Gene Structure and Function Team

Leader

dr hab. Michał Książkiewicz

Members

dr Wojciech Bielski

dr Maciej Majka

mgr inż. Jolanta Belter

Sonia Nowak

mgr inż. Anna Surma (PhD student)

mgr Ishani Dogra (PhD student)

mgr Allen Eldho Paul (PhD student) 

From left to right: Allen Eldho Paul, Michał Książkiewicz, Jolanta Belter, Sonia Nowak, Ishani Dogra, Anna Surma, Wojciech Bielski

Research profile

Aims of our research are:

• to determine functional divergence of Flowering Locus T (FT) gene duplicates in photoperiod and vernalization control of flowering in domesticated (narrow-leafed, white and yellow lupins) and wild Old World lupin species
• to identify epigenetic components involved in flowering control in yellow lupin as well as contribution of microRNA into flowering control in white lupin
• to evidence evolutionary genome changes of Lupinus spp.: chromosome rearrangements, remnants of polyploidization, organization of repetitive sequences, gene copy number etc.
• to evaluate molecular mechanisms underlying resistance of narrow leafed and white lupins to the hemibiotrophic pathogen Colletotrichum lupini causing anthracnose and to develop tools for marker-assisted selection
• to construct the consensus high-density linkage map for narrow-leafed lupin and generate molecular markers linked with phenology (time to flowering and maturity), yield-related traits (thousand grain weight, total seed yield) and seed quality traits (protein, oil, fiber and alkaloid content) for marker-assisted selection in Poland
• to provide a set of markers for soybean breeding towards maturity, pod shattering, growth determination and yield-related traits in Polish agro-climatic conditions

We use the following research methods:

• generation of sequence-defined molecular markers for genotyping of target mutations using cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS), derived-CAPS (dCAPS), allele-specific PCR, high-resolution melting (HRM) and kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP)
• high-throughput genotyping by restriction site associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq), Diversity Arrays Technology sequencing (DArT-seq), massive analysis of cDNA ends (MACE)
• gene expression analysis with the use of Real-Time PCR
• differential gene expression profiling using next generation RNA-seq (Illumina NovaSeq6000)
• linkage mapping, quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping and expression-QTL (e-QTL) mapping
• comparative mapping and shared synteny/microsynteny analysis
• phylogenetic inference
• genome-wide association studies (GWAS)
• genome analysis by fluorescence in situ hybridisation technique (FISH, oligo-FISH)

Our main achievements are:

• identification of selected gene-rich regions in the narrow-leafed lupin genome with syntenic links in the legume clade and visualization of their localization and shared collinearity in the genome by genetic mapping and cytogenetic methods
• construction of the high-density linkage map of white lupin that was used for anchoring pseudochromosome assembly of whole-genome sequences
• identification of the causal molecular mutation (a 1.4-kbp deletion in the promoter region of a FLOWERING LOCUS T homolog) underlying early flowering, vernalization-independent phenotype in the narrow-leafed lupin (that was widely exploited by breeders during species domestication), as well as identification of another mutation conferring intermediate phenotype (a 1.2-kbp deletion in the same locus), awaiting implementation in breeding
• recognition of molecular background underlying photoperiod-insensitive and vernalization-independent flowering in yellow lupin as well as selection of mutations conferring winter-type phenotype (highly responsive to photoperiod and vernalization)
• validation of PCR markers for anthracnose resistance screening in narrow-leafed and white lupins
• validation of PCR markers for selection of soybean towards phenology- and yield-related traits in Polish field conditions
• identification of molecular processes associated with a successful defence of the narrow-leafed lupin against two major pathogenic fungi: Diaporthe toxica causing Phomopsis stem blight and Colletotrichum lupini causing anthracnose 
• development of gene-based molecular markers tagging low alkaloid pauper locus in white lupin, targeting causal mutation conferring low-alkaloid phenotype
  

Key words

Gene expression, genetic mapping, sequencing, flowering, maturity, vernalization, photoperiod, anthracnose, Colletotrichum, FLOWERING LOCUS T, lupin, soybean, domestication, yield

Selected recent publications (SCOPUS)

Książkiewicz M., Rychel-Bielska S., Plewinski P., Bielski W., Nuc M., Kozak B., Krajewski P., Jędryczka M. (2022) A successful defense of the narrow-leafed lupin against anthracnose involves quick and orchestrated reprogramming of oxidation-reduction, photosynthesis and pathogenesis-related genes. Scientific Reports 12: 8164. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12257-7.

