Abstract:

AtLH gene of Arabidopsis is a BcpLH (leafy head) homolog of Chinese cabbage, which encodes a double-stranded RNA-binding protein related to the curvature of folding leaf leading to the formation of leafy head. In order to elucidate the regulatory function of AtLH in the development of leaf curvature, we made a construct of 35S::AtLH and transformed it to Arabidopsis. In transgenic plants for sense-AtLH, transcripts of AtLH gene were increased significantly in leaves and flowers, giving rise to the AtLH-overexpressed plants in which the rosette leaves curved downward or outward in a manner of enhanced epinastic growth. Compared with normal plants, bolting and flowering time of the transgenic plants was significantly delayed. Moreover, the apical dominance of transgenic plants was weaker in vegetative shoots since more axillary shoots emerged from axil of rosette leaves, while stronger in flowering shoots because fewer cauline inflorescences were observed on the main inflorescence. In other aspects, these transgenic plants exhibited an increase in root-stimulating response to IAA and decrease in root-inhibi-tory reaction on ABA. It indicates that overexpression of AtLH causes downward curvature of transgenic plants.

Key words: Arabidopsis , AtLH , leaf curvature , flowering time, apical dominance