosynthesis and photosynthesis by directly binding to their promoters. In addition, OsNF-YB7 interacts with Golden 2-Like 1 (OsGLK1) to inhibit the transactivation activity of OsGLK1, a key regulator of Chl biosynthesis. Moreover, OsNF-YB7 can directly repress OsGLK1 expression by recognizing its promoter in vivo, indicating the involvement of OsNF-YB7 in multiple regulatory layers of Chl biosynthesis in rice embryo. We propose that OsNF-YB7 functions as a transcriptional repressor to regulate Chl biosynthesis in rice embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongju Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/ Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory, Agricultural College of Yangzhou UniversityYangzhouChina
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops/ Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Agricultural College of Yangzhou UniversityYangzhouChina
| | - Tianqi Bai
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/ Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory, Agricultural College of Yangzhou UniversityYangzhouChina
| | - Zhiguo E
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research InstituteHangzhouChina
| | - Baixiao Niu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/ Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory, Agricultural College of Yangzhou UniversityYangzhouChina
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops/ Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Agricultural College of Yangzhou UniversityYangzhouChina
| | - Chen Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/ Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory, Agricultural College of Yangzhou UniversityYangzhouChina
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops/ Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Agricultural College of Yangzhou UniversityYangzhouChina
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5
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Xun H, Wang Y, Yuan J, Lian L, Feng W, Liu S, Hong J, Liu B, Ma J, Wang X. Non-CG DNA hypomethylation promotes photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation in soybean. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2402946121. [PMID: 39213181 PMCID: PMC11388380 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2402946121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Non-CG DNA methylation, a plant-specific epigenetic mark mainly regulated by chromomethylase (CMT), is known to play important roles in Arabidopsis thaliana. However, whether and to what extent non-CG DNA methylation modulates agronomic traits in crops remain to be explored. Here, we describe the consequences of non-CG DNA hypomethylation on development, seed composition, and yield in soybean (Glycine max). We created a Gmcmt mutant line lacking function of all four CMT genes. This line exhibited substantial hypomethylation of non-CG (CHG and CHH) sites. Non-CG hypomethylation enhanced chromatin accessibility and promoted or repressed the expression of hundreds of functionally relevant genes, including upregulation of GOLDEN-LIKE 10 (GmGLK10), which led to enhanced photosynthesis and, unexpectedly, improved nitrogen fixation efficiency. The Gmcmt line produced larger seeds with increased protein content. This study provides insights into the mechanisms of non-CG methylation-based epigenetic regulation of soybean development and suggests viable epigenetic strategies for improving soybean yield and nutritional value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongwei Xun
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun130024, China
| | - Yadi Wang
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei430070, China
| | - Jing Yuan
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei430070, China
| | - Lijie Lian
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei430070, China
| | - Wanjie Feng
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei430070, China
| | - Shuhan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun130024, China
| | - Jianhui Hong
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun130024, China
| | - Bao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun130024, China
| | - Jianxin Ma
- Department of Agronomy, and Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN47906
| | - Xutong Wang
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei430070, China
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Hu Q, Zhang H, Song Y, Song L, Zhu L, Kuang H, Larkin RM. REDUCED CHLOROPLAST COVERAGE proteins are required for plastid proliferation and carotenoid accumulation in tomato. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 196:511-534. [PMID: 38748600 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiae275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024]
Abstract
Increasing the amount of cellular space allocated to plastids will lead to increases in the quality and yield of crop plants. However, mechanisms that allocate cellular space to plastids remain poorly understood. To test whether the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) REDUCED CHLOROPLAST COVERAGE (SlREC) gene products serve as central components of the mechanism that allocates cellular space to plastids and contribute to the quality of tomato fruit, we knocked out the 4-member SlREC gene family. We found that slrec mutants accumulated lower levels of chlorophyll in leaves and fruits, accumulated lower levels of carotenoids in flowers and fruits, allocated less cellular space to plastids in leaf mesophyll and fruit pericarp cells, and developed abnormal plastids in flowers and fruits. Fruits produced by slrec mutants initiated ripening later than wild type and produced abnormal levels of ethylene and abscisic acid (ABA). Metabolome and transcriptome analyses of slrec mutant fruits indicated that the SlREC gene products markedly influence plastid-related gene expression, primary and specialized metabolism, and the response to biotic stress. Our findings and previous work with distinct species indicate that REC proteins help allocate cellular space to plastids in diverse species and cell types and, thus, play a central role in allocating cellular space to plastids. Moreover, the SlREC proteins are required for the high-level accumulation of chlorophyll and carotenoids in diverse organs, including fruits, promote the development of plastids and influence fruit ripening by acting both upstream and downstream of ABA biosynthesis in a complex network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qun Hu
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Zhang
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuman Song
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Lijuan Song
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Lingling Zhu
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Hanhui Kuang
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Robert M Larkin
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
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Larkin RM. Recent progress on mechanisms that allocate cellular space to plastids. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 4:1167-1170. [PMID: 39431144 PMCID: PMC11489472 DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2022.09.004] [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: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms that allocate cellular space to organelles are of fundamental importance to biology but remain poorly understood. A detailed understanding of mechanisms that allocate cellular space to plastids, such as chloroplasts, will lead to high-yielding crops with enhanced nutritional value. The HIGH PIGMENT (HP) genes in tomato contribute to regulated proteolysis and abscisic acid metabolism. The HP1 gene was the first gene reported to influence the amount of cellular space occupied by chloroplasts and chromoplasts almost 20 years ago. Recently, our knowledge of mechanisms that allocate cellular space to plastids was enhanced by new information on the influence of cell type on the amount of cellular space occupied by plastids and the identification of new genes that help to allocate cellular space to plastids. These genes encode proteins with unknown and diverse biochemical functions. Several transcription factors were recently reported to regulate the numbers and sizes of chloroplasts in fleshy fruit. If these transcription factors do not induce compensating effects on cell size, they should affect the amount of cellular space occupied by plastids. Although we can now propose more detailed models for the network that allocates cellular space to plastids, many gaps remain in our knowledge of this network and the genes targeted by this network. Nonetheless, these recent breakthroughs provide optimism for future progress in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M. Larkin
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
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8
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Zheng M, Wang X, Luo J, Ma B, Li D, Chen X. The pleiotropic functions of GOLDEN2-LIKE transcription factors in plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1445875. [PMID: 39224848 PMCID: PMC11366661 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1445875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
The regulation of gene expression is crucial for biological plant growth and development, with transcription factors (TFs) serving as key switches in this regulatory mechanism. GOLDEN2-LIKE (GLK) TFs are a class of functionally partially redundant nuclear TFs belonging to the GARP superfamily of MYB TFs that play a key role in regulating genes related to photosynthesis and chloroplast biogenesis. Here, we summarized the current knowledge of the pleiotropic roles of GLKs in plants. In addition to their primary functions of controlling chloroplast biogenesis and function maintenance, GLKs have been proven to regulate the photomorphogenesis of seedlings, metabolite synthesis, flowering time, leaf senescence, and response to biotic and abiotic stress, ultimately contributing to crop yield. This review will provide a comprehensive understanding of the biological functions of GLKs and serve as a reference for future theoretical and applied studies of GLKs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyi Zheng
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
| | - Xinyu Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
| | - Jie Luo
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
| | - Bojun Ma
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
| | - Dayong Li
- National Engineering Research Center for Vegetables, Beijing Vegetable Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Beijing, China
| | - Xifeng Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
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9
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Hernández-Muñoz A, Agreda-Laguna KA, Ramírez-Bernabé IE, Oltehua-López O, Arteaga-Vázquez MA, Leon P. Marchantia polymorpha GOLDEN2-LIKE transcriptional factor; a central regulator of chloroplast and plant vegetative development. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 243:1406-1423. [PMID: 38922903 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The GOLDEN2-LIKE (GLK) transcription factors act as a central regulatory node involved in both developmental processes and environmental responses. Marchantia polymorpha, a basal terrestrial plant with strategic evolutionary position, contains a single GLK representative that possesses an additional domain compared to spermatophytes. We analyzed the role of MpGLK in chloroplast biogenesis and development by altering its levels, preforming transcriptomic profiling and conducting chromatin immunoprecipitation. Decreased MpGLK levels impair chloroplast differentiation and disrupt the expression of photosynthesis-associated nuclear genes, while overexpressing MpGLK leads to ectopic chloroplast biogenesis. This demonstrates the MpGLK functions as a bona fide GLK protein, likely representing an ancestral GLK architecture. Altering MpGLK levels directly regulates the expression of genes involved in Chl synthesis and degradation, similar to processes observed in eudicots, and causes various developmental defects in Marchantia, including the formation of dorsal structures such as air pores and gemma cups. MpGLK, also directly activates MpMAX2 gene expression, regulating the timing of gemma cup development. Our study shows that MpGLK functions as a master regulator, potentially coupling chloroplast development with vegetative reproduction. This illustrates the complex regulatory networks governing chloroplast function and plant development communication and highlight the evolutionary conservation of GLK-mediated regulatory processes across plant species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arihel Hernández-Muñoz
- Departamento de Biología Molecular de Plantas, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 2001, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos, 62210, Mexico
| | - Kenny Alejandra Agreda-Laguna
- Departamento de Biología Molecular de Plantas, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 2001, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos, 62210, Mexico
| | - Ignacio E Ramírez-Bernabé
- Departamento de Biología Molecular de Plantas, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 2001, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos, 62210, Mexico
| | - Omar Oltehua-López
- Departamento de Biología Molecular de Plantas, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 2001, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos, 62210, Mexico
| | - Mario A Arteaga-Vázquez
- Instituto de Biotecnología y Ecología Aplicada, Universidad Veracruzana, Avenida de las Culturas Veracruzanas 101, Col. Emiliano Zapata, Xalapa, Veracruz, 91090, Mexico
| | - Patricia Leon
- Departamento de Biología Molecular de Plantas, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 2001, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos, 62210, Mexico
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10
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Qu H, Liang S, Hu L, Yu L, Liang P, Hao Z, Peng Y, Yang J, Shi J, Chen J. Overexpression of Liriodendron Hybrid LhGLK1 in Arabidopsis Leads to Excessive Chlorophyll Synthesis and Improved Growth. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6968. [PMID: 39000074 PMCID: PMC11241243 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25136968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Chloroplasts is the site for photosynthesis, which is the main primary source of energy for plants. Golden2-like (GLK) is a key transcription factor that regulates chloroplast development and chlorophyll synthesis. However, most studies on GLK genes are performed in crops and model plants with less attention to woody plants. In this study, we identified the LhGLK1 and LhGLK2 genes in the woody plant Liriodendron hybrid, and they are specifically expressed in green tissues. We showed that overexpression of the LhGLK1 gene improves rosette leaf chlorophyll content and induces ectopic chlorophyll biogenesis in primary root and petal vascular tissue in Arabidopsis. Although these exhibit a late-flowering phenotype, transgenic lines accumulate more biomass in vegetative growth with improved photochemical quenching (qP) and efficiency of photosystem II. Taken together, we verified a conserved and ancient mechanism for regulating chloroplast biogenesis in Liriodendron hybrid and evaluated its effect on photosynthesis and rosette biomass accumulation in the model plant Arabidopsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoxian Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics & Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; (H.Q.); (S.L.); (L.H.); (L.Y.); (P.L.); (Z.H.)
