Intron-mediated alternative splicing of WOOD-ASSOCIATED NAC TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR1B regulates cell wall thickening during fiber development in Populus species

Plant Physiol. 2014 Feb;164(2):765-76. doi: 10.1104/pp.113.231134. Epub 2014 Jan 6.

Abstract

Alternative splicing is an important mechanism involved in regulating the development of multicellular organisms. Although many genes in plants undergo alternative splicing, little is understood of its significance in regulating plant growth and development. In this study, alternative splicing of black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) wood-associated NAC domain transcription factor (PtrWNDs), PtrWND1B, is shown to occur exclusively in secondary xylem fiber cells. PtrWND1B is expressed with a normal short-transcript PtrWND1B-s as well as its alternative long-transcript PtrWND1B-l. The intron 2 structure of the PtrWND1B gene was identified as a critical sequence that causes PtrWND1B alternative splicing. Suppression of PtrWND1B expression specifically inhibited fiber cell wall thickening. The two PtrWND1B isoforms play antagonistic roles in regulating cell wall thickening during fiber cell differentiation in Populus spp. PtrWND1B-s overexpression enhanced fiber cell wall thickening, while overexpression of PtrWND1B-l repressed fiber cell wall thickening. Alternative splicing may enable more specific regulation of processes such as fiber cell wall thickening during wood formation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alternative Splicing / genetics*
  • Cell Wall / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
  • Genes, Plant
  • Introns / genetics*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Organ Specificity / genetics
  • Phloem / cytology
  • Phloem / ultrastructure
  • Plant Proteins / genetics
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Plant Stems / genetics
  • Plants, Genetically Modified
  • Populus / cytology*
  • Populus / genetics*
  • Populus / ultrastructure
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Species Specificity
  • Transcription Factors / genetics*
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Wood / cytology
  • Wood / genetics
  • Xylem / cytology
  • Xylem / genetics*
  • Xylem / metabolism

Substances

  • Plant Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Transcription Factors

Associated data

  • GENBANK/HQ215847
  • GENBANK/HQ215849
  • GENBANK/JF518935
  • RefSeq/XM_002297663
  • RefSeq/XM_002298674
  • RefSeq/XM_002299908
  • RefSeq/XM_002300464
  • RefSeq/XM_002302636
  • RefSeq/XM_002307154
  • RefSeq/XM_002313267
  • RefSeq/XM_002316779
  • RefSeq/XM_002317023
  • RefSeq/XM_002320861
  • RefSeq/XM_002322362
  • RefSeq/XM_002327206