Article
Plant Sciences
Shijuan Li, Bingliang Xu, Xiaolei Niu, Xiang Lu, Jianping Cheng, Meiliang Zhou, Paul J. J. Hooykaas
Summary: AtJAZ8 was identified as an interaction partner of VirE3 in a yeast two-hybrid screening, and its overexpression in Arabidopsis decreased tumor formation. The results suggest a novel mechanism involving VirE3 and JAZ8 in modulating plant defense signaling pathways during Agrobacterium infection.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Editorial Material
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Megumi Ishii, Tetsuya Ishii
Summary: This passage discusses whether genome-edited agricultural products should be considered genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and how to prove definitively that a genome-edited organism does not contain exogenous DNA, taking social aspects into account.
TRENDS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Niels Tol, Robin Schendel, Alex Bos, Maartje Kregten, Sylvia Pater, Paul J. J. Hooykaas, Marcel Tijsterman
Summary: Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation is the preferred tool for generating transgenic plants, but gene targeting (GT) events occur at low frequency and are often accompanied by random integration events. The functionality of polymerase theta (Pol theta) affects the biology of GT in plants, with its deficiency preventing T-DNA integration and ectopic GT events. Insights obtained from this study can be used for developing strategies to achieve high-quality GT events in crop plants.
Article
Plant Sciences
Kamy Singer, Lan-Ying Lee, Jing Yuan, Stanton B. Gelvin
Summary: Investigating the formation of T-circles can serve as a surrogate for understanding T-DNA integration. The characteristics of T-circles, such as junction patterns, deletions, microhomology usage, and filler DNA presence, provide insights into T-DNA/plant DNA junctions.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Lejon E. M. Kralemann, Sylvia de Pater, Hexi Shen, Susan L. Kloet, Robin van Schendel, Paul J. J. Hooykaas, Marcel Tijsterman
Summary: In this study, we identified two redundant mechanisms for the integration of T-DNA 5' end into the plant genome and identified the key factors involved in these mechanisms. Furthermore, we demonstrated the roles of MRE11 and cNHEJ in the 5' end attachment and supported our findings through experimental rescue of integration defects.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
T. Joyous Joseph, S. Chandhini, Swati Das, S. Kirankumar Mysore, M. Jasmine Shah
Summary: The study revealed that Agrobacterium affects the expression and promoter methylation of most DNA repair genes in plants, with the influence specific to bacterial factors such as Vir proteins, T-DNA, and oncogenes. Additionally, Agrobacterium can induce transgenerational epigenetic memory of DNA repair gene promoters in infected plants.
PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY REPORTER
(2021)
Article
Biology
Nadia Vertti-Quintero, Ethan Levien, Lucie Poggi, Ariel Amir, Guy-Franck Richard, Charles N. N. Baroud
Summary: This study demonstrates the use of microfluidic device to study DSBR at a single-cell level in yeast. The dynamics of DSBR were analyzed and a differential equation model was developed to obtain repair process rates. The study identified three types of DSB repair events that were previously unrecognized.
Article
Microbiology
Daria E. Sidorova, Vladimir A. Plyuta, Darya A. Padiy, Evgeniya V. Kupriyanova, Natalia V. Roshina, Olga A. Koksharova, Inessa A. Khmel
Summary: This study investigates the biological activities of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on a bacterium, a plant, and a fruit fly. While some compounds showed inhibitory effects on bacterial and fruit fly growth, others promoted plant biomass. Isoamyl alcohol and 2-phenylethanol were particularly effective in suppressing plant seed germination.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anika Kuster, Nour L. Mozaffari, Oliver J. Wilkinson, Jessica L. Wojtaszek, Christina Zurfluh, Sara Przetocka, Dawid Zyla, Christine von Aesch, Mark S. Dillingham, R. Scott Williams, Alessandro A. Sartori
Summary: A peptide mimetic targeting CtIP was developed, which effectively inhibits CtIP activity, leading to impaired DNA repair and replication fork degradation, with selective toxicity to BRCA1-mutated cancer cells. This study provides a theoretical basis for the future development of CtIP-targeting compounds for cancer treatment.
Review
Cell Biology
Huiming Lu, Anthony J. Davis
Summary: RecQ DNA helicases are a conserved protein family found in various organisms, playing important roles in cellular functions and potentially contributing to autosomal disorders.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
James P. B. Lloyd, Florence Ly, Patrick Gong, Jahnvi Pfluger, Tessa Swain, Christian Pfluger, Elliott Fourie, Muhammad Adil Khan, Brendan N. Kidd, Ryan Lister
Summary: Transcriptional activity in plants is controlled by programmable gene circuits. Synthetic gene circuits have the potential to integrate and customize signals. This study presents a suite of recombinase-based gene circuits for use in plants, which can be used to programmably manipulate transcriptional activity and have stable long-term effects.
NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Jong-Hyuk Lee, Raghavendra A. Shamanna, Tomasz Kulikowicz, Nima Borhan Fakouri, Edward W. Kim, Louise S. Christiansen, Deborah L. Croteau, Vilhelm A. Bohr
Summary: Werner syndrome (WS) is an accelerated aging disorder characterized by genomic instability caused by WRN protein deficiency. The phosphorylation of WRN by CDK2 on serine residue 426 is critical for WRN to choose between non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR) pathways. The phosphorylation stabilizes WRN's affinity for RPA and enhances its role in long-range resection, a crucial step for HR.
Review
Cell Biology
Damian Jaworski, Bartosz Brzoszczyk, Lukasz Szylberg
Summary: This review provides a comprehensive overview of the critical roles of mismatch repair (MMR) and double-strand break (DSB) defects in prostate cancer, as well as their clinical implications. It discusses the promising potential of immune checkpoint inhibitors and PARP inhibitors as targeted therapies, particularly in personalized medicine. Recent clinical trials have shown the efficacy of these novel treatments, leading to FDA approvals, offering hope for improved outcomes for patients.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jakub Wiktor, Arvid H. Gynna, Prune Leroy, Jimmy Larsson, Giovanna Coceano, Ilaria Testa, Johan Elf
Summary: Homologous recombination is crucial for accurate DNA repair, with repair of double-stranded DNA breaks in E. coli completed in approximately 15 minutes. The search for homologous repair templates takes less than 9 minutes and is mediated by a thin and highly dynamic RecA filament stretching throughout the cell. This model effectively reduces search dimensionality, with search time consistent across different cell lengths and DNA amounts.
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Bert van de Kooij, Haico van Attikum
Summary: The repair of DNA double-strand breaks plays a crucial role in maintaining genome integrity. Various pathways can repair the breaks, leading to either error-free or highly mutagenic outcomes. Genomic reporter constructs have been used extensively to study this process, allowing researchers to quantifiably assess repair by measuring the expression of fluorescent proteins. Recent advancements in genome editing technologies, such as CRISPR-Cas9, have further enhanced the utility of reporter constructs. In this review, the available DNA double-strand break repair pathway reporters will be discussed and compared, with considerations for choosing the appropriate reporter and future prospects in this field.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Mareike Busche, Boas Pucker, Prisca Viehoever, Bernd Weisshaar, Ralf Stracke
G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS
(2020)
Article
Plant Sciences
Sarah Matar, Avneesh Kumar, Daniela Holtgrawe, Bernd Weisshaar, Siegbert Melzer
Summary: Flowering time is crucial for adaptation, fitness, and yield in rapeseed, with different types of rapeseed having varying vernalization requirements. Research shows that floral transition in winter rapeseed is initiated within weeks of vernalization, with certain homologous genes playing a role in regulating the timing of cold-induced flowering. Plants with shorter pre-vernalization periods exhibit delayed expression of key genes affecting flowering time.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Katharina Sielemann, Bernd Weisshaar, Boas Pucker
Summary: The dispensability of genes in a phylogenetic lineage is becoming increasingly important in genome sequencing projects. A new method, QUOD, assigns a dispensability score to each gene instead of categorizing them as core or dispensable, helping identify candidate dispensable genes related to lineage-specific adaptations.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Boas Pucker, Nils Kleinboelting, Bernd Weisshaar
Summary: Long read sequencing was used to resolve complex T-DNA insertions and identify new T-DNA loci, showing that T-DNA mutagenesis can cause chromosomal fusions and translocations. This study highlights the importance of accurate identification of T-DNA::genome junctions for clear genotype-to-phenotype relations.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jens Theine, Daniela Holtgraewe, Katja Herzog, Florian Schwander, Anna Kicherer, Ludger Hausmann, Prisca Viehoever, Reinhard Toepfer, Bernd Weisshaar
Summary: Different grapevine cultivars of the Pinot family show major phenotypic and physiological differences, such as varied ripening times and color changes in berries. Differences in gene expression profiles were investigated between the cultivars 'Pinot Noir' and 'Pinot Noir Precoce' to reveal regulatory genes affecting veraison onset timing. The study identified numerous differentially expressed genes related to berry development and ripening time control, including two candidate genes designated VviRTIC1 and VviRTIC2. These genes likely contribute to the observed phenotypic differences between the cultivars.
