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Molecular Plant Reproduction: From Cells to Nature

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A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Reproduction".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 March 2025 | Viewed by 21526

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Dr. Diego Hojsgaard

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Taxonomy & Evolutionary Biology, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Gatersleben, Germany
Interests: apomixis; evolution; genetics; genomics; hybridization; plant reproduction; polyploidy
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sexual plant reproduction is a complex process inherent to the life cycle of a plant to generate new offspring, and is central in agricultural production. It begins with the appropriate environmental conditions necessary for floral induction and the assignment of a floral fate to the plant’s meristems, the development of a flower carrying the female and male gametophytes, and the participation of gametes in the reproductive stages, from pollination to fertilization, which then produces the embryo and seed endosperm. Seed germination and seedling establishment close the life cycle of the plant, generating new offspring.

Today more than ever, our knowledge of the molecular aspects of plant reproduction in model and non-model plants plays a crucial role both for understanding the ecology of plant life in Nature and for providing adequate services to human societies.

The forthcoming topical collection aims to provide a platform for researchers from different fields to publish studies dealing with any molecular aspect of plant reproduction, from the transition from vegetative to reproductive development until seed maturation and seedling establishment in Nature. Therefore, original research articles and other pieces covering a wide range of studies related to floral structure and development, phytohormone dynamics, the expression of key genes, genomics, cell-to-cell communication, or plant–environment interactions (either with abiotic or biotic agents) that address various molecular aspects connected to the stages of plant reproduction are welcomed.

Dr. Diego Hojsgaard
Guest Editor

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Keywords

botany
cell-to-cell communication
embryo development
endosperm development
floral development
gametogenesis
genome editing
genomics
metabolomics
meiosis
plant–environment interactions
transcriptomics

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 2936 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Arabidopsis RALF4 Rapidly Halts Pollen Tube Growth by Increasing ROS and Decreasing Calcium Cytoplasmic Tip Levels

by Sofía C. Somoza, Noelia A. Boccardo, Franco Santin, Ana R. Sede, Diego L. Wengier, Aurélien Boisson-Dernier and Jorge P. Muschietti

Biomolecules 2024, 14(11), 1375; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom14111375 - 29 Oct 2024

Viewed by 605

Abstract

In recent years, the rapid alkalinization factor (RALF) family of cysteine-rich peptides has been reported to be crucial for several plant signaling mechanisms, including cell growth, plant immunity and fertilization. RALF4 and RALF19 (RALF4/19) pollen peptides redundantly regulate the pollen tube integrity and growth through binding to their receptors ANXUR1/2 (ANX1/2) and Buddha’s Paper Seal 1 and 2 (BUPS1/2), members of the Catharanthus roseus RLK1-like (CrRLK1L) family, and, thus, are essential for plant fertilization. However, the signaling mechanisms at the cellular level that follow these binding events remain unclear. In this study, we show that the addition of synthetic peptide RALF4 rapidly halts pollen tube growth along with the excessive deposition of plasma membrane and cell wall material at the tip. The ratiometric imaging of genetically encoded ROS and Ca²⁺ sensors-expressing pollen tubes shows that RALF4 treatment modulates the cytoplasmic levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and calcium (Ca²⁺) in opposite ways at the tip. Thus, we propose that pollen RALF4/19 peptides bind ANX1/2 and BUPS1/2 to regulate ROS and calcium homeostasis to ensure proper cell wall integrity and control of pollen tube growth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Plant Reproduction: From Cells to Nature)

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21 pages, 3769 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Molecular Evolution of RAMOSA1 (RA1) in Land Plants

by Carolina Bellino, Fernando E. Herrera, Daniel Rodrigues, A. Sergio Garay, Sofía V. Huck and Renata Reinheimer

Biomolecules 2024, 14(5), 550; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom14050550 - 3 May 2024

