CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutation of Eil1 transcription factor genes affects exogenous ethylene tolerance and early flower senescence in Campanula portenschlagiana.

Improving tolerance to ethylene-induced early senescence of flowers and fruits is of major economic importance for the ornamental and food industry. Genetic modifications of genes in the ethylene-signalling pathway have frequently resulted in increased tolerance but often with unwanted side effects. Here, we used CRISPR/Cas9 to knockout the function of two CpEil1 genes expressed in flowers of the diploid ornamental plant Campanula portenschlagiana.

Highly effective mlo-based powdery mildew resistance in hexaploid wheat without pleiotropic effects.

Application of the mlo-based resistance in barley against powdery mildew attacks is a major success in crop breeding, since it confers durable disease resistance. Resistance caused by mutations in the Mlo gene seems to be ubiquitous across a range of species. This work addresses the introduction of mlo-based resistance into hexaploid wheat, which is complicated by the occurrence of three homoeologous genes: Mlo-A1, Mlo-B1 and Mlo-D1.

Challenges and potentials of new breeding techniques in .

L. is an ancient crop used for fiber and seed production and not least for its content of cannabinoids used for medicine and as an intoxicant drug. Due to the psychedelic effect of one of the compounds, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), many countries had regulations or bands on Cannabis growing, also as fiber or seed crop.

Development of mlo-based resistance in tetraploid wheat against wheat powdery mildew.

Powdery mildew is a severe disease in wheat. In barley, durable resistance exists, based on non-functionality of the Mlo gene. As a model to analyse the effects of mutagenesis in the homoeologous Mlo genes of wheat, we developed mlo-based powdery mildew resistance in tetraploid durum wheat.

A novel approach to the generation of seamless constructs for plant transformation.

Background: When creating plant transformation vectors, full control of nucleotides flanking the insert in the final construct may be desirable. Modern ligase-independent methods for DNA-recombination are based on linearization by classical type II restriction endonucleases (REs) alone or in combination with nicking enzymes leaving residual nucleotides behind in the final construct. We here explore the use of type IIS and type IIB REs for vector linearization that combined with sequence and ligase-independent cloning (SLIC) overcomes this problem and promotes seamless gene-insertion in vectors.

Combined linkage and association mapping reveals candidates for Scmv1, a major locus involved in resistance to sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) in maize.

Background: Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) disease causes substantial losses of grain yield and forage biomass in susceptible maize cultivars. Maize resistance to SCMV is associated with two dominant genes, Scmv1 and Scmv2, which are located on the short arm of chromosome 6 and near the centromere region of chromosome 3, respectively. We combined both linkage and association mapping to identify positional candidate genes for Scmv1.

Mutations in genes controlling the biosynthesis and accumulation of inositol phosphates in seeds.

Most of the phosphorus in the resting seed is stored inside protein storage vacuoles as PA (phytic acid; InsP(6)). The biosynthesis and accumulation of PA can be detected beginning from a few days after anthesis and seem to continue during seed development until maturation. The first step in PA biosynthesis is the formation of Ins3P by conversion of glucose 6-phosphate.

Genetic and physical fine mapping of Scmv2, a potyvirus resistance gene in maize.

Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) is an important virus pathogen both in European and Chinese maize production, causing serious losses in grain and forage yield in susceptible cultivars. Two major resistance loci confer resistance to SCMV, one located on chromosome 3 (Scmv2) and one on chromosome 6 (Scmv1). We developed a large isogenic mapping population segregating in the Scmv2, but not the Scmv1 region, to minimize genetic variation potentially affecting expression of SCMV resistance.

Validation of candidate genes putatively associated with resistance to SCMV and MDMV in maize (Zea mays L.) by expression profiling.

Background: The potyviruses sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) and maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV) are major pathogens of maize worldwide. Two loci, Scmv1 and Scmv2, have ealier been shown to confer complete resistance to SCMV. Custom-made microarrays containing previously identified SCMV resistance candidate genes and resistance gene analogs were utilised to investigate and validate gene expression and expression patterns of isogenic lines under pathogen infection in order to obtain information about the molecular mechanisms involved in maize-potyvirus interactions.

The Pic19 NBS-LRR gene family members are closely linked to Scmv1, but not involved in maize resistance to sugarcane mosaic virus.

Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) is the causal pathogen for a severe mosaic virus disease of maize worldwide. In our previous research, the maize resistance gene analog (RGA) Pic19 and its three cognate BAC contigs were mapped to the same region as the SCMV resistance gene Scmv1. Here we report the isolation and characterization of the Pic19R gene family members from the inbred line FAP1360A, which shows complete resistance to SCMV.

Analysis of sugarcane mosaic virus resistance in maize in an isogenic dihybrid crossing scheme and implications for breeding potyvirus-resistant maize hybrids.

The gene action of 2 sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) resistance loci in maize, Scmv1 and Scmv2, was evaluated for potyvirus resistance in an isogenic background. All 4 homozygous and 5 heterozygous isogenic genotypes were produced for introgressions of the resistant donor (FAP1360A) alleles at both loci into the susceptible parent (F7) genetic background using simple sequence repeat markers. For SCMV and maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV), virus symptoms appeared rapidly in the 3 homozygous genotypes, with susceptibility alleles fixed at 1 or both loci.

Comparative expression profiling in meristems of inbred-hybrid triplets of maize based on morphological investigations of heterosis for plant height.

Heterosis, the superior performance of hybrids as compared to their parental mean is an agronomically important phenomenon well-described morphologically. However, little is known about its molecular basis. We investigated four genetically unrelated maize (Zea mays L.

Identification by suppression subtractive hybridization of genes that are differentially expressed between near-isogenic maize lines in association with sugarcane mosaic virus resistance.

The molecular mechanisms underlying the development and progression of sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) infection in maize are poorly understood. A study of differential expression was conducted to identify genes involved in resistance to SCMV. In this study, we combined suppression subtractive hybridization and macroarray hybridization to identify genes that are differently expressed in the near isogenic lines F7+ (SCMV resistant) and F7 (susceptible).

Ubiquitin- and proteasome-dependent proteolysis in plants.

In recent years it has become obvious that protein degradation is an important catabolic process during development in plants and animals. One very conserved degradative system is the ubiquitin- and proteasome-dependent proteolytic pathway, which is found in all eukaryotes from yeast to mammals and plants. The pathway consists of two parts, one in which chains of ubiquitin are conjugated to substrate proteins, and one in which these substrate proteins are either degraded by the 26S proteasome or are de-ubiquitinated.