Review
Plant Sciences
Matthew P. Reynolds, Janet M. Lewis, Karim Ammar, Bhoja R. Basnet, Leonardo Crespo-Herrera, Jose Crossa, Kanwarpal S. Dhugga, Susanne Dreisigacker, Philomin Juliana, Hannes Karwat, Masahiro Kishii, Margaret R. Krause, Peter Langridge, Azam Lashkari, Suchismita Mondal, Thomas Payne, Diego Pequeno, Francisco Pinto, Carolina Sansaloni, Urs Schulthess, Ravi P. Singh, Kai Sonder, Sivakumar Sukumaran, Wei Xiong, Hans J. Braun
Summary: The review highlights the opportunities for enhancing heat and drought resilience in wheat through innovative breeding technologies, including the use of new tools in genetics and remote sensing, as well as identifying climate resilience traits from global wheat genetic resources. By improving crop design targets, developing field-based screening tools, applying genomic technologies, and advancing next-generation breeding methods, a research pipeline is created to boost heat and drought resilience.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Meiling Jia, Yanan Li, Zhenyu Wang, Shu Tao, Guoliang Sun, Xingchen Kong, Ke Wang, Xingguo Ye, Shaoshuai Liu, Shuaifeng Geng, Long Mao, Aili Li
Summary: This study identified a wheat Aux/IAA gene, TaIAA21, as a negative regulator of grain size and weight development, revealing its regulatory pathway through the ARF25-ERFs module. The findings provide new insights for yield improvement in wheat.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sebastian Gasparis, Michal Milosz Miloszewski
Summary: Grain size is a crucial factor affecting grain yield in cereals, controlled by multiple genes. While several genes controlling grain size have been identified in rice, the genetic background of grain size in other cereal crops such as wheat and barley remains largely unexplored. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying grain size in wheat, barley, and rice, and presents a list of experimentally validated genes with significant effects on grain size.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiaoli Ren, Liya Zhi, Lei Liu, Deyuan Meng, Qiannan Su, Aamana Batool, Jun Ji, Liqiang Song, Na Zhang, Lin Guo, Xigang Liu, Junming Li, Wei Zhang
Summary: The study identified five splicing variants of the G(gamma) subunit gene TaGS3 in wheat, showing different functions in regulating grain weight and size during wheat polyploidization. TaGS3.1 overexpression reduces grain weight and length, while TaGS3.5 overexpression increases them significantly. Biochemical assays revealed the interaction of TaGS3 isoforms with different proteins, suggesting a differential regulation of grain size via alternative splicing.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yiwen Guo, Yongming Chen, Yongfa Wang, Xiaojia Wu, Xiaoyu Zhang, Weiwei Mao, Hongjian Yu, Kai Guo, Jin Xu, Liang Ma, Weilong Guo, Zhaorong Hu, Mingming Xin, Yingyin Yao, Zhongfu Ni, Qixin Sun, Huiru Peng
Summary: In this study, ribosome profiling and polysome profiling were used to investigate the translational regulation in developing bread wheat grains. The results showed that the translation of many functional genes is stage-specific and unbalanced between subgenomes, increasing the expression flexibility of wheat. Additionally, previously unannotated translation events, such as upstream open reading frames and downstream open reading frames, as well as temporal expression dynamics of small open reading frames, were identified. It was demonstrated that upstream open reading frames can act as cis-regulatory elements to modulate mRNA translation. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive resource for understanding translational regulation in wheat grains and will contribute to future crop improvements.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yiling Wang, Genlou Sun
Summary: Wheat grain development is regulated by genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. Although extensively studied at the phenotypic and genetic levels, the molecular mechanisms underlying wheat grain development, especially in allohexaploid wheat, remain poorly understood. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for improving yield and quality.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Rogerio de S. Noia, Jean-Charles Deswarte, Jean-Pierre Cohan, Pierre Martre, Marijn van Der Velde, Remi Lecerf, Heidi Webber, Frank Ewert, Alex C. Ruane, Gustavo A. Slafer, Senthold Asseng
Summary: France experienced a severe decline in wheat yield in 2016, with some areas losing up to 55% of their yield. The decline was attributed to factors such as reduced grain quantity and weight, decreased solar radiation, floret damage, soil anoxia, fungal foliar diseases, and ear blight. Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of these compound factors, leading to more extreme yield declines in the future.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Giacomo Mangini, Antonio Blanco, Domenica Nigro, Massimo Antonio Signorile, Rosanna Simeone
Summary: The study identified QTL clusters for yield components in a durum wheat RIL population, with candidate genes affecting grain yield identified within these clusters.
