Abstract
BackgroundGROWTH-REGULATING FACTORs (GRFs), a type of plant-specific transcription factors, play important roles in regulating plant growth and development. Although GRF gene family has been identified in various plant species, a genome-wide analysis of this family in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) has not been reported yet.ResultsHere we identified 15 GRF genes in lettuce and performed comprehensive analysis of them, including chromosomal locations, gene structures, and conserved motifs. Through phylogenic analysis, we divided LsaGRFs into six groups. Transactivation assays and subcellular localization of LsaGRF5 showed that this protein is likely to act as a transcriptional factor in the cell nucleus. Furthermore, transgenic lettuce lines overexpressing LsaGRF5 exhibited larger leaves, while smaller leaves were observed in LsaMIR396a overexpression lines, in which LsaGRF5 was down-regulated.ConclusionsThese results in lettuce provide insight into the molecular mechanism of GRF gene family in regulating leaf growth and development and foundational information for genetic improvement of the lettuce variations specialized in leaf character.
Highlights
GROWTH-REGULATING FACTORs (GRFs), a type of plant-specific transcription factors, play important roles in regulating plant growth and development
AtGRF9 contribute to determining final leaf size, it has a minor role in cell proliferation [3, 24]
Identification of the GRF genes and miR396s in lettuce To identify the GRF gene family in lettuce, the GRF genes from Arabidopsis thaliana, rice and tomato were firstly used as the query sequences for BLASTN searching in lettuce genome database
Summary
GROWTH-REGULATING FACTORs (GRFs), a type of plant-specific transcription factors, play important roles in regulating plant growth and development. As one of the plant-specific transcription factors, GROWTH-REGULATING FACTORs (GRFs) are important regulators in plant growth and development. Most Arabidopsis thaliana GRF genes play important roles in leaf size control [6,7,8]. Among the nine AtGRF genes, six GRF genes, AtGRF1, AtGRF2, AtGRF3, AtGRF4, AtGRF5 and AtGRF9, were proved to function in leaf development [3, 4, 12]. Overexpression of AtGRF1 and AtGRF2 respectively cause larger leaves with increased cell size, while atgrf1/2/3 triple mutant showed smaller and narrower leaves [2]. AtGRF9 contribute to determining final leaf size, it has a minor role in cell proliferation [3, 24]
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