title: Increasing seed size and quality by manipulating BIG SEEDS1 in legume species.
abstract: Plant organs, such as seeds, are primary sources of food for both humans and animals. Seed size is one of the major agronomic traits that have been selected in crop plants during their domestication. Legume seeds are a major source of dietary proteins and oils. Here, we report a conserved role for the BIG SEEDS1 (BS1) gene in the control of seed size and weight in the model legume Medicago truncatula and the grain legume soybean (Glycine max). BS1 encodes a plant-specific transcription regulator and plays a key role in the control of the size of plant organs, including seeds, seed pods, and leaves, through a regulatory module that targets primary cell proliferation. Importantly, down-regulation of BS1 orthologs in soybean by an artificial microRNA significantly increased soybean seed size, weight, and amino acid content. Our results provide a strategy for the increase in yield and seed quality in legumes.
authors: Plant Biology Division, Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Ardmore, OK 73401.
authors: Liangfa
authors: L
authors: Ge
authors: Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506.
authors: Jianbin
authors: J
authors: Yu
authors: Plant Biology Division, Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Ardmore, OK 73401.
authors: Hongliang
authors: H
authors: Wang
authors: Center for Plant Transformation, Plant Sciences Institute, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011.|Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011.
authors: Diane
authors: D
authors: Luth
authors: Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506.|Hard Winter Wheat Genetics Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Manhattan, KS 66506.
authors: Guihua
authors: G
authors: Bai
authors: Center for Plant Transformation, Plant Sciences Institute, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011.|Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011.
authors: Kan
authors: K
authors: Wang
authors: Plant Biology Division, Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Ardmore, OK 73401; rchen@noble.org.
authors: Rujin
authors: 0000-0001-5444-2144
authors: R
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D032461:Chromosomes, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D046913:Medicago truncatula / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci / Q000235:genetics; D012639:Seeds / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013025:Glycine max / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors
keywords: Medicago; forage quality; plant organ size; seed size; soybean