Plant BiotechnologyPub Date : 2026-03-25DOI: 10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.1209a
Naoki Ube, Taiji Nomura
{"title":"Agmatine coumaroyltransferase gene on the short arm of chromosome 2H is involved in hordatine biosynthesis in barley.","authors":"Naoki Ube, Taiji Nomura","doi":"10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.1209a","DOIUrl":"10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.1209a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Plants produce dimerized phenolic compounds as secondary metabolites. Hordatine A (HA), a dehydrodimer of <i>p</i>-coumaroylagmatine (<i>p</i>CA), is an antifungal compound that accumulates substantially in young barley (<i>Hordeum vulgare</i>) seedlings. The first committed step of the HA biosynthetic pathway is the formation of <i>p</i>CA via condensation of <i>p</i>-coumaroyl-CoA and agmatine, which is catalyzed by agmatine coumaroyltransferase (ACT). Although two ACT-encoding genes (<i>HvACT-2HL1/2</i>) on the long arm of barley chromosome 2H (2HL) have been identified, our previous study suggested the presence of another <i>ACT</i> locus on the short arm of barley chromosome 2H (2HS). In this study, an analysis of dissection lines of wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i>) carrying aberrant barley 2H chromosomes detected <i>p</i>CA in wheat lines carrying the distal region of 2HS. This chromosomal region, which includes genes encoding the laccase catalyzing the last committed step of the HA biosynthetic pathway, was revealed to also contain a putative <i>ACT</i> gene (<i>HvACT-2HS1</i>), with the encoded amino acid sequence similar to that of HvACT-2HL1 (46% sequence identity). Changes in <i>HvACT-2HS1</i> transcript levels were in accordance with those in the <i>p</i>CA-forming enzymatic activity and the <i>p</i>CA level in barley seedlings. Additionally, recombinant HvACT-2HS1 heterologously expressed in <i>Escherichia coli</i> had <i>p</i>CA-forming enzymatic activity, with high specificity for agmatine as the acyl acceptor. Moreover, a phylogenetic analysis indicated that <i>HvACT-2HS1</i> is not a paralog of <i>HvACT-2HL1/2</i>. These results suggest that <i>HvACT-2HS1</i> and <i>HvACT-2HL1/2</i>, which originated from different ancestral genes, jointly mediate the formation of <i>p</i>CA for HA biosynthesis in barley.</p>","PeriodicalId":20411,"journal":{"name":"Plant Biotechnology","volume":"43 1","pages":"105-115"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13170813/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147942001","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Plant BiotechnologyPub Date : 2026-03-25DOI: 10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.1124a
Wakana Sakuma, Hideki Murayama, Atsuko Miyagi
{"title":"Oxalate synthesis pathways that contribute to oxalate accumulation in leaves of bitter dock (<i>Rumex obtusifolius</i> L.) differ between day and night.","authors":"Wakana Sakuma, Hideki Murayama, Atsuko Miyagi","doi":"10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.1124a","DOIUrl":"10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.1124a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Oxalate is a simple dicarboxylate that accumulates primarily in terrestrial parts of plants. Inhibition experiments of a previous study focusing on \"new leaves\" of <i>Rumex obtusifolius</i> revealed that the isocitrate pathway, one of three oxalate pathways, is the primary contributor to oxalate accumulation. However, that experiment was conducted in the dark. In the present study, we conducted inhibitor experiments to evaluate the contribution of the isocitrate pathway to oxalate accumulation in the light. Oxalate accumulation was not inhibited by itaconate in the light, but uptake of itaconate in leaves of <i>R. obtusifolius</i> was greater in the light than in the dark. Multivariate statistical analyses revealed that itaconate only slightly affected the metabolite content under light conditions, but itaconate significantly affected the contents of oxalate and related compounds in the dark. These data suggest that the oxalate synthesis pathways that contribute to oxalate accumulation differ between day and night.</p>","PeriodicalId":20411,"journal":{"name":"Plant Biotechnology","volume":"43 1","pages":"89-94"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13170793/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147942566","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Plant BiotechnologyPub Date : 2026-03-25DOI: 10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.1023b
