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RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Changes in intracellular NAD status affect stomatal development in an abscisic acid-dependent manner
- Pages: 1149-1168
- First Published: 29 September 2020
NAD+ homeostasis affects ABA metabolism, modulating stomatal development in Arabidopsis cotyledons.
Parallel evolution of apetalous lineages within the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae): outward expansion of AGAMOUS1, rather than disruption of APETALA3-3
- Pages: 1169-1181
- First Published: 05 September 2020
Significance Statement
Complete loss of petals has occurred independently in many flowering plant lineages. However, the mechanisms underlying the parallel evolution of naturally occurring apetalous lineages remain largely unclear. Our results not only provide a general picture of parallel petal losses within the Ranunculaceae but also help understand the mechanisms underlying the independent originations of other apetalous lineages.
A mitochondrial prolyl aminopeptidase PAP2 releases N-terminal proline and regulates proline homeostasis during stress response
- Pages: 1182-1194
- First Published: 13 September 2020
Amino acid recovery is the last step of organellar targeting peptide processing pathways, and prior studies have identified the metallo-aminopeptidases responsible for the recovery of all amino acids from mitochondrial and chloroplastic targeting peptides, except for proline. This work characterises a proline-specific aminopeptidase named proline aminopeptidase 2 (PAP2), identifying its activity, localisation and importance in maintaining proline homeostasis for normal plant development and during abiotic stress.
Gene co-expression analysis reveals transcriptome divergence between wild and cultivated chickpea under drought stress
- Pages: 1195-1214
- First Published: 13 September 2020
Wild relatives of crops have the potential to expand both the breadth and nature of agronomic traits in their related crop species. By differential expression and co-expression analysis, we document both conserved and diverged expression patterns in wild and cultivated chickpea gene families involved in plant development, metabolism and signaling. Here we identify genes and biological processes that are candidates for breeding for drought tolerance in the chickpea crop.
A chromosome-scale reference genome of trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata) provides insights into disease resistance, cold tolerance and genome evolution in Citrus
- Pages: 1215-1232
- First Published: 27 September 2020
A high-quality, chromosome-scale reference genome of trifoliate orange has enabled a comprehensive comparative genomics analysis of Citrus-related genomes, discovery of gene families under expansion or positive selection, identification of gene families associated with important disease resistance and cold tolerance, and localization of candidate genes for tolerance to Huanglongbing, the most destructive disease in citrus. This genome will be a valuable resource for genomic research and manipulation in citrus and related plants.
Dysfunction of the 4-coumarate:coenzyme A ligase 4CL4 impacts aluminum resistance and lignin accumulation in rice
- Pages: 1233-1250
- First Published: 28 September 2020
Monocots such as rice (Oryza sativa) can accumulate appreciable levels of 4-coumaric acid (PA) and ferulic acid (FA) to modify the cell wall, but it is unclear whether PA and FA play a role in the resistance to aluminum (Al) stress. We demonstrate that Al stress can trigger the accumulation of PA and FA, which in turn modify hemicellulose to reduce Al binding to the cell wall and consequently increase Al resistance in rice.
Identification of potential post-ethylene events in the signaling cascade induced by stimuli of bud dormancy release in grapevine
- Pages: 1251-1268
- First Published: 29 September 2020
The ability of various stresses, which are rationally expected to inhibit growth, to paradoxically activate growth of the dormant bud meristem, has been an enigma for decades. Collectively, our data propose: (i) that stress mediates energy regeneration under conditions of energy crisis, by induction of ethylene-activated anaerobic metabolism and macromolecule catabolism; (ii) that activation of autophagy-mediated catabolism serves as the mandatory switch and the driving force for activation of the growth-inhibited meristem during bud-break.
Two ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase subunits, OsAGPL1 and OsAGPS1, modulate phosphorus homeostasis in rice
- Pages: 1269-1284
- First Published: 29 September 2020
Plant acclimatory responses to phosphate [Pi; the predominant form of phosphorus (P) accessible for plants] starvation stress include the accumulation of carbohydrates, namely sugar and starch. However, whether altered endogenous carbohydrate profile could in turn affect plant Pi starvation responses remains elusive. Here, two starch biosynthetic genes encoding an ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase were demonstrated to be responsible for starch accumulation upon nitrogen and Pi starvation stresses and maintenance of P homeostasis through a previously unidentified mechanism.
Genome-wide dissection of hybridization for fiber quality- and yield-related traits in upland cotton
- Pages: 1285-1300
- First Published: 29 September 2020
General and specific combining ability values are very important factors for the selection of appropriate parents and superior combinations in hybrid cotton breeding, although the molecular genetic basis has not been fully characterized. In the present study, we identified significant single nucleotide polymorphisms for general and specific combining ability in a large-scale North Carolina II population through a genome-wide association study. The results obtained provide new insights with respect to our understanding of the genetic factors related to combining ability.
