Over-expression of microRNA171 affects phase transitions and floral meristem determinancy in barley

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The transitions from juvenile to adult and adult to reproductive phases of growth are important stages in the life cycle of plants. The regulators of these transitions include miRNAs, in particular miR156 and miR172 which are part of...

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Main Authors: Curaba Julien, Talbot Mark, Li Zhongyi, Helliwell Chris
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2013-01-01
Series:BMC Plant Biology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2229/13/6
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spelling doaj-7444c4fe4d08408da8bda20d3fda86052020-11-24T21:36:18ZengBMCBMC Plant Biology1471-22292013-01-01131610.1186/1471-2229-13-6Over-expression of microRNA171 affects phase transitions and floral meristem determinancy in barleyCuraba JulienTalbot MarkLi ZhongyiHelliwell Chris<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The transitions from juvenile to adult and adult to reproductive phases of growth are important stages in the life cycle of plants. The regulators of these transitions include miRNAs, in particular miR156 and miR172 which are part of a regulatory module conserved across the angiosperms. In Arabidopsis miR171 represses differentiation of axillary meristems by repressing expression of SCARECROW-LIKE(SCL) transcription factors, however the role of miR171 has not been examined in other plants.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To investigate the roles of mir171 and its target genes in a monocot, the <it>Hvu pri-miR171a</it> was over-expressed in barley (<it>Hordeum vulgare</it> L. cv. Golden promise) leading to reduced expression of at least one <it>HvSCL</it> gene. The resulting transgenic plants displayed a pleiotropic phenotype which included branching defects, an increased number of short vegetative phytomers and late flowering. These phenotypes appear to be the consequence of changes in the organisation of the shoot meristem. In addition, the data show that miR171 over-expression alters the vegetative to reproductive phase transition by activating the miR156 pathway and repressing the expression of the <it>TRD (THIRD OUTER GLUME)</it> and <it>HvPLA1 (Plastochron1)</it> genes.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our data suggest that some of the roles of miR171 and its target genes that have been determined in Arabidopsis are conserved in barley and that they have additional functions in barley including activation of the miR156 pathway.</p> http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2229/13/6BarleymiR171Scarecrow-likePhase changeMeristemsFlowering time
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Curaba Julien
Talbot Mark
Li Zhongyi
Helliwell Chris
spellingShingle Curaba Julien
Talbot Mark
Li Zhongyi
Helliwell Chris
Over-expression of microRNA171 affects phase transitions and floral meristem determinancy in barley
BMC Plant Biology
Barley
miR171
Scarecrow-like
Phase change
Meristems
Flowering time
author_facet Curaba Julien
Talbot Mark
Li Zhongyi
Helliwell Chris
author_sort Curaba Julien
title Over-expression of microRNA171 affects phase transitions and floral meristem determinancy in barley
title_short Over-expression of microRNA171 affects phase transitions and floral meristem determinancy in barley
title_full Over-expression of microRNA171 affects phase transitions and floral meristem determinancy in barley
title_fullStr Over-expression of microRNA171 affects phase transitions and floral meristem determinancy in barley
title_full_unstemmed Over-expression of microRNA171 affects phase transitions and floral meristem determinancy in barley
title_sort over-expression of microrna171 affects phase transitions and floral meristem determinancy in barley
publisher BMC
series BMC Plant Biology
issn 1471-2229
publishDate 2013-01-01
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The transitions from juvenile to adult and adult to reproductive phases of growth are important stages in the life cycle of plants. The regulators of these transitions include miRNAs, in particular miR156 and miR172 which are part of a regulatory module conserved across the angiosperms. In Arabidopsis miR171 represses differentiation of axillary meristems by repressing expression of SCARECROW-LIKE(SCL) transcription factors, however the role of miR171 has not been examined in other plants.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To investigate the roles of mir171 and its target genes in a monocot, the <it>Hvu pri-miR171a</it> was over-expressed in barley (<it>Hordeum vulgare</it> L. cv. Golden promise) leading to reduced expression of at least one <it>HvSCL</it> gene. The resulting transgenic plants displayed a pleiotropic phenotype which included branching defects, an increased number of short vegetative phytomers and late flowering. These phenotypes appear to be the consequence of changes in the organisation of the shoot meristem. In addition, the data show that miR171 over-expression alters the vegetative to reproductive phase transition by activating the miR156 pathway and repressing the expression of the <it>TRD (THIRD OUTER GLUME)</it> and <it>HvPLA1 (Plastochron1)</it> genes.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our data suggest that some of the roles of miR171 and its target genes that have been determined in Arabidopsis are conserved in barley and that they have additional functions in barley including activation of the miR156 pathway.</p>
topic Barley
miR171
Scarecrow-like
Phase change
Meristems
Flowering time
url http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2229/13/6
work_keys_str_mv AT curabajulien overexpressionofmicrorna171affectsphasetransitionsandfloralmeristemdeterminancyinbarley
AT talbotmark overexpressionofmicrorna171affectsphasetransitionsandfloralmeristemdeterminancyinbarley
AT lizhongyi overexpressionofmicrorna171affectsphasetransitionsandfloralmeristemdeterminancyinbarley
AT helliwellchris overexpressionofmicrorna171affectsphasetransitionsandfloralmeristemdeterminancyinbarley
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