Viewed by 3582

Abstract

RAMOSA1 (RA1) is a Cys2-His2-type (C2H2) zinc finger transcription factor that controls plant meristem fate and identity and has played an important role in maize domestication. Despite its importance, the origin of RA1 is unknown, and the evolution in plants is only partially understood. In this paper, we present a well-resolved phylogeny based on 73 amino acid sequences from 48 embryophyte species. The recovered tree topology indicates that, during grass evolution, RA1 arose from two consecutive SUPERMAN duplications, resulting in three distinct grass sequence lineages: RA1-like A, RA1-like B, and RA1; however, most of these copies have unknown functions. Our findings indicate that RA1 and RA1-like play roles in the nucleus despite lacking a traditional nuclear localization signal. Here, we report that copies diversified their coding region and, with it, their protein structure, suggesting different patterns of DNA binding and protein–protein interaction. In addition, each of the retained copies diversified regulatory elements along their promoter regions, indicating differences in their upstream regulation. Taken together, the evidence indicates that the RA1 and RA1-like gene families in grasses underwent subfunctionalization and neofunctionalization enabled by gene duplication. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Plant Reproduction: From Cells to Nature)

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13 pages, 2463 KiB

Open AccessArticle

GmTCP40 Promotes Soybean Flowering under Long-Day Conditions by Binding to the GmAP1a Promoter and Upregulating Its Expression

by Lixin Zhang, Peiguo Wang, Miao Wang, Xin Xu, Hongchang Jia, Tingting Wu, Shan Yuan, Bingjun Jiang, Shi Sun, Tianfu Han, Liwei Wang and Fulu Chen

Biomolecules 2024, 14(4), 465; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom14040465 - 10 Apr 2024

Viewed by 1251

Abstract

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is a short-day (SD) plant that is sensitive to photoperiod, which influences flowering, maturity, and even adaptation. TEOSINTE-BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA/PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR (TCP) transcription factors have been shown to regulate photoperiodic flowering. However, the roles of TCPs in SD plants such as soybean, rice, and maize remain largely unknown. In this study, we cloned the GmTCP40 gene from soybean and investigated its expression pattern and function. Compared with wild-type (WT) plants, GmTCP40-overexpression plants flowered earlier under long-day (LD) conditions but not under SD conditions. Consistent with this, the overexpression lines showed upregulation of the flowering-related genes GmFT2a, GmFT2b, GmFT5a, GmFT6, GmAP1a, GmAP1b, GmAP1c, GmSOC1a, GmSOC1b, GmFULa, and GmAG under LD conditions. Further investigation revealed that GmTCP40 binds to the GmAP1a promoter and promotes its expression. Analysis of the GmTCP40 haplotypes and phenotypes of soybean accessions demonstrated that one GmTCP40 haplotype (Hap6) may contribute to delayed flowering at low latitudes. Taken together, our findings provide preliminary insights into the regulation of flowering time by GmTCP40 while laying a foundation for future research on other members of the GmTCP family and for efforts to enhance soybean adaptability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Plant Reproduction: From Cells to Nature)

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15 pages, 7788 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nuclear Localization of G3BP6 Is Essential for the Flowering Transition in Arabidopsis

by Yuzhu Wang, Zhiyong Li, Xiaoju Liang, Yeling Zhou and Jiansheng Liang

Biomolecules 2023, 13(12), 1697; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom13121697 - 24 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1773

Abstract

The Ras GTPase-activating protein SH3 domain-binding protein (G3BP) belongs to the highly conserved family of RNA-binding proteins, which has been well-investigated in humans and animals. However, limited study of plant G3BP has been reported, and the precise biological function of the G3BP family has not been elucidated yet. In this study, the Arabidopsis G3BP family, comprising seven members, was comparatively analyzed. Transcriptome analysis showed that most G3BP genes are ubiquitously expressed in various tissues/organs. Transient expression analysis revealed that all G3BPs were presented in the cytoplasm, among which G3BP6 was additionally found in the nucleus. Further study revealed a conserved NLS motif required for the nuclear localization of G3BP6. Additionally, phenotypic analysis revealed that loss-of-function g3bp6 presented late-flowering phenotypes. RNA-sequencing analysis and qRT-PCR assays demonstrated that the expressions of abundant floral genes were significantly altered in g3bp6 plants. We also discovered that overexpression of G3BP6 in the nucleus, rather than in the cytoplasm, propelled bolting. Furthermore, we revealed that the scaffold protein Receptor for Activated C Kinase 1 (RACK1) interacted with and modulated the nuclear localization of G3BP6. Altogether, this study sheds new light on G3BP6 and its specific role in regulating the flowering transition in Arabidopsis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Plant Reproduction: From Cells to Nature)

