title: A MADS-box gene NtSVP regulates pedicel elongation by directly suppressing a KNAT1-like KNOX gene NtBPL in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.).
abstract: Optimal inflorescence architecture is important for plant reproductive success by affecting the ultimate number of flowers that set fruits and for plant competitiveness when interacting with biotic or abiotic conditions. The pedicel is one of the key contributors to inflorescence architecture diversity. To date, knowledge about the molecular mechanisms of pedicel development is derived from Arabidopsis. Not much is known regarding other plants. Here, an SVP family MADS-box gene, NtSVP, in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) that is required for pedicel elongation was identified. It is shown that knockdown of NtSVP by RNA interference (RNAi) caused elongated pedicels, while overexpression resulted in compact inflorescences with much shortened pedicels. Moreover, an Arabidopsis BREVIPEDECELLUS/KNAT1 homologue NtBP-Like (NtBPL) was significantly up-regulated in NtSVP-RNAi plants. Disruption of NtBPL decreased pedicel lengths and shortened cortex cells. Consistent with the presence of a CArG-box at the NtBPL promoter, the direct binding of NtSVP to the NtBPL promoter was demonstrated by yeast one-hybrid assay, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and dual-luciferase assay, in which NtSVP may act as a repressor of NtBPL. Microarray analysis showed that down-regulation of NtBPL resulted in differential expression of genes associated with a number of hormone biogenesis and signalling genes such as those for auxin and gibberellin. These findings together suggest the function of a MADS-box transcription factor in plant pedicel development, probably via negative regulation of a BP-like class I KNOX gene. The present work thus postulates the conservation and divergence of the molecular regulatory pathways underlying the development of plant inflorescence architecture.
authors.affiliation: National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement (NFCRI), MOA Key Laboratory of Crop Germplasm and Biotechnology, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Di
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement (NFCRI), MOA Key Laboratory of Crop Germplasm and Biotechnology, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Xiaobo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Tobacco Gene Resources, Tobacco Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China.
authors.forename: Zenglin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China.
authors.forename: Danmei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement (NFCRI), MOA Key Laboratory of Crop Germplasm and Biotechnology, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Gaoyuan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement (NFCRI), MOA Key Laboratory of Crop Germplasm and Biotechnology, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Xingchen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement (NFCRI), MOA Key Laboratory of Crop Germplasm and Biotechnology, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Shuaifeng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.affiliation: National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement (NFCRI), MOA Key Laboratory of Crop Germplasm and Biotechnology, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Jiayue
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement (NFCRI), MOA Key Laboratory of Crop Germplasm and Biotechnology, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Bingnan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement (NFCRI), MOA Key Laboratory of Crop Germplasm and Biotechnology, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement (NFCRI), MOA Key Laboratory of Crop Germplasm and Biotechnology, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Aili
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement (NFCRI), MOA Key Laboratory of Crop Germplasm and Biotechnology, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100081, China maolong@caas.cn.
authors.forename: Long
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3377-4040
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mao
mesh_terms: D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D056626:Inflorescence / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D034622:RNA Interference; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors
keywords: BP; MADS-box transcription factor; SVP; gibberellin; pedicel; tobacco.