{"title":"High-Quality Chromosome-Level Genomes Reveal the Structure and Evolution of the S and Z Self-Incompatibility Loci in Leymus Chinensis.","authors":"Sijie Sun,Jianli Wang,Yu Guan,Hongkui Zhang,Linlin Mu,Xu Zhuang,Dongmei Zhang,Sizhong Li,Mengjie Zhao,Zhelong Lin,Shuaibin Zhang,Xiaofeng Cao,Youfa Cheng,Zhongbao Shen,Yu'e Zhang,Yongbiao Xue","doi":"10.1111/pbi.70565","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.70565","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":221,"journal":{"name":"Plant Biotechnology Journal","volume":"2020 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146073161","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yike Su, Xiaojuan Yang, Chanyuan Wu, Xianyao Jin, Yuanyuan Zhang, Yuyan Zhang, Kunsong Chen, Mingliang Yu, Bo Zhang
Free amino acids (FAAs) play a fundamental role in determining fruit quality and stress adaptation, yet their genetic regulation remains poorly understood. Through an integrated approach combining metabolomic and sensory analyses of 120 peach ( Prunus persica ) hybrids, we identified glutamate as a key metabolite linking FAA content to umami taste perception. By combining genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) with expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) mapping, we identified PpGGAT1 (glutamate:glyoxylate aminotransferase) and the zinc finger transcription factor PpC2H2‐3 as central regulators of glutamate metabolism. Functional characterisation revealed that overexpression of PpGGAT1 led to reduced glutamate levels and diminished umami intensity, whereas PpC2H2‐3 transcriptionally suppresses PpGGAT1 to enhance glutamate accumulation. Notably, elevated glutamate levels enhanced resistance to Monilinia fructicola infection, with both genes showing significant expression changes during the progression of brown rot disease. Comparative analysis further indicated that freestone cultivars exhibit superior glutamate accumulation, a trait confirmed across 100 commercial varieties. Our findings reveal a novel regulatory module, PpC2H2‐3‐PpGGAT1, that coordinately modulates fruit flavour quality and defence responses against pathogens. This study provides mechanistic insights into FAA regulation in fruit crops and identifies actionable molecular targets for the development of varieties with enhanced sensory attributes and disease resistance.
{"title":"The C2H2 ‐ GGAT Regulatory Module Fine‐Tunes Glutamate Homeostasis to Improve Fruit Flavour and Enhance Disease Resistance in Peach","authors":"Yike Su, Xiaojuan Yang, Chanyuan Wu, Xianyao Jin, Yuanyuan Zhang, Yuyan Zhang, Kunsong Chen, Mingliang Yu, Bo Zhang","doi":"10.1111/pbi.70569","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.70569","url":null,"abstract":"Free amino acids (FAAs) play a fundamental role in determining fruit quality and stress adaptation, yet their genetic regulation remains poorly understood. Through an integrated approach combining metabolomic and sensory analyses of 120 peach ( <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>Prunus persica</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> ) hybrids, we identified glutamate as a key metabolite linking FAA content to umami taste perception. By combining genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) with expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) mapping, we identified <jats:italic>PpGGAT1</jats:italic> (glutamate:glyoxylate aminotransferase) and the zinc finger transcription factor PpC2H2‐3 as central regulators of glutamate metabolism. Functional characterisation revealed that overexpression of <jats:italic>PpGGAT1</jats:italic> led to reduced glutamate levels and diminished umami intensity, whereas PpC2H2‐3 transcriptionally suppresses <jats:italic>PpGGAT1</jats:italic> to enhance glutamate accumulation. Notably, elevated glutamate levels enhanced resistance to <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>Monilinia fructicola</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> infection, with both genes showing significant expression changes during the progression of brown rot disease. Comparative analysis further indicated that freestone cultivars exhibit superior glutamate accumulation, a trait confirmed across 100 commercial varieties. Our findings reveal a novel regulatory module, PpC2H2‐3‐PpGGAT1, that coordinately modulates fruit flavour quality and defence responses against pathogens. This study provides mechanistic insights into FAA regulation in fruit crops and identifies actionable molecular targets for the development of varieties with enhanced sensory attributes and disease resistance.","PeriodicalId":221,"journal":{"name":"Plant Biotechnology Journal","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146071610","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Morgan W. Kirzinger, Sarika Saini, Andrea T. Todd, Ushan Alahakoon, Kevin C. Koh, Justin B. Nichol, HaiYing Yuan, Kevin Fengler, Victor Llaca, Dustin Cram, Sampath Perumal, Wali Soomro, Magda Konopka, Tancey Melchkart, Venkat Bandi, Yasmina Bekkaoui, Yifang Tan, Chad Matsalla, Andrew G. Sharpe, Carl Gutwin, Fred Thoonen, Igor Falak, Chad Koscielny, Stuart Gardner, Isobel A. P. Parkin, Marcus A. Samuel, Alison M. R. Ferrie, Dave Charne, Daoquan Xiang, Jetty S. S. AmmiRaju, Sateesh Kagale
