Implementation of theoretical non-photochemical quenching (NPQ(T)) to investigate NPQ of chickpea under drought stress with High-throughput Phenotyping.

Non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) is a protective mechanism for dissipating excess energy generated during photosynthesis in the form of heat. The accelerated relaxation of the NPQ in fluctuating light can lead to an increase in the yield and dry matter productivity of crops. Since the measurement of NPQ is time-consuming and requires specific light conditions, theoretical NPQ (NPQ(T)) was introduced for rapid estimation, which could be suitable for High-throughput Phenotyping. We investigated the potential of NPQ(T) to be used for testing plant genetic resources of chickpea under drought stress with non-invasive High-throughput Phenotyping complemented with yield traits. Besides a high correlation between the hundred-seed-weight and the Estimated Biovolume, significant differences were observed between the two types of chickpea desi and kabuli for Estimated Biovolume and NPQ(T). Desi was able to maintain the Estimated Biovolume significantly better under drought stress. One reason could be the effective dissipation of excess excitation energy in photosystem II, which can be efficiently measured as NPQ(T). Screening of plant genetic resources for photosynthetic performance could take pre-breeding to a higher level and can be implemented in a variety of studies, such as here with drought stress or under fluctuating light in a High-throughput Phenotyping manner using NPQ(T).

HOMEOBOX2, the paralog of SIX-ROWED SPIKE1/HOMEOBOX1, is dispensable for barley spikelet development.

The HD-ZIP class I transcription factor Homeobox 1 (HvHOX1), also known as Vulgare Row-type Spike 1 (VRS1) or Six-rowed Spike 1, regulates lateral spikelet fertility in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). It was shown that HvHOX1 has a high expression only in lateral spikelets, while its paralog HvHOX2 was found to be expressed in different plant organs. Yet, the mechanistic functions of HvHOX1 and HvHOX2 during spikelet development are still fragmentary. Here, we show that compared with HvHOX1, HvHOX2 is more highly conserved across different barley genotypes and Hordeum species, hinting at a possibly vital but still unclarified biological role. Using bimolecular fluorescence complementation, DNA-binding, and transactivation assays, we validate that HvHOX1 and HvHOX2 are bona fide transcriptional activators that may potentially heterodimerize. Accordingly, both genes exhibit similar spatiotemporal expression patterns during spike development and growth, albeit their mRNA levels differ quantitatively. We show that HvHOX1 delays the lateral spikelet meristem differentiation and affects fertility by aborting the reproductive organs. Interestingly, the ancestral relationship of the two genes inferred from their co-expressed gene networks suggested that HvHOX1 and HvHOX2 might play a similar role during barley spikelet development. However, CRISPR-derived mutants of HvHOX1 and HvHOX2 demonstrated the suppressive role of HvHOX1 on lateral spikelets, while the loss of HvHOX2 does not influence spikelet development. Collectively, our study shows that through the suppression of reproductive organs, lateral spikelet fertility is regulated by HvHOX1, whereas HvHOX2 is dispensable for spikelet development in barley.

Mapping parental DMRs predictive of local and distal methylome remodeling in epigenetic F1 hybrids.

F1 hybrids derived from a cross between two inbred parental lines often display widespread changes in DNA methylation and gene expression patterns relative to their parents. An emerging challenge is to understand how parental epigenomic differences contribute to these events. Here, we generated a large mapping panel of F1 epigenetic hybrids, whose parents are isogenic but variable in their DNA methylation patterns. Using a combination of multi-omic profiling and epigenetic mapping strategies we show that differentially methylated regions in parental pericentromeres act as major reorganizers of hybrid methylomes and transcriptomes, even in the absence of genetic variation. These parental differentially methylated regions are associated with hybrid methylation remodeling events at thousands of target regions throughout the genome, both locally (in cis) and distally (in trans). Many of these distally-induced methylation changes lead to nonadditive expression of nearby genes and associate with phenotypic heterosis. Our study highlights the pleiotropic potential of parental pericentromeres in the functional remodeling of hybrid genomes and phenotypes.

Cryopreservation of Duckweed Genetic Diversity as Model for Long-Term Preservation of Aquatic Flowering Plants.