CRISPR-based assessment of genomic structure in the conserved SQUAMOSA promoter-binding-like gene clusters in rice
- Pages: 1301-1314
- First Published: 30 September 2020
We show here conserved paired unit clustering of SPL transcription factors in rice, and document that the pattern is widespread in monocots and dicots. Through comprehensive Cas9 editing of the 19-member OsSPL family, we find subfunctionalization but not neofunctionalization between paired genes, and widespread fitness-related defects. We report expression interactions both within and between gene groups. These findings are important to our understanding of gene functional redundancy and retention across evolutionary time.
Hydroperoxide lyase modulates defense response and confers lesion-mimic leaf phenotype in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.)
- Pages: 1315-1333
- First Published: 30 September 2020
Dysfunction of HPL genes in soybean NT302 mutant leading to spontaneous lesions on leaves, with reduced resistance to the bacterial leaf pustule and enhanced resistance to common cutworm. HPL plays a pivotal role in plant development and defense response of oxylipin pathway and interplays with AOS branch, antagonistically adapting plants for diverse environment challenges.
Alterations in stomatal response to fluctuating light increase biomass and yield of rice under drought conditions
- Pages: 1334-1347
- First Published: 04 October 2020
This study reports a Na+/H+ tonoplastic antiporter underlying stomatal dynamics and drought tolerance through genomic-wide association study in rice. This gene can be potentially used for modern drought-tolerant crop breeding.
Sequence analysis of the Petunia inflata S-locus region containing 17 S-Locus F-Box genes and the S-RNase gene involved in self-incompatibility
- Pages: 1348-1368
- First Published: 13 October 2020
Sequencing the Petunia S-locus region of the S2-haplotype containing 17 S-locus F-box (SLF) genes, SLFLike1, and the S-RNase gene allows comparative analyses of the approximately 3.1 Mb assembled sequence with the S-locus sequences of other S-haplotypes of Petunia and S-locus remnants of several self-compatible solanaceous species. The results from comparison in both the coding and non-coding flanking sequences of SLF genes shed light on the genomic organization and evolution of the S-locus in Petunia.
SlRLK-like is a malectin-like domain protein affecting localization and abundance of LeEIX2 receptor resulting in suppression of EIX-induced immune responses
- Pages: 1369-1381
- First Published: 13 October 2020
NITROGEN RESPONSE DEFICIENCY 1-mediated CHL1 induction contributes to optimized growth performance during altered nitrate availability in Arabidopsis
- Pages: 1382-1398
- First Published: 13 October 2020
NID1 plays a crucial role as a transcription factor in modulating plant growth by controlling the transcript abundance of the nitrate transporter CHL1 and the ABA biosynthesis genes in response to low-nitrogen conditions.
The genomic architecture of the sex-determining region and sex-related metabolic variation in Ginkgobiloba
- Pages: 1399-1409
- First Published: 04 October 2020
RESOURCE
Development and screening of EMS mutants with altered seed oil content or fatty acid composition in Brassica napus
- Pages: 1410-1422
- First Published: 13 October 2020
Seed oil content and fatty acid composition are important traits of oil crop Brassica napus. In this study, a large number of Brassica napus EMS mutants with altered seed oil content or fatty acid composition have been generated and identified. This study provides useful genetic resources for functional genomics study and genetic improvement of B. napus.
TECHNICAL ADVANCE
Dual-color 3D-dSTORM colocalization and quantification of ROXY1 and RNAPII variants throughout the transcription cycle in root meristem nuclei
- Pages: 1423-1436
- First Published: 08 September 2020
This paper presents the application of 3D-dSTORM for the detection of proteins in Arabidopsis root meristem nuclei at a resolution <50 nm, thus facilitating single molecule imaging in plant cells. The combination of dual-color 3D-dSTORM studies with a coordinate-based colocalization approach for signal quantification revealed the colocalization of ROXY1 with distinct RNA polymerase II isoforms during the transcription cycle, which suggest novel functions for land plant-specific ROXY glutaredoxins.
Meiotic crossover reduction by virus-induced gene silencing enables the efficient generation of chromosome substitution lines and reverse breeding in Arabidopsis thaliana
- Pages: 1437-1452
- First Published: 21 September 2020
Significance Statement
Changing meiotic recombination rates can support plant research and breeding, but is rarely achieved in a transient way (i.e. where offspring fertility is not compromised). Here we show that virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) can be used to temporarily downregulate crossover recombination in Arabidopsis thaliana hybrids to facilitate the generation of chromosome substitution lines, reverse breeding and reverse breeding-like applications.