1
|
Sochor M, Duchoslav M, Forejtová V, Hroneš M, Konečná M, Trávníček B. Distinct geographic parthenogenesis in spite of niche conservatism and a single ploidy level: A case of Rubus ser. Glandulosi (Rosaceae). THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 242:1348-1362. [PMID: 38407427 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Asexual organisms often differ in their geographic distributions from their sexual relatives. This phenomenon, termed geographic parthenogenesis, has long been known, but the underlying factors behind its diverse patterns have been under dispute. Particularly problematic is an association between asexuality and polyploidy in most taxa. Here, we present a new system of geographic parthenogenesis on the tetraploid level, promising new insights into this complex topic. We used flow cytometric seed screen and microsatellite genotyping to characterise the patterns of distribution of sexuals and apomicts and genotypic distributions in Rubus ser. Glandulosi across its range. Ecological modelling and local-scale vegetation and soil analyses were used to test for niche differentiation between the reproductive groups. Apomicts were detected only in North-western Europe, sexuals in the rest of the range in Europe and West Asia, with a sharp borderline stretched across Central Europe. Despite that, we found no significant differences in ecological niches. Genotypic richness distributions suggested independence of the reproductive groups and a secondary contact. We argue that unless a niche differentiation (resulting from polyploidy and/or hybridity) evolves, the main factors behind the patterns of geographic parthenogenesis in plants are phylogeographic history and neutral microevolutionary processes, such as clonal turnover.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michal Sochor
- Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Crop Research Institute, Šlechtitelů 29, Olomouc, 78371, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Duchoslav
- Plant Biosystematics and Ecology Research Group, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc, 78371, Czech Republic
| | - Věra Forejtová
- Plant Biosystematics and Ecology Research Group, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc, 78371, Czech Republic
- Station of Apple Breeding for Disease Resistance, Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Rozvojová 313, Prague 6-Lysolaje, 16502, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Hroneš
- Plant Biosystematics and Ecology Research Group, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc, 78371, Czech Republic
| | - Michaela Konečná
- Plant Biosystematics and Ecology Research Group, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc, 78371, Czech Republic
| | - Bohumil Trávníček
- Plant Biosystematics and Ecology Research Group, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc, 78371, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Binmöller L, Volkert C, Kiefer C, Zühl L, Slawinska MW, Loreth A, Nauerth BH, Ibberson D, Martinez R, Mandakova TM, Zipper R, Schmidt A. Differential expression and evolutionary diversification of RNA helicases in Boechera sexual and apomictic reproduction. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2024; 75:2451-2469. [PMID: 38263359 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erae026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
In higher plants, sexual reproduction is characterized by meiosis of the first cells of the germlines, and double fertilization of the egg and central cell after gametogenesis. In contrast, in apomicts of the genus Boechera, meiosis is omitted or altered and only the central cell requires fertilization, while the embryo forms parthenogenetically from the egg cell. To deepen the understanding of the transcriptional basis underlying these differences, we applied RNA-seq to compare expression in reproductive tissues of different Boechera accessions. This confirmed previous evidence of an enrichment of RNA helicases in plant germlines. Furthermore, few RNA helicases were differentially expressed in female reproductive ovule tissues harboring mature gametophytes from apomictic and sexual accessions. For some of these genes, we further found evidence for a complex recent evolutionary history. This included a homolog of Arabidopsis thaliana FASCIATED STEM4 (FAS4). In contrast to AtFAS4, which is a single-copy gene, FAS4 is represented by three homologs in Boechera, suggesting a potential for subfunctionalization to modulate reproductive development. To gain first insights into functional roles of FAS4, we studied Arabidopsis lines carrying mutant alleles. This identified the crucial importance of AtFAS4 for reproduction, as we observed developmental defects and arrest during male and female gametogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Binmöller
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Department of Biodiversity and Plant Systematics, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 345, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christopher Volkert
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Department of Biodiversity and Plant Systematics, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 345, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christiane Kiefer
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Department of Biodiversity and Plant Systematics, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 345, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Luise Zühl
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Department of Biodiversity and Plant Systematics, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 345, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Magdalena W Slawinska
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Department of Biodiversity and Plant Systematics, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 345, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anna Loreth
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Department of Biodiversity and Plant Systematics, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 345, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Berit H Nauerth
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Department of Biodiversity and Plant Systematics, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 345, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - David Ibberson
- Deep Sequencing Core Facility, CellNetworks Excellence Cluster, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 267, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rafael Martinez
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Department of Developmental Biology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Terezie M Mandakova
- CEITEC - Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Brno, 625 00, Czech Republic
| | - Reinhard Zipper
- Institute of Biology, Plant Evolutionary Biology, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 30, D-70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Anja Schmidt
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg, Department of Biodiversity and Plant Systematics, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 345, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Plant Evolutionary Biology, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 30, D-70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Hay NM, Windham MD, Mandáková T, Lysak MA, Hendriks KP, Mummenhoff K, Lens F, Pryer KM, Bailey CD. A Hyb-Seq phylogeny of Boechera and related genera using a combination of Angiosperms353 and Brassicaceae-specific bait sets. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2023; 110:e16226. [PMID: 37561651 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.16226] [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: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Although Boechera (Boechereae, Brassicaceae) has become a plant model system for both ecological genomics and evolutionary biology, all previous phylogenetic studies have had limited success in resolving species relationships within the genus. The recent effective application of sequence data from target enrichment approaches to resolve the evolutionary relationships of several other challenging plant groups prompted us to investigate their usefulness in Boechera and Boechereae. METHODS To resolve the phylogeny of Boechera and closely related genera, we utilized the Hybpiper pipeline to analyze two combined bait sets: Angiosperms353, with broad applicability across flowering plants; and a Brassicaceae-specific bait set designed for use in the mustard family. Relationships for 101 samples representing 81 currently recognized species were inferred from a total of 1114 low-copy nuclear genes using both supermatrix and species coalescence methods. RESULTS Our analyses resulted in a well-resolved and highly supported phylogeny of the tribe Boechereae. Boechereae is divided into two major clades, one comprising all western North American species of Boechera, the other encompassing the eight other genera of the tribe. Our understanding of relationships within Boechera is enhanced by the recognition of three core clades that are further subdivided into robust regional species complexes. CONCLUSIONS This study presents the first broadly sampled, well-resolved phylogeny for most known sexual diploid Boechera. This effort provides the foundation for a new phylogenetically informed taxonomy of Boechera that is crucial for its continued use as a model system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolai M Hay
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, 27708, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michael D Windham
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, 27708, North Carolina, USA
| | - Terezie Mandáková
- CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Brno, 625 00, Czech Republic
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Brno, 625 00, Czech Republic
| | - Martin A Lysak
- CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Brno, 625 00, Czech Republic
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research (NCBR), Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Brno, 625 00, Czech Republic
| | - Kasper P Hendriks
- Department of Biology/Botany, University of Osnabrück, Barbarastraße 11, Osnabrück, D-49076, Germany
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, P.O. Box 9517, Leiden, 2300 RA, The Netherlands
| | - Klaus Mummenhoff
- Department of Biology/Botany, University of Osnabrück, Barbarastraße 11, Osnabrück, D-49076, Germany
| | - Frederic Lens
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, P.O. Box 9517, Leiden, 2300 RA, The Netherlands
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Plant Sciences, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Kathleen M Pryer
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, 27708, North Carolina, USA
| | - C Donovan Bailey
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Cantila AY, Thomas WJW, Bayer PE, Edwards D, Batley J. Predicting Cloned Disease Resistance Gene Homologs (CDRHs) in Radish, Underutilised Oilseeds, and Wild Brassicaceae Species. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:3010. [PMID: 36432742 PMCID: PMC9693284 DOI: 10.3390/plants11223010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Brassicaceae crops, including Brassica, Camelina and Raphanus species, are among the most economically important crops globally; however, their production is affected by several diseases. To predict cloned disease resistance (R) gene homologs (CDRHs), we used the protein sequences of 49 cloned R genes against fungal and bacterial diseases in Brassicaceae species. In this study, using 20 Brassicaceae genomes (17 wild and 3 domesticated species), 3172 resistance gene analogs (RGAs) (2062 nucleotide binding-site leucine-rich repeats (NLRs), 497 receptor-like protein kinases (RLKs) and 613 receptor-like proteins (RLPs)) were identified. CDRH clusters were also observed in Arabis alpina, Camelina sativa and Cardamine hirsuta with assigned chromosomes, consisting of 62 homogeneous (38 NLR, 17 RLK and 7 RLP clusters) and 10 heterogeneous RGA clusters. This study highlights the prevalence of CDRHs in the wild relatives of the Brassicaceae family, which may lay the foundation for rapid identification of functional genes and genomics-assisted breeding to develop improved disease-resistant Brassicaceae crop cultivars.