Vegetatively propagating aquatic angiosperms, the Lemnaceae family (duckweeds) represents valuable genetic resources for circular bioeconomics and other sustainable applications. Due to extremely fast growth and laborious cultivation of in vitro collections, duckweeds are an urgent subject for cryopreservation. We developed a robust and fast DMSO-free protocol for duckweed cryopreservation by vitrification. A single-use device was designed for sampling of duckweed fronds from donor culture, further spin-drying, and subsequent transferring to cryo-tubes with plant vitrification solution 3 (PVS3). Following cultivation in darkness and applying elevated temperatures during early regrowth stage, a specific pulsed illumination instead of a diurnal regime enabled successful regrowth after the cryopreservation of 21 accessions of Spirodela, Landoltia, Lemna, and Wolffia genera, including interspecific hybrids, auto- and allopolyploids. Genome size measurements revealed no quantitative genomic changes potentially caused by cryopreservation. The expression of CBF/DREB1 genes, considered as key factors in the development of freezing tolerance, was studied prior to cooling but was not linked with duckweed regrowth after rewarming. Despite preserving chlorophyll fluorescence after rewarming, the rewarmed fronds demonstrated nearly zero photosynthetic activity, which did not recover. The novel protocol provides the basis for future routine application of cryostorage to duckweed germplasm collections, saving labor for in vitro cultivation and maintaining characterized reference and mutant samples.

Dynamic growth QTL action in diverse light environments: characterization of light regime-specific and stable QTL in Arabidopsis.

Plant growth is a complex process affected by a multitude of genetic and environmental factors and their interactions. To identify genetic factors influencing plant performance under different environmental conditions, vegetative growth was assessed in Arabidopsis thaliana cultivated under constant or fluctuating light intensities, using high-throughput phenotyping and genome-wide association studies. Daily automated non-invasive phenotyping of a collection of 382 Arabidopsis accessions provided growth data during developmental progression under different light regimes at high temporal resolution. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) for projected leaf area, relative growth rate, and PSII operating efficiency detected under the two light regimes were predominantly condition-specific and displayed distinct temporal activity patterns, with active phases ranging from 2 d to 9 d. Eighteen protein-coding genes and one miRNA gene were identified as potential candidate genes at 10 QTL regions consistently found under both light regimes. Expression patterns of three candidate genes affecting projected leaf area were analysed in time-series experiments in accessions with contrasting vegetative leaf growth. These observations highlight the importance of considering both environmental and temporal patterns of QTL/allele actions and emphasize the need for detailed time-resolved analyses under diverse well-defined environmental conditions to effectively unravel the complex and stage-specific contributions of genes affecting plant growth processes.

Genome-wide analysis of the laccase (LAC) gene family in Aeluropus littoralis: A focus on identification, evolution and expression patterns in response to abiotic stresses and ABA treatment.

Laccases are plant enzymes with essential functions during growth and development. These monophenoloxidases are involved in lignin polymerization, and their expression respond to environmental stress. However, studies of laccases in some plants and fungi have highlighted that many structural and functional aspects of these genes are still unknown. Here, the laccase gene family in Aeluropus littoralis (AlLAC) is described based on sequence structure and expression patterns under abiotic stresses and ABA treatment. Fifteen non-redundant AlLACs were identified from the A. littoralis genome, which showed differences in physicochemical characteristics and gene structure. Based on phylogenetic analysis, AlLACs and their orthologues were classified into five groups. A close evolutionary relationship was observed between LAC gene family members in rice and A. littoralis. According to the interaction network, AlLACs interact more with proteins involved in biological processes such as iron incorporation into the metallo-sulfur cluster, lignin catabolism, regulation of the symbiotic process and plant-type primary cell wall biogenesis. Gene expression analysis of selected AlLACs using real-time RT (reverse transcription)-PCR revealed that AlLACs are induced in response to abiotic stresses such as cold, salt, and osmotic stress, as well as ABA treatment. Moreover, AlLACs showed differential expression patterns in shoot and root tissues. Our findings indicate that AlLACs are preferentially involved in the late response of A. littoralis to abiotic stress.

Comprehensive Analysis of Calcium Sensor Families, CBL and CIPK, in Aeluropus littoralis and Their Expression Profile in Response to Salinity.

