TaDrAp1 and TaDrAp2, Partner Genes of a Transcription Repressor, Coordinate Plant Development and Drought Tolerance in Spelt and Bread Wheat

Abstract

Down-regulator associated protein, DrAp1, acts as a negative cofactor (NC2α) in a transcription repressor complex together with another subunit, down-regulator Dr1 (NC2β). In binding to promotors and regulating the initiation of transcription of various genes, DrAp1 plays a key role in plant transition to flowering and ultimately in seed production. TaDrAp1 and TaDrAp2 genes were identified, and their expression and genetic polymorphism were studied using bioinformatics, qPCR analyses, a 40K Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarray, and Amplifluor-like SNP genotyping in cultivars of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and breeding lines developed from a cross between spelt (T. spelta L.) and bread wheat. TaDrAp1 was highly expressed under non-stressed conditions, and at flowering, TaDrAp1 expression was negatively correlated with yield capacity. TaDrAp2 showed a consistently low level of mRNA production. Drought caused changes in the expression of both TaDrAp1 and TaDrAp2 genes in opposite directions, effectively increasing expression in lower yielding cultivars. The microarray 40K SNP assay and Amplifluor-like SNP marker, revealed clear scores and allele discriminations for TaDrAp1 and TaDrAp2 and TaRht-B1 genes. Alleles of two particular homeologs, TaDrAp1-B4 and TaDrAp2-B1, co-segregated with grain yield in nine selected breeding lines. This indicated an important regulatory role for both TaDrAp1 and TaDrAp2 genes in plant growth, ontogenesis, and drought tolerance in bread and spelt wheat.

Allelic variations of WAK106‐E2Fa‐DPb1‐UGT74E2 module regulate fibre properties in Populus tomentosa

“…For instance, TMO5 forms a heterodimer with LONESOME HIGHWAY (LHW), an atypical bHLH transcription factor, to promote the periclinal division of provascular and procambial cells (De Rybel et al ., 2013 ; Ohashi‐Ito et al ., 2014 ). In wheat, two specific homologues, TaDrAp1‐B4 and TaDrAp2‐B1 , function as partner genes of a transcription repressor (NC2), coordinating plant development and drought tolerance (Zotova et al ., 2020 ). In P. tomentosa , PtoDPb1 or PtoDPb2 , as the E2F/DP family members, form heterodimers with classical E2Fs (Magyar et al ., 2000 ).…”

Multivariate analysis of long-term climate data in connection with yield, earliness and the problem of global warming

“…The paradigm shift determined by the warming predic tion is most often discussed in the context of probable aridization of huge areas (Trifonov, Karakhanyan, 2004), the resulting necessity of raising drought resistance of various crops (Zotova et al, 2020;Cooper, Messina, 2023), and search for new droughtresistant plant species applicable for cultivation (Baltzoi et al, 2015). Strategies of adaptation to climate changes may include better fitness of plant phenology to moisture availability (Ceccarelli et al, 2010), broader access to varieties with different duration of vegetative period (earliness) (Smolenskaya, Goncharov, 2023) in order to avoid stress at critical stages of their life cycles, water use improvement, and switch to breeding newgeneration varie ties for mitigating the rising unpredictability (Ceccarelli et al, 2010).…”

Expression of Specific Alleles of Zinc-Finger Transcription Factors, HvSAP8 and HvSAP16, and Corresponding SNP Markers, Are Associated with Drought Tolerance in Barley Populations

“…The experiments were repeated twice with two technical replicates, confirming the confidence of SNP calls. To verify confidence of allele discrimination of the studied genes, HvSAP8 and HvSAP16, SNP genotyping was repeated once more using an Amplifluor-like method, testing the same DNA samples and following the original protocol [31] with recent modification [40].…”