Disentangling the complex gene interaction networks between rice and the blast fungus identifies a new pathogen effector.

Studies focused solely on single organisms can fail to identify the networks underlying host-pathogen gene-for-gene interactions. Here, we integrate genetic analyses of rice (Oryza sativa, host) and rice blast fungus (Magnaporthe oryzae, pathogen) and uncover a new pathogen recognition specificity of the rice nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat protein (NLR) immune receptor Pik, which mediates resistance to M. oryzae expressing the avirulence effector gene AVR-Pik. Rice Piks-1, encoded by an allele of Pik-1, recognizes a previously unidentified effector encoded by the M. oryzae avirulence gene AVR-Mgk1, which is found on a mini-chromosome. AVR-Mgk1 has no sequence similarity to known AVR-Pik effectors and is prone to deletion from the mini-chromosome mediated by repeated Inago2 retrotransposon sequences. AVR-Mgk1 is detected by Piks-1 and by other Pik-1 alleles known to recognize AVR-Pik effectors; recognition is mediated by AVR-Mgk1 binding to the integrated heavy metal-associated (HMA) domain of Piks-1 and other Pik-1 alleles. Our findings highlight how complex gene-for-gene interaction networks can be disentangled by applying forward genetics approaches simultaneously to the host and pathogen. We demonstrate dynamic coevolution between an NLR integrated domain and multiple families of effector proteins.

Prebiotic effect of galacto-N-biose on the intestinal lactic acid bacteria as enhancer of acetate production and hypothetical colonization.

Galacto-N-biose (GNB) is an important core structure of glycan of mucin glycoproteins in the gastrointestinal (GI) mucosa. Because certain beneficial bacteria inhabiting the GI tract, such as bifidobacteria and lactic acid bacteria, harbor highly specialized GNB metabolic capabilities, GNB is considered a promising prebiotic for nourishing and manipulating beneficial bacteria in the GI tract. However, the precise interactions between GNB and beneficial bacteria and their accompanying health-promoting effects remain elusive. First, we evaluated the proliferative tendency of beneficial bacteria and their production of beneficial metabolites using gut bacterial strains. By comparing the use of GNB, glucose, and inulin as carbon sources, we found that GNB enhanced acetate production in Lacticaseibacillus casei, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus gasseri, and Lactobacillus johnsonii. The ability of GNB to promote acetate production was also confirmed by RNA-seq analysis, which indicated the upregulation of gene clusters that catalyze the deacetylation of N-acetylgalactosamine-6P and biosynthesize acetyl-CoA from pyruvate, both of which result in acetate production. To explore the in vivo effect of GNB in promoting acetate production, antibiotic-treated BALB/cA mice were administered with GNB with L. rhamnosus, resulting in a fecal acetate content that was 2.7-fold higher than that in mice administered with only L. rhamnosus. Moreover, 2 days after the last administration, a 3.7-fold higher amount of L. rhamnosus was detected in feces administered with GNB with L. rhamnosus than in feces administered with only L. rhamnosus. These findings strongly suggest the prebiotic potential of GNB in enhancing L. rhamnosus colonization and converting L. rhamnosus into higher acetate producers in the GI tract. IMPORTANCE: Specific members of lactic acid bacteria, which are commonly used as probiotics, possess therapeutic properties that are vital for human health enhancement by producing immunomodulatory metabolites such as exopolysaccharides, short-chain fatty acids, and bacteriocins. The long residence time of probiotic lactic acid bacteria in the GI tract prolongs their beneficial health effects. Moreover, the colonization property is also desirable for the application of probiotics in mucosal vaccination to provoke a local immune response. In this study, we found that GNB could enhance the beneficial properties of intestinal lactic acid bacteria that inhabit the human GI tract, stimulating acetate production and promoting intestinal colonization. Our findings provide a rationale for the addition of GNB to lactic acid bacteria-based functional foods. This has also led to the development of therapeutics supported by more rational prebiotic and probiotic selection, leading to an improved healthy lifestyle for humans.

Mutations in RZF1, a zinc-finger protein, reduce magnesium uptake in roots and translocation to shoots in rice.

