Pollination-Induced Gene Changes That Lead to Senescence in Petunia × Hybrida
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Pollination-Induced Gene Changes That Lead to Senescence in Petunia × hybrida DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Shaun Robert Broderick, M.S. Graduate Program in Horticulture and Crop Science The Ohio State University 2014 Dissertation Committee: Michelle L. Jones, Advisor Feng Qu Eric J. Stockinger Esther van der Knaap Copyrighted by Shaun Robert Broderick 2014 Abstract Flower longevity is a genetically programmed event that ends in flower senescence. Flowers can last from several hours to several months, based on flower type and environmental factors. For many flowers, particularly those that are ethylene- sensitive, longevity is greatly reduced after pollination. Cellular components are disassembled and nutrients are remobilized during senescence, which reduces the net energy expenditures of floral structures. The goal of this research is to identify the genes that can be targeted to extent shelf life by inhibiting pollination-induced senescence. Identifying and characterizing regulatory shelf-life genes will enable breeders to incorporate specific alleles that improve post production quality into ethylene-sensitive crops. Petunia × hybrida is particularly amenable to flower longevity studies because of its large floral organs, predictable flower senescence timing, and importance in the greenhouse industry. A general approach to gene functional analysis involves reducing gene expression and observing the resulting phenotype. Viruses, such as tobacco rattle virus (TRV), can be used to induce gene silencing in plants like petunia. We optimized several parameters that improved virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) in petunia by increasing the consistency and efficiency of silencing. They included applying inocula to wounded apical meristems, growing petunias at temperatures of 20 °C day/18 °C night, utilizing ii the cultivar ‘Picobella Blue’, and inoculating plants at three or four weeks after sowing. As a control for VIGS experiments, an empty vector is frequently used, but severe TRV symptoms often lead to death in petunia. We developed a control construct, which contained a fragment of the green florescent protein. This construct eliminated all severe viral symptoms and served as a better control. This optimized protocol and control construct enabled us to silence many genes and screen for phenotypic results within a few months. To identify candidate, pollination-associated genes for VIGS analysis, RNA- sequencing (RNA-seq) libraries were developed from RNA extracted from pollinated and unpollinated petunia corollas at 12, 18, and 24 h after flower opening. The libraries were sequenced and an expressed sequence tag (EST) library of 33K contigs was generated, which represents the largest petunia corolla transcriptome to date. Differential gene expression analysis and a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were performed to identify pollination-associated genes. Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) and gene ontology (GO) enrichment provided a biological overview of the gene networks and molecular pathways associated with flower senescence, which included cellular catabolic processes and pathways such as the Regulation of autophagy, Plant hormone signal transduction, and Sucrose & starch metabolism. With this molecular information, better targets can be selected for further studies. Fifteen differentially expressed, pollination-associated genes were phenotypically characterized using VIGS for alterations in flower longevity. Petunias inoculated with a iii VIGS vector containing a putative EIN3-binding F-box protein (EBF) resulted in accelerated senescence. Two additional PhEBFs were identified from the assembled RNA-seq transcripts. PhEBF2b and PhEIL expression increased sooner in plants inoculated with the CHS-EBF2b construct than in the CHS control. We hypothesize that this work will lead to improved post production quality in floricultural crops. iv Acknowledgments I wish to thank Dr. Michelle L. Jones for this doctoral opportunity. Her guidance and expertise were critical to the ultimate success of this program. She provided plentiful opportunities to grow, learn, and wholly experience what it is to be a scientific researcher. She imparted not only her expertise, but she truly cared for my success. I also want to thank my Student Advisory Committee, Drs. Feng Qu, Eric Stockinger, and Esther van der Knaap, for challenging me to push my research skillset into new territories. I also thank them for reviewing manuscripts and providing helpful feedback for the dissertation. I also want to thank the current members of the Jones lab, Laura Chapin, Eileen Ramsay, and Scott Menicos, and former lab members Cassi Sewell, Nichole Edelman and Emma Locke for teaching me new skills, problem solving techniques, and for being good friends. The staff of the Molecular and Cellular Imaging Center and computer lab has been essential in providing genetic sequencing, microscopy equipment, and computational power for this experimental work. I would like to thank Dr. Asela Wijeratne and Saranga Wijeratne for their assistance in bioinformatics, and Dr. Tea Meulia for her expertise in RNA-sequencing experimental design. v I acknowledge the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC), the D.C. Kiplinger Endowment, The American Floral Endowment Gus Poesch Fund, and SEEDS: The OARDC Research Enhancement Competitive Grants Program. Additionally, I thank Drs. Dinesh-Kumar and Sophien Kamoun for providing VIGS vectors and Ball Horticultural Company and Syngenta for their petunia seed donations. We also thank Jason Van Houten and Esther van der Knaap for help with the library construction and experimental design. Finally, I would like to thank my family for their perseverance, patience and support over these last few years. My loving wife and daughters motivate me to be the best person that I can and to work diligently to achieve all of my goals and ambitions. I would also like to thank my parents, who worked their entire lives to ensure that I would be provided with the best opportunities. They always had confidence in me that I would achieve great things. vi Vita 2000-2003; 2005-2008 ...................................Nursery Customer Consultant, Linden Nursery 2005................................................................A.S. General Academics, Utah Valley University 2008................................................................B.S. Genetics & Biotechnology, Brigham Young University 2010................................................................M.S. Genetics & Biotechnology, Brigham Young University 2008-2010 ......................................................Graduate Student and Teaching Assistant, Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University 2011................................................................Intern, Ball Helix Genetic Laboratory, Ball Horticultural Company 2010 to present ..............................................Graduate Research Associate, Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, The Ohio State University Publications Broderick, S.R. and Jones, M.L. (2014) An optimized protocol to increase virus-induced gene silencing efficiency and minimize viral symptoms in petunia. Plant Molecular Biology Reporter, 32, 219-233. vii Broderick, S.R., Stevens, M.R., Geary, B., Love, S., Jellen, E.N., Dockter, R.B., Daley, S.L., Lindgren, D. (2011) A survey of Penstemon’s genome size. Genome, 54, 160-173. Fields of Study Major Field: Horticulture and Crop Science viii Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgments............................................................................................................... v Vita .................................................................................................................................... vii List of Tables .................................................................................................................... xv List of Figures .................................................................................................................. xvi Chapter 1: Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1 Plant hormones ................................................................................................................ 2 Ethylene ....................................................................................................................... 2 Abscisic acid ................................................................................................................ 3 Auxin ........................................................................................................................... 4 Cytokinin ..................................................................................................................... 5 Gibberellin ................................................................................................................... 5 Jasmonic acid ............................................................................................................... 6 Salicylic acid................................................................................................................ 6 ix Sugars .............................................................................................................................