Grain size and weight contribute to wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)yield,yet how Glycogen synthase kinase3(GSK3)/SHAGGY-like kinase signaling interfaces with carbohydrate metabolism during grain development remains poorly...Grain size and weight contribute to wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)yield,yet how Glycogen synthase kinase3(GSK3)/SHAGGY-like kinase signaling interfaces with carbohydrate metabolism during grain development remains poorly understood.In this study,we characterized four wheat TaSK41 gene copies(TaSK41-1A,-4A,-5B,and-5D),which were preferentially expressed in young spikes and developing grains,particularly in the pericarp during early development.TaSK41-5B localizes to both the cytoplasm and nucleus.Using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated multiplex genome editing,we generated two independent quadruple mutant lines(task41-cr1 and task41-cr2)in the wheat cultivar‘Fielder'with all four TaSK41 copies simultaneously disrupted.The quadruple mutants exhibited a greater number of grains per spike,increased thousand-grain weight,larger grain size,and enhanced starch accumulation.The larger grains in the mutant lines were associated with increased cell proliferation in the outer pericarp and higher levels of auxin(IAA and IBA)in developing grains.TaSK41 physically interacted with TaSnRK1β1,theβregulatory subunit of SNF1-related protein kinase 1(SnRK1)and promoted its phosphorylation in vivo,supporting that the TaSK41-TaSnRK1β1 module is associated with carbohydrate metabolism.Transcriptomic profiling revealed coordinated changes in genes related to phytohormone signaling,cell-wall remodeling,and starch/sucrose metabolism in developing grains of task41 mutants.Moreover,haplotype association analysis revealed that TaSK41-5B-HapI was significantly associated with higher thousand-grain weight across 233 hexaploid wheat accessions.These results demonstrate that TaSK41 acts as a negative regulator of wheat grain size and weight and provide genetic and haplotype resources for yield improvement.展开更多
Flavonols and flavanones are important bioactive compounds with multiple pharmacological activities and health benefits.Transcriptional activation of flavonol and flavanone biosynthesis has been studied extensively,wh...Flavonols and flavanones are important bioactive compounds with multiple pharmacological activities and health benefits.Transcriptional activation of flavonol and flavanone biosynthesis has been studied extensively,while little is known about the negative regulators.CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology,with the advantage of precise genetic modification,is a desirable tool for breeding biofortified materials and exploring potential molecular mechanisms.In this study,a transcriptional repressor,Sl MYB32,was characterized in tomato fruit.Phenotype and metabolomic analyses confirmed that knockout of Sl MYB32 resulted in increased accumulation of flavonols and flavanones,especially about 1 mg g-1FW of quercetin 3-O-rutinoside(rutin).Transcriptome analysis indicated that expression of key genes Sl PAL6,Sl4CL3 and Sl4CL4 as well as five candidate Sl UGTs were significantly up-regulated in slmyb32 mutants.Dual-luciferase and EMSA assays indicated Sl MYB32 could bind to and repress promoter activities of Sl PAL6 and Sl4CL3.Expression of 27 transcription factors belonging to 12 families was significantly changed in slmyb32 mutants,among which two Sl MYBs,two Sl NACs,two Sl AP2s and one Sl WRKY were clustered with known flavonoid regulators.Our results provide new insights into improving bioactive compounds in fruit and understanding negative regulatory mechanisms in flavonol and flavanone biosynthesis.展开更多
Background:SEC16A is a pivotal protein that facilitates the transport of proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi apparatus.Utilizing the protein structure func-tion database,a potentially pathogenic mutat...Background:SEC16A is a pivotal protein that facilitates the transport of proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi apparatus.Utilizing the protein structure func-tion database,a potentially pathogenic mutation site(NM_014866.1:c.4606C>G(p.L1536V))was pinpointed within the conserved central core region of the human SEC16A protein,a component integral to the COPII complex assembly.Methods:Leveraging information on human gene mutations and aligning human and mouse