A double‐mutant collection targeting MAP kinase related genes in Arabidopsis for studying genetic interactions

Mitogen‐activated protein kinase cascades are conserved in all eukaryotes. In Arabidopsis thaliana there are approximately 80 genes encoding MAP kinase kinase kinases (MAP3K), 10 genes encoding MAP kinase kinases (MAP2K), and 20 genes encoding MAP kinases (MAPK). Reverse genetic analysis has failed to reveal abnormal phenotypes for a majority of these genes. One strategy for uncovering gene function when single‐mutant lines do not produce an informative phenotype is to perform a systematic genetic interaction screen whereby double‐mutants are created from a large library of single‐mutant lines. Here we describe a new collection of 275 double‐mutant lines derived from a library of single‐mutants targeting genes related to MAP kinase signaling. To facilitate this study, we developed a high‐throughput double‐mutant generating pipeline using a system for growing Arabidopsis seedlings in 96‐well plates. A quantitative root growth assay was used to screen for evidence of genetic interactions in this double‐mutant collection. Our screen revealed four genetic interactions, all of which caused synthetic enhancement of the root growth defects observed in a MAP kinase 4 (MPK4) single‐mutant line. Seeds for this double‐mutant collection are publicly available through the Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center. Scientists interested in diverse biological processes can now screen this double‐mutant collection under a wide range of growth conditions in order to search for additional genetic interactions that may provide new insights into MAP kinase signaling.     

Genetic analysis of leaf form mutants from the Arabidopsis Information Service collection.

Although a vast inventory of morphological mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana is available, only some have been used for genetic studies of leaf development. Such is the case with the Arabidopsis Information Service (AIS) Form Mutants collection, assembled by A. R. Kranz and currently stored at the Nottingham Arabidopsis Stock Centre, which includes a large number of mutant lines, most of which have been little studied. With the aim of contributing to the genetic dissection of leaf ontogeny, we have subjected 57 mutant lines isolated by others to genetic analysis; 47 of which were from the AIS collection. These are characterized by vegetative leaves of abnormal shape or size, and were chosen as candidates for mutations in genes required for leaf morphogenesis. The mutant phenotypes studied were shown to be inherited as single recessive Mendelian traits and were classified into 10 phenotypic classes. These mutant strains were found to fall into 37 complementation groups, 7 of which corresponded to known genes. Results of the phenotypic analysis and data on the genetic interactions of these mutants are presented, and their possible developmental defects discussed. Received: 28 October 1998 / Accepted: 21 February 1999     

The Chloroplast Function Database: a large‐scale collection of Arabidopsis Ds/Spm‐ or T‐DNA‐tagged homozygous lines for nuclear‐encoded chloroplast proteins,and their systematic phenotype analysis

A majority of the proteins of the chloroplast are encoded by the nuclear genome, and are post‐translationally targeted to the chloroplast. From databases of tagged insertion lines at international seed stock centers and our own stock, we selected 3246 Ds/Spm (dissociator/suppressor–mutator) transposon‐ or T‐DNA‐tagged Arabidopsis lines for genes encoding 1369 chloroplast proteins (about 66% of the 2090 predicted chloroplast proteins) in which insertions disrupt the protein‐coding regions. We systematically observed 3‐week‐old seedlings grown on agar plates, identified mutants with abnormal phenotypes and collected homozygous lines with wild‐type phenotypes. We also identified insertion lines for which no homozygous plants were obtained. To date, we have identified 111 lines with reproducible seedling phenotypes, 122 lines for which we could not obtain homozygotes and 1290 homozygous lines without a visible phenotype. The Chloroplast Function Database presents the molecular and phenotypic information obtained from this resource. The database provides tools for searching for mutant lines using Arabidopsis Genome Initiative (AGI) locus numbers, tagged line numbers and phenotypes, and provides rapid access to detailed information on the tagged line resources. Moreover, our collection of insertion homozygotes provides a powerful tool to accelerate the functional analysis of nuclear‐encoded chloroplast proteins in Arabidopsis. The Chloroplast Function Database is freely available at http://rarge.psc.riken.jp/chloroplast/ . The homozygous lines generated in this project are also available from the various Arabidopsis stock centers. We have donated the insertion homozygotes to their originating seed stock centers.     

