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ARR17 controls dioecy in Populus by repressing B-class MADS-box gene expression.

ABSTRACT: The number of dioecious species for which the genetic basis of sex determination has been resolved is rapidly increasing. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms downstream of the sex determinants remain largely elusive. Here, by RNA-sequencing early-flowering isogenic aspen (Populus tremula) lines differing exclusively for the sex switch gene ARR17, we show that a narrowly defined genetic network controls differential development of female and male flowers. Although ARR17 encodes a type-A response regulator supposedly involved in cytokinin (CK) hormone signalling, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9-mediated arr17 knockout only affected the expression of a strikingly small number of genes, indicating a specific role in the regulation of floral development rather than a generic function in hormone signalling. Notably, the UNUSUAL FLORAL ORGANS (UFO) gene, encoding an F-box protein acting as a transcriptional cofactor with LEAFY (LFY) to activate B-class MADS-box gene expression, and the B-class gene PISTILLATA (PI), necessary for male floral organ development, were strongly de-repressed in the arr17 CRISPR mutants. Our data highlight a CK-independent role of the poplar response regulator ARR17 and further emphasize the minimal differences between female and male individuals. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sex determination and sex chromosome evolution in land plants'.

SUBMITTER: Leite Montalvao AP

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8935312 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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ARR17 controls dioecy in Populus by repressing B-class MADS-box gene expression.

Leite Montalvão Ana P AP Kersten Birgit B Kim Gihwan G Fladung Matthias M Müller Niels A NA

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences 20220321 1850

The number of dioecious species for which the genetic basis of sex determination has been resolved is rapidly increasing. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms downstream of the sex determinants remain largely elusive. Here, by RNA-sequencing early-flowering isogenic aspen (Populus tremula) lines differing exclusively for the sex switch gene ARR17, we show that a narrowly defined genetic network controls differential development of female and male flowers. Although ARR17 en ...[more]

PMID: 35306887

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Project description:MADS-box genes encode transcription factors that affect plant growth and development. Camellia chekiangoleosa is an oil tree species with ornamental value, but there have been few molecular biological studies on the developmental regulation of this species. To explore their possible role in C. chekiangoleosa and lay a foundation for subsequent research, 89 MADS-box genes were identified across the whole genome of C. chekiangoleosa for the first time. These genes were present on all the chromosomes and were found to have expanded by tandem duplication and fragment duplication. Based on the results of a phylogenetic analysis, the 89 MADS-box genes could be divided into either type I (38) or type II (51). Both the number and proportion of the type II genes were significantly greater than those of Camellia sinensis and Arabidopsis thaliana, indicating that C. chekiangoleosa type II genes experienced a higher duplication rate or a lower loss rate. The results of both a sequence alignment and a conserved motif analysis suggest that the type II genes are more conserved, meaning that they may have originated and differentiated earlier than the type I genes did. At the same time, the presence of extra-long amino acid sequences may be an important feature of C. chekiangoleosa. Gene structure analysis revealed the number of introns of MADS-box genes: twenty-one type I genes had no introns, and 13 type I genes contained only 1~2 introns. The type II genes have far more introns and longer introns than the type I genes do. Some MIKCC genes have super large introns (≥15 kb), which are rare in other species. The super large introns of these MIKCC genes may indicate richer gene expression. Moreover, the results of a qPCR expression analysis of the roots, flowers, leaves and seeds of C. chekiangoleosa showed that the MADS-box genes were expressed in all those tissues. Overall, compared with that of the type I genes, the expression of the type II genes was significantly higher. The CchMADS31 and CchMADS58 genes (type II) were highly expressed specifically in the flowers, which may in turn regulate the size of the flower meristem and petals. CchMADS55 was expressed specifically in the seeds, which might affect seed development. This study provides additional information for the functional characterization of the MADS-box gene family and lays an important foundation for in-depth study of related genes, such as those involved in the development of the reproductive organs of C. chekiangoleosa.

Dataset Information

ARR17 controls dioecy in Populus by repressing B-class MADS-box gene expression.

Publications

ARR17 controls dioecy in <i>Populus</i> by repressing B-class MADS-box gene expression.

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