Plants have acquired sets of highly regulated and complex signaling pathways to respond to unfavorable environmental conditions during evolution. Calcium signaling, as a vital mechanism, enables plants to respond to external stimuli, including abiotic and biotic stresses, and coordinate the basic processes of growth and development. In the present study, two calcium sensor families, CBL and CIPK, were investigated in a halophyte plant, Aeluropus littoralis, with a comprehensive analysis. Here, six AlCBL genes, and twenty AlCIPK genes were studied. The analysis of the gene structure and conserved motifs, as well as physicochemical properties, showed that these genes are highly conserved during evolution. The expression levels of AlCBL genes and AlCIPK genes were evaluated under salt stress in leaf and root tissue. Based on the real-time RT-PCR results, the AlCIPK gene family had a higher variation in mRNA abundance than the AlCBL gene family. AlCIPK genes were found to have a higher abundance in leaves than in roots. The results suggest that the correlation between AlCBL genes and AlCIPK is tissue-specific, and different correlations can be expected in leaves and roots. Based on these correlations, AlCIPK3.1-AlCBL4.1 and AlCIPK1.2-AlCBL4.4 can be co-expressed in the root tissue, while AlCBL10 has the potential to be co-expressed with AlCIPK5, AlCIPK26, and AlCIPK12.3 in the leaf tissue. Our findings reveal valuable information on the structure and function of calcium sensor families in A. littoralis, a halophyte plant, that can be used in future research on the biological function of CBLs and CIPKs on salt stress resistance.

Selection of reference genes for RT-qPCR analysis of rice with Rhizoctonia solani infection and biocontrol PGPR/KSi application.

BACKGROUND: Rhizoctonia solani (AG1 IA) is an important pathogen of rice (Oryza sativa L.) that causes rice sheath blight (RSB). Since control of RSB by breeding and fungicides have had limited success, novel strategies like biocontrol with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can be an effective alternative. METHOD AND RESULTS: Seven commonly used reference genes (RGs), 18SrRNA, ACT1, GAPDH2, UBC5, RPS27, eIF4a and CYP28, were evaluated for their stability in rice-R. solani-PGPR interaction for real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis. Different algorithms were examined, Delta Ct, geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and comprehensive ranking by RefFinder, to evaluate RT-qPCR of rice in tissues infected with R. solani and treated with the PGPR strains, Pseudomonas saponiphilia and Pseudomonas protegens, with potassium silicate (KSi) alone or in combination with each PGPR strain. RG stability was affected for each treatment and treatment-specific RG selection was suggested. Validation analysis was done for nonexpressor of PR-1(NPR1) for each treatment. CONCLUSION: Overall, ACT1 was the most stable RG with R. solani infection alone, GAPDH2 with R. solani infection plus KSi, UBC5 with R. solani infection plus P. saponiphilia, and eIF4a with R. solani infection plus P. protegens. Both ACT1 and RPS27 were the most stable with the combination of KSi and P. saponiphilia, while RPS27 was the most stable with the combination of KSi and P. protegens.

Initial Description of the Genome of Aeluropus littoralis, a Halophile Grass.

The use of wild plant species or their halophytic relatives has been considered in plant breeding programs to improve salt and drought tolerance in crop plants. Aeluropus littoralis serves as halophyte model for identification and isolation of novel stress adaptation genes. A. littoralis, a perennial monocot grass, grows in damp or arid areas, often salt-impregnated places and wasteland in cultivated areas, can survive periodically high water salinity, and tolerate high salt concentrations in the soil up to 1,100 mM sodium chloride. Therefore, it serves as valuable genetic resource to understand molecular mechanisms of stress-responses in monocots. The knowledge can potentially be used for improving tolerance to abiotic stresses in economically important crops. Several morphological, anatomical, ecological, and physiological traits of A. littoralis have been investigated so far. After watering with salt water the grass is able to excrete salt via its salt glands. Meanwhile, a number of ESTs (expressed sequence tag), genes and promoters induced by the salt and drought stresses were isolated, sequenced and annotated at a molecular level. Transfer of stress related genes to other species resulted in enhanced stress resistance. Here we describe the genome sequence and structure of A. littoralis analyzed by whole genome sequencing and histological analysis. The chromosome number was determined to be 20 (2n = 2x = 20). The genome size was calculated to be 354 Mb. This genomic information provided here, will support the functional investigation and application of novel genes improving salt stress resistance in crop plants. The utility of the sequence information is exemplified by the analysis of the DREB-transcription factor family.

Ion content, antioxidant enzyme activity and transcriptional response under salt stress and recovery condition in the halophyte grass Aeluropus littoralis.

