Sajjad Ahmed

Mr. Sajjad Ahmed


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

8Years (2019-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

View All Publications
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
SCSiyu Chen
Siyu Chen
NZNa Zhang
Na Zhang
QZQimeng Zhang
Qimeng Zhang
GZGanghua Zhou
Ganghua Zhou
HThaunan tian
haunan tian
Shucai WangShucai Wang
Shucai Wang
Both seed size and abiotic stress tolerance are important agronomic traits in crops. In Arabidopsis, two closely related transcription repressors DPA4 (Development-Related PcG Target in the APEX4)/NGAL3 and SOD7 (Suppressor of da1-1)/NGAL2 (NGATHA-like protein) function redundantly to regulate seed size, which was increased in the dpa4 sod7 double mutants. Whereas ABA-induced transcription repressors (AITRs) are involved in the regulation of ABA signaling and abiotic stress tolerance, Arabidopsis aitr2 aitr5 aitr6 (aitr256) triple mutant showed enhanced tolerance to drought and salt. Here we performed CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to disrupt DPA4 and SOD7 in aitr256 mutant, trying to integrate seed size and abiotic stress tolerance traits in Arabidopsis, and also to examine whether DPA4 and SOD7 may regulate other aspects of plant growth and development. Indeed, seed size was increased in the dpa4 sod7 aitr256 quintuple mutants, and enhanced tolerance to drought was observed in the mutants. In addition, we found that shoot branching was affected in the dpa4 sod7 aitr256 mutants. The mutant plants failed to produce secondary branches, and flowers/siliques were distributed irregularly on the main stems of the plants. Floral organ number and fertility were also affected in the dpa4 sod7 aitr256 mutant plants. To examine if these phenotypes were dependent on loss-of-function of AITRs, dpa4 sod7 double mutants were generated in Col wild type background, and we found that the dpa4 sod7 mutant plants showed a phenotype similar to the dpa4 sod7 aitr256 quintuple mutants. Taken together, our results indicate that the integration of seed size and abiotic stress tolerance traits by CRISPR/Cas9 editing was successful, and our results also revealed a role of DPA4 and SOD7 in the regulation of inflorescence architecture in Arabidopsis.

1 March 2019 in Plant Science
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
WWWei Wang
Wei Wang
XWXutong Wang
Xutong Wang
XWXiaoping Wang
Xiaoping Wang
SASajjad Ahmed
Sajjad Ahmed
SHSaddam Hussain
Saddam Hussain
Shucai WangShucai Wang
Shucai Wang