H2020 ExpoSEED Project: Exploring the molecular control of seed performance in crops.
- Type Project
- Status Filled
- Execution 2016 -2019
- Assigned Budget 486.000,00 €
- Scope Europeo
- Main source of financing Horizon 2020
- Project website Proyecto ExpoSEED
ExpoSEED seeks to integrate forward and reverse genetic approaches to analyze the molecular mechanisms that control seed/grain (hereafter "seed") yield in model species and transfer the acquired knowledge to selected crops, such as legumes and cereals. The identification of "molecular hubs" that determine seed number and size will lay the groundwork for the development of breeding tools that improve seed production at the early market stages. Research in model species has recently led to the identification of key transcription factors that regulate plant reproduction, in addition to exploring the conservation of molecular mechanisms that ultimately control plant fitness in distantly related species.
The next challenge is to further analyze the molecular networks controlled by these key factors to ultimately manipulate agronomic traits. ExpoSEED partners will identify the targets of key transcription factors in model species such as Arabidopsis and rice, and transfer this knowledge to crops such as soybean, wheat, and barley. Candidate target genes will be further characterized using genetic and cell biology tools, along with a search for novel alleles in a broad panel of wild and cultivated germplasm. In parallel, germplasm collections and segregating populations will be used for mapping studies to identify novel factors controlling seed yield in legumes and cereals.
ExpoSEED seeks to create synergies to effectively address scientific and societal issues. From a scientific perspective, this is an opportune moment: diverse complete crop genome sequences and new genetic and cell biology tools will support the comparative biology approaches pursued in this project. Considering the social problem, food security is a global priority: in the context of population growth and the reduction of arable land, increasing food production is one of the challenges of this century.
ExpoSEED is composed of six work packages: Work Packages 2, 3, 4, and 5 focus on scientific aspects. Work Package 1 is entirely dedicated to the coordination and management of the Action, while Work Package 6 develops training and outreach activities. All scientific activities converge in Work Package 4, as represented in the attached images. Work Package 2 leveraged a reverse genetics approach (from candidate gene to phenotype) to identify key factors controlling yield, in terms of seed number and size, in model species such as Arabidopsis and rice.
The information obtained in model species has been tested and transferred to cereals such as wheat and barley, as well as to other distantly related species belonging to the poppy, tomato, and coffee families. During the project, partners identified key factors that act as master regulators in the control of branching, carpel, and seed differentiation. Functional characterization (Work Package 4) of a subset of selected factors led to a more detailed description of the molecular pathways controlling specific developmental stages with determining effects on yield. Interestingly, strong interconnections with auxin and cytokinin metabolism have been described.
Some of the information obtained in model species, along with the identification of new pathways controlling grain formation, has been transferred to crop species to identify key genes that can be manipulated to increase yield in the near future. WP3 is strongly interconnected with WP2 and is based on the observation that genetic variability can be exploited to search for new functional alleles in selected candidate genes. This approach has been mainly exploited in cereals, wheat, and barley, leading to the identification of promising new alleles. WP5 uses a complementary approach, called forward genetics (from phenotype to causal genes), which is expected to lead to the identification of new factors to be characterized within WP4. This strategy is only carried out in crops such as wheat and barley and is based on the observation of specific phenotypes. Once a phenotype, for example, a high-yielding phenotype, is detected in germplasm collections or populations, a statistical analysis is performed to identify the genetic locus correlated with that phenotype. Collections of barley, durum wheat, and bread wheat were analyzed under different growing conditions to identify genotypes specifically adapted to the selected environment.
QTL or GWAS analyses were performed to identify the combination of genetic loci that confers improved plant yield (novel loci influencing yield and gluten content were identified). Finally, Work Package 4 compiled information from the other Work Packages, including promising candidate genes (Work Package 2), alleles (Work Package 3), and genetic loci (Work Package 5) to continue functional characterization. To this end, partners employed a variety of techniques—detailed expression profiling studies, protein-protein and protein-DNA interaction experiments, mutant line development, and microscopic analysis—to describe the precise function of the selected genes. Together, the ExpoSEED Work Packages and the collaboration among partners expanded our understanding of the mechanisms controlling different aspects related to yield determination in model and crop species. The temporary staff transfers have added value to the initiative, allowing the knowledge and techniques used in each laboratory to be expanded to achieve specific objectives.
ExpoSEED represents an international, cross-sector consortium composed of nine global partners: Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Japan, and Australia. These partners share a scientific interest in addressing food security in a science-based manner; within the Action, research activities, staff secondments, and outreach events are planned. ExpoSEED seeks to integrate forward and reverse genetic approaches to analyze the molecular mechanisms controlling yield in model species and transfer the acquired knowledge to selected cereals such as wheat and barley. Furthermore, the evolutionary conservation of the molecular mechanisms controlling reproductive organs is studied from an evo-devo perspective.
The identification of "molecular hubs" that determine seed number and size lays the groundwork for the development of breeding tools that improve seed production at the start of commercialization. Research in model species has recently made it possible to identify key factors regulating plant reproduction, as well as to explore the conservation of molecular mechanisms that ultimately control plant fitness in distantly related species. The next challenge now is to further analyze the molecular networks controlled by these key factors in order to ultimately manipulate agronomic traits. ExpoSEED partners identified some of the key factors controlling yield. Candidate genes were further characterized using genetic and cell biology tools, along with a search for novel alleles in a broad panel of wild and cultivated germplasm. As a parallel approach, germplasm collections and segregating populations were used for mapping studies that identified novel factors controlling cereal seed yield. ExpoSEED created synergies to effectively address scientific and societal questions.
