Interaction of the UNIFOLIATA- TENDRILLED ACACIA gene with AFILA and TENDRIL- LESS genes in the determination of leaf blade growth and morphology in pea Pisum sativum

Abstract

The pea Pisum sativum genes AFILA ( AF), TENDRIL- LESS ( TL) and UNIFOLIATA ( UNI) have been shown previously to be involved in the compound leaf blade patterning and AF and TL genes in leaf blade growth. Here, the interactions of the previously described UNI gene with AF and TL were studied using a new uni- tac allele and af and tl alleles, in the new background of cultivar Pusa Harbhajan. The leaf blades formed on the embryonic and mature pre- and post-flowering leaves from plants of AF TL UNI, af TL UNI, AF tl UNI, AF TL uni- tac, af tl UNI, af TL uni- tac, AF tl uni- tac and af tl uni- tac genotypes were measured for pinna growth in terms of their laminated and non-laminated organs. The investigation showed that UNI activates, and AF and TL repress the leaf blade ramification. UNI and AF act together in lamina-dominated pinna growth; we call this the AF-dependent leaflet development pathway. Presence of second AF-independent pathway for leaflet formation is described. TL and UNI are identified as antagonists of such pathway(s). UNI, AF and TL functions can up-regulate as well as down-regulate leaf-blade morphogenetic developmental events, in organ-specific manner.