The Plant CellPub Date : 2025-02-03DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koaf026
Jia Dong, Seth W Croslow, Stephan T Lane, Daniel C Castro, Jantana Blanford, Shuaizhen Zhou, Kiyoul Park, Steven Burgess, Mike Root, Edgar Cahoon, John Shanklin, Jonathan V Sweedler, Huimin Zhao, Matthew E Hudson
{"title":"Enhancing lipid production in plant cells through automated high-throughput genome editing and phenotyping","authors":"Jia Dong, Seth W Croslow, Stephan T Lane, Daniel C Castro, Jantana Blanford, Shuaizhen Zhou, Kiyoul Park, Steven Burgess, Mike Root, Edgar Cahoon, John Shanklin, Jonathan V Sweedler, Huimin Zhao, Matthew E Hudson","doi":"10.1093/plcell/koaf026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koaf026","url":null,"abstract":"Plant bioengineering is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process with no guarantee of achieving desired traits. Here, we present a fast, automated, scalable, high-throughput pipeline for plant bioengineering (FAST-PB) in maize (Zea mays) and Nicotiana benthamiana. FAST-PB enables genome editing and product characterization by integrating automated biofoundry engineering of callus and protoplast cells with single-cell matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). We first demonstrated that FAST-PB could streamline Golden Gate cloning, with the capacity to construct 96 vectors in parallel. Using FAST-PB in protoplasts, we found that PEG2050 increased transfection efficiency by over 45%. For proof-of-concept, we established a reporter-gene-free method for CRISPR editing and phenotyping via mutation of high chlorophyl fluorescence 136 (HCF136). We show that diverse lipids were enhanced up to sixfold using CRISPR activation of lipid controlling genes. In callus cells, an automated transformation platform was employed to regenerate plants with enhanced lipid traits through introducing multi-gene cassettes. Lastly, FAST-PB enabled high-throughput single-cell lipid profiling by integrating MALDI-MS with the biofoundry, protoplast, and callus cells, differentiating engineered and unengineered cells using single-cell lipidomics. These innovations massively increase the throughput of synthetic biology, genome editing, and metabolic engineering and change what is possible using single-cell metabolomics in plants.","PeriodicalId":501012,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Cell","volume":"82 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143083546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The Plant CellPub Date : 2025-02-03DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koaf022
Yun Huang, Jiahui Gao, Guiming Ji, Wenjing Li, Jiaxue Wang, Qinghua Wang, Yuanyue Shen, Jiaxuan Guo, Fan Gao
{"title":"COP9 SIGNALOSOME SUBUNIT 5A facilitates POLYAMINE OXIDASE 5 degradation to regulate strawberry plant growth and fruit ripening","authors":"Yun Huang, Jiahui Gao, Guiming Ji, Wenjing Li, Jiaxue Wang, Qinghua Wang, Yuanyue Shen, Jiaxuan Guo, Fan Gao","doi":"10.1093/plcell/koaf022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koaf022","url":null,"abstract":"Polyamines (PAs), such as putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, are essential for plant growth and development. However, the post-translational regulation of PA metabolism remains unknown. Here, we report the COP9 SIGNALOSOME SUBUNIT 5A (FvCSN5A) mediates the degradation of the POLYAMINE OXIDASE 5 (FvPAO5), which catalyzes the conversion of spermidine/spermine to produce H2O2 in strawberry (Fragaria vesca). FvCSN5A is localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus, is ubiquitously expressed in strawberry plants, and is rapidly induced during fruit ripening. FvCSN5A RNA interference (RNAi) transgenic strawberry lines exhibit pleiotropic effects on plant development, fertility, and fruit ripening due to altered PA and H2O2 homeostasis, similar to FvPAO5 transgenic overexpression lines. Moreover, FvCSN5A interacts with FvPAO5 in vitro and in vivo, and the ubiquitination and degradation of FvPAO5 are impaired in FvCSN5A RNAi lines. Additionally, FvCSN5A interacts with cullin 1 (FvCUL1), a core component of the E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase complex. Transient genetic analysis in cultivated strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) fruits showed that inhibiting FaPAO5 expression could