From a scientific perspective, this is an opportune moment: numerous complete crop genome sequences and new genetic and cell biology tools supported the comparative biology approaches of this project. Considering the social problem, food security is a global priority: in the context of population growth and the reduction of arable land, increasing food production is one of the challenges of this century.
ExpoSEED aims to integrate forward and reverse genetic approaches to analyze the molecular mechanisms that control seed/grain (hereafter, seed) yield in model species and transfer the acquired knowledge to selected crops such as legumes and cereals. The identification of "molecular hubs" that determine seed number and size will lay the groundwork for the development of breeding tools to improve seed production at the beginning of the seed market.
Research on model species has recently led to the identification of key transcription factors regulating plant reproduction, along with the exploration of the conservation of molecular mechanisms that ultimately control plant fitness in distantly related species. The next challenge now is to further dissect the molecular networks controlled by these key factors to ultimately manipulate agronomic traits. ExpoSEED partners will identify the targets of key transcription factors in model species such as Arabidopsis and rice and transfer this knowledge to crops such as soybean, wheat, and barley. Candidate target genes will be further characterized using genetic and cell biology tools, along with a search for novel alleles in a large panel of wild and cultivated germplasm. As a parallel approach, germplasm collections and segregating populations will be used for mapping studies aimed at identifying novel factors controlling seed yield in legumes and cereals.
ExpoSEED aims to create synergies to efficiently address scientific and societal issues. From a scientific perspective, now is the right time: a series of complete crop genome sequences and new genetic and cell biology tools will support the comparative biology approaches envisioned in this project. Considering the social issue, food security is a global priority: in the context of population growth and diminishing arable land, increasing food production is one of the challenges of this century.
An EU-funded international initiative has investigated how studies on the molecular control of seed development and maturation in the model species Arabidopsis thaliana can be applied to cereals and other crops. Food security is a global priority. Faced with population growth and the reduction of available arable land due to climate change, increasing food production is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity in this century. The EU-funded ExpoSEED project addressed this challenge by applying different novel approaches to model and crop species to understand how to increase the yield of crop species. “We identified key factors controlling inflorescence formation and seed development in distantly related species to contribute to nutritional security,” explains Raffaella Battaglia, project coordinator.
The project represented an international, cross-sector consortium composed of nine partners from Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Argentina, Australia, Colombia, Japan, and Mexico. It included scientists from both academia and seed companies, working together with different plant species. “These included model species (A. thaliana), cereals such as rice, barley, bread wheat, and durum wheat, and species belonging to the poppy, tomato, and coffee families,” explains Battaglia. Breakthrough through collaboration. ExpoSEED leveraged this complementary expertise to transfer knowledge from different species and accelerate the discovery of gene function. “This aspect of the project was crucial,” comments Battaglia. “It will accelerate the discovery of gene function in those species where genetic redundancy and a lack of molecular tools hinder the successful identification of genes that can be manipulated to improve crop yield.”
An important outcome achieved by ExpoSEED was a more complete view of the molecular control of fruit and seed formation, thanks to the collaboration of partners. "Identifying the molecular hubs that connect different pathways was very significant, as it is crucial to understanding what can be manipulated to improve yield and limit imbalances between its components," Battaglia notes. The study of A. thaliana provided detailed insights into the molecular networks that control carpel formation, ovule determination, fruit size, and seed production. "Interestingly, we were able to clarify the interaction between key genes controlling carpel differentiation and hormonal metabolism," Battaglia notes. Furthermore, project partners applied an evolutionary perspective, leading to a detailed understanding of the molecular networks governing flower formation in species belonging to the poppy, tomato, and coffee families. Multiple Benefits In addition to publishing their results in important peer-reviewed, high-impact scientific journals, ExpoSEED also facilitated fruitful collaboration between science and industry. "It was exciting to build a network where the knowledge gained on a model species like A. thaliana in crops was discussed and evaluated. The current challenge in plant science is to delve into the details of genetic function to overcome any potential bottlenecks that could hinder yield improvements," Battaglia observes.
The project, an initiative of the Marie Sködodowska-Curie Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (MSCA-RISE), provided both experienced and junior researchers the opportunity to work in top-tier laboratories, expand their skills, and transfer the knowledge they acquired back to their home institutions, while boosting their professional development. ExpoSEED will also benefit the broader research community by generating scientific knowledge and novel hypotheses currently under study. "In the long term, the knowledge generated by ExpoSEED represents a step forward toward food security," Battaglia concludes.
The main advances beyond the state of the art are: the scientific knowledge produced by the partners, the development of new pipelines for analyzing genotypic data in search of new alleles and molecular markers to be exploited as pre-breeding tools. During the reporting period, the cooperation between the partners produced more detailed information (i.e., gene identification and network description) that allows for the selection of critical factors controlling branching in rice, carpel differentiation and ovule formation in Arabidopsis, hormonal interaction in Arabidopsis and wheat, and sugar metabolism in barley and wheat.
Broadening our focus beyond scientific results, the key word within the Action is food security. The results obtained are adding novel information to be exploited to ultimately achieve food security. Novel data have been produced for basic research and pre-breeding tools.
- CONSIGLIO PER LA RICERCA IN AGRICOLTURA E L'ANALISI DELL'ECONOMIA AGRARIA (CREA)
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