title: Fruit indehiscence caused by enhanced expression of NO TRANSMITTING TRACT in Arabidopsis thaliana.
abstract: In flowering plants, fruit dehiscence enables seed dispersal. Here we report that ntt-3D, an activation tagged allele of NO TRANSMITTING TRACT (NTT), caused a failure of fruit dehiscence in Arabidopsis. We identified ntt-3D, in which the 35S enhancer was inserted adjacent to AT3G-57670, from our activation tagged mutant library. ntt-3D mutants showed serrated leaves, short siliques, and indehiscence phenotypes. NTT-overexpressing plants largely phenocopied the ntt-3D plants. As the proximate cause of the indehiscence, ntt-3D plants exhibited a near absence of valve margin and lignified endocarp b layer in the carpel. In addition, the replum was enlarged in ntt-3D mutants. NTT expression reached a peak in flowers at stage 11 and gradually decreased thereafter and pNTT::GUS expression was mainly observed in the replum, indicating a potential role in fruit patterning. NTT:GFP localized in the nucleus and cytoplasm. FRUITFULL (FUL) expression was downregulated in ntt-3D mutants and ntt-3D suppressed upregulation of FUL in replumless mutants. These results indicate that NTT suppresses FUL, indicating a potential role in patterning of the silique. In seed crops, a reduction in pod dehiscence can increase yield by decreasing seed dispersal; therefore, our results may prove useful as a basis to improve crop yield.
authors.affiliation: Creative Research Initiatives, Division of Life Sciences, Korea University, Seoul 136-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung Sook
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Jeong Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jong Seob
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ji Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ahn
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000502:physiology*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000502:physiology; D005638:Fruit / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D063246:Organogenesis, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000254:growth & development; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D015202:Protein Engineering; D058614:Seed Dispersal / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C097414:AGL8 protein, Arabidopsis; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; C586527:At3g57670 protein, Arabidopsis; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors