Cao Dingding, Lin Zhongyuan, Huang Longyu, Damaris Rebecca Njeri, Li Ming, Yang Pingfang
State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China.
Institute of Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, 350108, China.
Planta. 2021 Feb 9;253(3):65. doi: 10.1007/s00425-021-03581-9.
CONSTANS-LIKE 5 of Nelumbo nucifera is capable of promoting potato tuberization through CONSTANS-FLOWERING LOCUS T and gibberellin signaling pathways with a probable association with lotus rhizome enlargement. Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is an aquatic plant that is affiliated to the Nelumbonaceace family. It is widely used as an ornamental, vegetable, and medicinal herb with its rhizome being a popular vegetable. To explore the molecular mechanism underlying its rhizome enlargement, we conducted a systematic analysis on the CONSTANS-LIKE (COL) gene family, with the results, indicating that this gene plays a role in regulating potato tuber expansion. These analyses included phylogenetic relationships, gene structure, and expressional patterns of lotus COL family genes. Based on these analyses, NnCOL5 was selected for further study on its potential function in lotus rhizome formation. NnCOL5 was shown to be located in the nucleus, and its expression was positively associated with the enlargement of lotus rhizome. Besides, the overexpression of NnCOL5 in potato led to increased tuber weight and starch content under short-day conditions without changing the number of tubers. Further analysis suggested that the observed tuber changes might be mediated by affecting the expression of genes in CO-FT and GA signaling pathways. These results provide valuable insight in understanding the functions of COL gene as well as the enlargement of lotus rhizome.
莲的CONSTANS-LIKE 5能够通过CONSTANS-开花位点T和赤霉素信号通路促进马铃薯块茎形成，可能与莲藕膨大有关。莲（Nelumbo nucifera）是一种隶属于莲科的水生植物。它被广泛用作观赏植物、蔬菜和药草，其根茎是一种受欢迎的蔬菜。为了探究其根茎膨大的分子机制，我们对CONSTANS-LIKE（COL）基因家族进行了系统分析，结果表明该基因在调控马铃薯块茎膨大方面发挥作用。这些分析包括莲COL家族基因的系统发育关系、基因结构和表达模式。基于这些分析，选择NnCOL5进一步研究其在莲藕形成中的潜在功能。结果表明NnCOL5定位于细胞核，其表达与莲藕膨大呈正相关。此外，在短日照条件下，NnCOL5在马铃薯中的过表达导致块茎重量和淀粉含量增加，而块茎数量不变。进一步分析表明，观察到的块茎变化可能是通过影响CO-FT和GA信号通路中基因的表达来介导的。这些结果为理解COL基因的功能以及莲藕膨大提供了有价值的见解。