| | - Shuang Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics & Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; (H.Q.); (S.L.); (L.H.); (L.Y.); (P.L.); (Z.H.)
| | - Lingfeng Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics & Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; (H.Q.); (S.L.); (L.H.); (L.Y.); (P.L.); (Z.H.)
| | - Long Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics & Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; (H.Q.); (S.L.); (L.H.); (L.Y.); (P.L.); (Z.H.)
| | - Pengxiang Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics & Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; (H.Q.); (S.L.); (L.H.); (L.Y.); (P.L.); (Z.H.)
| | - Zhaodong Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics & Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; (H.Q.); (S.L.); (L.H.); (L.Y.); (P.L.); (Z.H.)
| | - Ye Peng
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China;
| | - Jing Yang
- Advanced Analysis and Testing Center, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China;
| | - Jisen Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics & Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; (H.Q.); (S.L.); (L.H.); (L.Y.); (P.L.); (Z.H.)
| | - Jinhui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics & Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; (H.Q.); (S.L.); (L.H.); (L.Y.); (P.L.); (Z.H.)
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11
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Han Y, Li F, Wu Y, Wang D, Luo G, Wang X, Wang X, Kuang H, Larkin RM. PSEUDO-ETIOLATION IN LIGHT proteins reduce greening by binding GLK transcription factors. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 194:1722-1744. [PMID: 38051979 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Knocking out genes encoding proteins that downregulate the accumulation of pigments may lead to increases in crop quality and yield. PSEUDO-ETIOLATION IN LIGHT 1 (PEL1) downregulates the accumulation of carotenoids in carrot and chlorophyll in Arabidopsis and rice and may inhibit GOLDEN 2-LIKE (GLK) transcription factors. PEL1 belongs to a previously unstudied gene family found only in plants. We used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to knock out each member of the 4-member PEL gene family and both GLK genes in Arabidopsis. In pel mutants, chlorophyll levels were elevated in seedlings; after flowering, chloroplasts increased in size, and anthocyanin levels increased. Although the chlorophyll-deficient phenotype of glk1 glk2 was epistatic to pel1 pel2 pel3 pel4 in most of our experiments, glk1 glk2 was not epistatic to pel1 pel2 pel3 pel4 for the accumulation of anthocyanins in most of our experiments. The pel alleles attenuated growth, altered the accumulation of nutrients in seeds, disrupted an abscisic acid-inducible inhibition of seedling growth response that promotes drought tolerance, and affected the expression of genes associated with diverse biological functions, such as stress responses, cell wall metabolism hormone responses, signaling, growth, and the accumulation of phenylpropanoids and pigments. We found that PEL proteins specifically bind 6 transcription factors that influence the accumulation of anthocyanins, GLK2, and the carboxy termini of GLK1 and Arabidopsis thaliana myeloblastosis oncogene homolog 4 (AtMYB4). Our data indicate that the PEL proteins influence the accumulation of chlorophyll and many other processes, possibly by inhibiting GLK transcription factors and via other mechanisms, and that multiple mechanisms downregulate chlorophyll content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Han
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Fengfei Li
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Wu
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Dong Wang
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Guangbao Luo
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinning Wang
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Wang
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Hanhui Kuang
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Robert M Larkin
- National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
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12
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Wu C, Luo J, Xiao Y. Multi-omics assists genomic prediction of maize yield with machine learning approaches. MOLECULAR BREEDING : NEW STRATEGIES IN PLANT IMPROVEMENT 2024; 44:14. [PMID: 38343399 PMCID: PMC10853138 DOI: 10.1007/s11032-024-01454-z] [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: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
With the improvement of high-throughput technologies in recent years, large multi-dimensional plant omics data have been produced, and big-data-driven yield prediction research has received increasing attention. Machine learning offers promising computational and analytical solutions to interpret the biological meaning of large amounts of data in crops. In this study, we utilized multi-omics datasets from 156 maize recombinant inbred lines, containing 2496 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), 46 image traits (i-traits) from 16 developmental stages obtained through an automatic phenotyping platform, and 133 primary metabolites. Based on benchmark tests with different types of prediction models, some machine learning methods, such as Partial Least Squares (PLS), Random Forest (RF), and Gaussian process with Radial basis function kernel (GaussprRadial), achieved better prediction for maize yield, albeit slight difference for method preferences among i-traits, genomic, and metabolic data. We found that better yield prediction may be caused by various capabilities in ranking and filtering data features, which is found to be linked with biological meaning such as photosynthesis-related or kernel development-related regulations. Finally, by integrating multiple omics data with the RF machine learning approach, we can further improve the prediction accuracy of grain yield from 0.32 to 0.43. Our research provides new ideas for the application of plant omics data and artificial intelligence approaches to facilitate crop genetic improvements. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-024-01454-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengxiu Wu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070 China
| | - Jingyun Luo
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070 China
| | - Yingjie Xiao
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070 China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430070 China
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13
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Seo DH, Jang J, Park D, Yoon Y, Choi YD, Jang G. PEP-ASSOCIATED PROTEIN 3 regulates rice tiller formation and grain yield by controlling chloroplast biogenesis. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 194:805-818. [PMID: 37819034 PMCID: PMC10828210 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Plastid-encoded RNA polymerase (PEP) plays a pivotal role in chloroplast development by governing the transcription of chloroplast genes, and PEP-associated proteins (PAPs) modulate PEP transcriptional activity. Therefore, PAPs provide an intriguing target for those efforts to improve yield, by enhancing chloroplast development. In this study, we identified the rice (Oryza sativa) OsPAP3 gene and characterized its function in chloroplast development. OsPAP3 expression was light-dependent and leaf-specific, similar to the PEP-dependent chloroplast gene RUBISCO LARGE SUBUNIT (OsRbcL), and OsPAP3 protein localized to chloroplast nucleoids where PEP functions. Analysis of loss-of-function and gain-of-function mutants showed that the expression of OsPAP3 is tightly linked to chloroplast gene expression and chloroplast biogenesis in rice. Homozygous knockout mutants of OsPAP3 had fewer chloroplasts than wild type, whereas plants overexpressing OsPAP3 had more chloroplasts. Also, OsPAP3 knockout suppressed the PEP-dependent expression of chloroplast genes, but OsPAP3 overexpression increased their expression. These findings indicate that OsPAP3 regulates chloroplast biogenesis in rice by controlling the PEP-dependent expression of chloroplast genes. More importantly, data from 3 seasons of field cultivation revealed that the overexpression of OsPAP3 improves rice grain yield by approximately 25%, largely due to increased tiller formation. Collectively, these observations suggest that OsPAP3 regulates rice growth and productivity by promoting chloroplast development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deok Hyun Seo