Genetic analysis of leaf form mutants from the Arabidopsis Information Service collection

Although a vast inventory of morphological mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana is available, only some have been used for genetic studies of leaf development. Such is the case with the Arabidopsis Information Service (AIS) Form Mutants collection, assembled by A. R. Kranz and currently stored at the Nottingham Arabidopsis Stock Centre, which includes a large number of mutant lines, most of which have been little studied. With the aim of contributing to the genetic dissection of leaf ontogeny, we have subjected 57 mutant lines isolated by others to genetic analysis; 47 of which were from the AIS collection. These are characterized by vegetative leaves of abnormal shape or size, and were chosen as candidates for mutations in genes required for leaf morphogenesis. The mutant phenotypes studied were shown to be inherited as single recessive Mendelian traits and were classified into 10 phenotypic classes. These mutant strains were found to fall into 37 complementation groups, 7 of which corresponded to known genes. Results of the phenotypic analysis and data on the genetic interactions of these mutants are presented, and their possible developmental defects discussed.     

3个玉米黄叶突变体的光合特性研究

在农业生产中光合作用是作物积累生物量的主要方式,其主要依赖于多种光合色素和完整的叶绿体结构与功能。而玉米叶色突变体对于研究叶绿体发育、提高玉米光合作用能力和产量具有重要意义。以两个玉米自交系郑58(Z58)和B73为对照,对从甲基磺酸乙酯(ethyl methanesulphonate,EMS)处理后的不同玉米诱变群体中筛选到的2株黄叶突变体yl-1(yellow leaf-1,Z58背景)、yl-2(yellow leaf-2,B73背景)以及从玉米自交系Z58中发现的1株自然黄叶突变体yl-3(yellow leaf-3)等3个表型相似的玉米黄叶突变体的形态特征、光合色素含量、叶绿素合成前体物质含量进行了比较研究。结果表明,与对照相比,3个突变体在整个生长周期内均呈现不同程度的黄叶表型、不复绿、植株矮小、发育迟缓;叶片总叶绿素、叶绿素a和叶绿素b含量均显著降低(P<0.05),叶绿素a/叶绿素b比值显著升高(P<0.05);不同突变体的各类叶绿素合成前体物质含量有不同程度的降低。3个突变体的黄叶表型可能是由不同基因的突变导致相关四吡咯化合物合成异常引起的。研究结果为定位...     

水稻窄叶突变体zy17的遗传分析和候选基因鉴定

器官大小调控是一个基本的发育生物学过程,受细胞分裂和细胞扩展的影响。然而,植物器官大小调控的遗传和分子机理仍不清楚。为了进一步了解器官大小调控的分子机制,文章分离了一系列水稻叶子宽窄改变的突变体。其中,窄叶突变体zy17叶变窄,同时伴有植株矮化、穗子变小、枝梗数和穗粒数降低的表型。遗传分析表明该窄叶性状受1个隐性基因控制;细胞学分析表明该突变体叶子的细胞数目和维管束数目显著降低,表明ZY17影响了细胞分裂。基因组重测序进一步筛选出ZY17的3个候选基因：Os02g22390基因突变发生在内含子区,编码蛋白为逆转座蛋白;Os02g28280和Os02g29530基因突变都发生在外显子区,其中Os02g28280编码一个功能未知蛋白,该基因突变后,发生碱基置换,产生非同义突变;Os02g29530编码一个含糖基转移酶相关的PFAM结构域的蛋白,该基因突变后,出现两个碱基的缺失,从而导致其蛋白翻译提前终止。对候选基因的深入研究,将揭示水稻叶子大小调控的机制。     

