Control of leaf morphogenesis by microRNAs

PALATNIK, JAVIER FERNANDO; ALLEN, E; XU, L; SCHOMMER, C; SCHWAB, R; CARRIGNGTON, JC; WEIGEL, D

NATURE

NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP

Año: 2003 vol. 425 p. 257 - 263

0028-0836

Plants with altered microRNA metabolism have pleiotropic developmental defects, but direct evidence for microRNAs regulatingspecific aspects of plant morphogenesis has been lacking. In a genetic screen, we identified the JAW locus, which produces amicroRNA that can guide messenger RNA cleavage of several TCP genes controlling leaf development. MicroRNA-guided cleavageof TCP4 mRNA is necessary to prevent aberrant activity of the TCP4 gene expressed from its native promoter. In addition,overexpression of wild-type and microRNA-resistant TCP variants demonstrates that mRNA cleavage is largely sufficient to restrictTCP function to its normal domain of activity. TCP genes with microRNA target sequences are found in a wide range of species,indicating that microRNA-mediated control of leaf morphogenesis is conserved in plants with very different leaf forms.