Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ProSPECT (Promoting Synthetic Polyploid Engineering Commencing Technology)
Reporting period: 2022-01-01 to 2023-12-31
• What are the overall objectives?
The rising need for enhanced crop yield and resilience to environmental stress calls for innovative varieties that enable a more sustainable use of land of resources One promising avenue is the exploration of polyploidy, a condition where the entire genetic material of an organism is duplicated. This phenomenon has been found to boost the adaptability, the resilience to environmental stress (such as drought) and the size of various plant organs, such as roots, leaves, fruits, or tubers, making polyploids like wheat, cotton, coffee, potato, strawberry, tobacco, blueberry, and alfalfa more prevalent among crops.
Contrasting most of these established polyploid crops, that emerged from polyploidization events that took place millennia ago, newly formed polyploids (neopolyploids), although they are easy to generate, they often display severe fertility problems and genome instability that limit their use.
While many established polyploid crops emerged from events that occurred thousands of years ago, newly formed polyploids, known as neopolyploids, are easier to create but often suffer from fertility issues and genome instability. One of the main challenges lie in meiosis, a specialized cell division process crucial for forming reproductive cells like sperm and egg cells (prior to formation of pollen and ovules). Established polyploids have evolved adaptations to manage the extra copies of chromosomes during meiosis, ensuring their fertility. However, neopolyploids lack these adaptations, leading to fertility problems and genome instability.
This project seeks to enhance our understanding of polyploid meiosis and reproduction, aiming to develop engineered solutions that can artificially stabilize neopolyploids. The ultimate goal is to overcome fertility challenges in newly formed polyploids, paving the way for more resilient and productive crops in the future.
The rising need for enhanced crop yield and resilience to environmental stress calls for innovative varieties that enable a more sustainable use of land of resources One promising avenue is the exploration of polyploidy, a condition where the entire genetic material of an organism is duplicated. This phenomenon has been found to boost the adaptability, the resilience to environmental stress (such as drought) and the size of various plant organs, such as roots, leaves, fruits, or tubers, making polyploids like wheat, cotton, coffee, potato, strawberry, tobacco, blueberry, and alfalfa more prevalent among crops.
Contrasting most of these established polyploid crops, that emerged from polyploidization events that took place millennia ago, newly formed polyploids (neopolyploids), although they are easy to generate, they often display severe fertility problems and genome instability that limit their use.
While many established polyploid crops emerged from events that occurred thousands of years ago, newly formed polyploids, known as neopolyploids, are easier to create but often suffer from fertility issues and genome instability. One of the main challenges lie in meiosis, a specialized cell division process crucial for forming reproductive cells like sperm and egg cells (prior to formation of pollen and ovules). Established polyploids have evolved adaptations to manage the extra copies of chromosomes during meiosis, ensuring their fertility. However, neopolyploids lack these adaptations, leading to fertility problems and genome instability.
This project seeks to enhance our understanding of polyploid meiosis and reproduction, aiming to develop engineered solutions that can artificially stabilize neopolyploids. The ultimate goal is to overcome fertility challenges in newly formed polyploids, paving the way for more resilient and productive crops in the future.
The first part of this research focused on experimenting with various combinations of meiotic genes known to influence the outcome of meiotic recombination. The aim was to test if the modified meiosis of mutants enhances the stability of neopolyploids in both inbred and hybrid plants. To conduct these experiments, I utilized mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana and induced polyploidization using a drug called colchicine. The results, obtained through cytological approaches, revealed that one of those gene combinations has a partially positive impact on the stability of neopolyploid meiosis in inbred plants. However, this improvement did not lead to the restoration of plant fertility.
The second aspect of my work concentrated on understanding the differences in stability between male and female meiosis in neopolyploids. This was accomplished through a sequencing approach, which surprisingly revealed a low frequency of aneuploidies (an outcome of unstable meiosis) in both male and female sides. This unexpected finding prompted the need for a larger population size than initially anticipated to accurately assess the differences. Currently, I am actively pursuing this direction of research.
The third part of this project of this project involved utilizing the naturally occurring established polyploids in Arabidopsis arenosa to investigate the meiotic (and non-meiotic) adaptations contributing to stability in polyploids. To delve deeper, I conducted a detailed analysis of temporal changes in the abundance and distribution of specific key proteins throughout the meiotic progression using super-resolution microscopy and immunolocalization techniques. The findings from this approach revealed notable temporal differences in the dynamics of certain meiotic proteins between established and neo-polyploids. In essence, the study showed that both types of polyploids (neo- and established) exhibit temporal variations in the abundance and distribution of these critical proteins as the meiotic process unfolds, suggesting that the dynamics of these proteins likely evolved after polyploidization.
The second aspect of my work concentrated on understanding the differences in stability between male and female meiosis in neopolyploids. This was accomplished through a sequencing approach, which surprisingly revealed a low frequency of aneuploidies (an outcome of unstable meiosis) in both male and female sides. This unexpected finding prompted the need for a larger population size than initially anticipated to accurately assess the differences. Currently, I am actively pursuing this direction of research.
The third part of this project of this project involved utilizing the naturally occurring established polyploids in Arabidopsis arenosa to investigate the meiotic (and non-meiotic) adaptations contributing to stability in polyploids. To delve deeper, I conducted a detailed analysis of temporal changes in the abundance and distribution of specific key proteins throughout the meiotic progression using super-resolution microscopy and immunolocalization techniques. The findings from this approach revealed notable temporal differences in the dynamics of certain meiotic proteins between established and neo-polyploids. In essence, the study showed that both types of polyploids (neo- and established) exhibit temporal variations in the abundance and distribution of these critical proteins as the meiotic process unfolds, suggesting that the dynamics of these proteins likely evolved after polyploidization.
Taking advantage of the the current state of the art in the field we utilized genetic tools uncovered in the previous years to the beginning of the project, such as recently characterized mutants. In addition, the aim of this project to re-design the biological process of meiosis is at the heart of the of the emerging discipline of synthetic biology. The originality of this proposal relies on the fact that, while mechanisms for how polyploids evolved stable meiosis have been proposed, using this information to improve the success of synthetic polyploids in an applied context is yet to be exploited.
As we near the completion of this research program, once all the projects initiated have been finished the expected outcomes are twofold. Firstly, a comprehensive set of strategies will be developed to re-design meiosis in neopolyploids, making them more stable. Secondly, key insights gained from these endeavors will lay the groundwork for future, more sophisticated and comprehensive approaches to fully rescue fertility and genome stability in polyploids. The impact of these outcomes extends beyond fundamental research, with potential socio-economic implications, offering a promising solution to address some of the current global food security challenges. Successfully stabilizing neopolyploids can transform them into valuable allies in our quest for sustainable agriculture. By unlocking the full potential of these synthetic polyploids, this research contributes not only to scientific knowledge but also to practical strategies that can address the pressing needs of our growing population and changing climate.
As we near the completion of this research program, once all the projects initiated have been finished the expected outcomes are twofold. Firstly, a comprehensive set of strategies will be developed to re-design meiosis in neopolyploids, making them more stable. Secondly, key insights gained from these endeavors will lay the groundwork for future, more sophisticated and comprehensive approaches to fully rescue fertility and genome stability in polyploids. The impact of these outcomes extends beyond fundamental research, with potential socio-economic implications, offering a promising solution to address some of the current global food security challenges. Successfully stabilizing neopolyploids can transform them into valuable allies in our quest for sustainable agriculture. By unlocking the full potential of these synthetic polyploids, this research contributes not only to scientific knowledge but also to practical strategies that can address the pressing needs of our growing population and changing climate.