title: Manipulation of Auxin Response Factor 19 affects seed size in the woody perennial Jatropha curcas.
abstract: Seed size is a major determinant of seed yield but few is known about the genetics controlling of seed size in plants. Phytohormones cytokinin and brassinosteroid were known to be involved in the regulation of herbaceous plant seed development. Here we identified a homolog of Auxin Response Factor 19 (JcARF19) from a woody plant Jatropha curcas and genetically demonstrated its functions in controlling seed size and seed yield. Through Virus Induced Gene Silencing (VIGS), we found that JcARF19 was a positive upstream modulator in auxin signaling and may control plant organ size in J. curcas. Importantly, transgenic overexpression of JcARF19 significantly increased seed size and seed yield in plants Arabidopsis thaliana and J. curcas, indicating the importance of auxin pathway in seed yield controlling in dicot plants. Transcripts analysis indicated that ectopic expression of JcARF19 in J. curcas upregulated auxin responsive genes encoding essential regulators in cell differentiation and cytoskeletal dynamics of seed development. Our data suggested the potential of improving seed traits by precisely engineering auxin signaling in woody perennial plants.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China.|Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, 117604, Singapore.
authors.forename: Yanwei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, China.|Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, China.
authors.forename: Chunming
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China.|State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Shandong Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Shandong Agricultural University, 271018, Tai'an, China.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, 117604, Singapore.
authors.forename: Xiyuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, 117604, Singapore.
authors.forename: Huizhu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Shandong Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Shandong Agricultural University, 271018, Tai'an, China.
authors.forename: Changxiang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Shandong Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Shandong Agricultural University, 271018, Tai'an, China.
authors.forename: Fujiang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Biomass Energy Research Institute, Neijiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: Xianghua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Beijing Plant Protection Station, 100029, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Zhijun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, 117604, Singapore.
authors.forename: Genhua
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.affiliation: Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese academy of science, China.
authors.forename: Zengfu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China.|Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, 117604, Singapore.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ye
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D020868:Gene Silencing; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D031286:Jatropha / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000378:metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010942:Plant Viruses / Q000235:genetics; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D012639:Seeds / Q000502:physiology; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007210:Indoleacetic Acids; D010940:Plant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors