2025 Hyper Recent •CC0 1.0 Universal

This work is dedicated to the public domain. No rights reserved.

Access Preprint From Server
March 3rd, 2025
Version: 2
University of York
plant biology
biorxiv

The genetic basis for synchronized time perception in plant populations

Lock, S. C. L.Open in Google Scholar•McCarthy, K.Open in Google Scholar•Ronald, J.Open in Google Scholar•Anwer, M. U.Open in Google Scholar•Davis, A.Open in Google Scholar•Hallstein, M.Open in Google Scholar•Redmond, E. J.Open in Google Scholar•Knight, M.Open in Google Scholar•Davis, S.Open in Google Scholar•Ezer, D.Open in Google Scholar

Synchronised developmental timing is important for ensuring crop uniformity and high yields. However, climate change is leading to crops being grown at different latitudes, varying their exposures to photoperiods over seasons and impacting developmental timings. We investigated whether the response of circadian rhythms in seedlings to changes in photoperiod would enable us to predict the timing and synchronization of flowering. Indeed, we show that the same Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) are associated to circadian traits in seedlings and developmental traits during bolting, using the first recombinant inbred lines (RILs) between African and European Arabidopsis lineages, spanning diverse latitudes. Two QTLs contain K-Homology Domain RNA binding proteins (KH17, KH29) and are associated with splicing variants in known flowering genes, MADS AFFECTING FLOWERING2 and 3 (MAF2, MAF3), including generating chimeric transcripts, a potential mechanism for accelerated proteome evolution. Natural variants in KH17, including in its prion-like domain, are associated with de-coupling the mean and synchronization of flowering time, enabling greater adaptation of population-level heterogeneity in developmental timings. Our results suggest that circadian traits in seedlings could be used to screen for agriculturally relevant developmental traits in mature plants, enabling efficient breeding of climate-resilient crops.

