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Zhong S, Zhao P, Peng X, Li HJ, Duan Q, Cheung AY. From gametes to zygote: Mechanistic advances and emerging possibilities in plant reproduction. Plant Physiol 2024; 195:4-35. [PMID: 38431529 PMCID: PMC11060694 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiae125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Zhong
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Peng Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xiongbo Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Hong-Ju Li
- Key Laboratory of Seed Innovation, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Center for Molecular Agrobiology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Qiaohong Duan
- College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Alice Y Cheung
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, Plant Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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2
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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. J Exp Bot 2024; 75:2451-2469. [PMID: 38263359 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erae026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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.
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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
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3
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Wei H, Wang B, Xu Y, Fan W, Zhang M, Huang F, Shi C, Li T, Wang S, Wang S. The Mechanism of Ovule Abortion in Self-Pollinated 'Hanfu' Apple Fruits and Related Gene Screening. Plants (Basel) 2024; 13:996. [PMID: 38611525 PMCID: PMC11013273 DOI: 10.3390/plants13070996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Apples exhibit S-RNase-mediated self-incompatibility and typically require cross-pollination in nature. 'Hanfu' is a cultivar that produces abundant fruit after self-pollination, although it also shows a high rate of seed abortion afterwards, which greatly reduces fruit quality. In this study, we investigated the ovule development process and the mechanism of ovule abortion in apples after self-pollination. Using a DIC microscope and biomicroscope, we found that the abortion of apple ovules occurs before embryo formation and results from the failure of sperm-egg fusion. Further, we used laser-assisted microdissection (LAM) cutting and sperm and egg cell sequencing at different periods after pollination to obtain the genes related to ovule abortion. The top 40 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were further verified, and the results were consistent with switching the mechanism at the 5' end of the RNA transcript (SMART-seq). Through this study, we can preliminarily clarify the mechanism of ovule abortion in self-pollinated apple fruits and provide a gene reserve for further study and improvement of 'Hanfu' apple fruit quality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Shengnan Wang
- College of Horticulture, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Shengyuan Wang
- College of Horticulture, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
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4
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Matsumoto H, Ueda M. Polarity establishment in the plant zygote at a glance. J Cell Sci 2024; 137:jcs261809. [PMID: 38436556 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.261809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The complex structures of multicellular organisms originate from a unicellular zygote. In most angiosperms, including Arabidopsis thaliana, the zygote is distinctly polar and divides asymmetrically to produce an apical cell, which generates the aboveground part of the plant body, and a basal cell, which generates the root tip and extraembryonic suspensor. Thus, zygote polarity is pivotal for establishing the apical-basal axis running from the shoot apex to the root tip of the plant body. The molecular mechanisms and spatiotemporal dynamics behind zygote polarization remain elusive. However, advances in live-cell imaging of plant zygotes have recently made significant insights possible. In this Cell Science at a Glance article and the accompanying poster, we summarize our understanding of the early steps in apical-basal axis formation in Arabidopsis, with a focus on de novo transcriptional activation after fertilization and the intracellular dynamics leading to the first asymmetric division of the zygote.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hikari Matsumoto
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, 6-3, Aza-Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Sendai, 980-8578, Japan
| | - Minako Ueda
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, 6-3, Aza-Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Sendai, 980-8578, Japan
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5
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Sugi N, Susaki D, Mizuta Y, Kinoshita T, Maruyama D. Letter to the Editor: Blue Light Irradiation Induces Pollen Tube Rupture in Various Flowering Plants. Plant Cell Physiol 2024:pcae018. [PMID: 38466564 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcae018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Sugi
- Kihara Institute for Biological Research, Yokohama City University, 641-12 Maioka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 244-0813 Japan
| | - Daichi Susaki
- Kihara Institute for Biological Research, Yokohama City University, 641-12 Maioka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 244-0813 Japan
| | - Yoko Mizuta
- Institute for Advanced Research (IAR), Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8601 Japan
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8601 Japan
| | - Tetsu Kinoshita
- Kihara Institute for Biological Research, Yokohama City University, 641-12 Maioka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 244-0813 Japan
| | - Daisuke Maruyama
- Kihara Institute for Biological Research, Yokohama City University, 641-12 Maioka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 244-0813 Japan
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Wang W, Malka R, Lindemeier M, Cyprys P, Tiedemann S, Sun K, Zhang X, Xiong H, Sprunck S, Sun MX. EGG CELL 1 contributes to egg-cell-dependent preferential fertilization in Arabidopsis. Nat Plants 2024; 10:268-282. [PMID: 38287093 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-023-01616-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
During double fertilization in angiosperms, the pollen tube delivers two sperm cells into an embryo sac; one sperm cell fuses with an egg cell, and the other sperm cell fuses with the central cell. It has long been proposed that the preference for fusion with one or another female gamete cell depends on the sperm cells and occurs during gamete recognition. However, up to now, sperm-dependent preferential fertilization has not been demonstrated, and results on preferred fusion with either female gamete have remained conflicting. To investigate this topic, we generated Arabidopsis thaliana mutants that produce single sperm-like cells or whose egg cells are eliminated; we found that although the three different types of sperm-like cell are functionally equivalent in their ability to fertilize the egg and the central cell, each type of sperm-like cell fuses predominantly with the egg cell. This indicates that it is the egg cell that controls its preferential fertilization. We also found that sperm-activating small secreted EGG CELL 1 proteins are involved in the regulation of egg-cell-dependent preferential fertilization, revealing another important role for this protein family during double fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Raphael Malka
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Maria Lindemeier
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Philipp Cyprys
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sophie Tiedemann
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Kaiting Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xuecheng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hanxian Xiong
- School of Life Science and Technology, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, China.
| | - Stefanie Sprunck
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Meng-Xiang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
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7
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Li T, Zhu S, Li Y, Yao J, Wang C, Fang S, Pan J, Chen W, Zhang Y. Characteristic of GEX1 genes reveals the essential roles for reproduction in cotton. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:127645. [PMID: 37879575 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
GEX1 (gamete expressed 1) proteins are critical membrane proteins conserved among flowering plants that are involved in the nuclear fusion and embryonic development. Herein, we identified the 32 GEX1 proteins from representative land plants. In cotton, GEX1 genes expressed in various tissues across all stages of the life cycle, especially in pollen. Subcellular localization indicated the position of GhGEX1 protein was localized in the endoplasmic reticulum. Experimental research has demonstrated that GhGEX1 has the potential to improve the partial abortion phenotype in Arabidopsis. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of GhGEX1 exhibited the seed abortion. Paraffin section of the ovule revealed that the polar nuclear fusion of ghgex1 plants remains at a standstill when the wild type has developed into a normal embryo. Comparative transcriptome analysis showed that the DEGs of reproductive-related processes and membrane-related processes were repressed in the pollen of knockout lines. The predicted protein interactions showed that GhGEX1 probably functioned through interactions with proteins related to reproduction and membrane. From all these investigations, it was possible to conclude that the GEX1 proteins are evolutionarily conserved in flowering plants and elucidated the pivotal roles during fertilization and early embryonic development in cotton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tengyu Li
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang 455000, China; National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Shouhong Zhu
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Yan Li
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Jinbo Yao
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Chenlei Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Shengtao Fang
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Jingwen Pan
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Wei Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang 455000, China.
| | - Yongshan Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang 455000, China.
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8
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Ogawa ST, Kessler SA. Update on signaling pathways regulating polarized intercellular communication in Arabidopsis reproduction. Plant Physiol 2023; 193:1732-1744. [PMID: 37453128 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sienna T Ogawa
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology and Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47905, USA
| | - Sharon A Kessler
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology and Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47905, USA
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9
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Lan J, Wang N, Wang Y, Jiang Y, Yu H, Cao X, Qin G. Arabidopsis TCP4 transcription factor inhibits high temperature-induced homeotic conversion of ovules. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5673. [PMID: 37704599 PMCID: PMC10499876 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41416-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Abnormal high temperature (HT) caused by global warming threatens plant survival and food security, but the effects of HT on plant organ identity are elusive. Here, we show that Class II TEOSINTE BRANCHED 1/CYCLOIDEA/ PCF (TCP) transcription factors redundantly protect ovule identity under HT. The duodecuple tcp2/3/4/5/10/13/17/24/1/12/18/16 (tcpDUO) mutant displays HT-induced ovule conversion into carpelloid structures. Expression of TCP4 in tcpDUO complements the ovule identity conversion. TCP4 interacts with AGAMOUS (AG), SEPALLATA3 (SEP3), and the homeodomain transcription factor BELL1 (BEL1) to strengthen the association of BEL1 with AG-SEP3. The tcpDUO mutant synergistically interacts with bel1 and the ovule identity gene seedstick (STK) mutant stk in tcpDUO bel1 and tcpDUO stk. Our findings reveal the critical roles of Class II TCPs in maintaining ovule identity under HT and shed light on the molecular mechanisms by which ovule identity is determined by the integration of internal factors and environmental temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingqiu Lan
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and National Center for Plant Gene Research, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Ning Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yutao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yidan Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Hao Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Xiaofeng Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and National Center for Plant Gene Research, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Genji Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
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10
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Feng YZ, Zhu QF, Xue J, Chen P, Yu Y. Shining in the dark: the big world of small peptides in plants. aBIOTECH 2023; 4:238-256. [PMID: 37970469 PMCID: PMC10638237 DOI: 10.1007/s42994-023-00100-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Small peptides represent a subset of dark matter in plant proteomes. Through differential expression patterns and modes of action, small peptides act as important regulators of plant growth and development. Over the past 20 years, many small peptides have been identified due to technical advances in genome sequencing, bioinformatics, and chemical biology. In this article, we summarize the classification of plant small peptides and experimental strategies used to identify them as well as their potential use in agronomic breeding. We review the biological functions and molecular mechanisms of small peptides in plants, discuss current problems in small peptide research and highlight future research directions in this field. Our review provides crucial insight into small peptides in plants and will contribute to a better understanding of their potential roles in biotechnology and agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Zhao Feng
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of South China Modern Biological Seed Industry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agro-Biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640 China
| | - Qing-Feng Zhu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of South China Modern Biological Seed Industry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agro-Biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640 China
| | - Jiao Xue
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of South China Modern Biological Seed Industry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agro-Biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640 China
| | - Pei Chen
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of South China Modern Biological Seed Industry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agro-Biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640 China
| | - Yang Yu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Crop Germplasm Resources Preservation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of South China Modern Biological Seed Industry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agro-Biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640 China
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11
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Mao Y, Nakel T, Erbasol Serbes I, Joshi S, Tekleyohans DG, Baum T, Groß-Hardt R. ECS1 and ECS2 suppress polyspermy and the formation of haploid plants by promoting double fertilization. eLife 2023; 12:e85832. [PMID: 37489742 PMCID: PMC10421590 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The current pace of crop plant optimization is insufficient to meet future demands and there is an urgent need for novel breeding strategies. It was previously shown that plants tolerate the generation of triparental polyspermy-derived plants and that polyspermy can bypass hybridization barriers. Polyspermy thus has the potential to harness previously incompatible climate-adapted wild varieties for plant breeding. However, factors that influence polyspermy frequencies were not previously known. The endopeptidases ECS1 and ECS2 have been reported to prevent the attraction of supernumerary pollen tubes by cleaving the pollen tube attractant LURE1. Here, we show that these genes have an earlier function that is manifested by incomplete double fertilization in plants defective for both genes. In addition to supernumerary pollen tube attraction, ecs1 ecs2 mutants exhibit a delay in synergid disintegration, are susceptible to heterofertilization, and segregate haploid plants that lack a paternal genome contribution. Our results thus uncover ECS1 and ECS2 as the first female factors triggering the induction of maternal haploids. Capitalizing on a high-throughput polyspermy assay, we in addition show that the double mutant exhibits an increase in polyspermy frequencies. As both haploid induction and polyspermy are valuable breeding aims, our results open new avenues for accelerated generation of climate-adapted cultivars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanbo Mao
- University of Bremen, Centre for Biomolecular InteractionsBremenGermany
| | - Thomas Nakel
- University of Bremen, Centre for Biomolecular InteractionsBremenGermany
| | | | - Saurabh Joshi
- University of Bremen, Centre for Biomolecular InteractionsBremenGermany
| | | | - Thomas Baum
- University of Bremen, Centre for Biomolecular InteractionsBremenGermany
| | - Rita Groß-Hardt
- University of Bremen, Centre for Biomolecular InteractionsBremenGermany
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12
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Ishii H, Ishikawa A, Yumoto E, Kurokura T, Asahina M, Shimada Y, Nakamura A. Propiconazole-induced brassinosteroid deficiency reduces female fertility by inhibiting female gametophyte development in woodland strawberry. Plant Cell Rep 2023; 42:587-598. [PMID: 36629883 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-023-02981-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In woodland strawberry, a brassinosteroid biosynthesis inhibitor propiconazole induced typical brassinosteroid-deficient phenotypes and decreased female fertility due to attenuated female gametophyte development. Brassinosteroids (BRs) play roles in various aspects of plant development. We investigated the physiological roles of BRs in the woodland strawberry, Fragaria vesca. BR-level-dependent phenotypes were observed using a BR biosynthetic inhibitor, propiconazole (PCZ), and the most active natural BR, brassinolide (BL). Endogenous BL and castasterone, the active BRs, were below detectable levels in PCZ-treated woodland strawberry. The plants were typical BR-deficient phenotypes, and all phenotypes were restored by treatment with BL. These observations indicate that PCZ is an effective inhibitor of BR in woodland strawberry. Only one gene for each major step of BR biosynthesis in Arabidopsis is encoded in the woodland strawberry genome. BR biosynthetic genes are highly expressed during the early stage of fruit development. Emasculated flowers treated with BL failed to develop fruit, implying that BR is not involved in parthenocarpic fruit development. Similar to BR-deficient and BR-insensitive Arabidopsis mutants, female fertility was lower in PCZ-treated plants than in mock-treated plants due to failed attraction of the pollen tube to the ovule. In PCZ-treated plants, expression of FveMYB98, the homologous gene for Arabidopsis MYB98 (a marker for synergid cells), was downregulated. Ovules were smaller in PCZ-treated plants than in mock-treated plants, and histological analysis implied that the development of more than half of female gametophytes was arrested at the early stage in PCZ-treated plants. Our findings explain how BRs function during female gametophyte development in woodland strawberry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hikari Ishii
- Yokohama City University, Kihara Institute for Biological Research, Maioka 641-12, Totsuka, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 244-0813, Japan
| | - Ami Ishikawa
- Yokohama City University, Kihara Institute for Biological Research, Maioka 641-12, Totsuka, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 244-0813, Japan
| | - Emi Yumoto
- Advanced Instrumental Analysis Center, Teikyo University, 1-1 Toyosatodai, Utsunomiya, Tochigi, 321-8505, Japan
| | - Takeshi Kurokura
- Faculty of Agriculture, Utsunomiya University, 350 Mine, Utsunomiya, Tochigi, 321-8505, Japan
| | - Masashi Asahina
- Advanced Instrumental Analysis Center, Teikyo University, 1-1 Toyosatodai, Utsunomiya, Tochigi, 321-8505, Japan
- Department of Biosciences, Teikyo University, 1-1 Toyosatodai, Utsunomiya, Tochigi, 320-8551, Japan
| | - Yukihisa Shimada
- Yokohama City University, Kihara Institute for Biological Research, Maioka 641-12, Totsuka, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 244-0813, Japan
| | - Ayako Nakamura
- Yokohama City University, Kihara Institute for Biological Research, Maioka 641-12, Totsuka, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 244-0813, Japan.
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13
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Zhang Y, Maruyama D, Toda E, Kinoshita A, Okamoto T, Mitsuda N, Takasaki H, Ohme-Takagi M. Transcriptome analyses uncover reliance of endosperm gene expression on Arabidopsis embryonic development. FEBS Lett 2023; 597:407-417. [PMID: 36645411 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Endosperm-embryo development in flowering plants is regulated coordinately by signal exchange during seed development. However, such a reciprocal control mechanism has not been clearly identified. In this study, we identified an endosperm-specific gene, LBD35, expressed in an embryonic development-dependent manner, by a comparative transcriptome and cytological analyses of double-fertilized and single-fertilized seeds prepared by using the kokopelli mutant, which frequently induces single fertilization events. Transcriptome analysis using LBD35 as a marker of the central cell fertilization event identified that 141 genes, including 31 genes for small cysteine-rich peptides, are expressed in a double fertilization-dependent manner. Our results reveal possible embryonic signals that regulate endosperm gene expression and provide a practicable method to identify genes involved in the communication during endosperm-embryo development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilin Zhang
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Japan
| | - Daisuke Maruyama
- Kihara Institute for Biological Research, Yokohama City University, Japan
| | - Erika Toda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan
| | - Atsuko Kinoshita
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan
| | - Takashi Okamoto
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan
| | - Nobutaka Mitsuda
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Hironori Takasaki
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Japan
| | - Masaru Ohme-Takagi
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Japan.,Institute of Tropical Plant Science and Microbiology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan
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14
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Sugi N, Izumi R, Tomomi S, Susaki D, Kinoshita T, Maruyama D. Removal of the endoplasma membrane upon sperm cell activation after pollen tube discharge. Front Plant Sci 2023; 14:1116289. [PMID: 36778680 PMCID: PMC9909283 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1116289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In pollen and pollen tubes, immotile sperm cells are enclosed by an inner vegetative plasma membrane (IVPM), a single endomembrane originating from the vegetative-cell plasma membrane. It is widely believed that sperm cells must be removed from the IVPM prior to gamete associations and fusions; however, details of the timing and morphological changes upon IVPM dissociation remain elusive. Here, we report a rapid IVPM breakdown immediately before double fertilization in Arabidopsis thaliana. The IVPM was stably observed in coiling pollen tubes when pollen tube discharge was prevented using lorelei mutant ovules. In contrast, a semi-in vivo fertilization assay in wild-type ovules demonstrated fragmented IVPM around sperm nuclei 1 min after pollen tube discharge. These observations revealed the dynamic alteration of released sperm cells and provided new insights into double fertilization in flowering plants. With a summary of recent findings on IVPM lipid composition, we discussed the possible physiological signals controlling IVPM breakdown.
