title: A role of tomato UV-damaged DNA binding protein 1 (DDB1) in organ size control via an epigenetic manner.
abstract: Epigenetic modification generally refers to phenotypic changes by a mechanism other than changes in DNA sequence and plays a significant role in developmental processes. In this study, we found that overexpression of one alternatively spliced tomato DDB1 transcript, DDB1(F) that is prevalently present in all tested tissues, resulted in reduction of organ size. Transgenic plants constitutively expressing the DDB1(F) from a strong cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter displayed moderately reduced size in vegetative organs (leaves and stems) and radically decreased size in reproductive organs (flowers, seeds and fruits), in which several genes encoding negative regulators for cell division were upregulated. Significantly, reduction of organ size conferred by overexpression of DDB1(F) transgene appears not to segregate in the subsequent generations, suggesting the phenotypic alternations are manipulated in an epigenetic manner and can be transmitted over generations. This notion was further substantiated by analysis of DNA methylation level at the SlWEE1 gene (encoding a negative regulator of cell division), revealing a correlation between less methylation in the promoter region and elevated expression level of this gene. Thus, our results suggest DDB1 plays an important role in regulation of the epigenetic state of genes involved in organogenesis, despite the underlying mechanism remains to be elucidated.
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Bio-resource and Eco-environment, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Jikai
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiaofeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Lanyang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yongfeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yuxiang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shengxiong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xiaochun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miao
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Xuefen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Xiangli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Giovannoni
authors.forename: Fangming
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Yongsheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D001483:Base Sequence; D004249:DNA Damage; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*; D008938:Mitosis / Q000235:genetics; D009929:Organ Size / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger