Results indicate that BnaAOG1.A03 and BnaAOG1.C03 are not individually essential for silique and seed development in B. napus, providing a valuable case for functional analysis of homologous genes in polyploid crops.
Abstract
Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) is a major oil crop, and both silique and seed size are critical determinants of yield. In Arabidopsis thaliana, mutation of the ABORTED GAMETOPHYTE 1 (AOG1) gene leads to severe defects in gametophyte development and a pronounced reduction in silique length. However, the function of AOG1 homologs in rapeseed remains uncharacterized. In this study, four homologous copies of AOG1 were identified in B. napus: BnaAOG1.A03, BnaAOG1.A10, BnaAOG1.C03, and BnaAOG1.C09. Then a systematic analysis that considered the physiochemical properties, evolution, conserved motifs, gene structure, and cis-regulatory elements of BnaAOG1s family members was conducted. Utilizing the CRISPR/Cas9 system, two of these copies, BnaAOG1.A03 and BnaAOG1.C03, were targeted, and homozygous double mutants were generated. Unlike the Arabidopsis ortholog, the BnaAOG1s were specifically expressed during seed development. Phenotypic evaluation revealed that the double mutants did not exhibit significant changes in silique length, seed number per silique, or thousand-seed weight compared to the wild type. These results indicate that BnaAOG1.A03 and BnaAOG1.C03 are not individually essential for silique and seed development in B. napus. Their functions may be compensated by other homologous copies or have undergone divergence during polyploidization. This investigation provides a valuable case for functional analysis of homologous genes in polyploid crops.
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a staple food crop worldwide, and improving disease resistance is a core target in rice breeding. In this study, we employed CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to modify the coding sequence (CDS) of two susceptibility genes, Bsr-d1 and Pi21, in the elite maintainer line Gengxiang B to enhance its blast resistance. We generated Bsr-d1/Pi21 double homozygous mutants via Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation. Quantitative RT-PCR revealed significantly suppressed transcript accumulation of both target genes in the edited lines compared with the wild type Gengxiang B. Upon inoculation with Magnaporthe oryzae, multiple defense-related marker genes were markedly upregulated in the double mutants. Phenotypic assays demonstrated significantly reduced disease severity for both leaf and panicle blast in the edited lines compared with the wild type. Importantly, no statistically detectable differences were found between the double mutants and wild-type plants for key agronomic or grain quality traits. Collectively, these results demonstrate that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated editing of susceptibility loci generates genetically stable blast-resistant rice germplasm without compromising agronomic traits or grain quality, providing valuable genetic resources for future rice varietal improvement.
Ke Lan, Lin Yuan, Da-Cheng Zhao et al.· Plants· 0 citations
A T2T rapeseed resource and a BnaWRKY44-BnaVPT1 module for breeding high-oil, yellow-seeded rapeseed are provided for breeding high-oil, yellow-seeded rapeseed.
Haijiang Liu, Yongheng Yuan, Kaijie Ye et al.· Cell Reports· 0 citations
MATH domain-containing proteins are important for plant growth, development, and stress adaptation, but their evolution and cold resistance in Brassica napus remain unexplored. Here, we characterized MATH genes in B. napus, Brassica rapa, Brassica oleracea, and Arabidopsis thaliana. We identified 461 MATH genes. Microcollinearity and pan-genomic analyses revealed stable syntenic gene numbers, purifying selection, and conserved evolution. The MATH family experienced ancient duplications, showing weak codon bias and reduced functional redundancy. Type A and D MATH genes exhibited low expression in root and leaf tissues, whereas type B and C genes showed high expression. RT-qPCR confirmed their roles in the cold stress response. Duplicated genes underwent defunctionalization or subfunctionalization. Subcellular localization showed that BnaA04g13830D and BnaC09g03690D were localized to the plasma membrane. Overexpression of BnaA04g13830D and BnaC09g03690D in Arabidopsis enhanced cold tolerance, potentially by influencing C-repeat binding factor signaling genes. This study provides insights into the evolutionary patterns and functions of the MATH gene families.
Yingchao Zhang, Jianbin Quan, Bingyu Han et al.· Journal of Agricultural and...· 0 citations
