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Molecular identification and functional verification of SPL9 and SPL15 of Lilium

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Abstract

The transformation of plants from juveniles to adults is a key process in plant growth and development, and the main regulatory factors are miR156 and SQUAMOSA promoter binding protein-like (SPL) transcription factors. Lilium is an ornamental bulb, but it has a long maturation time. In this experiment, Lilium bulbs were subjected to a temperature treatment of 15 °C for 4 weeks to initiate vegetative phase change. Transmission electron microscopy indicated the cell wall of bud core tissue undergoing vegetative phase change became thinner, the starch grains were reduced, and the growth of the juvenile stage was accelerated. The key transcription factors LbrSPL9 and LbrSPL15 were cloned, and the phylogenetic analysis showed they possessed high homology with other plant SPLs. Subcellular localization and transcription activation experiments confirmed LbrSPL9 and LbrSPL15 were mainly located in the nucleus and exhibited transcriptional activity. The results of in situ hybridization showed the expression levels of LbrSPL9 and LbrSPL15 were increased after temperature change treatment. The functional verification experiment of the transgenic plants confirmed that the overexpression of LbrSPL9 and LbrSPL15 could shorten maturation time. These findings help elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of phase transition in Lilium and provide a reference for breeding research in other bulbous flowers.

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Acknowledgements

This project was supported by the Beijing Natural Science Fund-Municipal Education Commission Jointly Funded Projects (grant No. KZ201810020029). The authors hope to express their appreciation to the reviewers for this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Tree Breeding by Molecular Design, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, 102206, People’s Republic of China

    Mengna Zhao, Rongxiu Liu, Yao Chen, Jinteng Cui, Wei Ge & Kezhong Zhang

  2. College of Landscape Architecture, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, 102206, People’s Republic of China

    Mengna Zhao, Rongxiu Liu, Yao Chen, Jinteng Cui, Wei Ge & Kezhong Zhang

  3. Beijing Laboratory of Urban and Rural Ecological Environment, Beijing, 102206, People’s Republic of China

    Jinteng Cui, Wei Ge & Kezhong Zhang

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  1. Mengna Zhao
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  2. Rongxiu Liu
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  3. Yao Chen
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  4. Jinteng Cui
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  5. Wei Ge
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Contributions

MZ completed all the experiments. MZ and WG wrote the manuscript; RL, YC and JC finished the data analysis; KZ and WG supervised and designed all the experiments. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Wei Ge or Kezhong Zhang.

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Communicated by Bing Yang.

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Zhao, M., Liu, R., Chen, Y. et al. Molecular identification and functional verification of SPL9 and SPL15 of Lilium. Mol Genet Genomics 297, 63–74 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00438-021-01832-8

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