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Li J, Gu W, Yang Z, Chen J, Yi F, Li T, Li J, Zhou Y, Guo Y, Song W, Lai J, Zhao H. ZmELP1, an Elongator complex subunit, is required for the maintenance of histone acetylation and RNA Pol II phosphorylation in maize kernels. Plant Biotechnol J 2024; 22:1251-1268. [PMID: 38098341 PMCID: PMC11022810 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14262] [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: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
The Elongator complex was originally identified as an interactor of hyperphosphorylated RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) in yeast and has histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity. However, the genome-wide regulatory roles of Elongator on transcriptional elongation and histone acetylation remain unclear. We characterized a maize miniature seed mutant, mn7 and map-based cloning revealed that Mn7 encodes one of the subunits of the Elongator complex, ZmELP1. ZmELP1 deficiency causes marked reductions in the kernel size and weight. Molecular analyses showed that ZmELP1 interacts with ZmELP3, which is required for H3K14 acetylation (H3K14ac), and Elongator complex subunits interact with RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) C-terminal domain (CTD). Genome-wide analyses indicated that loss of ZmELP1 leads to a significant decrease in the deposition of H3K14ac and the CTD of phosphorylated RNAPII on Ser2 (Ser2P). These chromatin changes positively correlate with global transcriptomic changes. ZmELP1 mutation alters the expression of genes involved in transcriptional regulation and kernel development. We also showed that the decrease of Ser2P depends on the deposition of Elongator complex-mediated H3K14ac. Taken together, our results reveal an important role of ZmELP1 in the H3K14ac-dependent transcriptional elongation, which is critical for kernel development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianrui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio‐breeding, National Maize Improvement Center, Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Department of Plant Genetics and BreedingChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Wei Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio‐breeding, National Maize Improvement Center, Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Department of Plant Genetics and BreedingChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
- Crop Breeding, Cultivation Research Institution/CIMMYT‐China Specialty Maize Research Center, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Specialty Maize, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genetics and BreedingShanghai Academy of Agricultural SciencesShanghaiChina
| | - Zhijia Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio‐breeding, National Maize Improvement Center, Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Department of Plant Genetics and BreedingChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Jian Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio‐breeding, National Maize Improvement Center, Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Department of Plant Genetics and BreedingChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Fei Yi
- State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio‐breeding, National Maize Improvement Center, Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Department of Plant Genetics and BreedingChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
- Engineering Research Center of Plant Growth Regulator, Ministry of Education, College of Agronomy and BiotechnologyChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Tong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio‐breeding, National Maize Improvement Center, Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Department of Plant Genetics and BreedingChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Jingrui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological SciencesChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Yue Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking‐Tsinghua Center for Life SciencesPeking UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Yan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological SciencesChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Weibin Song
- State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio‐breeding, National Maize Improvement Center, Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Department of Plant Genetics and BreedingChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Jinsheng Lai
- State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio‐breeding, National Maize Improvement Center, Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Department of Plant Genetics and BreedingChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Haiming Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio‐breeding, National Maize Improvement Center, Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Department of Plant Genetics and BreedingChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
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Dong X, Luo H, Yao J, Guo Q, Yu S, Ruan Y, Li F, Jin W, Meng D. The conservation of allelic DNA methylation and its relationship with imprinting in maize. J Exp Bot 2024; 75:1376-1389. [PMID: 37935439 PMCID: PMC10901201 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad440] [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: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Genomic imprinting refers to allele-specific expression of genes depending on parental origin, and it is regulated by epigenetic modifications. Intraspecific allelic variation for imprinting has been detected; however, the intraspecific genome-wide allelic epigenetic variation in maize and its correlation with imprinting variants remain unclear. Here, three reciprocal hybrids were generated by crossing Zea mays inbred lines CAU5, B73, and Mo17 in order to examine the intraspecific conservation of the imprinted genes in the kernel. The majority of imprinted genes exhibited intraspecific conservation, and these genes also exhibited interspecific conservation (rice, sorghum, and Arabidopsis) and were enriched in some specific pathways. By comparing intraspecific allelic DNA methylation in the endosperm, we found that nearly 15% of DNA methylation existed as allelic variants. The intraspecific whole-genome correlation between DNA methylation and imprinted genes indicated that DNA methylation variants play an important role in imprinting variants. Disruption of two conserved imprinted genes using CRISPR/Cas9 editing resulted in a smaller kernel phenotype. Our results shed light on the intraspecific correlation of DNA methylation variants and variation for imprinting in maize, and show that imprinted genes play an important role in kernel development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomei Dong
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, Liaoning, China
- Shenyang City Key Laboratory of Maize Genomic Selection Breeding, Shenyang 110866, Liaoning, China
| | - Haishan Luo
- College of Agronomy, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, Liaoning, China
| | - Jiabin Yao
- College of Agronomy, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, Liaoning, China
| | - Qingfeng Guo
- College of Agronomy, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, Liaoning, China
| | - Shuai Yu
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, Liaoning, China
- Shenyang City Key Laboratory of Maize Genomic Selection Breeding, Shenyang 110866, Liaoning, China
| | - Yanye Ruan
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, Liaoning, China
- Shenyang City Key Laboratory of Maize Genomic Selection Breeding, Shenyang 110866, Liaoning, China
| | - Fenghai Li
- College of Agronomy, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, Liaoning, China
| | - Weiwei Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, National Maize Improvement Center, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, the Ministry of Education, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
- Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture & Resources and Environmental Sciences, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin 300392, China
| | - Dexuan Meng
- College of Agronomy, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, Liaoning, China
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Wei YM, Wang BH, Shao DJ, Yan RY, Wu JW, Zheng GM, Zhao YJ, Zhang XS, Zhao XY. Defective kernel 66 encodes a GTPase essential for kernel development in maize. J Exp Bot 2023; 74:5694-5708. [PMID: 37490479 PMCID: PMC10540730 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad289] [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: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
The mitochondrion is a semi-autonomous organelle that provides energy for cell activities through oxidative phosphorylation. In this study, we identified a defective kernel 66 (dek66)-mutant maize with defective kernels. We characterized a candidate gene, DEK66, encoding a ribosomal assembly factor located in mitochondria and possessing GTPase activity (which belongs to the ribosome biogenesis GTPase A family). In the dek66 mutant, impairment of mitochondrial structure and function led to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and promoted programmed cell death in endosperm cells. Furthermore, the transcript levels of most of the key genes associated with nutrient storage, mitochondrial respiratory chain complex, and mitochondrial ribosomes in the dek66 mutant were significantly altered. Collectively, the results suggest that DEK66 is essential for the development of maize kernels by affecting mitochondrial function. This study provides a reference for understanding the impact of a mitochondrial ribosomal assembly factor in maize kernel development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Ming Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, China
- College of Life Sciences, Zaozhuang University, Zaozhuang, Shandong 277160, China
| | - Bo Hui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Dong Jie Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, China
- College of Life Sciences, Zaozhuang University, Zaozhuang, Shandong 277160, China
| | - Ru Yu Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Jia Wen Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Guang Ming Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Ya Jie Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Xian Sheng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Xiang Yu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, China
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Feng W, Zhang H, Cao Y, Yang C, Khalid MHB, Yang Q, Li W, Wang Y, Fu F, Yu H. Comprehensive Identification of the Pum Gene Family and Its Involvement in Kernel Development in Maize. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14036. [PMID: 37762337 PMCID: PMC10530998 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814036] [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] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The Pumilio (Pum) RNA-binding protein family regulates post-transcription and plays crucial roles in stress response and growth. However, little is known about Pum in plants. In this study, a total of 19 ZmPum genes were identified and classified into two groups in maize. Although each ZmPum contains the conserved Pum domain, the ZmPum members show diversity in the gene and protein architectures, physicochemical properties, chromosomal location, collinearity, cis-elements, and expression patterns. The typical ZmPum proteins have eight α-helices repeats, except for ZmPum2, 3, 5, 7, and 14, which have fewer α-helices. Moreover, we examined the expression profiles of ZmPum genes and found their involvement in kernel development. Except for ZmPum2, ZmPum genes are expressed in maize embryos, endosperms, or whole seeds. Notably, ZmPum4, 7, and 13 exhibited dramatically high expression levels during seed development. The study not only contributes valuable information for further validating the functions of ZmPum genes but also provides insights for improvement and enhancing maize yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqi Feng
