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Identification and transcript profiles of citrus growth-regulating factor genes involved in the regulation of leaf and fruit development

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Abstract

Growth-regulating factor (GRF) is an important protein in GA-mediated response, with key roles in plant growth and development. However, it is not known whether or how the GRF proteins in citrus to regulate organ size. In this study, nine citrus GRF genes (CsGRF1–9) were validated from the ‘Anliu’ sweet orange (AL, Citrus sinensis cv. Anliu) by PCR amplification. They all contain two conserved motifs (QLQ and WRC) and have 3–4 exons. The transcript levels of genes were detected by qRT-PCR. Transcript analysis showed that (1) CsGRF 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, and 9 expressed predominantly in young leaf, CsGRF 3 and 4 expressed predominantly in fruit immature juice sacs and CsGRF 8 expressed predominantly in root; (2) all citrus GRF genes had significantly higher expression in young leaves than mature leaf; (3) in juice sacs, the transcript levels of CsGRF1, 4, 5, 6, and 8 increased significantly while the transcript levels of CsGRF2, 3, 7, and 9 had no significant change from 80 DAF to 100 DAF. Besides, GA3 treatment did not affect the transcript levels of CsGRF5 and CsGRF6 but significantly increased the transcript levels of the other seven CsGRF genes in young leaves. These results suggested that all CsGRF genes involve in the leaf development, CsGRF1, 4, 5, 6, and 8 act developmentally whilst CsGRF2, 3, 7, and 9 play fundamental roles in fruit cell enlargement, which may be through GA pathway or GA-independent pathway.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the earmarked fund for China Agriculture Research System (CARS-27).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Huazhong Agricultural University), Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430070, People’s Republic of China

    Xiao Liu, Ling-Xia Guo, Long-Fei Jin, Yong-Zhong Liu, Tao Liu, Yu-Hua Fan & Shu-Ang Peng

  2. Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crop Biology and Genetic Improvement (Central Region), Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430070, People’s Republic of China

    Yong-Zhong Liu

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  1. Xiao Liu
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Correspondence to Yong-Zhong Liu.

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11033_2016_4048_MOESM1_ESM.pdf

Fig. s1 Gene confirmation of CsGRFs. M refers to DL2000 plus DNA marker; the PCR products in lane 1–9 is CsGRF1-CsGRF9, respectively. Supplementary material 1 (PDF 28 kb)

Supplementary material 2 (DOCX 12 kb)

Supplementary material 3 (DOCX 13 kb)

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Liu, X., Guo, LX., Jin, LF. et al. Identification and transcript profiles of citrus growth-regulating factor genes involved in the regulation of leaf and fruit development. Mol Biol Rep 43, 1059–1067 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-016-4048-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-016-4048-1

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