Anther-specific Promoter Research Articles

Identification of an anther-specific promoter from a male sterile AB line in Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis).

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-022-03160-z.

Genome-wide identification of GH3 genes in Brassica oleracea and identification of a promoter region for anther-specific expression of a GH3 gene

BackgroundThe Gretchen Hagen 3 (GH3) genes encode acyl acid amido synthetases, many of which have been shown to modulate the amount of active plant hormones or their precursors. GH3 genes, especially Group III subgroup 6 GH3 genes, and their expression patterns in economically important B. oleracea var. oleracea have not been systematically identified.ResultsAs a first step to understand regulation and molecular functions of Group III subgroup 6 GH3 genes, 34 GH3 genes including four subgroup 6 genes were identified in B. oleracea var. oleracea. Synteny found around subgroup 6 GH3 genes in B. oleracea var. oleracea and Arabidopsis thaliana indicated that these genes are evolutionarily related. Although expression of four subgroup 6 GH3 genes in B. oleracea var. oleracea is not induced by auxin, gibberellic acid, or jasmonic acid, the genes show different organ-dependent expression patterns. Among subgroup 6 GH3 genes in B. oleracea var. oleracea, only BoGH3.13–1 is expressed in anthers when microspores, polarized microspores, and bicellular pollens are present, similar to two out of four syntenic A. thaliana subgroup 6 GH3 genes. Detailed analyses of promoter activities further showed that BoGH3.13–1 is expressed in tapetal cells and pollens in anther, and also expressed in leaf primordia and floral abscission zones.ConclusionsSixty-two base pairs (bp) region (− 340 ~ − 279 bp upstream from start codon) and about 450 bp region (− 1489 to − 1017 bp) in BoGH3.13–1 promoter are important for expressions in anther and expressions in leaf primordia and floral abscission zones, respectively. The identified anther-specific promoter region can be used to develop male sterile transgenic Brassica plants.

Molecular regulation of ZmMs7 required for maize male fertility and development of a dominant male-sterility system in multiple species.

Understanding the molecular basis of male sterility and developing practical male-sterility systems are essential for heterosis utilization and commercial hybrid seed production in crops. Here, we report molecular regulation by genic male-sterility gene maize male sterility 7 (ZmMs7) and its application for developing a dominant male-sterility system in multiple species. ZmMs7 is specifically expressed in maize anthers, encodes a plant homeodomain (PHD) finger protein that functions as a transcriptional activator, and plays a key role in tapetal development and pollen exine formation. ZmMs7 can interact with maize nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) subunits to form ZmMs7-NF-YA6-YB2-YC9/12/15 protein complexes that activate target genes by directly binding to CCAAT box in their promoter regions. Premature expression of ZmMs7 in maize by an anther-specific promoter p5126 results in dominant and complete male sterility but normal vegetative growth and female fertility. Early expression of ZmMs7 downstream genes induced by prematurely expressed ZmMs7 leads to abnormal tapetal development and pollen exine formation in p5126-ZmMs7 maize lines. The p5126-ZmMs7 transgenic rice and Arabidopsis plants display similar dominant male sterility. Meanwhile, the mCherry gene coupled with p5126-ZmMs7 facilitates the sorting of dominant sterility seeds based on fluorescent selection. In addition, both the ms7-6007 recessive male-sterility line and p5126-ZmMs7M dominant male-sterility line are highly stable under different genetic germplasms and thus applicable for hybrid maize breeding. Together, our work provides insight into the mechanisms of anther and pollen development and a promising technology for hybrid seed production in crops.

Induction of Male Sterility in Tobacco by Anther-Specific Expression of the Gene for Ricin Enzymatic Subunit A Chain RTA.

Targeted gene expression in plants allows us to further study biological traits of interest, such as reproductive and developmental processes. Here, the tobacco TA29 anther-specific promoter was used to direct the expression of the ricin enzymatic subunit A (RTA) in transgenic tobacco plants, phenotypic analysis of the resulting positive transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) plants demonstrated that RTA expression led to a reduction in pistil length and shriveling of anthers, as well as the grayish-brown color of anthers, the reduced pollen viability and male sterility. For the first time, a plant-derived ricin gene enzymatic subunit A (RTA) expression system under the tissue-specific promoter was demonstrated to be sensitive and efficient in controlling plant sterility and creating male-sterile materials. Consequently, it could be used to control other agronomic traits and produce hybrid seeds in plants in the future.

Engineered Male Sterility by Early Anther Ablation Using the Pea Anther-Specific Promoter PsEND1.

Genetic engineered male sterility has different applications, ranging from hybrid seed production to bioconfinement of transgenes in genetic modified crops. The impact of this technology is currently patent in a wide range of crops, including legumes, which has helped to deal with the challenges of global food security. Production of engineered male sterile plants by expression of a ribonuclease gene under the control of an anther- or pollen-specific promoter has proven to be an efficient way to generate pollen-free elite cultivars. In the last years, we have been studying the genetic control of flower development in legumes and several genes that are specifically expressed in a determinate floral organ were identified. Pisum sativum ENDOTHECIUM 1 (PsEND1) is a pea anther-specific gene displaying very early expression in the anther primordium cells. This expression pattern has been assessed in both model plants and crops (tomato, tobacco, oilseed rape, rice, wheat) using genetic constructs carrying the PsEND1 promoter fused to the uidA reporter gene. This promoter fused to the barnase gene produces full anther ablation at early developmental stages, preventing the production of mature pollen grains in all plant species tested. Additional effects produced by the early anther ablation in the PsEND1::barnase-barstar plants, with interesting biotechnological applications, have also been described, such as redirection of resources to increase vegetative growth, reduction of the need for deadheading to extend the flowering period, or elimination of pollen allergens in ornamental plants (Kalanchoe, Pelargonium). Moreover, early anther ablation in transgenic PsEND1::barnase-barstar tomato plants promotes the developing of the ovaries into parthenocarpic fruits due to the absence of signals generated during the fertilization process and can be considered an efficient tool to promote fruit set and to produce seedless fruits. In legumes, the production of new hybrid cultivars will contribute to enhance yield and productivity by exploiting the hybrid vigor generated. The PsEND1::barnase-barstar construct could be also useful to generate parental lines in hybrid breeding approaches to produce new cultivars in different legume species.

The DOF Transcription Factor SlDOF10 Regulates Vascular Tissue Formation During Ovary Development in Tomato.

The formation of fruits is an important step in the life cycle of flowering plants. The process of fruit development is highly regulated and involves the interaction of a complex regulatory network of genes in both space and time. To identify regulatory genes involved in fruit initiation in tomato we analyzed the transcriptomic profile of ovaries from the parthenocarpic PsEND1:barnase transgenic line. This line was generated using the cytotoxic gene barnase targeted to the anthers with the PsEND1 anther-specific promoter from pea. Among the differentially expressed genes we identified SlDOF10, a gene coding a DNA-binding with one finger (DOF) transcription factor which is activated in unpollinated ovaries of the parthenocarpic plants. SlDOF10 is preferentially expressed in the vasculature of the cotyledons and young leaves and in the root tip. During floral development, expression is visible in the vascular tissue of the sepals, the flower pedicel and in the ovary connecting the placenta with the developing ovules. The induction of the gene was observed in response to exogenous gibberellins and auxins treatments. To evaluate the gene function during reproductive development, we have generated SlDOF10 overexpressing and silencing stable transgenic lines. In particular, down-regulation of SlDOF10 activity led to a decrease in the area occupied by individual vascular bundles in the flower pedicel. Associated with this phenotype we observed induction of parthenocarpic fruit set. In summary, expression and functional analyses revealed a role for SlDOF10 gene in the development of the vascular tissue specifically during reproductive development highlighting the importance of this tissue in the process of fruit set.

Development of transgenic male-sterile rice by using anther-specific promoters identified by comprehensive screening of the gene expression profile database 'RiceXPro'.

Because genomic selection is designed for the population breeding of allogamous species, a successive outcrossing system is required for efficient use of genomic selection in autogamous crops, such as Oryza sativa L. (rice). Transgenic and dominant male-sterility is a suitable tool for efficient outcrossing of autogamous crops. Though there have been some reports of dominant male-sterile rice developed using transgenic technology, the flowering habit was substandard. Here, to isolate promoters that, when linked to a lethal gene, induce dominant male-sterility while retaining a good flowering habit, we identified 38 candidate genes with anther-specific expression by using the ‘RiceXPro’ database. We then evaluated the abilities of the near-upstream regions of these genes to induce male-sterility when linked to the lethal gene barnase and introduced into the rice cultivar ‘Nipponbare’. Seven of the 38 promoters induced clear dominant male-sterility; promoters expressed in the later stage of anther development induced male-sterility while retaining better flowering habits when compared to ones expressed in the early stage. These seven promoters could potentially be used to facilitate development of an efficient outcross-based breeding system in rice.

