Shigeo S. Sugano

Stomagen positively regulates stomatal density in Arabidopsis.

Stomata in the epidermal tissues of leaves are valves through which passes CO2, and as such they influence the global carbon cycle. The two-dimensional pattern and density of stomata in the leaf epidermis are genetically and environmentally regulated to optimize gas exchange. Two putative intercellular signalling factors, EPF1 and EPF2, function as negative regulators of stomatal development in Arabidopsis, possibly by interacting with the receptor-like protein TMM. One or more positive intercellular signalling factors are assumed to be involved in stomatal development, but their identities are unknown. Here we show that a novel secretory peptide, which we designate as stomagen, is a positive intercellular signalling factor that is conserved among vascular plants. Stomagen is a 45-amino--rich peptide that is generated from a 102-amino-acid precursor protein designated as STOMAGEN. Both an in planta analysis and a semi-in-vitro analysis with recombinant and chemically synthesized stomagen peptides showed that stomagen has stomata-inducing activity in a dose-dependent manner. A genetic analysis showed that TMM is epistatic to STOMAGEN (At4g12970), suggesting that stomatal development is finely regulated by competitive binding of positive and negative regulators to the same receptor. Notably, STOMAGEN is expressed in inner tissues (the mesophyll) of immature leaves but not in the epidermal tissues where stomata develop. This study provides evidence of a mesophyll-derived positive regulator of stomatal density. Our findings provide a conceptual advancement in understanding stomatal development: inner photosynthetic tissues optimize their function by regulating stomatal density in the epidermis for efficient uptake of CO2.

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated targeted mutagenesis in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha L.

Targeted genome modification technologies are key tools for functional genomics. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated endonuclease Cas9 system (CRISPR/Cas9) is an emerging technology for targeted genome modification. The CRISPR/Cas9 system consists of a short guide RNA (gRNA), which specifies the target genome sequence, and the Cas9 protein, which has endonuclease activity. The CRISPR/Cas9 system has been applied to model animals and flowering plants, including rice, sorghum, wheat, tobacco and Arabidopsis. Here, we report the application of CRISPR/Cas9 to targeted mutagenesis in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha L., which has emerged as a model species for studying land plant evolution. The U6 promoter of M. polymorpha was identified and cloned to express the gRNA. The target sequence of the gRNA was designed to disrupt the gene encoding auxin response factor 1 (ARF1) in M. polymorpha. Using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, we isolated stable mutants in the gametophyte generation of M. polymorpha. CRISPR/Cas9-based site-directed mutagenesis in vivo was achieved using either the Cauliflower mosaic virus 35S or M. polymorpha EF1α promoter to express Cas9. Isolated mutant individuals showing an auxin-resistant phenotype were not chimeric. Moreover, stable mutants were produced by asexual reproduction of T1 plants. Multiple arf1 alleles were easily established using CRIPSR/Cas9-based targeted mutagenesis. Our results provide a rapid and simple approach for molecular genetics in M. polymorpha, and raise the possibility that CRISPR/Cas9 may be applied to a wide variety of plant species.

Enhancement of leaf photosynthetic capacity through increased stomatal density in Arabidopsis

Photosynthetic rate is determined by CO2 fixation and CO2 entry into the plant through pores in the leaf epidermis called stomata. However, the effect of increased stomatal density on photosynthetic rate remains unclear. This work investigated the effect of alteration of stomatal density on leaf photosynthetic capacity in Arabidopsis thaliana. Stomatal density was modulated by overexpressing or silencing STOMAGEN, a positive regulator of stomatal development. Leaf photosynthetic capacity and plant growth were examined in transgenic plants. Increased stomatal density in STOMAGEN-overexpressing plants enhanced the photosynthetic rate by 30% compared to wild-type plants. Transgenic plants showed increased stomatal conductance under ambient CO2 conditions and did not show alterations in the maximum rate of carboxylation, indicating that the enhancement of photosynthetic rate was caused by gas diffusion changes. A leaf photosynthesis-intercellular CO2 concentration response curve showed that photosynthetic rate was increased under high CO2 conditions in association with increased stomatal density. STOMAGEN overexpression did not alter whole plant biomass, whereas its silencing caused biomass reduction. Our results indicate that increased stomatal density enhanced leaf photosynthetic capacity by modulating gas diffusion. Stomatal density may be a target trait for plant engineering to improve photosynthetic capacity.

Optimization of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to modify abiotic stress responses in plants

Genome editing using the CRISPR/Cas9 system can be used to modify plant genomes, however, improvements in specificity and applicability are still needed in order for the editing technique to be useful in various plant species. Here, using genome editing mediated by a truncated gRNA (tru-gRNA)/Cas9 combination, we generated new alleles for OST2, a proton pump in Arabidopsis, with no off-target effects. By following expression of Cas9 and the tru-gRNAs, newly generated mutations in CRIPSR/Cas9 transgenic plants were detected with high average mutation rates of up to 32.8% and no off-target effects using constitutive promoter. Reducing nuclear localization signals in Cas9 decreased the mutation rate. In contrast, tru-gRNA Cas9 cassettes driven by meristematic- and reproductive-tissue-specific promoters increased the heritable mutation rate in Arabidopsis, showing that high expression in the germ line can produce bi-allelic mutations. Finally, the new mutant alleles obtained for OST2 exhibited altered stomatal closing in response to environmental conditions. These results suggest further applications in molecular breeding to improve plant function using optimized plant CRISPR/Cas9 systems.

