Genome-edited TaTFL1-5 mutation decreases tiller and spikelet numbers in common wheat
Jun Sun, Xiao Min Bie, Xiao Li Chu, Ning Wang, Xian Sheng Zhang, Xin‐Qi Gao
Abstract
Tillering is a critical agronomic trait of wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) that determines the shoot architecture and affects grain yield. TERMINAL FLOWER 1 ( TFL1 ), encoding a phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein, is implicated in the transition to flowering and shoot architecture in plant development. However, the roles of TFL1 homologs is little known in wheat development. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated targeted mutagenesis was used in this study to generate a set of wheat (Fielder) mutants with single, double or triple-null tatfl1-5 alleles. The wheat tatfl1-5 mutations decreased the tiller number per plant in the vegetative growth stage and the effective tiller number per plant and spikelet number per spike at maturity in the field. RNA-seq analysis showed that the expression of the auxin signaling–related and cytokinin signaling–related genes was significantly changed in the axillary buds of tatfl1-5 mutant seedlings. The results suggested that wheat TaTFL1-5s were implicated in tiller regulation by auxin and cytokinin signaling.