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region, Ministry of Agriculture, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Hongwanjun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region, Ministry of Agriculture, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Yang Cao
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region, Ministry of Agriculture, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Cheng Yang
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region, Ministry of Agriculture, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Muhammad Hayder Bin Khalid
- National Research Centre of Intercropping, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan
| | - Qingqing Yang
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region, Ministry of Agriculture, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Wanchen Li
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region, Ministry of Agriculture, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Yingge Wang
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region, Ministry of Agriculture, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Fengling Fu
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region, Ministry of Agriculture, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Haoqiang Yu
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region, Ministry of Agriculture, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
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Dong X, Luo H, Yao J, Guo Q, Yu S, Zhang X, Cheng X, Meng D. Characterization of Genes That Exhibit Genotype-Dependent Allele-Specific Expression and Its Implications for the Development of Maize Kernel. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054766. [PMID: 36902194 PMCID: PMC10002780 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054766] [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: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Heterosis or hybrid vigor refers to the superior phenotypic traits of hybrids relative to their parental inbred lines. An imbalance between the expression levels of two parental alleles in the F1 hybrid has been suggested as a mechanism of heterosis. Here, based on genome-wide allele-specific expression analysis using RNA sequencing technology, 1689 genes exhibiting genotype-dependent allele-specific expression (genotype-dependent ASEGs) were identified in the embryos, and 1390 genotype-dependent ASEGs in the endosperm, of three maize F1 hybrids. Of these ASEGs, most were consistent in different tissues from one hybrid cross, but nearly 50% showed allele-specific expression from some genotypes but not others. These genotype-dependent ASEGs were mostly enriched in metabolic pathways of substances and energy, including the tricarboxylic acid cycle, aerobic respiration, and energy derivation by oxidation of organic compounds and ADP binding. Mutation and overexpression of one ASEG affected kernel size, which indicates that these genotype-dependent ASEGs may make important contributions to kernel development. Finally, the allele-specific methylation pattern on genotype-dependent ASEGs indicated that DNA methylation plays a potential role in the regulation of allelic expression for some ASEGs. In this study, a detailed analysis of genotype-dependent ASEGs in the embryo and endosperm of three different maize F1 hybrids will provide an index of genes for future research on the genetic and molecular mechanism of heterosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomei Dong
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
- Shenyang City Key Laboratory of Maize Genomic Selection Breeding, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Haishan Luo
- College of Agronomy, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Jiabin Yao
- College of Agronomy, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Qingfeng Guo
- College of Agronomy, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Shuai Yu
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
- Shenyang City Key Laboratory of Maize Genomic Selection Breeding, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Xiaoyu Zhang
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
- Shenyang City Key Laboratory of Maize Genomic Selection Breeding, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Xipeng Cheng
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
- Shenyang City Key Laboratory of Maize Genomic Selection Breeding, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Dexuan Meng
- College of Agronomy, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
- Correspondence:
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Zhou Q, Fu Z, Li M, Shen Q, Sun C, Feng Y, Liu Y, Jiang J, Qin T, Mao T, Hearne SJ, Wang G, Tang J. Maize tubulin folding cofactor B is required for cell division and cell growth through modulating microtubule homeostasis. New Phytol 2023. [PMID: 36843261 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Tubulin folding cofactors (TFCs) are required for tubulin folding, α/β tubulin heterodimer formation, and microtubule (MT) dynamics in yeast and mammals. However, the functions of their plant counterparts remain to be characterized. We identified a natural maize crumpled kernel mutant, crk2, which exhibits reductions in endosperm cell number and size, as well as embryo/seedling lethality. Map-based cloning and functional complementation confirmed that ZmTFCB is causal for the mutation. ZmTFCB is targeted mainly to the cytosol. It facilitates α-tubulin folding and heterodimer formation through sequential interactions with the cytosolic chaperonin-containing TCP-1 ε subunit ZmCCT5 and ZmTFCE, thus affecting the organization of both the spindle and phragmoplast MT array and the cortical MT polymerization and array formation, which consequently mediated cell division and cell growth. We detected a physical association between ZmTFCB and the maize MT plus-end binding protein END-BINDING1 (ZmEB1), indicating that ZmTFCB1 may modulate MT dynamics by sequestering ZmEB1. Our data demonstrate that ZmTFCB is required for cell division and cell growth through modulating MT homeostasis, an evolutionarily conserved machinery with some species-specific divergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingqian Zhou
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crops Science/Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops/College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, China
| | - Zhiyuan Fu
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crops Science/Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops/College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, China
| | - Mengyuan Li
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crops Science/Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops/College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, China
| | - Qingwen Shen
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crops Science/Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops/College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, China
| | - Canran Sun
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crops Science/Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops/College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, China
| | - Yijian Feng
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crops Science/Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops/College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, China
| | - Yang Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crops Science/Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops/College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, China
| | - Jianjun Jiang
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crops Science/Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops/College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, China
| | - Tao Qin
- College of Grassland Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Tonglin Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Sarah Jane Hearne
- CIMMYT, KM 45 Carretera Mexico-Veracruz, El Batan, Texcoco, Estado de México, 56237, Mexico
| | - Guifeng Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crops Science/Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops/College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, China
| | - Jihua Tang
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crops Science/Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops/College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, China
- The Shennong Laboratory, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450002, China
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Dong X, Luo H, Yao J, Guo Q, Yu S, Zhang X, Li F, Ruan Y, Jin W, Meng D. Conservation Study of Imprinted Genes in Maize Triparental Heterozygotic Kernels. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23. [PMID: 36499766 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315424] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Genomic imprinting is a classic epigenetic phenomenon related to the uniparental expression of genes. Imprinting variability exists in seeds and can contribute to observed parent-of-origin effects on seed development. Here, we conducted allelic expression of the embryo and endosperm from four crosses at 11 days after pollination (DAP). First, the F1 progeny of B73(♀) × Mo17(♂) and the inducer line CAU5 were used as parents to obtain reciprocal crosses of BM-C/C-BM. Additionally, the F1 progeny of Mo17(♀) × B73(♂) and CAU5 were used as parents to obtain reciprocal crosses of MB-C/C-MB. In total, 192 and 181 imprinted genes were identified in the BM-C/C-BM and MB-C/C-MB crosses, respectively. Then, by comparing the allelic expression of these imprinted genes in the reciprocal crosses of B73 and CAU5 (BC/CB), fifty-one Mo17-added non-conserved genes were identified as exhibiting imprinting variability. Fifty-one B73-added non-conserved genes were also identified by comparing the allelic expression of imprinted genes identified in BM-C/C-BM, MB-C/C-MB and MC/CM crosses. Specific Gene Ontology (GO) terms were not enriched in B73-added/Mo17-added non-conserved genes. Interestingly, the imprinting status of these genes was less conserved across other species. The cis-element distribution, tissue expression and subcellular location were similar between the B73-added/Mo17-added conserved and B73-added/Mo17-added non-conserved imprinted genes. Finally, genotypic and phenotypic analysis of one non-conserved gene showed that the mutation and overexpression of this gene may affect embryo and kernel size, which indicates that these non-conserved genes may also play an important role in kernel development. The findings of this study will be helpful for elucidating the imprinting mechanism of genes involved in maize kernel development.
