cAMP and DIF-1 Repress the Expression of the Dictyostelium MADS-Box Gene srfA at Early Stages of Development

Abstract Key message Overexpression of Zea mays SOC gene promotes flowering, reduces plant height, and leads to no reduction in grain production per plant, suggesting enhanced yield potential, at least, through increasing planting density. Abstract MIKC-type MADS-box gene SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS 1 (SOC1) is an integrator conserved in the plant flowering pathway. In this study, the maize SOC1 (ZmSOC1) gene was cloned and overexpressed in transgenic maize Hi-II genotype. The T0 plants were backcrossed with nontransgenic inbred B73 to produce first generation backcross (BC1) seeds. Phenotyping of both transgenic and null segregant (NT) BC1 plants was conducted in three independent experiments. The BC1 transgenic plants showed new attributes such as increased vegetative growth, accelerated flowering time, reduced overall plant height, and increased grain weight. Second generation backcross (BC2) plants were evaluated in the field using two planting densities. Compared to BC2 NT plants, BC2 transgenic plants, were 12–18% shorter, flowered 5 days earlier, and showed no reduction in grain production per plant and an increase in fat, starch, and simple sugars in the grain. Transcriptome comparison in young leaves of 56-day-old BC1 plants revealed that the overexpressed ZmSOC1 resulted in 107 differentially expressed genes. The upregulated transcription factor DNA BINDING WITH ONE FINGER 5.4 (DOF5.4) was among the genes responsible for the reduced plant height. Modulating expression of SOC1 opens a new and effective approach to promote flowering and reduce plant height, which may have potential to enhance crop yield and improve grain quality.

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Genome-wide identification and analysis of the MADS-box gene family and its potential role in fruit ripening in black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis L.)

Journal of Berry Research ◽

10.3233/jbr-200679 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-15

Author(s):

Yaqiong Wu ◽

Chunhong Zhang ◽

Wenlong Wu ◽

Weilin Li ◽

Lianfei Lyu

Keyword(s):

Gene Family ◽

Fruit Ripening ◽

Fruit Development ◽

Expression Patterns ◽

Type I ◽

Black Raspberry ◽

Mads Box ◽

Mads Box Genes ◽

Genome Wide ◽

Mads Box Gene

BACKGROUND: Black raspberry is a vital fruit crop with a high antioxidant function. MADS-box genes play an important role in the regulation of fruit development in angiosperms. OBJECTIVE: To understand the regulatory role of the MADS-box family, a total of 80 MADS-box genes were identified and analyzed. METHODS: The MADS-box genes in the black raspberry genome were analyzed using bioinformatics methods. Through an analysis of the promoter elements, the possible functions of different members of the family were predicted. The spatiotemporal expression patterns of members of the MADS-box family during black raspberry fruit development and ripening were systematically analyzed. RESULTS: The genes were classified into type I (Mα: 33; Mβ: 6; Mγ: 10) and type II (MIKC *: 2; MIKCC: 29) genes. We also obtained a complete overview of the RoMADS-box gene family through phylogenetic, gene structure, conserved motif, and cis element analyses. The relative expression analysis showed different expression patterns, and most RoMADS-box genes were more highly expressed in fruit than in other tissues of black raspberry. CONCLUSIONS: This finding indicates that the MADS-box gene family is involved in the regulation of fruit ripening processes in black raspberry.

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Molecular Characterization and Phylogenetic Analysis of MADS-Box Gene VroAGL11 Associated with Stenospermocarpic Seedlessness in Muscadine Grapes

Genes ◽

10.3390/genes12020232 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 232

Author(s):

M Atikur Rahman ◽

Subramani P Balasubramani ◽

Sheikh M Basha

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

Phosphorylation Site ◽

Orthologous Gene ◽

Mads Box ◽

Vitis Species ◽

Vitis Rotundifolia ◽

Seed Content ◽

Putative Phosphorylation Site ◽

Mads Box Gene ◽

Muscadine Grapes

Reduced expression of MADS-box gene AGAMOUS-LIKE11 (VviAGL11) is responsible for stenospermocarpic seedlessness in bunch grapes. This study is aimed to characterize the VviAGL11 orthologous gene (VroAGL11) in native muscadine grapes (Vitis rotundifolia) at the molecular level and analyze its divergence from other plants. The VroAGL11 transcripts were found in all muscadine cultivars tested and highly expressed in berries while barely detectable in leaves. RT-PCR and sequencing of predicted ORFs from diverse grape species showed that AGL11 transcripts were conservatively spliced. The encoded VroAGL11 protein contains highly conserved MADS-MEF2-like domain, MADS domain, K box, putative phosphorylation site and two sumoylation motifs. The muscadine VroAGL11 proteins are almost identical (99%) to that of seeded bunch cultivar, Chardonnay, except in one amino acid (A79G), but differs from mutant protein of seedless bunch grape, Sultanina, in two amino acids, R197L and T210A. Phylogenetic analysis showed that AGL11 gene of muscadine and other Vitis species formed a separate clade than that of other eudicots and monocots. Muscadine grape cultivar “Jane Bell” containing the highest percentage of seed content in berry (7.2% of berry weight) had the highest VroAGL11 expression, but almost none to nominal expression in seedless cultivars Fry Seedless (muscadine) and Reliance Seedless (bunch). These findings suggest that VroAGL11 gene controls the seed morphogenesis in muscadine grapes like in bunch grape and can be manipulated to induce stenospermocarpic seedlessness using gene editing technology.

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Comparative leaf development of aerial and aquatic growth forms of Myriophyllum aquaticum

Botany ◽

10.1139/cjb-2012-0190 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 91 (7) ◽

pp. 421-430 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

M.D. Shafiullah ◽

Christian R. Lacroix

Keyword(s):

Apical Meristem ◽

Epidermal Cells ◽

The Other ◽

Developmental Study ◽

Growth Forms ◽

Myriophyllum Aquaticum ◽

Stages Of Development ◽

Qualitative And Quantitative ◽

Early Stages ◽

Other Hand

Myriophyllum aquaticum (Vell.) Verdc. produces two morphologically different forms of leaves based on whether they are aerial or aquatic. The objective of this study was to determine whether there are any similarities or differences between these two growth forms during their early stages of development. A comparative developmental study of aerial and aquatic growth forms of M. aquaticum was conducted from a qualitative and quantitative perspective using a scanning electron microscope. The pattern of leaf and lobe initiation such as their origin and shape were similar in both growth forms until the fourth plastochron (stage P4). Differences between the two growth forms became evident from stage P5 onward, where a larger shoot apical meristem (SAM), elongated epidermal cells, shorter and slightly more numerous lobes, as well as the presence of appendage-like structures characterized aquatic growth forms. On the other hand, aerial growth forms had smaller SAM, bulb-like epidermal cells, and longer and slightly less numerous leaf lobes. Significant differences between growth forms were noted for parameters such as volume of SAM, length of terminal, first, and middle lobes, as well as the length from first to last lobes. The volume of the SAM of aquatic shoot tips was always greater than aerial forms. On the other hand, lobes of aerial forms were always longer than the aquatic counterpart during early stages of development. This study on the development of M. aquaticum shows that the aerial and aquatic growth forms diverge from their early stages of development.

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