terclim by ICS banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Open-GPB 9 Open-GPB-2024 9 Flash - New biotechnological tools 9 Deciphering the function and regulation of VviEPFL9 paralogs to modulate stomatal density in grapevine through New Genomic Techniques

Deciphering the function and regulation of VviEPFL9 paralogs to modulate stomatal density in grapevine through New Genomic Techniques

Abstract

Stomata are microscopic pores mainly located in leaf epidermis, allowing gas exchanges between plants and atmosphere. Stomatal initiation relies on the transcription factor SPEECHLESS which is mainly regulated by the MAP kinase cascade, in turn controlled by small signaling peptides, the Epidermal Patterning Factors (EPF and EPF-Like), namely EPF1, EPF2 and EPFL9. While EPF1 and EPF2 induce the inhibition of SPEECHLESS, their antagonist, EPFL9, stabilizes it, leading to stomatal formation. In grapevine, there are two paralogs for EPFL9, VviEPFL9-1 and VviEPFL9-2. Despite their structural similarity, it remains unclear whether they are differentially regulated and have distinct roles. In our study we showed that while VviEPFL9-1 is expressed only in the apex, VviEPFL9-2 is expressed both in the apex and in mature leaves along the plant axis and is significantly repressed by ABA. To support experimental data, an in-silico transcriptomic analysis has been carried out using publicly available datasets. In addition, both genes were functionally characterized using knock-out (KO) mutants generated via CRISPR/Cas9. Leaf stomatal density and gas exchange parameters were significantly different between ‘Sugraone’ WT plants and VviEPFL9-2 KO lines, whereas the differences were negligible between WT and VviEPFL9-1 KO lines. Moreover, a water stress experiment was carried out to deeply compare the physiology of edited lines and WT plants under drought conditions. Our results suggest that VviEPFL9 paralogs have distinct roles in determining stomatal plasticity during leaf growth, and that VviEPFL9-2 may be considered a key target to increase grapevine resilience to water deficiency.

DOI:

Publication date: June 13, 2024

Issue: Open GPB 2024

Type: Article

Authors

Umar Shahbaz1,2, Pierre Videau3, Katerina Labonova3, David Navarro-Payá4, Alvaro Vidal1,2, José Tomás Matus4, Mickael Malnoy1, Olivier Zekri3, Fabio Fiorani5, Michele Faralli2, Lorenza Dalla Costa1*

1 Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all’Adige, Italy
2 Center Agriculture Food Environment (C3A), University of Trento, 38098, San Michele all’Adige, Italy
3 Novatech, Mercier Groupe, Le Champ des Noels, France
4 Institute for Integrative Systems Biology, Universitat de València-CSIC,46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain
5 Institute of Bio- and Geo-Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany

Contact the author*

Keywords

Vitis vinifera, Epidermal Patterning Factors, CRISPR/Cas9, gas exchange, water stress

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Open GPB | Open GPB 2024

Citation

Related articles…

Influence of nitrogen supply on colorimetric parameters of Lugana wines

AIM: Color is one of the main qualitative parameters of a wine. As a matter of fact, immediately after having opened a bottle of wine, color, even before aroma and taste, is the first sensorial parameter to be evaluated by the consumer It can change according to various factors depending on the characteristics of the grapes or on the different production and storage processes. This study aims to evaluate the color differences on Lugana wines that are fermented with different yeast and nitrogen supply.

THE EFFECT OF DIFFERENT TERROIRS ON AROMA COMPOUNDS OF ‘KALECIK KARASI’ WINES

Kalecik Karası is a domestic grape variety of Turkey, originating from Kalecik district, 80 km from Ankara. Although there is no definite evidence, it is known that it was used in wine production by many civilizations that lived in the Anatolian region, especially the Hittites. Compared to other black wine grapes, it stands out with its low tannin content, rich fruity aroma and complex structure. In good vintages, red fruits such as strawberries, cherries and raspberries stand out in the aroma profile. Although its structure is elegant, it has the potential to age and develop similar to the ‘Pinot Noir’ wine of the Burgundy region. This offers a complex aroma structure including red flowers, earth and ripe fruits.

Making sense of available information for climate change adaptation and building resilience into wine production systems across the world

Effects of climate change on viticulture systems and winemaking processes are being felt across the world. The IPCC 6thAssessment Report concluded widespread and rapid changes have occurred, the scale of recent changes being unprecedented over many centuries to many thousands of years. These changes will continue under all emission scenarios considered, including increases in frequency and intensity of hot extremes, heatwaves, heavy precipitation and droughts. Wine companies need tools and models allowing to peer into the future and identify the moment for intervention and measures for mitigation and/or avoidance. Previously, we presented conceptual guidelines for a 5-stage framework for defining adaptation strategies for wine businesses. That framework allows for direct comparison of different solutions to mitigate perceived climate change risks. Recent global climatic evolution and multiple reports of severe events since then (smoke taint, heatwave and droughts, frost, hail and floods, rising sea levels) imply urgency in providing effective tools to tackle the multiple perceived risks. A coordinated drive towards a higher level of resilience is therefore required. Recent publications such as the Australian Wine Future Climate Atlas and results from projects such as H2020 MED-GOLD inform on expected climate change impacts to the wine sector, foreseeing the climate to expect at regional and vineyard scale in coming decades. We present examples of practical application of the Climate Change Adaptation Framework (CCAF) to impacts affecting wine production in two wine regions: Barossa (Australia) and Douro (Portugal). We demonstrate feasibility of the framework for climate adaptation from available data and tools to estimate historical climate-induced profitability loss, to project it in the future and to identify critical moments when disruptions may occur if timely measures are not implemented. Finally, we discuss adaptation measures and respective timeframes for successful mitigation of disruptive risk while enhancing resilience of wine systems.

Application of UV-B radiation in pre- and postharvest as an innovative and sustainable cultural practice to improve grape phenolic composition

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is a minor part of the solar spectrum, but it represents an important ecological factor that influences many biological processes related to plant growth and development. In recent years, the application of UVR in agriculture and food production is emerging as a clean and environmentally friendly technology.
In grapevine, many studies have been conducted on the effects of ambient levels of UVR, but there are few considering the effects of UV-B application on grape phenolic composition under commercial growing or postharvest conditions.

Development of a GRASS-GIS application for the characterization of vineyards in the province of Trento

The physical factors that influence the grape ripening include elevation, slope, aspect, potential global radiation, sun hours and soil type of the vineyards.