scholarly journals Molecular Insights into Inflorescence Meristem Specification for Yield Potential in Cereal Crops

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (7) ◽  
pp. 3508
Author(s):  
Chengyu Wang ◽  
Xiujuan Yang ◽  
Gang Li
Keyword(s):  
Apical Meristem ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Flowering Plants ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
Cereal Crops ◽  
Vegetative Shoot ◽  
Inflorescence Meristem ◽  
Crop Breeding ◽  
Complex Interactions ◽  
Developmental Progression

Flowering plants develop new organs throughout their life cycle. The vegetative shoot apical meristem (SAM) generates leaf whorls, branches and stems, whereas the reproductive SAM, called the inflorescence meristem (IM), forms florets arranged on a stem or an axis. In cereal crops, the inflorescence producing grains from fertilized florets makes the major yield contribution, which is determined by the numbers and structures of branches, spikelets and florets within the inflorescence. The developmental progression largely depends on the activity of IM. The proper regulations of IM size, specification and termination are outcomes of complex interactions between promoting and restricting factors/signals. Here, we focus on recent advances in molecular mechanisms underlying potential pathways of IM identification, maintenance and differentiation in cereal crops, including rice (Oryza sativa), maize (Zea mays), wheat (Triticum aestivum), and barley (Hordeum vulgare), highlighting the researches that have facilitated grain yield by, for example, modifying the number of inflorescence branches. Combinatorial functions of key regulators and crosstalk in IM determinacy and specification are summarized. This review delivers the knowledge to crop breeding applications aiming to the improvements in yield performance and productivity.

scholarly journals New Symptoms Identified in Phytoplasma-Infected Plants Reveal Extra Stages of Pathogen-Induced Meristem Fate-Derailment

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (10) ◽  
pp. 1314-1323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Wei ◽  
Robert E. Davis ◽  
Gary R. Bauchan ◽  
Yan Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Seed Production ◽  
Shoot Apical Meristem ◽  
Apical Meristem ◽  
Flowering Plants ◽  
Multistage Process ◽  
Inflorescence Meristem ◽  
Sieve Cells ◽  
Specific Stage ◽  
Transition Research ◽  
Floral Meristems

In flowering plants, the transition of a shoot apical meristem from vegetative to reproductive destiny is a graduated, multistage process that involves sequential conversion of the vegetative meristem to an inflorescence meristem, initiation of floral meristems, emergence of flower organ primordia, and formation of floral organs. This orderly process can be derailed by phytoplasma, a bacterium that parasitizes phloem sieve cells. In a previous study, we showed that phytoplasma-induced malformation of flowers reflects stage-specific derailment of shoot apical meristems from their genetically preprogrammed reproductive destiny. Our current study unveiled new symptoms of abnormal morphogenesis, pointing to derailment of meristem transition at additional stages previously unidentified. We also found that the fate of developing meristems may be derailed even after normal termination of the floral meristem and onset of seed production. Although previous reports by others have indicated that different symptoms may be induced by different phytoplasmal effectors, the phenomenon observed in our experiment raises interesting questions as to (i) whether effectors can act at specific stages of meristem transition and (ii) whether specific floral abnormalities are attributable to meristem fate-derailment events triggered by different effectors that each act at a specific stage in meristem transition. Research addressing such questions may lead to discoveries of an array of phytoplasmal effectors.

scholarly journals A development guide for evaluating the maximum yield potential stage in barley

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Venkatasubbu Thirulogachandar ◽  
Thorsten Schnurbusch
Keyword(s):  
Hordeum Vulgare ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Maximum Yield ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
Cereal Crops ◽  
Inflorescence Meristem ◽  
Grain Number ◽  
Key Steps ◽  
Crops Yield

AbstractDetermining the grain yield potential contributed by grain number is a step towards advancing cereal crops’ yield. To achieve this aim, it is pivotal to recognize the maximum yield potential (MYP) of the crop. In barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), the MYP is defined as the maximum spikelet primordia number of a spike. Previous barley studies often assumed the awn primordium (AP) stage as the MYP stage regardless of genotypes and growth conditions. From our spikelet-tracking experiments using the two-rowed cultivar Bowman, we found that the MYP stage can be different from the AP stage. Importantly, we find that the occurrence of inflorescence meristem (IM) deformation and its loss of activity coincided with the MYP stage, indicating the end of further spikelet initiation. Thus, we recommend validating the barley MYP stage with the IM’s shape and propose this approach (named Spikelet Stop) for MYP staging. Following this approach, we compared the MYP stage and the MYP in 27 two- and six-rowed barley accessions grown in the greenhouse and field. Our results reveal that the MYP stage can be reached at various developmental stages, which majorly depend on the genotype and growth conditions. Furthermore, we found that two-rowed barleys’ MYP and the duration reaching the MYP stage may determine their yield potential. Based on our findings, we suggest key steps for the identification of the MYP in barley that can also be applied in a related crop such as wheat.HighlightWe show that the maximum yield potential stage in barley can be different from the awn primordium stage as proposed in earlier studies and it varies depending on the genotype and growth conditions. We suggest key steps to identify maximum yield potential in barley that might apply to related cereals.