Collapse
|
6
|
Shaw AJ, Piatkowski B, Duffy AM, Aguero B, Imwattana K, Nieto-Lugilde M, Healey A, Weston DJ, Patel MN, Schmutz J, Grimwood J, Yavitt JB, Hassel K, Stenøien HK, Flatberg KI, Bickford CP, Hicks KA. Phylogenomic structure and speciation in an emerging model: the Sphagnum magellanicum complex (Bryophyta). THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 236:1497-1511. [PMID: 35971292 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18429] [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: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Sphagnum magellanicum is one of two Sphagnum species for which a reference-quality genome exists to facilitate research in ecological genomics. Phylogenetic and comparative genomic analyses were conducted based on resequencing data from 48 samples and RADseq analyses based on 187 samples. We report herein that there are four clades/species within the S. magellanicum complex in eastern North America and that the reference genome belongs to Sphagnum divinum. The species exhibit tens of thousands (RADseq) to millions (resequencing) of fixed nucleotide differences. Two species, however, referred to informally as S. diabolicum and S. magni because they have not been formally described, are differentiated by only 100 (RADseq) to 1000 (resequencing) of differences. Introgression among species in the complex is demonstrated using D-statistics and f4 ratios. One ecologically important functional trait, tissue decomposability, which underlies peat (carbon) accumulation, does not differ between segregates in the S. magellanicum complex, although previous research showed that many closely related Sphagnum species have evolved differences in decomposability/carbon sequestration. Phylogenetic resolution and more accurate species delimitation in the S. magellanicum complex substantially increase the value of this group for studying the early evolutionary stages of climate adaptation and ecological evolution more broadly.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Jonathan Shaw
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Bryan Piatkowski
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Aaron M Duffy
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Blanka Aguero
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Karn Imwattana
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | | | - Adam Healey
- HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL, 35806, USA
| | - David J Weston
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Megan N Patel
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Jeremy Schmutz
- HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL, 35806, USA
- Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley, National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Jane Grimwood
- HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL, 35806, USA
| | - Joseph B Yavitt
- Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Kristian Hassel
- NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, NO-7491, Norway
| | - Hans K Stenøien
- NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, NO-7491, Norway
| | - Kjell-Ivar Flatberg
- NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, NO-7491, Norway
| | | | - Karen A Hicks
- Department of Biology, Kenyon College, Gambier, OH, 43022, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Janas AB, Marciniuk J, Szeląg Z, Musiał K. New facts about callose events in the young ovules of some sexual and apomictic species of the Asteraceae family. PROTOPLASMA 2022; 259:1553-1565. [PMID: 35304670 DOI: 10.1007/s00709-022-01755-0] [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: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Callose (β-1,3-glucan) is one of the cell wall polymers that plays an important role in many biological processes in plants, including reproductive development. In angiosperms, timely deposition and degradation of callose during sporogenesis accompanies the transition of cells from somatic to generative identity. However, knowledge on the regulation of callose biosynthesis at specific sites of the megasporocyte wall remains limited and the data on its distribution are not conclusive. Establishing the callose deposition pattern in a large number of species can contribute to full understanding of its function in reproductive development. Previous studies focused on callose events in sexual species and only a few concerned apomicts. The main goal of our research was to establish and compare the pattern of callose deposition during early sexual and diplosporous processes in the ovules of some Hieracium, Pilosella and Taraxacum (Asteraceae) species; aniline blue staining technique was used for this purpose. Our findings indicate that callose deposition accompanies both meiotic and diplosporous development of the megaspore mother cell. This suggests that it has similar regulatory functions in intercellular communication regardless of the mode of reproduction. Interestingly, callose deposition followed a different pattern in the studied sexual and diplosporous species compared to most angiosperms as it usually began at the micropylar pole of the megasporocyte. Here, it was only in sexually reproducing H. transylvanicum that callose first appeared at the chalazal pole of the megasporocyte. The present paper additionally discusses the occurrence of aposporous initial cells with callose-rich walls in the ovules of diploid species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka B Janas
- Department of Plant Cytology and Embryology, Institute of Botany, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387, Cracow, Poland.
