Epigenetics has emerged as an important research field for crop improvement under the on-going climatic changes. Heritable epigenetic changes can arise independently of DNA sequence alterations and have been associated with altered gene expression and transmitted phenotypic variation. By modulating plant development and physiological responses to environmental conditions, epigenetic diversity-naturally, genetically, chemically, or environmentally induced-can help optimise crop traits in an era challenged by global climate change. Beyond DNA sequence variation, the epigenetic modifications may contribute to breeding by providing useful markers and allowing the use of epigenome diversity to predict plant performance and increase final crop production. Given the difficulties in transferring the knowledge of the epigenetic mechanisms from model plants to crops, various strategies have emerged. Among those strategies are modelling frameworks dedicated to predicting epigenetically controlled-adaptive traits, the use of epigenetics for in vitro regeneration to accelerate crop breeding, and changes of specific epigenetic marks that modulate gene expression of traits of interest. The key challenge that agriculture faces in the 21st century is to increase crop production by speeding up the breeding of resilient crop species. Therefore, epigenetics provides fundamental molecular information with potential direct applications in crop enhancement, tolerance, and adaptation within the context of climate change.

• Klíčová slova
• DNA methylation, breeding, climate change, epigenomics, memory, plant epigenetics, prediction models, priming,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

The incredible success of crop breeding and agricultural innovation in the last century greatly contributed to the Green Revolution, which significantly increased yields and ensures food security, despite the population explosion. However, new challenges such as rapid climate change, deteriorating soil, and the accumulation of pollutants require much faster responses and more effective solutions that cannot be achieved through traditional breeding. Further prospects for increasing the efficiency of agriculture are undoubtedly associated with the inclusion in the breeding strategy of new knowledge obtained using high-throughput technologies and new tools in the future to ensure the design of new plant genomes and predict the desired phenotype. This article provides an overview of the current state of research in these areas, as well as the study of soil and plant microbiomes, and the prospective use of their potential in a new field of microbiome engineering. In terms of genomic and phenomic predictions, we also propose an integrated approach that combines high-density genotyping and high-throughput phenotyping techniques, which can improve the prediction accuracy of quantitative traits in crop species.

• Klíčová slova
• epigenetics, epigenomics, genome sequencing, genomic prediction, omics, plant microbiome, site-directed mutagenesis, transcriptome,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

BACKGROUND: Silene vulgaris (bladder campion) is a gynodioecious species existing as two genders - male-sterile females and hermaphrodites. Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is generally encoded by mitochondrial genes, which interact with nuclear fertility restorer genes. Mitochondrial genomes of this species vary in DNA sequence, gene order and gene content. Multiple CMS genes are expected to exist in S. vulgaris, but little is known about their molecular identity. RESULTS: We assembled the complete mitochondrial genome from the haplotype KRA of S. vulgaris. It consists of five chromosomes, two of which recombine with each other. Two small non-recombining chromosomes exist in linear, supercoiled and relaxed circle forms. We compared the mitochondrial transcriptomes from females and hermaphrodites and confirmed the differentially expressed chimeric gene bobt as the strongest CMS candidate gene in S. vulgaris KRA. The chimeric gene bobt is co-transcribed with the Cytochrome b (cob) gene in some genomic configurations. The co-transcription of a CMS factor with an essential gene may constrain transcription inhibition as a mechanism for fertility restoration because of the need to maintain appropriate production of the necessary protein. Homologous recombination places the gene cob outside the control of bobt, which allows for the suppression of the CMS gene by the fertility restorer genes. We found the loss of three editing sites in the KRA mitochondrial genome and identified four sites with highly distinct editing rates between KRA and another S. vulgaris haplotypes (KOV). Three of these highly differentially edited sites were located in the transport membrane protein B (mttB) gene. They resulted in differences in MttB protein sequences between haplotypes. CONCLUSIONS: Frequent homologous recombination events that are widespread in plant mitochondrial genomes may change chromosomal configurations and also the control of gene transcription including CMS gene expression. Posttranscriptional processes, e.g. RNA editing shall be evaluated in evolutionary and co-evolutionary studies of mitochondrial genes, because they may change protein composition despite the sequence identity of the respective genes. The investigation of natural populations of wild species such as S. vulgaris are necessary to reveal important aspects of CMS missed in domesticated crops, the traditional focus of the CMS studies.

• MeSH
• cytochromy b genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• editace RNA MeSH
• genom mitochondriální * MeSH
• haplotypy MeSH
• homologní rekombinace * MeSH
• membránové glykoproteiny genetika   MeSH
• mitochondriální protonové ATPasy genetika   MeSH
• mitochondrie genetika   MeSH
• neplodnost rostlin genetika   MeSH
• otevřené čtecí rámce genetika   MeSH
• rostlinné proteiny genetika   MeSH
• Silene genetika   MeSH
• transkriptom MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• cytochromy b MeSH
• membránové glykoproteiny MeSH
• mitochondriální protonové ATPasy MeSH
• rostlinné proteiny MeSH

Accurate gene expression measurements are essential in studies of both crop and wild plants. Reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) has become a preferred tool for gene expression estimation. A selection of suitable reference genes for the normalization of transcript levels is an essential prerequisite of accurate RT-qPCR results. We evaluated the expression stability of eight candidate reference genes across roots, leaves, flower buds and pollen of Silene vulgaris (bladder campion), a model plant for the study of gynodioecy. As random priming of cDNA is recommended for the study of organellar transcripts and poly(A) selection is indicated for nuclear transcripts, we estimated gene expression with both random-primed and oligo(dT)-primed cDNA. Accordingly, we determined reference genes that perform well with oligo(dT)- and random-primed cDNA, making it possible to estimate levels of nucleus-derived transcripts in the same cDNA samples as used for organellar transcripts, a key benefit in studies of cyto-nuclear interactions. Gene expression variance was estimated by RefFinder, which integrates four different analytical tools. The SvACT and SvGAPDH genes were the most stable candidates across various organs of S. vulgaris, regardless of whether pollen was included or not.

• MeSH
• komplementární DNA genetika   MeSH
• kvantitativní polymerázová řetězová reakce metody   MeSH
• polymerázová řetězová reakce s reverzní transkripcí metody   MeSH
• rostlinné geny * MeSH
• sekvenční analýza RNA MeSH
• Silene genetika   MeSH
• stanovení celkové genové exprese MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• validační studie MeSH
• Názvy látek
• komplementární DNA MeSH