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Miao Y, You H, Liu H, Zhao Y, Zhao J, Li Y, Shen Y, Tang D, Liu B, Zhang K, Cheng Z. RETINOBLASTOMA RELATED 1 switches mitosis to meiosis in rice. PLANT COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 5:100857. [PMID: 38433446 DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2024.100857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
The transition from mitosis to meiosis is a critical event in the reproductive development of all sexually reproducing species. However, the mechanisms that regulate this process in plants remain largely unknown. Here, we find that the rice (Oryza sativa L.) protein RETINOBLASTOMA RELATED 1 (RBR1) is essential to the transition from mitosis to meiosis. Loss of RBR1 function results in hyper-proliferative sporogenous-cell-like cells (SCLs) in the anther locules during early stages of reproductive development. These hyper-proliferative SCLs are unable to initiate meiosis, eventually stagnating and degrading at late developmental stages to form pollen-free anthers. These results suggest that RBR1 acts as a gatekeeper of entry into meiosis. Furthermore, cytokinin content is significantly increased in rbr1 mutants, whereas the expression of type-B response factors, particularly LEPTO1, is significantly reduced. Given the known close association of cytokinins with cell proliferation, these findings imply that hyper-proliferative germ cells in the anther locules may be attributed to elevated cytokinin concentrations and disruptions in the cytokinin pathway. Using a genetic strategy, the association between germ cell hyper-proliferation and disturbed cytokinin signaling in rbr1 has been confirmed. In summary, we reveal a unique role of RBR1 in the initiation of meiosis; our results clearly demonstrate that the RBR1 regulatory module is connected to the cytokinin signaling pathway and switches mitosis to meiosis in rice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjie Miao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Adaptation and Molecular Design, Innovative Center of Molecular Genetics and Evolution, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory/Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Agricultural College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Hanli You
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory/Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Agricultural College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Huixin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yangzi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Jiangzhe Zhao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology on Specialty Economic Plants, Department of Biology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Yafei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yi Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Ding Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Baohui Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Adaptation and Molecular Design, Innovative Center of Molecular Genetics and Evolution, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Kewei Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology on Specialty Economic Plants, Department of Biology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China.
| | - Zhukuan Cheng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory/Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Agricultural College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
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2
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Prusén Mota I, Galova M, Schleiffer A, Nguyen TT, Kovacikova I, Farias Saad C, Litos G, Nishiyama T, Gregan J, Peters JM, Schlögelhofer P. Sororin is an evolutionary conserved antagonist of WAPL. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4729. [PMID: 38830897 PMCID: PMC11148194 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49178-0] [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: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Cohesin mediates sister chromatid cohesion to enable chromosome segregation and DNA damage repair. To perform these functions, cohesin needs to be protected from WAPL, which otherwise releases cohesin from DNA. It has been proposed that cohesin is protected from WAPL by SORORIN. However, in vivo evidence for this antagonism is missing and SORORIN is only known to exist in vertebrates and insects. It is therefore unknown how important and widespread SORORIN's functions are. Here we report the identification of SORORIN orthologs in Schizosaccharomyces pombe (Sor1) and Arabidopsis thaliana (AtSORORIN). sor1Δ mutants display cohesion defects, which are partially alleviated by wpl1Δ. Atsororin mutant plants display dwarfism, tissue specific cohesion defects and chromosome mis-segregation. Furthermore, Atsororin mutant plants are sterile and separate sister chromatids prematurely at anaphase I. The somatic, but not the meiotic deficiencies can be alleviated by loss of WAPL. These results provide in vivo evidence for SORORIN antagonizing WAPL, reveal that SORORIN is present in organisms beyond the animal kingdom and indicate that it has acquired tissue specific functions in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Prusén Mota
- Max Perutz Labs, Vienna Biocenter Campus (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- University of Vienna, Center for Molecular Biology, Department of Chromosome Biology, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Biocenter PhD Program, a Doctoral School of the University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marta Galova
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexander Schleiffer
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Tan-Trung Nguyen
- Max Perutz Labs, Vienna Biocenter Campus (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- University of Vienna, Center for Molecular Biology, Department of Chromosome Biology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ines Kovacikova
- University of Vienna, Center for Molecular Biology, Department of Chromosome Biology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Carolina Farias Saad
- Max Perutz Labs, Vienna Biocenter Campus (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- University of Vienna, Center for Molecular Biology, Department of Chromosome Biology, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Biocenter PhD Program, a Doctoral School of the University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gabriele Litos
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Tomoko Nishiyama
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Juraj Gregan
- University of Vienna, Center for Molecular Biology, Department of Chromosome Biology, Vienna, Austria.
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Microbial Genetics, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Tulln an der Donau, Austria.
| | - Jan-Michael Peters
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria.
| | - Peter Schlögelhofer
- Max Perutz Labs, Vienna Biocenter Campus (VBC), Vienna, Austria.
- University of Vienna, Center for Molecular Biology, Department of Chromosome Biology, Vienna, Austria.
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Ou Y, Li H, Li J, Dai X, He J, Wang S, Liu Q, Yang C, Wang J, Zhao R, Yin Z, Shu Y, Liu S. Formation of Different Polyploids Through Disrupting Meiotic Crossover Frequencies Based on cntd1 Knockout in Zebrafish. Mol Biol Evol 2024; 41:msae047. [PMID: 38421617 PMCID: PMC10939445 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msae047] [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: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Polyploidy, a significant catalyst for speciation and evolutionary processes in both plant and animal kingdoms, has been recognized for a long time. However, the exact molecular mechanism that leads to polyploid formation, especially in vertebrates, is not fully understood. Our study aimed to elucidate this phenomenon using the zebrafish model. We successfully achieved an effective knockout of the cyclin N-terminal domain containing 1 (cntd1) using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. This resulted in impaired formation of meiotic crossovers, leading to cell-cycle arrest during meiotic metaphase and triggering apoptosis of spermatocytes in the testes. Despite these defects, the mutant (cntd1-/-) males were still able to produce a limited amount of sperm with normal ploidy and function. Interestingly, in the mutant females, it was the ploidy not the capacity of egg production that was altered. This resulted in the production of haploid, aneuploid, and unreduced gametes. This alteration enabled us to successfully obtain triploid and tetraploid zebrafish from cntd1-/- and cntd1-/-/- females, respectively. Furthermore, the tetraploid-heterozygous zebrafish produced reduced-diploid gametes and yielded all-triploid or all-tetraploid offspring when crossed with wild-type (WT) or tetraploid zebrafish, respectively. Collectively, our findings provide direct evidence supporting the crucial role of meiotic crossover defects in the process of polyploidization. This is particularly evident in the generation of unreduced eggs in fish and, potentially, other vertebrate species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Ou
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
- College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Huilin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
- College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Juan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
- College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Xiangyan Dai
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Jiaxin He
- Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China
| | - Shi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
- College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Qingfeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
- College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Conghui Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
- College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
- College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Rurong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
- College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Zhan Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China
| | - Yuqin Shu
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
- College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Shaojun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
- College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
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Mahlandt A, Singh DK, Mercier R. Engineering apomixis in crops. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2023; 136:131. [PMID: 37199785 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-023-04357-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Apomixis is an asexual mode of reproduction through seeds where progeny are clones of the mother plants. Naturally apomictic modes of reproduction are found in hundreds of plant genera distributed across more than 30 plant families, but are absent in major crop plants. Apomixis has the potential to be a breakthrough technology by allowing the propagation through seed of any genotype, including F1 hybrids. Here, we have summarized the recent progress toward synthetic apomixis, where combining targeted modifications of both the meiosis and fertilization processes leads to the production of clonal seeds at high frequencies. Despite some remaining challenges, the technology has approached a level of maturity that allows its consideration for application in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Mahlandt
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, Cologne, Germany
| | - Dipesh Kumar Singh
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, Cologne, Germany
| | - Raphael Mercier
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, Cologne, Germany.