The characterization of anther-specific promoter encoding chalcone synthase isolated from Lilium Oriental hybrid cv. Acapulco

The characterization of anther-specific promoter encoding chalcone synthase isolated from Lilium Oriental hybrid cv. Acapulco

Identification and functional characterisation of a novel anther-specific LTP promoter from Brassica campestris ssp. chinensis

ABSTRACTThe pollen development-related gene msLTP from Brassica campestris ssp. chinensis belongs to the lipid transfer protein (LTP) gene family. The promoter of the msLTP gene was isolated by thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR (TAIL-PCR). The functional elements of the promoter (named Bc15) were analysed. Some anther/pollen-specific elements, such as the GGTT box and the GTGA box, were identified in the sequence. In an attempt to confirm the promoter activity, a series of 5′-truncated constructs was fused with the GUS reporter gene to functionally analyse the key regulatory regions of the promoter. Transient expression analysis showed high GUS activity in onion epidermal cells containing the region from −731 to −1 bp. The truncated construct bearing the −731 to −1 bp fragment was stably introduced into Arabidopsis. Histochemical analysis of the transgenic plants showed distinct and specific GUS expression at different stages of anther/pollen development. Transverse sections of flower buds further indicated that the Bc15 promoter activates reporter gene expression in the anther specifically. These findings elucidated the molecular mechanisms of LTP gene regulation during pollen development, and suggested a potential application of the Bc15 promoter in engineering male sterility for hybrid production.

A Novel PhLRR Gene Promoter is Sufficient for Engineering Male Sterility in Petunia

Tissue-specific promoters can drive genes specifically expressed in the target organs and have been widely used in plant molecular breeding. In this study, a 1.2-kb promoter region of an anther-specific gene PhLRR from Petunia hybrida “Fantasy” was isolated and fused to the β-glucuronidase (GUS) gene. The pPhLRR::GUS vector was heterogeneously transformed into tobacco in which the GUS staining was only detected in the early development stage of anthers and no GUS expression in any other three floral whirls or vegetative organs was observed. It is very different from other well-studied anther-specific promoters which drive genes specifically expressed in the later development stage of anthers or only in the pollens. Furthermore, the pPhLRR::Barnase was introduced into petunia and induced complete male sterility without influencing the ornamental characteristics or the female fertility in transformed plants. These results indicate that PhLRR promoter is a new kind of petunia anther-specific promoter and could be taken as a valuable tool in ornamental plant breeding.

Early anther ablation triggers parthenocarpic fruit development in tomato

Fruit set and fruit development in tomato is largely affected by changes in environmental conditions, therefore autonomous fruit set independent of fertilization is a highly desirable trait in tomato. Here, we report the production and characterization of male-sterile transgenic plants that produce parthenocarpic fruits in two tomato cultivars (Micro-Tom and Moneymaker). We generated male-sterility using the cytotoxic gene barnase targeted to the anthers with the PsEND1 anther-specific promoter. The ovaries of these plants grew in the absence of fertilization producing seedless, parthenocarpic fruits. Early anther ablation is essential to trigger the developing of the transgenic ovaries into fruits, in the absence of the signals usually generated during pollination and fertilization. Ovaries are fully functional and can be manually pollinated to obtain seeds. The transgenic plants obtained in the commercial cultivar Moneymaker show that the parthenocarpic development of the fruit does not have negative consequences in fruit quality. Throughout metabolomic analyses of the tomato fruits, we have identified two elite lines which showed increased levels of several health promoting metabolites and volatile compounds. Thus, early anther ablation can be considered a useful tool to promote fruit set and to obtain seedless and good quality fruits in tomato plants. These plants are also useful parental lines to be used in hybrid breeding approaches.

Transformation and analysis of tobacco plant var Petit havana with T-urf13 gene under anther-specific TA29 promoter

T-urf13, a well-documented cms-associated gene from maize, has been shown to render methomyl sensitivity to heterologous systems like rice, yeast and bacteria when expressed constitutively. Since these transgenic plants were fertile, it was hypothesized that T-urf13 gene if expressed in anthers may result in male sterility that could be used for hybrid seed production. Hence, this work was aimed at analysing whether T-urf13 gene when expressed in anthers can result in male sterile plants or requires methomyl treatment to cause male sterility (controllable). This is the first report of transformation of tobacco with T-urf13 gene under anther-specific promoter (TA29) with or without mitochondrial targeting sequence. Most of the transgenic plants obtained were fertile; this was surprising as many male sterile plants were expected as T-urf13 gene is a cms associated gene. Our results suggest that it may not be possible to obtain male sterility by expressing URF13 in the anther by itself or by methomyl application.

The promoter from tomato sucrose synthase gene TOMSSF drives stamen-specific gene expression in Chrysanthemum

Anther-specific promoters have been extensively studied in terms of the genetic engineering of male-sterile plants. Here, we fused the 5′ upstream promoter regions of a sucrose synthase gene from tomato (TOMSSF) to the β-glucuronidase (GUS) gene and used the construct to transform Chrysanthemum plants. Histochemical analysis of two transformants showed high GUS activity in ray florets and tubular florets. Analysis of the staining pattern in these florets reveled that staining was stamen-specific. GUS gene expression was highest in the stamen and remained at a steady-state level throughout the experiment. These results suggest that the TOMSSF promoter has high activity in the stamen of tubular florets and would be useful as a high stamen-specific promoter in Chrysanthemum.

Reversible male sterility in eggplant (Solanum melongenaL.) by artificial microRNA‐mediated silencing of general transcription factor genes

Since decades, plant male sterility is considered a powerful tool for biological containment to minimize unwanted self-pollination for hybrid seed production. Furthermore, prevention of pollen dispersal also answers to concerns regarding transgene flow via pollen from Genetically Modified (GM) crops to traditional crop fields or wild relatives. We induced male sterility by suppressing endogenous general transcription factor genes, TAFs, using anther-specific promoters combined with artificial microRNA (amiRNA) technology (Schwab etal., 2006). The system was made reversible by the ethanol inducible expression of an amiRNA-insensitive form of the target gene. We provide proof of concept in eggplant, a cultivated crop belonging to the Solanaceae family that includes many important food crops. The transgenic eggplants that we generated are completely male sterile and fertility can be fully restored by short treatments with ethanol, confirming the efficiency but also the reliability of the system in view of open field cultivation. By combining this system with induced parthenocarpy (Rotino etal., 1997), we provide a novel example of complete transgene containment in eggplant, which enables biological mitigation measures for the benefit of coexistence or biosafety purposes for GM crop cultivation.

Cloning and functional analysis in transgenic tobacco of a tapetum-specific promoter from Arabidopsis.

The 5’-flanking region of 1174 bp upstream of the translation start point (TSP) of a reported Arabidopsis anther-specific gene, Anther7 gene (ATA7), which putatively encodes a protein related to lipid transfer protein, was cloned and functionally analyzed in transgenic tobacco after been fused with β- glucuronidase ( GUS) gene reporter. Histochemical GUS staining of the transgenic plants showed that the cloned fragment did drive GUS expression exclusively in the anther, not in any other parts of floral organs, including pollens and nor in any vegetative tissue. Transverse section of the GUS-blue anthers disclosed that the blue cells were present uniquely in the tapetum of the anther. A series of 5’-deletion of cloned fragment indicated that a short segment of 179 bp upstream of the TSP (-155 bp upstream of the transcription start site) retained not only the promoter’s driving power, but also its tapetum-specificity. Cis-acting element search in this short segment revealed the presence of numbers of organ- and tissuespecific motifs, including pollen-specific LAT52 and SLG13. These results indicated that the tapetumspecificity of ATA 7 gene is mainly conferred by its promoter, and such a promoter, in particular, the core one should be useful both for identification of tapetum-involved genes and for biotechnological applications. Key words: Arabidopsis, Anther7 gene of Arabidopsis theliana (ATA7), anther-specific promoter, tapetumspecific promoter.

A novel herbicide‐inducible male sterility system

Heterosis is a phenomenon that first-generation offspring perform better than their parents. Conventional breeding methods have their shortcomings. It would be optimal to construct inducible male sterile plants. We developed a novel system for creating male sterile transgenic plants by downregulating the specific expression of the glyphosate tolerance CP4 EPSPS gene in male reproductive tissues. Transcriptional repression was achieved by manipulating DNA binding proteins with their specific corresponding sites. We transferred the CP4 EPSPS gene driven by a modified CaMV 35S promoter with three tetracycline operator copies in the vicinity of the TATA box and tetracycline repressor gene under the control of an anther-specific promoter Osg6B to Arabidopsis thaliana. As a result, we successfully obtained controllable transgenic plants: the whole plant could tolerate exposure of glyphosate but the male tissue was sensitive. The novel inducible male sterility system is applied and easy to handle, so it might be applicable to a wide range of crop plants.

Metabolically engineered male sterility in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)

Male sterility is of special interest as a mechanism allowing hybrid breeding, especially in important crops such as rapeseed (Brassica napus). Male sterile plants are also suggested to be used as a biological safety method to prevent the spread of transgenes, a risk that is high in the case of rapeseed due to the mode of pollination, out-crossing by wind or insects, and the presence of related, cross-pollinating species in the surrounding ecosystem in Europe. Different natural occurring male sterilities and alloplasmic forms have been tried to be used in rapeseed with more or less success. Due to the difficulties and limitations with these systems, we present a biotechnological alternative: a metabolically engineered male sterility caused by interference with anther-specific cell wall-bound invertase. This is an essential enzyme for carbohydrate supply of the symplastically isolated pollen. The activity of this enzyme is reduced either by antisense interference or by expressing an invertase inhibitor under control of the anther-specific promoter of the invertase with the consequence of a strong decrease of pollen germination ability.

Isolation of Anther-specific Gene Promoters Suitable for Transgene Expression in Rice

To isolate rice anther-specific promoters that allow strong and constitutive expression of transgenes under chilling stress conditions, a genome-wide screen using a microarray was conducted. Six candidate genes for anther-specific expression were selected after comparison of expression levels in leaf and anther tissues from booting stage plants. These genes encoded a mandelonitrile lyase (OsACE1), a sterol desaturase (OsCER1), a MADS-box protein (OsMADS58), a polygalacturonase (OsPGT1), an ERF-like AP2 domain-containing protein (OsERFL1), and a ribosome-inactivating protein-like gene (OsRIP1). Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analyses confirmed anther-specific expression of these genes under controlled and in-field chilling conditions. Promoter regions of the selected genes were isolated and fused to the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene, and the constructs were introduced into rice plants. GUS expression in all transgenic plants except for those carrying OsERFL1and OsRIP1 constructs was only detectable in anthers within the panicles, and no GUS activity was detected in leaves. However, OsERFL1 and OsRIP1 promoters were shown to drive GUS expression in paleae and glumes as well as anthers. GUS expression levels of four transgenic plants were also tested with 2-week-old seedlings and grains. Promoters for OsACE1, OsCER1, OsMADS58, and OsPGT1 were shown to be silent in roots and aerial parts of the seedlings and mature grains. Therefore, these four promoters were deemed suitable for anther-specific transgene expression in rice.

Efficient production of genetically engineered, male-sterile Arabidopsis thaliana using anther-specific promoters and genes derived from Brassica oleracea and B. rapa

Prevention of transgene flow from genetically modified crops to food crops and wild relatives is of concern in agricultural biotechnology. We used genes derived from food crops to produce complete male sterility as a strategy for gene confinement as well as to reduce the food purity concerns of consumers. Anther-specific promoters (A3, A6, A9, MS2, and MS5) were isolated from Brassica oleracea and B. rapa and fused to the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene and candidate genes for male sterility, including the cysteine proteases BoCysP1 and BoCP3, and negative regulatory components of phytohormonal responses involved in male development. These constructs were then introduced into Arabidopsis thaliana. GUS analyses revealed that A3, A6, and A9 had tapetum-specific promoter activity from the anther meiocyte stage. Male sterility was confirmed in tested constructs with protease or gibberellin insensitive (gai) genes. In particular, constructs with BoCysP1 driven by the A3 or A9 promoter most efficiently produced plants with complete male sterility. The tapetum and middle layer cells of anthers expressing BoCysP1 were swollen and excessively vacuolated when observed in transverse section. This suggests that the ectopic expression of cysteine protease in the meiocyte stage may inhibit programmed cell death. The gai gene also induced male sterility, although at a low frequency. This is the first report to show that plant cysteine proteases and gai from food crops are available as a novel tool for the development of genetically engineered male-sterile plants.

Effect of the Antisense BcMF12 Driven by the BcA9 Promoter on Gene Silencing in Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis

The study analyzed the silencing of BcMF12 gene regulated by BcA9 promoter in the transgenic pakchoi and confirmed the effect of antisense BcMF12 gene on the pollen development. A conserved BcMF12 gene fragment was amplified from the cDNA of flower buds in pakchoi ( Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis, syn. B. rapa L. ssp. chinensis) and was fused to the anther specific BcA9 promoter. The plant antisense expression vector was constructed and then introduced into pakchoi via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The transgenic plants were screened by antibiotics and molecular analysis. PCR and Southern blot revealed that the antisense BcMF12-GUS fusion gene regulated by BcA9 promoter was integrated into transgenic plants. Northern blot suggested that the expression of BcMF12 gene was down-regulated significantly. The pollen germination rate of transgenic plants with antisense BcMF12 gene decreased as compared with that of the control plants. The expression of the gene BcMF12 related to the pollen development was inhibited by the antisense BcMF12 driven by BcA9 promoter, which consequently affected the pollen development in pakchoi.