Positive and negative peptide signals control stomatal density

The stoma is a micro valve found on aerial plant organs that promotes gas exchange between the atmosphere and the plant body. Each stoma is formed by a strict cell lineage during the early stages of leaf development. Molecular genetics research using the model plant Arabidopsis has revealed the genes involved in stomatal differentiation. Cysteine-rich secretory peptides of the EPIDERMAL PATTERNING FACTOR-LIKE (EPFL) family play crucial roles as extracellular signaling factors. Stomatal development is orchestrated by the positive factor STOMAGEN/EPFL9 and the negative factors EPF1, EPF2, and CHALLAH/EPFL6 in combination with multiple receptors. EPF1 and EPF2 are produced in the stomatal lineage cells of the epidermis, whereas STOMAGEN and CHALLAH are derived from the inner tissues. These findings highlight the complex cell-to-cell and intertissue communications that regulate stomatal development. To optimize gas exchange, particularly the balance between the uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2) and loss of water, plants control stomatal activity in response to environmental conditions. The CO2 level and light intensity influence stomatal density. Plants sense environmental cues in mature leaves and adjust the stomatal density of newly forming leaves, indicating the involvement of long-distance systemic signaling. This review summarizes recent research progress in the peptide signaling of stomatal development and discusses the evolutionary model of the signaling machinery.

Rapid breeding of parthenocarpic tomato plants using CRISPR/Cas9

Parthenocarpy in horticultural crop plants is an important trait with agricultural value for various industrial purposes as well as direct eating quality. Here, we demonstrate a breeding strategy to generate parthenocarpic tomato plants using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. We optimized the CRISPR/Cas9 system to introduce somatic mutations effectively into SlIAA9—a key gene controlling parthenocarpy—with mutation rates of up to 100% in the T0 generation. Furthermore, analysis of off-target mutations using deep sequencing indicated that our customized gRNAs induced no additional mutations in the host genome. Regenerated mutants exhibited morphological changes in leaf shape and seedless fruit—a characteristic of parthenocarpic tomato. And the segregated next generation (T1) also showed a severe phenotype associated with the homozygous mutated genome. The system developed here could be applied to produce parthenocarpic tomato in a wide variety of cultivars, as well as other major horticultural crops, using this precise and rapid breeding technique.

Visualization of specific repetitive genomic sequences with fluorescent TALEs in Arabidopsis thaliana

Highlight Transcription activator-like effectors fused to fluorescent proteins can visualize repetitive genomic sequences including centromere, telomere, and rDNA sequences for analysing chromatin dynamics in living plant cells.

Genome editing in the mushroom-forming basidiomycete Coprinopsis cinerea , optimized by a high-throughput transformation system

Mushroom-forming basidiomycetes produce a wide range of metabolites and have great value not only as food but also as an important global natural resource. Here, we demonstrate CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing in the model species Coprinopsis cinerea. Using a high-throughput reporter assay with cryopreserved protoplasts, we identified a novel promoter, CcDED1pro, with seven times stronger activity in this assay than the conventional promoter GPD2. To develop highly efficient genome editing using CRISPR/Cas9 in C. cinerea, we used the CcDED1pro to express Cas9 and a U6-snRNA promoter from C. cinerea to express gRNA. Finally, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated GFP mutagenesis was performed in a stable GFP expression line. Individual genome-edited lines were isolated, and loss of GFP function was detected in hyphae and fruiting body primordia. This novel method of high-throughput CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing using cryopreserved protoplasts should be a powerful tool in the study of edible mushrooms.

Efficient CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing and its application to conditional genetic analysis in Marchantia polymorpha

Marchantia polymorpha is one of the model species of basal land plants. Although CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing has already been demonstrated for this plant, the efficiency was too low to apply to functional analysis. In this study, we show the establishment of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing vectors with high efficiency for both construction and genome editing. Codon optimization of Cas9 to Arabidopsis achieved over 70% genome editing efficiency at two loci tested. Systematic assessment revealed that guide sequences of 17 nt or shorter dramatically decreased this efficiency. We also demonstrated that a combinatorial use of this system and a floxed complementation construct enabled conditional analysis of a nearly essential gene. This study reports that simple, rapid, and efficient genome editing is feasible with the series of developed vectors.

The chemical compound bubblin induces stomatal mispatterning in Arabidopsis by disrupting the intrinsic polarity of stomatal lineage cells

ABSTRACT Stem cell polarization is a crucial step in asymmetric cell division, which is a universal system for generating cellular diversity in multicellular organisms. Several conventional genetics studies have attempted to elucidate the mechanisms underlying cell polarization in plants, but it remains largely unknown. In plants, stomata, which are valves for gas exchange, are generated through several rounds of asymmetric divisions. In this study, we identified and characterized a chemical compound that affects stomatal stem cell polarity. High-throughput screening for bioactive molecules identified a pyridine-thiazole derivative, named bubblin, which induced stomatal clustering in Arabidopsis epidermis. Bubblin perturbed stomatal asymmetric division, resulting in the generation of two identical daughter cells. Both cells continued to express the stomatal fate determinant SPEECHLESS, and then differentiated into mispatterned stomata. Bubblin-treated cells had a defect in the polarized localization of BREAKING OF ASYMMETRY IN THE STOMATAL LINEAGE (BASL), which is required for asymmetric cell fate determination. Our results suggest that bubblin induces stomatal lineage cells to divide without BASL-dependent pre-mitotic establishment of polarity. Bubblin is a potentially valuable tool for investigating cell polarity establishment in stomatal asymmetric division. Summary: In Arabidopsis, a pyridine-thiazole derivative, bubblin, disrupts polarity in stomatal stem cells, resulting in ectopic retention of the key transcription factor SPEECHLESS and stomatal mispatterning.