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5
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Somashekar H, Nonomura KI. Genetic Regulation of Mitosis-Meiosis Fate Decision in Plants: Is Callose an Oversighted Polysaccharide in These Processes? PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:1936. [PMID: 37653853 PMCID: PMC10223186 DOI: 10.3390/plants12101936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Timely progression of the meiotic cell cycle and synchronized establishment of male meiosis in anthers are key to ascertaining plant fertility. With the discovery of novel regulators of the plant cell cycle, the mechanisms underlying meiosis initiation and progression appear to be more complex than previously thought, requiring the conjunctive action of cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases, transcription factors, protein-protein interactions, and several signaling components. Broadly, cell cycle regulators can be classified into two categories in plants based on the nature of their mutational effects: (1) those that completely arrest cell cycle progression; and (2) those that affect the timing (delay or accelerate) or synchrony of cell cycle progression but somehow complete the division process. Especially the latter effects reflect evasion or obstruction of major steps in the meiosis but have sometimes been overlooked due to their subtle phenotypes. In addition to meiotic regulators, very few signaling compounds have been discovered in plants to date. In this review, we discuss the current state of knowledge about genetic mechanisms to enter the meiotic processes, referred to as the mitosis-meiosis fate decision, as well as the importance of callose (β-1,3 glucan), which has been unsung for a long time in male meiosis in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harsha Somashekar
- Plant Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Gene Function and Phenomics, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima 411-8540, Japan;
- Department of Genetics, School of Life Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Mishima 411-8540, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichi Nonomura
- Plant Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Gene Function and Phenomics, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima 411-8540, Japan;
- Department of Genetics, School of Life Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Mishima 411-8540, Japan
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6
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Cornaro L, Banfi C, Cucinotta M, Colombo L, van Dijk PJ. Asexual reproduction through seeds: the complex case of diplosporous apomixis. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:2462-2478. [PMID: 36794770 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Apomixis is considered a potentially revolutionary tool to generate high-quality food at a lower cost and shorter developmental time due to clonal seed production through apomeiosis and parthenogenesis. In the diplosporous type of apomixis, meiotic recombination and reduction are circumvented either by avoiding or failing meiosis or by a mitotic-like division. Here, we review the literature on diplospory, from early cytological studies dating back to the late 19th century to recent genetic findings. We discuss diplosporous developmental mechanisms, including their inheritance. Furthermore, we compare the strategies adopted to isolate the genes controlling diplospory with those to produce mutants forming unreduced gametes. Nowadays, the dramatically improved technologies of long-read sequencing and targeted CRISPR/Cas mutagenesis justify the expectation that natural diplospory genes will soon be identified. Their identification will answer questions such as how the apomictic phenotype can be superimposed upon the sexual pathway and how diplospory genes have evolved. This knowledge will contribute to the application of apomixis in agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letizia Cornaro
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Via Giovanni Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Camilla Banfi
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Via Giovanni Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Mara Cucinotta
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Via Giovanni Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Lucia Colombo
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Via Giovanni Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Peter J van Dijk
- KeyGene N.V., Agro Business Park 90, 6708 PW Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Liu DD, Wang DR, Yang XY, Zhao CH, Li SH, Sha GL, Zhang RF, Ge HJ, Tong XS, You CX. Apomictic Malus plants exhibit abnormal pollen development. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1065032. [PMID: 36890893 PMCID: PMC9986266 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1065032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Apomixis is the asexual reproduction through seeds that leads to the production of genetically uniform progeny. It has become an important tool in plant breeding because it facilitates the retention of genotypes with desirable traits and allows seeds to be obtained directly from mother plants. Apomixis is rare in most economically important crops, but it occurs in some Malus species. Here, the apomictic characteristics of Malus were examined using four apomictic and two sexually reproducing Malus plants. Results from transcriptome analysis showed that plant hormone signal transduction was the main factor affecting apomictic reproductive development. Four of the apomictic Malus plants examined were triploid, and pollen was either absent or present in very low densities in the stamen. Variation in the presence of pollen was associated with variation in the apomictic percentage; specifically, pollen was absent in the stamens of tea crabapple plants with the highest apomictic percentage. Furthermore, pollen mother cells failed to progress normally into meiosis and pollen mitosis, a trait mostly observed in apomictic Malus plants. The expression levels of meiosis-related genes were upregulated in apomictic plants. Our findings indicate that our simple method of detecting pollen abortion could be used to identify apple plants that are capable of apomictic reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Dan Liu
- College of Agriculture, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Da-Ru Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, National Research Center for Apple Engineering and Technology, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai-An, Shandong, China
| | - Xuan-Yu Yang
- College of Agriculture, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Chang-Hui Zhao
- College of Agriculture, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Shao-Hua Li
- College of Agriculture, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Guang-Li Sha
- Qingdao Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Rui-Fen Zhang
- Qingdao Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Hong-Juan Ge
- Qingdao Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Xian-Song Tong
- Fu-ning Popularizing Agricultural Techniques Center, Fu-ning, Yunnan, China
| | - Chun-Xiang You
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, National Research Center for Apple Engineering and Technology, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai-An, Shandong, China
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8
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Underwood CJ, Mercier R. Engineering Apomixis: Clonal Seeds Approaching the Fields. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 73:201-225. [PMID: 35138881 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-arplant-102720-013958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Apomixis is a form of reproduction leading to clonal seeds and offspring that are genetically identical to the maternal plant. While apomixis naturally occurs in hundreds of plant species distributed across diverse plant families, it is absent in major crop species. Apomixis has a revolutionary potential in plant breeding, as it could allow the instant fixation and propagation though seeds of any plant genotype, most notably F1 hybrids. Mastering and implementing apomixis would reduce the cost of hybrid seed production, facilitate new types of hybrid breeding, and make it possible to harness hybrid vigor in crops that are not presently cultivated as hybrids. Synthetic apomixis can be engineered by combining modifications of meiosis and fertilization. Here, we review the current knowledge and recent major achievements toward the development of efficient apomictic systems usable in agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles J Underwood
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany; ,
| | - Raphael Mercier
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany; ,
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Lin YN, Jiang CK, Cheng ZK, Wang DH, Shen LP, Xu C, Xu ZH, Bai SN. Rice Cell Division Cycle 20s are required for faithful chromosome segregation and cytokinesis during meiosis. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 188:1111-1128. [PMID: 34865119 PMCID: PMC8825277 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiab543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Chromosome segregation must be under strict regulation to maintain chromosome euploidy and stability. Cell Division Cycle 20 (CDC20) is an essential cell cycle regulator that promotes the metaphase-to-anaphase transition and functions in the spindle assembly checkpoint, a surveillance pathway that ensures the fidelity of chromosome segregation. Plant CDC20 genes are present in multiple copies, and whether CDC20s have the same functions in plants as in yeast and animals is unclear, given the potential for divergence or redundancy among the multiple copies. Here, we studied all three CDC20 genes in rice (Oryza sativa) and constructed two triple mutants by clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9-mediated genome editing to explore their roles in development. Knocking out all three CDC20 genes led to total sterility but did not affect vegetative development. Loss of the three CDC20 proteins did not alter mitotic division but severely disrupted meiosis as a result of asynchronous and unequal chromosome segregation, chromosome lagging, and premature separation of chromatids. Immunofluorescence of tubulin revealed malformed meiotic spindles in microsporocytes of the triple mutants. Furthermore, cytokinesis of meiosis I was absent or abnormal, and cytokinesis II was completely prevented in all mutant microsporocytes; thus, no tetrads or pollen formed in either cdc20 triple mutant. Finally, the subcellular structures and functions of the tapetum were disturbed by the lack of CDC20 proteins. These findings demonstrate that the three rice CDC20s play redundant roles but are indispensable for faithful meiotic chromosome segregation and cytokinesis, which are required for the production of fertile microspores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Nan Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Beijing 100871, China
- College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Chen-Kun Jiang
- College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Zhu-Kuan Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Dong-Hui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Beijing 100871, China
- College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- National Teaching Center for Experimental Biology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Li-Ping Shen
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Cong Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Beijing 100871, China
- College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Zhi-Hong Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Beijing 100871, China
- College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Shu-Nong Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Beijing 100871, China
- College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Author for communication:
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Bondada R, Kulaar DS, Siddiqi I, Maruthachalam R. Cantil - a new organ or a morphological oddity? THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 232:1904-1908. [PMID: 34537960 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Cantil is reported as a new-found organ specific to the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana that is prominent only in short-day-grown wild-type accessions or long-day-grown genetic mutants with delayed vegetative to reproductive transition. Here, we show that cantils (previously known as nubbins) arise as one of the many phenotypic consequences of aneuploidy resulting from chromosome dosage imbalances in Arabidopsis polyaneuploids despite normal reproductive transition in long-day photoperiods. Without a demonstrated function or adaptive significance, we view cantils as a morphological oddity rather than a separate organ, and as a manifestation of physiological perturbations triggered by genetic and environmental factors. We also note a striking phenotypic resemblance between 'cantil' and 'gynophore', a floral morphological structure that is naturally present in the allopolyploid Arabidopsis suecica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh Bondada
- School of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram (IISER TVM), Maruthamala PO, Vithura, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695551, India
| | - Dilsher Singh Kulaar
- School of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram (IISER TVM), Maruthamala PO, Vithura, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695551, India
| | - Imran Siddiqi
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Habsiguda, Uppal Road, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500007, India
| | - Ravi Maruthachalam
- School of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram (IISER TVM), Maruthamala PO, Vithura, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695551, India
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11
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Cao L, Wang S, Zhao L, Qin Y, Wang H, Cheng Y. The Inactivation of Arabidopsis UBC22 Results in Abnormal Chromosome Segregation in Female Meiosis, but Not in Male Meiosis. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:plants10112418. [PMID: 34834780 PMCID: PMC8625819 DOI: 10.3390/plants10112418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Protein ubiquitination is important for the regulation of meiosis in eukaryotes, including plants. However, little is known about the involvement of E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes in plant meiosis. Arabidopsis UBC22 is a unique E2 enzyme, able to catalyze the formation of ubiquitin dimers through lysine 11 (K11). Previous work has shown that ubc22 mutants are defective in megasporogenesis, with most ovules having no or abnormally functioning megaspores; furthermore, some mutant plants show distinct phenotypes in vegetative growth. In this study, we showed that chromosome segregation and callose deposition were abnormal in mutant female meiosis while male meiosis was not affected. The meiotic recombinase DMC1, required for homologous chromosome recombination, showed a dispersed distribution in mutant female meiocytes compared to the presence of strong foci in WT female meiocytes. Based on an analysis of F1 plants produced from crosses using a mutant as the female parent, about 24% of female mutant gametes had an abnormal content of DNA, resulting in frequent aneuploids among the mutant plants. These results show that UBC22 is critical for normal chromosome segregation in female meiosis but not for male meiosis, and they provide important leads for studying the role of UBC22 and K11-linked ubiquitination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (L.C.); (L.Z.); (Y.Q.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada;
| | - Sheng Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada;
| | - Lihua Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (L.C.); (L.Z.); (Y.Q.)
| | - Yuan Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (L.C.); (L.Z.); (Y.Q.)
| | - Hong Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada;
| | - Yan Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (L.C.); (L.Z.); (Y.Q.)