Shoko Kokubo, Miku Tomiyasu, Gang Ma, Chikako Fukazawa, Reiko Motohashi
{"title":"Tomato lipocalins mediate ABA (abscisic acid)- and ethylene-dependent regulation of stress tolerance and fruit ripening.","authors":"Shoko Kokubo, Miku Tomiyasu, Gang Ma, Chikako Fukazawa, Reiko Motohashi","doi":"10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.1023b","DOIUrl":"10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.1023b","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Plant temperature-induced lipocalins (TILs) have been shown to be responsive to heat stress. The expression of TIL in wheat and Arabidopsis is induced by heat shock treatment and cold acclimation, but other responses and functions of lipocalins remain unknown. In this study, we focused on the response of lipocalins to phytohormones in tomato, as <i>cis</i>-element analysis revealed the presence of multiple phytohormone-responsive elements involving ethylene, abscisic acid (ABA), and jasmonic acid (JA). The expression levels of <i>SlTIL1</i> and <i>SlTIL2</i> increased after ABA treatment in young leaves, and tomato plants exhibited enhanced drought stress tolerance 24 h after ABA application. In addition, <i>SlTIL1</i> expression increased in tomato fruits at the yellow stage following ABA treatment from the orange stage, thereby accelerating fruit ripening. We compared wild-type plants with overexpressing lines of <i>SlTIL1</i>, <i>SlTIL2</i>, and <i>SlCHL</i> and found that both ethylene gas production and expression of the ethylene synthesis gene <i>SlACS2</i> were elevated from the yellow stage in <i>SlTIL1</i>-OX and <i>SlTIL2</i>-OX lines compared to wild-type. We suggest that ethylene and ABA treatments induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) in tomatoes, to which lipocalins respond by not only contributing to ROS accumulation scavenging but also promoting leaf senescence and fruit ripening.</p>","PeriodicalId":20411,"journal":{"name":"Plant Biotechnology","volume":"43 1","pages":"61-71"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13170811/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147942599","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Plant BiotechnologyPub Date : 2026-03-25DOI: 10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.1105a
Shuichi Yanagisawa
{"title":"Progress and new questions in understanding the mechanisms controlling plant nitrogen responses.","authors":"Shuichi Yanagisawa","doi":"10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.1105a","DOIUrl":"10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.1105a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Plants require larger quantities of nitrogen (N) than of other soil nutrients, making N availability critical for plant growth and crop yield. However, levels of N sources available in soils vary across different regions of the world, but are often insufficient to support optimum plant growth. In addition, N availability fluctuates both temporally and spatially. Therefore, plants must sense and respond to environmental variations in N levels or to N shortages. Nitrate is both the primary source of N for plants and a critical signaling molecule that regulates N assimilation and many other physiological processes in plants. Recent studies have unraveled the mechanism of nitrate signaling and placed it at the center of the regulatory pathways governing plant responses to N availability. This review briefly summarizes the recent advances that revealed the mechanisms controlling plant responses to N availability. It focuses particularly on the mechanism of nitrate signaling, before addressing the new questions that have emerged from recent findings. Finally, it discusses how recent insights into the mechanisms regulating plant responses to N availability can be utilized in the field to improve nitrogen use efficiency in crops.</p>","PeriodicalId":20411,"journal":{"name":"Plant Biotechnology","volume":"43 1","pages":"1-16"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13170786/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147942628","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Plant BiotechnologyPub Date : 2026-03-25DOI: 10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.1009a
Huong Thi Trinh, Hang Thu Thi Nguyen, Truc Thanh Phan To, Nam Van Hoang, Loan Quynh Le, Dung Hoang Nguyen, Trang Huyen Thi Nguyen, Thuy Kim Thi Dang, Giap Dang Do, Tuan Trong Tran
{"title":"<i>Ehretia asperula</i> from Vietnam: Evaluation of genetic diversity, bioactive compound, and micropropagation.","authors":"Huong Thi Trinh, Hang Thu Thi Nguyen, Truc Thanh Phan To, Nam Van Hoang, Loan Quynh Le, Dung Hoang Nguyen, Trang Huyen Thi Nguyen, Thuy Kim Thi Dang, Giap Dang Do, Tuan Trong Tran","doi":"10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.1009a","DOIUrl":"10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.1009a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Ehretia asperula</i> Zoll. et Mor. (\"Xạ đen\") is a valuable medicinal plant widely used in traditional Vietnamese medicine due to its rich content of bioactive compounds. This study investigated the phytochemical composition, antioxidant activity, and genetic diversity of samples collected from three regions in Vietnam. ITS marker and methods for quantifying secondary metabolites were used to assess the genetic diversity and chemical composition of <i>E. asperula</i> across different collection sites. Although ITS1 sequence analysis showed no significant genetic variation among accessions, there were notable differences in secondary metabolite content. Plants from Hoa Binh province contained the highest levels of total phenolic, flavonoids, and rosmarinic acid, followed by those from Dong Nai and Vinh Phuc provinces. Among the tested solvents, an ethanol-water (30 : 70, v/v) proved most effective for extracting the targeted compounds. In addition, a micropropagation protocol was successfully established using nodal explants from the plants collected from Hoa Binh province. Optimal surface sterilization was achieved with 0.1% HgCl<sub>2</sub> for 16 min. Shoots were most efficiently regenerated from nodal explants on MS medium supplemented with 3.0 mg l<sup>-1</sup> kinetin. Shoot proliferation was most effective on MS medium supplemented with 1.5 mg l<sup>-1</sup> 2-isopentenyladenine, while root induction reached 100% efficiency on MS medium containing 1.0 mg l<sup>-1</sup> indole-3-butyric acid. These findings highlight the potential of <i>E. asperula</i> as a sustainable natural antioxidant source and support its continued use in traditional medicine.</p>","PeriodicalId":20411,"journal":{"name":"Plant Biotechnology","volume":"43 1","pages":"37-52"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13176911/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147964403","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Plant BiotechnologyPub Date : 2026-03-25DOI: 10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.0922a
Koji Tanase, Ichiro Kasajima, Nobuyuki Yoshikawa
{"title":"Virus-induced gene silencing in <i>Dianthus</i> by an apple latent spherical virus vector system.","authors":"Koji Tanase, Ichiro Kasajima, Nobuyuki Yoshikawa","doi":"10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.0922a","DOIUrl":"10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.0922a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>For the functional analysis of <i>Dianthus</i> and carnation endogenous genes, we investigated a viral vector derived from the apple latent spherical virus (ALSV) as a tool for reverse genetic analysis. ALSV can infect the aerial parts, such as leaves and flower organs, of <i>Dianthus</i> and carnation plants, without causing viral symptoms. Partial sequences of the <i>chalcone synthase</i> (<i>CHS</i>), <i>1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate</i> (<i>ACC</i>) <i>synthase</i> (<i>ACS</i>), and <i>ACC oxidase</i> (<i>ACO</i>) genes were cloned into the ALSV vector and then used to infect the plant. Plants infected with ALSV vectors carrying these genes exhibited knockdown phenotypes typical of <i>CHS</i>, <i>ACS</i>, and <i>ACO</i>. Plants infected with the ALSV vector carrying <i>CHS</i> showed white flower petals, whereas those infected with the ALSV vector carrying <i>ACS</i> and <i>ACO</i> generated long-lived flowers. Thus, ALSV vectors can promote virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) in the petals and gynoecium. ALSV infects plants without viral symptoms and effectively induces VIGS in several flower organs; thus, the ALSV vector is a valuable tool for determining the functions of genes of interest in <i>Dianthus</i> and carnation plants.</p>","PeriodicalId":20411,"journal":{"name":"Plant Biotechnology","volume":"43 1","pages":"17-25"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13170821/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147942622","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Plant BiotechnologyPub Date : 2025-12-25DOI: 10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.0603a
Yuji Iwata, Hiroyuki Mizoguchi, Nozomu Koizumi
{"title":"Enhancement of bZIP60 function through C-terminal region translated after splicing in <i>Arabidopsis</i>.","authors":"Yuji Iwata, Hiroyuki Mizoguchi, Nozomu Koizumi","doi":"10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.0603a","DOIUrl":"10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.0603a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a central regulatory pathway that ensures the proper function of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) through efficient protein folding and quality control. In Arabidopsis, <i>bZIP60</i> mRNA is activated by an IRE1-mediated unconventional splicing that excises a 23-nucleotide intron, resulting in the spliced form (<i>bZIP60s</i> mRNA) that encodes the active bZIP60 transcription factor lacking a transmembrane domain. In this study, we investigated the functional role of the spliced form-specific C-terminal extension, hereafter referred to as ORF2. Transient expression assays in Arabidopsis mesophyll protoplasts demonstrated that full-length bZIP60s potently activates the <i>BiP3</i> promoter compared to a truncated variant lacking ORF2. Fusion of ORF2 to transcription factors unrelated to the UPR did not enhance their transcriptional potency, underscoring its specialized role in the context of bZIP60s. Furthermore, mutation in a conserved nuclear localization signal within ORF2 decreased promoter activation by bZIP60s. Fusion of ORF2 to GFP enhanced the nuclear localization of GFP. Our results suggest that ORF2 is critical for the full transcriptional activity of bZIP60s to ensure an efficient UPR.</p>","PeriodicalId":20411,"journal":{"name":"Plant Biotechnology","volume":"42 4","pages":"383-388"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12781897/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145952829","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effect of climate conditions on the free and glycoside-derived volatile compounds in tomato cultivars.","authors":"Yingtao Li, Yusuke Kamiyoshihara, Yonathan Asikin, Denise Tieman, Harry Klee, Miyako Kusano","doi":"10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.0717a","DOIUrl":"10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.0717a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Commercial tomatoes have been increasingly criticized for their declining aroma, driving a search for tomato cultivars with more robust aroma profiles. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in tomato fruits play a crucial role in determining their aroma potential. This study investigates tomato cultivars with desirable aroma profiles by examining the levels of free- and glycoside-derived VOCs across 13 cultivars over a three-year period using non-targeted VOC profiling. The analysis detected 41 free VOCs and 35 VOCs released from the glycoside-derived precursors (glycoside-derived VOCs). Principal component analysis of the annotated free and glycoside-derived VOCs revealed that year-to-year differences were more pronounced than cultivar-to-cultivar variations. Among the annotated VOCs, 18 compounds were classified as unique free VOCs, while 12 were unique glycoside-derived VOCs. In 2020, the cultivar Livingstone's stone exhibited significantly higher levels of several key aroma compounds compared to other cultivars and the control, Ailsa Craig. These compounds are known for their low odor thresholds and positive contributions to the overall aroma. These findings suggested that the growth year may substantially influence VOC production in tomato fruits, particularly for specific cultivars or VOCs, likely due to variations in climatic conditions. Consequently, optimizing the release of glycoside-derived VOCs offers a promising strategy to enhance tomato fruit aroma. This approach would be most effective by focusing on key VOCs from specific cultivars, while also accounting for the significant influence of growing year.</p>","PeriodicalId":20411,"journal":{"name":"Plant Biotechnology","volume":"42 4","pages":"475-483"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12781902/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145952872","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"An efficient regeneration protocol through somatic embryogenesis and organogenesis for cassava (<i>Manihot esculenta</i> Crantz) variety Vamas 1.","authors":"Fitri Yelli, Ashutosh Pathak, Ardian, Setyo Dwi Utomo, Kukuh Setyawan, Rugayah, Titin Agustin, Nabilla Syalsa Anisma","doi":"10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.0406a","DOIUrl":"10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.0406a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In the present study, an efficient regeneration protocol via somatic embryogenesis and organogenesis has been developed for