bims-plasge 2025-10-26 papers

Issue of 2025–10–26
four papers selected by
Vera S. Bogdanova, ИЦиГ СО РАН

Plant Biotechnol J. 2025 Oct 23.

Artificial Mutations in the Nuclear Gene Encoding Mitochondrial RNA Polymerase Restore Pollen Fertility in Cytoplasmic Male Sterile Tomato.

Kosuke Kuwabara, Rika Nakajima, Van Bosstraeten Alexis Gaetan, Kentaro Ezura, Kinya Toriyama, Tohru Ariizumi, Kenta Shirasawa.

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) and restorer of fertility (Rf) are important traits in F1 hybrid breeding. However, the CMS/Rf system has not been used in tomatoes because of the limited resources of Rf lines. In this study, we performed mutagenesis in tomato CMS seeds and successfully obtained 13 suppressor mutants with pollen fertility. Using bulked segregant analysis and whole-genome sequencing for each suppressor mutant, we detected mutations associated with fertility restoration in the nuclear-encoded gene for the mitochondrial RNA polymerase termed SlRPOTm in four independent mutants created through mutagenesis. Furthermore, we found that the loss of function of SlRPOTm was associated with fertility restoration in the tomato CMS line. Expression analysis of orf137, a tomato CMS-causing gene, revealed that reduced expression of orf137 was associated with fertility restoration in tomato CMS. In addition, F1 plants carrying mutations in SlRPOTm were generated, and tomato fruit formation was comparable to that of normal F1 plants. This study demonstrates for the first time that the loss of function of mitochondrial RNA polymerase contributes to fertility restoration in CMS lines. Furthermore, it is possible to replace various tomato varieties with Rf lines using genome editing technology, which will promote tomato F1 breeding in the future.

Keywords: Solanum lycopersicum ; cytoplasmic male sterility; hybrid seed production; mitochondrial RNA polymerase; mutagenesis; restorer of fertility

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.70417

Plant Genome. 2025 Dec;18(4): e70135

Genome-wide association studies of nutritional traits in peas (Pisum sativum L.) for biofortification.

Carolina Ballén-Taborda, Nathan Johnson, Lucas Boatwright, Tristan Lawrence, Joshua Kay, Nathan Windsor, Amod Madurapperumage, Pushparajah Thavarajah, Leung Tang, Emerson Shipe, Shiv Kumar, Dil Thavarajah.

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) is a high-nutrient, cool-season legume of increasing relevance in plant-based nutrition and sustainable agriculture. As demand for alternative protein sources increases, improving pea seeds' nutritional content and quality through genomics-assisted breeding has become a priority. Despite its importance, limited research has explored the genetic basis of nutritional traits in pea. In this study, 267 accessions from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Pea Single Plant Plus Collection were evaluated across 3 years at two USDA-certified organic farms in South Carolina to (1) assess phenotypic variation, (2) characterize the population structure and origin, and (3) perform a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using 54,316 single-nucleotide polymorphism markers on five nutritional traits: protein concentration, sulfur-containing amino acids (SAAs), dietary fiber, total starch, and protein digestibility (PDg). Population structure analysis using ADMIXTURE and principal components analyses identified 10 ancestral subpopulations. GWAS identified 17 marker-trait associations for protein, SAA, and PDg, including a genomic hotspot on the proximal end of chromosome 5 associated with both protein and SAA. This region harbors candidate genes involved in seed development, germination, and protein biosynthesis, suggesting potential roles in protein and SAAs accumulation. These findings provide valuable insights into the genetic architecture underlying key nutritional traits and highlight candidate target genes for breeding high-quality, biofortified pea cultivars. This research expands the genetic potential of pea as a sustainable and nutritious crop alternative for plant-based food systems.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/tpg2.70135

Front Plant Sci. 2025 ;16 1670445

Integrated agronomy of pea (Pisum sativum L.): a review on cultivation, harvesting, and storage for sustainable agriculture.

Honglei Zhang, Hongyan Sun, Zhong Tang, Guoqiang Wang.

Peas (Pisum sativum L.) are a cornerstone of sustainable agriculture, yet their potential is limited by fragmented agronomic practices. This review provides an integrated synthesis of advancements across cultivation, mechanized harvesting, and post-harvest storage. Key findings reveal that optimal growth conditions and nanotechnology interventions can significantly enhance abiotic stress tolerance. Mechanized harvesting innovations reduce yield losses by up to 40%, but smallholder adoption and terrain compatibility remain critical challenges. Effective post-harvest strategies, including low-temperature storage and hermetic bags, are crucial for preserving quality. Despite progress, systemic barriers persist. Future research must prioritize interdisciplinary solutions-combining genomics, precision engineering, and farmer training-to unlock the full potential of peas as a keystone crop for sustainable food systems.

Keywords: climate resilience; food security; nitrogen fixation; post-harvest loss; pulse crop

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2025.1670445

Curr Opin Plant Biol. 2025 Oct 18. pii: S1369-5266(25)00127-X. [Epub ahead of print]88 102813

Deciphering plastid retrograde signals and their roles in plant development.

Patricia León, Julio Sierra, Ryan P McQuinn.

Plastids are multifunctional plant organelles, acting as crucial environmental sensors and metabolic hubs that influence plant development and responses to environmental cues. This integration depends on bidirectional communication between plastids and the nucleus. While anterograde regulation is extensively characterized, biogenic retrograde signaling arising during plastid differentiation, remains incompletely understood. Traditionally focused on chloroplasts, studies have identified tetrapyrroles such as heme as key signals. However, recent findings support carotenoid-derived apocarotenoids, particularly those from acyclic cis-carotenes, as emerging retrograde signals. These signals function not only under stress but also during normal chloroplast developmental transitions, such as de-etiolation, and can act as either positive or negative regulators depending on the context. Evidence from grasses suggests that chloroplast differentiation proceeds through sequential, stage-specific signals serving as developmental checkpoints. Moreover, biogenic signaling tunes nuclear gene expression through transcription factors, chromatin remodeling and posttranslational regulation. This review synthesizes current knowledge on biogenic retrograde signaling, highlighting its role in plastid differentiation, development and adaptation. We emphasize the emerging roles of apocarotenoids, highly sensitive to metabolic and environmental conditions, as potential retrograde signals. We highlight that broader studies on different plastid types, novel metabolites and regulatory networks are essential to unravel the complexity of plastid-to-nucleus communication and its key roles in plant morphogenesis and adaptation to environmental changes.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102813