title: Expression of a conifer COBRA-like gene ClCOBL1 from Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) alters the leaf architecture in tobacco.
abstract: The cell wall plays crucial roles in establishing the morphology of the plant cell, defence response to biotic and abiotic stresses, and mechanical properties of organs. The COBRA gene encodes a putative glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored protein that possesses the ability to modulate cellulose deposition and orient cell expansion in plant cell. We reported here the functional characterization of ClCOBL1, a conifer COBRA-like gene from the differentiating xylem of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook). ClCOBL1 belonged to a woody plant-specific clade of the COBRA protein family with several conserved motifs. Expression pattern demonstrated that ClCOBL1 was constitutively expressed but with high level in cambium region. ClCOBL1 protein was mainly located in the cell wall and plasma membrane. Overexpression of ClCOBL1 in tobacco plants yielded altered leaf adaxial-abaxial patterning and short, swollen corolla tubes. The changed leaf architecture in the ClCOBL1 overexpressors was associated with the differential expression of leaf adaxial-abaxial identity genes. Our results indicated that ClCOBL1 was involved in the determination of leaf dorsoventrality and anisotropic expansion possibly by affecting the expression of adaxial and abaxial identity genes.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Botanical Garden, No. 1111 Longwu Road, Shanghai 200231, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Liming
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bian
authors.forename: Jisen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Mengli
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xi
authors.forename: Guifeng
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism*; D002482:Cellulose / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D032486:Cunninghamia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D017343:Genes, Plant; D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D052584:Xylem / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D002482:Cellulose
keywords: COBRA protein; Cell expansion; Cunninghamia lanceolata; GPI-anchored protein; Leaf dorsoventrality