Overexpression of Arabidopsis miR157b induces bushy architecture and delayed phase transition in Torenia fournieri

Planta. 2012 Oct;236(4):1027-35. doi: 10.1007/s00425-012-1649-3. Epub 2012 May 3.

Abstract

miR156/157 is a small RNA molecule that is highly conserved among various plant species. Overexpression of miR156/157 has been reported to induce bushy architecture and delayed phase transition in several plant species. To investigate the effect of miR157 overexpression in a horticultural plant, and to explore the applicability of miRNA to molecular breeding, we introduced Arabidopsis MIR157b (AtMIR157b) into torenia (Torenia fournieri). The resulting 35S:AtMIR157b plants showed a high degree of branching along with small leaves, which resembled miR156/157-overexpressing plants of other species. We also isolated torenia SBP-box genes with target miR156/157 sequences and confirmed that their expression was selectively downregulated in 35S:AtMIR157b plants. The reduced accumulation of mRNA was probably due to sequence specificity. Moreover, expression of torenia homologs of the SBP-box protein-regulated genes TfLFY and TfMIR172 was also reduced by AtmiR157 overexpression. These findings suggest that the molecular mechanisms of miR156/157 regulation are conserved between Arabidopsis and torenia. The bushy architecture and small leaves of 35S:AtMIR157b torenia plants could be applied in molecular breeding of various horticultural plants as well as for increasing biomass and crop production.

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis / genetics
  • Base Sequence
  • DNA, Complementary / genetics
  • Down-Regulation / genetics
  • Flowers / genetics
  • Flowers / growth & development
  • Flowers / physiology
  • Gene Expression
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / genetics*
  • Magnoliopsida / genetics*
  • Magnoliopsida / growth & development
  • Magnoliopsida / physiology
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phenotype
  • Phylogeny
  • Plant Leaves / genetics
  • Plant Leaves / growth & development
  • Plant Leaves / physiology
  • Plant Proteins / genetics*
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / genetics
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / metabolism
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Plant / genetics
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism

Substances

  • DNA, Complementary
  • MIRN157 microRNA, Arabidopsis
  • MicroRNAs
  • Plant Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA, Plant
  • Transcription Factors

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AB699114
  • GENBANK/AB699115
  • GENBANK/AB699116
  • GENBANK/AB699117
  • GENBANK/AB699118
  • GENBANK/AB699119