MicroRNA-mediated repression of the seed maturation program during vegetative development in Arabidopsis.
The seed maturation program only occurs during late embryogenesis, and repression of the program is pivotal for seedling development. However, the mechanism through which this repression is achieved in vegetative tissues is poorly understood. Here we report a microRNA (miRNA)-mediated repression mec...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2012-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS Genetics |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3510056?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1818038221372653568 |
|---|---|
| author | Xurong Tang Shaomin Bian Mingjuan Tang Qing Lu Shengben Li Xigang Liu Gang Tian Vi Nguyen Edward W T Tsang Aiming Wang Steven J Rothstein Xuemei Chen Yuhai Cui |
| author_facet | Xurong Tang Shaomin Bian Mingjuan Tang Qing Lu Shengben Li Xigang Liu Gang Tian Vi Nguyen Edward W T Tsang Aiming Wang Steven J Rothstein Xuemei Chen Yuhai Cui |
| author_sort | Xurong Tang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The seed maturation program only occurs during late embryogenesis, and repression of the program is pivotal for seedling development. However, the mechanism through which this repression is achieved in vegetative tissues is poorly understood. Here we report a microRNA (miRNA)-mediated repression mechanism operating in leaves. To understand the repression of the embryonic program in seedlings, we have conducted a genetic screen using a seed maturation gene reporter transgenic line in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) for the isolation of mutants that ectopically express seed maturation genes in leaves. One of the mutants identified from the screen is a weak allele of ARGONAUTE1 (AGO1) that encodes an effector protein for small RNAs. We first show that it is the defect in the accumulation of miRNAs rather than other small RNAs that causes the ectopic seed gene expression in ago1. We then demonstrate that overexpression of miR166 suppresses the derepression of the seed gene reporter in ago1 and that, conversely, the specific loss of miR166 causes ectopic expression of seed maturation genes. Further, we show that ectopic expression of miR166 targets, type III homeodomain-leucine zipper (HD-ZIPIII) genes PHABULOSA (PHB) and PHAVOLUTA (PHV), is sufficient to activate seed maturation genes in vegetative tissues. Lastly, we show that PHB binds the promoter of LEAFY COTYLEDON2 (LEC2), which encodes a master regulator of seed maturation. Therefore, this study establishes a core module composed of a miRNA, its target genes (PHB and PHV), and the direct target of PHB (LEC2) as an underlying mechanism that keeps the seed maturation program off during vegetative development. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T07:39:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e64e12c5c7e7427ba8243a03bbb26745 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1553-7390 1553-7404 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T07:39:17Z |
| publishDate | 2012-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS Genetics |
| spelling | doaj.art-e64e12c5c7e7427ba8243a03bbb267452022-12-22T01:57:20ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Genetics1553-73901553-74042012-01-01811e100309110.1371/journal.pgen.1003091MicroRNA-mediated repression of the seed maturation program during vegetative development in Arabidopsis.Xurong TangShaomin BianMingjuan TangQing LuShengben LiXigang LiuGang TianVi NguyenEdward W T TsangAiming WangSteven J RothsteinXuemei ChenYuhai CuiThe seed maturation program only occurs during late embryogenesis, and repression of the program is pivotal for seedling development. However, the mechanism through which this repression is achieved in vegetative tissues is poorly understood. Here we report a microRNA (miRNA)-mediated repression mechanism operating in leaves. To understand the repression of the embryonic program in seedlings, we have conducted a genetic screen using a seed maturation gene reporter transgenic line in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) for the isolation of mutants that ectopically express seed maturation genes in leaves. One of the mutants identified from the screen is a weak allele of ARGONAUTE1 (AGO1) that encodes an effector protein for small RNAs. We first show that it is the defect in the accumulation of miRNAs rather than other small RNAs that causes the ectopic seed gene expression in ago1. We then demonstrate that overexpression of miR166 suppresses the derepression of the seed gene reporter in ago1 and that, conversely, the specific loss of miR166 causes ectopic expression of seed maturation genes. Further, we show that ectopic expression of miR166 targets, type III homeodomain-leucine zipper (HD-ZIPIII) genes PHABULOSA (PHB) and PHAVOLUTA (PHV), is sufficient to activate seed maturation genes in vegetative tissues. Lastly, we show that PHB binds the promoter of LEAFY COTYLEDON2 (LEC2), which encodes a master regulator of seed maturation. Therefore, this study establishes a core module composed of a miRNA, its target genes (PHB and PHV), and the direct target of PHB (LEC2) as an underlying mechanism that keeps the seed maturation program off during vegetative development.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3510056?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Xurong Tang Shaomin Bian Mingjuan Tang Qing Lu Shengben Li Xigang Liu Gang Tian Vi Nguyen Edward W T Tsang Aiming Wang Steven J Rothstein Xuemei Chen Yuhai Cui MicroRNA-mediated repression of the seed maturation program during vegetative development in Arabidopsis. PLoS Genetics |
| title | MicroRNA-mediated repression of the seed maturation program during vegetative development in Arabidopsis. |
| title_full | MicroRNA-mediated repression of the seed maturation program during vegetative development in Arabidopsis. |
| title_fullStr | MicroRNA-mediated repression of the seed maturation program during vegetative development in Arabidopsis. |
| title_full_unstemmed | MicroRNA-mediated repression of the seed maturation program during vegetative development in Arabidopsis. |
| title_short | MicroRNA-mediated repression of the seed maturation program during vegetative development in Arabidopsis. |
| title_sort | microrna mediated repression of the seed maturation program during vegetative development in arabidopsis |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3510056?pdf=render |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT xurongtang micrornamediatedrepressionoftheseedmaturationprogramduringvegetativedevelopmentinarabidopsis AT shaominbian micrornamediatedrepressionoftheseedmaturationprogramduringvegetativedevelopmentinarabidopsis AT mingjuantang micrornamediatedrepressionoftheseedmaturationprogramduringvegetativedevelopmentinarabidopsis AT qinglu micrornamediatedrepressionoftheseedmaturationprogramduringvegetativedevelopmentinarabidopsis AT shengbenli micrornamediatedrepressionoftheseedmaturationprogramduringvegetativedevelopmentinarabidopsis AT xigangliu micrornamediatedrepressionoftheseedmaturationprogramduringvegetativedevelopmentinarabidopsis AT gangtian micrornamediatedrepressionoftheseedmaturationprogramduringvegetativedevelopmentinarabidopsis AT vinguyen micrornamediatedrepressionoftheseedmaturationprogramduringvegetativedevelopmentinarabidopsis AT edwardwttsang micrornamediatedrepressionoftheseedmaturationprogramduringvegetativedevelopmentinarabidopsis AT aimingwang micrornamediatedrepressionoftheseedmaturationprogramduringvegetativedevelopmentinarabidopsis AT stevenjrothstein micrornamediatedrepressionoftheseedmaturationprogramduringvegetativedevelopmentinarabidopsis AT xuemeichen micrornamediatedrepressionoftheseedmaturationprogramduringvegetativedevelopmentinarabidopsis AT yuhaicui micrornamediatedrepressionoftheseedmaturationprogramduringvegetativedevelopmentinarabidopsis |