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Control of leaf morphogenesis by microRNAs

Nature volume 425, pages 257–263 (2003)Cite this article

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.

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Figure 1: jaw-D mutations and effect of jaw-D on TCP genes.
Figure 2: JAW encodes a microRNA.
Figure 3: miR-JAW and miR159 expression.
Figure 4: Identification of miRNA-guided cleavage products.
Figure 5: Expression pattern of TCP4 mRNA.
Figure 6: Effects of miRNA-resistant transgenes and trans-complementation of jaw-1D.

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Acknowledgements

We thank I. Puga-Gonzalez for assistance and V. Ambros, S. Balasubramanian, J. Chory, M.-C. Kim, J. Lohmann, Y. Kobayashi and J. Spatafora for advice and discussion. This work was supported by fellowships from CONICET and Human Frontier Science Program Organization to J.F.P., from Life Sciences Research Foundation/US Department of Energy to X.W.; by grants from NSF and NIH to J.C.C. and NIH to D.W.; and by the Max Planck Society. D.W. is a Director of the Max Planck Institute.

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Author notes

  1. Xuelin Wu, Carla Schommer and Rebecca Schwab: These authors contributed equally to this work

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, D-72076, Tübingen, Germany

    Javier F. Palatnik, Carla Schommer, Rebecca Schwab & Detlef Weigel

  2. Plant Biology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, 92037, USA

    Javier F. Palatnik, Xuelin Wu & Detlef Weigel

  3. Center for Gene Research and Biotechnology and Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331, USA

    Edwards Allen & James C. Carrington

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  1. Javier F. Palatnik
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Correspondence to James C. Carrington or Detlef Weigel.

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Palatnik, J., Allen, E., Wu, X. et al. Control of leaf morphogenesis by microRNAs. Nature 425, 257–263 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature01958

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