Control of leaf morphogenesis by microRNAs

Nature. 2003 Sep 18;425(6955):257-63. doi: 10.1038/nature01958. Epub 2003 Aug 20.

Abstract

Plants with altered microRNA metabolism have pleiotropic developmental defects, but direct evidence for microRNAs regulating specific aspects of plant morphogenesis has been lacking. In a genetic screen, we identified the JAW locus, which produces a microRNA that can guide messenger RNA cleavage of several TCP genes controlling leaf development. MicroRNA-guided cleavage of TCP4 mRNA is necessary to prevent aberrant activity of the TCP4 gene expressed from its native promoter. In addition, overexpression of wild-type and microRNA-resistant TCP variants demonstrates that mRNA cleavage is largely sufficient to restrict TCP function to its normal domain of activity. TCP genes with microRNA target sequences are found in a wide range of species, indicating that microRNA-mediated control of leaf morphogenesis is conserved in plants with very different leaf forms.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis / genetics*
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
  • Base Sequence
  • Conserved Sequence
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant*
  • Genes, Plant / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Morphogenesis
  • Mutation
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Phenotype
  • Phylogeny
  • Plant Leaves / genetics*
  • Plant Leaves / growth & development*
  • RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • RNA, Plant / genetics
  • RNA, Plant / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Transgenes

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • MicroRNAs
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA, Plant