OBJECTIVE: In contrast to glycophytes, halophyte plants have evolved unique morphological and physiological mechanisms to deal with abiotic stress. This study presents the physiological responses of Aeluropus littoralis, a halophyte grass, to salt stress and recovery conditions on the molecular level. RESULTS: Elemental analysis showed that Na+ concentration increased in the analyzed tissue during salt stress application, and declined at recovery condition. With the exception of root tissue, comparable trends of K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ concentrations were observed (decreased during salt stress, increased during recovery). Salinity led to an increase in total chlorophyll (Chl), Chl a, and carotenoids content, while Chl b content decreased. The level of the proline amino acid associated with drought and salt stress was increased. Here APX, POD, and SOD activity were strongly detectable in roots and reduced later under recovery conditions. RT-qPCR revealed up-regulation of antioxidant genes at S1 and S3 in the root but down-regulation in recovery conditions. This study found a significant halophyte index for understanding the processes of salinity tolerance in A. littoralis. These findings may provide insight into the role of antioxidant enzymes during salt stress and the mechanism underlying the plant's response to stress.

INTERMEDIUM-C mediates the shade-induced bud growth arrest in barley.

Tiller formation is a key agronomic determinant for grain yield in cereal crops. The modulation of this trait is controlled by transcriptional regulators and plant hormones, tightly regulated by external environmental conditions. While endogenous (genetic) and exogenous (environmental factors) triggers for tiller formation have mostly been investigated separately, it has remained elusive how they are integrated into the developmental program of this trait. The transcription factor gene INTERMEDIUM-C (INT-C), which is the barley ortholog of the maize domestication gene TEOSINTE BRANCHED1 (TB1), has a prominent role in regulating tiller bud outgrowth. Here we show that INT-C is expressed in tiller buds, required for bud growth arrest in response to shade. In contrast to wild-type plants, int-c mutant plants are impaired in their shade response and do not stop tiller production after shading. Gene expression levels of INT-C are up-regulated under light-limiting growth conditions, and down-regulated after decapitation. Transcriptome analysis of wild-type and int-c buds under control and shading conditions identified target genes of INT-C that belong to auxin and gibberellin biosynthesis and signaling pathways. Our study identifies INT-C as an integrator of the shade response into tiller formation, which is prerequisite for implementing shading responses in the breeding of cereal crops.

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Derived Small RNAs and Changes in Circulating Small RNAs Associated with COVID-19.

Cleavage of double-stranded RNA is described as an evolutionary conserved host defense mechanism against viral infection. Small RNAs are the product and triggers of post transcriptional gene silencing events. Up until now, the relevance of this mechanism for SARS-CoV-2-directed immune responses remains elusive. Herein, we used high throughput sequencing to profile the plasma of active and convalescent COVID-19 patients for the presence of small circulating RNAs. The existence of SARS-CoV-2 derived small RNAs in plasma samples of mild and severe COVID-19 cases is described. Clusters of high siRNA abundance were discovered, homologous to the nsp2 3'-end and nsp4 virus sequence. Four virus-derived small RNA sequences have the size of human miRNAs, and a target search revealed candidate genes associated with ageusia and long COVID symptoms. These virus-derived small RNAs were detectable also after recovery from the disease. The additional analysis of circulating human miRNAs revealed differentially abundant miRNAs, discriminating mild from severe cases. A total of 29 miRNAs were reduced or absent in severe cases. Several of these are associated with JAK-STAT response and cytokine storm.

Obtaining High-Quality Transcriptome Data from Cereal Seeds by a Modified Method for Gene Expression Profiling.

The characterization of gene expression is dependent on RNA quality. In germinating, developing and mature cereal seeds, the extraction of high-quality RNA is often hindered by high starch and sugar content. These compounds can reduce both the yield and the quality of the extracted total RNA. The deterioration in quantity and quality of total RNA can subsequently have a significant impact on the downstream transcriptomic analyses, which may not accurately reflect the spatial and/or temporal variation in the gene expression profile of the samples being tested. In this protocol, we describe an optimized method for extraction of total RNA with sufficient quantity and quality to be used for whole transcriptome analysis of cereal grains. The described method is suitable for several downstream applications used for transcriptomic profiling of developing, germinating, and mature cereal seeds. The method of transcriptome profiling using a microarray platform is shown. This method is specifically designed for gene expression profiling of cereals with described genome sequences. The detailed procedure from microarray handling to final quality control is described. This includes cDNA synthesis, cRNA labelling, microarray hybridization, slide scanning, feature extraction, and data quality validation. The data generated by this method can be used to characterize the transcriptome of cereals during germination, in various stages of grain development, or at different biotic or abiotic stress conditions. The results presented here exemplify high-quality transcriptome data amenable for downstream bioinformatics analyses, such as the determination of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), characterisation of gene regulatory networks, and conducting transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS).

siRNA-Finder (si-Fi) Software for RNAi-Target Design and Off-Target Prediction.

