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CcBLH6, a bell-like homeodomain-containing transcription factor, regulates the fruit lignification pattern

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Abstract

Main conclusion

CcBLH6 is a bell-like homeodomain-containing transcription factor that plays an important role of lignin biosynthesis in the control of fruit lignification pattern in Camellia chekiangoleosa.

Abstract

The fruit of Camellia chekiangoleosa has a unique lignification pattern that features with a thick pericarp containing a low level of lignification. Yet the fruit lignification pattern and the regulatory network of responsible gene transcription are poorly understood. Here, we characterized a bell-like homeodomain-containing (BLH) transcription factor from C. chekiangoleosa, CcBLH6, in the control of fruit lignification. CcBLH6 expression was highly correlated with the unique lignification pattern during fruit development. The ectopic expression of CcBLH6 promoted the lignification process of stem and root in Arabidopsis. We found that expression of genes related to lignin biosynthesis and its transcriptional regulation was altered in transgenic lines. In a Camellia callus-transformation system, overexpression of CcBLH6 greatly enhanced the expression of genes related to lignin biosynthesis and its transcriptional regulation was altered in transgenic lines. In the callus-transformation system, overexpression of CcBLH6 greatly enhanced the lignification of parenchymal cells, and the regulation of several genes involved in lignin accumulation was largely consistent between Arabidopsis and Camellia. Our study reveals a positive role of CcBLH6 in the regulation of lignin biosynthesis during fruit lignification in Camellia.

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Abbreviations

BLH:

BEL1-Like Homeodomain

KNOX:

Knotted-Like Homeodomain

TALE:

Three Amino-acid Loop Extension

PAL:

Phenylalanine Ammonia-Lyase

C4H:

Cinnamate 4-Hydroxylase

LAC:

Laccase

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Dr. Haiping Yu from China National Rice Research Institute (Hangzhou, China) for technical supports on the confocal microscopy analysis. This work was supported by National Key R&D Program of China (2019YFD1000400 and 2019YFD1001602), Nonprofit Research Projects (CAFYBB2018QA005, CAFYBB2018QA006) of Chinese Academy of Forestry, and National Science Foundation of China (31870578).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou, 311400, Zhejiang, China

    Chao Yan, Zhikang Hu, Ziyan Nie & Hengfu Yin

  2. Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Breeding, Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou, 311400, Zhejiang, China

    Chao Yan, Zhikang Hu, Ziyan Nie, Jiyuan Li, Xiaohua Yao & Hengfu Yin

  3. Experimental Center for Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Fenyi, 336600, Jiangxi, China

    Chao Yan

  4. School of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230000, China

    Ziyan Nie

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  1. Chao Yan
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Correspondence to Xiaohua Yao or Hengfu Yin.

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425_2021_3610_MOESM1_ESM.jpg

Supplementary Fig. S1 Overexpression of CcBLH6 in Arabidopsis causes pleiotropic effects on development and growth. a Comparison of overall morphology of WT and transgenic lines. Bar = 1 cm. b Validation of the Arabidopsis transgenic lines by the PCR amplification using construct-specific primers. The red arrow indicates the specific PCR product from the construct. c Four lines that displayed overexpression of CcBLH6 are identified by the QRT-PCR analysis (JPG 1382 KB)

425_2021_3610_MOESM2_ESM.jpg

Supplementary Fig. S2 Overexpression of CcBLH6 promoted the cell lignification in roots of transgenic lines. The histological analysis of root morphology in WT (a), and transgenic lines (b, c). The lignified areas are indicated by the red staining. d The areas of three individuals of transgenic lines from the T2 generation are compared based on the image analysis of cross sections. Bars = 100 µm. Error bars indicate ±SD. Significance tests are performed by one-way ANOVA. Different letters indicate significant variation (P<0.05) (JPG 1676 KB)

425_2021_3610_MOESM3_ESM.jpg

Supplementary Fig. S3 Validation of transformed callus lines in Camellia. a Six independent callus lines are used for PCR validation by using construct-specific primers. The red arrow indicates the construct-specific PCR product. b Three lines are used for QRT-PCR analysis for CcBLH6 expression levels. All quantifications are performed for three times. Significance tests are performed by (P<0.05) and indicated by different letters. CB0-CB5 are independent transgenic calli lines of Camellia; and Ca1-Ca3 are three control calli lines (JPG 1785 KB)

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Yan, C., Hu, Z., Nie, Z. et al. CcBLH6, a bell-like homeodomain-containing transcription factor, regulates the fruit lignification pattern. Planta 253, 90 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-021-03610-7

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