The PagKNAT2/6b-PagBOP1/2a Regulatory Module Controls Leaf Morphogenesis in Populus .

Leaf morphogenesis requires precise regulation of gene expression to achieve organ separation and flat-leaf form. The poplar KNOTTED-like homeobox gene PagKNAT2/6b could change plant architecture, especially leaf shape, in response to drought stress. However, its regulatory mechanism in leaf development remains unclear. In this work, gene expression analyses of PagKNAT2/6b suggested that PagKNAT2/6b was highly expressed during leaf development. Moreover, the leaf shape changes along the adaxial-abaxial, medial-lateral, and proximal-distal axes caused by the mis-expression of PagKNAT2/6b demonstrated that its overexpression ( PagKNAT2/6b OE) and SRDX dominant repression ( PagKNAT2/6b SRDX) poplars had an impact on the leaf axial development. The crinkle leaf of PagKNAT2/6b OE was consistent with the differential expression gene PagBOP1/2a ( BLADE-ON-PETIOLE ), which was the critical gene for regulating leaf development. Further study showed that PagBOP1/2a was directly activated by PagKNAT2/6b through a novel cis -acting element "CTCTT". Together, the PagKNAT2/6b-PagBOP1/2a module regulates poplar leaf morphology by affecting axial development, which provides insights aimed at leaf shape modification for further improving the drought tolerance of woody plants.