scholarly journals Reference genome assemblies reveal the origin and evolution of allohexaploid oat

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuanying Peng ◽  
Honghai Yan ◽  
Laichun Guo ◽  
Cao Deng ◽  
Lipeng Kang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Higher Plants ◽  
Cereal Crops ◽  
Origin And Evolution ◽  
Avena Species ◽  
Oxford Nanopore ◽  
Reference Quality ◽  
Phylogenomic Analyses ◽  
Reference Genomes

Abstract Common oat (Avena sativa) is one of the most important cereal crops serving as a valuable source of forage and human food. While reference genomes of many important crops have been generated, such work in oat has lagged behind, primarily owing to its large, repeat-rich, polyploid genome. By using Oxford Nanopore ultralong sequencing and Hi-C technologies, we have generated the first reference-quality genome assembly of hulless common oat with a contig N50 of 93 Mb. We also assembled the genomes of diploid and tetraploid Avena ancestors, which enabled us to identify oat subgenome, large-scale structural rearrangements, and preferential gene loss in the C subgenome after hexaploidization. Phylogenomic analyses of cereal crops indicated that the oat lineage descended before wheat, offering oat as a unique window into the early evolution of polyploid plants. The origin and evolution of hexaploid oat is deduced from whole-genome sequencing, plastid genome and transcriptomes assemblies of numerous Avena species. The high-quality reference genomes of Avena species with different ploidies and the studies of their polyploidization history will facilitate the full use of crop gene resources and provide a reference for the molecular mechanisms underlying the polyploidization of higher plants, helping us to overcome food security challenges.

scholarly journals Of floral fortune: tinkering with the grain yield potential of cereal crops

2019 ◽  
Vol 225 (5) ◽  
pp. 1873-1882 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shun Sakuma ◽  
Thorsten Schnurbusch
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
Cereal Crops

scholarly journals Enhanced Expression of QTL qLL9/DEP1 Facilitates the Improvement of Leaf Morphology and Grain Yield in Rice

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 866 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xue Fu ◽  
Jing Xu ◽  
Mengyu Zhou ◽  
Minmin Chen ◽  
Lan Shen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Molecular Design ◽  
Flag Leaf ◽  
Leaf Shape ◽  
Leaf Length ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
High Yield ◽  
Global Food Security ◽  
Germplasm Collections ◽  
Introgressed Segment

In molecular breeding of super rice, it is essential to isolate the best quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and genes of leaf shape and explore yield potential using large germplasm collections and genetic populations. In this study, a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population was used, which was derived from a cross between the following parental lines: hybrid rice Chunyou84, that is, japonica maintainer line Chunjiang16B (CJ16); and indica restorer line Chunhui 84 (C84) with remarkable leaf morphological differences. QTLs mapping of leaf shape traits was analyzed at the heading stage under different environmental conditions in Hainan (HN) and Hangzhou (HZ). A major QTL qLL9 for leaf length was detected and its function was studied using a population derived from a single residual heterozygote (RH), which was identified in the original population. qLL9 was delimitated to a 16.17 kb region flanked by molecular markers C-1640 and C-1642, which contained three open reading frames (ORFs). We found that the candidate gene for qLL9 is allelic to DEP1 using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), sequence comparison, and the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat-associated Cas9 nuclease (CRISPR/Cas9) genome editing techniques. To identify the effect of qLL9 on yield, leaf shape and grain traits were measured in near isogenic lines (NILs) NIL-qLL9CJ16 and NIL-qLL9C84, as well as a chromosome segment substitution line (CSSL) CSSL-qLL9KASA with a Kasalath introgressed segment covering qLL9 in the Wuyunjing (WYJ) 7 backgrounds. Our results showed that the flag leaf lengths of NIL-qLL9C84 and CSSL-qLL9KASA were significantly different from those of NIL-qLL9CJ16 and WYJ 7, respectively. Compared with NIL-qLL9CJ16, the spike length, grain size, and thousand-grain weight of NIL-qLL9C84 were significantly higher, resulting in a significant increase in yield of 15.08%. Exploring and pyramiding beneficial genes resembling qLL9C84 for super rice breeding could increase both the source (e.g., leaf length and leaf area) and the sink (e.g., yield traits). This study provides a foundation for future investigation of the molecular mechanisms underlying the source–sink balance and high-yield potential of rice, benefiting high-yield molecular design breeding for global food security.