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12
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A CENH3 mutation promotes meiotic exit and restores fertility in SMG7-deficient Arabidopsis. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009779. [PMID: 34591845 PMCID: PMC8509889 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Meiosis in angiosperm plants is followed by mitotic divisions to form multicellular haploid gametophytes. Termination of meiosis and transition to gametophytic development is, in Arabidopsis, governed by a dedicated mechanism that involves SMG7 and TDM1 proteins. Mutants carrying the smg7-6 allele are semi-fertile due to reduced pollen production. We found that instead of forming tetrads, smg7-6 pollen mother cells undergo multiple rounds of chromosome condensation and spindle assembly at the end of meiosis, resembling aberrant attempts to undergo additional meiotic divisions. A suppressor screen uncovered a mutation in centromeric histone H3 (CENH3) that increased fertility and promoted meiotic exit in smg7-6 plants. The mutation led to inefficient splicing of the CENH3 mRNA and a substantial decrease of CENH3, resulting in smaller centromeres. The reduced level of CENH3 delayed formation of the mitotic spindle but did not have an apparent effect on plant growth and development. We suggest that impaired spindle re-assembly at the end of meiosis limits aberrant divisions in smg7-6 plants and promotes formation of tetrads and viable pollen. Furthermore, the mutant with reduced level of CENH3 was very inefficient haploid inducer indicating that differences in centromere size is not the key determinant of centromere-mediated genome elimination. Meiosis is a reductional cell division that halves number of chromosomes during two successive rounds of chromosome segregation without intervening DNA replication. Such mode of chromosome segregation requires extensive reprogramming of the cell division machinery at the entry to meiosis, and inactivation of the meiotic program upon the formation of haploid spores. Here we showed that Arabidopsis partially deficient in the RNA decay factor SMG7 fail to exit meiosis and continue with attempts to undergo additional cycles of post-meiotic chromosome segregations without genome replication. This results in a reduced number of viable pollen and diminished fertility. To find genes involved in meiotic exit, we performed a suppressor screen for the SMG7-deicient plants that re-gain fertility. We found that reducing the amount of centromeric histone partially restores pollen formation and fertility in smg7 mutants. This is likely due to inefficient formation of centromere-microtubule interactions that impairs spindle reassembly and re-entry into aberrant rounds of post-meiotic chromosome segregation.
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13
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Böwer F, Schnittger A. How to Switch from Mitosis to Meiosis: Regulation of Germline Entry in Plants. Annu Rev Genet 2021; 55:427-452. [PMID: 34530640 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-112618-043553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
One of the major cell fate transitions in eukaryotes is entry into meiosis. While in single-celled yeast this decision is triggered by nutrient starvation, in multicellular eukaryotes, such as plants, it is under developmental control. In contrast to animals, plants have only a short germline and instruct cells to become meiocytes in reproductive organs late in development. This situation argues for a fundamentally different mechanism of how plants recruit meiocytes, and consistently, none of the regulators known to control meiotic entry in yeast and animals are present in plants. In recent years, several factors involved in meiotic entry have been identified, especially in the model plant Arabidopsis, and pieces of a regulatory network of germline control in plants are emerging. However, the corresponding studies also show that the mechanisms of meiotic entry control are diversified in flowering plants, calling for further analyses in different plant species. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Genetics, Volume 55 is November 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Böwer
- Department of Developmental Biology, Institute for Plant Sciences and Microbiology, University of Hamburg, D-22609 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Arp Schnittger
- Department of Developmental Biology, Institute for Plant Sciences and Microbiology, University of Hamburg, D-22609 Hamburg, Germany;
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14
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Functional analysis of a conserved domain in SWITCH1 reveals a role in commitment to female meiocyte differentiation in Arabidopsis. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 551:121-126. [PMID: 33725573 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
We have investigated the mechanism of action of SWITCH1/DYAD (SWI1), an important regulator of plant meiosis in Arabidopsis that is required for meiotic chromosome organization including maintenance of sister chromatid cohesion. The central portion of SWI1 contains a domain of unknown function that shows strong conservation between SWI1 and its orthologs in maize and rice and is also found in paralogs including MALE MEIOCYTE DEATH 1 (MMD1). In order to examine the role of this domain we performed domain swap experiments into SWI1 in a swi1 mutant background. Domain swap analysis revealed functional conservation of the central domain between SWI1 and its orthologs but not with the domain from MMD1 suggesting that the domain plays an important role in SWI1 function that has been conserved in orthologs and diverged in paralogs in plant evolution. Analysis of expression of the non-complementing MMD1 domain swap SWI1(DSMMD1)::GFP transgenic lines revealed an altered pattern of expression that suggests a role for SWI1 in commitment to female meiocyte differentiation and meiosis. The results suggest that SWI1 may also play a developmental role as an identity determinant in the female germ cell lineage in addition to its known role in meiotic chromosome organization.
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15
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Pecinka A, Chevalier C, Colas I, Kalantidis K, Varotto S, Krugman T, Michailidis C, Vallés MP, Muñoz A, Pradillo M. Chromatin dynamics during interphase and cell division: similarities and differences between model and crop plants. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2020; 71:5205-5222. [PMID: 31626285 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erz457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Genetic information in the cell nucleus controls organismal development and responses to the environment, and finally ensures its own transmission to the next generations. To achieve so many different tasks, the genetic information is associated with structural and regulatory proteins, which orchestrate nuclear functions in time and space. Furthermore, plant life strategies require chromatin plasticity to allow a rapid adaptation to abiotic and biotic stresses. Here, we summarize current knowledge on the organization of plant chromatin and dynamics of chromosomes during interphase and mitotic and meiotic cell divisions for model and crop plants differing as to genome size, ploidy, and amount of genomic resources available. The existing data indicate that chromatin changes accompany most (if not all) cellular processes and that there are both shared and unique themes in the chromatin structure and global chromosome dynamics among species. Ongoing efforts to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in chromatin organization and remodeling have, together with the latest genome editing tools, potential to unlock crop genomes for innovative breeding strategies and improvements of various traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ales Pecinka
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Acad Sci, Centre of the Region Haná for Agricultural and Biotechnological Research, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | | | - Isabelle Colas
- James Hutton Institute, Cell and Molecular Science, Pr Waugh's Lab, Invergowrie, Dundee, UK
| | - Kriton Kalantidis
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, and Institute of Molecular Biology Biotechnology, FoRTH, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Serena Varotto
- Department of Agronomy Animal Food Natural Resources and Environment (DAFNAE) University of Padova, Agripolis viale dell'Università, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - Tamar Krugman
- Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Christos Michailidis
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Acad Sci, Praha 6 - Lysolaje, Czech Republic
| | - María-Pilar Vallés
- Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Estación Experimental Aula Dei (EEAD), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Aitor Muñoz
- Department of Plant Molecular Genetics, National Center of Biotechnology/Superior Council of Scientific Research, Autónoma University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mónica Pradillo
- Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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16
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Scheben A, Hojsgaard D. Can We Use Gene-Editing to Induce Apomixis in Sexual Plants? Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:E781. [PMID: 32664641 PMCID: PMC7397034 DOI: 10.3390/genes11070781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Apomixis, the asexual formation of seeds, is a potentially valuable agricultural trait. Inducing apomixis in sexual crop plants would, for example, allow breeders to fix heterosis in hybrid seeds and rapidly generate doubled haploid crop lines. Molecular models explain the emergence of functional apomixis, i.e., apomeiosis + parthenogenesis + endosperm development, as resulting from a combination of genetic or epigenetic changes that coordinate altered molecular and developmental steps to form clonal seeds. Apomixis-like features and synthetic clonal seeds have been induced with limited success in the sexual plants rice and maize by using gene editing to mutate genes related to meiosis and fertility or via egg-cell specific expression of embryogenesis genes. Inducing functional apomixis and increasing the penetrance of apomictic seed production will be important for commercial deployment of the trait. Optimizing the induction of apomixis with gene editing strategies that use known targets as well as identifying alternative targets will be possible by better understanding natural genetic variation in apomictic species. With the growing availability of genomic data and precise gene editing tools, we are making substantial progress towards engineering apomictic crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armin Scheben
- Simons Center for Quantitative Biology, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA;
| | - Diego Hojsgaard
