Research articlePzTAC and PzLAZY from a narrow-crown poplar contribute to regulation of branch angles

•Even though PzTAC and PzLAZY in poplars exhibited similar expression patterns and altered branch angles, the two genes played opposite roles in this transformation.

Plant architecture, as a basic element influenced by genetic and environmental factors, has an important effect on grain yield via light transmission in agroforestry systems. The molecular mechanism underlying control of branch angle, an important aspect of tree architecture, is not well understood in poplars. Here, we cloned two genes from Populus × zhaiguanheibaiyang (a narrow-crown poplar), designated PzTAC and PzLAZY, which were predicted to be members of the ITG gene family through sequence homology. Transcript levels of the homologous genes were estimated by reverse transcriptase quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) in different organs of P. × zhaiguanheibaiyang and P. Deltoides 'Zhonglin2025' (a broad-crown poplar). TAC expression was mainly confined to the leaves and annual shoots, whereas LAZY was mainly expressed in the annual shoots and axillary buds. Beside, we detected the promoter expression patterns derived from the PzTAC and PzLAZY genes using the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene in transgenic Populus × euramericana 'Neva'. GUS activity driven by the PzTAC and PzLAZY promoters was detected in mature leaves, leaf axils and vascular tissues of roots. The PzTAC promoter was mainly active in leaf veins, whereas the PzLAZY promoter was mainly active in mesophyll cells and root tips. The average branch angle in transgenic 35S::PzTAC plants was larger than that of transgenic 35S::PzLAZY plants. The results provide strong evidence that the two genes affect the vascular tissues of transgenic plants to modify branch angles.

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