Regulation of LANCEOLATE by miR319 is required for compound-leaf development in tomato

• Published in: Nature genetics Vol. 39; no. 6; pp. 787 - 791
• Main Authors: Ori, Naomi, Eshed, Yuval, Cohen, Aya Refael, Etzioni, Adi, Brand, Arnon, Yanai, Osnat, Shleizer, Sharona, Menda, Naama, Amsellem, Ziva, Efroni, Idan, Pekker, Irena, Alvarez, John Paul, Blum, Eyal, Zamir, Dani
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Nature Publishing Group 01.06.2007
• Subjects: Binding sites; Botany; DNA Primers - chemistry; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Genes, Plant; Genetic aspects; Genetics; Leaves; Lycopersicon esculentum; Lycopersicon esculentum - genetics; Lycopersicon esculentum - growth & development; Lycopersicon esculentum - metabolism; MicroRNAs - genetics; Molecular Sequence Data; Mutation; Physiological aspects; Plant Leaves - genetics; Plant Leaves - growth & development; Plants; Plants, Genetically Modified; Plasticity; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Ribonucleic acid; RNA; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; RNA, Plant - genetics; Solanum; Tomatoes; Israel
• ISSN: 1061-4036; 1546-1718
• DOI: 10.1038/ng2036

Plant leaves show pronounced plasticity of size and form. In the classical, partially dominant mutation Lanceolate (La), the large compound leaves of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) are converted into small simple ones. We show that LA encodes a transcription factor from the TCP family containing an miR319-binding site. Five independent La isolates are gain-of-function alleles that result from point mutations within the miR319-binding site and confer partial resistance of the La transcripts to microRNA (miRNA)-directed inhibition. The reduced sensitivity to miRNA regulation leads to elevated LA expression in very young La leaf primordia and to precocious differentiation of leaf margins. In contrast, downregulation of several LA-like genes using ectopic expression of miR319 resulted in larger leaflets and continuous growth of leaf margins. Our results imply that regulation of LA by miR319 defines a flexible window of morphogenetic competence along the developing leaf margin that is required for leaf elaboration.