Plewiński P., Rychel-Bielska S., Kozak B., Maureira-Butler I.J., Iqbal M.M., Nelson M.N., Książkiewicz M. (2022) FLOWERING LOCUS T indel variants confer vernalization-independent and photoperiod-insensitive flowering of yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus L.). Horticulture Research 9: uhac180. DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhac180.

Książkiewicz M., Rychel-Bielska S., Plewiński P., Nuc M., Irzykowski W., Jędryczka M., Krajewski P. (2021) The resistance of narrow-leafed lupin to Diaporthe toxica is based on the rapid activation of defense response genes. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22: 574. DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020574.

Rychel-Bielska S., Plewiński P., Kozak B., Galek R., Książkiewicz M. (2020) Photoperiod and vernalization control of flowering-related genes: a case study of the narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.). Frontiers in Plant Science 11: 572135. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.572135.

Książkiewicz M., Wójcik K., Irzykowski W., Bielski W., Rychel S., Kaczmarek J., Plewiński P., Rudy E., Jędryczka M. (2020) Validation of Diaporthe toxica resistance markers in European Lupinus angustifolius germplasm and identification of novel resistance donors for marker-assisted selection. Journal of Applied Genetics 61: 1-12. DOI: 10.1007/s13353-019-00521-y.

Plewiński P., Ćwiek-Kupczyńska H., Rudy E., Bielski W., Rychel-Bielska S., Stawiński S., Barzyk P., Krajewski P., Naganowska B., Wolko B., Książkiewicz M. (2020) Innovative transcriptome-based genotyping highlights environmentally responsive genes for phenology, growth and yield in a non-model grain legume. Plant, Cell & Environment 43: 2680-2698. DOI: 10.1111/pce.13880.

Rychel-Bielska S., Nazzicari N., Plewiński P., Bielski W., Annicchiarico P., Książkiewicz M. (2020) Development of PCR-based markers and whole-genome selection model for anthracnose resistance in white lupin (Lupinus albus L.). Journal of Applied Genetics 61: 531-545. DOI: 10.1007/s13353-020-00585-1.

Plewiński P., Książkiewicz M., Rychel-Bielska S., Rudy E., Wolko B. (2019) Candidate domestication-related genes revealed by expression quantitative trait loci mapping of narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.). International Journal of Molecular Sciences 20: 5670. DOI: 10.3390/ijms20225670.

Rychel S., Książkiewicz M., Tomaszewska M., Bielski W., Wolko B. (2019) FLOWERING LOCUS T, GIGANTEA, SEPALLATA, and FRIGIDA homologs are candidate genes involved in white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) early flowering. Molecular Breeding 39(3): 43. DOI: org/10.1007/s11032-019-0952-0.

Rychel S., Książkiewicz M. (2019) Development of gene-based molecular markers tagging low alkaloid pauper locus in white lupin (Lupinus albus L.). Journal of Applied Genetics 60: 269-281. DOI: 10.1007/s13353-019-00508-9.

Książkiewicz M., Nazzicari N., Yang H., Nelson M.N., Renshaw D., Rychel S., Ferrari B., Carelli M., Tomaszewska M., Stawiński S., Naganowska B., Wolko B., Annicchiarico P. (2017) A high-density consensus linkage map of white lupin highlights synteny with narrow-leafed lupin and provides markers tagging key agronomic traits. Scientific Reports 7: 15335. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15625-w.

Narożna D., Książkiewicz M., Przysiecka Ł., Króliczak J., Wolko B., Naganowska B., Mądrzak C.J. (2017) Legume isoflavone synthase genes have evolved by whole-genome and local duplications yielding transcriptionally active paralogs. Plant Science 264: 149-167. DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2017.09.007.

Nelson M.N., Książkiewicz M., Rychel S., Besharat N., Taylor C.M., Wyrwa K., Jost R., Erskine W., Cowling W.A., Berger J.D., Batley J., Weller J.L., Naganowska B., Wolko B. (2017) The loss of vernalisation requirement in narrow-leafed lupin is associated with a deletion in the promoter and de-repressed expression of an FT homologue. New Phytologist 213: 220-232. DOI: 10.1111/nph.14094.

Książkiewicz M., Rychel S., Nelson M.N., Wyrwa K., Naganowska B., Wolko B. (2016) Expansion of the phosphatidylethanolamine binding protein family in legumes: a case study of Lupinus angustifolius L. FLOWERING LOCUS T homologs, LanFTc1 and LanFTc2. BMC Genomics 17: 820. DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-3150-z.

Projects (finished recently or current)