Overexpression of Liriodenron WOX5 in Arabidopsis Leads to Ectopic Flower Formation and Altered Root Morphology.

Roots are essential for plant growth, and studies on root-related genes, exemplified by (), have mainly concentrated on model organisms with less emphasis on the function of these genes in woody plants. Here, we report that overexpression of the gene from hybrid () in leads to significant morphological changes in both the aerial and subterranean organs. In the aerial parts, overexpression of results in the production of ectopic floral meristems and leaves, possibly via the ectopic activation of and . In addition, in the root, overexpression of alters root apical meristem morphology, leading to a curled and shortened primary root. Importantly, these abnormal phenotypes in the aerial and subterranean organs caused by constitutive ectopic expression of mimic the observed phenotypes when overexpressing and in , respectively. Taken together, we propose that the 5 gene, originating from the Magnoliaceae plant , is a functional homolog of the gene from , while showing the highest degree of sequence similarity with its ortholog, . Our study provides insight into the potential role of in the development of both the shoot and root.