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15
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Shiba Y, Takahashi T, Ohashi Y, Ueda M, Mimuro A, Sugimoto J, Noguchi Y, Igawa T. Behavior of Male Gamete Fusogen GCS1/HAP2 and the Regulation in Arabidopsis Double Fertilization. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13020208. [PMID: 36830580 PMCID: PMC9953686 DOI: 10.3390/biom13020208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
In the sexual reproduction of flowering plants, two independent fertilization events occur almost simultaneously: two identical sperm cells fuse with either the egg cell or the central cell, resulting in embryo and endosperm development to produce a seed. GCS1/HAP2 is a sperm cell membrane protein essential for plasma membrane fusion with both female gametes. Other sperm membrane proteins, DMP8 and DMP9, are more important for egg cell fertilization than that of the central cell, suggesting its regulatory mechanism in GCS1/HAP2-driving gamete membrane fusion. To assess the GCS1/HAP2 regulatory cascade in the double fertilization system of flowering plants, we produced Arabidopsis transgenic lines expressing different GCS1/HAP2 variants and evaluated the fertilization in vivo. The fertilization pattern observed in GCS1_RNAi transgenic plants implied that sperm cells over the amount of GCS1/HAP2 required for fusion on their surface could facilitate membrane fusion with both female gametes. The cytological analysis of the dmp8dmp9 sperm cell arrested alone in an embryo sac supported GCS1/HAP2 distribution on the sperm surface. Furthermore, the fertilization failures with both female gametes were caused by GCS1/HAP2 secretion from the egg cell. These results provided a possible scenario of GCS1/HAP2 regulation, showing a potential scheme for capturing additional GCS1/HAP2-interacting proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Shiba
- Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University, Matsudo 648, Matsudo-shi 271-8510, Japan
| | - Taro Takahashi
- Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University, Matsudo 648, Matsudo-shi 271-8510, Japan
| | - Yukino Ohashi
- Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University, Matsudo 648, Matsudo-shi 271-8510, Japan
| | - Minako Ueda
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Department of Ecological Developmental Adaptability Life Sciences, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
- Suntory Rising Stars Encouragement Program in Life Sciences (SunRiSE), Sendai 980-8578, Japan
| | - Amane Mimuro
- Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University, Matsudo 648, Matsudo-shi 271-8510, Japan
| | - Jin Sugimoto
- Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University, Matsudo 648, Matsudo-shi 271-8510, Japan
| | - Yuka Noguchi
- Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University, Matsudo 648, Matsudo-shi 271-8510, Japan
| | - Tomoko Igawa
- Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University, Matsudo 648, Matsudo-shi 271-8510, Japan
- Plant Molecular Science Center, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi, Chiba-shi 263-8522, Japan
- Correspondence:
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16
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Wang L, Yang K, Wang Q, Xiao W. Genetic analysis of DNA-damage tolerance pathways in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell Rep 2023; 42:153-164. [PMID: 36319861 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-022-02942-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Genetic analysis revealed a two-branch DNA-damage tolerance mechanism in Arabidopsis, namely translesion DNA synthesis and error-free lesion bypass, represented by Rev3 and Rad5a-Uev1C/D, respectively. DNA-damage tolerance (DDT) is a mechanism by which cells complete replication in the presence of replication-blocking lesions. In budding yeast, DDT is achieved through Rad6-Rad18-mediated monoubiquitination of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), which promotes translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) and is followed by Ubc13-Mms2-Rad5 mediated K63-linked PCNA polyubiquitination that promotes error-free lesion bypass. Arabidopsis and other known plant genomes contain all of the above homologous genes except RAD18, and whether plants possess an intact DDT mechanism is unclear. In this study, we created Arabidopsis UEV1 (homologous to yeast MMS2) gene mutations and obtained two sets of double mutant lines Atuev1ab and Atuev1cd. It turned out that the Atuev1cd, but not the Atuev1ab mutant, was sensitive to DNA damage. Genetic analyses revealed that AtUEV1C/D and AtRAD5a function in the same pathway, while TLS represented by AtREV3 functions in a separate pathway in response to replication-blocking lesions. Furthermore, unlike budding yeast RAD5 that also functions in the TLS pathway, AtRAD5a is not required for TLS. Observations in this study collectively establish a two-branch DDT model in plants with similarity to and difference from the yeast DDT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linxiao Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of DNA Damage Responses and College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Kun Yang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of DNA Damage Responses and College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Qiuheng Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of DNA Damage Responses and College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Wei Xiao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of DNA Damage Responses and College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China.
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E5, Canada.
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17
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Zhang X, Yu X, Shi C, Dresselhaus T, Sun MX. Do egg cell-secreted aspartic proteases promote gamete attachment? J Integr Plant Biol 2023; 65:3-6. [PMID: 36625409 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xuecheng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Xiaobo Yu
- Bamboo Diseases and Pest Control and Resources Development Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Science, Leshan Normal University, Leshan, 614000, China
| | - Ce Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Thomas Dresselhaus
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, 31 93053, Germany
| | - Meng-Xiang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
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18
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Vernet A, Meynard D, Lian Q, Mieulet D, Gibert O, Bissah M, Rivallan R, Autran D, Leblanc O, Meunier AC, Frouin J, Taillebois J, Shankle K, Khanday I, Mercier R, Sundaresan V, Guiderdoni E. High-frequency synthetic apomixis in hybrid rice. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7963. [PMID: 36575169 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35679-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Introducing asexual reproduction through seeds - apomixis - into crop species could revolutionize agriculture by allowing F1 hybrids with enhanced yield and stability to be clonally propagated. Engineering synthetic apomixis has proven feasible in inbred rice through the inactivation of three genes (MiMe), which results in the conversion of meiosis into mitosis in a line ectopically expressing the BABYBOOM1 (BBM1) parthenogenetic trigger in egg cells. However, only 10-30% of the seeds are clonal. Here, we show that synthetic apomixis can be achieved in an F1 hybrid of rice by inducing MiMe mutations and egg cell expression of BBM1 in a single step. We generate hybrid plants that produce more than 95% of clonal seeds across multiple generations. Clonal apomictic plants maintain the phenotype of the F1 hybrid along successive generations. Our results demonstrate that there is no barrier to almost fully penetrant synthetic apomixis in an important crop species, rendering it compatible with use in agriculture.
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19
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Yu TY, Xu CX, Li WJ, Wang B. Peptides/receptors signaling during plant fertilization. Front Plant Sci 2022; 13:1090836. [PMID: 36589119 PMCID: PMC9797866 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1090836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Double fertilization is a unique and particularly complicated process for the generation alternation of angiosperms. Sperm cells of angiosperms lose the motility compared with that of gymnosperms. The sperm cells are passively carried and transported by the pollen tube for a long journey before targeting the ovule. Two sperm cells are released at the cleft between the egg and the central cell and fused with two female gametes to produce a zygote and endosperm, respectively, to accomplish the so-called double fertilization process. In this process, extensive communication and interaction occur between the male (pollen or pollen tube) and the female (ovule). It is suggested that small peptides and receptor kinases play critical roles in orchestrating this cell-cell communication. Here, we illuminate the understanding of phases in the process, such as pollen-stigma recognition, the hydration and germination of pollen grains, the growth, guidance, and rupture of tubes, the release of sperm cells, and the fusion of gametes, by reviewing increasing data recently. The roles of peptides and receptor kinases in signaling mechanisms underlying cell-cell communication were focused on, and directions of future studies were perspected in this review.
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20
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Lang C, Lin HT, Wu C, Alavi M. In Silico analysis of the sequence and structure of plant microRNAs packaged in extracellular vesicles. Comput Biol Chem 2022; 101:107771. [DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2022.107771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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21
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Zhu M, Tao L, Zhang J, Liu R, Tian H, Hu C, Zhu Y, Li M, Wei Z, Yi J, Li J, Gou X. The type-B response regulators ARR10, ARR12, and ARR18 specify the central cell in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 2022; 34:4714-4737. [PMID: 36130292 PMCID: PMC9709988 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koac285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In Arabidopsis thaliana, the female gametophyte consists of two synergid cells, an egg cell, a diploid central cell, and three antipodal cells. CYTOKININ INDEPENDENT 1 (CKI1), a histidine kinase constitutively activating the cytokinin signaling pathway, specifies the central cell and restricts the egg cell. However, the mechanism regulating CKI1-dependent central cell specification is largely unknown. Here, we showed that the type-B ARABIDOPSIS RESPONSE REGULATORS10, 12, and 18 (ARR10/12/18) localize at the chalazal pole of the female gametophyte. Phenotypic analysis showed that the arr10 12 18 triple mutant is female sterile. We examined the expression patterns of embryo sac marker genes and found that the embryo sac of arr10 12 18 plants had lost central cell identity, a phenotype similar to that of the Arabidopsis cki1 mutant. Genetic analyses demonstrated that ARR10/12/18, CKI1, and ARABIDOPSIS HISTIDINE PHOSPHOTRANSFER PROTEIN2, 3, and 5 (AHP2/3/5) function in a common pathway to regulate female gametophyte development. In addition, constitutively activated ARR10/12/18 in the cki1 embryo sac partially restored the fertility of cki1. Results of transcriptomic analysis supported the conclusion that ARR10/12/18 and CKI1 function together to regulate the identity of the central cell. Our results demonstrated that ARR10/12/18 function downstream of CKI1-AHP2/3/5 as core factors to determine cell fate of the female gametophyte.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingsong Zhu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Liang Tao
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jinghua Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Ruini Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Hongai Tian
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Chong Hu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yafen Zhu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Meizhen Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Zhuoyun Wei
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jing Yi
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jia Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xiaoping Gou
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
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22
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Lu Y, Ikawa M. Eukaryotic fertilization and gamete fusion at a glance. J Cell Sci 2022; 135:jcs260296. [PMID: 36416181 PMCID: PMC10658792 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.260296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In sexually reproducing organisms, the genetic information is transmitted from one generation to the next via the merger of male and female gametes. Gamete fusion is a two-step process involving membrane recognition and apposition through ligand-receptor interactions and lipid mixing mediated by fusion proteins. HAP2 (also known as GCS1) is a bona fide gamete fusogen in flowering plants and protists. In vertebrates, a multitude of surface proteins have been demonstrated to be pivotal for sperm-egg fusion, yet none of them exhibit typical fusogenic features. In this Cell Science at a Glance article and the accompanying poster, we summarize recent advances in the mechanistic understanding of gamete fusion in eukaryotes, with a particular focus on mammalian species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonggang Lu
- Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Masahito Ikawa
- Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Laboratory of Reproductive Systems Biology, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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23
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Jiang J, Stührwohldt N, Liu T, Huang Q, Li L, Zhang L, Gu H, Fan L, Zhong S, Schaller A, Qu LJ. Egg cell-secreted aspartic proteases ECS1/2 promote gamete attachment to prioritize the fertilization of egg cells over central cells in Arabidopsis. J Integr Plant Biol 2022; 64:2047-2059. [PMID: 36165344 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Double fertilization is an innovative phenomenon in angiosperms, in which one sperm cell first fuses with the egg cell to produce the embryo, and then the other sperm fuses with the central cell to produce the endosperm. However, the molecular mechanism of the preferential fertilization of egg cells is poorly understood. In this study, we report that two egg cell-secreted aspartic proteases, ECS1 and ECS2, play an important role in promoting preferential fertilization of egg cells in Arabidopsis. We show that simultaneous loss of ECS1 and ECS2 function resulted in an approximately 20% reduction in fertility, which can be complemented by the full-length ECS1/2 but not by corresponding active site mutants or by secretion-defective versions of ECS1/2. Detailed phenotypic analysis revealed that the egg cell-sperm cell attachment was compromised in ecs1 ecs2 siliques. Limited pollination assays with cyclin-dependent kinase a1 (cdka;1) pollen showed that preferential egg cell fertilization was impaired in the ecs1 ecs2 mutant. Taken together, these results demonstrate that egg cells secret two aspartic proteases, ECS1 and ECS2, to facilitate the attachment of sperm cells to egg cells so that preferential fertilization of egg cells is achieved. This study reveals the molecular mechanism of preferential fertilization in Arabidopsis thaliana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahao Jiang
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Nils Stührwohldt
- Department of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Institute of Biology, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, 70593, Germany
| | - Tianxu Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Qingpei Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Ling Li
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Li Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Hongya Gu
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Liumin Fan
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Sheng Zhong
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Andreas Schaller
- Department of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Institute of Biology, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, 70593, Germany
| | - Li-Jia Qu
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
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24
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Li L, Hou S, Xiang W, Song Z, Wang Y, Zhang L, Li J, Gu H, Dong J, Dresselhaus T, Zhong S, Qu LJ. The egg cell is preferentially fertilized in Arabidopsis double fertilization. J Integr Plant Biol 2022; 64:2039-2046. [PMID: 36165373 PMCID: PMC9968529 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
In flowering plants (angiosperms), fertilization of the egg cell by one sperm cell produces an embryo, whereas fusion of a second sperm cell with the central cell generates the endosperm. In most angiosperms like Arabidopsis, a pollen grain contains two isomorphic sperm cells required for this double fertilization process. A long-standing unsolved question is whether the two fertilization events have any preference. A tool to address this question is the usage of the cyclin-dependent kinase a1 (cdka;1) mutant pollen, which produces a single sperm-like cell (SLC). Here, we first adopt a complementation-based fluorescence-labeling method to successfully separate and collect cdka;1 mutant pollen containing a single SLC. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis revealed that cdka;1 SLCs show a gene expression profile highly similar to that of sperm cells and not to the generative cell, precursor of the two sperm cells. Pollination assays using a limited number of cdka;1 mutant pollen revealed that in 98.2% of the ovules, single fertilization of the egg cell occurred. Pollination of pistils with excessive cdka;1 mutant pollen allowed the delivery of a second SLC via fertilization recovery, which fertilized the central cell, resulting in 20.7% double-fertilized ovules. This indicates that cdka;1 SLCs are able to fertilize both the egg and the central cell. Taken together, our findings have answered a long-standing question and support that preferential fertilization of the egg cell is evident in Arabidopsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Li
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Saiying Hou
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Wei Xiang
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Zihan Song
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Li Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jing Li
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Tree Breeding by Molecular Design, College of Bioscience and Resources Environment, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Hongya Gu
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- The National Plant Gene Research Center, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Juan Dong
- The Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ“2” 08854, USA
| | - Thomas Dresselhaus
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg 93053, Germany
| | - Sheng Zhong
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Li-Jia Qu
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- The National Plant Gene Research Center, Beijing 100101, China
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25
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Snell WJ. Uncovering an ancestral green ménage à trois: Contributions of Chlamydomonas to the discovery of a broadly conserved triad of plant fertilization proteins. Curr Opin Plant Biol 2022; 69:102275. [PMID: 36007296 PMCID: PMC9899528 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2022.102275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
During sexual reproduction in the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas, gametes undergo the conserved cellular events that define fertilization across the tree of life. After initial ciliary adhesion, plus and minus gametes attach to each other at plasma membrane sites specialized for fusion, their bilayers merge, and cell coalescence into a quadri-ciliated cell signals for nuclear fusion. Recent findings show that these conserved cellular events are driven by 3 conserved protein families, FUS1/GEX2, HAP2/GCS1, and KAR5/GEX1. New results also show that species-specific recognition in Chlamydomonas activates the ancestral, viral-like fusogen HAP2 to drive fusion; that the conserved nuclear envelope fusion protein KAR5/GEX1 is also essential for nuclear fusion in Arabidopsis; and that heterodimerization of BELL-KNOX proteins signals for nuclear fusion in Chlamydomonas through early diverging land plants. This review outlines how Chlamydomonas's Janus-like position in evolution along with the ease of working with its gametes have revealed broadly conserved mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- William J Snell
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
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26
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Chen SY, Wang L, Jia PF, Yang WC, Sze H, Li HJ. Osmoregulation determines sperm cell geometry and integrity for double fertilization in flowering plants. Mol Plant 2022; 15:1488-1496. [PMID: 35918896 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2022.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Distinct from the motile flagellated sperm of animals and early land plants, the non-motile sperm cells of flowering plants are carried in the pollen grain to the female pistil. After pollination, a pair of sperm cells are delivered into the embryo sac by pollen tube growth and rupture. Unlike other walled plant cells with an equilibrium between internal turgor pressure and mechanical constraints of the cell walls, sperm cells wrapped inside the cytoplasm of a pollen vegetative cell have only thin and discontinuous cell walls. The sperm cells are uniquely ellipsoid in shape, although it is unclear how they maintain this shape within the pollen tubes and after release. In this study, we found that genetic disruption of three endomembrane-associated cation/H+ exchangers specifically causes sperm cells to become spheroidal in hydrated pollens of Arabidopsis. Moreover, the released mutant sperm cells are vulnerable and rupture before double fertilization, leading to failed seed set, which can be partially rescued by depletion of the sperm-expressed vacuolar water channel. These results suggest a critical role of cell-autonomous osmoregulation in adjusting the sperm cell shape for successful double fertilization in flowering plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Yan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Peng-Fei Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Wei-Cai Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Heven Sze
- Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Hong-Ju Li
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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27
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Chumakov MI, Mazilov SI. Genetic Control of Maize Gynogenesis. RUSS J GENET+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1022795422040044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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28
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Tek MI, Budak K. A New Approach to Develop Resistant Cultivars Against the Plant Pathogens: CRISPR Drives. Front Plant Sci 2022; 13:889497. [PMID: 35574145 PMCID: PMC9096106 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.889497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR drive is a recent and robust tool that allows durable genetic manipulation of the pest population like human disease vectors such as malaria vector mosquitos. In recent years, it has been suggested that CRISPR drives can also be used to control plant diseases, pests, and weeds. However, using a CRISPR drive in Arabidopsis for the first time in 2021 has been shown to use this technology in plant breeding to obtain homozygous parental lines. This perspective has proposed using CRISPR drive to develop pathogen-resistant cultivars by disrupting the susceptibility gene (S). In the breeding program, CRISPR is used to create S-gene mutations in two parental lines of hybrid cultivars. However, CRISPR must be reapplied or long-term backcrossed for the parental line to obtain homozygous S-mutant cultivars. When a parental line crosses with different parental lines to develop new hybrids, heterozygous S-mutations could not resist in hybrid against the pathogen. CRISPR drives are theoretically valid to develop homozygous S-mutant plants against pathogens by only routine pollination after CRISPR drive transformation to just one parental line. This way, breeders could use this parental line in different crossing combinations without reapplying the genome-editing technique or backcrossing. Moreover, CRISPR drive also could allow the development of marker-free resistant cultivars with modifications on the drive cassette.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mumin Ibrahim Tek
- Molecular Mycology Laboratory, Plant Protection Department, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Kubra Budak
- Plant Transformation Laboratory, Plant Biotechnology, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
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29
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Liu Y, Wang S, Li L, Yang T, Dong S, Wei T, Wu S, Liu Y, Gong Y, Feng X, Ma J, Chang G, Huang J, Yang Y, Wang H, Liu M, Xu Y, Liang H, Yu J, Cai Y, Zhang Z, Fan Y, Mu W, Sahu SK, Liu S, Lang X, Yang L, Li N, Habib S, Yang Y, Lindstrom AJ, Liang P, Goffinet B, Zaman S, Wegrzyn JL, Li D, Liu J, Cui J, Sonnenschein EC, Wang X, Ruan J, Xue JY, Shao ZQ, Song C, Fan G, Li Z, Zhang L, Liu J, Liu ZJ, Jiao Y, Wang XQ, Wu H, Wang E, Lisby M, Yang H, Wang J, Liu X, Xu X, Li N, Soltis PS, Van de Peer Y, Soltis DE, Gong X, Liu H, Zhang S. The Cycas genome and the early evolution of seed plants. Nat Plants 2022; 8:389-401. [PMID: 35437001 PMCID: PMC9023351 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-022-01129-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Cycads represent one of the most ancient lineages of living seed plants. Identifying genomic features uniquely shared by cycads and other extant seed plants, but not non-seed-producing plants, may shed light on the origin of key innovations, as well as the early diversification of seed plants. Here, we report the 10.5-Gb reference genome of Cycas panzhihuaensis, complemented by the transcriptomes of 339 cycad species. Nuclear and plastid phylogenomic analyses strongly suggest that cycads and Ginkgo form a clade sister to all other living gymnosperms, in contrast to mitochondrial data, which place cycads alone in this position. We found evidence for an ancient whole-genome duplication in the common ancestor of extant gymnosperms. The Cycas genome contains four homologues of the fitD gene family that were likely acquired via horizontal gene transfer from fungi, and these genes confer herbivore resistance in cycads. The male-specific region of the Y chromosome of C. panzhihuaensis contains a MADS-box transcription factor expressed exclusively in male cones that is similar to a system reported in Ginkgo, suggesting that a sex determination mechanism controlled by MADS-box genes may have originated in the common ancestor of cycads and Ginkgo. The C. panzhihuaensis genome provides an important new resource of broad utility for biologists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.