Seizure Semiology, Neurotransmitter Receptors and Cellular-stress Responses in Pentylenetetrazole Models of Epilepsy

2009 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans-J Bidmon ◽  
Erwin-J Speckmann ◽  
Karl J Zilles ◽  
◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Gene Networks ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Complex Disease ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Complex Interactions ◽  
Cellular Stress Responses ◽  
Clonic Seizures ◽  
Oxidative Stress Responses

Ongoing research has elucidated a large variety of genes, proteins and enzyme products that are affected in epilepsy. Despite the pharmacological advances achieved by the development of antiepileptic drugs, numerous patients become pharmacoresistant. Therefore, animal models addressing these complex interactions among compensatory gene-expression cascades and consecutive molecular mechanisms are still a necessity for research-based gene and pharmacotherapy. In this article, we focus on pentylenetetrazole models to study the consequences of tonic–clonic seizures. We address two complex and closely linked aspects: alterations in neurotransmission and oxidative-stress responses. Reviewing just these two aspects highlights the need for a more standardised use of animal models and methods to allow a better integration of data from different lines of research. The latter will be most applicable for the understanding of complex disease-related interactions of gene networks, proteins and enzyme products and timely, research-based development of future therapeutic options.

scholarly journals Combining X-ray scattering and spectroscopy as structure resolving tool

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (a1) ◽  
pp. C1074-C1074
Author(s):  
Sylvio Haas ◽  
Thomás Plivelic ◽  
Cedric Dicko
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Basic Research ◽  
Sample Volume ◽  
Complex Behaviour ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Complex Interactions ◽  
X Ray Scattering ◽  
On Line ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Ray Scattering

Modern applications and basic research in medicine, biotechnology and materials are often concerned with hybrid (organic-inorganic) and synergetic systems. In other words, systems that brings enhanced properties and performances. The challenge is now in the understanding of the complex interactions leading to their assembly and operation. Due to their inherent chemical and structural complexities a combination of several techniques is necessary to determine unambiguously the molecular mechanisms of assembly and operation. [1, 2] To address this need, we have implemented a simultaneous measurement platform called SURF [3] that consists of SAXS, UV-Vis, Raman and fluorescence techniques. The SURF platform provides simultaneous measurements on the same sample volume and a multivariate framework to associate the spectroscopic and X-ray scattering information. Convex constraint analysis (CCA) and two dimensional correlation analyses (2DCOS and 2DHCOS) had been introduced to enhance the interpretation and integration of the data from the different techniques producing self-consistent models and resolving complex behaviour details (structure and chemistry). Additional benefits of the SURF are sample quality control and "on line" diagnostics. In this contribution, we illustrate the benefits of the SURF approach on selected examples. Acknowledgements: The SURF set-up has been mainly financial supported by MAX IV laboratory. S. Haas has a postdoctoral grant of MAX IV lab. S Canton and Q. Zhu are acknowledged for fruitful discussions.

scholarly journals Brachypodium distachyon–Cochliobolus sativus Pathosystem is a New Model for Studying Plant–Fungal Interactions in Cereal Crops

2015 ◽  
Vol 105 (4) ◽  
pp. 482-489 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaobin Zhong ◽  
Shaukat Ali ◽  
Yueqiang Leng ◽  
Rui Wang ◽  
David F. Garvin
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Brachypodium Distachyon ◽  
Bipolaris Sorokiniana ◽  
Transgressive Segregation ◽  
Cochliobolus Sativus ◽  
Cereal Crops ◽  
New Model ◽  
Model Grass ◽  
Fungal Interactions ◽  
Important Disease

