Overexpression of a Novel Apple NAC Transcription Factor Gene, MdNAC1, Confers the Dwarf Phenotype in Transgenic Apple (Malus domestica)

Jia, Dongfeng; Gong, Xiaoqing; Li, Mingjun; Li, Chao; Sun, Tingting; Ma, Fengwang

doi:10.3390/genes9050229

Open AccessArticle

Overexpression of a Novel Apple NAC Transcription Factor Gene, MdNAC1, Confers the Dwarf Phenotype in Transgenic Apple (Malus domestica)

by

Dongfeng Jia

^†

,

Xiaoqing Gong

^†,

Mingjun Li

,

Chao Li

,

Tingting Sun

and

Fengwang Ma

^*

State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

^†

These authors contributed equally to this work.

Genes 2018, 9(5), 229; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes9050229

Submission received: 3 March 2018 / Revised: 19 April 2018 / Accepted: 20 April 2018 / Published: 27 April 2018

(This article belongs to the Section Plant Genetics and Genomics)

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Abstract

Plant height is an important trait for fruit trees. The dwarf characteristic is commonly associated with highly efficient fruit production, a major objective when breeding for apple (Malus domestica). We studied the function of MdNAC1, a novel NAC transcription factor (TF) gene in apple related to plant dwarfing. Localized primarily to the nucleus, MdNAC1 has transcriptional activity in yeast cells. Overexpression of the gene results in a dwarf phenotype in transgenic apple plants. Their reduction in size is manifested by shorter, thinner stems and roots, and a smaller leaf area. The transgenics also have shorter internodes and fewer cells in the stems. Levels of endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) and brassinosteroid (BR) are lower in the transgenic plants, and expression is decreased for genes involved in the biosynthesis of those phytohormones. All of these findings demonstrate that MdNAC1 has a role in plants dwarfism, probably by regulating ABA and BR production.

Keywords: apple; MdNAC1; dwarf; abscisic acid; brassinosteroid

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MDPI and ACS Style

Jia, D.; Gong, X.; Li, M.; Li, C.; Sun, T.; Ma, F. Overexpression of a Novel Apple NAC Transcription Factor Gene, MdNAC1, Confers the Dwarf Phenotype in Transgenic Apple (Malus domestica). Genes 2018, 9, 229. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes9050229

AMA Style

Jia D, Gong X, Li M, Li C, Sun T, Ma F. Overexpression of a Novel Apple NAC Transcription Factor Gene, MdNAC1, Confers the Dwarf Phenotype in Transgenic Apple (Malus domestica). Genes. 2018; 9(5):229. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes9050229

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jia, Dongfeng, Xiaoqing Gong, Mingjun Li, Chao Li, Tingting Sun, and Fengwang Ma. 2018. "Overexpression of a Novel Apple NAC Transcription Factor Gene, MdNAC1, Confers the Dwarf Phenotype in Transgenic Apple (Malus domestica)" Genes 9, no. 5: 229. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes9050229

APA Style

Jia, D., Gong, X., Li, M., Li, C., Sun, T., & Ma, F. (2018). Overexpression of a Novel Apple NAC Transcription Factor Gene, MdNAC1, Confers the Dwarf Phenotype in Transgenic Apple (Malus domestica). Genes, 9(5), 229. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes9050229

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Overexpression of a Novel Apple NAC Transcription Factor Gene, MdNAC1, Confers the Dwarf Phenotype in Transgenic Apple (Malus domestica)

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