- School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinwoo Jang
- School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Dongryeol Park
- School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngdae Yoon
- Department of Environmental Health Science, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Yang Do Choi
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Geupil Jang
- School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
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14
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Li X, Li J, Wei S, Gao Y, Pei H, Geng R, Lu Z, Wang P, Zhou W. Maize GOLDEN2-LIKE proteins enhance drought tolerance in rice by promoting stomatal closure. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 194:774-786. [PMID: 37850886 PMCID: PMC10828204 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Drought has become one of the most severe abiotic stresses experienced in agricultural production across the world. Plants respond to water deficit via stomatal movements in the leaves, which are mainly regulated by abscisic acid (ABA). A previous study from our lab showed that constitutive expression of maize (Zea mays L.) GOLDEN2-LIKE (GLK) transcription factors in rice (Oryza sativa L.) can improve stomatal conductance and plant photosynthetic capacity under field conditions. In the present study, we uncovered a function of ZmGLK regulation of stomatal movement in rice during drought stress. We found that elevated drought tolerance in rice plants overexpressing ZmGLK1 or GOLDEN2 (ZmG2) was conferred by rapid ABA-mediated stomatal closure. Comparative analysis of RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data from the rice leaves and DNA affinity purification sequencing (DAP-seq) results obtained in vitro revealed that ZmGLKs played roles in regulating ABA-related and stress-responsive pathways. Four upregulated genes closely functioning in abiotic stress tolerance with strong binding peaks in the DAP-seq data were identified as putative target genes of ZmGLK1 and ZmG2 in rice. These results demonstrated that maize GLKs play an important role in regulating stomatal movements to coordinate photosynthesis and stress tolerance. This trait is a valuable target for breeding drought-tolerant crop plants without compromising photosynthetic capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Li
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural
Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Jing Li
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural
Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Shaobo Wei
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural
Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Yuan Gao
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural
Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Hongcui Pei
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural
Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Rudan Geng
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural
Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Zefu Lu
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural
Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Peng Wang
- CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant
Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai
200032, China
| | - Wenbin Zhou
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural
Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
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15
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Tachibana R, Abe S, Marugami M, Yamagami A, Akema R, Ohashi T, Nishida K, Nosaki S, Miyakawa T, Tanokura M, Kim JM, Seki M, Inaba T, Matsui M, Ifuku K, Kushiro T, Asami T, Nakano T. BPG4 regulates chloroplast development and homeostasis by suppressing GLK transcription factors and involving light and brassinosteroid signaling. Nat Commun 2024; 15:370. [PMID: 38191552 PMCID: PMC10774444 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44492-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Chloroplast development adapts to the environment for performing suitable photosynthesis. Brassinosteroids (BRs), plant steroid hormones, have crucial effects on not only plant growth but also chloroplast development. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms of BR signaling in chloroplast development remain unclear. Here, we identify a regulator of chloroplast development, BPG4, involved in light and BR signaling. BPG4 interacts with GOLDEN2-LIKE (GLK) transcription factors that promote the expression of photosynthesis-associated nuclear genes (PhANGs), and suppresses their activities, thereby causing a decrease in the amounts of chlorophylls and the size of light-harvesting complexes. BPG4 expression is induced by BR deficiency and light, and is regulated by the circadian rhythm. BPG4 deficiency causes increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and damage to photosynthetic activity under excessive high-light conditions. Our findings suggest that BPG4 acts as a chloroplast homeostasis factor by fine-tuning the expression of PhANGs, optimizing chloroplast development, and avoiding ROS generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Tachibana
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Susumu Abe
- CSRS, RIKEN, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
- School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Tama-ku, Kawasaki, 214-8571, Japan
| | - Momo Marugami
- CSRS, RIKEN, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
- School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Tama-ku, Kawasaki, 214-8571, Japan
| | - Ayumi Yamagami
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Rino Akema
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Takao Ohashi
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Kaisei Nishida
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Shohei Nosaki
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Tsukuba University, 1-1-1 Tennoudai, Tsukuba-shi, 305-8572, Japan
| | - Takuya Miyakawa
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Masaru Tanokura
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
| | - Jong-Myong Kim
- CSRS, RIKEN, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
- Ac-Planta Inc., Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0044, Japan
| | - Motoaki Seki
- CSRS, RIKEN, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Takehito Inaba
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, 1-1 Gakuenkibanadai-nishi, Miyazaki, 889-2192, Japan
| | | | - Kentaro Ifuku
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Tetsuo Kushiro
- School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Tama-ku, Kawasaki, 214-8571, Japan