Cochliobolus sativus (anamorph: Bipolaris sorokiniana) causes spot blotch, common root rot, and kernel blight or black point in barley and wheat. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenicity of C. sativus or the molecular basis of resistance and susceptibility in the hosts. This study aims to establish the model grass Brachypodium distachyon as a new model for studying plant–fungus interactions in cereal crops. Six B. distachyon lines were inoculated with five C. sativus isolates. The results indicated that all six B. distachyon lines were infected by the C. sativus isolates, with their levels of resistance varying depending on the fungal isolates used. Responses ranging from hypersensitive response-mediated resistance to complete susceptibility were observed in a large collection of B. distachyon (2n = 2x = 10) and B. hybridum (2n = 4x = 30) accessions inoculated with four of the C. sativus isolates. Evaluation of an F2 population derived from the cross between two of the B. distachyon lines, Bd1-1 and Bd3-1, with isolate Cs07-47-1 showed quantitative and transgressive segregation for resistance to C. sativus, suggesting that the resistance may be governed by quantitative trait loci from both parents. The availability of whole-genome sequences of both the host (B. distachyon) and the pathogen (C. sativus) makes this pathosystem an attractive model for studying this important disease of cereal crops.

scholarly journals Plant Co-expression Annotation Resource: a webserver for identifying targets for genetically modified crop breeding pipelines

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcos José Andrade Viana ◽  
Adhemar Zerlotini ◽  
Mauricio de Alvarenga Mudadu
Keyword(s):  
Abiotic Stresses ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Genetically Modified Crops ◽  
Gm Crops ◽  
Rna Seq ◽  
Web Interface ◽  
Crop Breeding ◽  
Web Resource ◽  
Guilt By Association

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe development of genetically modified crops (GM) includes the discovery of candidate genes through bioinformatics analysis using genomics data, gene expression, and others. Proteins of unknown function (PUFs) are interesting targets for GM crops breeding pipelines for the novelty associated to such targets and also to avoid copyright protections. One method of inferring the putative function of PUFs is by relating them to factors of interest such as abiotic stresses using orthology and co-expression networks, in a guilt-by-association manner.ResultsIn this regard, we have downloaded, analyzed, and processed genomics data of 53 angiosperms, totaling 1,862,010 genes and 2,332,974 RNA. Diamond and InterproScan were used to discover 72,266 PUFs for all organisms. RNA-seq datasets related to abiotic stresses were downloaded from NCBI/GEO. The RNA-seq data was used as input to the LSTrAP software to construct co-expression networks. LSTrAP also created clusters of transcripts with correlated expression, whose members are more probably related to the molecular mechanisms associated to abiotic stresses in the plants. Orthologous groups were created (OrhtoMCL) using all 2,332,974 proteins in order to associate PUFs to abiotic stress related clusters of co-expression and therefore infer their function in a guilt-by-association manner.ConclusionA freely available web resource named “Plant Co-expression Annotation Resource” (https://www.machado.cnptia.embrapa.br/plantannot), Plantannot, was created to provide indexed queries to search for PUF putatively associated to abiotic stresses. The web interface also allows browsing, querying and retrieving of public genomics data from 53 plants. We hope Plantannot to be useful for researchers trying to obtain novel GM crops resistant to climate change hazards.

scholarly journals Omics for the Improvement of Abiotic, Biotic, and Agronomic Traits in Major Cereal Crops: Applications, Challenges, and Prospects

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1989
Author(s):  
Balwinder Kaur ◽  
Karansher S. Sandhu ◽  
Roop Kamal ◽  
Kawalpreet Kaur ◽  
Jagmohan Singh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Agronomic Traits ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Cereal Crops ◽  
Biotic And Abiotic Stress ◽  
Crop Breeding ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Metabolomic Profiling ◽  
Study Gene Expression ◽  
Transcriptomics Data ◽  
Small Density

Omics technologies, namely genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and phenomics, are becoming an integral part of virtually every commercial cereal crop breeding program, as they provide substantial dividends per unit time in both pre-breeding and breeding phases. Continuous advances in omics assure time efficiency and cost benefits to improve cereal crops. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the established omics methods in five major cereals, namely rice, sorghum, maize, barley, and bread wheat. We cover the evolution of technologies in each omics section independently and concentrate on their use to improve economically important agronomic as well as biotic and abiotic stress-related traits. Advancements in the (1) identification, mapping, and sequencing of molecular/structural variants; (2) high-density transcriptomics data to study gene expression patterns; (3) global and targeted proteome profiling to study protein structure and interaction; (4) metabolomic profiling to quantify organ-level, small-density metabolites, and their composition; and (5) high-resolution, high-throughput, image-based phenomics approaches are surveyed in this review.

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