Similar Papers

biorxiv
Fri Mar 07 2025
An affordable and non-invasive validated machine-aided phenotyping pipeline identifies phenotypic variation of stress resilience in alkaline calcareous soil across the life cycle in Arabidopsis thaliana
Alkaline calcareous soils (ACS) are prevalent globally and challenge plant growth by limiting nutrient uptake, such as iron. The model plant Arabidopsis thaliana thrives in disturbed urban environments wherein ACS conditions frequently occur. Existing research largely focused on vegetatively grown A. thaliana, while there is a notable lack of studies examining phenotypic variations across the life...
Knopf, M.
•
Bauer, P.
biorxiv
Fri Mar 07 2025
Powdery mildew exploits host plastoglobuli functions via DGAT3 and FBN2 for proliferation
Plastoglobuli (PG) are specialized lipid-containing compartments attached to thylakoid membranes within chloroplasts. PGs participate in various metabolic pathways in response to environmental stresses such as high light, nitrogen deficiency, and heat stress. However, their roles in biotic stress remain largely unexplored. In this study, two distinct lines of investigation converge on the importan...
Xue, H.
•
Kemmer, C. R.
•
Choi, E. H.
•
Iwai, M.
...•
Wildermuth, M. C.
biorxiv
Fri Mar 07 2025
Developmental regulators enable rapid and efficient soybean transformation and CRISPR-mediated genome editing
Soybean transformation remains challenging and has not kept pace with the rapid advancement of genetic engineering technologies due to low efficiency, lengthy timelines, and genotype dependency. Here, we developed a streamlined transformation method by leveraging developmental regulators (DRs) to promote de novo shoot regeneration directly from growing soybean plants. By evaluating multiple DR com...
Alok, A.
•
Raman, V.
•
D Agostino, L.
•
Kshetry, A. O.
...•
Zhang, F.
biorxiv
Fri Mar 07 2025
A biphasic trajectory for maize stalk mechanics shaped by internal and external factors
Stalk mechanical properties are directly linked to plant stability and the interaction with pathogenic microorganisms. The evaluation of stalk mechanics has focused primarily on the end-of-season outcomes and defined differences among inbred and hybrid maize genotypes. However, there is a gap in understanding how these different end-of-season outcomes are achieved. This study measured stalk flexur...
Ikiriko, I. I.
•
Hostetler, A. N.
•
Reneau, J. W.
•
Betts, A. K.
•
Sparks, E. E.
biorxiv
Fri Mar 07 2025
FX-Cell: a method for single-cell RNA sequencing on difficult-to-digest and cryopreserved plant samples
Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) in plants requires the isolation of high-quality protoplasts - cells devoid of cell walls. However, many plant tissues and organs are resistant to enzymatic digestion, posing a significant barrier to advancing single-cell multi-omics research in plants. Furthermore, for many field-grown crops, the lack of immediate laboratory access presents another major cha...
Ming, X.
•
Wan, M.-C.
•
Zhang, Z.-D.
•
Xue, H.-C.
...•
Wang, J.-W.
biorxiv
Fri Mar 07 2025
Micro-Mel and Mini-Mel short life cycle dwarf lines with Solanum anguivi introgressions as the first model varieties for eggplant research and breeding
Eggplant (Solanum melongena) research has been hindered by the lack of suitable model plants. The development of Micro-Mel and Mini-Mel, two short-cycle dwarf model lines with introgressions from the wild relative S. anguivi, represents a breakthrough in eggplant research. Both lines were characterized with 30 phenotypic descriptors and compared to their parental lines and the Micro-Tom tomato. Mi...
Martinez-Lopez, M.
•
Baraja-Fonseca, V.
•
Garcia-Fortea, E.
•
Plazas, M.
...•
Gramazio, P.
biorxiv
Fri Mar 07 2025
AarMIXTAs: key factors of T-shaped non-glandular trichome development in Artemisia argyi
Trichomes are necessary for stress resistance and metabolite synthesis in plant. T-shaped non-glandular trichomes (TSTs) as the main component of moxa floss, which are the specific characteristics of A. argyi. Here, we observed that TSTs were at an extremely high density on the lower surfaces in A. argyi leaves. The key transcription factors (TFs) involved in regulation of TSTs development of A. a...
Chen, X.
•
Wu, D.
•
Li, C.
•
Liao, B.
•
Shen, Q.
biorxiv
Fri Mar 07 2025
High and low exogenous nitrate concentrations produce distinct calcium signatures in Arabidopsis roots
Calcium (Ca2+) acts as a secondary messenger in plant responses to many stimuli, including nitrate (NO3-) signaling in roots. Nitrate uptake in plants occurs through two distinct transporter systems that have different affinities for the anion, which result in divergent downstream regulatory responses. However, it is unknown if the concentration dependent NO3- response is linked to differential Ca...
Shrivastava, S.
•
Singh, D.
•
Zielinski, R. E.
•
Marshall-Colon, A.
biorxiv
Fri Mar 07 2025
MYB93 regulates responses to environmental sulphur in Arabidopsis and tomato.
Sulphur (S) is an important nutrient that has wide-ranging effects on plant health and metabolism. Several classes of transcription factor respond to S deprivation, including R2R3-MYBs. In Arabidopsis, the AtMYB93 transcription factor-encoding gene is upregulated by S deprivation. AtMYB93 has a non-redundant function in lateral root development and redundant functions in suberin biosynthesis along...
Cao, X.
•
Wilkinson, H. B.
•
Hutton, B.
•
McMulkin, N.
...•
Coates, J. C.
biorxiv
Fri Mar 07 2025
Interactive effects of xylem and phloem damage under drought on plant water and carbon dynamics: Mimicking the impact of plant canker disease
It is often stated that trees experiencing climate change may be more vulnerable to damaging effects of pest and disease, but experimental tests are still rare. In this study, we examined the separate and combined impact of experimentally applied xylem and phloem damage in an Australian Eucalypt species (Corymbia calophylla), which is increasingly suffering from phloem and xylem damage by a canker...
Hossain, M.
•
Poot, P.
•
Veneklaas, E.