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From Arabidopsis to crops: a molecular tool to increase protein content and broad disease resistance
Author(s) -
Li Ling
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.2020.34.s1.08743
Subject(s) - biology , arabidopsis , plant disease resistance , genetically modified crops , arabidopsis thaliana , abiotic stress , crop , microbiology and biotechnology , ectopic expression , abiotic component , transgene , mutant , gene , agronomy , genetics , ecology
Crop plants must integrate signals from the environment and prioritize responses to stresses that may occur individually or simultaneously throughout the growing season. Stress responses can adversely affect plant growth and quality traits such as protein and starch. The ability to optimize protein productivity of plant‐based foods has far‐ranging impact on world health and sustainability. Plant diseases each year cause major losses to crop production. The Arabidopsis thaliana QQS (Qua Quine Starch) orphan gene modulates carbon allocation to protein and starch 1. Ectopic QQS expression increases protein content 2 in leaf and seed in soybean, in corn and rice 3, 4. QQS transcript levels are altered in plants under stresses and in mutants of genes involved in all sorts of stress responses, indicating that QQS may integrate primary metabolism with environmental perturbations, thus adjusting the plant’s adaption to abiotic and biotic stresses 5. The QQS protein binds to a transcriptional regulator in Arabidopsis and its homologs in crops: Nuclear Factor Y subunit C4 (NF‐YC4). NF‐YC4 overexpression mimics QQS‐ overexpression phenotype 4. Mutants overexpressing QQS or NF‐YC4 have significantly increased resistance to plant pathogens and pests 6, 7. We are developing a non‐transgenic strategy to create high‐protein crops and enhance broad‐spectrum disease resistance 6. Transcriptomics analyses enable new discovery to advance basic research and application in crops. Support or Funding Information 1) Iowa Soybean Association: Non‐transgenic soybeans with broad plant disease resistance and high protein. 2) National Science Foundation MCB #0951170: Uncovering novel signaling interactions in plant metabolic networks. 3) United Soybean Board: High‐protein soybeans.References 1 Li L , Foster C , Gan Q , Nettleton D , James MG , Myers AM , and Wurtele ES. Identification of the novel protein QQS as a component of the starch metabolic network in Arabidopsis leaves . Plant Journal. 2009 ; 58 : 485 – 498 . 2 Li L , Wurtele ES. Materials and methods for modifying a biochemical component in a plant . U.S. App. 20120222167 A1 , U.S. patent 9157091 . 2012 ; U.S. patent office. 3 Li L , and Wurtele ES. The QQS orphan gene of Arabidopsis modulates carbon and nitrogen allocation in soybean . Plant Biotechnology Journal . 2015 ; 13 : 177 – 187 . 4 Li L , Zheng W , Zhu Y , Ye H , Tang B , Arendsee Z , Jones D , Li R , Ortiz D , Zhao X , Du C , Nettleton D , Scott P , Salas-Fernandez M , Yin Y , and Wurtele ES . The QQS orphan gene regulates carbon and nitrogen partitioning across species via NF-YC interactions . PNAS . 2015 ; 112 : 14734 – 14739 . 5 Arendsee Z , Li L , and Wurtele ES. Coming of age: orphan genes in plants . Trends in Plant Science . 2014 ; 19 : 698 – 708 . 6 Li L , Wurtele ES. Plant genes for increased protein content and resistance to stress . U.S. Provisional Pat. App. No. 62/244,131 . 2015 ; U.S. patent office . 7 Qi M , Zheng W , Zhao X , Hohenstein J , Kandel Y , O’Conner S , Wang Y , Du C , Nettleton D , Macintosh G , Tylka G , Wurtele E , Whitham S , and Li L. QQS orphan gene and its interactor NF-YC4 reduce susceptibility to pathogens and pests . Plant Biotechnology Journal . 2018 ; 17 : 252 – 263 .