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18 pages, 3449 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Transcription Factor HaHB11 Boosts Grain Set and Yield in Rice Plants, Allowing Them to Approach Their Ideal Phenotype

by Jesica Raineri, Luciano Nicolás Caraballo, Maximiliano Gómez and Raquel Lía Chan

Biomolecules 2023, 13(5), 826; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom13050826 - 12 May 2023

Viewed by 2035

Abstract

The ideal rice phenotype is that of plants exhibiting fewer panicles with high biomass, large grain number, flag leaf area with small insertion angles, and an erected morphology improving light interception. The sunflower transcription factor HaHB11, homeodomain–leucine zipper I, confers increased seed yield and abiotic stress tolerance to Arabidopsis and maize. Here, we report the obtaining and characterization of rice plants expressing HaHB11 driven by its promoter or the 35S constitutive one. Transgenic p35S:HaHB11 plants closely resembled the ideal high-yield phenotype, whereas those carrying the pHaHB11:HaHB11 construct were hard to distinguish from the wild type. The former had an erected architecture, enhanced vegetative leaf biomass, rolled flag leaves with a larger surface, sharper insertion angles insensitive to brassinosteroids, and higher harvest index and seed biomass than the wild type. The combination of the distinct features exhibited by p35S:HaHB11 plants, including the increased number of set grains per panicle, supports the high-yield phenotype. We wondered where HaHB11 has to be expressed to achieve the high-yield phenotype and evaluated HaHB11 expression levels in all tissues. The results indicate that its expression is particularly necessary in the flag leaf and panicle to produce the ideal phenotype. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Plant Reproduction: From Cells to Nature)

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23 pages, 4753 KiB

Open AccessArticle

I Choose You: Selecting Accurate Reference Genes for qPCR Expression Analysis in Reproductive Tissues in Arabidopsis thaliana

by Maria João Ferreira, Jessy Silva, Sara Cristina Pinto and Sílvia Coimbra

Biomolecules 2023, 13(3), 463; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom13030463 - 2 Mar 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3147

Abstract

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is a widely used method to analyse the gene expression pattern in the reproductive tissues along with detecting gene levels in mutant backgrounds. This technique requires stable reference genes to normalise the expression level of target genes. Nonetheless, a considerable number of publications continue to present qPCR results normalised to a single reference gene and, to our knowledge, no comparative evaluation of multiple reference genes has been carried out in specific reproductive tissues of Arabidopsis thaliana. Herein, we assessed the expression stability levels of ten candidate reference genes (UBC9, ACT7, GAPC-2, RCE1, PP2AA3, TUA2, SAC52, YLS8, SAMDC and HIS3.3) in two conditional sets: one across flower development and the other using inflorescences from different genotypes. The stability analysis was performed using the RefFinder tool, which combines four statistical algorithms (geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper and the comparative ΔCt method). Our results showed that RCE1, SAC52 and TUA2 had the most stable expression in different flower developmental stages while YLS8, HIS3.3 and ACT7 were the top-ranking reference genes for normalisation in mutant studies. Furthermore, we validated our results by analysing the expression pattern of genes involved in reproduction and examining the expression of these genes in published mutant backgrounds. Overall, we provided a pool of appropriate reference genes for expression studies in reproductive tissues of A. thaliana, which will facilitate further gene expression studies in this context. More importantly, we presented a framework that will promote a consistent and accurate analysis of gene expression in any scientific field. Simultaneously, we highlighted the relevance of clearly defining and describing the experimental conditions associated with qPCR to improve scientific reproducibility. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Plant Reproduction: From Cells to Nature)

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24 pages, 3314 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Pollen Coat Proteomes of Arabidopsis thaliana, Arabidopsis lyrata, and Brassica oleracea Reveal Remarkable Diversity of Small Cysteine-Rich Proteins at the Pollen-Stigma Interface

by Ludi Wang, Yui-Leung Lau, Lian Fan, Maurice Bosch and James Doughty

Biomolecules 2023, 13(1), 157; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom13010157 - 12 Jan 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2841