Magnesium (Mg) homeostasis is critical for maintaining many biological processes, but little information is available to comprehend the molecular mechanisms regulating Mg concentration in rice (Oryza sativa). To make up for the lack of information, we aimed to identify mutants defective in Mg homeostasis through a forward genetic approach. As a result of the screening of 2,825 M2 seedlings mutated by ion-beam irradiation, we found a rice mutant that showed reduced Mg content in leaves and slightly increased Mg content in roots. Radiotracer 28Mg experiments showed that this mutant, named low-magnesium content 1 (LMGC1), has decreased Mg2+ influx in the root and Mg2+ translocation from root to shoot. Consequently, LMGC1 is sensitive to the low Mg condition and prone to develop chlorosis in the young mature leaf. The MutMap method identified a 7.4-kbp deletion in the LMGC1 genome leading to a loss of two genes. Genome editing using CRISPR-Cas9 further revealed that one of the two lost genes, a gene belonging to the RanBP2-type zinc-finger family that we named RanBP2-TYPE ZINC FINGER1 (OsRZF1), was the causal gene of the low Mg phenotype. OsRZF1 is a nuclear protein and may have a fundamental role in maintaining Mg homeostasis in rice plants.

Non-vernalization requirement for flowering in Brassica rapa conferred by a dominant allele of FLOWERING LOCUS T.

KEY MESSAGE: We identified and characterized a dominant FT allele for flowering without vernalization in Brassica rapa, while demonstrating its potential for deployment in breeding to accelerate flowering in various Brassicaceae crops. Controlling the timing of flowering is key to improving yield and quality of several agricultural crops including the Brassicas. Many Brassicaceae crops possess a conserved flowering mechanism in which FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) represses the transcription of flowering activators such as FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) during vernalization. Here, we employed genetic analysis based on next-generation sequencing to identify a dominant FT allele, BraA.FT.2-C, for flowering in the absence of vernalization in the Brassica rapa cultivar 'CHOY SUM EX CHINA 3'. BraA.FT.2-C harbors two large insertions upstream of its coding region and is expressed without vernalization, despite FLC expression. We show that BraA.FT.2-C offers an opportunity to introduce flowering without vernalization requirement into winter-type brassica crops, including B. napus, which have many functional FLC paralogs. Furthermore, we demonstrated the feasibility of using B. rapa harboring BraA.FT.2-C as rootstock for grafting to induce flowering in radish (Raphanus sativus), which requires vernalization for flowering. We believe that the ability of BraA.FT.2-C to overcome repression by FLC can have significant applications in brassica crops breeding to increase yields by accelerating or delaying flowering.

Deficiency in alcohol dehydrogenase 2 reduces arsenic in rice grains by suppressing silicate transporters.

Paddy fields are anaerobic and facilitate arsenite (As(III)) elution from the soil. Paddy-field rice accumulates arsenic (As) in its grains because silicate transporters actively assimilate As(III) during the reproductive stage. Reducing the As level in rice grains is an important challenge for agriculture. Using a forward genetic approach, we isolated a rice (Oryza sativa) mutant, low arsenic line 3 (las3), whose As levels were decreased in aerial tissues, including grains. The low-As phenotype was not observed in young plants before heading (emergence of the panicle). Genetic analyses revealed that a deficiency in alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) 2 by mutation is responsible for the phenotype. Among the three rice ADH paralogues, ADH2 was the most efficiently produced in root tissue under anaerobic conditions. In wild-type (WT), silicon and As concentrations in aerial tissues increased with growth. However, the increase was suppressed in las3 during the reproductive stage. Accordingly, the gene expression of two silicate transporters, Lsi1 and Lsi2, was increased in WT around the time of heading, whereas the increase was suppressed in las3. These results indicate that the low-As phenotype in las3 is due to silicate transporter suppression. Measurement of intracellular pH by 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance revealed intracellular acidification of las3 roots under hypoxia, suggesting that silicate transporter suppression in las3 might arise from an intracellular pH decrease, which is known to be facilitated by a deficiency in ADH activity under anaerobic conditions. This study provides valuable insight into reducing As levels in rice grains.

Red-Beet Betalain Pigments Inhibit Amyloid-ß Aggregation and Toxicity in Amyloid-ß Expressing Caenorhabditis elegans.

Betalain pigments are mainly produced by plants belonging to the order of Caryophyllales. Betalains exhibit strong antioxidant activity and responds to environmental stimuli and stress in plants. Recent reports of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties of betalain pigments have piqued interest in understanding their biological functions. We investigated the effects of betalain pigments (betanin and isobetanin) derived from red-beet on amyloid-ß (Aß) aggregation, which causes Alzheimer's disease. Non-specific inhibition of Aß aggregation against Aß40 and Aß42 by red-beet betalain pigments, in vitro was demonstrated using the thioflavin t fluorescence assay, circular dichroism spectroscopy analysis, transmission electron microscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis. Furthermore, we examined the ability of red-beet betalain pigments to interfere with Aß toxicity by using the transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans model, which expresses the human Aß42 protein intracellularly within the body wall muscle. It responds to Aß-toxicity with paralysis and treatment with 50 µM red-beet betalain pigments significantly delayed the paralysis of C. elegans. These results suggest that betalain pigments reduce Aß-induced toxicity.

A nuclear protein NsiA from Epichloë festucae interacts with a MAP kinase MpkB and regulates the expression of genes required for symbiotic infection and hyphal cell fusion.

The endophytic fungus Epichloë festucae systemically colonizes the intercellular spaces of cool-season grasses to establish a mutualistic symbiosis. Hyphal growth of the endophyte within the host plant is tightly regulated and synchronized with the growth of the host plant. A genetic screen to identify symbiotic genes identified mutant FR405 that had an antagonistic interaction with the host plant. Perennial ryegrass infected with the FR405 mutant were stunted and underwent premature senescence and death. The disrupted gene in FR405 encodes a nuclear-localized protein, designated as NsiA for nuclear protein for symbiotic infection. Like previously isolated symbiotic mutants the nsiA mutant is defective in hyphal cell fusion. NsiA interacts with Ste12, a C2H2 zinc-finger transcription factor, and a MAP kinase MpkB. Both are known as essential components for cell fusion in other fungal species. In E. festucae, MpkB, but not Ste12, is essential for cell fusion. Expression of several genes required for cell fusion and symbiosis, including proA/adv-1, pro41/ham-6, ham7, ham8, and ham9 were downregulated in the nsiA mutant. However, the NsiA ortholog in Neurospora crassa was not essential for hyphal cell fusion. These results demonstrate that the roles of NsiA and Ste12 orthologs in hyphal cell fusion are distinctive between fungal species.

Polyploid QTL-seq towards rapid development of tightly linked DNA markers for potato and sweetpotato breeding through whole-genome resequencing.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.), which are nutritionally and commercially important tuberous crops, possess a perplexing heredity because of their autopolyploid genomes. To reduce cross-breeding efforts for selecting superior cultivars from progenies with innumerable combinations of traits, DNA markers tightly linked to agronomical traits are required. To develop DNA markers, we developed a method for quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping using whole-genome next-generation sequencing (NGS) in autopolyploid crops. To apply the NGS-based bulked segregant method, QTL-seq was modified. (1) Single parent-specific simplex (unique for one homologous chromosome) single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which present a simple segregation ratio in the progenies, were exploited by filtering SNPs by SNP index (allele frequency). (2) Clusters of SNPs, which were inherited unevenly between bulked progenies with opposite phenotypes, especially those with an SNP index of 0 for the bulk that did not display the phenotypes of interest, were explored. These modifications allowed for separate tracking of alleles located on each of the multiple homologous chromosomes. By applying this method, clusters of SNPs linked to the potato cyst nematode resistance H1 gene and storage root anthocyanin (AN) content were identified in tetraploid potato and hexaploid sweetpotato, respectively, and completely linked DNA markers were developed at the site of the presented SNPs. Thus, polyploid QTL-seq is a versatile method that is free from specialized manipulation for sequencing and construction of elaborate linkage maps and facilitates rapid development of tightly linked DNA markers in autopolyploid crops, such as potato and sweetpotato.

Lineage-specific gene acquisition or loss is involved in interspecific hybrid sterility in rice.