Fitness effects of mutation: testing genetic redundancy in Arabidopsis thaliana

Screens of organisms with disruptive mutations in a single gene often fail to detect phenotypic consequences for the majority of mutants. One explanation for this phenomenon is that the presence of paralogous loci provides genetic redundancy. However, it is also possible that the assayed traits are affected by few loci, that effects could be subtle or that phenotypic effects are restricted to certain environments. We assayed a set of T‐DNA insertion mutant lines of Arabidopsis thaliana to determine the frequency with which mutation affected fitness‐related phenotypes. We found that between 8% and 42% of the assayed lines had altered fitness from the wild type. Furthermore, many of these lines exhibited fitness greater than the wild type. In a second experiment, we grew a subset of the lines in multiple environments and found whether a T‐DNA insert increased or decreased fitness traits depended on the assay environment. Overall, our evidence contradicts the hypothesis that genetic redundancy is a common phenomenon in A. thaliana for fitness traits. Evidence for redundancy from prior screens of knockout mutants may often be an artefact of the design of the phenotypic assays which have focused on less complex phenotypes than fitness and have used single environments. Finally, our study adds to evidence that beneficial mutations may represent a significant component of the mutational spectrum of A. thaliana.     

The ANGULATA7 gene encodes a DnaJ‐like zinc finger‐domain protein involved in chloroplast function and leaf development in Arabidopsis

The characterization of mutants with altered leaf shape and pigmentation has previously allowed the identification of nuclear genes that encode plastid‐localized proteins that perform essential functions in leaf growth and development. A large‐scale screen previously allowed us to isolate ethyl methanesulfonate‐induced mutants with small rosettes and pale green leaves with prominent marginal teeth, which were assigned to a phenotypic class that we dubbed Angulata. The molecular characterization of the 12 genes assigned to this phenotypic class should help us to advance our understanding of the still poorly understood relationship between chloroplast biogenesis and leaf morphogenesis. In this article, we report the phenotypic and molecular characterization of the angulata7‐1 (anu7‐1) mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana, which we found to be a hypomorphic allele of the EMB2737 gene, which was previously known only for its embryonic‐lethal mutations. ANU7 encodes a plant‐specific protein that contains a domain similar to the central cysteine‐rich domain of DnaJ proteins. The observed genetic interaction of anu7‐1 with a loss‐of‐function allele of GENOMES UNCOUPLED1 suggests that the anu7‐1 mutation triggers a retrograde signal that leads to changes in the expression of many genes that normally function in the chloroplasts. Many such genes are expressed at higher levels in anu7‐1 rosettes, with a significant overrepresentation of those required for the expression of plastid genome genes. Like in other mutants with altered expression of plastid‐encoded genes, we found that anu7‐1 exhibits defects in the arrangement of thylakoidal membranes, which appear locally unappressed.     

Genome assembly of the Chinese maize elite inbred line RP125 and its EMS mutant collection provide new resources for maize genetics research and crop improvement

Maize is an important crop worldwide, as well as a valuable model with vast genetic diversity. Accurate genome and annotation information for a wide range of inbred lines would provide valuable resources for crop improvement and pan-genome characterization. In this study, we generated a high-quality de novo genome assembly (contig N50 of 15.43 Mb) of the Chinese elite inbred line RP125 using Nanopore long-read sequencing and Hi-C scaffolding, which yield highly contiguous, chromosome-length scaffolds. Global comparison of the RP125 genome with those of B73, W22, and Mo17 revealed a large number of structural variations. To create new germplasm for maize research and crop improvement, we carried out an EMS mutagenesis screen on RP125. In total, we obtained 5818 independent M2 families, with 946 mutants showing heritable phenotypes. Taking advantage of the high-quality RP125 genome, we successfully cloned 10 mutants from the EMS library, including the novel kernel mutant qk1 (quekou: “missing a small part” in Chinese), which exhibited partial loss of endosperm and a starch accumulation defect. QK1 encodes a predicted metal tolerance protein, which is specifically required for Fe transport. Increased accumulation of Fe and reactive oxygen species as well as ferroptosis-like cell death were detected in qk1 endosperm. Our study provides the community with a high-quality genome sequence and a large collection of mutant germplasm.     