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Xiong C, Pei H, Zhang Y, Ren W, Ma Z, Tang Y, Huang J. Integrative analysis of transcriptome and miRNAome reveals molecular mechanisms regulating pericarp thickness in sweet corn during kernel development. Front Plant Sci 2022; 13:945379. [PMID: 35958194 PMCID: PMC9361504 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.945379] [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: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Pericarp thickness affects the edible quality of sweet corn (Zea mays L. saccharata Sturt.). Therefore, breeding varieties with a thin pericarp is important for the quality breeding of sweet corn. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the pericarp development remain largely unclear. We performed an integrative analysis of mRNA and miRNA sequencing to elucidate the genetic mechanism regulating pericarp thickness during kernel development (at 15 days, 19 days, and 23 days after pollination) of two sweet corn inbred lines with different pericarp thicknesses (M03, with a thinner pericarp and M08, with a thicker pericarp). A total of 2,443 and 1,409 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in M03 and M08, respectively. Our results indicate that phytohormone-mediated programmed cell death (PCD) may play a critical role in determining pericarp thickness in sweet corn. Auxin (AUX), gibberellin (GA), and brassinosteroid (BR) signal transduction may indirectly mediate PCD to regulate pericarp thickness in M03 (the thin pericarp variety). In contrast, abscisic acid (ABA), cytokinin (CK), and ethylene (ETH) signaling may be the key regulators of pericarp PCD in M08 (the thick pericarp variety). Furthermore, 110 differentially expressed microRNAs (DEMIs) and 478 differentially expressed target genes were identified. miRNA164-, miRNA167-, and miRNA156-mediated miRNA-mRNA pairs may participate in regulating pericarp thickness. The expression results of DEGs were validated by quantitative real-time PCR. These findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms regulating pericarp thickness and propose the objective of breeding sweet corn varieties with a thin pericarp.
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Zhang C, Liu H, Zhang H, Dang W, Zhou C, Zhang M. Comparative de novo Transcriptome Analysis of Two Cultivars With Contrasting Content of Oil and Fatty Acids During Kernel Development in Torreya grandis. Front Plant Sci 2022; 13:909759. [PMID: 35795342 PMCID: PMC9251473 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.909759] [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: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Vegetable oil is an indispensable nutritional resource for human health and mainly characterized by the composition and content of fatty acids (FAs). As a commercial species of gymnosperm, Torreya grandis produces oil-rich nuts with high unsaturated fatty acids content in the mature kernels. In this study, two cultivars, T. grandis 'Xifei' and T. grandis 'Dielsii,' with distinct oil content were employed to compare the profiles of FAs accumulation during kernel development. The accumulation rate of oil content was significantly different between 'Xifei' and 'Dielsii.' Besides, the final oil content of 'Xifei' (52.87%) was significantly higher than that of 'Dielsii' (41.62%) at maturity. The significant differences in main FAs were observed at almost each kernel development stages between the two cultivars. C16:0, C18:1, and C20:3 FA exhibited different accumulation patterns between cultivars. The content and the initiation of accumulation of C20:3 FA were different between the two cultivars. To explore the molecular mechanism associated with different content of oil and FAs between two cultivars, de novo transcriptome of kernels was compared between 'Xifei' (high oil) and 'Dielsii' (low oil) at three stages of oil accumulation, respectively. Totally 142,213 unigenes were assembled and 16,379 unigenes with a length of over 1,000 nt were successfully annotated, including 139 unigenes related to FA biosynthesis, elongation, and metabolism. Compared with 'Dielsii,' totally 1,476, 2,140, and 1,145 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were upregulated in 'Xifei' at the stage of the initiative, the rapid rise, and the stationary oil accumulation, respectively; the number of downregulated DEGs reached 913, 1,245, and 904, respectively. Relative expressions of 11 DEGs involved in FAs biosynthesis and metabolism were confirmed by RT-qPCR. Abundant differentially expressed transcription factors and pathway DEGs were correlated to oil and FAs according to Pearson's correlation analysis between transcriptome and metabolites (oil and FAs), suggesting their contributions to the differential oil and FAs between the two cultivars during kernel development of T. grandis. To conclude, our findings can provide novel insights into the developmental differences in metabolites and de novo transcriptome correlated to lipid accumulation and FA synthesis of kernels between cultivars with contrasting oil deposits and demystify the regulatory mechanism of high oil accumulation in T. grandis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Efficient and Green Production of Agriculture in Mountainous Areas of Zhejiang Province, College of Horticulture Science, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Quality and Safety Control for Subtropical Fruit and Vegetable, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture Science, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Haokai Liu
- Jingning Natural Resources and Planning Bureau, Lishui, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Jingning Ecological Forestry Development Center, Lishui, China
| | - Wanyu Dang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Caihong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Min Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, China
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10
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Wang Z, Chen W, Zhang S, Lu J, Chen R, Fu J, Gu R, Wang G, Wang J, Cui Y. Dek504 Encodes a Mitochondrion-Targeted E+-Type Pentatricopeptide Repeat Protein Essential for RNA Editing and Seed Development in Maize. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:2513. [PMID: 35269656 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In flowering plants, RNA editing is a post-transcriptional process that selectively deaminates cytidines (C) to uridines (U) in organellar transcripts. Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins have been identified as site-specific recognition factors for RNA editing. Here, we report the map-based cloning and molecular characterization of the defective kernel mutant dek504 in maize. Loss of Dek504 function leads to delayed embryogenesis and endosperm development, which produce small and collapsed kernels. Dek504 encodes an E+-type PPR protein targeted to the mitochondria, which is required for RNA editing of mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase 3 at the nad3-317 and nad3-44 sites. Biochemical analysis of mitochondrial protein complexes revealed a significant reduction in the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase complex I activity, indicating that the alteration of the amino acid sequence at nad3-44 and nad3-317 through RNA editing is essential for NAD3 function. Moreover, the amino acids are highly conserved in monocots and eudicots, whereas the events of C-to-U editing are not conserved in flowering plants. Thus, our results indicate that Dek504 is essential for RNA editing of nad3, which is critical for NAD3 function, mitochondrial complex I stability, and seed development in maize.
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11
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Wu Q, Chen H, Zhang Z, Chen C, Yu F, Guy RD. Effects of Fruit Shading on Gene and Protein Expression During Starch and Oil Accumulation in Developing Styrax tonkinensis Kernels. Front Plant Sci 2022; 13:905633. [PMID: 35720550 PMCID: PMC9201641 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.905633] [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: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Styrax tonkinensis has great potential as a biofuel feedstock source having industrial oilseeds with excellent fatty acids (FAs) composition and good fuel properties. Photosynthesis in the developing pericarp could affect the carbon distribution in kernel. During kernel development, more carbon sources are allocated to starch rather than lipid, when the pericarp photosynthesis is reduced by fruit shading treatment. After shading the fruits at 50 days after flowering (DAF), samples of shaded fruit (FSK) and controls (CK) were collected at 80 DAF and analyzed using the proteomic method. We identified 3,181 proteins, of which 277 were differentially expressed proteins, all downregulated in the FSK group. There were 56 proteins found involved in carbohydrate metabolism and lipid biosynthesis leading to oil accumulation with their iTRAQ ratios of FSK/CK ranging from 0.7123 to 1.1075. According to the qRT-PCR analyses, the key genes related to FA and triacylglycerol (TAG) biosynthesis were significantly downregulated between 60 and 90 DAF especially at 80 DAF, while the key genes involved in starch biosynthesis and FA desaturase had no significant difference between the two groups at 80 DAF. Fruit shading is a negative treatment for lipid accumulation but not starch accumulation by restraining enzymic protein expression involved in FA and TAG biosynthesis during S. tonkinensis kernel development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qikui Wu
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forest Science, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
- State Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Silviculture in Downstream Areas of the Yellow River, College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, China
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Hong Chen
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forest Science, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zihan Zhang
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forest Science, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding and Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation, State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Chen Chen
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forest Science, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fangyuan Yu
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forest Science, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Fangyuan Yu,
| | - Robert D. Guy
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Robert D. Guy,
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12
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Hu M, Zhao H, Yang B, Yang S, Liu H, Tian H, Shui G, Chen Z, E L, Lai J, Song W. ZmCTLP1 is required for the maintenance of lipid homeostasis and the basal endosperm transfer layer in maize kernels. New Phytol 2021; 232:2384-2399. [PMID: 34559890 PMCID: PMC9292782 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17754] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Maize kernel weight is influenced by the unloading of nutrients from the maternal placenta and their passage through the transfer tissue of the basal endosperm transfer layer (BETL) and the basal intermediate zone (BIZ) to the upper part of the endosperm. Here, we show that Small kernel 10 (Smk10) encodes a choline transporter-like protein 1 (ZmCTLP1) that facilitates choline uptake and is located in the trans-Golgi network (TGN). Its loss of function results in reduced choline content, leading to smaller kernels with a lower starch content. Mutation of ZmCTLP1 disrupts membrane lipid homeostasis and the normal development of wall in-growths. Expression levels of Mn1 and ZmSWEET4c, two kernel filling-related genes, are downregulated in the smk10, which is likely to be one of the major causes of incompletely differentiated transfer cells. Mutation of ZmCTLP1 also reduces the number of plasmodesmata (PD) in transfer cells, indicating that the smk10 mutant is impaired in PD formation. Intriguingly, we also observed premature cell death in the BETL and BIZ of the smk10 mutant. Together, our results suggest that ZmCTLP1-mediated choline transport affects kernel development, highlighting its important role in lipid homeostasis, wall in-growth formation and PD development in transfer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingjian Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry and National Maize Improvement CenterDepartment of Plant Genetics and BreedingChina Agricultural UniversityBeijing100193China