Understanding the genetic basis of reproductive barriers between species has been a central issue in evolutionary biology. The S1 locus in rice causes hybrid sterility and is a major reproductive barrier between two rice species, Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrima The O. glaberrima-derived allele (denoted S1g) on the S1 locus causes preferential abortion of gametes with its allelic alternative (denoted S1s) in S1g/S1s heterozygotes. Here, we used mutagenesis and screening of fertile hybrid plants to isolate a mutant with an allele, S1mut, which does not confer sterility in the S1mut/S1g and S1mut/S1s hybrids. We found that the causal mutation of the S1mut allele was a deletion in the peptidase-coding gene (denoted "SSP") in the S1 locus of O. glaberrima No orthologous genes of SSP were found in the O. sativa genome. Transformation experiments indicated that the introduction of SSP in carriers of the S1s allele did not induce sterility. In S1mut/S1s heterozygotes, the insertion of SSP led to sterility, suggesting that SSP complemented the loss of the functional phenotype of the mutant and that multiple factors are involved in the phenomenon. The polymorphisms caused by the lineage-specific acquisition or loss of the SSP gene were implicated in the generation of hybrid sterility. Our results demonstrated that artificial disruption of a single gene for the reproductive barrier creates a "neutral" allele, which facilitates interspecific hybridization for breeding programs.

Sat-BSA: an NGS-based method using local de novo assembly of long reads for rapid identification of genomic structural variations associated with agronomic traits.

Advances in next generation sequencing (NGS)-based methodologies have accelerated the identifications of simple genetic variants such as point mutations and small insertions/deletions (InDels). Structural variants (SVs) including large InDels and rearrangements provide vital sources of genetic diversity for plant breeding. However, their analysis remains a challenge due to their complex nature. Consequently, novel NGS-based approaches are needed to rapidly and accurately identify SVs. Here, we present an NGS-based bulked-segregant analysis (BSA) technique called Sat-BSA (SVs associated with traits) for identifying SVs controlling traits of interest in crops. Sat-BSA targets allele frequencies at all SNP positions to first identify candidate genomic regions associated with a trait, which is then reconstructed by long reads-based local de novo assembly. Finally, the association between SVs, RNA-seq-based gene expression patterns and trait is evaluated for multiple cultivars to narrow down the candidate genes. We applied Sat-BSA to segregating F2 progeny obtained from crosses between turnip cultivars with different tuber colors and successfully isolated two genes harboring SVs that are responsible for tuber phenotypes. The current study demonstrates the utility of Sat-BSA for the identification of SVs associated with traits of interest in species with large and heterozygous genomes.

Lumi-Map, a Real-Time Luciferase Bioluminescence Screen of Mutants Combined with MutMap, Reveals Arabidopsis Genes Involved in PAMP-Triggered Immunity.

Plants recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) to activate PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI). However, our knowledge of PTI signaling remains limited. In this report, we introduce Lumi-Map, a high-throughput platform for identifying causative single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for studying PTI signaling components. In Lumi-Map, a transgenic reporter plant line is produced that contains a firefly luciferase (LUC) gene driven by a defense gene promoter, which generates luminescence upon PAMP treatment. The line is mutagenized and the mutants with altered luminescence patterns are screened by a high-throughput real-time bioluminescence monitoring system. Selected mutants are subjected to MutMap analysis, a whole-genome sequencing-based method of rapid mutation identification, to identify the causative SNP responsible for the luminescence pattern change. We generated nine transgenic Arabidopsis reporter lines expressing the LUC gene fused to multiple promoter sequences of defense-related genes. These lines generate luminescence upon activation of FLAGELLIN-SENSING 2 (FLS2) by flg22, a PAMP derived from bacterial flagellin. We selected the WRKY29-promoter reporter line to identify mutants in the signaling pathway downstream of FLS2. After screening 24,000 ethylmethanesulfonate-induced mutants of the reporter line, we isolated 22 mutants with altered WRKY29 expression upon flg22 treatment (abbreviated as awf mutants). Although five flg22-insensitive awf mutants harbored mutations in FLS2 itself, Lumi-Map revealed three genes not previously associated with PTI. Lumi-Map has the potential to identify novel PAMPs and their receptors as well as signaling components downstream of the receptors.[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Arabidopsis SMN2/HEN2, Encoding DEAD-Box RNA Helicase, Governs Proper Expression of the Resistance Gene SMN1/RPS6 and Is Involved in Dwarf, Autoimmune Phenotypes of mekk1 and mpk4 Mutants.

