Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Inc.

Researchers have uncovered intriguing details about the origins and spread of the bottle gourd, one of the oldest domesticated crops. Their work unveils the genetic diversification and population history of this hard-shelled plant that was used to make bottles, instruments, and containers for over 10,000 years by ancient civilizations. In a fascinating dive into the past, a team of researchers from the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) and USDA has uncovered intriguing details about the origins and spread of the bottle gourd, one of the oldest domesticated crops. Their research, recently published in New Phytologist, unveils the genetic diversification and population history of this hard-shelled plant that was used to make bottles, instruments, and containers for over 10,000 years by ancient civilizations. The bottle gourd, known scientifically as Lagenaria siceraria, is a plant deeply intertwined with human civilization. Imagine a plant that voyages across oceans, adapts to new environments, and becomes a staple in diverse cultures. That's the bottle gourd story. The research team generated a comprehensive map of bottle gourd's genome variation, analyzing the genomes of 197 varieties from around the world. This genetic blueprint revealed insights into the plant's domestication in Southern Africa around 12,000 years ago and its subsequent spread to the Americas and Eurasia. "Our research not only maps out the genetic journey of the bottle gourd but also opens new avenues for understanding plant domestication and distribution," said Xuebo Zhao, postdoctoral scientist at BTI and co-first author of the study. The demographic analyses performed by the researchers suggest that after its origin in Africa, the bottle gourd made its way to the New World via the Atlantic drift and to Eurasia through early human farmers in the Holocene. The study isn't just groundbreaking because it unlocks the past. It also offers a resource for future research and a practical tool for agriculture, especially in the era of climate change. "We're not just piecing together a plant's story; we're enhancing our understanding of plant genetics and evolution, gaining insights that could boost food security in a changing world," shared Jingyin Yu, former BTI postdoctoral scientist and co-first author of the study. Moreover, the study's identification of genomic regions associated with disease resistance and stress tolerance is particularly exciting. It suggests potential pathways for breeding more resilient and productive varieties of bottle gourd and other crops. "The bottle gourd variation map and pangenome that we created provide valuable resources for future functional studies and genomics-assisted breeding," added Professor Zhangjun Fei, the study's lead author. "Unlocking the bottle gourd's past could help shape its future." The research underscores the importance of understanding our agricultural heritage as we look toward developing sustainable and resilient food systems for the future. "The story of the bottle gourd is a testament to the plant's resilience and its enduring significance to humanity," noted Fei. "It's a story that continues to evolve, and we're just beginning to understand its full implications." This research was supported by grants from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Specialty Crop Research Initiative.

Mounting evidence suggests that the secret to understanding human health and combating metabolic diseases lies hidden within the microscopic world of our gut bacteria. Recent research reveals that a specific fatty acid produced by gut bacteria directly influences fat metabolism in animals. This research is pivotal as it sheds light on the complex interplay between the diet, gut microbiota, and host metabolic health, offering insights that could open new avenues in our approach to managing metabolic disorders. Mounting evidence suggests that the secret to understanding human health and combating metabolic diseases lies hidden within the microscopic world of our gut bacteria. Recent research by scientists at the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) and Cornell University reveals that a specific fatty acid produced by gut bacteria directly influences fat metabolism in animals. This research is pivotal as it sheds light on the complex interplay between the diet, gut microbiota, and host metabolic health, offering insights that could open new avenues in our approach to managing metabolic disorders. The researchers focused on certain gut bacteria that produce fatty acids with a special chemical structure, known as a cyclopropane ring, and showed that these can be converted into signals that turn on fat desaturation in the nematode C. elegans, a model organism often used to study human biology. Intriguingly, C. elegans itself produces a chemically similar fatty acid compound that regulates the same metabolic pathway as the bacterial cyclopropane fats. "Our research suggests that the host organism may have acquired the ability to produce its own signaling molecule, mimicking bacterial biochemistry, through a gene obtained from bacteria -- a process known as horizontal gene transfer," shared Bennett Fox, a post-doctoral researcher at BTI and first author of the study. The research, recently published in Nature Communications, showed that both the bacterial and endogenous fatty acids activate a host receptor that functions as a central regulator of overall fat metabolism. This direct link between microbiota metabolites and host lipid metabolism offers insight into how our bodies could harness beneficial gut bacteria to regulate vital processes like obesity and metabolic dysfunction. "Microbiota-dependent metabolites regulate virtually every aspect of animal physiology, including development, metabolism, and immune responses. Despite the life-sustaining importance of these metabolites, many of their structures remain unknown," noted Frank Schroeder, a professor at BTI and senior author of the study. The fact that chemicals produced by bacteria can influence the metabolism of their host is a promising area of research. Further studies can investigate host-bacterial interactions to better understand -- and potentially improve -- metabolic health. "The devil is in the details. As we gain clarity regarding the molecular mechanisms of fat metabolism and its regulation by specific diet-derived compounds, we step closer to harnessing this knowledge for better health outcomes in humans," said Fox. "This research not only broadens our understanding of basic biological processes but also highlights potential pathways for future exploration in human health and disease management." Want to learn more? Dr. Fox has prepared an in-depth synopsis of the research paper, Evolutionarily related host and microbial pathways regulate fat desaturation in C. elegans, available here. This research was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

The intricate dance of nature often unfolds in mysterious ways, hidden from the naked eye. At the heart of this enigmatic tango lies a vital partnership: the symbiosis between plants and a type of fungi known as arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. New groundbreaking research delves into this partnership, revealing key insights that deepen our understanding of plant-AM fungi interactions and could lead to advances in sustainable agriculture. The intricate dance of nature often unfolds in mysterious ways, hidden from the naked eye. At the heart of this enigmatic tango lies a vital partnership: the symbiosis between plants and a type of fungi known as arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. New groundbreaking research, recently published in the journal Science, delves into this partnership, revealing key insights that deepen our understanding of plant-AM fungi interactions and could lead to advances in sustainable agriculture. AM fungi live within plant root cells, forming a unique alliance with their plant hosts. This relationship is more than a simple coexistence; it involves a complex and critical exchange of nutrients essential for fungal survival and highly beneficial for the plant. Researchers at the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) have uncovered the roles of two proteins, CKL1 and CKL2, which are active only in the root cells containing the AM fungi. These two proteins belong to a larger family of proteins known as CKLs, whose functions in the plant have yet to be fully understood. "The closest relatives of the CKL family are proteins, called CDKs, that control the plant cell cycle and are located in the nucleus of the cell. Surprisingly, the CKL1 and CKL2 proteins have evolved a different role than CDKs -- they do not control the cell cycle. They are tethered to the membranes of the root cell, including a membrane that surrounds the fungus," said Dr. Sergey Ivanov, a post-doctoral researcher at BTI and first author of the study. The scientists found that these CKL proteins are critical for the fungi's survival within plant roots. They play a pivotal role in controlling the flow of lipids (fats) from the plant to the fungi, a process essential for the fungi's nourishment. Without these proteins, key genes that manage this lipid transfer are not activated, starving the fungi. The research also uncovered a complex web of interactions involving several receptor kinase proteins. One of these kinases is known for its role in allowing the AM fungus to penetrate the root's outer layer. The researchers discovered that this same kinase adopts a new role deeper within the root, where it partners with CKL proteins, potentially to initiate the flow of lipids to the fungus. Surprisingly, while CKL proteins are vital for controlling lipid flow, they don't manage the entire symbiotic lipid pathway. Instead, they control genes responsible for the start and end of this pathway. Meanwhile, a key protein operating in the middle of this pathway, RAM2, is activated by a different regulator, RAM1. For full-scale lipid production to occur, both the CKL and RAM1 pathways must be active. "Lipids are costly for the plant, so dual regulatory mechanisms may ensure that lipid provisioning is tightly controlled, perhaps a safeguard against exploitation by fungal pathogens," said Dr. Maria Harrison, a professor at BTI and senior author of the study. Harrison continued, "In an agricultural context, leveraging this natural symbiosis could lead to crops that are more efficient in nutrient uptake and more resilient to environmental stressors." This study not only deepens our understanding of the molecular dynamics behind plant-AM fungal symbiosis but also highlights the intricate and often unseen connections that sustain life on our planet. It's a reminder of the incredible complexity and interdependence found in nature, much of it hidden right beneath our feet. Funding for this research was provided by the US National Science Foundation Plant Genome Research Program.