TaERFL1a转录因子在小麦籽粒淀粉合成中的功能研究

Function of TaERFL1a Transcription Factor in Grain Starch Synthesis in Common Wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)

乙烯响应转录因子(AP2/ERF)家族在植物逆境胁迫与物质合成中有重要功能,其成员TaERFL1a参与了小麦响应非生物胁迫过程,然而其在淀粉合成中的功能尚不清楚。本研究利用大麦条纹花叶病介导的基因沉默技术(barley stripe mosaic virus-virus induced gene-silencing,BSMV-VIGS),在田间条件下抑制TaERFL1a基因在小麦籽粒中的表达,通过测定灌浆期间籽粒内该基因的表达量、成熟籽粒产量性状和淀粉性状,探究TaERFL1a在小麦籽粒淀粉合成中的功能。结果发现,在接种后23 d,接种BSMV-VIGS-TaERFL1a植株籽粒内TaERFL1a基因表达水平降低了86.5%;TaERFL1a基因沉默植株成熟籽粒的粒长、粒宽、千粒重和淀粉含量分别降低了5.22%、12.70%、9.53%和5.43%;TaERFL1a基因沉默植株的籽粒淀粉粒排列疏松且数量减少。这些结果表明TaERFL1a转录因子在小麦灌浆期间的籽粒淀粉合成中发挥了重要作用。

AP2/ERF transcription factors play important roles in regulating environmental stresses and biological synthesis in plants.Our previous results showed that TaERFL1a,the one of AP2/ERF family,was involved in the abiotic stress in common wheat.However,its function in regulating starch synthesis in wheat remains unclear.In this study,function of TaERFL1a in grain starch synthesis was explored by using the barley stripe mosaic virus-virus induced gene-silencing(BSMV-VIGS)method under field conditions.Our data indicated that transcription levels of TaERFL1a gene in BSMV-TaERFL1a-inoculated wheat plants were significantly inhibited by 86.5%compared to those in BSMV-GFP-inoculated wheat plants(negative control)on 23 d after virus inoculation.The length and width of the seeds,1000-kernel weight and starch content in BSMV-TaERFL1a-inoculated wheat plants were also significantly reduced by 5.22%,12.70%,9.53%and 5.43%,respectively.Scanning electron microscope observation showed that morphology and number of starch granules in grains of BSMV-TaERFL1a-inoculated wheat plants became looser and fewer compared to those of BSMV-GFP-inoculated wheat plants.These results suggested that TaERFL1a acted in regulating starch synthesis of common wheat.