Project description:We have characterized a maize mutant, fuzzy tassel (fzt) with striking inflorescence and pleiotropic defects. fzt contains a mutation in the maize dicer-like1 homolog, a key enzyme required for microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis. By profiling the small RNA population in fzt mutants, we investigated the impact of fzt mutation on miRNA abundance in seedling and tassel primordia. We also investigated the transcript abundance of potential target genes of miRNA that were impacted in fzt mutant by transcriptome profiling. The result provides an avenue for future research to link specific miRNAs and their targets to discrete phenotypes and developmental roles.
Project description:Here we report, that levels of the micronutrient boron are instrumental for meristem maintenance by integration into specific meristem maintenance pathways. We used RNA-seq analysis of the boron deficient maize mutant tassel-less1 to identify early molecular defects induced by boron deficiency in maize reproductive (tassel) meristems. RNA-seq results were independently verified through downstream in silico, double mutant, microscopy, proteomic, and molecular analyses.
Project description:Two-organism transcriptome profiling of infected seedling, adult leaf, and tassel demonstrated that both the host and pathogen exhibit organ-specific expression programs. Phenotypic screening of U. maydis mutants deleted for suites of secreted protein genes and maize growth mutants demonstrated organ-restricted tumorigenesis. Two-dye, competitive hybridizations were performed on Agilent oligo arrays. Keywords: maize, pathogen, fungus, Ustilago, organ-specificity
Project description:We have characterized a maize mutant, fuzzy tassel (fzt) with striking inflorescence and pleiotropic defects. fzt contains a mutation in the maize dicer-like1 homolog, a key enzyme required for microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis. By profiling the small RNA population in fzt mutants, we investigated the impact of fzt mutation on miRNA abundance in seedling and tassel primordia. We also investigated the transcript abundance of potential target genes of miRNA that were impacted in fzt mutant by transcriptome profiling. The result provides an avenue for future research to link specific miRNAs and their targets to discrete phenotypes and developmental roles. Genome-wide small RNA profiling was done by Illumina TruSeq sample preparation followed by high-throughput sequencing with Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform.
Project description:As a key member of the grass-specific subclade of argonaute proteins, AGO18b protein has been proposed to bind 24-nt meiotic phasiRNAs based on their co-expression in tapetal and meiotic cells. Here we show that expression of in maize tassels is strictly induced by developmental stages. Interestingly, reduced expression of AGO18b in both Mutator-mediated (ago18b::mum) and RNAi mutants leads to an increase in plant height and tassel length, suggesting its non-meiotic function as a negative regulator of SAM/IM maintenance. During the premiotic stage, AGO18b primarily binds to 21-nt phasiRNAs with 5’-uridine and less binds to 24-nt phasiRNAs with 5’-adenosine, coincident with its enrichment of miR2275 required for the 24-nt phasiRNA production. MiR166a, the negative regulator of SAM, is mostly enriched among AGO18b-bound miRNAs, implicating a novel negative regulator of IM. We suggest that AGO18b regulates maize tassel development via both phasiRNAs and miRNA pathways.
Project description:Two-organism transcriptome profiling of infected seedling, adult leaf, and tassel demonstrated that both the host and pathogen exhibit organ-specific expression programs. Phenotypic screening of U. maydis mutants deleted for suites of secreted protein genes and maize growth mutants demonstrated organ-restricted tumorigenesis. Two-dye, competitive hybridizations were performed on Agilent oligo arrays. Keywords: maize, pathogen, fungus, Ustilago, organ-specificity Comparisons were done 1) between mock and infected samples at 1dpi and 3dpi for seedlings and at 3dpi and 9dpi for adult leave and tassels, 2) between the three 3dpi infected samples, 3) between timepoints of infected samples.
Project description:In this study we investigated the developmental dynamics of genes targeted in vivo by the transcription factor RAMOSA1, a key regulator of determinacy, and revealed potential mechanisms for repressing branches in distinct stem cell populations in developing maize inflorescences. To identify targets of RA1 and to distinguish direct vs. indirect interactions, we performed Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-seq and compared the results to gene expression data (RNA-seq datasets for Eveland et al., 2013, submitted). We mapped genome-wide occupancy of RA1 and showed that it differently regulates modules of target genes based on spatiotemporal context. Plants expressing complementing RA1 transgenes tagged with HA or YFP were used in parallel experiments. Ear and tassel primordia were collected and tag-specific antibodies were used to pull down RA1 bound to its target loci. Genome-wide analysis of RA1 occupancy revealed thousands of putative binding sites (i.e. peaks significantly enriched (p < 1e-05) compared to input DNA).
Project description:Periods of soil water deficit could occur at any time during the crop season, but maize is particularly sensitive to water stress around flowering time. At this time the stress usually causes remarkable yield loss. Heading time, which is just before tassel flowering, is one of the most important stages that maize productivity would be affected severely if plants encounter water stress. The whole-genomic gene expression changes of maize plants in response to water deficit stress at this stage have not been studied. The present work utilized an Arizona Maize Oligonucleotide Array Version 1.9,which was consisted of A and B slides carrying with a total of 57,452 maize 70-mer oligonucleotides, was used to monitor gene expression profile changes in maize leaves subjected to 1 day and 7 days water-deficit stress respectively at the heading stage. Keywords: stress response