Project description:Zea mays is a C4 plant that utilizes two distinct cell types, mesophyll (M) and bundle sheath (BS), to cooperatively fix carbon. Regulation of M and BS cell differentiation is poorly understood. Here, we explore the transcriptional networks of M and BS cells by microarray analysis. The maize mutant bundle sheath defective2 lacks the accumulation of Rubisco small and large subunits (Roth et al 1996; Brutnell et al 1999) and cannot perform the Calvin Cycle (Smith et al 1998). Therefore, this mutant provides an opportunity to study M and BS cell differentiation in a perturbed BS background, potentially revealing regulons important to cell identity. M and BS cells were independently isolated from mutant and wild-type siblings. Transcriptional profiling was then performed in a cell specific manner between mutant and wild-type.
Project description:Photosynthesis supports life on Earth but the regulatory architecture associated with photosynthesis gene expression is poorly understood. Most crops use either C3 or C4 photosynthesis with the latter allowing significantly higher efficiencies as well as improved water and nitrogen use. Here we use DNAse-SEQ to define >1 million transcription factor binding sites in leaves of grasses that either operate C3 or C4 photosynthesis and that are consistent with significant differences in the modes of gene regulation between the kingdoms of life. Leaf samples were collected from seedlings to allow for comparison of regulatory interactions between species from the same (Zea mays and Sorghum bicolor) and different (Setaria italica) C4 lineages, as well as a C3 grass (Brachypodium distachyon) in order to investigate evolution of C4 photosynthetic gene expression. Additionally bundle sheath tissues were mechanically isolated from C4 species and analysed by DNAse-SEQ to identify DNA regulatory elements controlling cell-specific gene expression patterns.
Project description:During Zea mays (maize) C4 differentiation, mesophyll (M) and bundle sheath (BS) cells accumulate distinct sets of photosynthetic enzymes, with very low photosystem II (PSII) content in BS chloroplasts. Consequently, there is little linear electron transport in the BS and ATP is generated by cyclic electron flow. In contrast, M thylakoids are very similar to those of C3 plants and produce the ATP and NADPH that drive metabolic activities. Regulation of this differentiation process is poorly understood but involves expression and coordination of nuclear and plastid genomes. Here, we identify a recessive allele of the maize Hcf136 homologue that in Arabidopsis thaliana functions as a PSII stability or assembly factor located in the thylakoid lumen. Proteome analysis of the thylakoids and electron microscopy reveal that Zm hcf136 lacks PSII complexes and grana thylakoids in M chloroplasts, consistent with the previously defined Arabidopsis function. Interestingly, hcf136 is also defective in processing the full-length psbB-psbT-psbH-petB-petD polycistron specifically in M chloroplasts. To determine whether the loss of PSII in M cells affects C4 differentiation, we performed cell-type specific transcript analysis of hcf136 and wild-type seedlings. The results indicate that M and BS cells respond uniquely to the loss of PSII, with little overlap in gene expression changes between data sets. These results are discussed in the context of signals that may drive differential gene expression in C4 photosynthesis. Keywords: cell type comparison
Project description:During Zea mays (maize) C4 differentiation, mesophyll (M) and bundle sheath (BS) cells accumulate distinct sets of photosynthetic enzymes, with very low photosystem II (PSII) content in BS chloroplasts. Consequently, there is little linear electron transport in the BS and ATP is generated by cyclic electron flow. In contrast, M thylakoids are very similar to those of C3 plants and produce the ATP and NADPH that drive metabolic activities. Regulation of this differentiation process is poorly understood but involves expression and coordination of nuclear and plastid genomes. Here, we identify a recessive allele of the maize Hcf136 homologue that in Arabidopsis thaliana functions as a PSII stability or assembly factor located in the thylakoid lumen. Proteome analysis of the thylakoids and electron microscopy reveal that Zm hcf136 lacks PSII complexes and grana thylakoids in M chloroplasts, consistent with the previously defined Arabidopsis function. Interestingly, hcf136 is also defective in processing the full-length psbB-psbT-psbH-petB-petD polycistron specifically in M chloroplasts. To determine whether the loss of PSII in M cells affects C4 differentiation, we performed cell-type specific transcript analysis of hcf136 and wild-type seedlings. The results indicate that M and BS cells respond uniquely to the loss of PSII, with little overlap in gene expression changes between data sets. These results are discussed in the context of signals that may drive differential gene expression in C4 photosynthesis. To explore the disruption of PSII activity on gene expression, transcript profiles from separated M and BS cells were examined using two-label microarray analysis. Total RNA was isolated from the second leaves of mutant and wild-type silbings. Six biological replicates were used to compare wild-type and mutant transcript profiles in separate M and BS experiments. To maximize biological replication, different seedling pools were used for each of the 12 hybridizations. Microarray experiments and analyses were performed using the Genisphere MPX900 kit and the Maize Array Consortium oligonucleotide platform (GPL5439; GPL5440). Feature intensity values were log-transformed and corrected for local background signal, and a LOWESS procedure (Dudoit et al., 2002) was used to normalize between channels. Features with either low or saturating signal intensity were discarded from further analysis. High expression filtering was less stringent to avoid elimination of previously characterized, high abundance, C4 cell-specific transcripts. After filtering, features that were not assigned an MZ number by the Maize Array Consortium were discarded from further analysis. The moderated t-test (Smyth, 2004) using the R package limma was applied to identify differentially expressed genes. The p-values for each test (gene) were converted to q-values for false discovery rate analysis as described by Storey et al. (2004). To avoid confounding treatment effects associated with direct comparisons of M and BS transcriptomes (Sawers et al., 2007), comparisons were only made using the same cell type across the hcf136 and wild-type sibling genotypes. Bundle sheath (BS) Samples: GSM245063-GSM245164 Mesophyll (M) Samples: GSM245165 - GSM245206
Project description:A number of taxa utilize C4 photosynthesis, to limit the impact of photorespiration upon photosynthetic performance. In order to achieve a local elevation of CO2 concentration, maize plants possess two photosynthetic cell types. Rubisco accumulation is restricted to bundle sheath (BS) cells that surround the leaf veins. Carbon fixation occurs initially in adjacent mesophyll (ME) cells. C4 compounds are transported into the BS cells where they are subsequently decarboxylated, releasing CO2. Although the major components of the C4 pathway have been well characterized, less is known about further metabolic partitioning in the maize leaf. Microarray hybridizations have been performed in order to further investigate metabolic differences between BS and ME cell types. BS strands and ME protoplasts were isolated from the leaves of 10 day old maize seedlings by mechanical disruption and enzymatic digestion respectively. To control for differences arising from these different protocols, total leaf (TO) and total leaf stress (ST) samples were also isolated. The ST sample was subjected to the same treatments as the ME sample, with the omission of cell-wall degrading enzymes. Leaves for the TO sample were harvested as for the BS strand sample. An interwoven loop design was used to compare the four treatment groups. A biological group consisted of a growth of plants from which pooled individuals were taken for the four treatments. Six biological replicates (groups) were used. Labeling was performed using the Genisphere Array 900-MPX kit according to the manufacturer's protocol. Post hybridization washes were performed according to the recommendations of the Maize Oligo Array Project. Scan settings were used for detection of moderate to high expression signals (gain ~ 60%. power 90%). Following hybridization with TO cDNA, ~1/3 of features provided signal above twice background and below saturation. A number of taxa utilize C4 photosynthesis, to limit the impact of photorespiration upon photosynthetic performance. In order to achieve a local elevation of CO2 concentration, maize plants possess two photosynthetic cell types. Rubisco accumulation is restricted to bundle sheath (BS) cells that surround the leaf veins. Carbon fixation occurs initially in adjacent mesophyll (ME) cells. C4 compounds are transported into the BS cells where they are subsequently decarboxylated, releasing CO2. Although the major components of the C4 pathway have been well characterized, less is known about further metabolic partitioning in the maize leaf. Microarray hybridizations have been performed in order to further investigate metabolic differences between BS and ME cell types. BS strands and ME protoplasts were isolated from the leaves of 10 day old maize seedlings by mechanical disruption and enzymatic digestion respectively. To control for differences arising from these different protocols, total leaf (TO) and total leaf stress (ST) samples were also isolated. The ST sample was subjected to the same treatments as the ME sample, with the omission of cell-wall degrading enzymes. Leaves for the TO sample were harvested as for the BS strand sample. An interwoven loop design was used to compare the four treatment groups. A biological group consisted of a growth of plants from which pooled individuals were taken for the four treatments. Six biological replicates (groups) were used. Labeling was performed using the Genisphere Array 900-MPX kit according to the manufacturer's protocol. Post hybridization washes were performed according to the recommendations of the Maize Oligo Array Project. Scan settings were used for detection of moderate to high expression signals (gain ~ 60%. power 90%). Following hybridization with TO cDNA, ~1/3 of features provided signal above twice background and below saturation. Keywords: Gene expression profiling of bundle sheath and mesophyll cell types
Project description:Maize, as a C4 plant, possesses two distinct types of photosynthetic cells, the mesophyll (M) and the bundle sheath (BS) cells. To elucidate their functional and regulatory differentiation we isolated large quantities of highly homogeneous M and BS cells from new mature leaves for transcriptome profiling by Illumina sequencing. More than 100,000,000 reads for each cell type were mapped to the maize genome, revealing 44,964 expressed genes. Among these, 37,105 genes were expressed in M cells, including 423 M-enriched genes and 20 M-enriched transcription factor (TF) genes, whereas 42,782 genes were expressed in BS cells, including 771 BS-enriched genes and 75 BS-enriched TF genes. Pathway analyses revealed cell differentiation in various cellular activities, with M cells playing more important roles in light reaction, protein synthesis, abiotic stress, tetrapyrrole synthesis and RNA-RNA binding, while BS cells specializing in transport, signaling, protein degradation, major C metabolism, and the Calvin cycle. Genes coding for enzymes and transporters involved in photosynthesis exhibit a strong cellular preference in expression. To a lesser extent, cell differentiation also occurs in genes involved in the metabolism of starch, sucrose, nitrogen, sulfur, amino acid, and secondary metabolites. This comprehensive dataset will be useful for studying the regulation and evolution of C4-specific and related genes.
Project description:Inflorescence architecture in cereal crops directly impacts yield potential through regulation of seed number and harvesting ability. Extensive architectural diversity found in inflorescences of grass species is due to spatial and temporal activity and determinacy of meristems, which control the number and arrangement of branches and flowers, and underlie plasticity. Timing of the floral transition is also intimately associated with inflorescence development and architecture. Here, we show that a single mutation in a gene encoding an AP1 A-class MADS-box transcription factor significantly delays flowering time and disrupts multiple levels of meristem determinacy in panicles of the C4 model panicoid grass, Setaria viridis.
Project description:Chloroplasts of maize leaves differentiate into specific bundle sheath (BS) and mesophyll (M) types to accommodate C(4) photosynthesis. Chloroplasts contain thylakoid and envelope membranes that contain the photosynthetic machineries and transporters but also proteins involved in e.g. protein homeostasis. These chloroplast membranes must be specialized within each cell type to accommodate C(4) photosynthesis and regulate metabolic fluxes and activities. This quantitative study determined the differentiated state of BS and M chloroplast thylakoid and envelope membrane proteomes and their oligomeric states using innovative gel-based and mass spectrometry-based protein quantifications. This included native gels, iTRAQ, and label-free quantification using an LTQ-Orbitrap. Subunits of Photosystems I and II, the cytochrome b(6)f, and ATP synthase complexes showed average BS/M accumulation ratios of 1.6, 0.45, 1.0, and 1.33, respectively, whereas ratios for the light-harvesting complex I and II families were 1.72 and 0.68, respectively. A 1000-kDa BS-specific NAD(P)H dehydrogenase complex with associated proteins of unknown function containing more than 15 proteins was observed; we speculate that this novel complex possibly functions in inorganic carbon concentration when carboxylation rates by ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase are lower than decarboxylation rates by malic enzyme. Differential accumulation of thylakoid proteases (Egy and DegP), state transition kinases (STN7,8), and Photosystem I and II assembly factors was observed, suggesting that cell-specific photosynthetic electron transport depends on post-translational regulatory mechanisms. BS/M ratios for inner envelope transporters phosphoenolpyruvate/P(i) translocator, Dit1, Dit2, and Mex1 were determined and reflect metabolic fluxes in carbon metabolism. A wide variety of hundreds of other proteins showed differential BS/M accumulation. Mass spectral information and functional annotations are available through the Plant Proteome Database. These data are integrated with previous data, resulting in a model for C(4) photosynthesis, thereby providing new rationales for metabolic engineering of C(4) pathways and targeted analysis of genetic networks that coordinate C(4) differentiation.