A PtrLBD39-mediated transcriptional network regulates tension wood formation in Populus trichocarpa

Tension wood(TW)is a specialized xylem tissue formed in angiosperm trees under gravitational stimulus or mechanical stresses(e.g.,bending).The genetic regulation that underlies this important mechanism remains poorly understood.Here,we used laser capture microdissection of stem xylem cells coupled with full transcriptome RNA-sequencing to analyze TW formation in Populus trichocarpa.After tree bending,PtrLBD39 was the most significantly induced transcription factor gene;it has a phylogenetically paired homolog,PtrLBD22.CRISPR-based knockout of PtrLBD39/22 severely inhibited TW formation,reducing cellulose and increasing lignin content.Transcriptomic analyses of CRISPR-based PtrLBD39/22 double mutants showed that these two genes regulate a set of TW-related genes.Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing(ChIP-seq)was used to identify direct targets of PtrLBD39.We integrated transcriptomic analyses and ChIP-seq assays to construct a transcriptional regulatory network(TRN)mediated by PtrLBD39.In this TRN,PtrLBD39 directly regulates 26 novel TW-responsive transcription factor genes.Our work suggests that PtrLBD39 and PtrLBD22 specifically control TW formation by mediating a TW-specific TRN in Populus.

Genome-wide binding analysis of the tomato transcription factor SlDof1 reveals its regulatory impacts on fruit ripening

The DNA binding with one finger(Dof)proteins are plant-specific transcription factors involved in a variety of biological processes.However,little is known about their functions in fruit ripening,a flowering-plant-specific process that is required for seed maturation and dispersal.Here,we found that the tomato Dof transcription factor SlDof1,is necessary for normal fruit ripening.Knockdown of SlDof1 expression by RNA interference delayed ripening-related processes,including lycopene synthesis and ethylene production.Transcriptome profiling indicated that SlDof1 influences the expression of hundreds of genes,and a chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing revealed a large number of SlDof1 binding sites.A total of 312 genes were identified as direct targets of SlDof1,among which 162 were negatively regulated by SlDof1 and 150 were positively regulated.The SlDof1 target genes were involved in a variety of metabolic pathways,and follow-up analyses verified that SlDof1 directly regulates some well-known ripening-related genes including ACS2 and PG2A as well as transcriptional repressor genes such as SlIAA27.Our findings provide insights into the transcriptional regulatory networks underlying fruit ripening and highlight a gene potentially useful for genetic engineering to control ripening.

HiTIP-seq profiles epigenomic reprogramming of patient-derived diffuse midline glioma stem cells to epigenetic therapy

Diffuse midline glioma(DMG),H3K27-altered,is lethal pediatric-type,high-grade,localized to the midline region of the central nervous system.Effective treatment guidelines are absent,and clinical trials are preferred for primary or recur-rent DMG patients.Recently,epigenetic agent-based immunotherapy has exhibited promising therapeutic effects in the clinical setting.However,the underlying mechanisms remain a mystery.The rare DMG tumor samples from biopsy or resection largely impede basic research,by using patient-derived tumor cells which better recapitulate the parental tu-mor’s heterogeneity compared to established cell lines.As an epigenetic reprogramming disease,DMG exhibits a global loss of H3K27 trimethylation(H3K27me3)and a gain of H3K27 acetylation(H3K27ac).Analysis of multiple epige-netic marks is fundamentally necessary.However,traditional techniques cannot allow ultra-low input and high-throughput.Herein we have developed a new method called high-throughput in situ tagged immunoprecipitation sequencing(HiTIP-seq),which uses an integrated superhydrophobic microwell array technology(InSMART).We were able to perform 100 parallel assays from as few as 100 cells per microwell on a single chip.We applied the tech-nology to profile epigenetic alterations of three-dimensional(3D)cell cultures derived from DMG patients.Our HiTIP-seq integrated with RNA sequencing(RNA-seq)analysis revealed that the combination of epigenetic agents(panobino-stat and tazemetostat),reprogrammed histone modifications and drove transcriptome changes.Among them,Wnt inhibitory factor 1(WIF1)has a gain of H3K27ac and a loss of H3K27me3,which leads to the upregulated expression.Altogether,HiTIP-seq is a versatile method for high-throughput analysis of histone modifications,suitable for both DMG research and studying rare 3D models.