Conserved pleiotropy of an ancient plant homeobox gene uncovered by cis-regulatory dissection
Conserved pleiotropy of an ancient plant homeobox gene uncovered by cis-regulatory dissection
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DOI：
10.1016/j.cell.2021.02.001
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发表时间：
2021-04-01
期刊：
影响因子：
64.5
通讯作者：
Lippman, Zachary B.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Hendelman, Anat;Zebell, Sophia;Lippman, Zachary B.
基因功能的分化是进化的标志，但评估长时间内的功能分化并非易事。可用于跨物种研究的少数等位基因通常无法揭示基因的整个功能谱，可能会掩盖深度保守的多效性作用。在这里，我们探讨了 WUSCHEL HOMEOBOX9 (WOX9) 的功能差异，表明其在胚胎和花序发育中具有物种特异性作用。使用顺式调控编辑驱动系统，我们在番茄中生成了一个全面的等位基因系列，揭示了 WOX9 隐藏的多效性作用。对可及染色质和保守顺式调控序列的分析确定了负责这种多效性活性的区域，其功能在番茄近亲地樱桃中是保守的。模仿与番茄和地樱桃远亲的拟南芥中的这些等位基因，揭示了新的花序表型，揭示了深度保守的多效性。我们认为，靶向顺式调控突变可以揭示保守的基因功能，并减少作物改良中的不良影响。
Divergence of gene function is a hallmark of evolution, but assessing functional divergence over deep time is not trivial. The few alleles available for cross-species studies often fail to expose the entire functional spectrum of genes, potentially obscuring deeply conserved pleiotropic roles. Here, we explore the functional divergence of WUSCHEL HOMEOBOX9 (WOX9), suggested to have species-specific roles in embryo and inflorescence development. Using a cis-regulatory editing drive system, we generate a comprehensive allelic series in tomato, which revealed hidden pleiotropic roles for WOX9. Analysis of accessible chromatin and conserved cis-regulatory sequences identifies the regions responsible for this pleiotropic activity, the functions of which are conserved in groundcherry, a tomato relative. Mimicking these alleles in Arabidopsis, distantly related to tomato and groundcherry, reveals new inflorescence phenotypes, exposing a deeply conserved pleiotropy. We suggest that targeted cis-regulatory mutations can uncover conserved gene functions and reduce undesirable effects in crop improvement.