An analysis of dormancy, ABA responsiveness, after-ripening and pre-harvest sprouting in hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) caryopses.

Embryo and caryopsis dormancy, abscisic acid (ABA) responsiveness, after-ripening (AR), and the disorder pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) were investigated in six genetically related wheat varieties previously characterized as resistant, intermediate, or susceptible to PHS. Timing of caryopsis AR differed between varieties; AR occurred before harvest ripeness in the most PHS-susceptible, whereas AR was slowest in the most PHS-resistant. Whole caryopses of all varieties showed little ABA-responsiveness during AR; PHS-susceptible varieties were responsive at the beginning of the AR period whereas PHS-resistant showed some responsiveness throughout. Isolated embryos showed relatively little dormancy during grain-filling and most varieties exhibited a window of decreased ABA-responsiveness around the period of maximum dry matter accumulation (physiological maturity). Susceptibility to PHS was assessed by overhead misting of either isolated ears or whole plants during AR; varieties were clearly distinguished using both methods. These analyses allowed an investigation of the interactions between the different components of seed development, compartments, and environment for the six varieties. There was no direct relationship between speed of caryopsis AR and embryo dormancy or ABA-responsiveness during seed maturation. However, the velocity of AR of a variety was closely associated with the degree of susceptibility to PHS during AR suggesting that these characters are developmentally linked. Investigation of genetic components of AR may therefore aid breeding approaches to reduce susceptibility to PHS.

A transcriptomics resource for wheat functional genomics.

Grain development, germination and plant development under abiotic stresses are areas of biology that are of considerable interest to the cereal community. Within the Investigating Gene Function programme we have produced the resources required to investigate alterations in the transcriptome of hexaploid wheat during these developmental processes. We have single pass sequenced the cDNAs of between 700 and 1300 randomly picked clones from each of 35 cDNA libraries representing highly specific stages of grain and plant development. Annotated sequencing results have been stored in a publicly accessible, online database at http://www.cerealsdb.uk.net. Each of the tissue stages used has also been photographed in detail, resulting in a collection of high-quality micrograph images detailing wheat grain development. These images have been collated and annotated in order to produce a web site focused on wheat development (http://www.wheatbp.net/). We have also produced high-density microarrays of a publicly available wheat unigene set based on the 35 cDNA libraries and have completed a number of microarray experiments which validate their quality.

Flowering genes in Metrosideros fit a broad herbaceous model encompassing Arabidopsis and Antirrhinum.

Molecular studies were conducted on Metrosideros excelsa to determine if the current genetic models for flowering with regard to inflorescence and floral meristem identity genes in annual plants were applicable to a woody perennial. MEL, MESAP1 and METFL1, the fragments of LEAFY (LFY), APETALA1 (AP1) and TERMINAL FLOWER1 (TFL1) equivalents, respectively, were isolated from M. excelsa. Temporal expression patterns showed that MEL and MESAP1 exhibited a bimodal pattern of expression. Expression exhibited during early floral initiation in autumn was followed by down-regulation during winter, and up-regulation in spring as floral organogenesis occurred. Spatial expression patterns of MEL showed that it had greater similarity to FLORICAULA (FLO) than to LFY, whereas MESAP1 was more similar to AP1 than SQUAMOSA. The interaction between MEL and METFL1 was more similar to the interaction between FLO and CENTRORADIALIS than that between LFY and TFL1. Consequently, the three genes from M. excelsa fit a broader herbaceous model encompassing Antirrhinum as well as Arabidopsis, but with differences, such as the bimodal pattern of expression seen with MEL and MESAP1. In mid-winter, at the time when both MEL and MESAP1 were down-regulated, GA(1) was below the level of detection in M. excelsa buds. Even though application of gibberellin inhibits flowering in members of the Myrtaceae, MEL was responsive to gibberellin with expression in juvenile plants up-regulated by GA(3). However, MESAP1 was not up-regulated indicating that meristem competence was also probably required to promote flowering in M. excelsa.

Decreased shoot stature and grain alpha-amylase activity following ectopic expression of a gibberellin 2-oxidase gene in transgenic wheat.

Ectopic expression of a gibberellin 2-oxidase gene (PcGA2ox1) decreased the content of bioactive gibberellins (GAs) in transgenic wheat, producing a range of dwarf plants with different degrees of severity. In at least one case, a single transformation event gave rise to T(1) plants with different degrees of dwarfism, the phenotypes being stably inherited over at least four generations. The dwarf phenotype, which included dark-green leaves, increased tillering and, in severe cases, a prostrate growth habit, was replicated by the application of a GA biosynthesis inhibitor to the wild type. Ear rachis length, grain set, and grain size were also decreased in the wheat transformants, compared with an azygous (null) line. The extent of post-germination alpha-amylase production in grains reflected the severity of the shoot phenotype of the transformants and both developmental processes were restored to normal by the application of gibberellic acid (GA(3)). Expression of two GA biosynthesis genes (TaGA20ox1 and TaGA3ox2) was up-regulated, and that of two alpha-amylase gene families (alpha-Amy1 and alpha-Amy2) down regulated, in scutella of semi-dwarf lines, compared with controls. The marked decline in transcript abundance of both alpha-amylase gene families in aleurone was associated with a decreased content of bioactive GAs in grains of the semi-dwarf lines.

Function and transcript analysis of gibberellin-biosynthetic enzymes in wheat.