protein amino acid sequences,the Sec16aL1551V/L1551V mouse model was successfully developed using CRISPR/Cas9 technology.Results:Two behavioral experiments,namely novel object recognition and cued fear conditioning,revealed that Sec16aL1551V/L1551V mice demonstrated a phenotype of neurological impairment,evidenced by diminished abilities in learning and memory.Furthermore,while undergoing tail suspension,the Sec16aL1551V/L1551V mice dis-played a distinctive limb clasping behavior,a characteristic typically associated with mouse models of chronic neurodegenerative diseases.Conclusion:The Sec16aL1551V/L1551V mouse model developed in this study provid-ing a powerful tool for better understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of Sec16a gene mutations in brain dysfunction diseases.展开更多
Cadmium(Cd)in agricultural soils readily accumulates in crop grains and shoots,posing serious risks to food and feed safety,especially in maize(Zea mays L.).Natural resistance-associated macrophage proteins(NRAMPs)con...Cadmium(Cd)in agricultural soils readily accumulates in crop grains and shoots,posing serious risks to food and feed safety,especially in maize(Zea mays L.).Natural resistance-associated macrophage proteins(NRAMPs)constitute a key family of metal transporters;however,their role in Cd uptake in maize remains unclear.In this study,the maize gene ZmNRAMPL5 mediated Cd uptake when expressed in yeast.ZmNRAMPL5 knockout mutants,which exhibited no differences from wild type under normal conditions but showed reduced Cd accumulation,alleviated toxicity,increased tolerance under Cd stress.Pot experiments under simulated light and moderate Cd-contaminated soils further showed that knockout lines maintained silage biomass and exhibited over 60%and 80%increases in grain yield per ear compared with wild type,respectively.Moreover,Cd concentrations in stems,leaves,and grains of knockout lines were significantly reduced and remained well below China's national safety thresholds.Thus,ZmNRAMPL5 might be used in developing Cd-tolerant,low-Cd maize germplasm for grain and feed production in Cd-contaminated farmlands.展开更多
基金financially supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Gansu Provincial Joint Fund,China(24JRRA839)the Innovative Research Group Project of Gansu Province(24JRRA633)+3 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32160487)the Key Sci&Tech Special Project of Gansu Province(24ZD13NA019)the Developmental Funds of Innovation Capacity in Higher Education of Gansu,China(2026A-067)the Scientific Research Start-up Funds for Openly recruited Doctors of Science and Technology Innovation Funds of Gansu Agricultural University,China(GAU-KYQD-2018-41)。
摘要Grain size and weight contribute to wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)yield,yet how Glycogen synthase kinase3(GSK3)/SHAGGY-like kinase signaling interfaces with carbohydrate metabolism during grain development remains poorly understood.In this study,we characterized four wheat TaSK41 gene copies(TaSK41-1A,-4A,-5B,and-5D),which were preferentially expressed in young spikes and developing grains,particularly in the pericarp during early development.TaSK41-5B localizes to both the cytoplasm and nucleus.Using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated multiplex genome editing,we generated two independent quadruple mutant lines(task41-cr1 and task41-cr2)in the wheat cultivar‘Fielder'with all four TaSK41 copies simultaneously disrupted.The quadruple mutants exhibited a greater number of grains per spike,increased thousand-grain weight,larger grain size,and enhanced starch accumulation.The larger grains in the mutant lines were associated with increased cell proliferation in the outer pericarp and higher levels of auxin(IAA and IBA)in developing grains.TaSK41 physically interacted with TaSnRK1β1,theβregulatory subunit of SNF1-related protein kinase 1(SnRK1)and promoted its phosphorylation in vivo,supporting that the TaSK41-TaSnRK1β1 module is associated with carbohydrate metabolism.Transcriptomic profiling revealed coordinated changes in genes related to phytohormone signaling,cell-wall remodeling,and starch/sucrose metabolism in developing grains of task41 mutants.Moreover,haplotype association analysis revealed that TaSK41-5B-HapI was significantly associated with higher thousand-grain weight across 233 hexaploid wheat accessions.These results demonstrate that TaSK41 acts as a negative regulator of wheat grain size and weight and provide genetic and haplotype resources for yield improvement.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32372667)。
摘要Flavonols and flavanones are important bioactive compounds with multiple pharmacological activities and health benefits.Transcriptional activation of flavonol and flavanone biosynthesis has been studied extensively,while little is known about the negative regulators.CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology,with the advantage of precise genetic modification,is a desirable tool for breeding biofortified materials and exploring potential molecular mechanisms.In this study,a transcriptional repressor,Sl MYB32,was characterized in tomato fruit.Phenotype and metabolomic analyses confirmed that knockout of Sl MYB32 resulted in increased accumulation of flavonols and flavanones,especially about 1 mg g-1FW of quercetin 3-O-rutinoside(rutin).Transcriptome analysis indicated that expression of key genes Sl PAL6,Sl4CL3 and Sl4CL4 as well as five candidate Sl UGTs were significantly up-regulated in slmyb32 mutants.Dual-luciferase and EMSA assays indicated Sl MYB32 could bind to and repress promoter activities of Sl PAL6 and Sl4CL3.Expression of 27 transcription factors belonging to 12 families was significantly changed in slmyb32 mutants,among which two Sl MYBs,two Sl NACs,two Sl AP2s and one Sl WRKY were clustered with known flavonoid regulators.Our results provide new insights into improving bioactive compounds in fruit and understanding negative regulatory mechanisms in flavonol and flavanone biosynthesis.
基金The Chunhui Program of the ministry of Education,Grant/Award Number:HZKY20220076the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Science and Technology,Grant/Award Number:21JC1402200,22YF1437700 and 23HC1400700+1 种基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,Grant/Award Number:32200732National Key Research and Development Program of China,Grant/Award Number:2022YFC3400200。
摘要Background:SEC16A is a pivotal protein that facilitates the transport of proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi apparatus.Utilizing the protein structure func-tion database,a potentially pathogenic mutation site(NM_014866.1:c.4606C>G(p.L1536V))was pinpointed within the conserved central core region of the human SEC16A protein,a component integral to the COPII complex assembly.Methods:Leveraging information on human gene mutations and aligning human and mouse protein amino acid sequences,the Sec16aL1551V/L1551V mouse model was successfully developed using CRISPR/Cas9 technology.Results:Two behavioral experiments,namely novel object recognition and cued fear conditioning,revealed that Sec16aL1551V/L1551V mice demonstrated a phenotype of neurological impairment,evidenced by diminished abilities in learning and memory.Furthermore,while undergoing tail suspension,the Sec16aL1551V/L1551V mice dis-played a distinctive limb clasping behavior,a characteristic typically associated with mouse models of chronic neurodegenerative diseases.Conclusion:The Sec16aL1551V/L1551V mouse model developed in this study provid-ing a powerful tool for better understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of Sec16a gene mutations in brain dysfunction diseases.
基金funded by Anhui Provincial Key Research and Development Program(2023n06020023)。
摘要Cadmium(Cd)in agricultural soils readily accumulates in crop grains and shoots,posing serious risks to food and feed safety,especially in maize(Zea mays L.).Natural resistance-associated macrophage proteins(NRAMPs)constitute a key family of metal transporters;however,their role in Cd uptake in maize remains unclear.In this study,the maize gene ZmNRAMPL5 mediated Cd uptake when expressed in yeast.ZmNRAMPL5 knockout mutants,which exhibited no differences from wild type under normal conditions but showed reduced Cd accumulation,alleviated toxicity,increased tolerance under Cd stress.Pot experiments under simulated light and moderate Cd-contaminated soils further showed that knockout lines maintained silage biomass and exhibited over 60%and 80%increases in grain yield per ear compared with wild type,respectively.Moreover,Cd concentrations in stems,leaves,and grains of knockout lines were significantly reduced and remained well below China's national safety thresholds.Thus,ZmNRAMPL5 might be used in developing Cd-tolerant,low-Cd maize germplasm for grain and feed production in Cd-contaminated farmlands.