partially rescue the ripening phenotype of FaCSN5A RNAi fruits. Taken together, our results suggest that the CSN5A-CUL1-PAO5 signaling pathway responsible for PA and H2O2 homeostasis is crucial for strawberry vegetative and reproductive growth in particular fruit ripening. Our findings present a promising strategy for improving crop yield and quality.","PeriodicalId":501012,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Cell","volume":"11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143083563","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The Plant CellPub Date : 2025-01-29DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koaf014
Shiyu Tian, Shen Zhang, Fan Xu, Qingbin Sun, Gang Xu, Min Ni
{"title":"The evening complex component ELF3 recruits H3K4me3 demethylases to repress PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR4 and 5 in Arabidopsis","authors":"Shiyu Tian, Shen Zhang, Fan Xu, Qingbin Sun, Gang Xu, Min Ni","doi":"10.1093/plcell/koaf014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koaf014","url":null,"abstract":"In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), light and circadian clock signaling converge on PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTORS (PIFs) 4 and 5 to produce a daily rhythm of hypocotyl elongation. PIF4 and PIF5 expression is repressed at dusk by the evening complex (EC), consisting of EARLY FLOWERING3 (ELF3), ELF4, and LUX ARRHYTHMO (LUX). Here, we report that ELF3 recruits the JUMONJI (JMJ) H3K4me3 demethylases JMJ17 and JMJ18 to the PIF4 and PIF5 loci in the evening to remove their H3K4me3 marks. The association of JMJ17 and JMJ18 with the 2 genomic loci depends on the EC, and the H3K4me3 marks are enriched in the elf3 and jmj17 jmj18 mutants. Half of the globally differentially expressed genes are overlapping in elf3 and jmj17 jmj18. Cleavage Under Targets and Tagmentation sequencing analysis identified 976 H3K4me3-enriched loci in elf3. Aligning the H3K4me3-enriched loci in elf3 to genes with increased expression in elf3 and jmj17 jmj18 identified 179 and 176 target loci, respectively. Half of the loci are targeted by both ELF3 and JMJ17/JMJ18. This suggests a strong connection between the 2 JMJ proteins and EC function. Our studies reveal that an array of key genes in addition to PIF4 and PIF5 are repressed by the EC through the H3K4me3 demethylation pathway.","PeriodicalId":501012,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Cell","volume":"84 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143057036","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The Plant CellPub Date : 2025-01-27DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koaf019
Oliver Mattinson, Steven Kelly
{"title":"The metabolite transporters of C4 photosynthesis.","authors":"Oliver Mattinson, Steven Kelly","doi":"10.1093/plcell/koaf019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koaf019","url":null,"abstract":"C4 photosynthesis is a highly efficient form of photosynthesis that utilises a biochemical pump to concentrate CO2 around rubisco. Although variation in the implementation of this biochemical pump exists between species, each variant of the C4 pathway is critically dependent on metabolite transport between organelles and between cells. Here we review our understanding of metabolite transport in C4 photosynthesis. We discuss how the majority of our knowledge of the metabolite transporters co-opted for use in C4 photosynthesis has been obtained from studying C3 plants, and how there is a pressing need for in planta validation of transporter function in C4 species. We further explore the diversity of transport pathways present in disparate C4 lineages and highlight the important gaps in our understanding of metabolite transport in C4 plants. Finally, through integration of functional and transcriptional data from multiple C3 and C4 plants we propose a molecular blueprint for metabolite transport for NAD-ME photosynthesis.","PeriodicalId":501012,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Cell","volume":"111 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143049915","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The Plant CellPub Date : 2025-01-17DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koaf017
Ruonan Li, Yue Xu, Qiang Xu, Jing Tang, Wenqing Chen, Zhixiang Luo, Hongbo Liu, Wenqiang Li, Jianbing Yan, Nathan M Springer, Lin Li, Qing Li
{"title":"An epiallele of a gene encoding a PfkB-type carbohydrate kinase affects plant architecture in maize","authors":"Ruonan Li, Yue Xu, Qiang Xu, Jing Tang, Wenqing Chen, Zhixiang Luo, Hongbo Liu, Wenqiang Li, Jianbing Yan, Nathan M Springer, Lin Li, Qing Li","doi":"10.1093/plcell/koaf017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koaf017","url":null,"abstract":"Plant architecture greatly contributes to grain yield, but the epigenetic regulation of plant architecture remains elusive. Here, we identified the maize (Zea mays L.) mutant plant architecture 1 (par1), which shows reduced plant height, shorter and narrower leaves, and larger leaf angles than the wild type. Interestingly, par1 is an epiallele harboring a de novo CACTA insertion in the intron of the Par1 gene. High DNA methylation levels of the CACTA insertion are associated with strong Par1 expression and normal phenotypes. In contrast, low DNA methylation levels of this insertion are associated with weak Par1 expression and a mutant-like phenotype. The Par1 gene encodes a PfkB-type carbohydrate kinase that converts nucleosides to nucleoside monophosphates both in vitro and in vivo. Additional analyses showed that genes differentially expressed in the par1 mutant are enriched in jasmonic acid (JA) metabolism, and levels of JA metabolites were significantly higher in the mutant than in the wild type. Treatment with either nucleoside monophosphates or a synthetic inhibitor of JA biosynthesis reduced JA levels and partially rescued the mutant phenotype. In summary, we identified an epiallele of a gene encoding a PfkB-type carbohydrate kinase that might affect nucleoside monophosphate and JA levels, thus affecting maize growth.","PeriodicalId":501012,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Cell","volume":"56 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142989303","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Synthetic photorespiratory bypass improves rice productivity by enhancing photosynthesis and nitrogen uptake","authors":"Guoxin Chen, Yanni Li, Kaining Jin, Jiabei Gao, Suting Wu, Xuean Cui, Chuanzao Mao, Xinyou Yin, Tiegang Lu, Zhiguo Zhang","doi":"10.1093/plcell/koaf015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koaf015","url":null,"abstract":"Photorespiration, often considered as a wasteful process, is a key target for bioengineering to improve crop yields. Several photorespiratory bypasses have been designed to efficiently metabolize 2-phosphoglycolate and increase the CO2 concentration in chloroplasts, thereby reducing photorespiration. However, the suppression of primary nitrate assimilation remains an issue when photorespiration is inhibited. In this study, we designed a carbon and nitrogen metabolism-coupled photorespiratory bypass, termed the GCBG bypass, in rice (Oryza sativa) chloroplasts. Our results demonstrated efficient assembly and expression of the GCBG bypass in rice chloroplasts, which affected the levels of typical metabolites and their derivatives of natural photorespiration and enhanced the photosynthetic efficiency. Metabolomic analyses revealed that oxaloacetate, produced from glycolate in chloroplasts, positively impacted amino acid synthesis, energy metabolism, and sugar synthesis. The engineered GCBG plants showed an average yield increase of 19.0% (17.8-20.2%) compared to wild-type plants under natural growth conditions, alongside improved nitrogen uptake, which compensated for 44.1% of yield losses under nitrogen-limited conditions. In summary, the GCBG bypass substantially improved the photosynthetic efficiency, biomass and yield in rice by integrating carbon and nitrogen metabolism. This study introduces a strategy for engineering high-yielding rice or other crops with improved photosynthetic efficiency and nitrogen uptake.","PeriodicalId":501012,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Cell","volume":"29 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142987460","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The Plant CellPub Date : 2025-01-16DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koaf018
Julie Robinson
{"title":"Illuminating what lies in darkness: Circadian regulation of hypocotyl growth in Arabidopsis via ELF3 recruitment of demethylases.","authors":"Julie Robinson","doi":"10.1093/plcell/koaf018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koaf018","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":501012,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Cell","volume":"51 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142989311","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The Plant CellPub Date : 2025-01-10DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koaf010
Quan Sun, Zhengchen He, Ranran Wei, Junli Ye, Lijun Chai, Yunjiang Cheng, Qiang Xu, Xiuxin Deng
{"title":"Red peel regulator1 links Ethylene response factor 25 and β-citraurin biosynthetic genes to regulate ethylene-induced peel reddening in citrus","authors":"Quan Sun, Zhengchen He, Ranran Wei, Junli Ye, Lijun Chai, Yunjiang Cheng, Qiang Xu, Xiuxin Deng","doi":"10.1093/plcell/koaf010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koaf010","url":null,"abstract":"The reddish apocarotenoid β-citraurin, produced by CAROTENOID CLEAVAGE DIOXYGENASE 4b (CsCCD4b), is responsible for peel reddening in citrus (Citrus spp.). Ethylene induces the characteristic red color of citrus peel, but the underlying molecular mechanism remains largely unclear. Here, we identified Red peel regulator 1 (CsRP1), a trihelix transcriptional activator that regulates ethylene-induced peel reddening by directly binding to a key MYB-binding site in the CsCCD4b promoter, thus activating its transcription. Furthermore, two drought-responsive cis-elements in the CsRP1 promoter are bound by the ethylene-response factor Ethylene response factor 25 (CsERF25). We reconstructed the CsERF25–CsRP1–CsCCD4b transcriptional regulatory cascade through transient expression of CsERF25 and CsRP1 in citrus peel and via stable transformation of citrus calli. In this cascade, CsERF25 expression was induced by ethylene to activate CsRP1 expression, and then CsRP1 directly induced CsCCD4b transcription to catalyze β-citraurin biosynthesis. CsRP1 and CsERF25 also bound to the promoters of other carotenogenic genes and induced their transcription, thereby promoting β-citraurin accumulation. Collectively, our findings reveal a complex regulatory network modulating ethylene-induced citrus peel reddening and provide innovative strategies for improving the nutritional and aesthetic values of citrus and other fruit crops.","PeriodicalId":501012,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Cell","volume":"82 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142961656","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"SOS2 phosphorylates FREE1 to regulate multi-vesicular body trafficking and vacuolar dynamics under salt stress","authors":"Guoyong Liu, Yonglun Zeng, Baiying Li, Xiangfeng Wang, Liwen Jiang, Yan Guo","doi":"10.1093/plcell/koaf012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koaf012","url":null,"abstract":"Salt stress causes ion toxicity in plant cells and limits plant growth and crop productivity. Sodium ions (Na+) are transported out of the cell and sequestered in the vacuole for detoxification under salt stress. The salt excretion system is controlled by the SALT OVERLY SENSITIVE (SOS) pathway, which consists of the calcium sensors SOS3 and SOS3-LIKE CALCIUM BINDING PROTEIN 8, the protein kinase SOS2, and the plasma membrane Na+/H+ antiporter SOS1. Although much is known about salt responses in plants at the molecular level, it remains unclear if and how plants respond to salt stress through endomembrane remodeling. In this study, we describe a mechanism of salt tolerance in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) involving the modulation of FREE1 levels, which impacts multivesicular body (MVB) trafficking. Specifically, the ESCRT-I (endosomal sorting complex required for transport-I) component FREE1 (FYVE DOMAIN PROTEIN REQUIRED FOR ENDOSOMAL SORTING 1) regulates vacuole fragmentation to enhance salt tolerance. SOS2 phosphorylates FREE1, leading to its degradation and affecting MVB maturation, thereby reducing MVB-vacuole fusion and regulating endomembrane dynamics in response to salt stress. These findings highlight the adaptive role of the plant endomembrane system in coping with salt stress.","PeriodicalId":501012,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Cell","volume":"82 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142961650","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}