- The Franciszek Górski Institute of Plant Physiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Niezapominajek 21, 30-239, Cracow, Poland.
| | - Jolanta Marciniuk
- Faculty of Exact and Natural Science, Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities, Prusa 14, 08-110, Siedlce, Poland
| | - Zbigniew Szeląg
- Institute of Biology, Pedagogical University of Cracow, Podchorążych 2, 30-084, Cracow, Poland
| | - Krystyna Musiał
- Department of Plant Cytology and Embryology, Institute of Botany, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387, Cracow, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Rushworth CA, Wagner MR, Mitchell-Olds T, Anderson JT. The Boechera model system for evolutionary ecology. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2022; 109:1939-1961. [PMID: 36371714 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.16090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Model systems in biology expand the research capacity of individuals and the community. Closely related to Arabidopsis, the genus Boechera has emerged as an important ecological model owing to the ability to integrate across molecular, functional, and eco-evolutionary approaches. Boechera species are broadly distributed in relatively undisturbed habitats predominantly in western North America and provide one of the few experimental systems for identification of ecologically important genes through genome-wide association studies and investigations of selection with plants in their native habitats. The ecologically, evolutionarily, and agriculturally important trait of apomixis (asexual reproduction via seeds) is common in the genus, and field experiments suggest that abiotic and biotic environments shape the evolution of sex. To date, population genetic studies have focused on the widespread species B. stricta, detailing population divergence and demographic history. Molecular and ecological studies show that balancing selection maintains genetic variation in ~10% of the genome, and ecological trade-offs contribute to complex trait variation for herbivore resistance, flowering phenology, and drought tolerance. Microbiome analyses have shown that host genotypes influence leaf and root microbiome composition, and the soil microbiome influences flowering phenology and natural selection. Furthermore, Boechera offers numerous opportunities for investigating biological responses to global change. In B. stricta, climate change has induced a shift of >2 weeks in the timing of first flowering since the 1970s, altered patterns of natural selection, generated maladaptation in previously locally-adapted populations, and disrupted life history trade-offs. Here we review resources and results for this eco-evolutionary model system and discuss future research directions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Maggie R Wagner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Kansas Biological Survey and Center for Ecological Research, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA
| | | | - Jill T Anderson
- Department of Genetics and Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Bakin E, Sezer F, Özbilen A, Kilic I, Uner B, Rayko M, Taskin KM, Brukhin V. Phylogenetic and Expression Analysis of CENH3 and APOLLO Genes in Sexual and Apomictic Boechera Species. PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11030387. [PMID: 35161368 PMCID: PMC8839901 DOI: 10.3390/plants11030387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Apomictic plants (reproducing via asexual seeds), unlike sexual individuals, avoid meiosis and egg cell fertilization. Consequently, apomixis is very important for fixing maternal genotypes in the next plant generations. Despite the progress in the study of apomixis, molecular and genetic regulation of the latter remains poorly understood. So far APOLLO gene encoding aspartate glutamate aspartate aspartate histidine exonuclease is one of the very few described genes associated with apomixis in Boechera species. The centromere-specific histone H3 variant encoded by CENH3 gene is essential for cell division. Mutations in CENH3 disrupt chromosome segregation during mitosis and meiosis since the attachment of spindle microtubules to a mutated form of the CENH3 histone fails. This paper presents in silico characteristic of APOLLO and CENH3 genes, which may affect apomixis. Furthermore, we characterize the structure of CENH3 by bioinformatic tools, study expression levels of APOLLO and CENH3 transcripts by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction RT-PCR in gynoecium/siliques of the natural diploid apomictic and sexual Boechera species at the stages of meiosis and before and after fertilization. While CENH3 was a single copy gene in all Boechera species, the APOLLO gene have several polymorphic alleles associated with sexual and apomictic reproduction in the Boechera genera. Expression of