Meiotic segregation and post-meiotic drive of the Festuca pratensis B chromosome.

In many species, the transmission of B chromosomes (Bs) does not follow the Mendelian laws of equal segregation and independent assortment. This deviation results in transmission rates of Bs higher than 0.5, a process known as "chromosome drive".

The Plant Phenomics and Genomics Research Data Repository: An On-Premise Approach for FAIR-Compliant Data Acquisition.

The FAIR data principle as a commitment to support long-term research data management is widely accepted in the scientific community. However, although many established infrastructures provide comprehensive and long-term stable services and platforms, a large quantity of research data is still hidden. Currently, high-throughput plant genomics and phenomics technologies are producing research data in abundance, the storage of which is not covered by established core databases.

Genomic content of wheat has a higher influence than plant domestication status on the ability to interact with Pseudomonas plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria.

Plant evolutionary history has had profound effects on belowground traits, which is likely to have impacted the ability to interact with microorganisms, but consequences on root colonization and gene expression by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) remain poorly understood. Here, we tested the hypothesis that wheat genomic content and domestication are key factors determining the capacity for PGPR interaction. Thus, 331 wheat representatives from eight Triticum or Aegilops species were inoculated under standardized conditions with the generalist PGPR Pseudomonas ogarae F113, using an autofluorescent reporter system for monitoring F113 colonization and expression of phl genes coding for the auxinic inducing signal 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol.

UDP-glucosyltransferase HvUGT13248 confers type II resistance to Fusarium graminearum in barley.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) of barley (Hordeum vulgare) causes yield losses and accumulation of trichothecene mycotoxins (e.g. deoxynivalenol [DON]) in grains.

Multi-environment association study highlights candidate genes for robust agronomic quantitative trait loci in a novel worldwide Capsicum core collection.

Investigating crop diversity through genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on core collections helps in deciphering the genetic determinants of complex quantitative traits. Using the G2P-SOL project world collection of 10 038 wild and cultivated Capsicum accessions from 10 major genebanks, we assembled a core collection of 423 accessions representing the known genetic diversity. Since complex traits are often highly dependent upon environmental variables and genotype-by-environment (G × E) interactions, multi-environment GWAS with a 10 195-marker genotypic matrix were conducted on a highly diverse subset of 350 Capsicum annuum accessions, extensively phenotyped in up to six independent trials from five climatically differing countries.

Maximization through optimization? On the relationship between hybrid performance and parental genetic distance.

Heterosis is the improved performance of hybrids compared with their parental components and is widely exploited in agriculture. According to quantitative genetic theory, genetic distance between parents at heterotic quantitative trait loci is required for heterosis, but how heterosis varies with genetic distance has remained elusive, despite intensive research on the topic. Experimental studies have often found a positive association between heterosis and genetic distance that, however, varied in strength.

Engaging Precision Phenotyping to Scrutinize Vegetative Drought Tolerance and Recovery in Chickpea Plant Genetic Resources.

Precise and high-throughput phenotyping (HTP) of vegetative drought tolerance in chickpea plant genetic resources (PGR) would enable improved screening for genotypes with low relative loss of biomass formation and reliable physiological performance. It could also provide a basis to further decipher the quantitative trait drought tolerance and recovery and gain a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms. In the context of climate change and novel nutritional trends, legumes and chickpea in particular are becoming increasingly important because of their high protein content and adaptation to low-input conditions.

Drought-Stress-Related Reprogramming of Gene Expression in Barley Involves Differential Histone Modifications at ABA-Related Genes.

Plants respond to drought by the major reprogramming of gene expression, enabling the plant to survive this threatening environmental condition. The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) serves as a crucial upstream signal, inducing this multifaceted process. This report investigated the drought response in barley plants (, cv.

Comparative analysis of molecular and morphological diversity in two diploid Paspalum species (Poaceae) with contrasting mating systems.

Interspecific comparison of two Paspalum species has demonstrated that mating systems (selfing and outcrossing) contribute to variation (genetically and morphologically) within species through similar but mutually exclusive processes. Mating systems play a key role in the genetic dynamics of populations. Studies show that populations of selfing plants have less genetic diversity than outcrossing plants.

Simultaneous EYFP-CENH3/H2B-DsRed Expression Is Impaired Differentially in Meristematic and Differentiated Nuclei of Arabidopsis Double Transformants.

Fluorescence live-cell microscopy is important in cell biology to perform artifact-free investigations. To analyze the dynamics of chromatin and centromeres at different stages of the cell cycle in nuclei and chromosomes, we performed simultaneous EYFP-CENH3/H2B-DsRed and single H2B-YFP transformations in Arabidopsis wild-type and cohesin T-DNA mutants. All constructs were under the control of the strong CaMV 35S promoter.

Professor Andreas Graner: driven by the quest to unlock crop plant genomes for conservation and utilization of germplasm for breeding.

Professor Andreas Graner stands as a towering figure in international crop plant genomics research, leaving an indelible imprint on the field over the past four decades. As we commemorate the 80th anniversary of Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Gatersleben, Germany and Professor Graner's retirement in September 2023, here we celebrate and acknowledge his profound impact on crop genome analyses and genebank genomics. His trailblazing work extends from developing the first integrated RFLP map of barley, establishing the foundation of barley genome sequencing, and advancing functional genomics of malting quality, to pioneering the use of high-throughput phenomics.

Major chromosome 5H haplotype switch structures the European two-rowed spring barley germplasm of the past 190 years.