- Key Laboratory of Southern Subtropical Plant Diversity, Fairy Lake Botanical Garden, Shenzhen & Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Sibo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Linzhou Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ting Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shanshan Dong
- Key Laboratory of Southern Subtropical Plant Diversity, Fairy Lake Botanical Garden, Shenzhen & Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Tong Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shengdan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yongbo Liu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Regional Eco-process and Function Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yiqing Gong
- Key Laboratory of Southern Subtropical Plant Diversity, Fairy Lake Botanical Garden, Shenzhen & Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiuyan Feng
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Jianchao Ma
- Key Laboratory of Plant Stress Biology, State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Guanxiao Chang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Stress Biology, State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Jinling Huang
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- Key Laboratory of Plant Stress Biology, State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - Yong Yang
- College of Biology and Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hongli Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Min Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hongping Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jin Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuqing Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaowu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yannan Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Weixue Mu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Sunil Kumar Sahu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shuchun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Southern Subtropical Plant Diversity, Fairy Lake Botanical Garden, Shenzhen & Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaoan Lang
- Key Laboratory of Southern Subtropical Plant Diversity, Fairy Lake Botanical Garden, Shenzhen & Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- Nanning Botanical Garden, Nanning, China
| | - Leilei Yang
- Key Laboratory of Southern Subtropical Plant Diversity, Fairy Lake Botanical Garden, Shenzhen & Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Na Li
- Key Laboratory of Southern Subtropical Plant Diversity, Fairy Lake Botanical Garden, Shenzhen & Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Sadaf Habib
- Key Laboratory of Southern Subtropical Plant Diversity, Fairy Lake Botanical Garden, Shenzhen & Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yongqiong Yang
- Sichuan Cycas panzhihuaensis National Nature Reserve, Panzhihua, China
| | | | - Pei Liang
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Bernard Goffinet
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Sumaira Zaman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Jill L Wegrzyn
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Dexiang Li
- Nanning Botanical Garden, Nanning, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Jie Cui
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, Longhua Institute of Innovative Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Eva C Sonnenschein
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Xiaobo Wang
- Shenzhen Agricultural Genome Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jue Ruan
- Shenzhen Agricultural Genome Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jia-Yu Xue
- College of Horticulture, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhu-Qing Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chi Song
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Guangyi Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhen Li
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, VIB UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology, Gent, Belgium
| | - Liangsheng Zhang
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Hainan Institute of Zhejiang University, Sanya, China
| | - Jianquan Liu
- The College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhong-Jian Liu
- Key Laboratory of Orchid Conservation and Utilization of National Forestry and Grassland Administration at College of Landscape Architecture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yuannian Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Quan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Wu
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ertao Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Michael Lisby
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Huanming Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xun Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Nan Li
- Key Laboratory of Southern Subtropical Plant Diversity, Fairy Lake Botanical Garden, Shenzhen & Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Pamela S Soltis
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Yves Van de Peer
- College of Horticulture, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, VIB UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology, Gent, Belgium.
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
| | - Douglas E Soltis
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
| | - Xun Gong
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.
| | - Huan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Shouzhou Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Southern Subtropical Plant Diversity, Fairy Lake Botanical Garden, Shenzhen & Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
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30
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Sanchez-Vera V, Landberg K, Lopez-Obando M, Thelander M, Lagercrantz U, Muñoz-Viana R, Schmidt A, Grossniklaus U, Sundberg E. The Physcomitrium patens egg cell expresses several distinct epigenetic components and utilizes homologues of BONOBO genes for cell specification. New Phytol 2022; 233:2614-2628. [PMID: 34942024 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Although land plant germ cells have received much attention, knowledge about their specification is still limited. We thus identified transcripts enriched in egg cells of the bryophyte model species Physcomitrium patens, compared the results with angiosperm egg cells, and selected important candidate genes for functional analysis. We used laser-assisted microdissection to perform a cell-type-specific transcriptome analysis on egg cells for comparison with available expression profiles of vegetative tissues and male reproductive organs. We made reporter lines and knockout mutants of the two BONOBO (PbBNB) genes and studied their role in reproduction. We observed an overlap in gene activity between bryophyte and angiosperm egg cells, but also clear differences. Strikingly, several processes that are male-germline specific in Arabidopsis are active in the P. patens egg cell. Among those were the moss PbBNB genes, which control proliferation and identity of both female and male germlines. Pathways shared between male and female germlines were most likely present in the common ancestors of land plants, besides sex-specifying factors. A set of genes may also be involved in the switches between the diploid and haploid moss generations. Nonangiosperm gene networks also contribute to the specification of the P. patens egg cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Sanchez-Vera
- Department of Plant Biology, The Linnean Centre of Plant Biology in Uppsala, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7080, Uppsala, SE-75007, Sweden
| | - Katarina Landberg
- Department of Plant Biology, The Linnean Centre of Plant Biology in Uppsala, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7080, Uppsala, SE-75007, Sweden
| | - Mauricio Lopez-Obando
- Department of Plant Biology, The Linnean Centre of Plant Biology in Uppsala, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7080, Uppsala, SE-75007, Sweden
| | - Mattias Thelander
- Department of Plant Biology, The Linnean Centre of Plant Biology in Uppsala, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7080, Uppsala, SE-75007, Sweden
| | - Ulf Lagercrantz
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18 D, Uppsala, SE-752 36, Sweden
| | - Rafael Muñoz-Viana
- Department of Plant Biology, The Linnean Centre of Plant Biology in Uppsala, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7080, Uppsala, SE-75007, Sweden
| | - Anja Schmidt
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology & Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, Zurich, CH-8008, Switzerland
| | - Ueli Grossniklaus
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology & Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, Zurich, CH-8008, Switzerland
| | - Eva Sundberg
- Department of Plant Biology, The Linnean Centre of Plant Biology in Uppsala, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7080, Uppsala, SE-75007, Sweden
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31
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Abstract
Gamete fusion is the climax of fertilization in all sexually reproductive organisms, from unicellular fungi to humans. Similarly to other cell-cell fusion events, gamete fusion is mediated by specialized proteins, named fusogens, that overcome the energetic barriers during this process. In recent years, HAPLESS 2/GENERATIVE CELL-SPECIFIC 1 (HAP2/GCS1) was identified as the fusogen mediating sperm-egg fusion in flowering plants and protists, being both essential and sufficient for the membrane merger in some species. The identification of HAP2/GCS1 in invertebrates, opens the possibility that a similar fusogen may be used in vertebrate fertilization. HAP2/GCS1 proteins share a similar structure with two distinct families of exoplasmic fusogens: the somatic Fusion Family (FF) proteins discovered in nematodes, and class II viral glycoproteins (e.g., rubella and dengue viruses). Altogether, these fusogens form the Fusexin superfamily. While some attributes are shared among fusexins, for example the overall structure and the possibility of assembly into trimers, some other characteristics seem to be specific, such as the presence or not of hydrophobic loops or helices at the distal tip of the protein. Intriguingly, HAP2/GCS1 or other fusexins have neither been identified in vertebrates nor in fungi, raising the question of whether these genes were lost during evolution and were replaced by other fusion machinery or a significant divergence makes their identification difficult. Here, we discuss the biology of HAP2/GCS1, its involvement in gamete fusion and the structural, mechanistic and evolutionary relationships with other fusexins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas G Brukman
- Department of Biology, Technion- Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Xiaohui Li
- Department of Biology, Technion- Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
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32
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Zhong S, Li L, Wang Z, Ge Z, Li Q, Bleckmann A, Wang J, Song Z, Shi Y, Liu T, Li L, Zhou H, Wang Y, Zhang L, Wu HM, Lai L, Gu H, Dong J, Cheung AY, Dresselhaus T, Qu LJ. RALF peptide signaling controls the polytubey block in Arabidopsis. Science 2022; 375:290-296. [PMID: 35050671 PMCID: PMC9040003 DOI: 10.1126/science.abl4683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Fertilization of an egg by multiple sperm (polyspermy) leads to lethal genome imbalance and chromosome segregation defects. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the block to polyspermy is facilitated by a mechanism that prevents polytubey (the arrival of multiple pollen tubes to one ovule). We show here that FERONIA, ANJEA, and HERCULES RECEPTOR KINASE 1 receptor-like kinases located at the septum interact with pollen tube-specific RALF6, 7, 16, 36, and 37 peptide ligands to establish this polytubey block. The same combination of RALF (rapid alkalinization factor) peptides and receptor complexes controls pollen tube reception and rupture inside the targeted ovule. Pollen tube rupture releases the polytubey block at the septum, which allows the emergence of secondary pollen tubes upon fertilization failure. Thus, orchestrated steps in the fertilization process in Arabidopsis are coordinated by the same signaling components to guarantee and optimize reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Zhong
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ling Li
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhijuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zengxiang Ge
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qiyun Li
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People’s Republic of China
| | - Andrea Bleckmann
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Jizong Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zihan Song
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yihao Shi
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tianxu Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People’s Republic of China
| | - Luhan Li
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huabin Zhou
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yanyan Wang
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People’s Republic of China
| | - Li Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hen-Ming Wu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology Program, Plant Biology Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Luhua Lai
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hongya Gu
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People’s Republic of China
- The National Plant Gene Research Center (Beijing), Beijing 100101, People’s Republic of China
| | - Juan Dong
- The Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Alice Y. Cheung
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology Program, Plant Biology Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Thomas Dresselhaus
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Li-Jia Qu
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People’s Republic of China
- The National Plant Gene Research Center (Beijing), Beijing 100101, People’s Republic of China
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Xu S, Hou H, Wu Z, Zhao J, Zhang F, Teng R, Chen F, Teng N. Chrysanthemum embryo development is negatively affected by a novel ERF transcription factor, CmERF12. J Exp Bot 2022; 73:197-212. [PMID: 34453430 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erab398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Embryo abortion often occurs during distant hybridization events. Apetala 2/ethylene-responsive factor (AP2/ERF) proteins are key transcription factor (TF) regulators of plant development and stress resistance, but their roles in hybrid embryo development are poorly understood. In this study, we isolated a novel AP2/ERF TF, CmERF12, from chrysanthemum and show that it adversely affects embryo development during distant hybridization. Transcriptome and real-time quantitative PCR demonstrate that CmERF12 is expressed at significantly higher levels in aborted ovaries compared with normal ones. CmERF12 localizes to the cell nucleus and contains a conserved EAR motif that mediates its transcription repressor function in yeast and plant cells. We generated artificial microRNA (amiR) CmERF12 transgenic lines of Chrysanthemum morifolium var. 'Yuhualuoying' and conducted distant hybridization with the wild-type tetraploid, Chrysanthemum nankingense, and found that CmERF12-knock down significantly promoted embryo development and increased the seed-setting rates during hybridization. The expression of various genes related to embryo development was up-regulated in developing ovaries from the cross between female amiR-CmERF12 C. morifolium var. 'Yuhualuoying'× male C. nankingense. Furthermore, CmERF12 directly interacted with CmSUF4, which is known to affect flower development and embryogenesis, and significantly reduced its ability to activate its target gene CmEC1 (EGG CELL1). Our study provides a novel method to overcome barriers to distant hybridization in plants and reveals the mechanism by which CmERF12 negatively affects chrysanthemum embryo development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujuan Xu
- Key Laboratory of Landscaping Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Nanjing Agricultural University-Nanjing Oriole Island Modern Agricultural Development Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Graduate Workstation/Nanjing Agricultural University, Baguazhou Modern Horticultural Industry Science and Technology Innovation Center, Nanjing 210043, China
| | - Huizhong Hou
- Key Laboratory of Landscaping Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Nanjing Agricultural University-Nanjing Oriole Island Modern Agricultural Development Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Graduate Workstation/Nanjing Agricultural University, Baguazhou Modern Horticultural Industry Science and Technology Innovation Center, Nanjing 210043, China
| | - Ze Wu
- Key Laboratory of Landscaping Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Nanjing Agricultural University-Nanjing Oriole Island Modern Agricultural Development Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Graduate Workstation/Nanjing Agricultural University, Baguazhou Modern Horticultural Industry Science and Technology Innovation Center, Nanjing 210043, China
| | - Jingya Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Landscaping Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Fengjiao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Landscaping Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Renda Teng
- Key Laboratory of Landscaping Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Nanjing Agricultural University-Nanjing Oriole Island Modern Agricultural Development Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Graduate Workstation/Nanjing Agricultural University, Baguazhou Modern Horticultural Industry Science and Technology Innovation Center, Nanjing 210043, China
| | - Fadi Chen
- Key Laboratory of Landscaping Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Nianjun Teng
- Key Laboratory of Landscaping Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Nanjing Agricultural University-Nanjing Oriole Island Modern Agricultural Development Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Graduate Workstation/Nanjing Agricultural University, Baguazhou Modern Horticultural Industry Science and Technology Innovation Center, Nanjing 210043, China
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34
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Zhang Z, Guo Y, Marasigan KM, Conner JA, Ozias-Akins P. Gene activation via Cre/lox-mediated excision in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata). Plant Cell Rep 2022; 41:119-138. [PMID: 34591155 PMCID: PMC8803690 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-021-02789-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Expression of Cre recombinase by AtRps5apro or AtDD45pro enabled Cre/lox-mediated recombination at an early embryonic developmental stage upon crossing, activating transgenes in the hybrid cowpea and tobacco. Genetic engineering ideally results in precise spatiotemporal control of transgene expression. To activate transgenes exclusively in a hybrid upon fertilization, we evaluated a Cre/lox-mediated gene activation system with the Cre recombinase expressed by either AtRps5a or AtDD45 promoters that showed activity in egg cells and young embryos. In crosses between Cre recombinase lines and transgenic lines harboring a lox-excision reporter cassette with ZsGreen driven by the AtUbq3 promoter after Cre/lox-mediated recombination, we observed complete excision of the lox-flanked intervening DNA sequence between the AtUbq3pro and the ZsGreen coding sequence in F1 progeny upon genotyping but no ZsGreen expression in F1 seeds or seedlings. The incapability to observe ZsGreen fluorescence was attributed to the activity of the AtUbq3pro. Strong ZsGreen expression in F1 seeds was observed after recombination when ZsGreen was driven by the AtUbq10 promoter. Using the AtDD45pro to express Cre resulted in more variation in recombination frequencies between transgenic lines and crosses. Regardless of the promoter used to regulate Cre, mosaic F1 progeny were rare, suggesting gene activation at an early embryo-developmental stage. Observation of ZsGreen-expressing tobacco embryos at the globular stage from crosses with the AtRps5aproCre lines pollinated by the AtUbq3prolox line supported the early activation mode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhifen Zhang
- Department of Horticulture and Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, University of Georgia, 2356 Rainwater Rd, Tifton, GA, 31793, USA
| | - Yinping Guo
- Department of Horticulture and Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, University of Georgia, 2356 Rainwater Rd, Tifton, GA, 31793, USA
| | - Kathleen Monfero Marasigan
- Department of Horticulture and Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, University of Georgia, 2356 Rainwater Rd, Tifton, GA, 31793, USA
| | - Joann A Conner
- Department of Horticulture and Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, University of Georgia, 2356 Rainwater Rd, Tifton, GA, 31793, USA
| | - Peggy Ozias-Akins
- Department of Horticulture and Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, University of Georgia, 2356 Rainwater Rd, Tifton, GA, 31793, USA.
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35
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Underwood CJ, Vijverberg K, Rigola D, Okamoto S, Oplaat C, Camp RHMOD, Radoeva T, Schauer SE, Fierens J, Jansen K, Mansveld S, Busscher M, Xiong W, Datema E, Nijbroek K, Blom EJ, Bicknell R, Catanach A, Erasmuson S, Winefield C, van Tunen AJ, Prins M, Schranz ME, van Dijk PJ. A PARTHENOGENESIS allele from apomictic dandelion can induce egg cell division without fertilization in lettuce. Nat Genet 2022; 54:84-93. [PMID: 34992267 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-021-00984-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Apomixis, the clonal formation of seeds, is a rare yet widely distributed trait in flowering plants. We have isolated the PARTHENOGENESIS (PAR) gene from apomictic dandelion that triggers embryo development in unfertilized egg cells. PAR encodes a K2-2 zinc finger, EAR-domain protein. Unlike the recessive sexual alleles, the dominant PAR allele is expressed in egg cells and has a miniature inverted-repeat transposable element (MITE) transposon insertion in the promoter. The MITE-containing promoter can invoke a homologous gene from sexual lettuce to complement dandelion LOSS OF PARTHENOGENESIS mutants. A similar MITE is also present in the promoter of the PAR gene in apomictic forms of hawkweed, suggesting a case of parallel evolution. Heterologous expression of dandelion PAR in lettuce egg cells induced haploid embryo-like structures in the absence of fertilization. Sexual PAR alleles are expressed in pollen, suggesting that the gene product releases a block on embryogenesis after fertilization in sexual species while in apomictic species PAR expression triggers embryogenesis in the absence of fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles J Underwood
- Keygene N.V., Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany
| | - Kitty Vijverberg
- Biosystematics Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Shunsuke Okamoto
- Keygene N.V., Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Takii & Co. Ltd, Plant Breeding and Experiment Station, Konan Shiga, Japan
| | - Carla Oplaat
- Biosystematics Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
- National Reference Centre of Plant Health, National Plant Protection Organization, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | | - Kim Jansen
- Keygene N.V., Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Marco Busscher
- Biosystematics Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Wei Xiong
- Biosystematics Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Ross Bicknell
- New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Andrew Catanach
- New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Sylvia Erasmuson
- New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | | | | | | | - M Eric Schranz
- Biosystematics Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
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Wang X, Chen W, Yao J, Li Y, Yeboah A, Zhu S, Zhang Y. The Evolution and Expression Profiles of EC1 Gene Family during Development in Cotton. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:2001. [PMID: 34946950 DOI: 10.3390/genes12122001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Fertilization is essential to sexual reproduction of flowering plants. EC1 (EGG CELL 1) proteins have a conserved cysteine spacer characteristic and play a crucial role in double fertilization process in many plant species. However, to date, the role of EC1 gene family in cotton is fully unknown. Hence, detailed bioinformatics analysis was explored to elucidate the biological mechanisms of EC1 gene family in cotton. In this study, we identified 66 genes in 10 plant species in which a total of 39 EC1 genes were detected from cotton genome. Phylogenetic analysis clustered the identified EC1 genes into three families (I-III) and all of them contain Prolamin-like domains. A good collinearity was observed in the synteny analysis of the orthologs from cotton genomes. Whole-genome duplication was determined to be one of the major impetuses for the expansion of the EC1 gene family during the process of evolution. qRT-PCR analysis showed that EC1 genes were highly expressed in reproductive tissues under multiple stresses, signifying their potential role in enhancing stress tolerance or responses. Additionally, gene interaction networks showed that EC1 genes may be involved in cell stress and response transcriptional regulator in the synergid cells and activate the expression of genes required for pollen tube guidance. Our results provide novel functional insights into the evolution and functional elucidation of EC1 gene family in cotton.
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Sharma V, Clark AJ, Kawashima T. Insights into the molecular evolution of fertilization mechanism in land plants. Plant Reprod 2021; 34:353-364. [PMID: 34061252 DOI: 10.1007/s00497-021-00414-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Comparative genetics and genomics among green plants, including algae, provide deep insights into the evolution of land plant sexual reproduction. Land plants have evolved successive changes during their conquest of the land and innovations in sexual reproduction have played a major role in their terrestrialization. Recent years have seen many revealing dissections of the molecular mechanisms of sexual reproduction and much new genomics data from the land plant lineage, including early diverging land plants, as well as algae. This new knowledge is being integrated to further understand how sexual reproduction in land plants evolved, identifying highly conserved factors and pathways, but also molecular changes that underpinned the emergence of new modes of sexual reproduction. Here, we review recent advances in the knowledge of land plant sexual reproduction from an evolutionary perspective and also revisit the evolution of angiosperm double fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijyesh Sharma
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40546, USA
| | - Anthony J Clark
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40546, USA
| | - Tomokazu Kawashima
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40546, USA.