- Department of Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants, Albrecht-von-Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspuele 2, 37073 Goettingen, Germany
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17
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Wang H, Xu W, Sun Y, Lian Q, Wang C, Yu C, He C, Wang J, Ma H, Copenhaver GP, Wang Y. The cohesin loader SCC2 contains a PHD finger that is required for meiosis in land plants. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1008849. [PMID: 32516352 PMCID: PMC7304647 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cohesin, a multisubunit protein complex, is required for holding sister chromatids together during mitosis and meiosis. The recruitment of cohesin by the sister chromatid cohesion 2/4 (SCC2/4) complex has been extensively studied in Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitosis, but its role in mitosis and meiosis remains poorly understood in multicellular organisms, because complete loss-of-function of either gene causes embryonic lethality. Here, we identified a weak allele of Atscc2 (Atscc2-5) that has only minor defects in vegetative development but exhibits a significant reduction in fertility. Cytological analyses of Atscc2-5 reveal multiple meiotic phenotypes including defects in chromosomal axis formation, meiosis-specific cohesin loading, homolog pairing and synapsis, and AtSPO11-1-dependent double strand break repair. Surprisingly, even though AtSCC2 interacts with AtSCC4 in vitro and in vivo, meiosis-specific knockdown of AtSCC4 expression does not cause any meiotic defect, suggesting that the SCC2-SCC4 complex has divergent roles in mitosis and meiosis. SCC2 homologs from land plants have a unique plant homeodomain (PHD) motif not found in other species. We show that the AtSCC2 PHD domain can bind to the N terminus of histones and is required for meiosis but not mitosis. Taken together, our results provide evidence that unlike SCC2 in other organisms, SCC2 requires a functional PHD domain during meiosis in land plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongkuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Wanyue Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yujin Sun
- Department of Biology and the Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Qichao Lian
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Cong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chaoyi Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chengpeng He
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hong Ma
- Department of Biology, the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, the Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Gregory P. Copenhaver
- Department of Biology and the Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Yingxiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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18
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Hojsgaard D. Apomixis Technology: Separating the Wheat from the Chaff. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:E411. [PMID: 32290084 PMCID: PMC7231277 DOI: 10.3390/genes11040411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Projections indicate that current plant breeding approaches will be unable to incorporate the global crop yields needed to deliver global food security. Apomixis is a disruptive innovation by which a plant produces clonal seeds capturing heterosis and gene combinations of elite phenotypes. Introducing apomixis into hybrid cultivars is a game-changing development in the current plant breeding paradigm that will accelerate the generation of high-yield cultivars. However, apomixis is a developmentally complex and genetically multifaceted trait. The central problem behind current constraints to apomixis breeding is that the genomic configuration and molecular mechanism that initiate apomixis and guide the formation of a clonal seed are still unknown. Today, not a single explanation about the origin of apomixis offer full empirical coverage, and synthesizing apomixis by manipulating individual genes has failed or produced little success. Overall evidence suggests apomixis arise from a still unknown single event molecular mechanism with multigenic effects. Disentangling the genomic basis and complex genetics behind the emergence of apomixis in plants will require the use of novel experimental approaches benefiting from Next Generation Sequencing technologies and targeting not only reproductive genes, but also the epigenetic and genomic configurations associated with reproductive phenotypes in homoploid sexual and apomictic carriers. A comprehensive picture of most regulatory changes guiding apomixis emergence will be central for successfully installing apomixis into the target species by exploiting genetic modification techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Hojsgaard
- Department of Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants, Albrecht-von-Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, Georg-August-University of Göttingen, Untere Karspüle 2, D-37073-1 Göttingen, Germany
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19
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Lawrence EJ, Gao H, Tock AJ, Lambing C, Blackwell AR, Feng X, Henderson IR. Natural Variation in TBP-ASSOCIATED FACTOR 4b Controls Meiotic Crossover and Germline Transcription in Arabidopsis. Curr Biol 2019; 29:2676-2686.e3. [PMID: 31378616 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.06.084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2019] [Revised: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Meiotic crossover frequency varies within genomes, which influences genetic diversity and adaptation. In turn, genetic variation within populations can act to modify crossover frequency in cis and trans. To identify genetic variation that controls meiotic crossover frequency, we screened Arabidopsis accessions using fluorescent recombination reporters. We mapped a genetic modifier of crossover frequency in Col × Bur populations of Arabidopsis to a premature stop codon within TBP-ASSOCIATED FACTOR 4b (TAF4b), which encodes a subunit of the RNA polymerase II general transcription factor TFIID. The Arabidopsis taf4b mutation is a rare variant found in the British Isles, originating in South-West Ireland. Using genetics, genomics, and immunocytology, we demonstrate a genome-wide decrease in taf4b crossovers, with strongest reduction in the sub-telomeric regions. Using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) from purified meiocytes, we show that TAF4b expression is meiocyte enriched, whereas its paralog TAF4 is broadly expressed. Consistent with the role of TFIID in promoting gene expression, RNA-seq of wild-type and taf4b meiocytes identified widespread transcriptional changes, including in genes that regulate the meiotic cell cycle and recombination. Therefore, TAF4b duplication is associated with acquisition of meiocyte-specific expression and promotion of germline transcription, which act directly or indirectly to elevate crossovers. This identifies a novel mode of meiotic recombination control via a general transcription factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma J Lawrence
- Department of Plant Sciences, Downing Street, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EA, UK
| | - Hongbo Gao
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Andrew J Tock
- Department of Plant Sciences, Downing Street, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EA, UK
| | - Christophe Lambing
- Department of Plant Sciences, Downing Street, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EA, UK
| | - Alexander R Blackwell
- Department of Plant Sciences, Downing Street, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EA, UK
| | - Xiaoqi Feng
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.
| | - Ian R Henderson
- Department of Plant Sciences, Downing Street, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EA, UK.
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20
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Brukhin V, Baskar R. A brief note on genes that trigger components of apomixis. J Biosci 2019; 44:45. [PMID: 31180058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Apomixis or asexual reproduction through seeds occurs in about 400 species of flowering plants producing genetically uniform progeny. During apomixis, meiosis is bypassed and embryos develop by parthenogenesis. However, the endosperm could form either autonomously without fertilization or sexually, depending on the plant species. Most probably, a heterochronic expression of sexually expressed genes is one of the reason that causes apomixis. A better understanding of the genetic components regulating apomixis is important for developmental and evolutionary studies and also for engineering apomixis traits into crop plants that may realize a possibility to propagate hybrid vigor in a range of subsequent generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Brukhin
- Dobzhansky Center for Genome Bioinformatics, St. Petersburg State University, 41 Sredniy Prospekt, Vasilievsky Island, Saint Petersburg, Russia 199004
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21
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Yang C, Hamamura Y, Sofroni K, Böwer F, Stolze SC, Nakagami H, Schnittger A. SWITCH 1/DYAD is a WINGS APART-LIKE antagonist that maintains sister chromatid cohesion in meiosis. Nat Commun 2019; 10:1755. [PMID: 30988453 PMCID: PMC6465247 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09759-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitosis and meiosis both rely on cohesin, which embraces the sister chromatids and plays a crucial role for the faithful distribution of chromosomes to daughter cells. Prior to the cleavage by Separase at anaphase onset, cohesin is largely removed from chromosomes by the non-proteolytic action of WINGS APART-LIKE (WAPL), a mechanism referred to as the prophase pathway. To prevent the premature loss of sister chromatid cohesion, WAPL is inhibited in early mitosis by Sororin. However, Sororin homologs have only been found to function as WAPL inhibitors during mitosis in vertebrates and Drosophila. Here we show that SWITCH 1/DYAD defines a WAPL antagonist that acts in meiosis of Arabidopsis. Crucially, SWI1 becomes dispensable for sister chromatid cohesion in the absence of WAPL. Despite the lack of any sequence similarities, we found that SWI1 is regulated and functions in a similar manner as Sororin hence likely representing a case of convergent molecular evolution across the eukaryotic kingdom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Yang
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, 22609, Germany
| | - Yuki Hamamura
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, 22609, Germany
| | - Kostika Sofroni
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, 22609, Germany
| | - Franziska Böwer
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, 22609, Germany
| | | | - Hirofumi Nakagami
- Max-Planck-Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, 50829, Germany
| | - Arp Schnittger
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, 22609, Germany.
