A GPAT1 Mutation in Arabidopsis Enhances Plant Height but Impairs Seed Oil Biosynthesis

Abstract

Glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferases (GPATs) play an important role in glycerolipid biosynthesis, and are mainly involved in oil production, flower development, and stress response. However, their roles in regulating plant height remain unreported. Here, we report that Arabidopsis GPAT1 is involved in the regulation of plant height. GUS assay and qRT-PCR analysis in Arabidopsis showed that GPAT1 is highly expressed in flowers, siliques, and seeds. A loss of function mutation in GPAT1 was shown to decrease seed yield but increase plant height through enhanced cell length. Transcriptomic and qRT-PCR data revealed that the expression levels of genes related to gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis and signaling, as well as those of cell wall organization and biogenesis, were significantly upregulated. These led to cell length elongation, and thus, an increase in plant height. Together, our data suggest that knockout of GPAT1 impairs glycerolipid metabolism in Arabidopsis, leading to reduced seed yield, but promotes the biosynthesis of GA, which ultimately enhances plant height. This study provides new evidence on the interplay between lipid and hormone metabolism in the regulation of plant height.

bHLH010/089 Transcription Factors Control Pollen Wall Development via Specific Transcriptional and Metabolic Networks in Arabidopsis thaliana

“…Either abnormal development or advanced/delayed PCD of a tapetum leads to impaired pollen wall development and reduced male fertility [ 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 ]. A genetic transcriptional pathway has been demonstrated to function in regulating the development and PCD of a tapetum, from the upstream to the downstream, including the following transcription factor (TF) genes: dysfunctional tapetum 1 ( DYT1 ), bHLH010/bHLH089/bHLH091 , defective in tapetal development and function 1 ( TDF1 )/ MYB35 , and aborted microspores ( AMS ), MYB103 [ 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 ]. Although all of the above TF genes were confirmed to be required for tapetum development, whether they function in pollen wall formation and the possible regulatory pathways remains not very clear.…”

Metabolism and Signaling of Plant Mitochondria in Adaptation to Environmental Stresses

“…At least 23 and two transcripts were up- and downregulated upon RAP2.12 overexpression, respectively, including AOX1b (5.1-fold induced). In addition, seeds from the prt6 mutant presented alterations in the mitochondrial transcripts [ 78 ] involved in central carbon and lipid metabolisms, such as QUA-QUINE STARCH ( QQS ) [ 111 ], GLYCEROL-3-PHOSPHATE ACYLTRANSFERASE 1 ( GPAT1 ) [ 112 ], and DUF581 CYCLIN-DEPENDENT KINASE ( AT1G74940 ), among which the latter was shown to interact with SNRK1 [ 113 ]. Moreover, AOX1a and NDB3 were downregulated in seeds from the prt6 mutant [ 78 ].…”

Applications and prospects of genome editing in plant fatty acid and triacylglycerol biosynthesis

“…As a result of the deletion of Arabidopsis GPAT1 , SFAs content decreased and MUFAs content increased ( Bai et al, 2021 ). Plant height and cell length increased, but oil content decreased in gpat1 mutants ( Bai et al, 2021 ).…”

“…As a result of the deletion of Arabidopsis GPAT1 , SFAs content decreased and MUFAs content increased ( Bai et al, 2021 ). Plant height and cell length increased, but oil content decreased in gpat1 mutants ( Bai et al, 2021 ). In rapeseed, Bnlpat2 and Bnlpat5 single mutants increased the content of 18:0 and 20:0, and decreased the content of 18:1, 18:2, and 18:3 ( Zhang et al, 2019b ).…”