scholarly journals Functional genomics to study stress responses in crop legumes: progress and prospects

2013 ◽  
Vol 40 (12) ◽  
pp. 1221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Himabindu Kudapa ◽  
Abirami Ramalingam ◽  
Swapna Nayakoti ◽  
Xiaoping Chen ◽  
Wei-Jian Zhuang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Functional Genomics ◽  
Stress Tolerance ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Biotic And Abiotic Stress ◽  
Biotic Stresses ◽  
Adverse Conditions ◽  
Recent Advances

Legumes are important food crops worldwide, contributing to more than 33% of human dietary protein. The production of crop legumes is frequently impacted by abiotic and biotic stresses. It is therefore important to identify genes conferring resistance to biotic stresses and tolerance to abiotic stresses that can be used to both understand molecular mechanisms of plant response to the environment and to accelerate crop improvement. Recent advances in genomics offer a range of approaches such as the sequencing of genomes and transcriptomes, gene expression microarray as well as RNA-seq based gene expression profiling, and map-based cloning for the identification and isolation of biotic and abiotic stress-responsive genes in several crop legumes. These candidate stress associated genes should provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of stress tolerance and ultimately help to develop legume varieties with improved stress tolerance and productivity under adverse conditions. This review provides an overview on recent advances in the functional genomics of crop legumes that includes the discovery as well as validation of candidate genes.

scholarly journals Shoot Characterization of Isoprene and Ocimene-Emitting Transgenic Arabidopsis Plants under Contrasting Environmental Conditions

Plants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 477 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Faralli ◽  
Mingai Li ◽  
Claudio Varotto
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Stress Tolerance ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Transgenic Arabidopsis ◽  
Stomatal Closure ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Co2 Assimilation ◽  
Biotic And Abiotic Stress

Isoprenoids are among the most abundant biogenic volatile compounds (VOCs) emitted by plants, and mediate both biotic and abiotic stress responses. Here, we provide for the first time a comparative analysis of transgenic Arabidopsis lines constitutively emitting isoprene and ocimene. Transgenic lines and Columbia-0 (Col-0) Arabidopsis were characterized under optimal, water stress, and heat stress conditions. Under optimal conditions, the projected leaf area (PLA), relative growth rate, and final dry weight were generally higher in transgenics than Col-0. These traits were associated to a larger photosynthetic capacity and CO2 assimilation rate at saturating light. Isoprene and ocimene emitters displayed a moderately higher stress tolerance than Col-0, showing higher PLA and gas-exchange traits throughout the experiments. Contrasting behaviors were recorded for the two overexpressors under water stress, with isoprene emitters showing earlier stomatal closure (conservative behavior) than ocimene emitters (non-conservative behavior), which might suggest different induced strategies for water conservation and stress adaptation. Our work indicates that (i) isoprene and ocimene emitters resulted in enhanced PLA and biomass under optimal and control conditions and that (ii) a moderate stress tolerance is induced when isoprene and ocimene are constitutively emitted in Arabidopsis, thus providing evidence of their role as a potential preferable trait for crop improvement.

scholarly journals Transcription Factors Associated with Abiotic and Biotic Stress Tolerance and Their Potential for Crops Improvement

Genes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 771 ◽  
Author(s):  
Baillo ◽  
Kimotho ◽  
Zhang ◽  
Xu
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Stress Tolerance ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Biotic Stress ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Abiotic And Biotic Stress ◽  
Crop Species ◽  
Biotic Stresses ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Tf Gene

In field conditions, crops are adversely affected by a wide range of abiotic stresses including drought, cold, salt, and heat, as well as biotic stresses including pests and pathogens. These stresses can have a marked effect on crop yield. The present and future effects of climate change necessitate the improvement of crop stress tolerance. Plants have evolved sophisticated stress response strategies, and genes that encode transcription factors (TFs) that are master regulators of stress-responsive genes are excellent candidates for crop improvement. Related examples in recent studies include TF gene modulation and overexpression approaches in crop species to enhance stress tolerance. However, much remains to be discovered about the diverse plant TFs. Of the >80 TF families, only a few, such as NAC, MYB, WRKY, bZIP, and ERF/DREB, with vital roles in abiotic and biotic stress responses have been intensively studied. Moreover, although significant progress has been made in deciphering the roles of TFs in important cereal crops, fewer TF genes have been elucidated in sorghum. As a model drought-tolerant crop, sorghum research warrants further focus. This review summarizes recent progress on major TF families associated with abiotic and biotic stress tolerance and their potential for crop improvement, particularly in sorghum. Other TF families and non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression are discussed briefly. Despite the emphasis on sorghum, numerous examples from wheat, rice, maize, and barley are included. Collectively, the aim of this review is to illustrate the potential application of TF genes for stress tolerance improvement and the engineering of resistant crops, with an emphasis on sorghum.

scholarly journals Alternative splicing landscapes in Arabidopsis thaliana across tissues and stress conditions highlight major functional differences with animals

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Guiomar Martín ◽  
Yamile Márquez ◽  
Federica Mantica ◽  
Paula Duque ◽  
Manuel Irimia
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Arabidopsis Thaliana ◽  
Alternative Splicing ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Intron Retention ◽  
Single Gene ◽  
Exon Skipping ◽  
Environmental Response ◽  
Biotic Stresses

Abstract Background Alternative splicing (AS) is a widespread regulatory mechanism in multicellular organisms. Numerous transcriptomic and single-gene studies in plants have investigated AS in response to specific conditions, especially environmental stress, unveiling substantial amounts of intron retention that modulate gene expression. However, a comprehensive study contrasting stress-response and tissue-specific AS patterns and directly comparing them with those of animal models is still missing. Results We generate a massive resource for Arabidopsis thaliana, PastDB, comprising AS and gene expression quantifications across tissues, development and environmental conditions, including abiotic and biotic stresses. Harmonized analysis of these datasets reveals that A. thaliana shows high levels of AS, similar to fruitflies, and that, compared to animals, disproportionately uses AS for stress responses. We identify core sets of genes regulated specifically by either AS or transcription upon stresses or among tissues, a regulatory specialization that is tightly mirrored by the genomic features of these genes. Unexpectedly, non-intron retention events, including exon skipping, are overrepresented across regulated AS sets in A. thaliana, being also largely involved in modulating gene expression through NMD and uORF inclusion. Conclusions Non-intron retention events have likely been functionally underrated in plants. AS constitutes a distinct regulatory layer controlling gene expression upon internal and external stimuli whose target genes and master regulators are hardwired at the genomic level to specifically undergo post-transcriptional regulation. Given the higher relevance of AS in the response to different stresses when compared to animals, this molecular hardwiring is likely required for a proper environmental response in A. thaliana.

Serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) during porcine embryo development

2004 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Le Ann Blomberg ◽  
Kurt A. Zuelke
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Functional Genomics ◽  
Embryo Development ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Transgenic Animals ◽  
Specific Gene ◽  
Research Strategies

Functional genomics provides a powerful means for delving into the molecular mechanisms involved in pre-implantation development of porcine embryos. High rates of embryonic mortality (30%), following either natural mating or artificial insemination, emphasise the need to improve the efficiency of reproduction in the pig. The poor success rate of live offspring from in vitro-manipulated pig embryos also hampers efforts to generate transgenic animals for biotechnology applications. Previous analysis of differential gene expression has demonstrated stage-specific gene expression for in vivo-derived embryos and altered gene expression for in vitro-derived embryos. However, the methods used to date examine relatively few genes simultaneously and, thus, provide an incomplete glimpse of the physiological role of these genes during embryogenesis. The present review will focus on two aspects of applying functional genomics research strategies for analysing the expression of genes during elongation of pig embryos between gestational day (D) 11 and D12. First, we compare and contrast current methodologies that are being used for gene discovery and expression analysis during pig embryo development. Second, we establish a paradigm for applying serial analysis of gene expression as a functional genomics tool to obtain preliminary information essential for discovering the physiological mechanisms by which distinct embryonic phenotypes are derived.

scholarly journals Sugar starvation-regulated MYBS2 and 14-3-3 protein interactions enhance plant growth, stress tolerance, and grain weight in rice

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (43) ◽  
pp. 21925-21935 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Shih Chen ◽  
Tuan-Hua David Ho ◽  
Lihong Liu ◽  
Ding Hua Lee ◽  
Chun-Hua Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Plant Growth ◽  
Stress Tolerance ◽  
Protein Interactions ◽  
Nuclear Export ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Growth Stress ◽  
Grain Weight ◽  
Sugar Starvation ◽  
Key Enzyme

Autotrophic plants have evolved distinctive mechanisms for maintaining a range of homeostatic states for sugars. The on/off switch of reversible gene expression by sugar starvation/provision represents one of the major mechanisms by which sugar levels are maintained, but the details remain unclear. α-Amylase (αAmy) is the key enzyme for hydrolyzing starch into sugars for plant growth, and it is induced by sugar starvation and repressed by sugar provision. αAmy can also be induced by various other stresses, but the physiological significance is unclear. Here, we reveal that the on/off switch of αAmy expression is regulated by 2 MYB transcription factors competing for the same promoter element. MYBS1 promotes αAmy expression under sugar starvation, whereas MYBS2 represses it. Sugar starvation promotes nuclear import of MYBS1 and nuclear export of MYBS2, whereas sugar provision has the opposite effects. Phosphorylation of MYBS2 at distinct serine residues plays important roles in regulating its sugar-dependent nucleocytoplasmic shuttling and maintenance in cytoplasm by 14-3-3 proteins. Moreover, dehydration, heat, and osmotic stress repress MYBS2 expression, thereby inducing αAmy3. Importantly, activation of αAmy3 and suppression of MYBS2 enhances plant growth, stress tolerance, and total grain weight per plant in rice. Our findings reveal insights into a unique regulatory mechanism for an on/off switch of reversible gene expression in maintaining sugar homeostatic states, which tightly regulates plant growth and development, and also highlight MYBS2 and αAmy3 as potential targets for crop improvement.

scholarly journals Alternative splicing landscapes in Arabidopsis thaliana across tissues and stress conditions highlight major functional differences with animals

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guiomar Martín ◽  
Yamile Márquez ◽  
Federica Mantica ◽  
Paula Duque ◽  
Manuel Irimia
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Alternative Splicing ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Intron Retention ◽  
Single Gene ◽  
Exon Skipping ◽  
Environmental Response ◽  
Biotic Stresses ◽  
External Stimuli

AbstractBackgroundAlternative splicing (AS) is a widespread regulatory mechanism in multicellular organisms. Numerous transcriptomic and single-gene studies in plants have investigated AS in response to specific conditions, especially environmental stress, unveiling substantial amounts of intron retention that modulate gene expression. However, a comprehensive study contrasting stress-response and tissue-specific AS patterns and directly comparing them with those of animal models is still missing.ResultsWe generated a massive resource for A. thaliana (PastDB; pastdb.crg.eu), comprising AS and gene expression quantifications across tissues, development and environmental conditions, including abiotic and biotic stresses. Harmonized analysis of these datasets revealed that A. thaliana shows high levels of AS (similar to fruitflies) and that, compared to animals, disproportionately uses AS for stress responses. We identified core sets of genes regulated specifically by either AS or transcription upon stresses or among tissues, a regulatory specialization that was tightly mirrored by the genomic features of these genes. Unexpectedly, non-intron retention events, including exon skipping, were overrepresented across regulated AS sets in A. thaliana, being also largely involved in modulating gene expression through NMD and uORF inclusion.ConclusionsNon-intron retention events have likely been functionally underrated in plants. AS constitutes a distinct regulatory layer controlling gene expression upon internal and external stimuli whose target genes and master regulators are hardwired at the genomic level to specifically undergo post-transcriptional regulation. Given the higher relevance of AS in the response to different stresses when compared to animals, this molecular hardwiring is likely required for a proper environmental response in A. thaliana.

scholarly journals Epigenetic Changes and Transcriptional Reprogramming Upon Woody Plant Grafting for Crop Sustainability in a Changing Environment

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aliki Kapazoglou ◽  
Eleni Tani ◽  
Evangelia V. Avramidou ◽  
Eleni M. Abraham ◽  
Maria Gerakari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Woody Plant ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Agricultural Practice ◽  
Epigenetic Changes ◽  
Transcriptional Reprogramming ◽  
Woody Crop

Plant grafting is an ancient agricultural practice widely employed in crops such as woody fruit trees, grapes, and vegetables, in order to improve plant performance. Successful grafting requires the interaction of compatible scion and rootstock genotypes. This involves an intricate network of molecular mechanisms operating at the graft junction and associated with the development and the physiology of the scion, ultimately leading to improved agricultural characteristics such as fruit quality and increased tolerance/resistance to abiotic and biotic factors. Bidirectional transfer of molecular signals such as hormones, nutrients, proteins, and nucleic acids from the rootstock to the scion and vice versa have been well documented. In recent years, studies on rootstock-scion interactions have proposed the existence of an epigenetic component in grafting reactions. Epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and the action of small RNA molecules are known to modulate chromatin architecture, leading to gene expression changes and impacting cellular function. Mobile small RNAs (siRNAs) migrating across the graft union from the rootstock to the scion and vice versa mediate modifications in the DNA methylation pattern of the recipient partner, leading to altered chromatin structure and transcriptional reprogramming. Moreover, graft-induced DNA methylation changes and gene expression shifts in the scion have been associated with variations in graft performance. If these changes are heritable they can lead to stably altered phenotypes and affect important agricultural traits, making grafting an alternative to breeding for the production of superior plants with improved traits. However, most reviews on the molecular mechanisms underlying this process comprise studies related to vegetable grafting. In this review we will provide a comprehensive presentation of the current knowledge on the epigenetic changes and transcriptional reprogramming associated with the rootstock–scion interaction focusing on woody plant species, including the recent findings arising from the employment of advanced—omics technologies as well as transgrafting methodologies and their potential exploitation for generating superior quality grafts in woody species. Furthermore, will discuss graft—induced heritable epigenetic changes leading to novel plant phenotypes and their implication to woody crop improvement for yield, quality, and stress resilience, within the context of climate change.

scholarly journals The neonicotinoid insecticide thiamethoxam enhances expression of stress-response genes in Zea mays in an environmentally specific pattern

Genome ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Alexandra House ◽  
Clarence J Swanton ◽  
Lewis N Lukens
Keyword(s):  
Cell Growth ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Light Stress ◽  
Global Gene Expression ◽  
Specific Pattern ◽  
Plant Responses ◽  
Biotic And Abiotic Stress ◽  
Neonicotinoid Insecticide ◽  
Upregulated Genes

Recent studies indicate that thiamethoxam (TMX), a neonicotinoid insecticide, can affect plant responses to environmental stressors, such as neighboring weeds. The molecular mechanisms behind both stable and environmentally-specific responses to TMX likely involve genes related to defense/stress responses. We investigated the effect of a TMX seed treatment on global gene expression in maize coleoptiles both under normal conditions and under low red to far-red (R/FR) light stress induced by the presence of neighboring plants. The neighboring plant treatment upregulated genes involved in biotic and abiotic stress responses and also affected specific photosynthesis and cell-growth related genes. Low R:FR light may enhance maize resistance to herbivores and pathogens. TMX appears to compromise resistance. The TMX treatment stably repressed many genes that encode proteins involved in biotic stress responses, as well as cell-growth genes. Notably, TMX effects on many genes’ expression were conditional on the environment. In response to low R:FR, plants treated with TMX engage genes in the JA, and other stress-related, response pathways. Neighboring weeds may condition TMX treated plants to become more stress tolerant.

scholarly journals Brassinosteroid Signaling Pathways Interplaying with Diverse Signaling Cues for Crop Enhancement

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 556
Author(s):  
Hyeona Hwang ◽  
Hojin Ryu ◽  
Hyunwoo Cho
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Signaling Pathways ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Fine Tuning ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Recent Advances

The signaling pathways of brassinosteroids (BRs), a unique plant steroid hormone, are critically involved in a diverse range of plant growth and developmental processes as well as many important agronomic traits. Recent advances in the understanding of BR biosynthetic and signaling pathways in model organisms and crops have increased the feasibility of modulating BR responses in crop plants to enhance adaptation to various vulnerable environmental changes. In particular, the identification and functional analysis of BR signaling components in rice (Oryza sativa) present the possibility of their utilization to improve many agricultural traits involved in crop yields. In this review, we summarize recent advances and progress in the understanding of the BR signaling pathway and its interactions with diverse internal and external signaling cues. We also discuss how these physiological modulations of BR and the abundant signaling crosstalk can be applied to enhance rice productivity through the manipulation of plant architecture and fine-tuning of stress responses. Finally, we discuss how the complex regulation of BR signaling pathways could favor application in the molecular design of plant growth and development, precise breeding strategies, and cultivation methods for rice crop improvement.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document