Biology subjects

Borphukan, B.

Publications and source records attributed to Borphukan, B..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Population and adaptation history of 739 Thlaspi arvense natural accessions

Pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) is a promising intermediate oilseed crop, producing oil suitable for conversion to biofuels--including aviation fuels. While domestication efforts are ongoing, a deeper understanding of the genetic architecture of traits is crucial for informing future breeding efforts. Here, we conducted the largest genomic and phenotypic survey of pennycress to date, analyzing 739 accessions collected across four continents. Leveraging whole-genome sequencing and field-collected phenotypes, we characterized the standing genetic variation underlying key agronomic traits and climate resilience. Our findings revealed multiple independent migration events to North America, with substantial genetic admixture. We identified homologs of Arabidopsis thaliana flowering-time genes that contribute to adaptation and demonstrated the agronomic benefits of winter-type pennycress. Furthermore, through multi-season field trials, we identified a genomic region containing a cluster of mTERF genes strongly associated with green canopy coverage, a critical trait for biomass retention and yield stability. These insights provide a genomic roadmap for accelerating pennycress domestication and improving its resilience to climate variability.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2025

Loss of PIF7 attenuates shade and elevated temperature responses throughout the lifecycle in Pennycress

Pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) is being developed as a winter annual intermediate oilseed bioenergy crop in the Midwest during typical fallow periods. Crucial work remains to domesticate and optimize pennycress for incorporation into cropping systems and increasing resilience to rising temperatures. We found that increased planting density reduces biomass and hastens time to flowering and maturity, which are associated with shade avoidance responses. In controlled conditions, we found that pennycress elongates in response to foliar shade and increased ambient temperatures (28 {degrees}C). We applied the knowledge base from Arabidopsis thaliana to manipulate genes in the PHYB signaling pathway to simultaneously decrease the shade avoidance response during interseeding and tissue responses to elevated temperatures. Evaluation of CRISPR alleles of PIF7 shows that pif7 reduces organ elongation to competition and heat cues and retains a compact rosette when exposed to shade or elevated temperature and their combination. Crucially, yield and oil content were unaltered in pif7 and plants maintained earlier flowering in stress conditions. Furthermore, indicators of plant health, such as hue, chlorophyll indices, and root system architecture, were improved between wild type and pif7. This is evidence that plant architecture and physiological health can be uncoupled under competition and heat conditions, supporting our efforts to attenuate morphological responses to environmental cues. We propose this strategy for reducing SAR, improving pennycress performance at high densities, for during interseeding establishment in standing crops, and in a warming climate.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Characterization of the novel SmsHSP24.1 Promoter: Unveiling its abiotic stress-inducible expression in transgenic Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)

Promoters play a pivotal role in regulating gene expression, orchestrating vital processes in plants, including their responses to various environmental stresses. In this study, we focus on the comprehensive characterization of the SmsHSP24.1 promoter, a novel cis-acting element, within the context of transgenic Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.). This detailed analysis shed light on the intricate mechanisms governing SmsHSP24.1 promoter-driven gene regulation, particularly in response to adverse environmental challenges such as heat, salt and drought stressors offering valuable insights into its role in plant stress adaptation. The advances in our understanding of promoter-driven gene regulation also contribute to the broader goal of enhancing crop resilience to abiotic stresses, positioning the SmsHSP24.1 promoter as a promising tool in agricultural biotechnology applications. HighlightsO_LIDemonstrated that the full-length 2.0 kb SmsHSP24.1 promoter significantly enhances gene expression under heat stress, with an observable decline in expression with promoter truncation. C_LIO_LIIdentified specific regulatory elements within the SmsHSP24.1 promoter that are decisive for inducible expression in response to abiotic stresses such as heat, salt, and drought. C_LIO_LIHighlighted the utility of the SmsHSP24.1 promoter in crop improvement programs, offering a tool for developing transgenic plant tolerance to combined stresses. C_LI

plant biology↗