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You L, Yu L, Liang R, Sun R, Hu F, Lu X, Zhao J. Identification and Analysis of Genes Involved in Double Fertilization in Rice. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:12850. [PMID: 34884656 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Double fertilization is a key determinant of grain yield, and the failure of fertilization during hybridization is one important reason for reproductive isolation. Therefore, fertilization has a very important role in the production of high-yield and well-quality hybrid of rice. Here, we used RNA sequencing technology to study the change of the transcriptome during double fertilization with the help of the mutant fertilization barrier (feb) that failed to finish fertilization process and led to seed abortion. The results showed that 1669 genes were related to the guided growth of pollen tubes, 332 genes were involved in the recognition and fusion of the male–female gametes, and 430 genes were associated with zygote formation and early free endosperm nuclear division. Among them, the genes related to carbohydrate metabolism; signal transduction pathways were enriched in the guided growth of pollen tubes, the genes involved in the photosynthesis; fatty acid synthesis pathways were activated by the recognition and fusion of the male–female gametes; and the cell cycle-related genes might play an essential role in zygote formation and early endosperm nuclear division. Furthermore, among the 1669 pollen tube-related genes, it was found that 7 arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs), 1 cysteine-rich peptide (CRP), and 15 receptor-like kinases (RLKs) were specifically expressed in anther, while 2 AGPs, 7 CRPs, and 5 RLKs in pistil, showing obvious unequal distribution which implied they might play different roles in anther and pistil during fertilization. These studies laid a solid foundation for revealing double fertilization mechanism of rice and for the follow-up investigation.
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39
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Robichaux KJ, Wallace IS. Signaling at Physical Barriers during Pollen-Pistil Interactions. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:12230. [PMID: 34830110 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
In angiosperms, double fertilization requires pollen tubes to transport non-motile sperm to distant egg cells housed in a specialized female structure known as the pistil, mediating the ultimate fusion between male and female gametes. During this journey, the pollen tube encounters numerous physical barriers that must be mechanically circumvented, including the penetration of the stigmatic papillae, style, transmitting tract, and synergid cells as well as the ultimate fusion of sperm cells to the egg or central cell. Additionally, the pollen tube must maintain structural integrity in these compact environments, while responding to positional guidance cues that lead the pollen tube to its destination. Here, we discuss the nature of these physical barriers as well as efforts to genetically and cellularly identify the factors that allow pollen tubes to successfully, specifically, and quickly circumnavigate them.
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Matsumoto H, Kimata Y, Higaki T, Higashiyama T, Ueda M. Dynamic Rearrangement and Directional Migration of Tubular Vacuoles are Required for the Asymmetric Division of the Arabidopsis Zygote. Plant Cell Physiol 2021; 62:1280-1289. [PMID: 34077537 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcab075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In most flowering plants, the asymmetric cell division of zygotes is the initial step that establishes the apical-basal axis. In the Arabidopsis zygote, vacuolar accumulation at the basal cell end is crucial to ensure zygotic division asymmetry. Despite the importance, it was unclear whether this polar vacuolar distribution was achieved by predominant biogenesis at the basal region or by directional movement after biogenesis. Here, we found that apical and basal vacuolar contents are dynamically exchanged via a tubular vacuolar network and the vacuoles gradually migrate toward the basal end. The mutant of a vacuolar membrane protein, SHOOT GRAVITROPISM2 (SGR2), failed to form tubular vacuoles, and the mutant of a putative vacuolar fusion factor, VESICLE TRANSPORT THROUGH INTERACTION WITH T-SOLUBLE N-ETHYLMALEIMIDE-SENSITIVE FUSION PROTEIN ATTACHMENT PROTEIN RECEPTORS (SNARES) 11 (VTI11), could not flexibly rearrange the vacuolar network. Both mutants failed to exchange the apical and basal vacuolar contents and to polarly migrate the vacuoles, resulting in a more symmetric division of zygotes. Additionally, we observed that in contrast to sgr2, the zygotic defects of vti11 were rescued by the pharmacological depletion of phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PI3P), a distinct phospholipid in the vacuolar membrane. Thus, SGR2 and VTI11 have individual sites of action in zygotic vacuolar membrane processes. Further, a mutant of YODA (YDA) mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase, a core component of the embryonic axis formation pathway, generated the proper vacuolar network; however, it failed to migrate the vacuoles toward the basal region, which suggests impaired directional cues. Overall, we conclude that SGR2- and VTI11-dependent vacuolar exchange and YDA-mediated directional migration are necessary to achieve polar vacuolar distribution in the zygote.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hikari Matsumoto
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, 6-3 Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Yusuke Kimata
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, 6-3 Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
| | - Takumi Higaki
- International Research Organization for Advanced Science and Technology (IROAST), Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, Kumamoto 860-8555, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Higashiyama
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, 6-3 Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Minako Ueda
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, 6-3 Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
- Suntory Rising Stars Encouragement Program in Life Sciences (SunRiSE)
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Wang K, Chen H, Ortega-Perez M, Miao Y, Ma Y, Henschen A, Lohmann JU, Laubinger S, Bayer M. Independent parental contributions initiate zygote polarization in Arabidopsis thaliana. Curr Biol 2021; 31:4810-4816.e5. [PMID: 34496220 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.08.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Embryogenesis of flowering plants is initiated by polarization of the zygote, a prerequisite for correct axis formation in the embryo. The daughter cells of the asymmetric zygote division form the pro-embryo and the mostly extra-embryonic suspensor.1 The suspensor plays a pivotal role in nutrient and hormone transport and rapid growth of the embryo.2,3 Zygote polarization is controlled by a MITOGEN-ACTIVATING PROTEIN (MAP) kinase signaling pathway including the MAPKK kinase (MAP3K) YODA (YDA)4 and the upstream membrane-associated proteins BRASINOSTEROID SIGNALING KINASE 1 (BSK1) and BSK2.5,6 Furthermore, suspensor development is controlled by cysteine-rich peptides of the EMBRYO SURROUNDING FACTOR 1 (ESF1) family.7 While they act genetically upstream of YDA, the corresponding receptor to perceive these potential ligands is unknown. In other developmental processes, such as stomata development, YDA activity is controlled by receptor kinases of the ERECTA family (ERf).8-12 While the receptor kinases upstream of BSK1/2 in the embryo have so far not been identified,1 YDA is in part activated by the sperm cell-derived BSK family member SHORT SUSPENSOR (SSP) that represents a naturally occurring, constitutively active variant of BSK1.5,13 It has been speculated that SSP might be a paternal component of a parental tug-of-war controlling resource allocation toward the embryo.2,13 Here, we show that in addition to SSP, the receptor kinase ERECTA plays a crucial role in zygote polarization as a maternally contributed part of the embryonic YDA pathway. We conclude that two independent parental contributions initiate zygote polarization and control embryo development.
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Ju Y, Yuan J, Jones DS, Zhang W, Staiger CJ, Kessler SA. Polarized NORTIA accumulation in response to pollen tube arrival at synergids promotes fertilization. Dev Cell 2021; 56:2938-2951.e6. [PMID: 34672969 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.09.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Signal-mediated regulation of protein trafficking is an elegant mechanism for controlling the delivery of molecules to a precise location for critical signaling events that occur over short time frames. During plant reproduction, the FERONIA receptor complex is critical for intercellular communication that leads to gamete delivery; however, the impact of the FERONIA signal transduction cascade on protein trafficking in synergid cells remains unknown. Live imaging of pollen tube reception has revealed that a key outcome of FERONIA signaling is polar accumulation of the MLO protein NORTIA at the filiform apparatus in response to signals from an arriving pollen tube. Artificial delivery of NORTIA to the filiform apparatus is sufficient to bypass the FERONIA signaling pathway and to promote interspecific pollen tube reception. We propose that polar accumulation of NORTIA leads to the production of a secondary booster signal to ensure that pollen tubes burst to deliver the sperm cells for double fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Ju
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Jing Yuan
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Daniel S Jones
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Weiwei Zhang
- Purdue Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Christopher J Staiger
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Sharon A Kessler
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
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Huang J, Dong J, Qu LJ. From birth to function: Male gametophyte development in flowering plants. Curr Opin Plant Biol 2021; 63:102118. [PMID: 34625367 PMCID: PMC9039994 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2021.102118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Male germline development in flowering plants involves two distinct and successive phases, microsporogenesis and microgametogenesis, which involve one meiosis followed by two rounds of mitosis. Many aspects of distinctions after mitosis between the vegetative cell and the male germ cells are seen, from morphology to structure, and the differential functions of the two cell types in the male gametophyte are differentially needed and required for double fertilization. The two sperm cells, carriers of the hereditary substances, depend on the vegetative cell/pollen tube to be delivered to the female gametophyte for double fertilization. Thus, the intercellular communication and coordinated activity within the male gametophyte probably represent the most subtle regulation in flowering plants to guarantee the success of reproduction. This review will focus on what we have known about the differentiation process and the functional diversification of the vegetative cell and the male germ cell, the most crucial cell types for plant fertility and crop production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaying Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at the College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China; Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Juan Dong
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08901, USA.
| | - Li-Jia Qu
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at the College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China; The National Plant Gene Research Center (Beijing), Beijing 100101, People's Republic of China.