Abstract

The pollen coat is the outermost domain of the pollen grain and is largely derived from the anther tapetum, which is a secretory tissue that degenerates late in pollen development. By being localised at the interface of the pollen–stigma interaction, the pollen coat plays a central role in mediating early pollination events, including molecular recognition. Amongst species of the Brassicaceae, a growing body of data has revealed that the pollen coat carries a range of proteins, with a number of small cysteine-rich proteins (CRPs) being identified as important regulators of the pollen–stigma interaction. By utilising a state-of-the-art liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) approach, rich pollen coat proteomic profiles were obtained for Arabidopsis thaliana, Arabidopsis lyrata, and Brassica oleracea, which greatly extended previous datasets. All three proteomes revealed a strikingly large number of small CRPs that were not previously reported as pollen coat components. The profiling also uncovered a wide range of other protein families, many of which were enriched in the pollen coat proteomes and had functions associated with signal transduction, cell walls, lipid metabolism and defence. These proteomes provide an excellent source of molecular targets for future investigations into the pollen–stigma interaction and its potential evolutionary links to plant–pathogen interactions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Plant Reproduction: From Cells to Nature)

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Review

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27 pages, 1202 KiB

Open AccessReview

New Frontiers in Potato Breeding: Tinkering with Reproductive Genes and Apomixis

by Diego Hojsgaard, Manuela Nagel, Sergio E. Feingold, Gabriela A. Massa and John E. Bradshaw

Biomolecules 2024, 14(6), 614; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom14060614 - 23 May 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1638

Abstract

Potato is the most important non-cereal crop worldwide, and, yet, genetic gains in potato have been traditionally delayed by the crop’s biology, mostly the genetic heterozygosity of autotetraploid cultivars and the intricacies of the reproductive system. Novel site-directed genetic modification techniques provide opportunities for designing climate-smart cultivars, but they also pose new possibilities (and challenges) for breeding potato. As potato species show a remarkable reproductive diversity, and their ovules have a propensity to develop apomixis-like phenotypes, tinkering with reproductive genes in potato is opening new frontiers in potato breeding. Developing diploid varieties instead of tetraploid ones has been proposed as an alternative way to fill the gap in genetic gain, that is being achieved by using gene-edited self-compatible genotypes and inbred lines to exploit hybrid seed technology. In a similar way, modulating the formation of unreduced gametes and synthesizing apomixis in diploid or tetraploid potatoes may help to reinforce the transition to a diploid hybrid crop or enhance introgression schemes and fix highly heterozygous genotypes in tetraploid varieties. In any case, the induction of apomixis-like phenotypes will shorten the time and costs of developing new varieties by allowing the multi-generational propagation through true seeds. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on potato reproductive phenotypes and underlying genes, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using potato’s natural variability to modulate reproductive steps during seed formation, and consider strategies to synthesize apomixis. However, before we can fully modulate the reproductive phenotypes, we need to understand the genetic basis of such diversity. Finally, we visualize an active, central role for genebanks in this endeavor by phenotyping properly genotyped genebank accessions and new introductions to provide scientists and breeders with reliable data and resources for developing innovations to exploit market opportunities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Plant Reproduction: From Cells to Nature)

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19 pages, 1762 KiB

Open AccessReview

TCP Transcription Factors in Plant Reproductive Development: Juggling Multiple Roles

by Ivana L. Viola and Daniel H. Gonzalez

Biomolecules 2023, 13(5), 750; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom13050750 - 26 Apr 2023

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2974

Abstract

TEOSINTE BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA/PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR (TCP) transcription factors (TFs) are plant-specific transcriptional regulators exerting multiple functions in plant growth and development. Ever since one of the founding members of the family was described, encoded by the CYCLOIDEA (CYC) gene from Antirrhinum majus and involved in the regulation of floral symmetry, the role of these TFs in reproductive development was established. Subsequent studies indicated that members of the CYC clade of TCP TFs were important for the evolutionary diversification of flower form in a multitude of species. In addition, more detailed studies of the function of TCPs from other clades revealed roles in different processes related to plant reproductive development, such as the regulation of flowering time, the growth of the inflorescence stem, and the correct growth and development of flower organs. In this review, we summarize the different roles of members of the TCP family during plant reproductive development as well as the molecular networks involved in their action. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Plant Reproduction: From Cells to Nature)

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