| | - Haiming Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry and National Maize Improvement CenterDepartment of Plant Genetics and BreedingChina Agricultural UniversityBeijing100193China
| | - Bo Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry and National Maize Improvement CenterDepartment of Plant Genetics and BreedingChina Agricultural UniversityBeijing100193China
| | - Shuang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry and National Maize Improvement CenterDepartment of Plant Genetics and BreedingChina Agricultural UniversityBeijing100193China
| | - Haihong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and BiochemistryCollege of Biological SciencesChina Agricultural UniversityBeijing100193China
| | - He Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental BiologyInstitute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101China
| | - Guanghou Shui
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental BiologyInstitute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101China
| | - Zongliang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry and National Maize Improvement CenterDepartment of Plant Genetics and BreedingChina Agricultural UniversityBeijing100193China
- Waksman Institute of MicrobiologyRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNJ08854‐8020USA
| | - Lizhu E
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry and National Maize Improvement CenterDepartment of Plant Genetics and BreedingChina Agricultural UniversityBeijing100193China
- Center for Crop Functional Genomics and Molecular BreedingChina Agricultural UniversityBeijing100193China
| | - Jinsheng Lai
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry and National Maize Improvement CenterDepartment of Plant Genetics and BreedingChina Agricultural UniversityBeijing100193China
- Center for Crop Functional Genomics and Molecular BreedingChina Agricultural UniversityBeijing100193China
| | - Weibin Song
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry and National Maize Improvement CenterDepartment of Plant Genetics and BreedingChina Agricultural UniversityBeijing100193China
- Center for Crop Functional Genomics and Molecular BreedingChina Agricultural UniversityBeijing100193China
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13
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Li P, Li Z, Xie G, Zhang J. Trihelix Transcription Factor ZmThx20 Is Required for Kernel Development in Maize. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:12137. [PMID: 34830019 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212137] [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: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Maize kernels are the harvested portion of the plant and are related to the yield and quality of maize. The endosperm of maize is a large storage organ that constitutes 80–90% of the dry weight of mature kernels. Maize kernels have long been the study of cereal grain development to increase yield. In this study, a natural mutation that causes abnormal kernel development, and displays a shrunken kernel phenotype, was identified and named “shrunken 2008 (sh2008)”. The starch grains in sh2008 are loose and have a less proteinaceous matrix surrounding them. The total storage protein and the major storage protein zeins are ~70% of that in the wild-type control (WT); in particular, the 19 kDa and 22 kDa α-zeins. Map-based cloning revealed that sh2008 encodes a GT-2 trihelix transcription factor, ZmThx20. Using CRISPR/Cas9, two other alleles with mutated ZmThx20 were found to have the same abnormal kernel. Shrunken kernels can be rescued by overexpressing normal ZmThx20. Comparative transcriptome analysis of the kernels from sh2008 and WT showed that the GO terms of translation, ribosome, and nutrient reservoir activity were enriched in the down-regulated genes (sh2008/WT). In short, these changes can lead to defects in endosperm development and storage reserve filling in seeds.
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14
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Chen Q, Zhang J, Wang J, Xie Y, Cui Y, Du X, Li L, Fu J, Liu Y, Wang J, Wang G, Gu R. Small kernel 501 (smk501) encodes the RUBylation activating enzyme E1 subunit ECR1 (E1 C-TERMINAL RELATED 1) and is essential for multiple aspects of cellular events during kernel development in maize. New Phytol 2021; 230:2337-2354. [PMID: 33749863 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17354] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
RUBylation plays essential roles in plant growth and development through regulating Cullin-RING ubiquitin E3 ligase (CRL) activities and the CRL-mediated protein degradations. However, the function of RUBylation in regulating kernel development remains unclear. Through genetic and molecular analyses of a small kernel 501 (smk501) mutant in maize (Zea mays), we cloned the smk501 gene, revealed its molecular function, and defined its roles in RUBylation pathway and seed development. Smk501 encodes a RUBylation activating enzyme E1 subunit ZmECR1 (E1 C-TERMINAL RELATED 1) protein. Destruction in RUBylation by smk501 mutation resulted in less embryo and endosperm cell number and smaller kernel size. The transcriptome and proteome profiling, hormone evaluation and cell proliferation observation revealed that disturbing ZmECR1 expression mainly affects pathways on hormone signal transduction, cell cycle progression and starch accumulation during kernel development. In addition, mutant in zmaxr1 (Auxin resistant 1), another RUB E1 subunit, also showed similar defects in kernel development. Double mutation of zmecr1 and zmaxr1 lead to empty pericarp kernel phenotype. RUBylation is a novel regulatory pathway affecting maize kernel development, majorly through its functions in modifying multiple cellular progresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quanquan Chen
- Beijing Innovation Center for Crop Seed Technology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis Utilization, Ministry of Education, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Beijing Innovation Center for Crop Seed Technology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis Utilization, Ministry of Education, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Beijing Innovation Center for Crop Seed Technology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis Utilization, Ministry of Education, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yuxin Xie
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Yu Cui
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Xuemei Du
- Beijing Innovation Center for Crop Seed Technology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis Utilization, Ministry of Education, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Li Li
- Beijing Innovation Center for Crop Seed Technology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis Utilization, Ministry of Education, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Junjie Fu
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Yunjun Liu
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Jianhua Wang
- Beijing Innovation Center for Crop Seed Technology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis Utilization, Ministry of Education, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Guoying Wang
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Riliang Gu
- Beijing Innovation Center for Crop Seed Technology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis Utilization, Ministry of Education, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
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15
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Sun F, Ding L, Feng W, Cao Y, Lu F, Yang Q, Li W, Lu Y, Shabek N, Fu F, Yu H. Maize transcription factor ZmBES1/BZR1-5 positively regulates kernel size. J Exp Bot 2021; 72:1714-1726. [PMID: 33206180 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/eraa544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [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: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The BES1/BZR1 transcription factors regulate the expression of genes responsive to brassinosteroids and play pivotal roles in plant development, but their role in regulating kernel development in maize remains unclear. In this study, we found that ZmBES1/BZR1-5 positively regulates kernel size. Association analysis of candidate genes in 513 diverse maize inbred lines indicated that three SNPs related to ZmBES1/BZR1-5 were significantly associated with kernel width and whilst four SNPs were related to 100-kernel weight. Overexpression of ZmBES1/BZR1-5 in Arabidopsis and rice both significantly increased seed size and weight, and smaller kernels were produced in maize Mu transposon insertion and EMS mutants. The ZmBES1/BZR1-5 protein locates in the nucleus, contains bHLH and BAM domains, and shows no transcriptional activity as a monomer but forms a homodimer through the BAM domain. ChIP-sequencing analysis, and yeast one-hybrid and dual-luciferase assays demonstrated that the protein binds to the promoters of AP2/EREBP genes (Zm00001d010676 and Zm00001d032077) and inhibits their transcription. cDNA library screening showed that ZmBES1/BZR1-5 interacts with casein kinase II subunit β4 (ZmCKIIβ4) and ferredoxin 2 (ZmFdx2) in vitro and in vivo, respectively. Taken together, our study suggests that ZmBES1/BZR1-5 positively regulates kernel size, and provides new insights into understanding the mechanisms of kernel development in maize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuai Sun
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region, Ministry of Agriculture; Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Lei Ding
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region, Ministry of Agriculture; Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wenqi Feng
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region, Ministry of Agriculture; Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yang Cao
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region, Ministry of Agriculture; Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Fengzhong Lu
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region, Ministry of Agriculture; Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qingqing Yang
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region, Ministry of Agriculture; Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wanchen Li
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region, Ministry of Agriculture; Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanli Lu
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region, Ministry of Agriculture; Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Nitzan Shabek
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Fengling Fu
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region, Ministry of Agriculture; Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Haoqiang Yu
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region, Ministry of Agriculture; Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
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16