the APOLLO apo-allele during meiosis was upregulated in gynoecium of apomict B. divaricarpa downregulating after meiosis until the 4th day after pollination (DAP). On the 5th DAP, expression in apomictic siliques increased again. In sexual B. stricta gynoecium and siliques APOLLO apo-allele did not express. Expression of the APOLLO sex-allele during and after meiosis in gynoecium of sexual plants was several times higher than that in apomictic gynoecium. However, after pollination the sex-allele was downregulated in sexual siliques to the level of apomicts and increased sharply on the 5th DAP, while in apomictic siliques it almost did not express. At the meiotic stage, the expression level of CENH3 in the gynoecium of apomicts was two times lower than that of the sexual Boechera, decreasing in both species after meiosis and keep remaining very low in siliques of both species for several days after artificial pollination until the 4th DAP, when the expression level raised in sexual B. stricta siliques exceeding 5 times the level in apomictic B. divaricarpa siliques. We also discuss polymorphism and phylogeny of the APOLLO and CENH3 genes. The results obtained may indicate to a role of the CENH3 and APOLLO genes in the development of apomixis in species of the genus Boechera.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evgeny Bakin
- Bioinformatics Institute, 197342 Saint-Petersburg, Russia;
| | - Fatih Sezer
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale 17100, Turkey; (F.S.); (B.U.)
| | - Aslıhan Özbilen
- Department of Biology, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale 17100, Turkey; (A.Ö.); (I.K.)
| | - Irem Kilic
- Department of Biology, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale 17100, Turkey; (A.Ö.); (I.K.)
| | - Buket Uner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale 17100, Turkey; (F.S.); (B.U.)
| | - Mike Rayko
- Laboratory for Algorithmic Biology, Saint-Petersburg State University, 199004 Saint-Petersburg, Russia;
| | - Kemal Melih Taskin
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale 17100, Turkey; (F.S.); (B.U.)
- Correspondence: (K.M.T.); (V.B.)
| | - Vladimir Brukhin
- Plant Genomics Lab, ChemBio Cluster, ITMO University, 191002 Saint-Petersburg, Russia
- Department of Plant Embryology and Reproductive Biology, Komarov Botanical Institute Russian Academy of Sciences, 197376 Saint-Petersburg, Russia
- Correspondence: (K.M.T.); (V.B.)
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Petrella R, Cucinotta M, Mendes MA, Underwood CJ, Colombo L. The emerging role of small RNAs in ovule development, a kind of magic. PLANT REPRODUCTION 2021; 34:335-351. [PMID: 34142243 PMCID: PMC8566443 DOI: 10.1007/s00497-021-00421-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
In plants, small RNAs have been recognized as key genetic and epigenetic regulators of development. Small RNAs are usually 20 to 30 nucleotides in length and they control, in a sequence specific manner, the transcriptional or post-transcriptional expression of genes. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of the most recent findings about the function of small RNAs in ovule development, including megasporogenesis and megagametogenesis, both in sexual and apomictic plants. We discuss recent studies on the role of miRNAs, siRNAs and trans-acting RNAs (ta-siRNAs) in early female germline differentiation. The mechanistic complexity and unique regulatory features are reviewed, and possible directions for future research are provided.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rosanna Petrella
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Mara Cucinotta
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Marta A Mendes
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Charles J Underwood
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829, Cologne, Germany
| | - Lucia Colombo
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Mau M, Liiving T, Fomenko L, Goertzen R, Paczesniak D, Böttner L, Sharbel TF. The spread of infectious asexuality through haploid pollen. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 230:804-820. [PMID: 33421128 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/26/2020] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The mechanisms of initiation and transmission of apomixis (asexual reproduction through seeds) in natural plant populations are important for understanding the evolution of reproductive variation. Here, we used the phylogenetic diversity of the genus Boechera (Brassicaceae), together with natural diversity in pollen types produced by apomictic lines, to test whether hybridization triggers the transition to asexuality, and whether a 'triploid bridge' is required for the formation of polyploid apomicts. We performed crosses between diploid sexual recipient and diploid apomictic donor lines and tested whether the mating system (interspecific hybridization vs intraspecific outcrossing) or pollen type (haploid vs diploid) influenced the transmission of apomixis from diploid apomictic donors into sexual recipients. We used genetic markers and flow cytometric analyses of embryo and endosperm in seeds to infer the reproductive mode. Within a single generation, initiation of both diploid and polyploid apomixis in sexual Boechera can occur. Diploid apomixis is transmitted through haploid pollen (infectious asexuality) and polyploids can form through multiple pathways. The three functional elements of apomixis occasionally segregate. Variation in pollen ploidy and the segregation of apomixis elements drive reproductive diversity of hybrids and outcrosses and can be utilized for apomixis initiation in crop breeding programs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Mau
- Apomixis Research Group, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Gatersleben, D-06466, Germany
- Global Institute for Food Security, University of Saskatchewan, 110 Gymnasium Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N5C2, Canada
| | - Tiina Liiving
- Apomixis Research Group, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Gatersleben, D-06466, Germany
- Global Institute for Food Security, University of Saskatchewan, 110 Gymnasium Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N5C2, Canada
| | - Liza Fomenko
- Global Institute for Food Security, University of Saskatchewan, 110 Gymnasium Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N5C2, Canada
| | - Richard Goertzen
- Global Institute for Food Security, University of Saskatchewan, 110 Gymnasium Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N5C2, Canada
| | - Dorota Paczesniak
- Apomixis Research Group, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Gatersleben, D-06466, Germany
- Global Institute for Food Security, University of Saskatchewan, 110 Gymnasium Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N5C2, Canada
| | - Laura Böttner
- Apomixis Research Group, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Gatersleben, D-06466, Germany
| | - Timothy F Sharbel
- Apomixis Research Group, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Gatersleben, D-06466, Germany
- Global Institute for Food Security, University of Saskatchewan, 110 Gymnasium Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N5C2, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Mateo de Arias M, Gao L, Sherwood DA, Dwivedi KK, Price BJ, Jamison M, Kowallis BM, Carman JG. Whether Gametophytes are Reduced or Unreduced in Angiosperms Might Be Determined Metabolically. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11121449. [PMID: 33276690 PMCID: PMC7761559 DOI: 10.3390/genes11121449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In angiosperms, meiotic failure coupled with the formation of genetically unreduced gametophytes in ovules (apomeiosis) constitute major components of gametophytic apomixis. These aberrant developmental events are generally thought to be caused by mutation. However, efforts to locate the responsible mutations have failed. Herein, we tested a fundamentally different hypothesis: apomeiosis is a polyphenism of meiosis, with meiosis and apomeiosis being maintained by different states of metabolic homeostasis. Microarray analyses of ovules and pistils were used to differentiate meiotic from apomeiotic processes in Boechera (Brassicaceae). Genes associated with translation, cell division, epigenetic silencing, flowering, and meiosis characterized sexual Boechera (meiotic). In contrast, genes associated with stress responses, abscisic acid signaling, reactive oxygen species production, and stress attenuation mechanisms characterized apomictic Boechera (apomeiotic). We next tested whether these metabolic differences regulate reproductive mode. Apomeiosis switched to meiosis when premeiotic ovules of apomicts were cultured on media that increased oxidative stress. These treatments included drought, starvation, and H2O2 applications. In contrast, meiosis switched to apomeiosis when premeiotic pistils of sexual plants were cultured on media that relieved oxidative stress. These treatments included antioxidants, glucose, abscisic acid, fluridone, and 5-azacytidine. High-frequency apomeiosis was initiated in all sexual species tested: Brassicaceae, Boechera stricta, Boechera exilis, and Arabidopsis thaliana; Fabaceae, Vigna unguiculata; Asteraceae, Antennaria dioica. Unreduced gametophytes formed from ameiotic female and male sporocytes, first division restitution dyads, and nucellar cells. These results are consistent with modes of reproduction and types of apomixis, in natural apomicts, being regulated metabolically.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mayelyn Mateo de Arias
- Plants, Soils, and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4820, USA; (M.M.d.A.); (L.G.); (D.A.S.); (B.J.P.)
- Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo, 10103 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
| | - Lei Gao
- Plants, Soils, and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4820, USA; (M.M.d.A.); (L.G.); (D.A.S.); (B.J.P.)
- College of Pharmacy and Life Science, Jiujiang University, Jiujiang 332000, China
| | - David A. Sherwood
- Plants, Soils, and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4820, USA; (M.M.d.A.); (L.G.); (D.A.S.); (B.J.P.)
- Sherwood Pet Health, Logan, UT 84321, USA
| | - Krishna K. Dwivedi
- Caisson Laboratories, Inc., Smithfield, UT 84335, USA; (K.K.D.); (M.J.); (B.M.K.)
- Crop Improvement Division, Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, 284003 Jhansi, India
| | - Bo J. Price
- Plants, Soils, and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4820, USA; (M.M.d.A.); (L.G.); (D.A.S.); (B.J.P.)
- Molecular Biology Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-5750, USA
| | - Michelle Jamison
- Caisson Laboratories, Inc., Smithfield, UT 84335, USA; (K.K.D.); (M.J.); (B.M.K.)
- Wescor, Inc. An Elitech Company, Logan, UT 84321, USA
| | - Becky M. Kowallis
- Caisson Laboratories, Inc., Smithfield, UT 84335, USA; (K.K.D.); (M.J.); (B.M.K.)
- Cytiva, Inc., Logan, UT 84321, USA
| | - John G. Carman
- Plants, Soils, and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4820, USA; (M.M.d.A.); (L.G.); (D.A.S.); (B.J.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-435-512-4913
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Mandáková T, Hloušková P, Windham MD, Mitchell-Olds T, Ashby K, Price B, Carman J, Lysak MA. Chromosomal Evolution and Apomixis in the Cruciferous Tribe Boechereae. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:514. [PMID: 32547569 PMCID: PMC7270200 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The mustard family (Brassicaceae) comprises several dozen monophyletic clades usually ranked as tribes. The tribe Boechereae plays a prominent role in plant research due to the incidence of apomixis and its close relationship to Arabidopsis. This tribe, largely confined to western North America, harbors nine genera and c. 130 species, with >90% of species belonging to the genus Boechera. Hundreds of apomictic diploid and triploid Boechera hybrids have spurred interest in this genus, but the remaining Boechereae genomes remain virtually unstudied. Here we report on comparative genome structure of six genera (Borodinia, Cusickiella, Phoenicaulis, Polyctenium, Nevada, and Sandbergia) and three Boechera species as revealed by comparative chromosome painting (CCP). All analyzed taxa shared the same seven-chromosome genome structure. Comparisons with the sister Halimolobeae tribe (n = 8) showed that the ancestral Boechereae genome (n = 7) was derived from an older n = 8 genome by descending dysploidy followed by the divergence of extant Boechereae taxa. As tribal divergence post-dated the origin of four tribe-specific chromosomes, it is proposed that these chromosomal rearrangements were a key evolutionary innovation underlaying the origin and diversification of the Boechereae in North America. Although most Boechereae genera exhibit genomic conservatism, intra-tribal cladogenesis has occasionally been accompanied by chromosomal rearrangements (particularly inversions). Recently, apomixis was reported in the Boechereae genera Borodinia and Phoenicaulis. Here, we report sexual reproduction in diploid Nevada, diploid Sandbergia, and tetraploid Cusickiella and aposporous apomixis in tetraploids of Polyctenium and Sandbergia. In sum, apomixis is now known to occur in five of the nine Boechereae genera.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Kaylynn Ashby
- Plants, Soils, and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
| | - Bo Price
- Plants, Soils, and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
| | - John Carman
- Plants, Soils, and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
| | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Controlling Apomixis: Shared Features and Distinct Characteristics of Gene Regulation. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11030329. [PMID: 32245021 PMCID: PMC7140868 DOI: 10.3390/genes11030329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In higher plants, sexual and asexual reproduction through seeds (apomixis) have evolved as alternative strategies. As apomixis leads to the formation of clonal offspring, its great potential for agricultural applications has long been recognized. However, the genetic basis and the molecular control underlying apomixis and its evolutionary origin are to date not fully understood. Both in sexual and apomictic plants, reproduction is tightly controlled by versatile mechanisms regulating gene expression, translation, and protein abundance and activity. Increasing evidence suggests that interrelated pathways including epigenetic regulation, cell-cycle control, hormonal pathways, and signal transduction processes are relevant for apomixis. Additional molecular mechanisms are being identified that involve the activity of DNA- and RNA-binding proteins, such as RNA helicases which are increasingly recognized as important regulators of reproduction. Together with other factors including non-coding RNAs, their association with ribosomes is likely to be relevant for the formation and specification of the apomictic reproductive lineage. Subsequent seed formation appears to involve an interplay of transcriptional activation and repression of developmental programs by epigenetic regulatory mechanisms. In this review, insights into the genetic basis and molecular control of apomixis are presented, also taking into account potential relations to environmental stress, and considering aspects of evolution.
Collapse
|
15
|
Melichárková A, Šlenker M, Zozomová-Lihová J, Skokanová K, Šingliarová B, Kačmárová T, Caboňová M, Kempa M, Šrámková G, Mandáková T, Lysák MA, Svitok M, Mártonfiová L, Marhold K. So Closely Related and Yet So Different: Strong Contrasts Between the Evolutionary Histories of Species of the Cardamine pratensis Polyploid Complex in Central Europe. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:588856. [PMID: 33391302 PMCID: PMC7775393 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.588856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Recurrent polyploid formation and weak reproductive barriers between independent polyploid lineages generate intricate species complexes with high diversity and reticulate evolutionary history. Uncovering the evolutionary processes that formed their present-day cytotypic and genetic structure is a challenging task. We studied the species complex of Cardamine pratensis, composed of diploid endemics in the European Mediterranean and diploid-polyploid lineages more widely distributed across Europe, focusing on the poorly understood variation in Central Europe. To elucidate the evolution of Central European populations we analyzed ploidy level and genome size variation, genetic patterns inferred from microsatellite markers and target enrichment of low-copy nuclear genes (Hyb-Seq), and environmental niche differentiation. We observed almost continuous variation in chromosome numbers and genome size in C. pratensis s.str., which is caused by the co-occurrence of euploid and dysploid cytotypes, along with aneuploids, and is likely accompanied by inter-cytotype mating. We inferred that the polyploid cytotypes of C. pratensis s.str. are both of single and multiple, spatially and temporally recurrent origins. The tetraploid Cardamine majovskyi evolved at least twice in different regions by autopolyploidy from diploid Cardamine matthioli. The extensive genome size and genetic variation of Cardamine rivularis reflects differentiation induced by the geographic isolation of disjunct populations, establishment of triploids of different origins, and hybridization with sympatric C. matthioli. Geographically structured genetic lineages identified in the species under study, which are also ecologically divergent, are interpreted as descendants from different source populations in multiple glacial refugia. The postglacial range expansion was accompanied by substantial genetic admixture between the lineages of C. pratensis s.str., which is reflected by diffuse borders in their contact zones. In conclusion, we identified an interplay of diverse processes that have driven the evolution of the species studied, including allopatric and ecological divergence, hybridization, multiple polyploid origins, and genetic reshuffling caused by Pleistocene climate-induced range dynamics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Melichárková
- Institute of Botany, Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Marek Šlenker
- Institute of Botany, Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Judita Zozomová-Lihová
- Institute of Botany, Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Katarína Skokanová
- Institute of Botany, Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Barbora Šingliarová
- Institute of Botany, Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Tatiana Kačmárová
- Institute of Botany, Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Michaela Caboňová
- Institute of Botany, Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Matúš Kempa
- Institute of Botany, Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Gabriela Šrámková
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Terezie Mandáková
- Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Martin A. Lysák
- Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research (NCBR), Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Marek Svitok
- Department of Biology and General Ecology, Faculty of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Technical University in Zvolen, Zvolen, Slovakia
- Department of Ecosystem Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | | | - Karol Marhold
- Institute of Botany, Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
- *Correspondence: Karol Marhold,
| |
Collapse
|