The DELAYED ABAXIAL TRICHOMES Helitron has dual functions in vegetative and pollen development in Arabidopsis thaliana

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Doody, Erin; Zhao, Jianfei; Sharma, Bishwas; Poethig, R. Scott
• 署名单位: University of Pennsylvania; University of Cambridge; DePaul University
• 刊物名称: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2511608123
• 发表日期: 2026-03-10
• 页码: e2511608123
• 关键词: transposable element; vegetative phase change; male sterility; gwas; noncoding rna; small rnas; gene-expression; dna methylation; PHASE-CHANGE; genome; transcription; ARGONAUTE1; PATHWAY

摘要

Transposons drive genetic diversity and evolution by altering the genomic landscape over time. Here, we describe DELAYED ABAXIAL TRICHOMES (DAB), a Helitron/ RC transposable element in Arabidopsis thaliana that has a role in vegetative phase change and gametogenesis. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) for the timing of abaxial trichome development (an adult leaf trait) in A. thaliana revealed a conserved haplotype of polymorphisms within DAB that delays abaxial trichome production. CRISPR-Cas9-induced deletions of DAB are gametophytic pollen-lethal, indicating that this locus is also required for pollen production. DAB produces 24-nucleotide siRNAs with sequence complementarity to genes involved in embryogenesis, gametogenesis, and seed development. DAB also impacts the expression ofARGONAUTE genes, genes involved in RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM), as well as genes in several key genetic pathways. This global effect on gene expression suggests that DAB may have functions beyond those identified in this study.