Transcription profiling of three tetraploid alfalfa hybrids, two of which expressed heterosis for biomass yield in field experiments and a third that did not
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ABSTRACT: In this study, we grew three tetraploid alfalfa hybrids, two of which expressed heterosis for biomass yield in field experiments and a third that did not, and assessed global gene expression using Affymetrix Medicago GeneChip arrays. With these data, we tested the hypotheses that (i) more nonadditively expressed genes would be identified in heterotic than non-heterotic hybrids when hybrids were compared to their respective parents, (ii) more over- and under-dominant gene expression would be observed in heterotic than non-heterotic hybrids, and (iii) the two heterotic hybrids would have similar expression profiles.
Project description:we determine genome-wide binding profiles of a maize CCA1 homolog, ZmCCA1b, in maize inbreds and F1 hybrids at different times of the day. ZmCCA1b is characterized as a central clock regulator gene with evolutionarily conserved molecular and circadian functions and nonadditively expressed in F1 hybrid seedlings. ZmCCA1b binds to over 4,300 target genes in the maize genomes, of which annotation confirms energy metabolic pathways as the main output. We report that an altered temporal binding activity of ZmCCA1b in the hybrid seedlings, which increases expression of carbon fixation genes, increases carbon fixation rates and biomass, demonstrating a novel example of how circadian-regulatory networks directly contribute to growth vigor in maize hybrids. These results collectively offer new insights into clock-mediated regulation of growth vigor in hybrid plants and crops. Profiling genome-wide binding events of ZmCCA1b in the maize inbreds and F1 hybrids at ZT3, ZT9 and ZT15 using chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by deep sequencing (ChIP-seq). 2 biological replicates for each sample were used. Input DNA sample corresponding to each ChIP sample was also sequenced in parallel. We have developed a native antibody for the protein (GRMZM2G014902; epitope: residues 11-77) for the ChIP-seq study.
Project description:we determine genome-wide binding profiles of a maize CCA1 homolog, ZmCCA1b, in maize inbreds and F1 hybrids at different times of the day. ZmCCA1b is characterized as a central clock regulator gene with evolutionarily conserved molecular and circadian functions and nonadditively expressed in F1 hybrid seedlings. ZmCCA1b binds to over 4,300 target genes in the maize genomes, of which annotation confirms energy metabolic pathways as the main output. We report that an altered temporal binding activity of ZmCCA1b in the hybrid seedlings, which increases expression of carbon fixation genes, increases carbon fixation rates and biomass, demonstrating a novel example of how circadian-regulatory networks directly contribute to growth vigor in maize hybrids. These results collectively offer new insights into clock-mediated regulation of growth vigor in hybrid plants and crops.
Project description:Heterosis is most frequently manifested by the substantially increased vigorous growth of hybrids compared with their parents. Investigating genomic variations in natural populations is essential to understand the initial molecular mechanisms underlying heterosis in plants. Here, we characterized the genomic architecture associated with biomass heterosis in 200 Arabidopsis hybrids. The genome-wide heterozygosity of hybrids makes a limited contribution to biomass heterosis, and no locus shows an obvious overdominance effect in hybrids. However, the accumulation of significant genetic loci identified in genome wide association studies (GWAS) in hybrids strongly correlates with better-parent heterosis (BPH). Candidate genes for biomass BPH fall into diverse biological functions, including cellular, metabolic, and developmental processes and stimulus-responsive pathways. Important heterosis candidates include WUSCHEL, ARGOS, and some genes that encode key factors involved in cell cycle regulation. Interestingly, transcriptomic analyses in representative Arabidopsis hybrid combinations reveal that heterosis candidate genes are functionally enriched in stimulus-responsive pathways, including responses to biotic and abiotic stimuli and immune responses. In addition, stimulus-responsive genes are repressed to low-parent levels in hybrids with high BPH, whereas middle-parent expression patterns are exhibited in hybrids with no BPH. Our study reveals a genomic architecture for understanding the molecular mechanisms of biomass heterosis in Arabidopsis, in which the accumulation of the superior alleles of genes involved in metabolic and cellular processes improve the development and growth of hybrids, whereas the overall repressed expression of stimulus responsive genes prioritizes growth over responding to environmental stimuli in hybrids under normal conditions.
Project description:Heterosis is most frequently manifested by the substantially increased vigorous growth of hybrids compared with their parents. Investigating genomic variations in natural populations is essential to understand the initial molecular mechanisms underlying heterosis in plants. Here, we characterized the genomic architecture associated with biomass heterosis in 200 Arabidopsis hybrids. The genome-wide heterozygosity of hybrids makes a limited contribution to biomass heterosis, and no locus shows an obvious overdominance effect in hybrids. However, the accumulation of significant genetic loci identified in genome wide association studies (GWAS) in hybrids strongly correlates with better-parent heterosis (BPH). Candidate genes for biomass BPH fall into diverse biological functions, including cellular, metabolic, and developmental processes and stimulus-responsive pathways. Important heterosis candidates include WUSCHEL, ARGOS, and some genes that encode key factors involved in cell cycle regulation. Interestingly, transcriptomic analyses in representative Arabidopsis hybrid combinations reveal that heterosis candidate genes are functionally enriched in stimulus-responsive pathways, including responses to biotic and abiotic stimuli and immune responses. In addition, stimulus-responsive genes are repressed to low-parent levels in hybrids with high BPH, whereas middle-parent expression patterns are exhibited in hybrids with no BPH. Our study reveals a genomic architecture for understanding the molecular mechanisms of biomass heterosis in Arabidopsis, in which the accumulation of the superior alleles of genes involved in metabolic and cellular processes improve the development and growth of hybrids, whereas the overall repressed expression of stimulus responsive genes prioritizes growth over responding to environmental stimuli in hybrids under normal conditions.
Project description:Combining dissimilar parents often leads to increased vigor in the hybrid offspring. “Heterosis” describes both this behavior and its underlying Mendelian and non-Mendelian interactions [1], although its molecular basis remains largely unknown. Recent comparisons of small RNA (sRNA) profiles from parents and their heterotic progeny identified correlations between interparental 24-nucleotide (24-nt) RNA variation and non-additive 24-nt RNA changes in the resulting hybrid [2,3]. 24-nt RNAs guide de novo cytosine methylation, and several proteins are required for their biogenesis, including a Snf2-like ATPase: required to maintain repression1 (RMR1) [4]. We found height variation between heterotic hybrids +/- RMR1 activity, implicating a role for RMR1 in heterosis. Based on the published correlations mentioned above [2,3], we hypothesized that RMR1-loss reduces parental sRNAs, altering their relative ratios and changing the sRNA profiles in the resulting hybrid from those of a standard hybrid (from +RMR1 parents). To probe this hypothesis, we profiled sRNAs from parents and hybrids +/- RMR1 function, limiting the parental diversity to only portions of chromosomes 6 and 9. Our analysis will address how RMR1 loss changes hybrid sRNAs in the presence and absence of underlying genetic variation and help to determine how this loss results in different phenotypic outcomes from heterotic crosses. 1. Shull (1948) Genetics 2. Groszmann et al (2011) PNAS 3. Barber et al (2012) PNAS 4. Hale et al (2007) PLoS Biology
Project description:Combining dissimilar parents often leads to increased vigor in the hybrid offspring. “Heterosis” describes both this behavior and its underlying Mendelian and non-Mendelian interactions [1], although its molecular basis remains largely unknown. Recent comparisons of small RNA (sRNA) profiles from parents and their heterotic progeny identified correlations between interparental 24-nucleotide (24-nt) RNA variation and non-additive 24-nt RNA changes in the resulting hybrid [2,3]. 24-nt RNAs guide de novo cytosine methylation, and several proteins are required for their biogenesis, including a Snf2-like ATPase: required to maintain repression1 (RMR1) [4]. We found height variation between heterotic hybrids +/- RMR1 activity, implicating a role for RMR1 in heterosis. Based on the published correlations mentioned above [2,3], we hypothesized that RMR1-loss reduces parental sRNAs, altering their relative ratios and changing the sRNA profiles in the resulting hybrid from those of a standard hybrid (from +RMR1 parents). To probe this hypothesis, we profiled sRNAs from parents and hybrids +/- RMR1 function, limiting the parental diversity to only portions of chromosomes 6 and 9. Our analysis will address how RMR1 loss changes hybrid sRNAs in the presence and absence of underlying genetic variation and help to determine how this loss results in different phenotypic outcomes from heterotic crosses. 1. Shull (1948) Genetics 2. Groszmann et al (2011) PNAS 3. Barber et al (2012) PNAS 4. Hale et al (2007) PLoS Biology We used an interchange chromosome (T6-9 043-1) introgressed into B73 (~95% B73) to create a local region of genetic diversity when crossed as a female parent to 100% B73 individual. Small RNAs from immature cobs were sequenced from both of these parents and their resulting hybrid (2 samples each). Additionally, a similar cross where the T6-9 containing female parent lacked RMR1 activity (rmr1-1 / rmr1-1) was used to generate a counterpart hybrid whose small RNAs were also profiled (2 samples) from immature cobs. Finally, small RNAs from 2 immature cobs of an unrelated rmr1 heterozygote (again highly introgressed into B73) were sequenced as well.