| | - Tadao Asami
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
| | - Takeshi Nakano
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan.
- CSRS, RIKEN, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan.
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16
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Wei Z, Zhang H, Fang M, Lin S, Zhu M, Li Y, Jiang L, Cui T, Cui Y, Kui H, Peng L, Gou X, Li J. The Dof transcription factor COG1 acts as a key regulator of plant biomass by promoting photosynthesis and starch accumulation. MOLECULAR PLANT 2023; 16:1759-1772. [PMID: 37742075 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2023.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthetic efficiency is the primary determinant of crop yield, including vegetative biomass and grain yield. Manipulation of key transcription factors known to directly control photosynthetic machinery can be an effective strategy to improve photosynthetic traits. In this study, we identified an Arabidopsis gain-of-function mutant, cogwheel1-3D, that shows a significantly enlarged rosette and increased biomass compared with wild-type plants. Overexpression of COG1, a Dof transcription factor, recapitulated the phenotype of cogwheel1-3D, whereas knocking out COG1 and its six paralogs resulted in a reduced rosette size and decreased biomass. Transcriptomic and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analyses demonstrated that COG1 and its paralogs were required for light-induced expression of genes involved in photosynthesis. Further chromatin immunoprecipitation and electrophoretic mobility shift assays indicated that COG1 can directly bind to the promoter regions of multiple genes encoding light-harvesting antenna proteins. Physiological, biochemical, and microscopy analyses revealed that COG1 enhances photosynthetic capacity and starch accumulation in Arabidopsis rosette leaves. Furthermore, combined results of bioinformatic, genetic, and molecular experiments suggested that the functions of COG1 in increasing biomass are conserved in different plant species. These results collectively demonstrated that COG1 acts as a key regulator of plant biomass by promoting photosynthesis and starch accumulation. Manipulating COG1 to optimize photosynthetic capacity would create new strategies for future crop yield improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuoyun Wei
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Gene Editing for Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Haoyong Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Meng Fang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Shuyuan Lin
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Mingsong Zhu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yuxiu Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Limin Jiang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Tianliang Cui
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yanwei Cui
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Gene Editing for Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Hong Kui
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Gene Editing for Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Liang Peng
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Gene Editing for Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xiaoping Gou
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Gene Editing for Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jia Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Gene Editing for Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Adaptation and Molecular Design, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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17
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Sierra J, Escobar-Tovar L, Leon P. Plastids: diving into their diversity, their functions, and their role in plant development. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:2508-2526. [PMID: 36738278 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Plastids are a group of essential, heterogenous semi-autonomous organelles characteristic of plants that perform photosynthesis and a diversity of metabolic pathways that impact growth and development. Plastids are remarkably dynamic and can interconvert in response to specific developmental and environmental cues, functioning as a central metabolic hub in plant cells. By far the best studied plastid is the chloroplast, but in recent years the combination of modern techniques and genetic analyses has expanded our current understanding of plastid morphological and functional diversity in both model and non-model plants. These studies have provided evidence of an unexpected diversity of plastid subtypes with specific characteristics. In this review, we describe recent findings that provide insights into the characteristics of these specialized plastids and their functions. We concentrate on the emerging evidence that supports the model that signals derived from particular plastid types play pivotal roles in plant development, environmental, and defense responses. Furthermore, we provide examples of how new technologies are illuminating the functions of these specialized plastids and the overall complexity of their differentiation processes. Finally, we discuss future research directions such as the use of ectopic plastid differentiation as a valuable tool to characterize factors involved in plastid differentiation. Collectively, we highlight important advances in the field that can also impact future agricultural and biotechnological improvement in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Sierra
- Departamento de Biología Molecular de Plantas, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca 62210, México
| | - Lina Escobar-Tovar
- Departamento de Biología Molecular de Plantas, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca 62210, México
| | - Patricia Leon
- Departamento de Biología Molecular de Plantas, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca 62210, México
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18
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Recent developments in the engineering of Rubisco activase for enhanced crop yield. Biochem Soc Trans 2023; 51:627-637. [PMID: 36929563 DOI: 10.1042/bst20221281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Rubisco activase (RCA) catalyzes the release of inhibitory sugar phosphates from ribulose-1,6-biphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) and can play an important role in biochemical limitations of photosynthesis under dynamic light and elevated temperatures. There is interest in increasing RCA activity to improve crop productivity, but a lack of understanding about the regulation of photosynthesis complicates engineering strategies. In this review, we discuss work relevant to improving RCA with a focus on advances in understanding the structural cause of RCA instability under heat stress and the regulatory interactions between RCA and components of photosynthesis. This reveals substantial variation in RCA thermostability that can be influenced by single amino acid substitutions, and that engineered variants can perform better in vitro and in vivo under heat stress. In addition, there are indications RCA activity is controlled by transcriptional, post-transcriptional, post-translational, and spatial regulation, which may be important for balancing between carbon fixation and light capture. Finally, we provide an overview of findings from recent field experiments and consider the requirements for commercial validation as part of efforts to increase crop yields in the face of global climate change.
