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. 2025 Mar 10;60(5):723-734.e7.
doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.11.002. Epub 2024 Dec 3.

An orphan gene BOOSTER enhances photosynthetic efficiency and plant productivity

Biruk A Feyissa  1 , Elsa M de Becker  2 , Coralie E Salesse-Smith  3 , Mengjun Shu  1 , Jin Zhang  1 , Timothy B Yates  1 , Meng Xie  4 , Kuntal De  5 , Dhananjay Gotarkar  6 , Margot S S Chen  7 , Sara S Jawdy  1 , Dana L Carper  1 , Kerrie Barry  8 , Jeremy Schmutz  9 , David J Weston  5 , Paul E Abraham  1 , Chung-Jui Tsai  10 , Jennifer L Morrell-Falvey  5 , Gail Taylor  11 , Jin-Gui Chen  12 , Gerald A Tuskan  1 , Stephen P Long  13 , Steven J Burgess  14 , Wellington Muchero  5
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Free article

An orphan gene BOOSTER enhances photosynthetic efficiency and plant productivity

Biruk A Feyissa et al. Dev Cell. .
Free article

Erratum in

  • An orphan gene BOOSTER enhances photosynthetic efficiency and plant productivity.
    Feyissa BA, de Becker EM, Salesse-Smith CE, Shu M, Zhang J, Yates TB, Xie M, De K, Gotarkar D, Chen MSS, Jawdy SS, Carper DL, Barry K, Schmutz J, Weston DJ, Abraham PE, Tsai CJ, Morrell-Falvey JL, Taylor G, Chen JG, Tuskan GA, Long SP, Burgess SJ, Muchero W. Feyissa BA, et al. Dev Cell. 2025 Mar 10;60(5):813. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2025.01.006. Epub 2025 Jan 21. Dev Cell. 2025. PMID: 39842431 No abstract available.

Abstract

Organelle-to-nucleus DNA transfer is an ongoing process playing an important role in the evolution of eukaryotic life. Here, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of non-photochemical quenching parameters in 743 Populus trichocarpa accessions identified a nuclear-encoded genomic region associated with variation in photosynthesis under fluctuating light. The identified gene, BOOSTER (BSTR), comprises three exons, two with apparent endophytic origin and the third containing a large fragment of plastid-encoded Rubisco large subunit. Higher expression of BSTR facilitated anterograde signaling between nucleus and plastid, which corresponded to enhanced expression of Rubisco, increased photosynthesis, and up to 35% greater plant height and 88% biomass in poplar accessions under field conditions. Overexpression of BSTR in Populus tremula × P. alba achieved up to a 200% in plant height. Similarly, Arabidopsis plants heterologously expressing BSTR gained up to 200% in biomass and up to 50% increase in seed.

Keywords: Booster; EGT; NPQ; NUPT; Rubisco; anterograde signaling; biomass; horizontal gene transfer; orphan gene; photosynthesis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interests US Department of Energy, UT-Battelle LLC has submitted a provisional patent on behalf of B.A.F., E.M.d.B., G.A.T., J.-G.C., S.P.L., S.J.B., T.B.Y., and W.M. on the aspects of the current research findings (US Patent Application No. 18/477,640, PCT/US2023/075482).

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