title: Functional characterization of GmBZL2 (AtBZR1 like gene) reveals the conserved BR signaling regulation in Glycine max.
abstract: Brassinosteroids (BRs) play key roles in plant growth and development, and regulate various agricultural traits. Enhanced BR signaling leads to increased seed number and yield in Arabidopsis bzr1-1D (AtBZR1(P234L), gain-of-function mutant of the important transcription factor in BR signaling/effects). BR signal transduction pathway is well elucidated in Arabidopsis but less known in other species. Soybean is an important dicot crop producing edible oil and protein. Phylogenetic analysis reveals AtBZR1-like genes are highly conserved in angiosperm and there are 4 orthologues in soybean (GmBZL1-4). We here report the functional characterization of GmBZL2 (relatively highly expresses in flowers). The P234 site in AtBZR1 is conserved in GmBZL2 (P216) and mutation of GmBZL2(P216L) leads to GmBZL2 accumulation. GmBZL2(P216L) (GmBZL2*) in Arabidopsis results in enhanced BR signaling; including increased seed number per silique. GmBZL2* partially rescued the defects of bri1-5, further demonstrating the conserved function of GmBZL2 with AtBZR1. BR treatment promotes the accumulation, nuclear localization and dephosphorylation/phosphorylation ratio of GmBZL2, revealing that GmBZL2 activity is regulated conservatively by BR signaling. Our studies not only indicate the conserved regulatory mechanism of GmBZL2 and BR signaling pathway in soybean, but also suggest the potential application of GmBZL2 in soybean seed yield.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors: Yu
authors: Y
authors: Zhang
authors: School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
authors: Yan-Jie
authors: YJ
authors: Zhang
authors: National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Institute of Plant Physiology &Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
authors: Bao-Jun
authors: BJ
authors: Yang
authors: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.|State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors: Xian-Xian
authors: XX
authors: Yu
authors: State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors: Dun
authors: D
authors: Wang
authors: School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
authors: Song-Hao
authors: SH
authors: Zu
authors: National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Institute of Plant Physiology &Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
authors: Hong-Wei
authors: HW
authors: Xue
authors: School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.|Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
authors: Wen-Hui
authors: WH
authors: Lin
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D060406:Brassinosteroids / Q000378:metabolism*; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D013025:Glycine max / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D060406:Brassinosteroids; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins