The miR156/SPL Module, a Regulatory Hub and Versatile Toolbox, Gears up Crops for Enhanced Agronomic Traits

• Published in: Molecular plant 2015-05, Vol.8 (5), p.677-688
• Main Authors: Wang, Hai, Wang, Haiyang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: agronomic trait; crop; Crops, Agricultural - genetics; Crops, Agricultural - growth & development; Crops, Agricultural - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; MicroRNAs - genetics; MicroRNAs - metabolism; miR156; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Plants, Genetically Modified; Quantitative Trait, Heritable; SPL; SQUAMOSA-PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE (SPL); Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism; 农艺性状; 叶片发育; 基因作物; 多功能; 工具箱; 模块; 管理中心
• ISSN: 1674-2052; 1752-9867
• DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2015.01.008

In the past two decades, members of the SQUAMOSA-PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE （SPL） family of transcription factors, first identified in Antirrhinum majus, have emerged as pivotal regulators of diverse biological processes in plants, including the timing of vegetative and reproductive phase change, leaf development, tillering/branching, plastochron, panicle/tassel architecture, fruit ripening, fertility, and response to stresses. Transcripts of a subset of SPLs are targeted for cleavage and/or translational repres- sion by microRNA156s （miR156s）. The levels of miR156s are regulated by both endogenous developmental cues and various external stimuli. Accumulating evidence shows that the regulatory circuit around the miR156/SPL module is highly conserved among phylogenetically distinct plant species, and plays impor- tant roles in regulating plant fitness, biomass, and yield. With the expanding knowledge and a mechanistic understanding of their roles and regulatory relationship, we can now harness the miR156/SPL module as a plethora of tools to genetically manipulate crops for optimal parameters in growth and development, and ultimately to maximize yield by intelligent design of crops.