The ability of plant somatic cells to dedifferentiate, form somatic embryos and regenerate whole plants
- Award ID(s):
- 1917138
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10291957
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Frontiers in Genome Editing
- Volume:
- 2
- ISSN:
- 2673-3439
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Summary in vitro has been harnessed for both clonal propagation and as a key component of plant genetic engineering systems. Embryogenic culture response is significantly limited, however, by plant genotype in most species. This impedes advancements in both plant transformation‐based functional genomics research and crop improvement efforts. We utilized natural variation among maize inbred lines to genetically map somatic embryo generation potential in tissue culture and identify candidate genes underlying totipotency. Using a series of maize lines derived from crosses involving the culturable parent A188 and the non‐responsive parent B73, we identified a region on chromosome 3 associated with embryogenic culture response and focused on three candidate genes within the region based on genetic position and expression pattern. Two candidate genes showed no effect when ectopically expressed in B73, but the geneWox2a was found to induce somatic embryogenesis and embryogenic callus proliferation. Transgenic B73 cells with strong constitutive expression of the B73 and A188 coding sequences ofWox2a were found to produce somatic embryos at similar frequencies, demonstrating that sufficient expression of either allele could rescue the embryogenic culture phenotype. Transgenic B73 plants were regenerated from the somatic embryos without chemical selection and no pleiotropic effects were observed in theWox2a overexpression lines in the regenerated T0 plants or in the two independent events which produced T1 progeny. In addition to linking natural variation in tissue culture response toWox2a , our data support the utility ofWox2a in enabling transformation of recalcitrant genotypes. -
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Abstract Background The maize inbred line A188 is an attractive model for elucidation of gene function and improvement due to its high embryogenic capacity and many contrasting traits to the first maize reference genome, B73, and other elite lines. The lack of a genome assembly of A188 limits its use as a model for functional studies.
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ccd1 ) in A188 is associated with elevated expression during seed development. Highccd1 expression in seeds together with low expression of yellow endosperm 1 (y1 ) reduces carotenoid accumulation, accounting for the white seed phenotype of A188. Furthermore, transcriptome and epigenome analyses reveal enhanced expression of defense pathways and altered DNA methylation patterns of the embryonic callus.Conclusions The A188 genome assembly provides a high-resolution sequence for a complex genome species and a foundational resource for analyses of genome variation and gene function in maize. The genome, in comparison to B73, contains extensive intra-species structural variations and other genetic differences. Expression and network analyses identify discrete profiles for embryonic callus and other tissues.
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fgeed.2020.622227
