The chromosomal position of the centromere-specific histone H3 variant CENH3 (also called "CENP-A") is the assembly site for the kinetochore complex of active centromeres. Any error in transcription, translation, modification, or incorporation can affect the ability to assemble intact CENH3 chromatin and can cause centromere inactivation [Allshire RC, Karpen GH (2008) Nat Rev Genet 9 (12):923-937]. Here we show that a single-point amino acid exchange in the centromere-targeting domain of CENH3 leads to reduced centromere loading of CENH3 in barley, sugar beet, and Arabidopsis thaliana. Haploids were obtained after cenh3 L130F-complemented cenh3-null mutant plants were crossed with wildtype A. thaliana. In contrast, in a noncompeting situation (i.e., centromeres possessing only mutated or only wild-type CENH3), no uniparental chromosome elimination occurs during early embryogenesis. The high degree of evolutionary conservation of the identified mutation site offers promising opportunities for application in a wide range of crop species in which haploid technology is of interest. T he generation and use of haploids is one of the most powerful biotechnological means to accelerate the breeding process of cultivated plants. The advantage of haploid plants for breeders is that homozygosity can be achieved at all loci in a single generation via whole-genome duplication, without the need of selfing or backcrossing over many generations as conventionally required to obtain true-breeding lines. Haploids can be obtained in vitro or in vivo, although many species and genotypes are recalcitrant to these processes (reviewed in ref. 1). Alternatively, substantial changes to centromeric histone H3 (CENH3), such as replacing the hypervariable N-terminal tail of CENH3 with the tail of conventional histone H3 and fusing it to GFP (producing "tailswap-cenh3"), or complementing the cenh3.2-null mutant with homologs from the mustard family CENH3s creates haploid inducer lines in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (2-4). Haploidization occurred only when such a haploid inducer was crossed with a wild-type plant. The haploid inducer line proved to be stable upon selfing, suggesting that competition between modified and wild-type centromeres in the developing hybrid embryo results in the inactivation of the centromeres from the inducer parent. Consequently, chromosomes from the inducer parent are lost, and progeny can be recovered that retain only the haploid chromosome set of the wild-type parent.Because CENH3 is almost universal in eukaryotes, this method has the potential to produce haploids in any plant species. To elucidate whether, in addition to the severe conformational change using the CENH3-tailswap (2, 3), nontransgenic-induced minimal mutations in endogenous CENH3 also could affect the centromere function for haploid induction, we screened a population of barley (Hordeum vulgare) produced by ethyl methanesulfonate-induced targeting of local lesions in genomes (TILLING) (5); this diploid species has two functional variants...

The ability to generate haploids and subsequently induce chromosome doubling significantly accelerates the crop breeding process. Haploids have been induced through the generation of plants from haploid tissues (in situ gynogenesis and androgenesis) and through the selective loss of a parental chromosome set via inter- or intraspecific hybridization. Here, we focus on the mechanisms responsible for this selective chromosome elimination. CENH3, a variant of the centromere-specific histone H3, has been exploited to create an efficient method of haploid induction, and we discuss this approach in some detail. Parallels have been drawn with chromosome-specific elimination, which occurs as a normal part of differentiation and sex determination in many plant and animal systems.

B chromosomes (Bs) are dispensable components of the genomes of numerous species. In contrast with the prevalent view that Bs do not harbor genes, our recent sequence analysis revealed that Bs of rye (Secale cereale) are rich in gene-derived sequences. We compared these gene-like fragments of the rye B with their ancestral A-located counterparts and confirmed an A chromosomal origin and the pseudogenization of B-located gene-like fragments. About 15% of the pseudogene-like fragments on Bs are transcribed in a tissue-type and genotype-specific manner. In addition, B-located sequences can cause in trans downor upregulation of A chromosome-encoded genic fragments. Phenotypes and effects associated with the presence of Bs might be explained by the activity of B-located pseudogenes. We propose a model for the evolution of B-located pseudogenes.

SUMMARYThe enzymological properties of AtAurora1, a kinase responsible for the cell cycle-dependent phosphorylation of histone H3 at S10, and its cross-talk with other post-translational histone modifications, were determined. In vitro phosphorylation of H3S10 by AtAurora1 is strongly increased by K9 acetylation, and decreased by K14 acetylation and T11 phosphorylation. However, S10 phosphorylation activity is unaltered by mono-, di-or trimethylation of K9. An interference of H3K9 dimethylation by SUVR4 occurs by a pre-existing phosphorylation at S10. Hence, cross-talk in plants exists between phosphorylation of H3S10 and methylation, acetylation or phosphorylation of neighbouring amino acid residues. AtAurora1 undergoes autophosphorylation in vivo regardless of the presence of substrate, and forms dimers in planta. Of the three ATP-competitive Aurora inhibitors tested, Hesperadin was most effective in reducing the in vivo kinase activity of AtAurora1. Hesperadin consistently inhibited histone H3S10 phosphorylation during mitosis in Arabidopsis cells, but did not affect other H3 post-translational modifications, suggesting a specific inhibition of AtAurora in vivo. Inactivation of AtAurora also caused lagging chromosomes in a number of anaphase cells, but, unlike the situation in mammalian cells, Hesperadin did not influence the microtubule dynamics in dividing cells.

Based on the analysis of 20 different monocot and eudicot species, we propose that the centromeric distribution of the phosphorylated histone H2AThr120 is evolutionary highly conserved across species with mono- and holocentric chromosomes. Therefore, antibodies recognizing the phosphorylated threonine 120 of the histone H2A can serve as a universal marker for the cytological detection of centromeres of mono- and holokinetic plant species. In addition, super resolution microscopy of signals specific to the centromere-specific histone H3 variant CENH3 and to H2AThr120ph revealed that these histone variants are incorporated into different nucleosomes, which form distinct, partly intermingled chromatin domains. This specific arrangement of both histone variants suggests different centromeric functions during the cell cycle.

SUMMARYPlant genomes are earmarked with defined patterns of chromatin marks. Little is known about the stability of these epigenomes when related, but distinct genomes are brought together by intra-species hybridization. Arabidopsis thaliana accessions and their reciprocal hybrids were used as a model system to investigate the dynamics of histone modification patterns. The genome-wide distribution of histone modifications H3K4me2 and H3K27me3 in the inbred parental accessions Col-0, C24 and Cvi and their hybrid offspring was compared by chromatin immunoprecipitation in combination with genome tiling array hybridization. The analysis revealed that, in addition to DNA sequence polymorphisms, chromatin modification variations exist among accessions of A. thaliana. The range of these variations was higher for H3K27me3 (typically a repressive mark) than for H3K4me2 (typically an active mark). H3K4me2 and H3K27me3 were rather stable in response to intra-species hybridization, with mainly additive inheritance in hybrid offspring. In conclusion, intra-species hybridization does not result in gross changes to chromatin modifications.

The organization of centromeric chromatin of diploid barley (Hordeum vulgare) encoding two (α and β) CENH3 variants was analysed by super-resolution microscopy. Antibody staining revealed that both CENH3 variants are organized in distinct but intermingled subdomains in interphase, mitotic and meiotic centromeres. Artificially extended chromatin fibres illustrate that these subdomains are formed by polynucleosome clusters. Thus, a CENH3 variant-specific loading followed by the arrangement into specific intermingling subdomains forming the centromere region appears. The CENH3 composition and transcription vary among different tissues. In young embryos, most interphase centromeres are composed of both CENH3 variants, while in meristematic root cells, a high number of nuclei contain βCENH3 mainly dispersed within the nucleoplasm. A similar distribution and no preferential arrangement of the two CENH3 variants in relationship to the spindle poles suggest that both homologs meet the same function in metaphase cells.

SUMMARYPost-translational histone modifications regulate many aspects of chromosome activity. Threonine 3 of histone H3 is highly conserved, but the significance of its phosphorylation is unclear, and the identity of the corresponding kinase in plants is unknown. Therefore, we characterized the candidate kinase in Arabidopsis thaliana, called AtHaspin. Recombinant AtHaspin in vitro phosphorylates histone H3 at threonine 3. Reduction of H3 threonine 3 phosphorylation level and reduced chromatin condensation in interphase nuclei by AtHaspin RNAi supports the proposition that this kinase is involved in histone H3 phosphorylation in vivo in mitotic cells. In addition, we provide a developmental function for a Haspin kinase. At the whole plant level, altered expression of the kinase induced pleiotropic phenotypes with defects in floral organs and vascular tissue. It reduced fertility and modified adventitious shoot apical meristems that then gave rise to plants with multirosettes and multi-shoots. Haspin mutant embryos frequently showed alteration in division plane orientation that could be traced back to the earliest divisions of embryo development, thus Haspin contributes to embryonic patterning.