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Zhang K, Wang F, Liu B, Xu C, He Q, Cheng W, Zhao X, Ding Z, Zhang W, Zhang K, Li K. ZmSKS13, a cupredoxin domain-containing protein, is required for maize kernel development via modulation of redox homeostasis. New Phytol 2021; 229:2163-2178. [PMID: 33034042 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [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: 12/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The SKU5 similar (SKS) genes encode a family of multi-copper-oxidase-like proteins with cupredoxin domains similar to those in laccase and ascorbate oxidase. Although SKS proteins are known to function in root growth and cotyledon vascular patterning in Arabidopsis, their role in plant reproductive processes is poorly understood. Here, we identified a seed mutant of maize (Zea mays), generated by ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) mutagenesis, that we designated defective kernel-zk1 (dek-zk1). The mutant produced small, shriveled kernels with an aberrant basal endosperm transfer layer (BETL) and placento-chalazal (PC) layer and irregular starch granules. Map-based cloning revealed that Dek-zk1 encodes an SKU5 similar 13 (GenBank: ONM36900.1), so it was named ZmSKS13. ZmSKS13 comprises a paralogous pair with Zm00001d012524, but the transcript abundance of ZmSKS13 in developing kernels is 15 times higher than that of Zm00001d012524, resulting in dek-zk1 mutation conveying a distinct kernel phenotype. ZmSKS13 loss of function led to overaccumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and severe DNA damage in the nucellus and BETL and PC layer cells, and exogenous antioxidants significantly alleviated the defects of the mutant kernels. Our results thus demonstrate that ZmSKS13 is a novel regulator that plays a crucial role in kernel development in maize through the modulation of ROS homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Plant Development and Environment Adaptation Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Fei Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Baiyu Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Plant Development and Environment Adaptation Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Changzheng Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Qiuxia He
- Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, Shandong, 250103, China
| | - Wen Cheng
- Maize Institute of Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250100, China
| | - Xiangyu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, 271018, China
| | - Zhaohua Ding
- Maize Institute of Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250100, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Plant Development and Environment Adaptation Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Kewei Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Plant Development and Environment Adaptation Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Kunpeng Li
- The Key Laboratory of Plant Development and Environment Adaptation Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
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17
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Ma J, Wang L, Cao Y, Wang H, Li H. Association Mapping and Transcriptome Analysis Reveal the Genetic Architecture of Maize Kernel Size. Front Plant Sci 2021; 12:632788. [PMID: 33815440 PMCID: PMC8013726 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.632788] [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] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Kernel length, kernel width, and kernel thickness are important traits affecting grain yield and product quality. Here, the genetic architecture of the three kernel size traits was dissected in an association panel of 309 maize inbred lines using four statistical methods. Forty-two significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; p < 1.72E-05) and 70 genes for the three traits were identified under five environments. One and eight SNPs were co-detected in two environments and by at least two methods, respectively, and they explained 5.87-9.59% of the phenotypic variation. Comparing the transcriptomes of two inbred lines with contrasting seed size, three and eight genes identified in the association panel showed significantly differential expression between the two genotypes at 15 and 39 days after pollination, respectively. Ten and 17 genes identified by a genome-wide association study were significantly differentially expressed between the two development stages in the two genotypes. Combining environment-/method-stable SNPs and differential expression analysis, ribosomal protein L7, jasmonate-regulated gene 21, serine/threonine-protein kinase RUNKEL, AP2-EREBP-transcription factor 16, and Zm00001d035222 (cell wall protein IFF6-like) were important candidate genes for maize kernel size and development.
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18
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Hu X, Liu J, Li W, Wen T, Li T, Guo X, Liu RH. Biosynthesis and accumulation of multi-vitamins in black sweet corn (Zea mays L.) during kernel development. J Sci Food Agric 2020; 100:5230-5238. [PMID: 32519367 DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.10573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [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: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Black sweet corn as an edible fruit has various nutritional qualities. This study discusses changes in the vitamin C and E, folate, and carotenoid content during black sweet corn maturation, and also the effects of preharvest weather conditions and of related genes in multi-vitamin biosynthesis pathways. RESULTS Most vitamin levels improved, especially vitamin C and carotenoid levels, while the folate content dropped rapidly. Transcript levels of most genes in folate biosynthesis showed trends that were similar to the content changes. VTC2 and GLDH, which are regulated by light, had high expression levels leading to an increase in ascorbate content during maturation. γ-Tocotrienol is the main vitamin E component, and HGGT, the key gene controlling the synthesis of tocotrienols, had a much higher expression level than other genes. Lutein and zeaxanthin were the dominant carotenoid components. A rapid reduction in the transcription level of LCYε could result in a lower lutein production rate . CONCLUSION Black sweet corn has a high nutritional value and is rich in vitamins, including zeaxanthin, γ-tocotrienols, and ascorbic acid. The best harvest time is between 20-25 days after pollination (DAPs) when kernels had a good taste as well as relatively high vitamin levels. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodan Hu
- School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Ministry of Education Engineering Research Centre of Starch and Protein Processing, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Natural Products and Product Safety, Overseas Expertise Introduction Center for Discipline Innovation of Food Nutrition and Human Health (111 Center), Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianhua Liu
- Key Laboratory of Crops Genetics Improvement of Guangdong Province, Crop Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wu Li
- Key Laboratory of Crops Genetics Improvement of Guangdong Province, Crop Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tianxiang Wen
- Key Laboratory of Crops Genetics Improvement of Guangdong Province, Crop Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tong Li
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Xinbo Guo
- School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Ministry of Education Engineering Research Centre of Starch and Protein Processing, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Natural Products and Product Safety, Overseas Expertise Introduction Center for Discipline Innovation of Food Nutrition and Human Health (111 Center), Guangzhou, China
| | - Rui Hai Liu
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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19
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Zang J, Huo Y, Liu J, Zhang H, Liu J, Chen H. Maize YSL2 is required for iron distribution and development in kernels. J Exp Bot 2020; 71:5896-5910. [PMID: 32687576 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/eraa332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [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: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient and plays an irreplaceable role in plant growth and development. Although its uptake and translocation are important biological processes, little is known about the molecular mechanism of Fe translocation within seed. Here, we characterized a novel small kernel mutant yellow stripe like 2 (ysl2) in maize (Zea mays). ZmYSL2 was predominantly expressed in developing endosperm and was found to encode a plasma membrane-localized metal-nicotianamine (NA) transporter ZmYSL2. Analysis of transporter activity revealed ZmYSL2-mediated Fe transport from endosperm to embryo during kernel development. Dysfunction of ZmYSL2 resulted in the imbalance of Fe homeostasis and abnormality of protein accumulation and starch deposition in the kernel. Significant changes of nitric oxide accumulation, mitochondrial Fe-S cluster content, and mitochondrial morphology indicated that the proper function of mitochondria was also affected in ysl2. Collectively, our study demonstrated that ZmYSL2 had a pivotal role in mediating Fe distribution within the kernel and kernel development in maize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yanqing Huo
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Huairen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Juan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Huabang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Wu Q, Zhao X, Chen C, Zhang Z, Yu F. Metabolite Profiling and Classification of Developing Styrax tonkinensis Kernels. Metabolites 2020; 10:E21. [PMID: 31906354 DOI: 10.3390/metabo10010021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [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: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Styrax tonkinensis is an economic tree species with high timber, medicine, oil, and ornamental value. Its seed, containing a particularly high oil content, are widely studied for their biodiesel properties by nutritional components and oil body ultrastructure. However, their comprehensive biochemical compositions have not been studied. Methods: During S. tonkinensis kernel development, we collected samples from four time points for metabolite profiling and classification through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results: A total of 187 and 1556 metabolites were obtained, respectively. All of the metabolites were grouped into 19 and 21 classes by their chemical properties and into 8 clusters based on their change trends, respectively. Among all the metabolites, carboxylic acids and derivatives, flavonoids, fatty acyls, glycerophospholipids, organooxygen compounds, prenol lipids, and steroids and steroid derivatives were the main components. Alanine, glutamine, tryptophan, tyrosine and valine were the five most abundant amino acids. Palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid and linoleic acid were the four major free fatty acids. Flavans, flavonoid glycosides and o-methylated flavonoids were the three major flavonoids. The differential metabolites distributions between different time points were identified. A pathway enrichment was performed, which was mainly focused on three groups, amino acids metabolism, carbon flow from sucrose to lipid and secondary metabolites biosynthesis. Conclusions: It’s the first time to analyze the metabolite fingerprinting for developing S. tonkinensis kernels and identify varied kinds of flavonoids. We performed metabolite profiling, classification and pathway enrichment to assess the comprehensive biochemical compositions. Our results described the change in major metabolites and main metabolic processes during S. tonkinensis kernel development and provided a variety of bases for seed applications as biofuel or medicine.