In Arabidopsis thaliana, a mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, MEKK1-MKK1/MKK2-MPK4, is important for basal resistance and disruption of this pathway results in dwarf, autoimmune phenotypes. To elucidate the complex mechanisms activated by the disruption of this pathway, we have previously developed a mutant screening system based on a dwarf autoimmune line that overexpressed the N-terminal regulatory domain of MEKK1. Here, we report that the second group of mutants, smn2, had defects in the SMN2 gene, encoding a DEAD-box RNA helicase. SMN2 is identical to HEN2, whose function is vital for the nuclear RNA exosome because it provides non-ribosomal RNA specificity for RNA turnover, RNA quality control and RNA processing. Aberrant SMN1/RPS6 transcripts were detected in smn2 and hen2 mutants. Disease resistance against Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (hopA1), which is conferred by SMN1/RPS6, was decreased in smn2 mutants, suggesting a functional connection between SMN1/RPS6 and SMN2/HEN2. We produced double mutants mekk1smn2 and mpk4smn2 to determine whether the smn2 mutations suppress the dwarf, autoimmune phenotypes of the mekk1 and mpk4 mutants, as the smn1 mutations do. As expected, the mekk1 and mpk4 phenotypes were suppressed by the smn2 mutations. These results suggested that SMN2 is involved in the proper function of SMN1/RPS6. The Gene Ontology enrichment analysis using RNA-seq data showed that defense genes were downregulated in smn2, suggesting a positive contribution of SMN2 to the genome-wide expression of defense genes. In conclusion, this study provides novel insight into plant immunity via SMN2/HEN2, an essential component of the nuclear RNA exosome.

Transcriptional and Post-transcriptional Mechanisms Limit Heading Date 1 (Hd1) Function to Adapt Rice to High Latitudes.

Rice flowering is controlled by changes in the photoperiod that promote the transition to the reproductive phase as days become shorter. Natural genetic variation for flowering time has been largely documented and has been instrumental to define the genetics of the photoperiodic pathway, as well as providing valuable material for artificial selection of varieties better adapted to local environments. We mined genetic variation in a collection of rice varieties highly adapted to European regions and isolated distinct variants of the long day repressor HEADING DATE 1 (Hd1) that perturb its expression or protein function. Specific variants allowed us to define novel features of the photoperiodic flowering pathway. We demonstrate that a histone fold domain scaffold formed by GRAIN YIELD, PLANT HEIGHT AND HEADING DATE 8 (Ghd8) and several NF-YC subunits can accommodate distinct proteins, including Hd1 and PSEUDO RESPONSE REGULATOR 37 (PRR37), and that the resulting OsNF-Y complex containing Hd1 can bind a specific sequence in the promoter of HEADING DATE 3A (Hd3a). Artificial selection has locally favored an Hd1 variant unable to assemble in such heterotrimeric complex. The causal polymorphism was defined as a single conserved lysine in the CCT domain of the Hd1 protein. Our results indicate how genetic variation can be stratified and explored at multiple levels, and how its description can contribute to the molecular understanding of basic developmental processes.

Disruption of the MAMP-Induced MEKK1-MKK1/MKK2-MPK4 Pathway Activates the TNL Immune Receptor SMN1/RPS6.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways have a pivotal role in innate immunity signaling in plants. In Arabidopsis, the MAPK pathway that consists of MEKK1, MKK1/MKK2 and MPK4 is involved in pattern-triggered immunity signaling upstream of defense gene expression. This pathway is partly guarded by SUMM2, a nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat (NLR) protein, which is activated by disruption of the MAPK pathway. To identify other components required for the guard mechanism, here we developed a new mutant screening system utilizing a dwarf autoimmune line that overexpressed the N-terminal regulatory domain of MEKK1. Mutants with suppression of the dwarf, autoimmune phenotypes were identified, and one locus responsible for the phenotype was designated as suppressor of MEKK1N overexpression-induced dwarf 1 (SMN1). MutMap analysis revealed that SMN1 encodes the Toll/Interleukin-1 receptor (TIR)-class NLR protein RPS6, a previously identified resistant protein against bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato expressing the HopA1 effector. Importantly, mutations in SMN1/RPS6 also partially suppressed the dwarf, autoimmune phenotypes of mekk1 and mpk4 plants. Our results suggest that the two structurally distinct NLR proteins, SMN1/RPS6 and SUMM2, monitor integrity of the MEKK1-MKK1/MKK2-MPK4 pathway.

