Transgenic modification of gai or rgl1 causes dwarfing and alters gibberellins, root growth, and metabolite profiles in Populus
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-2006
Department
College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Abstract
In Arabidopsis and other plants, gibberellin (GA)-regulated responses are mediated by proteins including GAI, RGA and RGL1-3 that contain a functional DELLA domain. Through transgenic modification, we found that DELLA-less versions of GAI (gai) and RGL1 (rgl1) in a Populus tree have profound, dominant effects on phenotype, producing pleiotropic changes in morphology and metabolic profiles. Shoots were dwarfed, likely via constitutive repression of GA-induced elongation, whereas root growth was promoted two- to threefold in vitro. Applied GA3 inhibited adventitious root production in wild-type poplar, but gai/rgl1 poplars were unaffected by the inhibition. The concentrations of bioactive GA1 and GA4 in leaves of gai- and rgl1-expressing plants increased 12- to 64-fold, while the C19 precursors of GA1 (GA53, GA44 and GA 19) decreased three- to ninefold, consistent with feedback regulation of GA 20-oxidase in the transgenic plants. The transgenic modifications elicited significant metabolic changes. In roots, metabolic profiling suggested increased respiration as a possible mechanism of the increased root growth. In leaves, we found metabolite changes suggesting reduced carbon flux through the lignin biosynthetic pathway and a shift towards allocation of secondary storage and defense metabolites, including various phenols, phenolic glucosides, and phenolic acid conjugates.
Publication Title
Planta
Recommended Citation
Busov, V.,
Meilan, R.,
Pearce, D.,
Rood, S.,
Ma, C.,
Tschaplinski, T.,
&
Strauss, S.
(2006).
Transgenic modification of gai or rgl1 causes dwarfing and alters gibberellins, root growth, and metabolite profiles in Populus.
Planta,
224(2), 288-299.
http://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-005-0213-9
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p/4722