Mutations in an AP2 Transcription Factor-like Gene Affect Internode Length and Leaf Shape in Maize

Overview

Journal PLoS One

Specialties General Medicine
Science

Date 2012 Jun 1

PMID 22649507

Citations 37

Authors

Fukun Jiang

Mei Guo

Fang Yang

Keith Duncan

David Jackson

Antoni Rafalski

Shoucai Wang

Bailin Li

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Plant height is an important agronomic trait that affects yield and tolerance to certain abiotic stresses. Understanding the genetic control of plant height is important for elucidating the regulation of maize development and has practical implications for trait improvement in plant breeding.

Methodology/principal Findings: In this study, two independent, semi-dwarf maize EMS mutants, referred to as dwarf & irregular leaf (dil1), were isolated and confirmed to be allelic. In comparison to wild type plants, the mutant plants have shorter internodes, shorter, wider and wrinkled leaves, as well as smaller leaf angles. Cytological analysis indicated that the leaf epidermal cells and internode parenchyma cells are irregular in shape and are arranged in a more random fashion, and the mutants have disrupted leaf epidermal patterning. In addition, parenchyma cells in the dil1 mutants are significantly smaller than those in wild-type plants. The dil1 mutation was mapped on the long arm of chromosome 6 and a candidate gene, annotated as an AP2 transcription factor-like, was identified through positional cloning. Point mutations near exon-intron junctions were identified in both dil1 alleles, resulting in mis-spliced variants.

Conclusion: An AP2 transcription factor-like gene involved in stalk and leaf development in maize has been identified. Mutations near exon-intron junctions of the AP2 gene give mis-spliced transcript variants, which result in shorter internodes and wrinkled leaves.

Citing Articles

Maize COMPACT PLANT 3 regulates plant architecture and facilitates high-density planting.

Sheng H, Zhang H, Deng H, Zhang Z, Qiu F, Yang F Plant Cell. 2025; 37(2).

PMID: 39928526 PMC: 11879032. DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koaf029.

Identification of candidate genes for leaf size by QTL mapping and transcriptome sequencing in Brassica napus L.

Cheng F, Wang Y, Peng A, Li S, Chen J, Zheng X BMC Genomics. 2025; 26(1):39.

PMID: 39815180 PMC: 11734557. DOI: 10.1186/s12864-025-11205-9.

Identification and characterization of the Quinoa AP2/ERF gene family and their expression patterns in response to salt stress.

Bakhtari B, Razi H, Alemzadeh A, Dadkhodaie A, Moghadam A Sci Rep. 2024; 14(1):29529.

PMID: 39604476 PMC: 11603269. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-81046-1.

Non-additive expression genes play a critical role in leaf vein ratio heterosis in Nicotiana tabacum L.

Duan L, Mo Z, Li K, Pi K, Luo J, Que Y BMC Genomics. 2024; 25(1):924.

PMID: 39363277 PMC: 11451143. DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10821-1.

A maize semi-dwarf mutant reveals a GRAS transcription factor involved in brassinosteroid signaling.

Kaur A, Best N, Hartwig T, Budka J, Khangura R, McKenzie S Plant Physiol. 2024; 195(4):3072-3096.

PMID: 38709680 PMC: 11288745. DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiae147.

References

Magome H, Yamaguchi S, Hanada A, Kamiya Y, Oda K . dwarf and delayed-flowering 1, a novel Arabidopsis mutant deficient in gibberellin biosynthesis because of overexpression of a putative AP2 transcription factor. Plant J. 2004; 37(5):720-9. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-313x.2003.01998.x. View

Varkonyi-Gasic E, Lough R, Moss S, Wu R, Hellens R . Kiwifruit floral gene APETALA2 is alternatively spliced and accumulates in aberrant indeterminate flowers in the absence of miR172. Plant Mol Biol. 2012; 78(4-5):417-29. DOI: 10.1007/s11103-012-9877-2. View

Hedden P . The genes of the Green Revolution. Trends Genet. 2002; 19(1):5-9. DOI: 10.1016/s0168-9525(02)00009-4. View

Lawit S, Wych H, Xu D, Kundu S, Tomes D . Maize DELLA proteins dwarf plant8 and dwarf plant9 as modulators of plant development. Plant Cell Physiol. 2010; 51(11):1854-68. DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcq153. View