RNA interference (RNAi) is a technique used for transgene-mediated gene silencing based on the mechanism of posttranscriptional gene silencing (PTGS). PTGS is an ubiquitous basic biological phenomenon involved in the regulation of transcript abundance and plants' immune response to viruses. PTGS also mediates genomic stability by silencing of retroelements. RNAi has become an important research tool for studying gene function by strong and selective suppression of target genes. Here, we present si-Fi, a software tool for design optimization of RNAi constructs necessary for specific target gene knock-down. It offers efficiency prediction of RNAi sequences and off-target search, required for the practical application of RNAi. si-Fi is an open-source (CC BY-SA license) desktop software that works in Microsoft Windows environment and can use custom sequence databases in standard FASTA format.

Deregulated Phosphorylation of CENH3 at Ser65 Affects the Development of Floral Meristems in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Several histone variants are posttranslationally phosphorylated. Little is known about phosphorylation of the centromere-specific histone 3 (CENH3) variant in plants. We show that CENH3 of Arabidopsis thaliana is phosphorylated in vitro by Aurora3, predominantly at serine 65. Interaction of Aurora3 and CENH3 was found by immunoprecipitation (IP) in A. thaliana and by bimolecular fluorescence complementation. Western blotting with an anti-CENH3 pS65 antibody showed that CENH3 pS65 is more abundant in flower buds than elsewhere in the plant. Substitution of serine 65 by either alanine or aspartic acid resulted in a range of phenotypic abnormalities, especially in reproductive tissues. We conclude that Aurora3 phosphorylates CENH3 at S65 and that this post-translational modification is required for the proper development of the floral meristem.

EFFECTOR OF TRANSCRIPTION factors are novel plant-specific regulators associated with genomic DNA methylation in Arabidopsis.

Plant-specific EFFECTORS OF TRANSCRIPTION (ET) are characterised by a variable number of highly conserved ET repeats, which are involved in zinc and DNA binding. In addition, ETs share a GIY-YIG domain, involved in DNA nicking activity. It was hypothesised that ETs might act as epigenetic regulators. Here, methylome, transcriptome and phenotypic analyses were performed to investigate the role of ET factors and their involvement in DNA methylation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Comparative DNA methylation and transcriptome analyses in flowers and seedlings of et mutants revealed ET-specific differentially expressed genes and mostly independently characteristic, ET-specific differentially methylated regions. Loss of ET function results in pleiotropic developmental defects. The accumulation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers after ultraviolet stress in et mutants suggests an ET function in DNA repair.

Analysis of Developing Rice Grain Transcriptome Using the Agilent Microarray Platform.

Transcriptome analysis reflects the status quo of transcribed genetic code present in the form of mRNA, which helps to infer biological processes and unravel metabolic status. Despite the increasing adoption of RNA-Seq technique in recent years, transcriptome analysis using the microarray platform remains the gold standard technique, which offers a simpler, more cost-effective, and efficient method for high-throughput gene expression profiling. In this chapter, we described a streamlined transcriptomic analyses pipeline employed to study developing rice grains that can also be applied to other tissue samples and species. We described a novel RNA extraction method that obviates the problem introduced by high-starch content during rice grain development that usually leads to reduction in RNA yield and quality. The detailed procedure of microarray analysis involved in cDNA synthesis, cRNA labeling, microarray hybridization, slide scanning, feature extraction to QC validation has been described. The description of a newly developed Indica- and Japonica-specific microarray slides developed from the genome information of subpopulation to study gene expression of 60,000 genes has been highlighted. The downstream bioinformatics analyses including expression QTL mapping and gene regulatory network analyses were mentioned.

Quantification of DNA Methylation as Biomarker for Grain Quality.

DNA methylation is an important biomarker for gene activity. It contributes to gene silencing and is involved in regulating various seed developmental processes in plants. Many of these processes are involved in important traits associated with aspects of grain quality. A reliable, fast, and cheap method is the estimation of DNA methylation utilizing methylation sensitive restriction enzymes (MSRE) and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) for selected candidate regions. The presented method can be used to confirm an effect of RNAi constructs on their target genes or trans-activity. Analysis of promoter regions can contribute to estimation of gene activity and related traits.