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19
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Luo W, Tan J, Li T, Feng Z, Ding Z, Xie X, Chen Y, Chen L, Liu YG, Zhu Q, Guo J. Overexpression of maize GOLDEN2 in rice and maize calli improves regeneration by activating chloroplast development. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2023; 66:340-349. [PMID: 35982378 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-022-2149-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Golden2 (G2), a member of the GARP transcription factor superfamily, regulates several biological processes and phytohormone signaling pathways in plants. In this study, we used a rice codon-optimized maize G2 gene (rZmG2) to improve the regeneration efficiency of rice and maize calli for genetic transformation. We isolated a promoter driving strong and callus-specific expression from rice to drive rZmG2 transcription from a transgene after transformation of two indica and two japonica rice cultivars. The resulting rZmG2 transgenic calli turned green in advance at the differentiation stage, thus significantly raising the regeneration rates of the transgenic indica and japonica rice plants relative to control transformations. Similar effect of this gene on improving maize transformation was also observed. Transcriptome sequencing and RT-qPCR analyses showed that many rice genes related to chloroplast development and phytohormones are upregulated in rZmG2-transgenic calli. These results demonstrate that rZmG2 can promote embryogenic callus differentiation and improve regeneration efficiency by activating chloroplast development and phytohormone pathways. We also established a heat-inducible Cre/loxP-based gene-excision system to remove rZmG2 and the antibiotic selectable gene after obtaining the transgenic plants. This study provides a useful tool for functional genomics work and biotechnology in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanni Luo
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, SCAU, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Jiantao Tan
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, SCAU, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Tie Li
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, SCAU, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Ziting Feng
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, SCAU, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Zhi Ding
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, SCAU, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Xianrong Xie
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, SCAU, Guangzhou, 510642, China.,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Yuanling Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, SCAU, Guangzhou, 510642, China.,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Letian Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, SCAU, Guangzhou, 510642, China.,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Yao-Guang Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, SCAU, Guangzhou, 510642, China.,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Qinlong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, SCAU, Guangzhou, 510642, China. .,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
| | - Jinxing Guo
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, SCAU, Guangzhou, 510642, China. .,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
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20
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Leister D. Enhancing the light reactions of photosynthesis: Strategies, controversies, and perspectives. MOLECULAR PLANT 2023; 16:4-22. [PMID: 35996755 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2022.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthesis is central to life on Earth, employing sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to produce chemical energy and oxygen. It is generally accepted that boosting its efficiency offers one promising way to increase crop yields under agronomically realistic conditions. Since the components, structure, and regulatory mechanisms of the light reactions of photosynthesis are well understood, concepts for enhancing the process have been suggested and partially tested. These approaches vary in complexity, from targeting single components to comprehensive redesign of the whole process on the scales from single cells or tissues to whole canopies. Attempts to enhance light utilization per leaf, by decreasing pigmentation, increasing levels of photosynthetic proteins, prolonging the lifespan of the photosynthetic machinery, or massive reconfiguration of the photosynthetic machinery and the incorporation of nanomaterials, are discussed in this review first. Secondly, strategies intended to optimize the acclimation of photosynthesis to changes in the environment are presented, including redesigning mechanisms to dissipate excess excitation energy (e.g., non-photochemical quenching) or reduction power (e.g., flavodiiron proteins). Moreover, schemes for improving acclimation, inspired by natural or laboratory-induced adaptation, are introduced. However, all these endeavors are still in an early exploratory phase and/or have not resulted in the desired outcome, largely because photosynthesis is embedded within large networks of closely interacting cellular and metabolic processes, which can vary among species and even cultivars. This explains why integrated, systems-wide approaches are required to achieve the breakthroughs required for effectively increasing crop yields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Leister
- Plant Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Martinsried-Planegg, D-82152 Munich, Germany.
