Suppression of sucrose synthase affects auxin signaling and leaf morphology in tomato

PLoS One. 2017 Aug 7;12(8):e0182334. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0182334. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Metabolic enzymes have been found to play roles in plant development. Sucrose synthase (SUS) is one of the two enzyme families involved in sucrose cleavage in plants. In tomato, six SUS genes have been found. We generated transgenic tomato plants with RNAi suppression of SlSUS1, SlSUS3 and SlSUS4 genes. Independent transgenic lines with RNAi suppression of more than one SUS gene exhibited morphological effects on their cotyledons and leaf structure, but there were no significant effects on their carbohydrate levels, demonstrating that SUS has a developmental function, in addition to its metabolic function. Shoot apices of the transgenic lines showed elevated expression of JAGGED (JAG) and the auxin transporter PIN1. In a PIN1-GFP fusion reporter/SUS-RNAi hybrid, PIN1-GFP patterns were altered in developing leaves (as compared to control plants), indicating that SlSUS suppression alters auxin signaling. These results suggest possible roles for SUS in the regulation of plant growth and leaf morphology, in association with the auxin-signaling pathway.

MeSH terms

  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / genetics
  • Glucosyltransferases / deficiency
  • Glucosyltransferases / genetics*
  • Indoleacetic Acids / metabolism*
  • Isoenzymes / deficiency
  • Isoenzymes / genetics
  • Plant Leaves / anatomy & histology*
  • Plant Leaves / growth & development
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • RNA Interference*
  • Signal Transduction / genetics*
  • Solanum lycopersicum / cytology*
  • Solanum lycopersicum / enzymology*
  • Solanum lycopersicum / genetics
  • Solanum lycopersicum / growth & development
  • beta-Glucosidase / genetics

Substances

  • Indoleacetic Acids
  • Isoenzymes
  • Glucosyltransferases
  • sucrose synthase
  • beta-Glucosidase

Grants and funding

The project was funded by the United States—Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund (IS-4541-12). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.