cassava var. Vamas 1 utilizing leaf and node explants, respectively. Leaves were inoculated on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing different concentrations (4, 8, and 12 mg l<sup>-1</sup>) of Picloram or 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) with 6 mg l<sup>-1</sup> 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). The maximum callus formation (100%) was recorded in medium containing 4 mg l<sup>-1</sup> Picloram or 8 mg l<sup>-1</sup> 2,4-D. However, the callus fresh weight (0.11 g) was higher in presence of 4 mg l<sup>-1</sup> Picloram with 2.72 scoring of callus proliferation after 3 weeks. After subculture, 12 mg l<sup>-1</sup> Picloram with 6 mg l<sup>-1</sup> NAA proved optimum medium that formed maximum 10.25±3.49 embryos (44.00±0.04% response) under dark conditions after 6 weeks. The green cotyledons were produced after 2 weeks of light incubation on 0.2 mg l<sup>-1</sup> 6-benzyladenin (BA). which further formed shoots within 5 weeks. Simultaneously, nodal explants were placed in MS media augmented with BA (2, 4, 8, and 10 mg l<sup>-1</sup>) individually and in combinations with 0.02 mg l<sup>-1</sup> NAA. Results revealed that maximum 4.13±0.56 shoots/explant were formed with 11.07±2.79 number of leaves and 3.61±0.17 cm shoot length at 2 mg l<sup>-1</sup> BA. These shoots induced 7.33±0.58 number of roots after 2 weeks in basal MS medium. At last, the plantlets derived via both the pathways were transferred to soil : rice husk (1 : 1 w/w), and they were successfuly acclimatized with 80% survival in greenhouse. Since the cassava plant regeneration is genotype-dependent, the developed protocol can be applied for mass-propagation of this recently released Indonesian superior variety Vamas 1. This will generate large number of plantlets for the farmers and also the protocol will be utilized for genetic improvement studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":20411,"journal":{"name":"Plant Biotechnology","volume":"42 4","pages":"401-411"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12781903/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145952815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Plant BiotechnologyPub Date : 2025-12-25DOI: 10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.0812a
Mika Yoshimura, Tsubasa Mamiya, Naoki Takahashi, Takashi Ishida
{"title":"A start codon-targeted genome editing strategy for generating hypomorphic mutants of lethal plant genes.","authors":"Mika Yoshimura, Tsubasa Mamiya, Naoki Takahashi, Takashi Ishida","doi":"10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.0812a","DOIUrl":"10.5511/plantbiotechnology.25.0812a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In plants, the functional characterization of essential genes is often hindered by the lethality associated with complete loss-of-function alleles. Here, we present a genome editing-based strategy to generate viable hypomorphic alleles through selective removal of the translation start codon. Using <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> <i>NON-SMC ELEMENT 1</i>, which encodes a conserved component of the Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes (SMC) 5/6 complex involved in DNA repair and genome stability, as a model, we generated CRISPR-Cas9-edited alleles lacking the start codon. These homozygous mutants exhibited severe developmental defects, including stunted growth and failure to form true leaves. Moreover, they displayed molecular hallmarks of genome instability, such as increased DNA fragmentation, upregulation of DNA repair and cell cycle checkpoint genes, and root meristem cell death. Complementation assays using wild-type and mutated <i>NSE1</i> genomic constructs confirmed that these alleles retained partial gene function. Overall, the use of start codon removal as an editing strategy is a robust and broadly applicable approach for generating hypomorphic alleles without relying on transcript-level manipulations, such as RNAi. This work therefore provides a practical demonstration of a novel editing strategy for dissecting the functions of essential genes that are otherwise genetically intractable. Consequently, this approach expands the functional genomics toolkit and opens new avenues for basic plant biology and advanced biotechnological applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":20411,"journal":{"name":"Plant Biotechnology","volume":"42 4","pages":"509-512"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12781906/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145952856","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}