Discovering the epigenetic mechanisms and factors that influence sex change in dioecious cannabis.

发现影响雌雄异株大麻性别变化的表观遗传机制和因素。

• 批准号: RGPIN-2022-03396
• 负责人: Torkamaneh, Davoud
• 金额: $ 2.77万
• 依托单位: Université Laval
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=763527
• 关键词: Discovering; epigenetic; mechanisms; factors; influence

Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) has a long history of human use for a variety of applications including fibre, food, medicine, and for its psychoactive properties. Cannabis is an annual dioecious species with separate male (XY) and female (XX) plants. In cannabis, sexual dimorphism occurs in a late stage of plant development (i.e., flowering) accompanied by a morphological dimorphism. In general, females produce compact and rarely lax inflorescence with flowers on the main shoot and short lateral branches, while males produce an inflorescence in the form of loose terminal and axillary panicles. It is considered that cannabis has one of the most complicated mechanisms of sex determination and sex inheritance among dioecious plants. While the genetic determinism of sex in cannabis is considered an important heritable trait for genetic improvement, its sexuality is not well known, is plastic and can be changed. In addition to environmental factors, application of exogenous plant growth regulators or inhibitors can modify or reverse sex morphology in cannabis. In view of this, I hypothesize that sex is not determined by particular chromosomes, but by the whole genome, and by the gene and chromosome interactions. Thus, all individuals are able to express one or the other sex. As a result, the fundamental question arising here is "how genetic and epigenetic factors interact and regulate sex expression in cannabis?" Therefore, here I propose to find answers to this fundamental question which has major implications for understanding the biology of sex in cannabis and its application for genetic improvement. Insights from this proposal will also shed light on other commercially important dioecious crops such as asparagus, papaya, and hops.

大麻(Cannabis sativa L.)具有悠久的历史，人类将其用于各种用途，包括纤维、食品、医药和其精神活性特性。大麻是一年生雌雄异株物种，雄株(XY)和雌株(XX)分开。在大麻中，性二型性发生在植物发育的后期(即开花)，并伴随着形态二型性。一般来说，雌性花序紧凑，很少疏松，花在主枝和短侧枝上，而雄性花序以松散的顶生和腋生圆锥花序的形式产生。大麻被认为是雌雄异株植物中性别决定和性别遗传最复杂的机制之一。虽然大麻中性别的遗传决定论被认为是遗传改良的重要遗传特征，但它的性别并不为人所知，是可塑性的，可以改变。除了环境因素外，外源植物生长调节剂或抑制剂的应用还可以改变或逆转大麻的性别形态。有鉴于此，我假设性别不是由特定的染色体决定的，而是由整个基因组以及基因和染色体的相互作用决定的。因此，所有的个体都能够表达一个或另一个性别。因此，这里出现的根本问题是“遗传和表观遗传因素如何相互作用并调节大麻中的性别表达？”因此，我建议在这里找到这个基本问题的答案，这个问题对于理解大麻中的性别生物学及其在遗传改良中的应用具有重大意义。这项提案的见解也将为其他具有重要商业价值的雌雄异株作物提供帮助，如芦笋、木瓜和啤酒花。