Project description:In angiosperms, the mature seed consists of an embryo (E), a seed coat (SC), and, in many cases, an endosperm. In contrast to knowledge about embryo and endosperm, we have relatively little knowledge of SC, especially at the genomics level. In this study, we analyzed the gene expression during seed development using the panel of cultivated and wild pea genotypes. We report the comprehensive gene expression changes related both to development as well as domestication status. Analysis of seed developmental stages revealed extensive modification of gene expression between wild pea progenitor and cultivated pea crop. A significant difference in gene expression dynamics appeared between early and late developmental stages D1, D2, and D3, D4, D5 in wild pea genotypes, where the expression was increased 3-5-fold and 5-10-fold, respectively. Our work extends knowledge about the role of the seed coat during pea seed development. We described gene expression dynamic resulting in specific metabolic profiles providing new insight into pea domestication.
Project description:Transposable elements (TEs) are genomic parasites that constitute the most abundant portions of higher plant genomes. However, whether TE selection occurred during crop domestication remains unknown. HUO is active under normal growth conditions, present at low copy numbers, inserts preferentially into regions capable of transcription, but absent in almost all modern varieties, indicating its removal during rice domestication and modern rice breeding. HUO triggers genomic immunity and dramatically alters genome-wide methylation levels and small RNA biogenesis, as well as global gene expression. Its presence specifically affects agronomic traits by decreasing yield performance and disease resistance but enhancing salt tolerance, which mechanistically explains its domestication removal. Thus, our study reveals a unique retrotransposon as a negative target for maintaining genetic and epigenetic stability during crop domestication and selection.
Project description:Transposable elements (TEs) are genomic parasites that constitute the most abundant portions of higher plant genomes. However, whether TE selection occurred during crop domestication remains unknown. HUO is active under normal growth conditions, present at low copy numbers, inserts preferentially into regions capable of transcription, but absent in almost all modern varieties, indicating its removal during rice domestication and modern rice breeding. HUO triggers genomic immunity and dramatically alters genome-wide methylation levels and small RNA biogenesis, as well as global gene expression. Its presence specifically affects agronomic traits by decreasing yield performance and disease resistance but enhancing salt tolerance, which mechanistically explains its domestication removal. Thus, our study reveals a unique retrotransposon as a negative target for maintaining genetic and epigenetic stability during crop domestication and selection.
Project description:Transposable elements (TEs) are genomic parasites that constitute the most abundant portions of higher plant genomes. However, whether TE selection occurred during crop domestication remains unknown. HUO is active under normal growth conditions, present at low copy numbers, inserts preferentially into regions capable of transcription, but absent in almost all modern varieties, indicating its removal during rice domestication and modern rice breeding. HUO triggers genomic immunity and dramatically alters genome-wide methylation levels and small RNA biogenesis, as well as global gene expression. Its presence specifically affects agronomic traits by decreasing yield performance and disease resistance but enhancing salt tolerance, which mechanistically explains its domestication removal. Thus, our study reveals a unique retrotransposon as a negative target for maintaining genetic and epigenetic stability during crop domestication and selection.
Project description:Transposable elements (TEs) are genomic parasites that constitute the most abundant portions of higher plant genomes. However, whether TE selection occurred during crop domestication remains unknown. HUO is active under normal growth conditions, present at low copy numbers, inserts preferentially into regions capable of transcription, but absent in almost all modern varieties, indicating its removal during rice domestication and modern rice breeding. HUO triggers genomic immunity and dramatically alters genome-wide methylation levels and small RNA biogenesis, as well as global gene expression. Its presence specifically affects agronomic traits by decreasing yield performance and disease resistance but enhancing salt tolerance, which mechanistically explains its domestication removal. Thus, our study reveals a unique retrotransposon as a negative target for maintaining genetic and epigenetic stability during crop domestication and selection.
Project description:Modification of cis regulatory elements to produce differences in gene expression level, localization, and timing is an important mechanism by which organisms evolve divergent adaptations. To examine gene regulatory change during the domestication of maize from its wild progenitor, teosinte, we assessed allele-specific expression in a collection of maize and teosinte inbreds and their F1 hybrids using three tissues from different developmental stages. Our use of F1 hybrids represents the first study in a domesticated crop and wild progenitor that dissects cis and trans regulatory effects to examine characteristics of genes under various cis and trans regulatory regimes. We find evidence for consistent cis regulatory divergence that differentiates maize from teosinte in approximately 4% of genes. These genes are significantly correlated with genes under selection during domestication and crop improvement, suggesting an important role for cis regulatory elements in maize evolution.
Project description:Modification of cis regulatory elements to produce differences in gene expression level, localization, and timing is an important mechanism by which organisms evolve divergent adaptations. To examine gene regulatory change during the domestication of maize from its wild progenitor, teosinte, we assessed allele-specific expression in a collection of maize and teosinte inbreds and their F1 hybrids using three tissues from different developmental stages. Our use of F1 hybrids represents the first study in a domesticated crop and wild progenitor that dissects cis and trans regulatory effects to examine characteristics of genes under various cis and trans regulatory regimes. We find evidence for consistent cis regulatory divergence that differentiates maize from teosinte in approximately 4% of genes. These genes are significantly correlated with genes under selection during domestication and crop improvement, suggesting an important role for cis regulatory elements in maize evolution. We assayed genome-wide cis and trans regulatory differences between maize and its wild progenitor, teosinte, using deep RNA sequencing in F1 hybrid and parent inbred lines for three tissue types (ear, leaf and stem) followed by assessment of allele-specific gene expression.
Project description:Improving the yield by modifying plant architecture is key to progressive crop domestication. Here, we show that a 110-kb deletion on the short arm of chromosome 7 promotes the critical transition from semi-prostrate growth and low yield in wild rice (Oryza rufipogon), to erect growth and high yield in Asian cultivated rice (O. sativa). The microdeletion harbors a tandem repeat of seven putative Cys2-His2 zinc-finger genes. Three of these genes regulate the plant architecture in O. rufipogon and are closely linked to the previously identified PROSTRATE GROWTH 1 (PROG1) gene. Therefore, we refer to this locus as RICE PLANT ARCHITECTURE DOMESTICATION (RPAD). Furthermore, a similar but independent 113-kb deletion was detected at the RPAD locus in African cultivated rice. These results indicate that the deletions, coupled with the loss of a tandem repeat of zinc-finger genes, drove the parallel domestication of plant architecture in Asian and African rice.