Impacts of environmental conditions, and allelic variation of cytosolic glutamine synthetase on maize hybrid kernel production

Cytosolic glutamine synthetase (GS1) is the enzyme mainly responsible of ammonium assimilation and reassimilation in maize leaves. The agronomic potential of GS1 in maize kernel production was investigated by examining the impact of an overexpression of the enzyme in the leaf cells. Transgenic hybrids exhibiting a three-fold increase in leaf GS activity were produced and characterized using plants grown in the field. Several independent hybrids overexpressing Gln1-3, a gene encoding cytosolic (GS1), in the leaf and bundle sheath mesophyll cells were grown over five years in different locations. On average, a 3.8% increase in kernel yield was obtained in the transgenic hybrids compared to controls. However, we observed that such an increase was simultaneously dependent upon both the environmental conditions and the transgenic event for a given field trial. Although variable from one environment to another, significant associations were also found between two GS1 genes (Gln1-3 and Gln1-4) polymorphic regions and kernel yield in different locations. We propose that the GS1 enzyme is a potential lead for producing high yielding maize hybrids using either genetic engineering or marker-assisted selection. However, for these hybrids, yield increases will be largely dependent upon the environmental conditions used to grow the plants.

The wheat cytosolic glutamine synthetase GS1.1 modulates N assimilation and spike development by characterizing CRISPR-edited mutants

Glutamine synthetase (GS) mediates the first step in the assimilation of inorganic nitrogen (N) into amino acids, however the function of GS encoding genes is not well understood in wheat (Triticum aestivum). We found that the cytosolic TaGS1.1 was the major transcripted GS1 gene and was up-regulated by low-N availability. CRISPR/Cas9 mediated genome editing was employed to develop two gs1.1 mutants with mutated TaGS1.1-6A, −6B, and -6D. Both mutants had lower grains per spike and grain yield per plant than the wild type under both low-N and high-N conditions in field experiments. In a hydroponic culture treated with different N resources, the two mutants was more sensitive to low-N stress than the wild type, but showed similar sensitivity to high ammonium stress with the wild type. The growth deficiency and impaired spike development were associated with the imbalance of N metabolites in the mutant plants. During grain filling, TaGS1.1 mutation reduced N translocation efficiency and delayed leaf N loss and grain N filling. Our results suggested that TaGS1.1 is important for N assimilation and remobilization, and required for wheat adaptation to N-limited conditions and spike development.HighlightThe wheat cytosolic glutamine synthetase TaGS1.1 is important for N assimilation and remobilization, and is required for wheat adaptation to low-N stress and spike development.

How do three cytosolic glutamine synthetase isozymes of wheat perform N assimilation and translocation?

To understand how the three cytosolic glutamine synthetase (GS1) isozymes of wheat (Triticum aestivum L., TaGS1) perform nitrogen assimilation and translocation, we studied the kinetic properties of TaGS1 isozymes, the effects of nitrogen on the expression and localization of TaGS1 isozymes with specific antibodies, and the nitrogen metabolism. The results showed TaGS1;1, the dominant TaGS1 isozyme, had a high affinity for substrates, and was widely localized in the mesophyll cells, root pericycle and root tip meristematic zone, suggesting it was the primary isozyme for N assimilation. TaGS1;2, with a high affinity for Glu, was activated by Gln, and was mainly localized in the around vascular tissues, indicating that TaGS1;2 catalyzed Gln synthesis in low Glu concentration, then the Gln returned to activate TaGS1;2, which may lead to the rapid accumulation of Gln around the vascular tissues. TaGS1;3 had low affinity for substrates but the highest Vmax among TaGS1, was mainly localized in the root tip meristematic zone; exogenous NH4+ could promote TaGS1;3 expressing, indicating that TaGS1;3 could rapidly assimilate NH4+ to relieve NH4+ toxicity. In conclusion, TaGS1;1, TaGS1;2 and TaGS1;3 have different role in N assimilation, Gln translocation and relieving ammonium toxicity, respectively, and synergistically perform nitrogen assimilation and translocation.HighlightThree cytosolic glutamine synthase isozymes of wheat have different role and synergistically perform nitrogen assimilation and translocation.