Extensive Functional Pleiotropy of REVOLUTA Substantiated through Forward Genetics. Issue 2 (5th December 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Porth, Ilga; Kláp¡tě, Jaroslav; McKown, Athena D.; La Mantia, Jonathan; Hamelin, Richard C.; Skyba, Oleksandr; Unda, Faride; Friedmann, Michael C.; Cronk, Quentin C.B.; Ehlting, Jürgen; Guy, Robert D.; Mansfield, Shawn D.; El-Kassaby, Yousry A.; Douglas, Carl J.
• Is Part Of: Plant physiology. Volume 164:Issue 2(2014)
• Page Start: 548
• Page End: 554
• Publication Date: 2013-12-05
• Subjects: Plant physiology -- Periodicals; Botany -- Periodicals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 571.2
• DOI: 10.1104/pp.113.228783
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-0889

Abstract

Abstract : A "functional hypothesis" model is presented for the extensive functional pleiotropy of a poplar class III homeodomain-leucine zipper transcription factor in modulating extensive phenotypic variability . Abstract: In plants, genes may sustain extensive pleiotropic functional properties by individually affecting multiple, distinct traits. We discuss results from three genome-wide association studies of approximately 400 natural poplar ( Populus trichocarpa ) accessions phenotyped for 60 ecological/biomass, wood quality, and rust fungus resistance traits. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP s) in the poplar ortholog of the class III homeodomain-leucine zipper transcription factor gene REVOLUTA ( PtREV ) were significantly associated with three specific traits. Based on SNP associations with fungal resistance, leaf drop, and cellulose content, the PtREV gene contains three potential regulatory sites within noncoding regions at the gene's 3′ end, where alternative splicing and messenger RNA processing actively occur. The polymorphisms in this region associated with leaf abscission and cellulose content are suggested to represent more recent variants, whereas the SNP associated with leaf rust resistance may be more ancient, consistent with REV 's primary role in auxin signaling and its functional evolution in supporting fundamental processes of vascular plant development.