title: Two WUSCHEL-related homeobox genes, narrow leaf2 and narrow leaf3, control leaf width in rice.
abstract: Leaf shape is one of the key determinants of plant architecture. Leaf shape also affects the amount of sunlight captured and influences photosynthetic efficiency; thus, it is an important agronomic trait in crop plants. Understanding the molecular mechanisms governing leaf shape is a central issue of plant developmental biology and agrobiotechnology. Here, we characterized the narrow-leaf phenotype of FL90, a linkage tester line of rice (Oryza sativa). Light and scanning electron microscopic analyses of FL90 leaves revealed defects in the development of marginal regions and a reduction in the number of longitudinal veins. The narrow-leaf phenotype of FL90 shows a two-factor recessive inheritance and is caused by the loss of function of two WUSCHEL-related homeobox genes, NAL2 and NAL3 (NAL2/3), which are duplicate genes orthologous to maize NS1 and NS2 and to Arabidopsis PRS. The overexpression of NAL2/3 in transgenic rice plants results in wider leaves containing increased numbers of veins, suggesting that NAL2/3 expression regulates leaf width. Thus, NAL2/3 can be used to modulate leaf shape and improve agronomic yield in crop plants.
authors: Department of Biological Mechanisms and Functions, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464-8601 Japan.
authors: Aiko
authors: A
authors: Ishiwata
authors: Misa
authors: M
authors: Ozawa
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Nagasaki
authors: Makio
authors: M
authors: Kato
authors: Yusaku
authors: Y
authors: Noda
authors: Takahiro
authors: T
authors: Yamaguchi
authors: Misuzu
authors: M
authors: Nosaka
authors: Sae
authors: S
authors: Shimizu-Sato
authors: Akie
authors: A
authors: Nagasaki
authors: Masahiko
authors: M
authors: Maekawa
authors: Hiro-Yuki
authors: HY
authors: Hirano
authors: Yutaka
authors: Y
authors: Sato
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D020131:Genes, Duplicate / Q000235:genetics; D005801:Genes, Homeobox / Q000235:genetics*; D017343:Genes, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D012275:Oryza / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010641:Phenotype; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D058526:Plant Vascular Bundle / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger
keywords: Leaf width; Mutant; NAL; Narrow leaf; Oryza sativa; WOX