In a recent study published in Planta, researchers from the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences shed light on the function of the SEUSS gene (JcSEUSS1) in Jatropha curcas, a woody oil crop. The SEUSS gene encodes a transcriptional adaptor and nuclear localization protein, and it plays a crucial role in regulating various developmental stages and organs in plants like Arabidopsis, rice, and tomato. However, its function in woody plants had not been explored until now.
The study focused on investigating the effects of JcSEUSS1 on the reproductive growth stage of Jatropha by systematically overexpressing and silencing the JcSEUSS1 gene. The results revealed significant insights into how JcSEUSS1 influences the development of flowers, fruits, and seeds, ultimately impacting seed yield.
The researchers generated transgenic Jatropha plants with both overexpressed and suppressed JcSEUSS1 expression and carefully analyzed their phenotypes at various developmental stages. Overexpression of JcSEUSS1 was found to negatively affect reproductive growth, leading to reduced numbers of infructescences, fruits per infructescence, and seeds per fruit, as well as smaller fruits and seeds. This outcome indicates that JcSEUSS1 plays a crucial role in regulating the reproductive development of Jatropha.
In contrast, silencing the JcSEUSS1 gene had a remarkable effect on flowering, inflorescence, and seed yield, resulting in a significant increase in the production of seeds. Importantly, this research not only provides a better understanding of the genetic mechanisms governing reproductive growth in Jatropha but also offers promising prospects for improving the agronomic characteristics of this biodiesel crop.
Tang Mingyong from XTBG emphasized the value of this transgenic technology in enhancing the agronomic traits of Jatropha, potentially contributing to the advancement of this essential biodiesel crop.