Article
Plant Sciences
Haitao Yu, Yongchao Hao, Mengyao Li, Luhao Dong, Naixiu Che, Lijie Wang, Shun Song, Yanan Liu, Lingrang Kong, Shubing Shi
Summary: This study identifies key loci and candidate genes associated with grain size and yield in bread wheat by phenotypic characterization and genetic analysis. The improved variety has larger grain size but lower protein content, which may be attributed to the presence of superior alleles at key loci in the improved variety.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Jinwook Kim, Roxana Savin, Gustavo A. Slafer
Summary: Average grain weight is a major factor in wheat yield and understanding the distribution of individual grain weights is crucial for research on treatment effects. Grain area was found to be a better predictor of weight than length or width. A power curve model was established to reliably estimate individual grain weight from measured areas, validated with diverse data sources.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yanwen Yu, Tongxiang Zhang, Jingfan Sun, Teng Jing, Yanjie Shen, Kunpu Zhang, Yan Chen, Dong Ding, Guoying Wang, Jianping Yang, Jihua Tang, Zhenying Shi, Daowen Wang, Mingyue Gou
Summary: MiR396s play crucial roles in regulating plant growth and stress response. This study reveals differential expression patterns and chromosomal distribution of miR396s among Poaceae species, including major cereal crops rice, wheat, and maize. The study also shows that miR396s can regulate grain size and disease resistance through targeting GRF genes. These findings provide new insights into enhancing crop yield and exploring the functions of miR396s in other Poaceae species.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Li Zhang, Ruci Wang, Yide Xing, Yufang Xu, Dunping Xiong, Yueming Wang, Shanguo Yao
Summary: The POW1 gene regulates grain size and leaf angle in rice through the BR signaling pathway and the transcription factor TAF2, offering a potential strategy for high-yield breeding in rice.
PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yangyang Liu, Jun Chen, Changbin Yin, Ziying Wang, He Wu, Kuocheng Shen, Zhiliang Zhang, Lipeng Kang, Song Xu, Aoyue Bi, Xuebo Zhao, Daxing Xu, Zhonghu He, Xueyong Zhang, Chenyang Hao, Jianhui Wu, Yan Gong, Xuchang Yu, Zhiwen Sun, Botao Ye, Danni Liu, Lili Zhang, Liping Shen, Yuanfeng Hao, Youzhi Ma, Fei Lu, Zifeng Guo
Summary: By conducting a large-scale genotype-phenotype association study, we detected 132,086 significant marker-trait associations and identified 590 associated peaks for 27 spike morphology traits in wheat. We propose that genotype-phenotype association studies are an effective strategy for detecting signals for grain yield traits. TaSPL17 positively regulates grain size and number by controlling spikelet and floret meristem development, leading to enhanced grain yield per plant.
Article
Plant Sciences
Yaman Jabbour, Mohammad Shafik Hakim, Abdallah Al-Yossef, Maysoun M. Saleh, Ahmad Shams Al-Dien Shaaban, Hafssa Kabbaj, Meryem Zaim, Charles Kleinerman, Filippo M. Bassi
Summary: Wild relatives provide a potential resource for drought adaptation in durum wheat. In this study, a NAM panel was used to identify critical loci for drought adaptation and their functionality was validated. These loci can be utilized in molecular breeding for drought tolerance.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Mohsin Niaz, Lingran Zhang, Guoguo Lv, Huiting Hu, Xi Yang, Yongzhen Cheng, Yueting Zheng, Bingyang Zhang, Xiangning Yan, Aye Htun, Lei Zhao, Congwei Sun, Ning Zhang, Yan Ren, Feng Chen
Summary: This study identified the key gene TaGL1-B1 for grain length in wheat and demonstrated its interaction with TaPAP6. Overexpression of TaGL1-B1 enhanced grain length, potentially through modulating JA-mediated grain size and improving carotenoid content and photosynthesis, leading to increased wheat yield.
PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Erica Crespi, Robert Burnap, Jing Chen, Moumita Das, Natalie Gassman, Epaminondas Rosa, Rebecca Simmons, Haruka Wada, Zhen Q. Wang, Jie Xiao, Bing Yang, John Yin, Jared Goldstone
Summary: The concepts of robustness and resilience in biological systems are crucial for species survival in the face of challenges such as climate change. Network theory provides a framework for mathematical models to describe the relationship between them, with insights into how adaptability contributes to system stability. Investment in cross-disciplinary research and technological advancements can further enhance our understanding and engineering of biological systems to thrive in changing environments.
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Riqing Li, Juan Zhang, Zhaohu Li, Reuben J. Peters, Bing Yang
Summary: This study used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to precisely delete two biosynthetic gene clusters related to labdane-related diterpenoids in rice, showing that deletion of one cluster leads to a lesion mimic phenotype while deletion of the other does not. This demonstrates directional cross-cluster interactions between these two gene clusters.
Review
Agronomy
Easter D. Syombua, Jaindra N. Tripathi, George O. Obiero, Edward K. Nguu, Bing Yang, Kan Wang, Leena Tripathi
Summary: Yam is an economically important crop grown in tropical and subtropical regions, producing tuberous roots that serve as a staple food and source of pharmaceutical precursors. Genetic improvement through advanced techniques like CRISPR/Cas system has the potential to significantly enhance productivity and economic gains in yam production. However, research towards utilizing CRISPR/Cas technology for yam improvement is currently under-represented, highlighting the need for exploration and expansion in this area to increase genetic gains from this under-exploited crop.
FOOD AND ENERGY SECURITY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Lin-Bo Wu, Joon-Seob Eom, Reika Isoda, Chenhao Li, Si Nian Char, Dangping Luo, Van Schepler-Luu, Masayoshi Nakamura, Bing Yang, Wolf B. Frommer
Summary: SWEETs play important roles in intercellular sugar transport. OsSWEET11b has roles in male fertility and bacterial blight susceptibility in rice, possibly depending on sucrose transport activity. Induction of OsSWEET11b by TALe increases the virulence of Xoo. The identification of OsSWEET11b is relevant for protecting rice against new Xoo strains targeting this gene.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Qiong Nan, Si Nian Char, Bing Yang, Eric J. Bennett, Bing Yang, Michelle R. Facette
Summary: Cell polarization prior to asymmetric cell division is crucial for correct cell division, cell fate, and tissue patterning. In maize stomatal development, WPR proteins have been identified as important players in the polarization of subsidiary mother cells (SMCs), interacting with PAN receptors and polarly accumulating in SMCs.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Bao-qin Liu, Rong-bei Liu, Wen-ping Li, Xin-tao Mao, Yi-ning Li, Tao Huang, Hao-li Wang, Hao-tian Chen, Jiang-yan Zhong, Bing Yang, Ren-jie Chai, Qian Cao, Jin Jin, Yi-yuan Li
Summary: IRF3 and IRF7 are crucial regulators of type I interferon-dependent antiviral innate immunity. This study uncovers the unexpected functions of the XAF1-XIAP axis and KLHL22 in the regulation of IRF7 stability, providing an important target for antiviral innate immunity.
Review
Plant Sciences
Ying Wu, William Sexton, Bing Yang, Shunyuan Xiao
Summary: Nonhost resistance (NHR) in plants refers to the immunity of most tested genotypes of a plant species against most tested variants of a pathogen species. NHR is a broad spectrum and durable defense mechanism that serves as a major barrier against potentially pathogenic microbes invading plants. Through genetic studies, researchers have made significant progress in understanding the molecular basis of NHR, which includes pathogen-associated molecular pattern-triggered immunity and effector-triggered immunity. This review discusses the challenges in genetic studies of NHR and summarizes the approaches used to identify genes contributing to NHR, with a focus on dissecting multilayered NHR in model plants against filamentous pathogens.
MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ajay Gupta, Lei Hua, Zhengzhi Zhang, Bing Yang, Wanlong Li
Summary: This study identified the SPL genes in wheat and found that mutating these genes can increase wheat yield. The TaSPL13 mutants exhibited several improved phenotypic traits that can enhance grain size, grain number, and plant architecture.
PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Biology
Chenhao Li, Longfei Wang, Leland J. J. Cseke, Fernanda Vasconcelos, Jose Carlos Huguet-Tapia, Walter Gassmann, Laurens Pauwels, Frank F. F. White, Hansong Dong, Bing Yang
Summary: A versatile cytosine base editor system has been developed that can efficiently convert C to T in the genome of phytopathogenic bacteria, including Xanthomonas, Pseudomonas, Erwinia, and Agrobacterium. CRISPR-based genome editing variants have limitations due to unique host mechanisms, but the developed CRISPR-dCas9 and nCas9 deaminase vectors overcome these limitations. Using different promoters, the system achieved nearly 100% modification of the target region and successfully created base edits in multiple genes. Further modifications reduced off-target effects, improving the editing tool for a broad group of phytopathogenic bacteria.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xuecong Ren, Hengda Zhou, Yujie Sun, Hongying Fu, Yu Ran, Bing Yang, Fan Yang, Mikael Bjorklund, Suhong Xu
Summary: In this study, the researchers found that the MIRO-1 protein is increased in fragmented mitochondria and plays a crucial role in maintaining mitochondrial membrane potential. They also observed higher levels of membrane potential in fragmented mitochondria in mutant and wounded animals. Furthermore, they discovered that MIRO-1 interacts with VDAC-1, an important mitochondrial ion channel, and this interaction relies on specific residues. The disruption of this interaction results in a reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential. These findings provide insights into the stochastic maintenance of membrane potential in fragmented mitochondria.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ajay Gupta, Bo Liu, Qi-Jun Chen, Bing Yang
Summary: The study demonstrates the successful use of an improved prime editing system to implement two new strategies for resistance against bacterial blight in rice. The editing of the SWEET14 gene and TFIIA gene resulted in resistance against Xoo strains, and the system also achieved high efficiency in introducing a 30-nucleotide cis-regulatory element. This research provides promising approaches for protecting rice against evolving Xoo strains.
PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jitesh Kumar, Si Nian Char, Trevor Weiss, Hua Liu, Bo Liu, Bing Yang, Feng Zhang
Summary: Efficient and precise targeted insertion in plant genome editing remains challenging. However, a recent study combined CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing with chemically protected dsODNs and achieved high efficiency and control over the direction of targeted insertions.
Article
Plant Sciences
Katherine M. Murphy, Tyler Dowd, Ahmed Khalil, Si Nian Char, Bing Yang, Benjamin J. Endelman, Patrick M. Shih, Christopher Topp, Eric A. Schmelz, Philipp Zerbe
Summary: In maize, two major groups of specialized metabolites, kauralexins and dolabralexins, are involved in defending against pathogens, herbivores, and other stressors. This study examined the dolabralexin pathway and found new metabolites and characterized their production. Genetic analysis showed that dolabralexin biosynthesis occurs mainly in primary roots and varies across different maize lines. Loss-of-function mutants for the diterpene synthase gene ZmKSL4 demonstrated deficient dolabralexin production and exhibited altered root architecture in response to water deficit. These findings suggest that maize dolabralexins play a role in plant vigor during abiotic stress.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ting Wu, Shang -Tong Li, Yu Ran, Yinuo Lin, Lu Liu, Xiajun Zhang, Lianqi Zhou, Long Zhang, Donghai Wu, Bing Yang, Shibing Tang
Summary: In this study, a strategy using live cell chemical cross-linking and mass spectrometry was presented to identify potential substrates of enzymes for further validation. Compared with other methods, this strategy eliminates false-positive discoveries and provides additional information for substrate validation through the analysis of cross-linking sites.