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Pang J, Fu J, Zong N, Wang J, Song D, Zhang X, He C, Fang T, Zhang H, Fan Y, Wang G, Zhao J. Kernel size-related genes revealed by an integrated eQTL analysis during early maize kernel development. Plant J 2019; 98:19-32. [PMID: 30548709 PMCID: PMC6850110 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [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: 07/06/2018] [Revised: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
In maize, kernel traits strongly impact overall grain yields, and it is known that sophisticated spatiotemporal programs of gene expression coordinate kernel development, so advancing our knowledge of kernel development can help efforts to improve grain yields. Here, using phenotype, genotype and transcriptomics data of maize kernels at 5 and 15 days after pollination (DAP) for a large association mapping panel, we employed multiple quantitative genetics approaches-genome-wide association studies (GWAS) as well as expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) and quantitative trait transcript (QTT) analyses-to gain insights about molecular genetic basis of kernel development in maize. This resulted in the identification of 137 putative kernel length-related genes at 5 DAP, of which 43 are located in previously reported QTL regions. Strikingly, we identified an eQTL that overlaps the locus encoding a maize homolog of the recently described m6 A methylation reader protein ECT2 from Arabidopsis; this putative epi eQTL is associated with 53 genes and may represent a master epi-transcriptomic regulator of kernel development. Notably, among the genes associated with this epi eQTL, 10 are for the main storage proteins in the maize endosperm (zeins) and two are known regulators of zein expression or endosperm development (Opaque2 and ZmICE1). Collectively, beyond cataloging and characterizing genomic attributes of a large number of eQTL associated with kernel development in maize, our study highlights how an eQTL approach can bolster the impact of both GWAS and QTT studies and can drive insights about the basic biology of plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junling Pang
- Biotechnology Research InstituteChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
| | - Junjie Fu
- Institute of Crop SciencesChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
| | - Na Zong
- Biotechnology Research InstituteChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
| | - Jing Wang
- Biotechnology Research InstituteChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
| | - Dandan Song
- Biotechnology Research InstituteChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
| | - Xia Zhang
- Biotechnology Research InstituteChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
| | - Cheng He
- Institute of Crop SciencesChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
| | - Ting Fang
- Institute of Crop SciencesChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
| | - Hongwei Zhang
- Institute of Crop SciencesChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
| | - Yunliu Fan
- Biotechnology Research InstituteChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
| | - Guoying Wang
- Institute of Crop SciencesChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
| | - Jun Zhao
- Biotechnology Research InstituteChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijing100081China
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22
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Wang H, Wang K, Du Q, Wang Y, Fu Z, Guo Z, Kang D, Li WX, Tang J. Maize Urb2 protein is required for kernel development and vegetative growth by affecting pre-ribosomal RNA processing. New Phytol 2018; 218:1233-1246. [PMID: 29479724 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [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: 09/02/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Ribosome biogenesis is a fundamental process in eukaryotic cells. Although Urb2 protein has been implicated in ribosome biogenesis in yeast, the Urb2 domain is loosely conserved between plants and yeast, and the function of Urb2 protein in plants remains unknown. Here, we isolated a maize mutant, designated as urb2, with defects in kernel development and vegetative growth. Positional cloning and transgenic analysis revealed that urb2 encodes an Urb2 domain-containing protein. Compared with the wild-type (WT), the urb2 mutant showed decreased ratios of 60S/40S and 80S/40S and increased ratios of polyribosomes. The pre-rRNA intermediates of 35/33S rRNA, P-A3 and 18S-A3 were significantly accumulated in the urb2 mutant. Transcriptome profiling of the urb2 mutant indicated that ZmUrb2 affects the expression of a number of ribosome-related genes. We further demonstrated that natural variations in ZmUrb2 are significantly associated with maize kernel length. The overall results indicate that, by affecting pre-rRNA processing, the Urb2 protein is required for ribosome biogenesis in maize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongqiu Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
- National Engineering Laboratory for Crop Molecular Breeding, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Kai Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Crop Molecular Breeding, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Qingguo Du
- National Engineering Laboratory for Crop Molecular Breeding, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Yafei Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
- National Engineering Laboratory for Crop Molecular Breeding, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Zhiyuan Fu
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Zhanyong Guo
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Dingming Kang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Wen-Xue Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Crop Molecular Breeding, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Jihua Tang
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
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Xie L, Yu Y, Mao J, Liu H, Hu JG, Li T, Guo X, Liu RH. Evaluation of Biosynthesis, Accumulation and Antioxidant Activityof Vitamin E in Sweet Corn (Zea mays L.) during Kernel Development. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18122780. [PMID: 29261149 PMCID: PMC5751378 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18122780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Revised: 12/09/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Sweet corn kernels were used in this research to study the dynamics of vitamin E, by evaluatingthe expression levels of genes involved in vitamin E synthesis, the accumulation of vitamin E, and the antioxidant activity during the different stage of kernel development. Results showed that expression levels of ZmHPT and ZmTC genes increased, whereas ZmTMT gene dramatically decreased during kernel development. The contents of all the types of vitamin E in sweet corn had a significant upward increase during kernel development, and reached the highest level at 30 days after pollination (DAP). Amongst the eight isomers of vitamin E, the content of γ-tocotrienol was the highest, and increased by 14.9 folds, followed by α-tocopherolwith an increase of 22 folds, and thecontents of isomers γ-tocopherol, α-tocotrienol, δ-tocopherol,δ-tocotrienol, and β-tocopherol were also followed during kernel development. The antioxidant activity of sweet corn during kernel development was increased, and was up to 101.8 ± 22.3 μmol of α-tocopherol equivlent/100 g in fresh weight (FW) at 30 DAP. There was a positive correlation between vitamin E contents and antioxidant activity in sweet corn during the kernel development, and a negative correlation between the expressions of ZmTMT gene and vitamin E contents. These results revealed the relations amongst the content of vitamin E isomers and the gene expression, vitamin E accumulation, and antioxidant activity. The study can provide a harvesting strategy for vitamin E bio-fortification in sweet corn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihua Xie
- School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou510641, China.
| | - Yongtao Yu
- Crop Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
- Key Laboratory of Crops Genetics Improvement of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510640, China.
| | - Jihua Mao
- Crop Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
- Key Laboratory of Crops Genetics Improvement of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510640, China.
| | - Haiying Liu
- School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou510641, China.
| | - Jian Guang Hu
- Crop Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
- Key Laboratory of Crops Genetics Improvement of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510640, China.
| | - Tong Li
- Department of Food Science, Stocking Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, NY 14853, USA.
| | - Xinbo Guo
- School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou510641, China.
| | - Rui Hai Liu
- Department of Food Science, Stocking Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, NY 14853, USA.
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Xing L, Zhu M, Zhang M, Li W, Jiang H, Zou J, Wang L, Xu M. High-Throughput Sequencing of Small RNA Transcriptomes in Maize Kernel Identifies miRNAs Involved in Embryo and Endosperm Development. Genes (Basel) 2017; 8:genes8120385. [PMID: 29240690 PMCID: PMC5748703 DOI: 10.3390/genes8120385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Revised: 12/07/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Maize kernel development is a complex biological process that involves the temporal and spatial expression of many genes and fine gene regulation at a transcriptional and post-transcriptional level, and microRNAs (miRNAs) play vital roles during this process. To gain insight into miRNA-mediated regulation of maize kernel development, a deep-sequencing technique was used to investigate the dynamic expression of miRNAs in the embryo and endosperm at three developmental stages in B73. By miRNA transcriptomic analysis, we characterized 132 known miRNAs and six novel miRNAs in developing maize kernel, among which, 15 and 14 miRNAs were commonly differentially expressed between the embryo and endosperm at 9 days after pollination (DAP), 15 DAP and 20 DAP respectively. Conserved miRNA families such as miR159, miR160, miR166, miR390, miR319, miR528 and miR529 were highly expressed in developing embryos; miR164, miR171, miR393 and miR2118 were highly expressed in developing endosperm. Genes targeted by those highly expressed miRNAs were found to be largely related to a regulation category, including the transcription, macromolecule biosynthetic and metabolic process in the embryo as well as the vitamin biosynthetic and metabolic process in the endosperm. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that these miRNAs displayed a negative correlation with the levels of their corresponding target genes. Importantly, our findings revealed that members of the miR169 family were highly and dynamically expressed in the developing kernel, which will help to exploit new players functioning in maize kernel development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Xing
- Biotechnology Research Institute, The National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Ming Zhu
- Biotechnology Research Institute, The National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China.
| | - Min Zhang
- Biotechnology Research Institute, The National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Wenzong Li
- Biotechnology Research Institute, The National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Haiyang Jiang
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China.
| | - Junjie Zou
- Biotechnology Research Institute, The National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Lei Wang
- Biotechnology Research Institute, The National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Miaoyun Xu
- Biotechnology Research Institute, The National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
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25
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Zhang L, Dong Y, Wang Q, Du C, Xiong W, Li X, Zhu S, Li Y. iTRAQ-Based Proteomics Analysis and Network Integration for Kernel Tissue Development in Maize. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:E1840. [PMID: 28837076 PMCID: PMC5618489 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18091840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Revised: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Grain weight is one of the most important yield components and a developmentally complex structure comprised of two major compartments (endosperm and pericarp) in maize (Zea mays L.), however, very little is known concerning the coordinated accumulation of the numerous proteins involved. Herein, we used isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based comparative proteomic method to analyze the characteristics of dynamic proteomics for endosperm and pericarp during grain development. Totally, 9539 proteins were identified for both components at four development stages, among which 1401 proteins were non-redundant, 232 proteins were specific in pericarp and 153 proteins were specific in endosperm. A functional annotation of the identified proteins revealed the importance of metabolic and cellular processes, and binding and catalytic activities for the tissue development. Three and 76 proteins involved in 49 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways were integrated for the specific endosperm and pericarp proteins, respectively, reflecting their complex metabolic interactions. In addition, four proteins with important functions and different expression levels were chosen for gene cloning and expression analysis. Different concordance between mRNA level and the protein abundance was observed across different proteins, stages, and tissues as in previous research. These results could provide useful message for understanding the developmental mechanisms in grain development in maize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Zhang
- College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, 63 Nongye Rd., Zhengzhou 450002, China.
| | - Yongbin Dong
- College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, 63 Nongye Rd., Zhengzhou 450002, China.
| | - Qilei Wang
- College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, 63 Nongye Rd., Zhengzhou 450002, China.
| | - Chunguang Du
- Deptment of Biology and Molecular Biology, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ 07043, USA.
| | - Wenwei Xiong
- Deptment of Biology and Molecular Biology, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ 07043, USA.
| | - Xinyu Li
- College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, 63 Nongye Rd., Zhengzhou 450002, China.
| | - Sailan Zhu
- College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, 63 Nongye Rd., Zhengzhou 450002, China.
| | - Yuling Li
- College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, 63 Nongye Rd., Zhengzhou 450002, China.
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26
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Li J, Fu J, Chen Y, Fan K, He C, Zhang Z, Li L, Liu Y, Zheng J, Ren D, Wang G. The U6 Biogenesis-Like 1 Plays an Important Role in Maize Kernel and Seedling Development by Affecting the 3' End Processing of U6 snRNA. Mol Plant 2017; 10:470-482. [PMID: 27825944 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2016.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [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: 05/23/2016] [Revised: 10/29/2016] [Accepted: 10/30/2016] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Regulation of gene expression at the post-transcriptional level is of crucial importance in the development of an organism. Here we present the characterization of a maize gene, U6 biogenesis-like 1 (UBL1), which plays an important role in kernel and seedling development by influencing pre-mRNA splicing. The ubl1 mutant, exhibiting small kernel and weak seedling, was isolated from a Mutator-tagged population. Transgenic complementation and three independent mutant alleles confirmed that UBL1, which encodes a putative RNA exonuclease belonging to the 2H phosphodiesterase superfamily, is responsible for the phenotype of ubl1. We demonstrated that UBL1 possess the RNA exonuclease activity in vitro and found that loss of UBL1 function in ubl1 causes decreased level and abnormal 3' end constitution of snRNA U6, resulting in splicing defect of mRNAs. Through the in vitro and in vivo studies replacing two histidines with alanines in the H-X-T/S-X (X is a hydrophobic residue) motifs we demonstrated that these two motifs are essential for the normal function of UBL1. We further showed that the function of UBL1 may be conserved across a wide phylogenetic distance as the heterologous expression of maize UBL1 could complement the Arabidopsis ubl1 mutant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiankun Li
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Biological Sciences
| | - Junjie Fu
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Yan Chen
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Kaijian Fan
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Cheng He
- Center of Seed Science and Technology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zhiqiang Zhang
- Center of Seed Science and Technology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Li Li
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Yunjun Liu
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Jun Zheng
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Dongtao Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Biological Sciences
| | - Guoying Wang
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
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Liu J, Deng M, Guo H, Raihan S, Luo J, Xu Y, Dong X, Yan J. Maize orthologs of rice GS5 and their trans-regulator are associated with kernel development. J Integr Plant Biol 2015; 57:943-53. [PMID: 26282053 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.12421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [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: 06/20/2015] [Accepted: 08/15/2015] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Genome information from model species such as rice can assist in the cloning of genes in a complex genome, such as maize. Here, we identified a maize ortholog of rice GS5 that contributes to kernel development in maize. The genome-wide association analysis of the expression levels of ZmGS5, and 15 of its 26 paralogs, identified a trans-regulator on chromosome 7, which was a BAK1-like gene. This gene that we named as ZmBAK1-7 could regulate the expression of ZmGS5 and three of the paralogs. Candidate-gene association analyses revealed that these five genes were associated with maize kernel development-related traits. Linkage analyses also detected that ZmGS5 and ZmBAK1-7 co-localized with mapped QTLs. A transgenic analysis of ZmGS5 in Arabidopsis thaliana L. showed a significant increase in seed weight and cell number, suggesting that ZmGS5 may have a conserved function among different plant species that affects seed development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Min Deng
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Huan Guo
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Sharif Raihan
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Jingyun Luo
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Yuancheng Xu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Xiaofei Dong
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Jianbing Yan
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
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28
