Qibin Wang, Qiuyue Guo, Qingbiao Shi, Hengjia Yang, Meiling Liu, Yani Niu, Shuxuan Quan, Di Xu, Xiaofeng Chen, Laiyi Li, Wenchang Xu, Fanying Kong, Haisen Zhang, Pinghua Li, Bosheng Li, Gang Li
{"title":"组织学和单核转录组分析揭示了玉米叶状细纹细胞的特殊功能和叶角的关键调控因子","authors":"Qibin Wang, Qiuyue Guo, Qingbiao Shi, Hengjia Yang, Meiling Liu, Yani Niu, Shuxuan Quan, Di Xu, Xiaofeng Chen, Laiyi Li, Wenchang Xu, Fanying Kong, Haisen Zhang, Pinghua Li, Bosheng Li, Gang Li","doi":"10.1016/j.molp.2024.05.001","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Leaf angle (LA) is a crucial factor that affects planting density and yield in maize. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying LA formation remain largely unknown. In this study, we performed a comparative histological analysis of the ligular region across various maize inbred lines and revealed that LA is significantly influenced by a two-step regulatory process involving initial cell elongation followed by subsequent lignification in the ligular adaxial sclerenchyma cells (SCs). Subsequently, we performed both bulk and single-nucleus RNA sequencing, generated a comprehensive transcriptomic atlas of the ligular region, and identified numerous genes enriched in the hypodermal cells that may influence their specialization into SCs. Furthermore, we functionally characterized two genes encoding atypical basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors, bHLH30 and its homolog bHLH155, which are highly expressed in the elongated adaxial cells. Genetic analyses revealed that bHLH30 and bHLH155 positively regulate LA expansion, and molecular experiments demonstrated their ability to activate the transcription of genes involved in cell elongation and lignification of SCs. These findings highlight the specialized functions of ligular adaxial SCs in LA regulation by restricting further extension of ligular cells and enhancing mechanical strength. The transcriptomic atlas of the ligular region at single-nucleus resolution not only deepens our understanding of LA regulation but also enables identification of numerous potential targets for optimizing plant architecture in modern maize breeding.</p>","PeriodicalId":19012,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Plant","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":17.1000,"publicationDate":"2024-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":"{\"title\":\"Histological and single-nucleus transcriptome analyses reveal the specialized functions of ligular sclerenchyma cells and key regulators of leaf angle in maize.\",\"authors\":\"Qibin Wang, Qiuyue Guo, Qingbiao Shi, Hengjia Yang, Meiling Liu, Yani Niu, Shuxuan Quan, Di Xu, Xiaofeng Chen, Laiyi Li, Wenchang Xu, Fanying Kong, Haisen Zhang, Pinghua Li, Bosheng Li, Gang Li\",\"doi\":\"10.1016/j.molp.2024.05.001\",\"DOIUrl\":null,\"url\":null,\"abstract\":\"<p><p>Leaf angle (LA) is a crucial factor that affects planting density and yield in maize. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying LA formation remain largely unknown. In this study, we performed a comparative histological analysis of the ligular region across various maize inbred lines and revealed that LA is significantly influenced by a two-step regulatory process involving initial cell elongation followed by subsequent lignification in the ligular adaxial sclerenchyma cells (SCs). Subsequently, we performed both bulk and single-nucleus RNA sequencing, generated a comprehensive transcriptomic atlas of the ligular region, and identified numerous genes enriched in the hypodermal cells that may influence their specialization into SCs. Furthermore, we functionally characterized two genes encoding atypical basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors, bHLH30 and its homolog bHLH155, which are highly expressed in the elongated adaxial cells. Genetic analyses revealed that bHLH30 and bHLH155 positively regulate LA expansion, and molecular experiments demonstrated their ability to activate the transcription of genes involved in cell elongation and lignification of SCs. These findings highlight the specialized functions of ligular adaxial SCs in LA regulation by restricting further extension of ligular cells and enhancing mechanical strength. The transcriptomic atlas of the ligular region at single-nucleus resolution not only deepens our understanding of LA regulation but also enables identification of numerous potential targets for optimizing plant architecture in modern maize breeding.</p>\",\"PeriodicalId\":19012,\"journal\":{\"name\":\"Molecular Plant\",\"volume\":null,\"pages\":null},\"PeriodicalIF\":17.1000,\"publicationDate\":\"2024-06-03\",\"publicationTypes\":\"Journal Article\",\"fieldsOfStudy\":null,\"isOpenAccess\":false,\"openAccessPdf\":\"\",\"citationCount\":\"0\",\"resultStr\":null,\"platform\":\"Semanticscholar\",\"paperid\":null,\"PeriodicalName\":\"Molecular Plant\",\"FirstCategoryId\":\"99\",\"ListUrlMain\":\"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molp.2024.05.001\",\"RegionNum\":1,\"RegionCategory\":\"生物学\",\"ArticlePicture\":[],\"TitleCN\":null,\"AbstractTextCN\":null,\"PMCID\":null,\"EPubDate\":\"2024/5/7 0:00:00\",\"PubModel\":\"Epub\",\"JCR\":\"Q1\",\"JCRName\":\"BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY\",\"Score\":null,\"Total\":0}","platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Molecular Plant","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molp.2024.05.001","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2024/5/7 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
Histological and single-nucleus transcriptome analyses reveal the specialized functions of ligular sclerenchyma cells and key regulators of leaf angle in maize.
Leaf angle (LA) is a crucial factor that affects planting density and yield in maize. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying LA formation remain largely unknown. In this study, we performed a comparative histological analysis of the ligular region across various maize inbred lines and revealed that LA is significantly influenced by a two-step regulatory process involving initial cell elongation followed by subsequent lignification in the ligular adaxial sclerenchyma cells (SCs). Subsequently, we performed both bulk and single-nucleus RNA sequencing, generated a comprehensive transcriptomic atlas of the ligular region, and identified numerous genes enriched in the hypodermal cells that may influence their specialization into SCs. Furthermore, we functionally characterized two genes encoding atypical basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors, bHLH30 and its homolog bHLH155, which are highly expressed in the elongated adaxial cells. Genetic analyses revealed that bHLH30 and bHLH155 positively regulate LA expansion, and molecular experiments demonstrated their ability to activate the transcription of genes involved in cell elongation and lignification of SCs. These findings highlight the specialized functions of ligular adaxial SCs in LA regulation by restricting further extension of ligular cells and enhancing mechanical strength. The transcriptomic atlas of the ligular region at single-nucleus resolution not only deepens our understanding of LA regulation but also enables identification of numerous potential targets for optimizing plant architecture in modern maize breeding.
期刊介绍:
Molecular Plant is dedicated to serving the plant science community by publishing novel and exciting findings with high significance in plant biology. The journal focuses broadly on cellular biology, physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, development, plant-microbe interaction, genomics, bioinformatics, and molecular evolution.
Molecular Plant publishes original research articles, reviews, Correspondence, and Spotlights on the most important developments in plant biology.