Genes involved in cell number regulation may affect plant growth and organ size and, ultimately, crop yield. The tomato (genus Solanum) fruit weight gene fw2.2, for instance, governs a quantitative trait locus that accounts 30% of variation, with increased chiefly due to carpel ovary number. To expand investigation how related genes impact other or sizes, we identified the maize (Zea mays) family putative fw2.2 orthologs, naming them Cell Number Regulator (CNR) genes. This represents an...

Crop improvement for yield and drought tolerance is challenging due to the complex genetic nature of these traits environmental dependencies. This study reports that transgenic over-expression Zea mays AR GOS1 (ZAR1) enhanced maize organ growth, grain yield, drought-stress tolerance. The ZAR1 transgene exhibited interactions, with increase under Temperate Dry reduction Humid or High Latitude environments. Native allele variation associated Two founder alleles identified in mid-maturity...

Fusarium kernel rot disease starburst symptomatology was characterized fully for the first time. Two maize lines were hand pollinated and inoculated, using a fluorescent protein-expressing transformant of fungal pathogen verticillioides, by introduction conidial suspension through silk channel intact ears. Microscopy used to identify infection court document initial stages colonization subsequent manifestation macroscopic symptoms. The fungus entered kernels susceptible line AD38 via an open...

Background Plant height is an important agronomic trait that affects yield and tolerance to certain abiotic stresses. Understanding the genetic control of plant for elucidating regulation maize development has practical implications improvement in breeding. Methodology/Principal Findings In this study, two independent, semi-dwarf EMS mutants, referred as dwarf & irregular leaf (dil1), were isolated confirmed be allelic. comparison wild type plants, mutant plants have shorter internodes,...

Abstract RNA interference (RNAi) is a promising new technology for corn rootworm control. This paper presents the discovery of gene targets - dvssj1 and dvssj2 , in western (WCR). Dvssj1 are orthologs Drosophila genes snakeskin ( ssk ) mesh respectively. These encode membrane proteins associated with smooth septate junctions (SSJ) which required intestinal barrier function. Based on bioinformatics analysis, appears to be an arthropod-specific gene. Diet based insect feeding assays using...

Capturing complete internal anatomies of plant organs and tissues within their relevant morphological context remains a key challenge in science. While growth development are inherently multiscale, conventional light, fluorescence, electron microscopy platforms typically limited to imaging microstructure from small flat samples that lack direct spatial to, represent only portion of, the macrostructures. We demonstrate technical advances with lab-based X-ray microscope (XRM) bridge gap by...

Understanding how an organism's phenotypic traits are conditioned by genetic and environmental variation is a central goal of biology. Root systems one the most important but poorly understood aspects plants, largely due to three-dimensional (3D), dynamic, multiscale phenotyping challenge they pose. A critical gap in our knowledge root build complexity from single primary network thousands roots that collectively compete for ephemeral, heterogeneous soil resources. We used time-lapse 3D...

"And from the turf would leap a branching tree— Wonders unheard of; for, by Nature, each Slowly increases its lawful seed…" —from Titus Lucretius Carus, "Substance is eternal" in On Nature of Things, Book I (translated, verse, W. E. Leonard) In speculates on necessity plant development: Branching trees simply do not "leap" turf, rather, patterns shoots and roots develop over time, "slowly increas[sing] [their] seed" (Leonard, 2015). Over 2000 years ago, essence phenotype was written poem;...

Phenotyping methods for seed morphology are mostly limited to two-dimensional imaging or manual measures. In this study, we present a novel phenotyping approach utilizing lab-based X-ray microscopy (XRM) characterize 3D morphology, internal structures, and cellular analysis from single scan. Seeds of pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) an oilseed cover crop, were scanned segmented using machine learning model. Seed morphological coat thickness map was applied compare volumes four genotypes....

Inflorescence architecture provides the scaffold on which flowers and fruits develop, consequently is a primary trait under investigation in many crop systems. Yet challenge remains to analyse these complex 3D branching structures with appropriate tools. High information content datasets are required represent actual structure facilitate full analysis of both geometric topological features relevant phenotypic variation order clarify evolutionary developmental inflorescence patterns. We...