A key challenge for the genetic improvement of canola ( Brassica napus ), one of the world's most important oilseeds, is the limited natural variation for commercially important traits. The creation of new variation is hindered by the lack of functional knowledge about genes controlling these traits. Ploidy and genomic duplications in canola complicate the effective transfer of functional insights from Arabidopsis. Here, we report a novel functional genomics platform for rapid gene/trait discovery and optimisation. We established a double haploid population of 1240 lines from EMS‐mutagenised microspores of the spring‐type canola line, NRCDH4079. A platinum‐quality reference genome, gene annotations and a gene expression atlas from developing seeds were generated for NRCDH4079. Exome sequencing of the mutagenised population resulted in the development of a ‘TILLED’ database, revealing 1243 premature stop codons across 1222 genes, along with 140 522 moderate‐effect or modifier variants impacting 70 626 genes. Phenotypic analysis revealed significant variation in key seed traits, including oil, protein and acid detergent fibre (ADF). Notably, the mutant variant DP125410314 exhibited increased protein and reduced ADF, two important traits for improving the meal composition of canola. Genetic mapping of this variant identified a homoeologous non‐reciprocal translocation between A1 and C1 chromosomes associated with reduced ADF content, highlighting the role of structural variations in trait development. This work establishes haploid mutagenesis as a powerful tool for crop improvement, with broader implications for other Brassica species. By enhancing our understanding of seed protein traits, it lays the foundation for canola varieties that meet future nutritional and market demands.
{"title":"Haploid Mutation Mapping Identifies a Homoeologous Non‐Reciprocal Translocation Linked to Reduced Fibre and Enhanced Protein in Brassica napus ","authors":"Morgan W. Kirzinger, Sarika Saini, Andrea T. Todd, Ushan Alahakoon, Kevin C. Koh, Justin B. Nichol, HaiYing Yuan, Kevin Fengler, Victor Llaca, Dustin Cram, Sampath Perumal, Wali Soomro, Magda Konopka, Tancey Melchkart, Venkat Bandi, Yasmina Bekkaoui, Yifang Tan, Chad Matsalla, Andrew G. Sharpe, Carl Gutwin, Fred Thoonen, Igor Falak, Chad Koscielny, Stuart Gardner, Isobel A. P. Parkin, Marcus A. Samuel, Alison M. R. Ferrie, Dave Charne, Daoquan Xiang, Jetty S. S. AmmiRaju, Sateesh Kagale","doi":"10.1111/pbi.70535","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.70535","url":null,"abstract":"A key challenge for the genetic improvement of canola ( <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>Brassica napus</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> ), one of the world's most important oilseeds, is the limited natural variation for commercially important traits. The creation of new variation is hindered by the lack of functional knowledge about genes controlling these traits. Ploidy and genomic duplications in canola complicate the effective transfer of functional insights from Arabidopsis. Here, we report a novel functional genomics platform for rapid gene/trait discovery and optimisation. We established a double haploid population of 1240 lines from EMS‐mutagenised microspores of the spring‐type canola line, NRCDH4079. A platinum‐quality reference genome, gene annotations and a gene expression atlas from developing seeds were generated for NRCDH4079. Exome sequencing of the mutagenised population resulted in the development of a ‘TILLED’ database, revealing 1243 premature stop codons across 1222 genes, along with 140 522 moderate‐effect or modifier variants impacting 70 626 genes. Phenotypic analysis revealed significant variation in key seed traits, including oil, protein and acid detergent fibre (ADF). Notably, the mutant variant DP125410314 exhibited increased protein and reduced ADF, two important traits for improving the meal composition of canola. Genetic mapping of this variant identified a homoeologous non‐reciprocal translocation between A1 and C1 chromosomes associated with reduced ADF content, highlighting the role of structural variations in trait development. This work establishes haploid mutagenesis as a powerful tool for crop improvement, with broader implications for other <jats:italic>Brassica</jats:italic> species. By enhancing our understanding of seed protein traits, it lays the foundation for canola varieties that meet future nutritional and market demands.","PeriodicalId":221,"journal":{"name":"Plant Biotechnology Journal","volume":"297 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146071671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zuba Ahmed, Jiyuan An, Satomi Hayashi, Julia Bally, Chris Winefield, Peter M. Waterhouse