Next-generation sequencing-based bulked segregant analysis for QTL mapping in the heterozygous species Brassica rapa.

KEY MESSAGE: An improved protocol of QTL-seq, an NGS-based method for bulked segregant analysis we previously developed in rice, allowed successful mapping of QTLs of interest in the highly heterozygous genome of B. rapa, demonstrating the power of this elegant method for genetic analyses in heterozygous species of economic importance. Recent advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) and the various NGS-based methods developed for rapidly identifying candidate genes of interest have accelerated genetic analysis mainly in the model plants rice and Arabidopsis. Brassica rapa includes several economically important crops such as Chinese cabbage, turnip and various leafy vegetables. The application of NGS-based approaches for the analysis of B. rapa has been limited mainly due to its highly heterozygous genome and poor quality of the reference genome sequence currently available for this species. In this study, we have improved QTL-seq, a method for NGS-based bulked segregant analysis we previously developed in rice, extending its applicability for accelerating the genetic analysis and molecular breeding of B. rapa. Addition of new filters to the original QTL-seq pipeline allowed removal of spurious single-nucleotide polymorphisms caused by alignment/sequencing errors and variability between parents, significantly improving accuracy of the analysis. As proof of principle, we successfully applied the new approach to identify candidate genomic regions controlling flowering and trichome formation using segregating F2 progeny obtained from crosses made between cultivars of B. rapa showing contrasting phenotypes for these traits. We strongly believe that the improved QTL-seq method reported here will extend the applicability of NGS-based genetic analysis not only to B. rapa but also to other plant species of economic importance with heterozygous genomes.

Salt Tolerance Improvement in Rice through Efficient SNP Marker-Assisted Selection Coupled with Speed-Breeding.

Salinity critically limits rice metabolism, growth, and productivity worldwide. Improvement of the salt resistance of locally grown high-yielding cultivars is a slow process. The objective of this study was to develop a new salt-tolerant rice germplasm using speed-breeding. Here, we precisely introgressed the hst1 gene, transferring salinity tolerance from "Kaijin" into high-yielding "Yukinko-mai" (WT) rice through single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker-assisted selection. Using a biotron speed-breeding technique, we developed a BC3F3 population, named "YNU31-2-4", in six generations and 17 months. High-resolution genotyping by whole-genome sequencing revealed that the BC3F2 genome had 93.5% similarity to the WT and fixed only 2.7% of donor parent alleles. Functional annotation of BC3F2 variants along with field assessment data indicated that "YNU31-2-4" plants carrying the hst1 gene had similar agronomic traits to the WT under normal growth condition. "YNU31-2-4" seedlings subjected to salt stress (125 mM NaCl) had a significantly higher survival rate and increased shoot and root biomasses than the WT. At the tissue level, quantitative and electron probe microanalyzer studies indicated that "YNU31-2-4" seedlings avoided Na+ accumulation in shoots under salt stress. The "YNU31-2-4" plants showed an improved phenotype with significantly higher net CO2 assimilation and lower yield decline than WT under salt stress at the reproductive stage. "YNU31-2-4" is a potential candidate for a new rice cultivar that is highly tolerant to salt stress at the seedling and reproductive stages, and which might maintain yields under a changing global climate.

Phytochelatin synthase OsPCS1 plays a crucial role in reducing arsenic levels in rice grains.

Reduction of the level of arsenic (As) in rice grains is an important challenge for agriculture. A recent study reported that the OsABCC1 transporter prevents the accumulation of As in grains by sequestering As-phytochelatin complexes into vacuoles in the upper nodes. However, how phytochelatins are provided in response to As remains unclear. Here, we show that the phytochelatin synthase OsPCS1 plays a crucial role in reducing As levels in rice grains. Using a forward genetic approach, we isolated two rice mutants (has1 and has2) in which As levels were much higher in grains but significantly lower in node I compared with the wild type. Map-based cloning identified the genes responsible as OsABCC1 in has1 and OsPCS1 in has2. The levels of As in grains and node I were similar between the two mutants, suggesting that OsABCC1 preferentially cooperates with OsPCS1 to sequester As, although rice has another phytochelatin synthase, OsPCS2. An in vitro phytochelatin synthesis assay indicated that OsPCS1 was more sensitive to activation by As than by cadmium, whereas OsPCS2 was more weakly activated by As than by cadmium. Transgenic plants highly expressing OsPCS1 showed significantly lower As levels in grains than did wild-type plants. Our results provide new knowledge of the relative contribution of rice PCS paralogs to As sequestration and suggest a good candidate tool to reduce As levels in rice grains.

Isolation and characterization of the betalain biosynthesis gene involved in hypocotyl pigmentation of the allotetraploid Chenopodium quinoa.

In quinoa seedlings, the pigment betalain accumulates in the hypocotyl. To isolate the genes involved in betalain biosynthesis in the hypocotyl, we performed ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutagenesis on the CQ127 variety of quinoa seedlings. While putative amaranthin and celosianin II primarily accumulate in the hypocotyls, this process produced a green hypocotyl mutant (ghy). This MutMap+ method using the quinoa draft genome revealed that the causative gene of the mutant is CqCYP76AD1-1. Our results indicated that the expression of CqCYP76AD1-1 was light-dependent. In addition, the transient expression of CqCYP76AD1-1 in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves resulted in the accumulation of betanin but not isobetanin, and the presence of a polymorphism in CqCYP76A1-2 in the CQ127 variety was shown to have resulted in its loss of function. These findings suggested that CqCYP76AD1-1 is involved in betalain biosynthesis during the hypocotyl pigmentation process in quinoa. To our knowledge, CqCYP76AD1-1 is the first quinoa gene identified by EMS mutagenesis using a draft gene sequence.

MutMapPlus identified novel mutant alleles of a rice starch branching enzyme IIb gene for fine-tuning of cooked rice texture.

Physicochemical properties of storage starch largely determine rice grain quality and food characteristics. Therefore, modification of starch property is effective to fine-tune cooked rice textures. To obtain new resources with modified starch property as breeding materials, we screened a mutant population of a japonica cultivar Nipponbare and found two independent mutant lines, altered gelatinization (age)1 and age2, with moderate changes in starch gelatinization property. A combination of conventional genetic analyses and the latest mapping method, MutMapPlus, revealed that both of these lines harbour novel independent mutant alleles of starch branching enzyme IIb (BEIIb) gene. In age1, amino acid substitution of Met-723 to Lys completely abolished BEIIb enzyme activity without significant reduction in its protein level. A transposon insertion in an intron of BEIIb gene reduced BEIIb protein level and activity in age2. Production of a series of the mutant lines by combining age alleles and indica-type starch synthase IIa allele established stepwise alteration of the physicochemical properties of starch including apparent amylose content, thermal property, digestibility by α-amylase and branched structures of amylopectin. Consistent with the alteration of starch properties, the results of a sensory evaluation test demonstrated that warm cooked rice of the mutants showed a variety of textures without marked reduction in overall palatability. These results suggest that a series of the mutant lines are capable of manipulation of cooked rice textures.

QTLs maintaining grain fertility under salt stress detected by exome QTL-seq and interval mapping in barley.

Enhancing salt stress tolerance is a key strategy for increasing global food production. We previously found that long-term salinity stress significantly reduced grain fertility in the salt-sensitive barley (Hordeum vulgare) accession, 'OUC613', but not in the salt-tolerant accession, 'OUE812', resulting in large differences in grain yield. Here, we examined the underlying causes of the difference in grain fertility between these accessions under long-term treatment with 150 or 200 mM NaCl from the seedling stage to harvest and identified quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for maintaining grain fertility. In an artificial pollination experiment of the two accessions, grain fertility was significantly reduced only in OUC613 plants produced using pollen from plants grown under NaCl stress, suggesting that the low grain fertility of OUC613 was mainly due to reduced pollen fertility. Using QTL-seq combined with exome-capture sequencing and composite interval mapping of recombinant inbred lines derived from a cross between OUE812 and OUC613, we identified a QTL (qRP-2Hb) for grain fertility on chromosome 2H. The QTL region includes two genes encoding an F-box protein and a TIFY protein that are associated with male sterility, highlighting the importance of this region for maintaining grain fertility under salt stress.