Journal Article

Chromosome-scale pearl millet genomes reveal CLAMT1b as key determinant of strigolactone pattern and Striga susceptibility

Alam, Intikhab, Sioud, Salim, Gao, Xin, Votta, Cristina, Berqdar, Lamis, Krattinger, Simon G., Al-Babili, Salim, Jamil, Muhammad, Alvarez, Derry, Lanfranco, Luisa, Kuijer, Hendrik N. J., Zuccolo, Andrea, Abrouk, Michael, Incitti, Roberto, Wing, Rod A., Chen, Guan-Ting Erica, Wang, Jian You, Bougouffa, Salim, Balakrishna, Aparna, de Lera, Angel R., Martínez, Claudio, Fiorilli, Valentina, Gojobori, Takashi

2024

Overview

The yield of pearl millet, a resilient cereal crop crucial for African food security, is severely impacted by the root parasitic weed Striga hermonthica , which requires host-released hormones, called strigolactones (SLs), for seed germination. Herein, we identify four SLs present in the Striga-susceptible line SOSAT-C88-P10 (P10) but absent in the resistant 29Aw (Aw). We generate chromosome-scale genome assemblies, including four gapless chromosomes for each line. The Striga-resistant Aw lacks a 0.7 Mb genome segment containing two putative CARLACTONOIC ACID METHYLTRANSFERASE1 ( CLAMT1 ) genes, which may contribute to SL biosynthesis. Functional assays show that P10CLAMT1b produces the SL-biosynthesis intermediate methyl carlactonoate (MeCLA) and that MeCLA is the precursor of P10-specific SLs. Screening a diverse pearl millet panel confirms the pivotal role of the CLAMT1 section for SL diversity and Striga susceptibility. Our results reveal a reason for Striga susceptibility in pearl millet and pave the way for generating resistant lines through marker-assisted breeding or direct genetic modification. Production of pearl millet is impacted by the root parasitic weed Striga hermonthica . Here, the authors assemble the genomes of resistant and susceptible lines of pearl millet and identify a critical gene CARLACTONOIC ACID METHYLTRANSFERASE1b ( CLAMT1b ) in determining Striga resistance.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group UK,Nature Publishing Group,Nature Portfolio
• Subject: 140/58 / 38/91 / 45/22 / 45/23 / 631/208/8 / 631/449/1741/2672 / 631/449/2491 / 631/449/2676/2677 / Acid resistance / Biosynthesis / Cereal crops / Chromosomes / Chromosomes, Plant - genetics / Crop yield / Disease Resistance - genetics / Food security / Genetic diversity / Genetic modification / Genome, Plant / Genomes / Germination / Hormones / Humanities and Social Sciences / Lactones - metabolism / Methyltransferases - genetics / Methyltransferases - metabolism / Millet / multidisciplinary / Pennisetum - genetics / Pennisetum - metabolism / Pennisetum glaucum / Phytohormones / Plant Diseases - genetics / Plant Diseases - parasitology / Plant Growth Regulators - metabolism / Plant Proteins - genetics / Plant Proteins - metabolism / Plant Weeds - genetics / Plant Weeds - metabolism / Science / Science (multidisciplinary) / Seed germination / Striga / Striga - genetics / Striga hermonthica