Project description:The improvement of breeding efficiencies for heterotic and climate-resilient crops can mitigate the food shortage crisis from overpopulation and climate change. Thus far, diverse molecular markers have been utilized for guiding field phenotypic selections, while the accurate predictions of complex heterotic traits are rarely reported. Here we present a practical metabolome-based prediction strategy for yield heterosis in rice. The dissection of population structures based on untargeted metabolite profiles, rather than the screening of predictive variables, was proved to be the initial critical step in multivariate modeling. Then the assessment of each predictive variable's contribution to predictive models was more precise according to all latent factors compared to the conventional first one. Metabolites belonging to specific pathways were tightly connected to yield heterosis, and the up-regulation of galactose metabolism represent robust yield heterosis for hybrids across different growth conditions. Our study demonstrates that metabolome-based predictive models with correctly dissected population structures and screened predictive variables can realize accurate prediction of yield heterosis and manifest great potential for establishing molecular marker-based precision breeding programs.
Project description:Hybrid vigor or heterosis has been widely applied in agriculture and extensively studied at the genetic and gene expression levels. However, the biochemical mechanism underlying heterosis remains elusive. One theory suggests that a decrease in protein aggregation may occur in hybrids due to the presence of protein variants between parental alleles, but it has not been experimentally tested. Here, we report comparative analysis of soluble and insoluble proteomes in Arabidopsis intraspecific and interspecific hybrids or allotetraploids formed between A. thaliana and A. arenosa. Both intraspecific hybrids and interspecific allotetraploids displayed non-additivity of the expressed proteins, including many biotic and abiotic stress-responsive proteins. In the allotetraploids, homoeolog-expression bias was not observed among all proteins examined but could occur among 17-20% of the nonadditively expressed proteins with more A. thaliana-biased than A. arenosa-biased homoeologs, consistent with the transcriptome results. Analysis of the insoluble and soluble proteomes revealed more soluble proteins in the hybrids than their parents but not in allotetraploids. Most proteins in ribosomal biosynthesis and in the thylakoid lumen, membrane, and stroma, were in the soluble fractions, indicating a role of protein stability in photosynthetic activities for promoting growth. Together, these results support roles for nonadditive expression of stress-responsive proteins and reduction of protein biosynthesis in mediating heterosis in Arabidopsis hybrids and allotetraploids.
Project description:Arabidopsis thaliana shows hybrid vigour (heterosis) in progeny of crosses between Col and C24 accessions (1). Hybrid vigour was evident as early as the mature seeds and in the seedlings 3 days after sowing (DAS). At 3 DAS genes encoding chloroplast-located proteins were significantly overrepresented (187) among the 724 genes which have greater than mid parent values of expression in the hybrid. Many of these genes are involved in chlorophyll biosynthesis and photosynthesis. The rate of photosynthesis was constant per unit leaf area in parents and hybrids. Larger cell sizes in the hybrids were associated with more chloroplasts per cell, more total chlorophyll and more photosynthesis. The increased transcription of the chloroplast-targeted genes was restricted to the 3 to 7 DAS period. At 10 DAS only 118 genes had expression levels different from the expected mid parent value in the hybrid and only 12 of these genes were differentially expressed at 3 DAS. The early increase in activity of genes involved in photosynthesis and the associated phenomena of increase in cell size and number through development, leading to larger leaf areas of all leaves in the hybrid, suggest a central role for increased photosynthesis in the production of the heterotic biomass. In support of this correlation we found that an inhibitor of photosynthesis eliminated heterosis and higher light intensities enhanced both photosynthesis and heterosis. In hybrids with low level heterosis (Ler x Col) chloroplast-targeted genes were not upregulated and leaf areas were only marginally increased. Whole plants in Col, C24, and their F1 hybrids with two replications
Project description:The aim of the experiment was to investigate the transcriptome changes in a double hybrid of alfala. The transcriptomes of a double hybrid (B2xB5) was compared to the two parental lines.