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Meissner ST. Plant sexual reproduction: perhaps the current plant two-sex model should be replaced with three- and four-sex models? Plant Reprod 2021; 34:175-189. [PMID: 34213647 PMCID: PMC8360875 DOI: 10.1007/s00497-021-00420-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The two-sex model makes the assumption that there are only two sexual reproductive states: male and female. However, in land plants (embryophytes) the application of this model to the alternation of generations life cycle requires the subtle redefinition of several common terms related to sexual reproduction, which seems to obscure aspects of one or the other plant generation: For instance, the homosporous sporophytic plant is treated as being asexual, and the gametophytes of angiosperms treated like mere gametes. In contrast, the proposal is made that the sporophytes of homosporous plants are indeed sexual reproductive organisms, as are the gametophytes of heterosporous plants. This view requires the expansion of the number of sexual reproductive states we accept for these plant species; therefore, a three-sex model for homosporous plants and a four-sex model for heterosporous plants are described and then contrasted with the current two-sex model. These new models allow the use of sexual reproductive terms in a manner largely similar to that seen in animals, and may better accommodate the plant alternation of generations life cycle than does the current plant two-sex model. These new models may also help stimulate new lines of research, and examples of how they might alter our view of events in the flower, and may lead to new questions about sexual determination and differentiation, are presented. Thus it is suggested that land plant species have more than merely two sexual reproductive states and that recognition of this may promote our study and understanding of them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott T Meissner
- Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines Diliman, 1101, Quezon City, NCR, Philippines.
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Sun Y, Wang X, Pan L, Xie F, Dai B, Sun M, Peng X. Plant egg cell fate determination depends on its exact position in female gametophyte. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2017488118. [PMID: 33597298 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2017488118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant fertilization involves both an egg cell, which fuses with a sperm cell, and synergid cells, which guide pollen tubes for sperm cell delivery. Therefore, egg and synergid cell functional specifications are prerequisites for successful fertilization. However, how the egg and synergid cells, referred to as the "egg apparatus," derived from one mother cell develop into distinct cell types remains an unanswered question. In this report, we show that the final position of the nuclei in female gametophyte determines the cell fate of the egg apparatus. We established a live imaging system to visualize the dynamics of nuclear positioning and cell identity establishment in the female gametophyte. We observed that free nuclei should migrate to a specific position before egg apparatus specialization. Artificial changing in the nuclear position on disturbance of the actin cytoskeleton, either in vitro or in vivo, could reset the cell fate of the egg apparatus. We also found that nuclei of the same origin moved to different positions and then showed different cell identities, whereas nuclei of different origins moved to the same position showed the same cell identity, indicating that the final positions of the nuclei, rather than specific nucleus lineage, play critical roles in the egg apparatus specification. Furthermore, the active auxin level was higher in the egg cell than in synergid cells. Auxin transport inhibitor could decrease the auxin level in egg cells and impair egg cell identity, suggesting that directional and accurate auxin distribution likely acts as a positional cue for egg apparatus specialization.
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Kim MJ, Jeon BW, Oh E, Seo PJ, Kim J. Peptide Signaling during Plant Reproduction. Trends Plant Sci 2021; 26:822-835. [PMID: 33715959 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2021.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Plant signaling peptides are involved in cell-cell communication networks and coordinate a wide range of plant growth and developmental processes. Signaling peptides generally bind to receptor-like kinases, inducing their dimerization with co-receptors for signaling activation to trigger cellular signaling and biological responses. Fertilization is an important life event in flowering plants, involving precise control of cell-cell communications between male and female tissues. Peptide-receptor-like kinase-mediated signaling plays an important role in male-female interactions for successful fertilization in flowering plants. Here, we describe the recent findings on the functions and signaling pathways of peptides and receptors involved in plant reproduction processes including pollen germination, pollen tube growth, pollen tube guidance to the embryo sac, and sperm cell reception in female tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Jung Kim
- Department of Bioenergy Science and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea; Department of Integrative Food, Bioscience, and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea
| | - Byeong Wook Jeon
- Department of Bioenergy Science and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea; Department of Integrative Food, Bioscience, and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea
| | - Eunkyoo Oh
- Department of Life Sciences, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea
| | - Pil Joon Seo
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Jungmook Kim
- Department of Bioenergy Science and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea; Department of Integrative Food, Bioscience, and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea; Kumho Life Science Laboratory, Chonnam National University, Buk-Gu, Gwangju 61186, Korea.
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Li J, Wang Y, Zou W, Jian L, Fu Y, Zhao J. AtNUF2 modulates spindle microtubule organization and chromosome segregation during mitosis. Plant J 2021; 107:801-816. [PMID: 33993566 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The NDC80 complex is a conserved eukaryotic complex composed of four subunits (NUF2, SPC25, NDC80, and SPC24). In yeast and animal cells, the complex is located at the outer layer of the kinetochore, connecting the inner layer of the kinetochore and spindle microtubules (MTs) during cell division. In higher plants, the relationship of the NDC80 complex with MTs is still unclear. In this study, we characterized the biological function of AtNUF2, a subunit of the Arabidopsis NDC80 complex. We found that AtNUF2 is widely expressed in various organs, especially in different stages of embryonic development. It was verified that AtNUF2 co-localized with α-tubulin on MTs during mitosis by immunohistochemical assays. Mutation of AtNUF2 led to severe mitotic defects, not only in the embryo and endosperm, but also in seedlings, resulting in seed abortion and stagnating seedling growth. Furthermore, the biological function of AtNUF2 was studied using partially complemented nuf2-3/-DD45;ABI3pro::AtNUF2 (nuf2-3/-DA ) seedlings. The chromosome bridge and lagging chromatids occurred in nuf2-3/-DA root apical meristem cells, along with aberration of spindle MTs, resulting in blocked root growth. Meanwhile, the direct binding of AtNUF2 and AtSPC25 to MTs was determined by an MT co-sedimentation assay in vitro. This study revealed the function of AtNUF2 in mitosis and the underlying mechanisms, modulating spindle MT organization and ensuring chromosome segregation during embryo, endosperm, and root development, laying the foundation for subsequent research of the NDC80 complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Yutao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Wenxuan Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Liufang Jian
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Ying Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jie Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
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Takeuchi H. The role of diverse LURE-type cysteine-rich peptides as signaling molecules in plant reproduction. Peptides 2021; 142:170572. [PMID: 34004266 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2021.170572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
In angiosperm sexual reproduction, the male pollen tube undergoes a series of interactions with female tissues. For efficient growth and precise guidance, the pollen tube perceives extracellular ligands. In recent decades, various types of secreted cysteine-rich peptides (CRPs) have been identified as peptide ligands that regulate diverse angiosperm reproduction processes, including pollen tube germination, growth, guidance, and rupture. Notably, in two distant core eudicot plants, multiple LURE-type CRPs were found to be secreted from egg-accompanying synergid cells, and these CRPs act as a cocktail of pollen tube attractants for the final step of pollen tube guidance. LURE-type CRPs have species-preferential activity, even among close relatives, and exhibit remarkably divergent molecular evolution with conserved cysteine frameworks, demonstrating that they play a key role in species recognition in pollen tube guidance. In this review, I focus on "reproductive CRPs," particularly LURE-type CRPs, which underlie common but species-specific mechanisms in angiosperm sexual reproduction, and discuss their action, functional regulation, receptors, and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidenori Takeuchi
- Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8601, Japan; Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM), Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8601, Japan.
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Julca I, Ferrari C, Flores-Tornero M, Proost S, Lindner AC, Hackenberg D, Steinbachová L, Michaelidis C, Gomes Pereira S, Misra CS, Kawashima T, Borg M, Berger F, Goldberg J, Johnson M, Honys D, Twell D, Sprunck S, Dresselhaus T, Becker JD, Mutwil M. Comparative transcriptomic analysis reveals conserved programmes underpinning organogenesis and reproduction in land plants. Nat Plants 2021; 7:1143-1159. [PMID: 34253868 DOI: 10.1101/2020.10.29.361501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The appearance of plant organs mediated the explosive radiation of land plants, which shaped the biosphere and allowed the establishment of terrestrial animal life. The evolution of organs and immobile gametes required the coordinated acquisition of novel gene functions, the co-option of existing genes and the development of novel regulatory programmes. However, no large-scale analyses of genomic and transcriptomic data have been performed for land plants. To remedy this, we generated gene expression atlases for various organs and gametes of ten plant species comprising bryophytes, vascular plants, gymnosperms and flowering plants. A comparative analysis of the atlases identified hundreds of organ- and gamete-specific orthogroups and revealed that most of the specific transcriptomes are significantly conserved. Interestingly, our results suggest that co-option of existing genes is the main mechanism for evolving new organs. In contrast to female gametes, male gametes showed a high number and conservation of specific genes, which indicates that male reproduction is highly specialized. The expression atlas capturing pollen development revealed numerous transcription factors and kinases essential for pollen biogenesis and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Julca
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Camilla Ferrari
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - María Flores-Tornero
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Proost
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- Laboratory of Molecular Bacteriology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- VIB, Center for Microbiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Dieter Hackenberg
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
- School of Life Sciences, Gibbet Hill Campus, The University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Lenka Steinbachová
- Laboratory of Pollen Biology, Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Christos Michaelidis
- Laboratory of Pollen Biology, Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Chandra Shekhar Misra
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Tomokazu Kawashima
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Michael Borg
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Frédéric Berger
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Jacob Goldberg
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Mark Johnson
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - David Honys
- Laboratory of Pollen Biology, Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - David Twell
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Stefanie Sprunck
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Dresselhaus
- Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Jörg D Becker
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal.
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal.
| | - Marek Mutwil
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
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50
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Abstract
Fertilization is a multistep process that culminates in the fusion of sperm and egg, thus marking the beginning of a new organism in sexually reproducing species. Despite its importance for reproduction, the molecular mechanisms that regulate this singular event, particularly sperm-egg fusion, have remained mysterious for many decades. Here, we summarize our current molecular understanding of sperm-egg interaction, focusing mainly on mammalian fertilization. Given the fundamental importance of sperm-egg fusion yet the lack of knowledge of this process in vertebrates, we discuss hallmarks and emerging themes of cell fusion by drawing from well-studied examples such as viral entry, placenta formation, and muscle development. We conclude by identifying open questions and exciting avenues for future studies in gamete fusion. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology, Volume 37 is October 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria E Deneke
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria; ,
| | - Andrea Pauli
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria; ,
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