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21
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Rosado-Souza L, Yokoyama R, Sonnewald U, Fernie AR. Understanding source-sink interactions: Progress in model plants and translational research to crops. MOLECULAR PLANT 2023; 16:96-121. [PMID: 36447435 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2022.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Agriculture is facing a massive increase in demand per hectare as a result of an ever-expanding population and environmental deterioration. While we have learned much about how environmental conditions and diseases impact crop yield, until recently considerably less was known concerning endogenous factors, including within-plant nutrient allocation. In this review, we discuss studies of source-sink interactions covering both fundamental research in model systems under controlled growth conditions and how the findings are being translated to crop plants in the field. In this respect we detail efforts aimed at improving and/or combining C3, C4, and CAM modes of photosynthesis, altering the chloroplastic electron transport chain, modulating photorespiration, adopting bacterial/algal carbon-concentrating mechanisms, and enhancing nitrogen- and water-use efficiencies. Moreover, we discuss how modulating TCA cycle activities and primary metabolism can result in increased rates of photosynthesis and outline the opportunities that evaluating natural variation in photosynthesis may afford. Although source, transport, and sink functions are all covered in this review, we focus on discussing source functions because the majority of research has been conducted in this field. Nevertheless, considerable recent evidence, alongside the evidence from classical studies, demonstrates that both transport and sink functions are also incredibly important determinants of yield. We thus describe recent evidence supporting this notion and suggest that future strategies for yield improvement should focus on combining improvements in each of these steps to approach yield optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laise Rosado-Souza
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany.
| | - Ryo Yokoyama
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Uwe Sonnewald
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Staudtstrasse 5, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Alisdair R Fernie
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany.
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22
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An G, Qi Y, Zhang W, Gao H, Qian J, Larkin RM, Chen J, Kuang H. LsNRL4 enhances photosynthesis and decreases leaf angles in lettuce. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2022; 20:1956-1967. [PMID: 35748307 PMCID: PMC9491448 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is one of the most important vegetables worldwide and an ideal plant for producing protein drugs. Both well-functioning chloroplasts that perform robust photosynthesis and small leaf angles that enable dense planting are essential for high yields. In this study, we used an F2 population derived from a cross between a lettuce cultivar with pale-green leaves and large leaf angles to a cultivar with dark-green leaves and small leaf angles to clone LsNRL4, which encodes an NPH3/RPT2-Like (NRL) protein. Unlike other NRL proteins in lettuce, the LsNRL4 lacks the BTB domain. Knockout mutants engineered using CRISPR/Cas9 and transgenic lines overexpressing LsNRL4 verified that LsNRL4 contributes to chloroplast development, photosynthesis and leaf angle. The LsNRL4 gene was not present in the parent with pale-green leaves and enlarged leaf angles. Loss of LsNRL4 results in the enlargement of chloroplasts, decreases in the amount of cellular space allocated to chloroplasts and defects in secondary cell wall biosynthesis in lamina joints. Overexpressing LsNRL4 significantly improved photosynthesis and decreased leaf angles. Indeed, the plant architecture of the overexpressing lines is ideal for dense planting. In summary, we identified a novel NRL gene that enhances photosynthesis and influences plant architecture. Our study provides new approaches for the breeding of lettuce that can be grown in dense planting in the open field or in modern plant factories. LsNRL4 homologues may also be used in other crops to increase photosynthesis and improve plant architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanghui An
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology & Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Yetong Qi
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology & Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Weiyi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology & Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Hairong Gao
- Biomass & Bioenergy Research CentreHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Jinlong Qian
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology & Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Robert M. Larkin
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology & Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Jiongjiong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology & Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Hanhui Kuang
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology & Hubei Hongshan LaboratoryHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
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23
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Zheng Y, Lv GB, Chen K, Yu Q, Niu B, Jiang J, Liu G. Impact of PaGLK transgenic poplar on microbial community and soil enzyme activity in rhizosphere soil. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:965209. [PMID: 35942008 PMCID: PMC9355801 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.965209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhizosphere microorganisms are essential parts in maintaining soil ecological functions. Reforestation using genetically modified trees might have great potential to enhance tree production in biotic and abiotic stress, however, their long-term impact on rhizosphere microorganisms is scant. In this study, we studied soil enzyme activities and composition of rhizosphere microorganisms in 2-year-old transgenic PaGLK overexpression (OE), repressed expression (RE) and wild-type (WT) poplar (P. alba × P.berlinensis). The root exudates of PaGLK transgenic poplar (P.alba × P. berlinensis) were analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The results showed that there were significant difference for soil sucrase, urease, catalase, neutral protease and cellulase between the transgenic and WT lines at different growth periods. Alpha diversity analysis showed that bacterial community abundance and diversity for RE lines were significantly lower than WT (p < 0.05), while RE lines for fungi were significantly higher than WT lines. At the genus level, Burkholderia was the dominant group of rhizosphere bacterial community, and the relative abundance for RE was significantly higher than WT. Tomentella was the dominant group for fungi community. Serendipita for RE was significantly higher than WT and OE. Main metabolite contents of (S)-ACPA, geniposidic acid, agnuside, hydroquinone and pyranocoumarins were significantly different among transgenic lines. These results suggest that transgenic activities have effects on root exudates, rhizosphere soil enzyme activities and soil microbial community composition, but long term effects need to be further investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding (Northeast Forestry University), Haerbin, HL, China