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Cimini S, Locato V, Vergauwen R, Paradiso A, Cecchini C, Vandenpoel L, Verspreet J, Courtin CM, D'Egidio MG, Van den Ende W, De Gara L. Fructan biosynthesis and degradation as part of plant metabolism controlling sugar fluxes during durum wheat kernel maturation. Front Plant Sci 2015; 6:89. [PMID: 25750648 PMCID: PMC4335405 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2015.00089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2014] [Accepted: 02/03/2015] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Wheat kernels contain fructans, fructose based oligosaccharides with prebiotic properties, in levels between 2 and 35 weight % depending on the developmental stage of the kernel. To improve knowledge on the metabolic pathways leading to fructan storage and degradation, carbohydrate fluxes occurring during durum wheat kernel development were analyzed. Kernels were collected at various developmental stages and quali-quantitative analysis of carbohydrates (mono- and di-saccharides, fructans, starch) was performed, alongside analysis of the activities and gene expression of the enzymes involved in their biosynthesis and hydrolysis. High resolution HPAEC-PAD of fructan contained in durum wheat kernels revealed that fructan content is higher at the beginning of kernel development, when fructans with higher DP, such as bifurcose and 1,1-nystose, were mainly found. The changes in fructan pool observed during kernel maturation might be part of the signaling pathways influencing carbohydrate metabolism and storage in wheat kernels during development. During the first developmental stages fructan accumulation may contribute to make kernels more effective Suc sinks and to participate in osmotic regulation while the observed decrease in their content may mark the transition to later developmental stages, transition that is also orchestrated by changes in redox balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Cimini
- Laboratory of Plant Biochemistry and Food Sciences, Campus Bio-Medico UniversityRome, Italy
| | - Vittoria Locato
- Laboratory of Plant Biochemistry and Food Sciences, Campus Bio-Medico UniversityRome, Italy
| | - Rudy Vergauwen
- Laboratory for Molecular Plant Biology and Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Centre (LFoRCe), KU LeuvenLeuven, Belgium
| | | | - Cristina Cecchini
- Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura, Unità di ricerca per la Valorizzazione Qualitativa dei CerealiRome, Italy
| | - Liesbeth Vandenpoel
- Laboratory of Plant Biochemistry and Food Sciences, Campus Bio-Medico UniversityRome, Italy
- Laboratory for Molecular Plant Biology and Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Centre (LFoRCe), KU LeuvenLeuven, Belgium
| | - Joran Verspreet
- Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Biochemistry, KU LeuvenLeuven, Belgium
| | | | - Maria Grazia D'Egidio
- Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura, Unità di ricerca per la Valorizzazione Qualitativa dei CerealiRome, Italy
| | - Wim Van den Ende
- Laboratory for Molecular Plant Biology and Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Centre (LFoRCe), KU LeuvenLeuven, Belgium
| | - Laura De Gara
- Laboratory of Plant Biochemistry and Food Sciences, Campus Bio-Medico UniversityRome, Italy
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Dwivedi KK, Roche DJ, Clemente TE, Ge Z, Carman JG. The OCL3 promoter from Sorghum bicolor directs gene expression to abscission and nutrient-transfer zones at the bases of floral organs. Ann Bot 2014; 114:489-98. [PMID: 25081518 PMCID: PMC4204675 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcu148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 01/25/2014] [Accepted: 06/11/2014] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS During seed fill in cereals, nutrients are symplasmically unloaded to vascular parenchyma in ovules, but thereafter nutrient transport is less certain. In Zea mays, two mechanisms of nutrient passage through the chalaza and nucellus have been hypothesized, apoplasmic and symplasmic. In a recent study, nutrients first passed non-selectively to the chalazal apoplasm and were then selectively absorbed by the nucellus before being released to the endosperm apoplasm. This study reports that the promoter of OUTER CELL LAYER3 (PSbOCL3) from Sorghum bicolor (sorghum) directs gene expression to chalazal cells where the apoplasmic barrier is thought to form. The aims were to elucidate PSbOCL3 expression patterns in sorghum and relate them to processes of nutrient pathway development in kernels and to recognized functions of the homeodomain-leucine zipper (HD-Zip) IV transcription factor family to which the promoter belongs. METHODS PSbOCL3 was cloned and transformed into sorghum as a promoter-GUS (β-glucuronidase) construct. Plant tissues from control and transformed plants were then stained for GUS, and kernels were cleared and characterized using differential interference contrast microscopy. KEY RESULTS A symplasmic disconnect between the chalaza and nucellus during seed fill is inferred by the combination of two phenomena: differentiation of a distinct nucellar epidermis adjacent to the chalaza, and lysis of GUS-stained chalazal cells immediately proximal to the nucellar epidermis. Compression of the GUS-stained chalazal cells during kernel maturation produced the kernel abscission zone (closing layer). CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that the HD-Zip IV transcription factor SbOCL3 regulates kernel nutrition and abscission. The latter is consistent with evidence that members of this transcription factor group regulate silique abscission and dehiscence in Arabidopsis thaliana. Collectively, the findings suggest that processes of floral organ abscission are conserved among angiosperms and may in some respects differ from processes of leaf abscission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishna K Dwivedi
- Caisson Laboratories, Inc., 1740 Research Park Way, North Logan, UT 84341, USA Crop Improvement Division, Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi (UP) 284003, India Plants, Soils and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4820, USA
| | - Dominique J Roche
- Caisson Laboratories, Inc., 1740 Research Park Way, North Logan, UT 84341, USA PhytoGen Seed Co. LLC, Western Research Station, 850 Plymouth Avenue, Corcoran, CA 93212, USA
| | - Tom E Clemente
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Zhengxiang Ge
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - John G Carman
- Caisson Laboratories, Inc., 1740 Research Park Way, North Logan, UT 84341, USA Plants, Soils and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4820, USA
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Abstract
Auxin is a key regulator of plant development and its differential distribution in plant tissues, established by a polar cell to cell transport, can trigger a wide range of developmental processes. A few members of the two families of auxin efflux transport proteins, PIN-formed (PIN) and P-glycoprotein (ABCB/PGP), have so far been characterized in maize. Nine new Zea mays auxin efflux carriers PIN family members and two maize PIN-like genes have now been identified. Four members of PIN1 (named ZmPIN1a-d) cluster, one gene homologous to AtPIN2 (ZmPIN2), three orthologs of PIN5 (ZmPIN5a-c), one gene paired with AtPIN8 (ZmPIN8), and three monocot-specific PINs (ZmPIN9, ZmPIN10a, and ZmPIN10b) were cloned and the phylogenetic relationships between early-land plants, monocots, and eudicots PIN proteins investigated, including the new maize PIN proteins. Tissue-specific expression patterns of the 12 maize PIN genes, 2 PIN-like genes and ZmABCB1, an ABCB auxin efflux carrier, were analyzed together with protein localization and auxin accumulation patterns in normal conditions and in response to drug applications. ZmPIN gene transcripts have overlapping expression domains in the root apex, during male and female inflorescence differentiation and kernel development. However, some PIN family members have specific tissue localization: ZmPIN1d transcript marks the L1 layer of the shoot apical meristem and inflorescence meristem during the flowering transition and the monocot-specific ZmPIN9 is expressed in the root endodermis and pericycle. The phylogenetic and gene structure analyses together with the expression pattern of the ZmPIN gene family indicate that subfunctionalization of some maize PINs can be associated to the differentiation and development of monocot-specific organs and tissues and might have occurred after the divergence between dicots and monocots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Forestan
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animal and Environment, University of PadovaLegnaro, Italy
| | - Silvia Farinati
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animal and Environment, University of PadovaLegnaro, Italy
| | - Serena Varotto
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animal and Environment, University of PadovaLegnaro, Italy
- *Correspondence: Serena Varotto, Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animal and Environment DAFNAE, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy. e-mail:
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Abstract
The maize (Zea mays L.) kernel undergoes large changes in water content during its development. Whether such changes regulate the pattern of kernel development or are simply a consequence of it has not yet been established because other factors, such as assimilate supply, can also affect the rate and duration of kernel growth. This study was conducted to determine whether variation in kernel weight (KW) in response to source-sink treatments is mediated by a change in kernel water relations. Two hybrids were sown at three stand densities (one, eight and 18 plants m-2), and kernel numbers were restricted to control the post-flowering source-sink ratio within each stand density. Kernel development and water relations [water content, water potential (psiw), osmotic potential (psis) and turgor] were monitored throughout grain filling. Final KW varied from 253 to 372 mg per kernel in response to source-sink treatments. For both genotypes, variation in KW was a result of a change in kernel growth rate (r2 = 0.91; P < 0.001) and not in the duration of kernel filling. Final KW was closely correlated with maximum kernel water content (r2 = 0.94; P < 0.001) achieved during rapid dry matter accumulation. However, variation in KW was not reflected in kernel water status parameters (psiw, psis or turgor), which remained fairly stable across treatments. These results indicate that maximum water content provides an easily quantifiable measure of kernel sink capacity in maize. Kernel water status parameters may affect the duration of grain filling, but have no discernible impact on kernel growth rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Borrás
- Departamento de Producción Vegetal, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Av. San Martín 4453 (C1417DSE), Capital Federal, Argentina.
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