Shi J, Wang H, Schellin K, Li B, Faller M, Stoop J . Embryo-specific silencing of a transporter reduces phytic acid content of maize and soybean seeds. Nat Biotechnol. 2007; 25(8):930-7. DOI: 10.1038/nbt1322. View

Multani D, Briggs S, Chamberlin M, Blakeslee J, Murphy A, Johal G . Loss of an MDR transporter in compact stalks of maize br2 and sorghum dw3 mutants. Science. 2003; 302(5642):81-4. DOI: 10.1126/science.1086072. View

Nilsen T, Graveley B . Expansion of the eukaryotic proteome by alternative splicing. Nature. 2010; 463(7280):457-63. PMC: 3443858. DOI: 10.1038/nature08909. View

Qiu J, Jilk R, Marks M, Szymanski D . The Arabidopsis SPIKE1 gene is required for normal cell shape control and tissue development. Plant Cell. 2002; 14(1):101-18. PMC: 150554. DOI: 10.1105/tpc.010346. View

Salas Fernandez M, Becraft P, Yin Y, Lubberstedt T . From dwarves to giants? Plant height manipulation for biomass yield. Trends Plant Sci. 2009; 14(8):454-61. DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2009.06.005. View

10.

Sharoni A, Nuruzzaman M, Satoh K, Shimizu T, Kondoh H, Sasaya T . Gene structures, classification and expression models of the AP2/EREBP transcription factor family in rice. Plant Cell Physiol. 2010; 52(2):344-60. DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcq196. View

11.

Kirch T, Simon R, Grunewald M, Werr W . The DORNROSCHEN/ENHANCER OF SHOOT REGENERATION1 gene of Arabidopsis acts in the control of meristem ccll fate and lateral organ development. Plant Cell. 2003; 15(3):694-705. PMC: 150023. DOI: 10.1105/tpc.009480. View

12.

Early P, Rogers J, Davis M, Calame K, Bond M, Wall R . Two mRNAs can be produced from a single immunoglobulin mu gene by alternative RNA processing pathways. Cell. 1980; 20(2):313-9. DOI: 10.1016/0092-8674(80)90617-0. View

13.

Sasaki A, ASHIKARI M, Itoh H, Nishimura A, Swapan D, Ishiyama K . Green revolution: a mutant gibberellin-synthesis gene in rice. Nature. 2002; 416(6882):701-2. DOI: 10.1038/416701a. View

14.

Sakuma Y, Liu Q, Dubouzet J, Abe H, Shinozaki K, Yamaguchi-Shinozaki K . DNA-binding specificity of the ERF/AP2 domain of Arabidopsis DREBs, transcription factors involved in dehydration- and cold-inducible gene expression. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2002; 290(3):998-1009. DOI: 10.1006/bbrc.2001.6299. View

15.

Sultan M, Schulz M, Richard H, Magen A, Klingenhoff A, Scherf M . A global view of gene activity and alternative splicing by deep sequencing of the human transcriptome. Science. 2008; 321(5891):956-60. DOI: 10.1126/science.1160342. View

16.

Smith L, Gerttula S, Han S, Levy J . Tangled1: a microtubule binding protein required for the spatial control of cytokinesis in maize. J Cell Biol. 2001; 152(1):231-6. PMC: 2193663. DOI: 10.1083/jcb.152.1.231. View

17.

Qin F, Kakimoto M, Sakuma Y, Maruyama K, Osakabe Y, Tran L . Regulation and functional analysis of ZmDREB2A in response to drought and heat stresses in Zea mays L. Plant J. 2007; 50(1):54-69. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-313X.2007.03034.x. View

18.

Wang B, Brendel V . Genomewide comparative analysis of alternative splicing in plants. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006; 103(18):7175-80. PMC: 1459036. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0602039103. View

19.

Park P . ChIP-seq: advantages and challenges of a maturing technology. Nat Rev Genet. 2009; 10(10):669-80. PMC: 3191340. DOI: 10.1038/nrg2641. View

20.

Cernac A, Benning C . WRINKLED1 encodes an AP2/EREB domain protein involved in the control of storage compound biosynthesis in Arabidopsis. Plant J. 2004; 40(4):575-85. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-313X.2004.02235.x. View