Selection over 70 years has led to almost complete fixation of a haplotype spanning ~ 250 Mbp of chomosome 5H in European two-rowed spring barleys, possibly originating from North Africa. Plant breeding and selection have shaped the genetic composition of modern crops over the past decades and centuries and have led to great improvements in agronomic and quality traits. Knowledge of the genetic composition of breeding germplasm is essential to make informed decisions in breeding programs.

Characterisation of a Spontaneous Mutant of G3 (Lemnaceae).

A spontaneous mutant of the duckweed clone no. 7796 (known as strain G3, WT) was discovered. In this mutant clone, clone no.

Barley stripe mosaic virus-mediated somatic and heritable gene editing in barley (.).

Genome editing strategies in barley () typically rely on -mediated genetic transformation for the delivery of required genetic reagents involving tissue culture techniques. These approaches are genotype-dependent, time-consuming, and labor-intensive, which hampers rapid genome editing in barley. More recently, plant RNA viruses have been engineered to transiently express short guide RNAs facilitating CRISPR/Cas9-based targeted genome editing in plants that constitutively express .

The plant nuclear lamina disassembles to regulate genome folding in stress conditions.

The nuclear lamina is a complex network of nuclear lamins and lamin-associated nuclear membrane proteins, which scaffold the nucleus to maintain structural integrity. In Arabidopsis thaliana, nuclear matrix constituent proteins (NMCPs) are essential components of the nuclear lamina and are required to maintain the structural integrity of the nucleus and specific perinuclear chromatin anchoring. At the nuclear periphery, suppressed chromatin overlapping with repetitive sequences and inactive protein-coding genes are enriched.

Alternative Evolutionary Pathways in Involving Allotetraploidy, Sexuality, and Varied Mating Systems.

The genetic systems of species have not been extensively studied. We analyzed the ploidy, reproductive mode, mating system, and fertility of four species-, , , and . An analysis of 378 individuals from 20 populations of northeastern Argentina was conducted.

The novel expression of clonality following whole-genome multiplication compensates for reduced fertility in natural autopolyploids.

Exploring the fitness consequences of whole-genome multiplication (WGM) is essential for understanding the establishment of autopolyploids in diploid parental populations, but suitable model systems are rare. We examined the impact of WGM on reproductive traits in three major cytotypes (2, 3, 4) of , a species with recurrent formation of neo-autopolyploids in mixed-ploidy populations. We found that diploids had normal female sporogenesis and gametogenesis, high fertility, and produced predominantly euploid seed progeny.

CRISPR-FISH: A CRISPR/Cas9-Based In Situ Labeling Method.

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) has been widely used to visualize target DNA sequences in fixed chromosome samples by denaturing the dsDNA to allow complementary probe hybridization, thus damaging the chromatin structure by harsh treatments. To overcome this limitation, a CRISPR/Cas9-based in situ labeling method was developed, termed CRISPR-FISH. This method is also known as RNA-guided endonuclease-in situ labeling (RGEN-ISL).

Cell type-specific mapping of ion distribution in Arabidopsis thaliana roots.

Cell type-specific mapping of element distribution is critical to fully understand how roots partition nutrients and toxic elements with aboveground parts. In this study, we developed a method that combines fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to assess the ionome of different cell populations within Arabidopsis thaliana roots. The method reveals that most elements exhibit a radial concentration gradient increasing from the rhizodermis to inner cell layers, and detected previously unknown ionomic changes resulting from perturbed xylem loading processes.

Holocentromeres can consist of merely a few megabase-sized satellite arrays.

The centromere is the chromosome region where microtubules attach during cell division. In contrast to monocentric chromosomes with one centromere, holocentric species usually distribute hundreds of centromere units along the entire chromatid. We assembled the chromosome-scale reference genome and analyzed the holocentromere and (epi)genome organization of the lilioid Chionographis japonica.

Plant stem cells under low oxygen: metabolic rewiring by phytoglobin underlies stem cell functionality.

Root growth in maize (Zea mays L.) is regulated by the activity of the quiescent center (QC) stem cells located within the root apical meristem. Here, we show that despite being highly hypoxic under normal oxygen tension, QC stem cells are vulnerable to hypoxic stress, which causes their degradation with subsequent inhibition of root growth.

Dynamic growth QTL action in diverse light environments: characterization of light regime-specific and stable QTL in Arabidopsis.

Plant growth is a complex process affected by a multitude of genetic and environmental factors and their interactions. To identify genetic factors influencing plant performance under different environmental conditions, vegetative growth was assessed in Arabidopsis thaliana cultivated under constant or fluctuating light intensities, using high-throughput phenotyping and genome-wide association studies. Daily automated non-invasive phenotyping of a collection of 382 Arabidopsis accessions provided growth data during developmental progression under different light regimes at high temporal resolution.

The Role of Chromatin Modifications in the Evolution of Giant Plant Genomes.

Angiosperm genome sizes (GS) range ~2400-fold and comprise genes and their regulatory regions, repeats, semi-degraded repeats, and 'dark matter'. The latter represents repeats so degraded that they can no longer be recognised as repetitive. In exploring whether the histone modifications associated with chromatin packaging of these contrasting genomic components are conserved across the diversity of GS in angiosperms, we compared immunocytochemistry data for two species whose GS differ ~286-fold.

Validation and marker-assisted selection of DArT-genomic regions associated with wheat yield-related traits under normal and drought conditions.

Quantitative trait loci (QTL) is one of the most important steps in marker-assisted selection. Few studies have validated quantitative trait loci for marker-assisted selection of yield traits under drought stress conditions in wheat. A set of 138 highly diverse wheat genotypes were tested under normal and drought stress conditions for 2 years.