The poplar basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor BEE3 - Like gene affects biomass production by enhancing proliferation of xylem cells in poplar.
Brassinosteroids (BRs) play important roles in many aspects of plant growth and development, including regulation of vascular cambium activities and cell elongation. BR-induced BEE3 (brassinosteroid enhanced expression 3) is required for a proper BR response. Here, we identified a poplar (Populus alba × Populus glandulosa) BEE3-like gene, PagBEE3L, encoding a putative basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH)-type transcription factor. Expression of PagBEE3L was induced by brassinolide (BL). Transcripts of PagBEE3L were mainly detected in stems, with the internode having a low level of transcription and the node having a relatively higher level. The function of the PagBEE3L gene was investigated through phenotypic analyses with PagBEE3L-overexpressing (ox) transgenic lines. This work particularly focused on a potential role of PagBEE3L in stem growth and development of polar. The PagBEE3L-ox poplar showed thicker and longer stems than wild-type plants. The xylem cells from the stems of PagBEE3L-ox plants revealed remarkably enhanced proliferation, resulting in an earlier thickening growth than wild-type plants. Therefore, this work suggests that xylem development of poplar is accelerated in PagBEE3L-ox plants and PagBEE3L plays a role in stem growth by increasing the proliferation of xylem cells to promote the initial thickening growth of poplar stems.
Biotechnology Division, Korea Forest Research Institute, 39 Onjeong-ro, Gwonseon-gu, Suwon 441-847, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: s6022029@korea.ac.kr.
Seol Ah
SA
Noh
Biotechnology Division, Korea Forest Research Institute, 39 Onjeong-ro, Gwonseon-gu, Suwon 441-847, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: yichoi99@forest.go.kr.
Young-Im
YI
Choi
Biotechnology Division, Korea Forest Research Institute, 39 Onjeong-ro, Gwonseon-gu, Suwon 441-847, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: jinsung3932@gmail.com.
Jin-Seong
JS
Cho
Biotechnology Division, Korea Forest Research Institute, 39 Onjeong-ro, Gwonseon-gu, Suwon 441-847, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hslee@forest.go.kr.
Hyoshin
H
Lee
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018533:Biomass; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000235:genetics*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D032107:Populus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D052584:Xylem / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins
Biomass; Brassinosteriod; PagBEE3L; Poplar; Xylem; bHLH