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22
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23
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León-Martínez G, Vielle-Calzada JP. Apomixis in flowering plants: Developmental and evolutionary considerations. Curr Top Dev Biol 2019; 131:565-604. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2018.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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24
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Erbasol Serbes I, Palovaara J, Groß-Hardt R. Development and function of the flowering plant female gametophyte. Curr Top Dev Biol 2019; 131:401-434. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2018.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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25
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Vijverberg K, Ozias-Akins P, Schranz ME. Identifying and Engineering Genes for Parthenogenesis in Plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:128. [PMID: 30838007 PMCID: PMC6389702 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/24/2019] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Parthenogenesis is the spontaneous development of an embryo from an unfertilized egg cell. It naturally occurs in a variety of plant and animal species. In plants, parthenogenesis usually is found in combination with apomeiosis (the omission of meiosis) and pseudogamous or autonomous (with or without central cell fertilization) endosperm formation, together known as apomixis (clonal seed production). The initiation of embryogenesis in vivo and in vitro has high potential in plant breeding methods, particularly for the instant production of homozygous lines from haploid gametes [doubled haploids (DHs)], the maintenance of vigorous F1-hybrids through clonal seed production after combining it with apomeiosis, reverse breeding approaches, and for linking diploid and polyploid gene pools. Because of this large interest, efforts to identify gene(s) for parthenogenesis from natural apomicts have been undertaken by using map-based cloning strategies and comparative gene expression studies. In addition, engineering parthenogenesis in sexual model species has been investigated via mutagenesis and gain-of-function strategies. These efforts have started to pay off, particularly by the isolation of the PsASGR-BabyBoom-Like from apomictic Pennisetum, a gene proven to be transferable to and functional in sexual pearl millet, rice, and maize. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge on parthenogenesis, the possible gene candidates also outside the grasses, and the use of these genes in plant breeding protocols. It shows that parthenogenesis is able to inherit and function independently from apomeiosis and endosperm formation, is expressed and active in the egg cell, and can induce embryogenesis in polyploid, diploid as well as haploid egg cells in plants. It also shows the importance of genes involved in the suppression of transcription and modifications thereof at one hand, and in embryogenesis for which transcription is allowed or artificially overexpressed on the other, in parthenogenetic reproduction. Finally, it emphasizes the importance of functional endosperm to allow for successful embryo growth and viable seed production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kitty Vijverberg
- Biosystematics Group, Experimental Plant Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: Kitty Vijverberg,
| | - Peggy Ozias-Akins
- Department of Horticulture, Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, University of Georgia, Tifton Campus, Tifton, GA, United States
| | - M. Eric Schranz
- Biosystematics Group, Experimental Plant Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
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Zhao T, Ren L, Chen X, Yu H, Liu C, Shen Y, Shi W, Tang D, Du G, Li Y, Ma B, Cheng Z. The OsRR24/LEPTO1 Type-B Response Regulator is Essential for the Organization of Leptotene Chromosomes in Rice Meiosis. THE PLANT CELL 2018; 30:3024-3037. [PMID: 30538156 PMCID: PMC6354269 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.18.00479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Response regulators play significant roles in controlling various biological processes; however, their roles in plant meiosis remain unclear. Here, we report the identification of OsRR24/LEPTOTENE1 (LEPTO1), a rice (Oryza sativa) type-B response regulator that participates in the establishment of key molecular and morphological features of chromosomes in leptotene, an early stage of prophase I in meiosis. Although meiosis initiates normally, as indicated by staining of the centromere-specific histone CENH3, the meiotic chromosomes in lepto1 mutant pollen mother cells fail to form the thin thread-like structures that are typical of leptotene chromosomes in wild-type pollen mother cells. Furthermore, lepto1 mutants fail to form chromosomal double-strand breaks, do not recruit meiosis-specific proteins to the meiotic chromosomes, and show disrupted callose deposition. LEPTO1 also is essential for programmed cell death in tapetal cells. LEPTO1 contains a conserved signal receiver domain (DDK) and a myb-like DNA binding domain at the N terminus. LEPTO1 interacts with two authentic histidine phosphotransfer (AHP) proteins, OsAHP1 and OsAHP2, via the DDK domain, and a phosphomimetic mutation of the DDK domain relieves its repression of LEPTO1 transactivation activity. Collectively, our results show that OsRR24/LEPTO1 plays a significant role in the leptotene phase of meiotic prophase I.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lijun Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaojun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biotechnology of Ningxia, Ningxia Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Ningxia 750002, China
| | - Hengxiu Yu
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Chengjie Liu
- College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Yi Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Wenqing Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Ding Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Guijie Du
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yafei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Bojun Ma
- College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Zhukuan Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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Zhou L, Han J, Chen Y, Wang Y, Liu YG. Bivalent Formation 1, a plant-conserved gene, encodes an OmpH/coiled-coil motif-containing protein required for meiotic recombination in rice. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2017; 68:2163-2174. [PMID: 28369589 PMCID: PMC5447885 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erx077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Meiosis is essential for eukaryotic sexual reproduction and plant fertility. In comparison with over 80 meiotic genes identified in Arabidopsis, there are only ~30 meiotic genes characterized in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Many genes involved in the regulation of meiotic progression remain to be determined. In this study, we identified a sterile rice mutant and cloned a new meiotic gene, OsBVF1 (Bivalent Formation 1) by map-based cloning. Molecular genetics and cytological approaches were carried out to address the function of OsBVF1 in meiosis. Phylogenetic analyses were used to study the evolution of OsBVF1 and its homologs in plant species. Here we showed that the bvf1 male meiocytes were defective in formation of meiotic double strand break, thereby resulting in a failure of bivalent formation in diakinesis and unequal chromosome segregation in anaphase I. The causal gene, OsBVF1, encodes a unique OmpH/coiled-coil motif-containing protein and its homologs are highly conserved in the plant kingdom and seem to be a single-copy gene in the majority of plant species. Our study demonstrates that OsBVF1 is a novel plant-conserved factor involved in meiotic recombination in rice, providing a new insight into understanding of meiotic progression regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lian Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, 510642 Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Guangdong Provincial Higher Education Institutions, 510642 Guangzhou, China
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, 510642 Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, 200438 Shanghai, China
| | - Jingluan Han
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, 510642 Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Guangdong Provincial Higher Education Institutions, 510642 Guangzhou, China
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, 510642 Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuanling Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, 510642 Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Guangdong Provincial Higher Education Institutions, 510642 Guangzhou, China
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, 510642 Guangzhou, China
| | - Yingxiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, 200438 Shanghai, China
| | - Yao-Guang Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, 510642 Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Guangdong Provincial Higher Education Institutions, 510642 Guangzhou, China
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, 510642 Guangzhou, China
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Calvente A, Santos JL, Rufas JS. Do Exogenous DNA Double-Strand Breaks Change Incomplete Synapsis and Chiasma Localization in the Grasshopper Stethophyma grossum? PLoS One 2016; 11:e0168499. [PMID: 28005992 PMCID: PMC5179137 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Meiotic recombination occurs as a programmed event that initiates by the formation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) that give rise to the formation of crossovers that are observed as chiasmata. Chiasmata are essential for the accurate chromosome segregation and the generation of new combinations of parental alleles. Some treatments that provoke exogenous DSBs also lead to alterations in the recombination pattern of some species in which full homologous synapsis is achieved at pachytene. We have carried out a similar approach in males of the grasshopper Stethophyma grossum, whose homologues show incomplete synapsis and proximal chiasma localization. After irradiating males with γ rays we have studied the distribution of both the histone variant γ-H2AX and the recombinase RAD51. These proteins are cytological markers of DSBs at early prophase I. We have inferred synaptonemal complex (SC) formation via identification of SMC3 and RAD 21 cohesin subunits. Whereas thick and thin SMC3 filaments would correspond to synapsed and unsynapsed regions, the presence of RAD21 is only restricted to synapsed regions. Results show that irradiated spermatocytes maintain restricted synapsis between homologues. However, the frequency and distribution of chiasmata in metaphase I bivalents is slightly changed and quadrivalents were also observed. These results could be related to the singular nuclear polarization displayed by the spermatocytes of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adela Calvente
- Departamento de Biología, Edificio de Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Luis Santos
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Julio S. Rufas
- Departamento de Biología, Edificio de Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Xin Q, Shen Y, Li X, Lu W, Wang X, Han X, Dong F, Wan L, Yang G, Hong D, Cheng Z. MS5 Mediates Early Meiotic Progression and Its Natural Variants May Have Applications for Hybrid Production in Brassica napus. THE PLANT CELL 2016; 28:1263-78. [PMID: 27194707 PMCID: PMC4944402 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.15.01018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2015] [Accepted: 05/16/2016] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
During meiotic prophase I, chromatin undergoes dynamic changes to establish a structural basis for essential meiotic events. However, the mechanism that coordinates chromosome structure and meiotic progression remains poorly understood in plants. Here, we characterized a spontaneous sterile mutant MS5(b)MS5(b) in oilseed rape (Brassica napus) and found its meiotic chromosomes were arrested at leptotene. MS5 is preferentially expressed in reproductive organs and encodes a Brassica-specific protein carrying conserved coiled-coil and DUF626 domains with unknown function. MS5 is essential for pairing of homologs in meiosis, but not necessary for the initiation of DNA double-strand breaks. The distribution of the axis element-associated protein ASY1 occurs independently of MS5, but localization of the meiotic cohesion subunit SYN1 requires functional MS5. Furthermore, both the central element of the synaptonemal complex and the recombination element do not properly form in MS5(b)MS5(b) mutants. Our results demonstrate that MS5 participates in progression of meiosis during early prophase I and its allelic variants lead to differences in fertility, which may provide a promising strategy for pollination control for heterosis breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Xin
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yi Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xi Li
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Wei Lu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China College of Life Science, South-central University for Nationalities, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Xiang Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xue Han
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Faming Dong
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Lili Wan
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Guangsheng Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Dengfeng Hong
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Zhukuan Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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Sezer F, Yüzbaşioğlu G, Özbilen A, Taşkin KM. Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of SWI1 genes in Boechera species. Comput Biol Chem 2016; 62:75-81. [PMID: 27107180 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2016.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2015] [Revised: 03/24/2016] [Accepted: 04/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
As a mode of reproduction in plants, apomixis leads to the generation of clones via seeds. Apomictic plants form viable diploid female gametes without meiosis (apomeiosis) and produce embryos without fertilization (parthenogenesis). Apomeiosis, as a major component of apomixis, has recently been reported in some Arabidopsis thaliana mutants; dyad mutants of SWI1 showed developmental processes common to apomeiosis, such as producing functional diploid gametes. However, the orthologs of SWI1 genes in natural apomicts has not been previously reported. To identify the relationship between the SWI1 gene and the apomeiosis process, we isolated and sequenced SWI1 orthologs from Boechera species, including apomictic and sexual species. Boechera species are close relatives of A. thaliana and thus are advantageous model species for apomixis research. The SWI1 cDNAs were obtained by RT-PCR from apomictic and sexual Boechera young flower buds. We sequenced partial SWI1 transcripts that were 650bp for B. holboellii and 684bp for B. stricta. These SWI1-like sequences showed 86% similarity for B. holboellii and 92% for B. stricta to the A. thaliana SWI1 transcript. We also used available genome data and amplified genomic sequences for SWI1 orthologs in B. holboellii and B. stricta. The predicted proteins contain a phospholipase C domain and a nuclear localization signal. Sequence analysis did not show significant mutations related to apomixis, and phylogenetic analysis showed that SWI1-like sequences were common across plant families, regardless of the presence of a sexual or apomictic reproduction system. We also investigated the expression levels of SWI1 mRNA in the B. holboellii and B. stricta young unopened flower buds and found that relatively high levels of expression occurred in apomicts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatih Sezer
- Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Department of Biology, 17100 Canakkale, Turkey.
| | - Gözde Yüzbaşioğlu
- Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Department of Biology, 17100 Canakkale, Turkey.
| | - Aslıhan Özbilen
- Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Department of Biology, 17100 Canakkale, Turkey.
| | - Kemal M Taşkin
- Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Department of Biology, 17100 Canakkale, Turkey.
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Li J, Dukowic-Schulze S, Lindquist IE, Farmer AD, Kelly B, Li T, Smith AG, Retzel EF, Mudge J, Chen C. The plant-specific protein FEHLSTART controls male meiotic entry, initializing meiotic synchronization in Arabidopsis. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2015; 84:659-71. [PMID: 26382719 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.13026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2015] [Revised: 07/28/2015] [Accepted: 09/02/2015] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Meiosis marks the transition from the sporophyte to the gametophyte generation in the life cycle of flowering plants, and creates genetic variations through homologous recombination. In most flowering plants, meiosis is highly synchronized within each anther, which is significant for efficient fertilization. To date, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of entry into meiosis and exit from it, and only a few genes in Arabidopsis have been characterized with a role in regulating meiotic progression. In this study, we report the functional characterization of a plant-specific basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) protein, FEHLSTART (FST), a defect in which leads to premature meiotic entry and asynchronous meiosis, and results in decreased seed yield. Investigation of the time course of meiosis showed that the onset of leptotene, the first stage of prophase I, frequently occurred earlier in fst-1 than in the wild type. Asynchronous meiosis followed, which could manifest in the disruption of regular spindle structures and symmetric cell divisions in fst-1 mutants during the meiosis I/II transition. In accordance with frequently accelerated meiotic entry, whole-transcriptome analysis of fst-1 anthers undergoing meiosis revealed that 19 circadian rhythm genes were affected and 47 pollen-related genes were prematurely expressed at a higher level. Taken together, we propose that FST is required for normal meiotic entry and the establishment of meiotic synchrony.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhua Li
- Department of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota, 1970 Folwell Avenue, St Paul, MN, 55108, USA
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan, 453007, China
| | - Stefanie Dukowic-Schulze
- Department of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota, 1970 Folwell Avenue, St Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Ingrid E Lindquist
- National Center for Genome Resources, 2935 Rodeo Park Drive E., Santa Fe, NM, 87505, USA
| | - Andrew D Farmer
- National Center for Genome Resources, 2935 Rodeo Park Drive E., Santa Fe, NM, 87505, USA
| | - Bridget Kelly
- Department of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota, 1970 Folwell Avenue, St Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Tao Li
- Department of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota, 1970 Folwell Avenue, St Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Alan G Smith
- Department of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota, 1970 Folwell Avenue, St Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Ernest F Retzel
- National Center for Genome Resources, 2935 Rodeo Park Drive E., Santa Fe, NM, 87505, USA
| | - Joann Mudge
- National Center for Genome Resources, 2935 Rodeo Park Drive E., Santa Fe, NM, 87505, USA
| | - Changbin Chen
- Department of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota, 1970 Folwell Avenue, St Paul, MN, 55108, USA
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Abstract
Here we describe a whole-mount immunolocalization protocol to follow the subcellular localization of proteins during female meiosis in Arabidopsis thaliana, a model species that is used to study sexual reproduction in flowering plants. By using confocal microscopy, the procedure allows one to follow megasporogenesis at all stages before differentiation of the functional megaspore. This in particular includes stages that occur during prophase I, such as the installation of the axial and central elements of the synaptonemal complex along the meiotic chromosomes. In contrast to procedures that require microtome sectioning or enzymatic isolation and smearing to separate female meiocytes from neighboring cells, this 3-day protocol preserves the constitution of the developing primordium and incorporates the architecture of the ovule to provide a temporal and spatial context to meiotic divisions. This opens up the possibility to systematically compare the dynamics of protein localization during female and male meiosis. Steps describe tissue collection and fixation, preparation of slides and polyacrylamide embedding, tissue permeabilization, antibody incubation, propidium iodide staining, and finally image acquisition by confocal microscopy. The procedure adds an essential technique to the toolkit of plant meiotic analysis, and it represents a framework for technical adaptations that could soon allow the analysis of plant reproductive alternatives to sexual reproduction.
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Ronceret A, Vielle-Calzada JP. Meiosis, unreduced gametes, and parthenogenesis: implications for engineering clonal seed formation in crops. PLANT REPRODUCTION 2015; 28:91-102. [PMID: 25796397 DOI: 10.1007/s00497-015-0262-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2014] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Meiosis and unreduced gametes. Sexual flowering plants produce meiotically derived cells that give rise to the male and female haploid gametophytic phase. In the ovule, usually a single precursor (the megaspore mother cell) undergoes meiosis to form four haploid megaspores; however, numerous mutants result in the formation of unreduced gametes, sometimes showing female specificity, a phenomenon reminiscent of the initiation of gametophytic apomixis. Here, we review the developmental events that occur during female meiosis and megasporogenesis at the light of current possibilities to engineer unreduced gamete formation. We also provide an overview of the current understanding of mechanisms leading to parthenogenesis and discuss some of the conceptual implications for attempting the induction of clonal seed production in cultivated plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Ronceret
- Group of Reproductive Development and Apomixis, UGA Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, CINVESTAV Irapuato, Km 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León, CP 36821, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
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Organelles maintain spindle position in plant meiosis. Nat Commun 2015; 6:6492. [DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2014] [Accepted: 02/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
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Zhao L, He J, Cai H, Lin H, Li Y, Liu R, Yang Z, Qin Y. Comparative expression profiling reveals gene functions in female meiosis and gametophyte development in Arabidopsis. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2014; 80:615-28. [PMID: 25182975 PMCID: PMC7494246 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.12657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2014] [Revised: 08/19/2014] [Accepted: 08/22/2014] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Megasporogenesis is essential for female fertility, and requires the accomplishment of meiosis and the formation of functional megaspores. The inaccessibility and low abundance of female meiocytes make it particularly difficult to elucidate the molecular basis underlying megasporogenesis. We used high-throughput tag-sequencing analysis to identify genes expressed in female meiocytes (FMs) by comparing gene expression profiles from wild-type ovules undergoing megasporogenesis with those from the spl mutant ovules, which lack megasporogenesis. A total of 862 genes were identified as FMs, with levels that are consistently reduced in spl ovules in two biological replicates. Fluorescence-assisted cell sorting followed by RNA-seq analysis of DMC1:GFP-labeled female meiocytes confirmed that 90% of the FMs are indeed detected in the female meiocyte protoplast profiling. We performed reverse genetic analysis of 120 candidate genes and identified four FM genes with a function in female meiosis progression in Arabidopsis. We further revealed that KLU, a putative cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, is involved in chromosome pairing during female meiosis, most likely by affecting the normal expression pattern of DMC1 in ovules during female meiosis. Our studies provide valuable information for functional genomic analyses of plant germline development as well as insights into meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihua Zhao
- Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian Province, China
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jiangman He
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Hanyang Cai
- Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian Province, China
| | - Haiyan Lin
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yanqiang Li
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Renyi Liu
- Department of Botany and Plant Science, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Zhenbiao Yang
- Department of Botany and Plant Science, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Yuan Qin
- Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian Province, China
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
- For correspondence ()
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Lam I, Keeney S. Mechanism and regulation of meiotic recombination initiation. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2014; 7:a016634. [PMID: 25324213 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a016634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 279] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Meiotic recombination involves the formation and repair of programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) catalyzed by the conserved Spo11 protein. This review summarizes recent studies pertaining to the formation of meiotic DSBs, including the mechanism of DNA cleavage by Spo11, proteins required for break formation, and mechanisms that control the location, timing, and number of DSBs. Where appropriate, findings in different organisms are discussed to highlight evolutionary conservation or divergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Lam
- Louis V. Gerstner Jr. Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065 Molecular Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065
| | - Scott Keeney
- Louis V. Gerstner Jr. Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065 Molecular Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065 Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065
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Abstract
MSH4 encodes a MutS protein that plays a specialized role in meiosis. In eukaryotic species, such as budding yeast, mice, Caenorhabditis elegans, and Arabidopsis, msh4 mutants display meiotic defects with a reduced number of chiasmata. Here, we characterized rice MSH4 by map-based cloning. In Osmsh4 mutants, the chiasma frequency was dramatically decreased to ∼10% of the wild type, but the synaptonemal complex was normally installed. The double mutant analysis showed that in the Osmsh4 Osmsh5 mutant, the reduction of chiasmata was greater than other zmm mutants. This was consistent with the absence of localization for OsZIP4 and OsMER3 in Osmsh4 and suggests an earlier role for OsMSH4 and OsMSH5 than other ZMM proteins where they may be required to stabilize progenitor Holliday junctions. Using yeast two-hybrid and pull-down assays, we verified the direct physical association between OsMSH4 and OsMSH5 and OsMSH5 and HEI10 in plants for the first time. The MSH4-MSH5 heterodimer has been demonstrated in mammals to stabilize the formation of progenitor and double Holliday junctions that may be resolved as crossovers (COs). We propose that OsMSH4 interacts with OsMSH5 to promote formation of the majority of COs in rice.
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Moghe GD, Shiu SH. The causes and molecular consequences of polyploidy in flowering plants. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2014; 1320:16-34. [PMID: 24903334 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.12466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Polyploidy is an important force shaping plant genomes. All flowering plants are descendants of an ancestral polyploid species, and up to 70% of extant vascular plant species are believed to be recent polyploids. Over the past century, a significant body of knowledge has accumulated regarding the prevalence and ecology of polyploid plants. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the causes and molecular consequences of polyploidization in angiosperms. We also provide a discussion on the relationships between polyploidy and adaptation and suggest areas where further research may provide a better understanding of polyploidy.
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Grandont L, Cuñado N, Coriton O, Huteau V, Eber F, Chèvre AM, Grelon M, Chelysheva L, Jenczewski E. Homoeologous Chromosome Sorting and Progression of Meiotic Recombination in Brassica napus: Ploidy Does Matter! THE PLANT CELL 2014; 26:1448-1463. [PMID: 24737673 PMCID: PMC4036564 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.114.122788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2014] [Revised: 03/04/2014] [Accepted: 03/26/2014] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Meiotic recombination is the fundamental process that produces balanced gametes and generates diversity within species. For successful meiosis, crossovers must form between homologous chromosomes. This condition is more difficult to fulfill in allopolyploid species, which have more than two sets of related chromosomes (homoeologs). Here, we investigated the formation, progression, and completion of several key hallmarks of meiosis in Brassica napus (AACC), a young polyphyletic allotetraploid crop species with closely related homoeologous chromosomes. Altogether, our results demonstrate a precocious and efficient sorting of homologous versus homoeologous chromosomes during early prophase I in two representative B. napus accessions that otherwise show a genotypic difference in the progression of homologous recombination. More strikingly, our detailed comparison of meiosis in near isogenic allohaploid and euploid plants showed that the mechanism(s) promoting efficient chromosome sorting in euploids is adjusted to promote crossover formation between homoeologs in allohaploids. This suggests that, in contrast to other polyploid species, chromosome sorting is context dependent in B. napus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurie Grandont
- INRA, UMR1318, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, F-78000 Versailles, France AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, F-78000 Versailles, France
| | - Nieves Cuñado
- Departamento de Génetica, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Olivier Coriton
- INRA, UMR 1349, Institut de Génétique, Environnement et Protection des Plantes, F-35653 Le Rheu Cedex, France
| | - Virgine Huteau
- INRA, UMR 1349, Institut de Génétique, Environnement et Protection des Plantes, F-35653 Le Rheu Cedex, France
| | - Frédérique Eber
- INRA, UMR 1349, Institut de Génétique, Environnement et Protection des Plantes, F-35653 Le Rheu Cedex, France
| | - Anne Marie Chèvre
- INRA, UMR 1349, Institut de Génétique, Environnement et Protection des Plantes, F-35653 Le Rheu Cedex, France
| | - Mathilde Grelon
- INRA, UMR1318, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, F-78000 Versailles, France AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, F-78000 Versailles, France
| | - Liudmila Chelysheva
- INRA, UMR1318, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, F-78000 Versailles, France AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, F-78000 Versailles, France
| | - Eric Jenczewski
- INRA, UMR1318, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, F-78000 Versailles, France AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, F-78000 Versailles, France
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43
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Luo Q, Li Y, Shen Y, Cheng Z. Ten years of gene discovery for meiotic event control in rice. J Genet Genomics 2014; 41:125-37. [PMID: 24656233 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2014.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2013] [Revised: 01/26/2014] [Accepted: 02/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Meiosis is the crucial process by which sexually propagating eukaryotes give rise to haploid gametes from diploid cells. Several key processes, like homologous chromosomes pairing, synapsis, recombination, and segregation, sequentially take place in meiosis. Although these widely conserved events are under both genetic and epigenetic control, the accurate details of molecular mechanisms are continuing to investigate. Rice is a good model organism for exploring the molecular mechanisms of meiosis in higher plants. So far, 28 rice meiotic genes have been characterized. In this review, we give an overview of the discovery of rice meiotic genes in the last ten years, with a particular focus on their functions in meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Luo
- College of Plant Protection, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China
| | - Yafei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yi Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Zhukuan Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
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44
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Younis A, Hwang YJ, Lim KB. Exploitation of induced 2n-gametes for plant breeding. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2014; 33:215-23. [PMID: 24311154 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-013-1534-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2013] [Revised: 10/23/2013] [Accepted: 10/25/2013] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Unreduced gamete formation derived via abnormal meiotic cell division is an important approach to polyploidy breeding. This process is considered the main driving force in spontaneous polyploids formation in nature, but the potential application of these gametes to plant breeding has not been fully exploited. An effective mechanism for their artificial induction is needed to attain greater genetic variation and enable efficient use of unreduced gametes in breeding programs. Different approaches have been employed for 2n-pollen production including interspecific hybridization, manipulation of environmental factors and treatment with nitrous oxide, trifluralin, colchicine, oryzalin and other chemicals. These chemicals can act as a stimulus to produce viable 2n pollen; however, their exact mode of action, optimum concentration and developmental stages are still not known. Identification of efficient methods of inducing 2n-gamete formation will help increase pollen germination of sterile interspecific hybrids for inter-genomic recombination and introgression breeding to develop new polyploid cultivars and increase heterozygosity among plant populations. Additionally, the application of genomic tools and identification and isolation of genes and mechanisms involved in the induction of 2n-gamete will enable increased exploitation in different plant species, which will open new avenues for plant breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adnan Younis
- Department of Horticultural Science, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 702-701, Korea,
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45
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Zamariola L, Tiang CL, De Storme N, Pawlowski W, Geelen D. Chromosome segregation in plant meiosis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2014; 5:279. [PMID: 24987397 PMCID: PMC4060054 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2014.00279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2014] [Accepted: 05/28/2014] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Faithful chromosome segregation in meiosis is essential for ploidy stability over sexual life cycles. In plants, defective chromosome segregation caused by gene mutations or other factors leads to the formation of unbalanced or unreduced gametes creating aneuploid or polyploid progeny, respectively. Accurate segregation requires the coordinated execution of conserved processes occurring throughout the two meiotic cell divisions. Synapsis and recombination ensure the establishment of chiasmata that hold homologous chromosomes together allowing their correct segregation in the first meiotic division, which is also tightly regulated by cell-cycle dependent release of cohesin and monopolar attachment of sister kinetochores to microtubules. In meiosis II, bi-orientation of sister kinetochores and proper spindle orientation correctly segregate chromosomes in four haploid cells. Checkpoint mechanisms acting at kinetochores control the accuracy of kinetochore-microtubule attachment, thus ensuring the completion of segregation. Here we review the current knowledge on the processes taking place during chromosome segregation in plant meiosis, focusing on the characterization of the molecular factors involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Zamariola
- Department of Plant Production, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of GhentGhent, Belgium
| | - Choon Lin Tiang
- Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Nico De Storme
- Department of Plant Production, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of GhentGhent, Belgium
| | - Wojtek Pawlowski
- Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Danny Geelen
- Department of Plant Production, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of GhentGhent, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Danny Geelen, Department of Plant Production, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of Ghent, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium e-mail:
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46
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Wang CJR, Tseng CC. Recent advances in understanding of meiosis initiation and the apomictic pathway in plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2014; 5:497. [PMID: 25295051 PMCID: PMC4171991 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2014.00497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2014] [Accepted: 09/08/2014] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Meiosis, a specialized cell division to produce haploid cells, marks the transition from a sporophytic to a gametophytic generation in the life cycle of plants. In angiosperms, meiosis takes place in sporogenous cells that develop de novo from somatic cells in anthers or ovules. A successful transition from the mitotic cycle to the meiotic program in sporogenous cells is crucial for sexual reproduction. By contrast, when meiosis is bypassed or a mitosis-like division occurs to produce unreduced cells, followed by the development of an embryo sac, clonal seeds can be produced by apomixis, an asexual reproduction pathway found in 400 species of flowering plants. An understanding of the regulation of entry into meiosis and molecular mechanisms of apomictic pathway will provide vital insight into reproduction for plant breeding. Recent findings suggest that AM1/SWI1 may be the key gene for entry into meiosis, and increasing evidence has shown that the apomictic pathway is epigenetically controlled. However, the mechanism for the initiation of meiosis during sexual reproduction or for its omission in the apomictic pathway still remains largely unknown. Here we review the current understanding of meiosis initiation and the apomictic pathway and raised several questions that are awaiting further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chung-Ju R. Wang
