• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
• /
• v.38 no.4
• /
• pp.285-292
• /
• 2011

In plants, heteroblasty reflects the morphological adaptation during leaf development according to the external environmental condition and affects the final shape and size of organ. Among parameters displaying heteroblasty, leaf index is an important and typical one to represent the shape and size of simple leaves. Leaf index factor is eventually determined by cell proliferation and cell expansion in leaf blades. Although several regulators and their mechanisms controlling the cell division and cell expansion in leaf development have been studied, it does not fully provide a blueprint of organ formation and morphogenesis during environmental changes. To investigate genes and their mechanisms controlling leaf index during leaf development, we carried out molecular-genetic and physiological experiments using an Arabidopsis mutant. In this study, we identified macrophylla (mac) which had enlarged leaves. In detail, the mac mutant showed alteration in leaf index and cell expansion in direction of width and length, resulting in not only modification of leaf shape but also disruption of heteroblasty. Molecular-genetic studies indicated that mac mutant had point mutation in ROTUDIFOLIA3 (ROT3) gene involved in brassinosteroid biosynthesis and was an allele of rot3-1 mutant. We named it mac/rot3-5 mutant. The expression of ROT3 gene was controlled by negative feedback inhibition by the treatment of brassinosteroid hormone, suggesting that ROT3 gene was involved in brassinosteroid biosynthesis. In dark condition, in addition, the expression of ROT3 gene was up-regulated and mac/rot3-5 mutant showed lower response, compare to wild type in petiole elongation. This study suggests that ROT3 gene has an important role in control of leaf index during leaf expansion process for proper environmental adaptation, such as shade avoidance syndrome, via the control of brassinosteroid biosynthesis.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
• /
• v.28 no.5
• /
• pp.719-727
• /
• 2010

Reduced irradiance promotes shoot elongation depending on developmental stage and environmental factors and decreases plant quality in $Cyclamen$ $persicum$ Mill. To determine the petiole elongation responses to low irradiance, 'Metis Scarlet Red' cyclamen at different developmental stages [juvenile (5-6 unfolded leaves), transitional (1-3 visible flower buds), or mature (1-3 elongating peduncles)] was grown in growth modules at 60 (low light, LL) or 240 (high light, HL) ${\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ PPFD within the growth chambers at different temperatures [16/12 (low temperature, LT), 22/18 (medium temperature, MT), or 28/$24^{\circ}C$ (high temperature, HT) (day/night)]. In Experiment I, juvenile plants were either kept in an LL or HL module during the entire treatment of 4 weeks or were transferred to the other module at 1, 2, or 3 weeks after treatment in an MT chamber. In Experiment II, juvenile, transitional, or mature plants were moved to the HL module at 0, 3, 6, 9, or 12 days after being placed in the LL module at the MT chamber and grown for 21 days. In Experiment III, transitional plants were moved to the HL module at 0, 3, 6, 9, or 12 days after being placed in the LL module at the LT, MT, or HT chambers. As the exposure duration to LL increased from 0 to 4 weeks or from 0 to 12 days, petiole length and plant height increased at all temperatures and developmental stages. In Experiment I, the exposure to LL during the latter period, rather than the early period, increased elongation rate. In Experiment II, petiole elongation in transitional plants was more sensitive to LL than juvenile or mature plants during the early period of the treatment for 12 days. In Experiment III, petiole length increased with increasing temperature and exposure duration to LL. Petiole elongation rate at HT increased rapidly from the beginning of LL exposure as compared to LT. Increase of $6^{\circ}C$ in temperature had the similar effect to LL exposure for 3 days in petiole elongation. To conclude, transitional cyclamen under higher temperatures responds more immediately to low irradiance and elongates its petioles.