The enzymes gibberellin (GA) 20-oxidase and 3-oxidase are major sites of regulation in GA biosynthesis. We have characterised one member of each of the gene families encoding these enzymes that are highly expressed in elongating stems and in developing and germinating grains of wheat and are therefore likely to have prominent developmental roles in these tissues. We mapped the three homoeologues of the GA 20-oxidase gene TaGA20ox1 to chromosomes 5BL, 5DL and 4AL. TaGA20ox1 is expressed mainly in the nodes and ears of the elongating stem, and also in developing and germinating embryos. Expression in the nodes, ears and germinating embryos is predominantly from the A and D genomes. Each homoeologous cDNA encodes a functional enzyme that catalyses the multi-step conversions of GA12-GA9, and GA53-GA20. Time course and enzyme kinetic studies indicate that the initial oxidation steps from GA12 and GA53 to the free alcohol forms of GA15 and GA44, respectively, occur rapidly but that subsequent steps occur more slowly. The intermediate GA19 has an especially low affinity for the enzyme, consistent with its accumulation in wheat tissues. The three homoeologous cDNAs for the 3-oxidase gene TaGA3ox2 encode functional enzymes, one of which was shown to possess low levels of 2beta-hydroxylase, 2,3-desaturase, 2,3-epoxidase and even 13-hydroxylase activities in addition to 3beta-hydroxylase activity. In contrast to TaGA20ox1, TaGA3ox2 is expressed in internodes, as well as nodes and the ear of the elongating stem. It is also highly expressed in developing and germinated embryos.

Alteration of the embryo transcriptome of hexaploid winter wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Mercia) during maturation and germination.

Grain dormancy and germination are areas of biology that are of considerable interest to the cereal community. We have used a 9,155-feature wheat unigene cDNA microarray resource to investigate changes in the wheat embryo transcriptome during late grain development and maturation and during the first 48 h of postimbibition germination. In the embryo 392 mRNAs accumulated by twofold or greater over the time course from 21 days postanthesis (dpa) to 40 dpa and on through 1 and 2 days postgermination. These included mRNAs encoding proteins involved in amino acid biosynthesis and metabolism, cell division and subsequent cell development, signal transduction, lipid metabolism, energy production, protein turnover, respiration, initiation of transcription, initiation of translation and ribosomal composition. A number of mRNAs encoding proteins of unknown function also accumulated over the time course. Conversely 163 sequences showed decreases of twofold or greater over the time course. A small number of mRNAs also showed rapid accumulation specifically during the first 48 h of germination. We also examined alterations in the accumulation of transcripts encoding proteins involved in abscisic acid signalling. Thus, we describe changes in the level of transcripts encoding wheat Viviparous 1 (Vp1) and other interacting proteins. Interestingly, the transcript encoding wheat Viviparous-interacting protein 1 showed a pattern of accumulation that correlates inversely with germination. Our data suggests that the majority of the transcripts required for germination accumulate in the embryo prior to germination and we discuss the implications of these findings with regard to manipulation of germination in wheat.

Isolation of gibberellin metabolic pathway genes from barley and comparative mapping in barley, wheat and rice.

Gene sequences encoding gibberellin (GA) biosynthetic and catabolic enzymes were isolated from "Himalaya" barley. These genes account for most of the enzymes required for the core pathway of GA biosynthesis as well as for the first major catabolic enzyme. By means of DNA gel blot analysis, we mapped coding sequences to chromosome arms in barley and wheat using barley-wheat chromosome addition lines, nulli-tetrasomic substitution and ditelosomic lines of wheat. These same sequences were used to identify closely related sequences from rice, which were mapped in silico, thereby allowing their syntenic relationship with map locations in barley and wheat to be investigated. Determination of the chromosome arm locations for GA metabolic genes provides a framework for future studies investigating possible identity between GA metabolic genes and dwarfing genes in barley and wheat.

Transcripts of Vp-1 homeologues are misspliced in modern wheat and ancestral species.

The maize (Zea mays) Viviparous 1 (Vp1) transcription factor has been shown previously to be a major regulator of seed development, simultaneously activating embryo maturation and repressing germination. Hexaploid bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) caryopses are characterized by relatively weak embryo dormancy and are susceptible to preharvest sprouting (PHS), a phenomenon that is phenotypically similar to the maize vp1 mutation. Analysis of Vp-1 transcript structure in wheat embryos during grain development showed that each homeologue produces cytoplasmic mRNAs of different sizes. The majority of transcripts are spliced incorrectly, contain insertions of intron sequences or deletions of coding region, and do not have the capacity to encode full-length proteins. Several VP-1-related lower molecular weight protein species were present in wheat embryo nuclei. Embryos of a closely related tetraploid species (Triticum turgidum) and ancestral diploids also contained misspliced Vp-1 transcripts that were structurally similar or identical to those found in modern hexaploid wheat, which suggests that compromised structure and expression of Vp-1 transcripts in modern wheat are inherited from ancestral species. Developing embryos from transgenic wheat grains expressing the Avena fatua Vp1 gene showed enhanced responsiveness to applied abscisic acid compared with the control. In addition, ripening ears of transgenic plants were less susceptible to PHS. Our results suggest that missplicing of wheat Vp-1 genes contributes to susceptibility to PHS in modern hexaploid wheat varieties and identifies a possible route to increase resistance to this environmentally triggered disorder.