Plant cells communicate information for the regulation of development and responses to external stresses. A key form this communication is transcriptional regulation, accomplished via complex gene networks operating both locally systemically. To fully understand how genes are regulated across plant tissues organs, high resolution, multi-dimensional spatial data must be acquired placed within a cellular organismal context. Spatial transcriptomics (ST) typically provides two-dimensional...

We have refined methods for biological specimen preparation and low-voltage backscattered electron imaging in the scanning microscope that allow observation at continuous magnifications of ca. 130-70 000 X, documentation tissue subcellular ultrastructure detail. The technique, based upon early work by Ogura & Hasegawa (1980), affords use significantly larger sections from fixed resin-embedded specimens than is possible with transmission microscopy while providing similar data. After...

Volume electron microscopy, a powerful approach to generate large three-dimensional cell and tissue volumes at microscopy resolutions, is rapidly becoming routine tool for understanding fundamental applied biological questions. One of the enabling factors its adoption has been development conventional fixation protocols with improved heavy metal staining. However, freeze-substitution organic solvent-based staining not realized same level benefit. Here, we report straightforward including...

Abscission, known as shattering in crop species, is a highly regulated process by which plants shed parts. Although has been studied extensively cereals and number of regulatory genes have identified, much diversity the remains to be discovered. Teff (Eragrostis tef) native Ethiopia that potentially valuable worldwide for its nutritious grain drought tolerance. Previous work suggested Eragrostis might little common with other cereals. In this study, we characterize anatomy, cellular...

Microscopy has served as a fundamental tool for insight and discovery in plant-microbe interactions centuries. From classical light electron microscopy to corresponding specialized methods sample preparation cellular contrasting agents, these approaches have become routine components the toolkit of plant microbiology scientists alike visualize, probe understand nature host-microbe relationships. Over last three decades, three-dimensional perspectives led by development tomography,...

The segmentation of plant roots from soil and other growing media in X-ray computed tomography images is needed to effectively study the root system architecture without excavation. However, a challenging problem this context because non-root regions share similar features. In paper, we describe method based on level sets specifically adapted for problem. particular, deal with issues using approach large image volumes segmentation, track active front an occupancy grid. This allows...

Journal Article Lab-based X-ray Microscopy for in situ 3D Visualization of Mycorrhizal Fungal Structures Associated with Roots Get access Keith Duncan, Duncan Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO, USA Corresponding author: KDuncan@DanforthCenter.org Search other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Clara Lebow, Lebow Dierdra Daniels, Daniels Valent BioSciences LLC, Biorational Research Libertyville, IL, Melette DeVore, DeVore Armando Bravo, Bravo Daniela...

Famoxadone is a preventative and curative fungicide recently commercialized for plant-disease control. The molecule its oxazolidinone analogs are potent inhibitors of mitochondrial ubiquinol : cytochrome c oxidoreductase (cytochrome bc1) they bind in the Q0 site enzyme near low potential heme b. Inhibitor binding constants five mutant bc1 enzymes from Saccharomyces cerevisiae having single amino acid changes their apocytochrome b located were compared with two parental wild-type enzymes....

Journal Article Using 3D X-ray Microscopy to Study Crown Root Development and Primary Tip Growth in Diverse Maize (Zea mays L.) Lines Get access Keith E Duncan, Duncan Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO, USA Corresponding author: kduncan@danforthcenter.org Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Adam L Bray, Bray USADivision of Sciences, University Missouri, Columbia, Tyler G Dowd, Dowd Christopher N Topp Microanalysis, Volume 25, Issue S2, 1...

ABSTRACT Root systems are branched networks that develop from simple growth properties of their individual roots. Yet a mature maize root system has many thousands roots each interact with soil structures, water and nutrient patches, microbial ecologies in the micro-environments surrounding tip. Although plasticity to these other environmental factors is well known, how local processes contribute over time global features architecture hardly understood. We employ an automated 3D imaging...

Abstract Capturing complete internal anatomies of plant organs and tissues within their relevant morphological context remains a key challenge in science. While growth development are inherently multiscale, conventional light, fluorescence, electron microscopy platforms typically limited to imaging microstructure from small flat samples that lack direct spatial to, represent only portion of, the macrostructures. We demonstrate technical advances with lab-based X-ray microscope (XRM) bridge...