| | - Guan Bin Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding (Northeast Forestry University), Haerbin, HL, China
| | - Kun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding (Northeast Forestry University), Haerbin, HL, China
| | - Qibin Yu
- Citrus Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Lake Alfred, FL, United States
| | - Ben Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding (Northeast Forestry University), Haerbin, HL, China
| | - Jing Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding (Northeast Forestry University), Haerbin, HL, China
| | - Guifeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding (Northeast Forestry University), Haerbin, HL, China
- *Correspondence: Guifeng Liu,
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24
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Fujii S, Kobayashi K, Lin YC, Liu YC, Nakamura Y, Wada H. Impacts of phosphatidylglycerol on plastid gene expression and light induction of nuclear photosynthetic genes. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2022; 73:2952-2970. [PMID: 35560187 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Phosphatidylglycerol (PG) is the only major phospholipid in the thylakoid membrane of chloroplasts. PG is essential for photosynthesis, and loss of PG in Arabidopsis thaliana results in severe defects of growth and chloroplast development, with decreased chlorophyll accumulation, impaired thylakoid formation, and down-regulation of photosynthesis-associated genes encoded in nuclear and plastid genomes. However, how the absence of PG affects gene expression and plant growth remains unclear. To elucidate this mechanism, we investigated transcriptional profiles of a PG-deficient Arabidopsis mutant pgp1-2 under various light conditions. Microarray analysis demonstrated that reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive genes were up-regulated in pgp1-2. However, ROS production was not enhanced in the mutant even under strong light, indicating limited impacts of photooxidative stress on the defects of pgp1-2. Illumination to dark-adapted pgp1-2 triggered down-regulation of photosynthesis-associated nuclear-encoded genes (PhANGs), while plastid-encoded genes were constantly suppressed. Overexpression of GOLDEN2-LIKE1 (GLK1), a transcription factor gene regulating chloroplast development, in pgp1-2 up-regulated PhANGs but not plastid-encoded genes along with chlorophyll accumulation. Our data suggest a broad impact of PG biosynthesis on nuclear-encoded genes partially via GLK1 and a specific involvement of this lipid in plastid gene expression and plant development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sho Fujii
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Botany, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kita-Shirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Koichi Kobayashi
- Department of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka Prefecture University, 1-1 Gakuencho, Naka-ku, Sakai, Osaka, Japan
- Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, 1-1 Gakuencho, Naka-ku, Sakai, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ying-Chen Lin
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chi Liu
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yuki Nakamura
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS), Yokohama, Japan
| | - Hajime Wada
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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25
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El-Sappah AH, Rather SA, Wani SH, Elrys AS, Bilal M, Huang Q, Dar ZA, Elashtokhy MMA, Soaud N, Koul M, Mir RR, Yan K, Li J, El-Tarabily KA, Abbas M. Heat Stress-Mediated Constraints in Maize ( Zea mays) Production: Challenges and Solutions. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:879366. [PMID: 35615131 PMCID: PMC9125997 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.879366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
An increase in temperature and extreme heat stress is responsible for the global reduction in maize yield. Heat stress affects the integrity of the plasma membrane functioning of mitochondria and chloroplast, which further results in the over-accumulation of reactive oxygen species. The activation of a signal cascade subsequently induces the transcription of heat shock proteins. The denaturation and accumulation of misfolded or unfolded proteins generate cell toxicity, leading to death. Therefore, developing maize cultivars with significant heat tolerance is urgently required. Despite the explored molecular mechanism underlying heat stress response in some plant species, the precise genetic engineering of maize is required to develop high heat-tolerant varieties. Several agronomic management practices, such as soil and nutrient management, plantation rate, timing, crop rotation, and irrigation, are beneficial along with the advanced molecular strategies to counter the elevated heat stress experienced by maize. This review summarizes heat stress sensing, induction of signaling cascade, symptoms, heat stress-related genes, the molecular feature of maize response, and approaches used in developing heat-tolerant maize varieties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed H. El-Sappah
- School of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Engineering, Yibin University, Yibin, China
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
- Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province for Refining Sichuan Tea, Yibin, China
| | - Shabir A. Rather
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, China
| | - Shabir Hussain Wani
- Mountain Research Centre for Field Crops Khudwani Anantnag, SKUAST–Kashmir, Srinagar, India
| | - Ahmed S. Elrys
- Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Muhammad Bilal
- School of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huaian, China
| | - Qiulan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province for Refining Sichuan Tea, Yibin, China
- College of Tea Science, Yibin University, Yibin, China
| | - Zahoor Ahmad Dar
- Dryland Agriculture Research Station, SKUAST–Kashmir, Srinagar, India
| | | | - Nourhan Soaud
- Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Monika Koul
- Department of Botany, Hansraj College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Reyazul Rouf Mir
- Division of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture (FoA), SKUAST–Kashmir, Sopore, India
| | - Kuan Yan
- School of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Engineering, Yibin University, Yibin, China
- Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province for Refining Sichuan Tea, Yibin, China
| | - Jia Li
- School of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Engineering, Yibin University, Yibin, China
- Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province for Refining Sichuan Tea, Yibin, China
| | - Khaled A. El-Tarabily
- Department of Biology, College of Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
- Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
| | - Manzar Abbas
- School of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Engineering, Yibin University, Yibin, China
- Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province for Refining Sichuan Tea, Yibin, China
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