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, TaipeiTaiwan
- *Correspondence: Chung-Ju R. Wang, Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Room 120, Section 2, Academia Road, Taipei 11529, Taiwan e-mail:
| | - Ching-Chih Tseng
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, TaipeiTaiwan
- Institute of Plant Biology, National Taiwan University, TaipeiTaiwan
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47
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Wijnker E, Schnittger A. Control of the meiotic cell division program in plants. PLANT REPRODUCTION 2013; 26:143-58. [PMID: 23852379 PMCID: PMC3747318 DOI: 10.1007/s00497-013-0223-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2013] [Accepted: 06/23/2013] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
While the question of why organisms reproduce sexually is still a matter of controversy, it is clear that the foundation of sexual reproduction is the formation of gametes with half the genomic DNA content of a somatic cell. This reduction in genomic content is accomplished through meiosis that, in contrast to mitosis, comprises two subsequent chromosome segregation steps without an intervening S phase. In addition, meiosis generates new allele combinations through the compilation of new sets of homologous chromosomes and the reciprocal exchange of chromatid segments between homologues. Progression through meiosis relies on many of the same, or at least homologous, cell cycle regulators that act in mitosis, e.g., cyclin-dependent kinases and the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome. However, these mitotic control factors are often differentially regulated in meiosis. In addition, several meiosis-specific cell cycle genes have been identified. We here review the increasing knowledge on meiotic cell cycle control in plants. Interestingly, plants appear to have relaxed cell cycle checkpoints in meiosis in comparison with animals and yeast and many cell cycle mutants are viable. This makes plants powerful models to study meiotic progression and allows unique modifications to their meiotic program to develop new plant-breeding strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Wijnker
- Department of Molecular Mechanisms of Phenotypic Plasticity, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, 67084 Strasbourg, France
- Trinationales Institut für Pflanzenforschung, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Arp Schnittger
- Department of Molecular Mechanisms of Phenotypic Plasticity, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, 67084 Strasbourg, France
- Trinationales Institut für Pflanzenforschung, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, 67084 Strasbourg, France
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48
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Xu S, Innes DJ, Lynch M, Cristescu ME. The role of hybridization in the origin and spread of asexuality in Daphnia. Mol Ecol 2013; 22:4549-61. [PMID: 23879327 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2012] [Revised: 05/16/2013] [Accepted: 05/26/2013] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The molecular mechanisms leading to asexuality remain little understood despite their substantial bearing on why sexual reproduction is dominant in nature. Here, we examine the role of hybridization in the origin and spread of obligate asexuality in Daphnia pulex, arguably the best-documented case of contagious asexuality. Obligately parthenogenetic (OP) clones of D. pulex have traditionally been separated into 'hybrid' (Ldh SF) and 'nonhybrid' (Ldh SS) forms because the lactase dehydrogenase (Ldh) locus distinguishes the cyclically parthenogenetic (CP) lake dwelling Daphnia pulicaria (Ldh FF) from its ephemeral pond dwelling sister species D. pulex (Ldh SS). The results of our population genetic analyses based on microsatellite loci suggest that both Ldh SS and SF OP individuals can originate from the crossing of CP female F1 (D. pulex × D. pulicaria) and backcross with males from OP lineages carrying genes that suppress meiosis specifically in female offspring. In previous studies, a suite of diagnostic markers was found to be associated with OP in Ldh SS D. pulex lineages. Our association mapping supports a similar genetic mechanism for the spread of obligate parthenogenesis in Ldh SF OP individuals. Interestingly, our study shows that CP D. pulicaria carry many of the diagnostic microsatellite alleles associated with obligate parthenogenesis. We argue that the assemblage of mutations that suppress meiosis and underlie obligate parthenogenesis in D. pulex originated due to a unique historical hybridization and introgression event between D. pulex and D. pulicaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sen Xu
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada N9B 3P4.
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49
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Bulankova P, Akimcheva S, Fellner N, Riha K. Identification of Arabidopsis meiotic cyclins reveals functional diversification among plant cyclin genes. PLoS Genet 2013; 9:e1003508. [PMID: 23671425 PMCID: PMC3649987 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2013] [Accepted: 03/26/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Meiosis is a modified cell division in which a single S-phase is followed by two rounds of chromosome segregation resulting in the production of haploid gametes. The meiotic mode of chromosome segregation requires extensive remodeling of the basic cell cycle machinery and employment of unique regulatory mechanisms. Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and cyclins represent an ancient molecular module that drives and regulates cell cycle progression. The cyclin gene family has undergone a massive expansion in angiosperm plants, but only a few cyclins were thoroughly characterized. In this study we performed a systematic immunolocalization screen to identify Arabidopsis thaliana A- and B-type cyclins expressed in meiosis. Many of these cyclins exhibit cell-type-specific expression in vegetative tissues and distinct subcellular localization. We found six A-type cyclins and a single B-type cyclin (CYCB3;1) to be expressed in male meiosis. Mutant analysis revealed that these cyclins contribute to distinct meiosis-related processes. While A2 cyclins are important for chromosome segregation, CYCB3;1 prevents ectopic cell wall formation. We further show that cyclin SDS does not contain a D-box and is constitutively expressed throughout meiosis. Analysis of plants carrying cyclin SDS with an introduced D-box motif determined that, in addition to its function in recombination, SDS acts together with CYCB3;1 in suppressing unscheduled cell wall synthesis. Our phenotypic and expression data provide extensive evidence that multiplication of cyclins is in plants accompanied by functional diversification. The alteration of haploid and diploid cell generations during the sexual life cycle requires meiosis, a specialized cell division that enables the formation of haploid gametes from diploid cells. Meiosis occurs only once during the life cycle, and the transition from the mitotic to meiotic mode of chromosome partitioning requires extensive remodeling of the cell cycle machinery. The cell cycle progression is driven by cyclin-dependent kinases and associated cyclins that regulate CDK activity and confer substrate specificity. Cyclin gene families have undergone a massive expansion in plants, which has raised the question of whether some of these cyclins evolved specific meiotic functions. We systematically analyzed two cyclin gene families in Arabidopsis to identify plant cyclins that are meiotically expressed. We found in total eight cyclins to be expressed in male meiotic cells, and functional characterization revealed their involvement in diverse meiotic processes. Interestingly, none of the cyclins appear to be essential for meiotic progression, indicating that plant meiosis is governed by unorthodox cell cycle regulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Bulankova
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Nicole Fellner
- Campus Science Support Facilities, Electron Microscopy Facility, Vienna, Austria
| | - Karel Riha
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
- * E-mail:
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50
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De Storme N, Geelen D. Sexual polyploidization in plants--cytological mechanisms and molecular regulation. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2013; 198:670-684. [PMID: 23421646 PMCID: PMC3744767 DOI: 10.1111/nph.12184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2012] [Accepted: 01/01/2013] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
In the plant kingdom, events of whole genome duplication or polyploidization are generally believed to occur via alterations of the sexual reproduction process. Thereby, diploid pollen and eggs are formed that contain the somatic number of chromosomes rather than the gametophytic number. By participating in fertilization, these so-called 2n gametes generate polyploid offspring and therefore constitute the basis for the establishment of polyploidy in plants. In addition, diplogamete formation, through meiotic restitution, is an essential component of apomixis and also serves as an important mechanism for the restoration of F1 hybrid fertility. Characterization of the cytological mechanisms and molecular factors underlying 2n gamete formation is therefore not only relevant for basic plant biology and evolution, but may also provide valuable cues for agricultural and biotechnological applications (e.g. reverse breeding, clonal seeds). Recent data have provided novel insights into the process of 2n pollen and egg formation and have revealed multiple means to the same end. Here, we summarize the cytological mechanisms and molecular regulatory networks underlying 2n gamete formation, and outline important mitotic and meiotic processes involved in the ectopic induction of sexual polyploidization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nico De Storme
- Department of Plant Production, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of Ghent, Coupure Links 653, B-9000, Gent, Belgium
| | - Danny Geelen
- Department of Plant Production, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of Ghent, Coupure Links 653, B-9000, Gent, Belgium
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