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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Crop Production Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #375315
Title: Autonomous replication sequences from the Amaranthus palmeri eccDNA replicon enable replication in yeast

Author
item Molin, William
item YAGUCHI, ALLISON - Clemson University
item BLENNER, MARK - Clemson University
item SASKI, CHRISTOPHER - Clemson University

Submitted to: BMC Research Notes
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/2/2020
Publication Date: 7/10/2020
Citation: Molin, W.T., Yaguchi, A., Blenner, M., Saski, C.A. 2020. Autonomous replication sequences from the Amaranthus palmeri eccDNA replicon enable replication in yeast. BMC Research Notes. 13:330. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-020-05169-0.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-020-05169-0

Interpretive Summary: Scientists at USDA-ARS, Stoneville, MS and Clemson University are studying the way in which resistance to glyphosate in Palmer amaranth is transferred between plants and generations. The resistance is associated with a plasmid-like extra chromosomal circular deoxyribonucleic acid (eccDNA) which carries the glyphosate resistance gene. They found the eccDNA had a unique gene copying process allowing it to self-replicate. This gene could also restore growth in a yeast that lacked its own replicating gene allowing the yeast to resume growth again. These results identify why the glyphosate resistant Palmer amaranth was so successful in moving across the country and highlight the need to greatly reduce the spread of herbicide resistance from human intervention in order to preserve herbicide usage and solidify the availability of food and fiber.

Technical Abstract: Objective: The purpose and objective of the research presented here was to determine sequences in the eccDNA replicon discovered in glyphosate resistant Amaranthus palmeri that enable self-replication in a yeast system. Results: Sequence analysis of the eccDNA replicon revealed sharp changes in A+T/G+C content. An extended autonomous replication sequence (EACS) was discovered in close proximity of to a DNA unwinding element sequence (DUE). This region of the eccDNA replicon was predicted to have a propensity to bend, and were found to enable autonomous replication of an ARS-less yeast plasmid.