Publication details

GROWTH REGULATING FACTOR5 Stimulates Arabidopsis Chloroplast Division, Photosynthesis, and Leaf Longevity

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Authors

VERCRUYSSEN Liesbeth TOGNETTI Vanesa Beatriz GONZALEZ Nathalie VAN DINGENEN Judith DE MILDE Liesbeth BIELACH Agnieszka DE RYCKE Riet VAN BREUSEGEM Frank INZE Dirk

Year of publication 2015
Type Article in Periodical
Magazine / Source Plant Physiology
MU Faculty or unit

Central European Institute of Technology

Citation
Web http://www.plantphysiol.org/content/167/3/817.full.pdf+html
Doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1104/pp.114.256180
Field Botany
Keywords CYTOKININ SIGNAL-TRANSDUCTION; B RESPONSE REGULATORS; PORC DOUBLE MUTANT; TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS; PROTOCHLOROPHYLLIDE OXIDOREDUCTASE; CELL-PROLIFERATION; ABSCISIC-ACID; CHLOROPHYLL BIOSYNTHESIS; PROTEIN INTERACTIONS; NEGATIVE REGULATOR
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Description Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) leaf development relies on subsequent phases of cell proliferation and cell expansion. During the proliferation phase, chloroplasts need to divide extensively, and during the transition from cell proliferation to expansion, they differentiate into photosynthetically active chloroplasts, providing the plant with energy. The transcription factor GROWTH REGULATING FACTOR5 (GRF5) promotes the duration of the cell proliferation period during leaf development. Here, it is shown that GRF5 also stimulates chloroplast division, resulting in a higher chloroplast number per cell with a concomitant increase in chlorophyll levels in 35S: GRF5 leaves, which can sustain higher rates of photosynthesis. Moreover, 35S: GRF5 plants show delayed leaf senescence and are more tolerant for growth on nitrogen-depleted medium. Cytokinins also stimulate leaf growth in part by extending the cell proliferation phase, simultaneously delaying the onset of the cell expansion phase. In addition, cytokinins are known to be involved in chloroplast development, nitrogen signaling, and senescence. Evidence is provided that GRF5 and cytokinins synergistically enhance cell division and chlorophyll retention after dark-induced senescence, which suggests that they also cooperate to stimulate chloroplast division and nitrogen assimilation. Taken together with the increased leaf size, ectopic expression of GRF5 has great potential to improve plant productivity.
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