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Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SexSeed (Sexual Plant Reproduction â€“ Seed formation)

Teaser

Summary

By 2050, it is estimated that the human population will reach 9 billion. To feed this growing population, it will be necessary to at least double agricultural yields, without increasing the amount of arable land.
Understanding the factors that regulate sexual reproduction will enable this critical aspect of agricultural production to be engineered for increased productivity, without increasing arable land. Our project will provide new insights into the network controlled by SEEDSTICK (STK), a MADS box transcription factor, which is the master regulator in the production of seeds. The objective of this proposal is to strengthen research partnerships through staff exchanges and networking activities, at international and intercontinental levels. By combining transcriptomic and genetic approaches, we aim to uncover new functions for STK targets and implicate them in putative signalling cascades, increasing our knowledge on the network that controls seed formation in Arabidopsis. Arabidopsis is an excellent model to study seed formation, as it shares a conserved developmental program with major seed-producing crop plants, important to improve not only gross agricultural productivity, but also the composition of seeds and hence the production of components used for high added-value seed-derived products. The growing importance of seeds and seed-derived products to humanity and the central role of STK in seed development means that this project has great potential to contribute to Europeâ€™s excellence and competitiveness in the world.
Detailed analysis of the network of regulatory genes controlling reproductive development in Arabidopsis represents the biological theme around which our training programme will be built. By taking advantage of the scientific
competences developed by the partners, it will be possible to expand our knowledge of seed formation in the model species and then to transfer this knowledge horizontally into vital agricultural crop species.

Work performed

The objective is to better understand the factors that regulate sexual reproduction in plants and enable increased productivity through engineered agricultural production without increasing arable land. The project addresses the network controlled by SEEDSTICK (STK), a master regulator in the production of seeds and it remains very promising. Very high quality results were obtained. â€“ WP2 (comparison of the pattern of expression of the STK gene by RNAseq to ChIPseq data) is achieved and following WPs already started according to the work plan.
Analysis of Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) results of the MADS- box transcription factor SEEDSTICK, master regulator of ovule and seed development (already available
with P2) was performed. Additionally, this new data was confronted with RNA-sequencing data from a stk mutant (Mizzotti et al., 2014) allowing the differentiation of direct targets that are also differentially expressed (up or down-regulated). The validation of the targets is being accessed by qRT-PCR.
Functional analyses of selected genes is now under its way, through the study of several mutants regarding different reproductive stages: 1) early phases of ovule development, 2) fertilization process, 3) seed/fruit development. For the targets with no mutants available in the public databases, RNA interference and CRISPR/Cas9 are being used as an alternative approach.

Final results

The scientific impact so far is of a good to very good quality, being the project as it is, not yet half finished. The impact on the training and career perspectives of the young researchers is highly valuable and going very well:
Young European researchers are trained in non- EU, highly specialised groups and they are bringing this knowledge back to Europe. The long-term impact is still too early to fully evaluate but very promising. Thanks to the networking between participants, researchers have been able to finalise 1 master- and 2 PhD- theses. One researcher received a MSCA Fellowship to be implemented within the consortium and another researcher received a job offer in the industry. Young researchers have all stressed how good the secondments are for their training.
The project contributes to the development of lasting collaborations between top international groups within and outside Europe in the field of engineered agricultural production without increasing arable land thus reinforcing the position of the ERA on such topic. This will be translated into top scientific publications and attract the interest of the general public.
Competitiveness of the researchers has clearly improved as they have access to state-of-the-art facilities, protocols and materials that are also greatly enhancing their training capacities.
The project has one publication in open access in high impact journal acknowledging the EU funding. Common publications between the different members of the consortium are now being submitted. 3 workshops (Tucson, Padova, Porto) and 1 congress (Padova) already took place and 2 satellite meetings are prepared for the summer 2018 (Florence and Nagoya).
The website is being continuously updated and activities are being reported for a broader audience (Fascinating Day Milano, IJUP Porto, Summer School for young students (between 8 - 18 y.o.), acknowledging EU funding.
To feed the increasing growing population, it will be necessary to at least double agricultural yields without increasing the amount of arable land. Most agricultural production is aimed at the production of seeds through sexual reproduction, and these seeds account for the majority of the calories consumed by humans (i.e. wheat, rice and corn), are major components of animal feed (i.e. sorghum, corn and soybean) and are a significant source for the production of high-value-added products such as oils, biofuels and proteins (i.e. canola, corn and soybean). Understanding the factors that regulate sexual reproduction will enable this critical aspect of agricultural production to be engineered for increased productivity, without increasing arable land. The project when completed will allow increasing seed production in highly nutritive plants for food and feed.
Therefore, it addresses major societal- and worldwide development- needs. It is expected to enhance innovation capacity through technological development and new products and create market opportunities while strengthening competitiveness and growth of companies in a changing climate and environment.