Article
Plant Sciences
Mareike Busche, Christopher Acatay, Stefan Martens, Bernd Weisshaar, Ralf Stracke
Summary: Bananas, well known for their edible fruits, are important perennial plants that contribute to food security and employment opportunities. Studies have shown that banana fruits contain high levels of minerals and phytochemicals, such as flavonoids, which are beneficial for human nutrition. Research on the enzymatic functionalities in bananas has provided insights for further genetic engineering to enhance the antioxidant activity and nutritional value of banana fruits.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Katharina Sielemann, Boas Pucker, Nicola Schmidt, Prisca Viehoever, Bernd Weisshaar, Tony Heitkam, Daniela Holtgraewe
Summary: This study sequenced and assembled the plastome sequences of several species in the Beta and Patellifolia genera, and used this data to determine the phylogeny of wild beets. The results showed that the Beta genus can be divided into two sections, and there are clear differences between species in the Patellifolia genus.
Article
Plant Sciences
Hanna Marie Schilbert, Maximilian Schoene, Thomas Baier, Mareike Busche, Prisca Viehoever, Bernd Weisshaar, Daniela Holtgraewe
Summary: It was found that there are two homologous genes in the flavonol synthase gene family of B. napus, which have dual enzyme activity and play important roles in the accumulation of flavonols in seeds.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Hanna Marie Schilbert, Boas Pucker, David Ries, Prisca Viehoever, Zeljko Micic, Felix Dreyer, Katrin Beckmann, Benjamin Wittkop, Bernd Weisshaar, Daniela Holtgraewe
Summary: In this study, mapping by sequencing (MBS) was used to identify genomic intervals associated with seed glucosinolate (GSL) content and seed protein/oil content (SPC/SOC) in rapeseed. The results revealed several new and known genomic intervals and identified potential causal genes and sequence variants. This research provides valuable insights into the genetic architecture and potential mechanisms underlying seed quality traits in rapeseed and can contribute to future breeding approaches.
Article
Plant Sciences
Bianca Frommer, Sophia Muellner, Daniela Holtgraewe, Prisca Viehoever, Bruno Huettel, Reinhard Toepfer, Bernd Weisshaar, Eva Zyprian
Summary: This study focused on the downy mildew disease caused by Plasmopara viticola and its resistance gene Rpv12. The genome sequence of a diploid Rpv12-carrier Vitis variety was analyzed, revealing two clusters of resistance-related genes within the Rpv12 locus. These findings provide a valuable genetic resource for breeding grapevines resistant to P. viticola.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biology
Mareike Busche, Boas Pucker, Bernd Weisshaar, Ralf Stracke
Summary: Bananas are popular fruits that provide food security and employment in developing countries. Increasing the anthocyanin content in bananas could improve their health-promoting properties. However, little is known about the transcriptional activation of anthocyanin biosynthesis in bananas.
BMC RESEARCH NOTES
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Katharina Sielemann, Boas Pucker, Elena Orsini, Abdelnaser Elashry, Lukas Schulte, Prisca Viehoever, Andreas E. Mueller, Axel Schechert, Bernd Weisshaar, Daniela Holtgraewe
Summary: In this study, we identified the causal genes providing tolerance against BCN infection in sugar beet by combining experimental and bioinformatic approaches. Our findings contribute to the understanding of plant-nematode interactions and can be used to develop new management strategies against BCN.
Article
Plant Sciences
Katharina Thiedig, Bernd Weisshaar, Ralf Stracke
Summary: The study characterized the AtSNAPc4 protein in Arabidopsis as an essential subunit involved in snRNA gene transcription, with a conserved role in gametophyte and zygote development. The research also revealed the binding of AtSNAPc4 to snRNA promoters and its association with Cajal bodies, indicating evolutionary conservation of 4R-MYB/SNAPc4 genes across eukaryotes and shared protein features in the snRNA transcription machinery.
Article
Plant Sciences
Boas Pucker, Anna Schwandner, Sarah Becker, Ludger Hausmann, Prisca Viehoever, Reinhard Toepfer, Bernd Weisshaar, Daniela Holtgraewe
Article
Microbiology
Bianca Frommer, Daniela Holtgraewe, Ludger Hausmann, Prisca Viehoever, Bruno Huettel, Reinhard Toepfer, Bernd Weisshaar
MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
(2020)