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Switchgrass SBP-box transcription factors PvSPL1 and 2 function redundantly to initiate side tillers and affect biomass yield of energy crop
- Source :
- Biotechnology for Biofuels
- Publication Year :
- 2016
- Publisher :
- Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2016.
-
Abstract
- Background Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a dedicated lignocellulosic feedstock for bioenergy production. The SQUAMOSA PROMOTER-BINDING PROTEIN (SBP-box)-LIKE transcription factors (SPLs) change plant architecture and vegetative-to-reproductive phase transition significantly, and as such, they are promising candidates for genetic improvement of switchgrass biomass yield. However, the genome-wide identification and functional characterization of SPL genes have yet to be investigated in herbaceous energy crops. Results We identified 35 full-length SPL genes in the switchgrass genome. The phylogenetic relationship and expression pattern of PvSPLs provided baseline information for their function characterization. Based on the global overview of PvSPLs, we explored the biological function of miR156-targeted PvSPL1 and PvSPL2, which are closely related members of SPL family in switchgrass. Our results showed that PvSPL1 and PvSPL2 acted redundantly to modulate side tiller initiation, whereas they did not affect phase transition and internode initiation. Consistently, overexpression of the miR156-resistant rPvSPL2 in the miR156-overexpressing transgenic plants greatly reduced tiller initiation, but did not rescue the delayed flowering and increased internode numbers. Furthermore, suppression of PvSPL2 activity in switchgrass increased biomass yield and reduced lignin accumulation, which thereby elevated the total amount of solubilized sugars. Conclusions Our results indicate that different miR156-targeted PvSPL subfamily genes function predominantly in certain biological processes in switchgrass. We suggest that PvSPL2 and its paralogs can be utilized as the valuable targets in molecular breeding of energy crops for developing novel germplasms with high biofuel production. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13068-016-0516-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
- Subjects :
- 0106 biological sciences
0301 basic medicine
Tiller initiation
Transgenic switchgrass
Biomass
Tiller (botany)
Genetically modified crops
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Lignin
01 natural sciences
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
03 medical and health sciences
Bioenergy
Molecular breeding
Energy crop
biology
SPL transcription factor
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Research
food and beverages
Herbaceous plant
biology.organism_classification
030104 developmental biology
General Energy
Agronomy
Panicum virgatum
010606 plant biology & botany
Biotechnology
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 17546834
- Volume :
- 9
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Biotechnology for Biofuels
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....a2d7743129a4db6f392096ea8c4778d1