Abstract
Larix is an important commercial tree species and possesses huge value in ecological protection. Heterosis is a common genetic phenomenon in Larix, and it has been widely used to breed new varieties with fast-growing trait. However, compared with the large-scale planting of F1 hybrids in the afforestation of Larix, the molecular basis and regulatory mechanism of heterosis remain ambiguous. In a previous study, LaAP2L1, an APETALA2/ethylene responsive element binding factor (AP2/ERF) transcription factor (TFs), was cloned from L. kaempferi and confirmed to play a crucial role in the formation of fast-growing heterotic trait of F1 hybrids. However, the regulatory mechanism of LaAP2L1 remains unclear. In the present study, the proteins that interact with LaAP2L1 were identified by screening a yeast two-hybrid library. A total of 109 proteins were identified to interact with LaAP2L1, among which NdhL, YUC6, TOPP1, AMSH2, SPDS2, EIP9, and DMR6 showed strong interactions with LaAP2L1. In addition, 4831 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between the LaAP2L1-overexpressing transgenic lines and vector controls. These DEGs displayed significant enrichment in the regulatory processes associated with the synthesis and establishment of cell components, such as cell wall, cytoskeleton, and ribosome; gibberellin metabolism; cell cycle phase transition; carbohydrate metabolism; and circadian rhythm regulation. These results suggested that LaAP2L1 functions in the formation of heterosis, mainly by regulating these growth and development processes via interacting with proteins, such as NdhL, YUC6, TOPP1, AMSH2, SPDS2, EIP9, and DMR6. The findings provide new insights into the regulation of LaAP2L1 in the formation of fast-growing heterotic trait in Larix.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Liwang Qi (the Chinese Academy of Forestry, Bei**g, China) for kindly hel** to collect the young leaves of L. kaempferi F1 hybrids with fast-growing heterotic trait and their two parental lines.
Funding
This work was funded by grants from the State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, China (NFUZD2015), the Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31872115 and No. 31470669), The National science and technology major special project of transgenes (2018ZX08020003-001–003) and The Science and Technology of Tian**, China (No. 18ZXZYNC00160).
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ZY: conducted the identification of proteins interacted with LaAP2L1 and qRT-PCR assay; LH: performed the data analysis of transcriptome sequencing; HL and ZX: performed the construction of yeast expression vectors; WM and PY: preformed the screen of yeast two-hybrid library; ZX and LM: Performed data analysis and qRT-PCR assay; ZY, LH and WC: wrote the manuscript, and WC and LH: designed the project.
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Zhu, Y., Li, H., He, L. et al. Transcriptome and Proteins Analysis Reveals the Gene Regulatory Processes Mediated by LaAP2L1, an AP2/ERF Transcription Factor, Functioning in Fast-Growing Heterosis in Larix kaempferi. J Plant Growth Regul 42, 842–853 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-022-10590-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-022-10590-9