Forward genetics has been instrumental in identifying genes underlying desirable traits, yet its application to polyploid plants, many of which are key agricultural crops, remains challenging due to their genomic complexity. Therefore, we developed BenthMap, a bulk segregant analysis platform for high‐throughput trait mapping and gene discovery, in the allotetraploid model plant Nicotiana benthamiana . BenthMap leverages high‐quality genome assemblies of two genetically and phenotypically distinct strains, LAB and QLD. To validate the pipeline, we investigated their contrasting anthocyanin responses. Transient overexpression of AcMYB110 , an activation regulator of anthocyanin biosynthesis, induces robust anthocyanin production in QLD leaves but gives a detrimental, often necrotic, response in LAB. Using BenthMap and a population derived from selfing the F1 hybrid of a LAB × QLD cross (F1S1 population), with genome coverage as low as 10×, we mapped the necrotic LAB response to a 3.5 Mb homozygous region on chromosome 10. This region contains a leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase gene. Transiently expressing the QLD version of this gene, along with AcMYB110 , restored robust anthocyanin accumulation in LAB, validating the causal gene. These findings demonstrate BenthMap's utility for rapid trait‐gene identification in N. benthamiana and have potential for application to other allopolyploid plants.
{"title":"Harnessing Bulk‐Segregant Mapping to Identify Trait‐Associated Genes in the Allopolyploid Model Plant Nicotiana benthamiana","authors":"Zuba Ahmed, Jiyuan An, Satomi Hayashi, Julia Bally, Chris Winefield, Peter M. Waterhouse","doi":"10.1111/pbi.70560","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.70560","url":null,"abstract":"Forward genetics has been instrumental in identifying genes underlying desirable traits, yet its application to polyploid plants, many of which are key agricultural crops, remains challenging due to their genomic complexity. Therefore, we developed BenthMap, a bulk segregant analysis platform for high‐throughput trait mapping and gene discovery, in the allotetraploid model plant <jats:italic>Nicotiana benthamiana</jats:italic> . BenthMap leverages high‐quality genome assemblies of two genetically and phenotypically distinct strains, LAB and QLD. To validate the pipeline, we investigated their contrasting anthocyanin responses. Transient overexpression of <jats:italic>AcMYB110</jats:italic> , an activation regulator of anthocyanin biosynthesis, induces robust anthocyanin production in QLD leaves but gives a detrimental, often necrotic, response in LAB. Using BenthMap and a population derived from selfing the F1 hybrid of a LAB × QLD cross (F1S1 population), with genome coverage as low as 10×, we mapped the necrotic LAB response to a 3.5 Mb homozygous region on chromosome 10. This region contains a leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase gene. Transiently expressing the QLD version of this gene, along with <jats:italic>AcMYB110</jats:italic> , restored robust anthocyanin accumulation in LAB, validating the causal gene. These findings demonstrate BenthMap's utility for rapid trait‐gene identification in <jats:italic>N. benthamiana</jats:italic> and have potential for application to other allopolyploid plants.","PeriodicalId":221,"journal":{"name":"Plant Biotechnology Journal","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146071607","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Introduction of Reduced height ( Rht ) genes into modern wheat cultivars has resulted in ‘Green Revolution’ that skyrocketed wheat grain yields worldwide since the 1960s. These ‘Green Revolution’ cultivars show shorter plant height, but higher lodging resistance and harvest index. The identification and exploitation of novel Rht genes are of great significance for the development of high‐yielding wheat cultivars. In this study, a semi‐dwarf wheat mutant, d14078 , with reduced plant height and grain size, was generated by ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutagenesis. Here, through map‐based cloning, we cloned the causal gene for the semi‐dwarf phenotype of d14078 as TaWAK3‐B that encodes a cell wall‐associated receptor kinase 3. A single‐base mutation occurred in the coding region of TaWAK3‐B , resulting in an amino acid mutation from Glu to Lys (E938K) at residue 938, which reduces its stability and the formation of homodimers. The cytoskeletons were changed in both the d14078 and TaWAK3‐B knockout mutants, as well as the TaWAK3‐B overexpression of transgenic plants. Further investigation revealed that TaWAK3‐B directly forms stable protein assembly with TaADF3‐A (actin depolymerisation factor), TaKLCR1‐A (kinesin light chain‐related protein 1), and TaIQD2‐D (IQ67‐domain protein 2). These interactions and complex formations were significantly attenuated by the TaWAK3‐B E938K mutation. Therefore, our findings clarify TaWAK3‐B regulating the microfilament and microtubule formation that elucidate on the regulation of wheat stem development.
{"title":"A Single‐Base Mutation in TaWAK3‐B Reduces Plant Height via Cytoskeleton in Bread Wheat","authors":"Naijiao Wang, Ruolin Bian, Dejie Du, Yunjie Liu, Yiao Ma, Zihao Jiang, Zhaoju Li, Yan Zhou, Xiangyu Zhang, Zhaoheng Zhang, Beilu Cao, Xiongtao Li, Zhaoyan Chen, Jie Liu, Qixin Sun, Zhongfu Ni, Lingling Chai","doi":"10.1111/pbi.70563","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.70563","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction of <jats:italic>Reduced height</jats:italic> ( <jats:italic>Rht</jats:italic> ) genes into modern wheat cultivars has resulted in ‘Green Revolution’ that skyrocketed wheat grain yields worldwide since the 1960s. These ‘Green Revolution’ cultivars show shorter plant height, but higher lodging resistance and harvest index. The identification and exploitation of novel <jats:italic>Rht</jats:italic> genes are of great significance for the development of high‐yielding wheat cultivars. In this study, a semi‐dwarf wheat mutant, <jats:italic>d14078</jats:italic> , with reduced plant height and grain size, was generated by ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutagenesis. Here, through map‐based cloning, we cloned the causal gene for the semi‐dwarf phenotype of <jats:italic>d14078</jats:italic> as <jats:italic>TaWAK3‐B</jats:italic> that encodes a cell wall‐associated receptor kinase 3. A single‐base mutation occurred in the coding region of <jats:italic>TaWAK3‐B</jats:italic> , resulting in an amino acid mutation from Glu to Lys (E938K) at residue 938, which reduces its stability and the formation of homodimers. The cytoskeletons were changed in both the <jats:italic>d14078</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>TaWAK3‐B</jats:italic> knockout mutants, as well as the <jats:italic>TaWAK3‐B</jats:italic> overexpression of transgenic plants. Further investigation revealed that TaWAK3‐B directly forms stable protein assembly with TaADF3‐A (actin depolymerisation factor), TaKLCR1‐A (kinesin light chain‐related protein 1), and TaIQD2‐D (IQ67‐domain protein 2). These interactions and complex formations were significantly attenuated by the TaWAK3‐B <jats:sup>E938K</jats:sup> mutation. Therefore, our findings clarify <jats:italic>TaWAK3‐B</jats:italic> regulating the microfilament and microtubule formation that elucidate on the regulation of wheat stem development.","PeriodicalId":221,"journal":{"name":"Plant Biotechnology Journal","volume":"143 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146071705","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kangting Dong, Chang Liu, Mingyue Wang, Dayong Li, Jialin Li, Ning Zhao, Jianmiao Sun, Xiaodong Wang, Hongjie Di, Hong Luo, Xinbo Sun
MicroRNA319 (miR319) has been demonstrated to regulate plant development and responses to stress such as drought and salt. However, its role in thermotolerance, particularly in cool season grasses, remains unclear. Here we report that miR319 plays a negative role in heat tolerance of creeping bentgrass ( Agrostis stolonifera ). A basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factor, AsbHLH094 was identified as the target gene of miR319, and its expression was significantly downregulated in the miR319‐overexpressing (OE319) transgenic creeping bentgrass lines. Functional characterisation revealed that overexpression of AsbHLH094 enhanced heat tolerance of the transgenic tobacco plants. Furthermore, protein–protein interaction assays confirmed that AsbHLH094 physically interacts with AsIAA1, an Aux/IAA protein involved in auxin signalling. Transcriptomic analysis showed that auxin biosynthesis genes such as TARs , YUCCAs , along with auxin‐response genes including Auxin/IAAs and ARFs were downregulated in the OE319 transgenic creeping bentgrass plants, leading to reduced auxin accumulation, while elevated auxin levels and induced changes in auxin biosynthesis‐ and response‐related genes were observed in the AsbHLH094 overexpression tobacco. Endogenous indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA) levels in creeping bentgrass were significantly increased under high‐temperature conditions, and exogenous application of IAA at appropriate concentrations improved heat tolerance in creeping bentgrass. Together, our findings reveal a previously uncharacterized miR319‐AsbHLH094 regulatory module that modulates auxin biosynthesis and signalling, thereby contributing to heat stress responses in creeping bentgrass.