拟南芥突变体tgd表型和分子生物学特性分析

主要研究1个由Ds插入所造成的大片段缺失拟南芥突变体tgd(ten gene deletion)．这个突变体来自于基因陷阱拟南芥突变体库．对这一突变体的后代卡那霉素抗性分离比分析和Southern杂交表明,只有1个Ds拷贝插入此突变体基因组中,但是Tail-PCR和随后用特异基因序列为引物的验证PCR证实在Ds插入过程中造成了30 kb基因片段的缺失．根据对拟南芥基因组序列的注释,这30 kb的序列中包含10个基因．这一多基因缺失突变体有多效性表型．整株表现为株型矮小,发育迟缓,根系不发达,极易失水而死,茎细弱,较短,花序不正常．其中,莲座叶的表型最为明显,突变体叶形较细,叶片较厚．为了研究这些基因在多效性表型产生中所发挥的功能,对来自ABRC种子库中所有基因的T-DNA插入突变体,即salk line的表型进行了分析,发现所有基因的T-DNA插入突变体均没有可见的表型．这一现象暗示,突变体tgd的表型是10个基因缺失的综合效应,但是10个基因的相互关系以及与tgd表型的相互关系仍有待于继续研究．     

GABI‐DUPLO: a collection of double mutants to overcome genetic redundancy in Arabidopsis thaliana

Owing to duplication events in its progenitor, more than 90% of the genes in the Arabidopsis thaliana genome are members of multigene families. A set of 2108 gene families, each consisting of precisely two unlinked paralogous genes, was identified in the nuclear genome of A. thaliana on the basis of sequence similarity. A systematic method for the creation of double knock‐out lines for such gene pairs, designated as DUPLO lines, was established and 200 lines are now publicly available. Their initial phenotypic characterisation led to the identification of seven lines with defects that emerge only in the adult stage. A further six lines display seedling lethality and 23 lines were lethal before germination. Another 14 lines are known to show phenotypes under non‐standard conditions or at the molecular level. Knock‐out of gene pairs with very similar coding sequences or expression profiles is more likely to produce a mutant phenotype than inactivation of gene pairs with dissimilar profiles or sequences. High coding sequence similarity and highly similar expression profiles are only weakly correlated, implying that promoter and coding regions of these gene pairs display different degrees of diversification.     

The deubiquitinating enzyme AMSH1 is required for rhizobial infection and nodule organogenesis in Lotus japonicus

Legume–rhizobium symbiosis contributes large quantities of fixed nitrogen to both agricultural and natural ecosystems. This global impact and the selective interaction between rhizobia and legumes culminating in development of functional root nodules have prompted detailed studies of the underlying mechanisms. We performed a screen for aberrant nodulation phenotypes using the Lotus japonicus LORE1 insertion mutant collection. Here, we describe the identification of amsh1 mutants that only develop small nodule primordia and display stunted shoot growth, and show that the aberrant nodulation phenotype caused by LORE1 insertions in the Amsh1 gene may be separated from the shoot phenotype. In amsh1 mutants, rhizobia initially became entrapped in infection threads with thickened cells walls. Some rhizobia were released into plant cells much later than observed for the wild‐type; however, no typical symbiosome structures were formed. Furthermore, cytokinin treatment only very weakly induced nodule organogenesis in amsh1 mutants, suggesting that AMSH1 function is required downstream of cytokinin signaling. Biochemical analysis showed that AMSH1 is an active deubiquitinating enzyme, and that AMSH1 specifically cleaves K63‐linked ubiquitin chains. Post‐translational ubiquitination and deubiquitination processes involving the AMSH1 deubiquitinating enzyme are thus involved in both infection and organogenesis in Lotus japonicus.     

Complex phenotypic profiles leading to ozone sensitivity in Arabidopsis thaliana mutants

Genetically tractable model plants offer the possibility of defining the plant O₃ response at the molecular level. To this end, we have isolated a collection of ozone (O₃)-sensitive mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana . Mutant phenotypes and genetics were characterized. Additionally, parameters associated with O₃ sensitivity were analysed, including stomatal conductance, sensitivity to and accumulation of reactive oxygen species, antioxidants, stress gene-expression and the accumulation of stress hormones. Each mutant has a unique phenotypic profile, with O₃ sensitivity caused by a unique set of alterations in these systems. O₃ sensitivity in these mutants is not caused by gross deficiencies in the antioxidant pathways tested here. The rcd3 mutant exhibits misregulated stomata. All mutants exhibited changes in stress hormones consistent with the known hormonal roles in defence and cell death regulation. One mutant, dubbed re-8 , is an allele of the classic leaf development mutant reticulata and exhibits phenotypes dependent on light conditions. This study shows that O₃ sensitivity can be determined by deficiencies in multiple interacting plant systems and provides genetic evidence linking these systems.     

A collection of enhancer trap insertional mutants for functional genomics in tomato

With the completion of genome sequencing projects, the next challenge is to close the gap between gene annotation and gene functional assignment. Genomic tools to identify gene functions are based on the analysis of phenotypic variations between a wild type and its mutant; hence, mutant collections are a valuable resource. In this sense, T‐DNA collections allow for an easy and straightforward identification of the tagged gene, serving as the basis of both forward and reverse genetic strategies. This study reports on the phenotypic and molecular characterization of an enhancer trap T‐DNA collection in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), which has been produced by Agrobacterium‐mediated transformation using a binary vector bearing a minimal promoter fused to the uidA reporter gene. Two genes have been isolated from different T‐DNA mutants, one of these genes codes for a UTP‐glucose‐1‐phosphate uridylyltransferase involved in programmed cell death and leaf development, which means a novel gene function reported in tomato. Together, our results support that enhancer trapping is a powerful tool to identify novel genes and regulatory elements in tomato and that this T‐DNA mutant collection represents a highly valuable resource for functional analyses in this fleshy‐fruited model species.     

Ethyl methanesulfonate mutant library construction in Gossypium hirsutum L. for allotetraploid functional genomics and germplasm innovation

As the gene pool is exposed to both strain on land resources and a lack of diversity in elite allotetraploid cotton, the acquisition and identification of novel alleles has taken on epic importance in facilitating cotton genetic improvement and functional genomics research. Ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) is an excellent mutagen that induces genome‐wide efficient mutations to activate the mutagenic potential of plants with many advantages. The present study established, determined and verified the experimental procedure suitable for EMS‐based mutant library construction as the general reference guide in allotetraploid upland cotton. This optimized method and procedure are efficient, and abundant EMS mutant libraries (approximately 12 000) in allotetraploid cotton were successfully obtained. More than 20 mutant phenotypes were observed and screened, including phenotypes of the leaf, flower, fruit, fiber and plant architecture. Through the plants mutant library, high‐throughput and high‐resolution melting technology‐based variation evaluation detected the EMS‐induced site mutation. Additionally, based on overall genome‐wide mutation analyses by re‐sequencing and mutant library assessment, the examination results demonstrated the ideal quality of the cotton EMS‐treated mutant library constructed in this study with appropriate high mutation density and saturated genome. What is more, the collection is composed of a broad repertoire of mutants, which is the valuable resource for basic genetic research and functional genomics underlying complex allotetraploid traits, as well as cotton breeding.