{"title":"The miR319 / bHLH094 Module Regulates Creeping Bentgrass Thermotolerance by Modulating Auxin Biosynthesis and Signalling Pathway","authors":"Kangting Dong, Chang Liu, Mingyue Wang, Dayong Li, Jialin Li, Ning Zhao, Jianmiao Sun, Xiaodong Wang, Hongjie Di, Hong Luo, Xinbo Sun","doi":"10.1111/pbi.70545","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.70545","url":null,"abstract":"MicroRNA319 (miR319) has been demonstrated to regulate plant development and responses to stress such as drought and salt. However, its role in thermotolerance, particularly in cool season grasses, remains unclear. Here we report that miR319 plays a negative role in heat tolerance of creeping bentgrass ( <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>Agrostis stolonifera</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> ). A basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factor, AsbHLH094 was identified as the target gene of miR319, and its expression was significantly downregulated in the miR319‐overexpressing (OE319) transgenic creeping bentgrass lines. Functional characterisation revealed that overexpression of AsbHLH094 enhanced heat tolerance of the transgenic tobacco plants. Furthermore, protein–protein interaction assays confirmed that AsbHLH094 physically interacts with AsIAA1, an Aux/IAA protein involved in auxin signalling. Transcriptomic analysis showed that auxin biosynthesis genes such as <jats:italic>TARs</jats:italic> , <jats:italic>YUCCAs</jats:italic> , along with auxin‐response genes including <jats:italic>Auxin/IAAs</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>ARFs</jats:italic> were downregulated in the OE319 transgenic creeping bentgrass plants, leading to reduced auxin accumulation, while elevated auxin levels and induced changes in auxin biosynthesis‐ and response‐related genes were observed in the AsbHLH094 overexpression tobacco. Endogenous indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA) levels in creeping bentgrass were significantly increased under high‐temperature conditions, and exogenous application of IAA at appropriate concentrations improved heat tolerance in creeping bentgrass. Together, our findings reveal a previously uncharacterized miR319‐AsbHLH094 regulatory module that modulates auxin biosynthesis and signalling, thereby contributing to heat stress responses in creeping bentgrass.","PeriodicalId":221,"journal":{"name":"Plant Biotechnology Journal","volume":"73 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146056277","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Floral ultraviolet (UV) patterns are visible to bee pollinators and can affect crop yields by impacting pollinator visitation. However, the mechanisms underlying the intraspecific variations of UV bullseye size remain largely unknown. We analyse the ecological consequences and genetic basis of floral UV bullseye size variation in an important oil crop at high altitudes, Brassica rapa subsp. oleifera (turnip rape). Flowers with larger UV bullseye attract more bees and produce more seeds. The transcription factor BrobZIP16 was newly identified as a key determinant of large UV bullseye, supported by evidence of its high expression and selective sweeps in plants with larger UV bullseye. BrobZIP16 regulates UV bullseye size by interacting with the known regulator BroMYB111 in the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway and accumulating UV‐absorbing flavonols. Our results reveal the mechanisms underlying intraspecific UV bullseye size variations, and such ‘cryptic’ large bullseye can be targeted in molecular breeding to increase oilseed production.
{"title":"Genetic Basis of UV Bullseye Size Variations in Turnip Rape ( Brassica rapa subsp. oleifera )","authors":"Zhi‐Li Zhou, Yu Zhang, Li‐Ling Jiang, An‐Ning Li, Guo‐Peng Zhang, Ming‐Liu Yang, Zhi‐Qiang Zhang, Dong‐Rui Jia, Bin Tian, Xu‐Dong Sun, Yong‐Ping Yang, Yuan‐Wen Duan","doi":"10.1111/pbi.70540","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.70540","url":null,"abstract":"Floral ultraviolet (UV) patterns are visible to bee pollinators and can affect crop yields by impacting pollinator visitation. However, the mechanisms underlying the intraspecific variations of UV bullseye size remain largely unknown. We analyse the ecological consequences and genetic basis of floral UV bullseye size variation in an important oil crop at high altitudes, <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>Brassica rapa</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> subsp. <jats:italic>oleifera</jats:italic> (turnip rape). Flowers with larger UV bullseye attract more bees and produce more seeds. The transcription factor BrobZIP16 was newly identified as a key determinant of large UV bullseye, supported by evidence of its high expression and selective sweeps in plants with larger UV bullseye. BrobZIP16 regulates UV bullseye size by interacting with the known regulator BroMYB111 in the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway and accumulating UV‐absorbing flavonols. Our results reveal the mechanisms underlying intraspecific UV bullseye size variations, and such ‘cryptic’ large bullseye can be targeted in molecular breeding to increase oilseed production.","PeriodicalId":221,"journal":{"name":"Plant Biotechnology Journal","volume":"76 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146047932","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Diabetes Mellitus is an epidemic affecting > 500 million, claiming 6-7 million lives annually. Chemically synthesised Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) containing artificial amino acids reduce haemoglobin A1c and obesity but are not yet affordable and require invasive injections. High dosage requirement and gastrointestinal complications are among the current limitations of oral GLP-1RAs. Therefore, we expressed codon optimised Exenatide and Lixisenatide fused with Cholera-toxin B-subunit (CTB) in lettuce chloroplasts to facilitate their oral delivery, increase affordability, and patient compliance. Site-specific integration of transgene expression cassettes into the chloroplast genome and removal of the selectable marker gene from marker-free lettuce transplastomic lines were confirmed using three sets of PCR primers. Homoplasmy in transplastomic lines was confirmed in Southern blots by the absence of untransformed genomes. CTB-Exenatide and CTB-Lixisenatide expression levels were 1.94 and 3.64 mg/g plant powder in T0 generation and increased ~31 and ~48%, respectively in marker-removed T1 lines. Maternal inheritance of transgenes was confirmed by lack of segregation when seedlings were germinated in the selection medium before removal of the antibiotic resistance gene (aadA). Monosialotetrahexosylganglioside (GM1) ELISA confirmed pentameric assembly efficiency of both CTB-fusion proteins similar to commercial CTB standards. GLP-1 receptor binding confirmed functionality of CTB-Exenatide/CTB-Lixisenatide with statistical significance (***p < 0.001 by t-test) and post-translational amidation in chloroplasts. Expression of functional CTB-Exenatide and CTB-Lixisenatide in an edible marker-free system for the first time and much lower dosage requirement for functionality than recently developed synthetic GLP-1RAs paves the way for clinical studies to advance oral delivery of these affordable biologics.
{"title":"Engineering Marker-Free Lettuce Chloroplast Genome to Express Functional Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists Exenatide and Lixisenatide.","authors":"Rahul Singh,Henry Daniell","doi":"10.1111/pbi.70554","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.70554","url":null,"abstract":"Diabetes Mellitus is an epidemic affecting > 500 million, claiming 6-7 million lives annually. Chemically synthesised Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) containing artificial amino acids reduce haemoglobin A1c and obesity but are not yet affordable and require invasive injections. High dosage requirement and gastrointestinal complications are among the current limitations of oral GLP-1RAs. Therefore, we expressed codon optimised Exenatide and Lixisenatide fused with Cholera-toxin B-subunit (CTB) in lettuce chloroplasts to facilitate their oral delivery, increase affordability, and patient compliance. Site-specific integration of transgene expression cassettes into the chloroplast genome and removal of the selectable marker gene from marker-free lettuce transplastomic lines were confirmed using three sets of PCR primers. Homoplasmy in transplastomic lines was confirmed in Southern blots by the absence of untransformed genomes. CTB-Exenatide and CTB-Lixisenatide expression levels were 1.94 and 3.64 mg/g plant powder in T0 generation and increased ~31 and ~48%, respectively in marker-removed T1 lines. Maternal inheritance of transgenes was confirmed by lack of segregation when seedlings were germinated in the selection medium before removal of the antibiotic resistance gene (aadA). Monosialotetrahexosylganglioside (GM1) ELISA confirmed pentameric assembly efficiency of both CTB-fusion proteins similar to commercial CTB standards. GLP-1 receptor binding confirmed functionality of CTB-Exenatide/CTB-Lixisenatide with statistical significance (***p < 0.001 by t-test) and post-translational amidation in chloroplasts. Expression of functional CTB-Exenatide and CTB-Lixisenatide in an edible marker-free system for the first time and much lower dosage requirement for functionality than recently developed synthetic GLP-1RAs paves the way for clinical studies to advance oral delivery of these affordable biologics.","PeriodicalId":221,"journal":{"name":"Plant Biotechnology Journal","volume":"3 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034066","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Upendra Kumari Wijesundara, Agnelo Furtado, Ardashir Kharabian Masouleh, Natalie L. Dillon, Heather E. Smyth, Robert J. Henry
Mango (Mangifera indica) is one of the most popular fruits cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The availability of reference genomes helps to identify the genetic basis of important traits. Here, we report assembled high-quality chromosome-level genomes for the Australian mango cultivar ‘Kensington Pride’ and M.laurina, a wild relative, which shows resistance to anthracnose disease. PacBio HiFi sequencing with higher genome coverage enabled the assembly of both genomes with 100% completeness. Genome sizes of ‘Kensington Pride’ and M. laurina were 367 Mb and 379 Mb, respectively, with all 20 chromosomes in both genomes having telomeres at both ends. K-mer analysis revealed that these genomes are highly heterozygous and significant structural variations were identified between ‘Kensington Pride’, M. laurina, and the recently published genome of the cultivar ‘Irwin’. Functional annotation identified presence/absence variations of key genes involved in carotenoid, anthocyanin, and terpenoid biosynthesis, responsible for fruit colour and flavour in mango. Furthermore, the presence of a SNP in β-1,3-glucanase 2 gene, previously reported to be associated with anthracnose resistance, was analysed. Whole genome duplication analysis confirmed that mangoes have undergone two polyploidization events during their evolution. Analysis revealed a conserved pattern of colinear genes, although many colinear blocks were also identified on non-homologous chromosomes.
芒果（Mangifera indica）是世界热带和亚热带地区最受欢迎的水果之一。参考基因组的可用性有助于确定重要性状的遗传基础。在这里，我们报告了澳大利亚芒果品种‘Kensington Pride’和野生亲缘种M. laurina的高质量染色体水平基因组的组装，后者显示出对炭疽病的抗性。PacBio HiFi测序具有较高的基因组覆盖率，可以100%完成两个基因组的组装。“肯辛顿骄傲”和月牙花的基因组大小分别为367 Mb和379 Mb，两个基因组的所有20条染色体两端都有端粒。K-mer分析显示，这些基因组是高度杂合的，并且在‘ Kensington Pride ’， M. laurina和最近发表的栽培品种‘ Irwin ’的基因组之间发现了显着的结构差异。功能注释确定了参与类胡萝卜素、花青素和萜类生物合成的关键基因的存在/缺失变化，这些基因负责芒果的水果颜色和味道。此外，还分析了先前报道与炭疽病抗性相关的β-1,3-葡聚糖酶2基因中SNP的存在。全基因组重复分析证实芒果在进化过程中经历了两次多倍体化事件。分析揭示了共线基因的保守模式，尽管许多共线块也在非同源染色体上被鉴定出来。
{"title":"Chromosome-Scale Haplotype Genome Assemblies for the Australian Mango ‘Kensington Pride’ and a Wild Relative, Mangifera laurina, Provide Insights Into Anthracnose-Resistance and Volatile Compound Biosynthesis Genes","authors":"Upendra Kumari Wijesundara, Agnelo Furtado, Ardashir Kharabian Masouleh, Natalie L. Dillon, Heather E. Smyth, Robert J. Henry","doi":"10.1111/pbi.70556","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.70556","url":null,"abstract":"Mango (<i>Mangifera indica</i>) is one of the most popular fruits cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The availability of reference genomes helps to identify the genetic basis of important traits. Here, we report assembled high-quality chromosome-level genomes for the Australian mango cultivar <b>‘</b>Kensington Pride<b>’</b> and <i>M.</i> <i>laurina</i>, a wild relative, which shows resistance to anthracnose disease. PacBio HiFi sequencing with higher genome coverage enabled the assembly of both genomes with 100% completeness. Genome sizes of <b>‘</b>Kensington Pride<b>’</b> and <i>M. laurina</i> were 367 Mb and 379 Mb, respectively, with all 20 chromosomes in both genomes having telomeres at both ends. K-mer analysis revealed that these genomes are highly heterozygous and significant structural variations were identified between <b>‘</b>Kensington Pride<b>’</b>, <i>M. laurina</i>, and the recently published genome of the cultivar <b>‘</b>Irwin<b>’</b>. Functional annotation identified presence/absence variations of key genes involved in carotenoid, anthocyanin, and terpenoid biosynthesis, responsible for fruit colour and flavour in mango. Furthermore, the presence of a SNP in β-1,3-glucanase 2 gene, previously reported to be associated with anthracnose resistance, was analysed. Whole genome duplication analysis confirmed that mangoes have undergone two polyploidization events during their evolution. Analysis revealed a conserved pattern of colinear genes, although many colinear blocks were also identified on non-homologous chromosomes.","PeriodicalId":221,"journal":{"name":"Plant Biotechnology Journal","volume":"31 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034147","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jatropha curcas is a promising feedstock for biodiesel and bio-jet fuels production; however, its seed yield is constrained by limited inflorescences. SPL9 is a member of the SBP-box gene family that promotes the juvenile-to-adult phase transition. Accumulating evidence demonstrated that the miR156/SPL module plays important roles in regulating diverse plant developmental processes. Here, we reveal that JcSPL9 regulates both seed yield and oil content in Jatropha. JcSPL9 is highly expressed in fruits and upregulated with age in Jatropha. Overexpression of miR156-resistant JcSPL9 (rJcSPL9) significantly increased seed yield and oil content, whereas overexpression of JcmiR156a had the opposite effects. The highest seed yield in rJcSPL9 transgenic plants was 80.76% greater than that in the WT plants, with a concomitant 12.6% increase in seed oil content. Correspondingly, JcmiR156a transgenic plants displayed 51.67% lower seed yield and 8.28% lower seed oil content compared to WT. Additionally, seed oil fatty acid composition was significantly altered in both rJcSPL9 and JcmiR156a transgenic Jatropha and Arabidopsis, as well as in Arabidopsis spl9 mutants. The key oil biosynthesis genes, including JcWRI1, JcDGAT1, JcDGAT2, and JcOLEOSIN, were upregulated in rJcSPL9 transgenic seeds but downregulated in JcmiR156a transformants. This study provides the first evidence that the miR156/SPL9 module regulates lipid accumulation and fatty acid biosynthesis in seeds. These results highlight SPL9 as a promising target for enhancing oil yield and quality in Jatropha and other oilseed crops.
{"title":"SBP-Box Transcription Factor JcSPL9 Regulates Both Seed Yield and Oil Content in the Biofuel Plant Jatropha curcas.","authors":"Mingyong Tang,Xue Bai,Yaoping Xia,Ping Huang,Zeng-Fu Xu","doi":"10.1111/pbi.70558","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.70558","url":null,"abstract":"Jatropha curcas is a promising feedstock for biodiesel and bio-jet fuels production; however, its seed yield is constrained by limited inflorescences. SPL9 is a member of the SBP-box gene family that promotes the juvenile-to-adult phase transition. Accumulating evidence demonstrated that the miR156/SPL module plays important roles in regulating diverse plant developmental processes. Here, we reveal that JcSPL9 regulates both seed yield and oil content in Jatropha. JcSPL9 is highly expressed in fruits and upregulated with age in Jatropha. Overexpression of miR156-resistant JcSPL9 (rJcSPL9) significantly increased seed yield and oil content, whereas overexpression of JcmiR156a had the opposite effects. The highest seed yield in rJcSPL9 transgenic plants was 80.76% greater than that in the WT plants, with a concomitant 12.6% increase in seed oil content. Correspondingly, JcmiR156a transgenic plants displayed 51.67% lower seed yield and 8.28% lower seed oil content compared to WT. Additionally, seed oil fatty acid composition was significantly altered in both rJcSPL9 and JcmiR156a transgenic Jatropha and Arabidopsis, as well as in Arabidopsis spl9 mutants. The key oil biosynthesis genes, including JcWRI1, JcDGAT1, JcDGAT2, and JcOLEOSIN, were upregulated in rJcSPL9 transgenic seeds but downregulated in JcmiR156a transformants. This study provides the first evidence that the miR156/SPL9 module regulates lipid accumulation and fatty acid biosynthesis in seeds. These results highlight SPL9 as a promising target for enhancing oil yield and quality in Jatropha and other oilseed crops.","PeriodicalId":221,"journal":{"name":"Plant Biotechnology Journal","volume":"142 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146021634","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
京公网安备 11010802042870号
京ICP备2023020795号-1
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：