Functional conservation of Arabidopsis LNG1 in tobacco relating to leaf shape change by increasing longitudinal cell elongation by overexpression

The LONGIFOLIA1 (LNG1) gene of Arabidopsis regulates leaf shape by polar cell elongation independent of ROTUNDAFOLIA3 (ROT3). To expand our knowledge on the function of this gens in plant systems, Arabidopsis LNG1 (AtLNG1) was introduced both sense and antisense orientation under the control of 35S CaMV promoter into tobacco plants that lack AtLNG1 homolog. Resulting transgenic tobacco plants were analyzed by their phenotype, anatomy and transcript levels. AtLNG1-overexpressing tobacco lines showed increase in the leaf petiole and leaf blade compared with wild type tobacco line. The overexpressors also showed elongated palisade cells as well as epidermal cells in the leaf length direction, but no increase in cell number. Ectopic expression of AtLNG1 in tobacco plants also increased the expression of cell wall modification-related genes, such as NT_XYLOGLUCAN ENDOTRANSGLUCOSYLASE/HYDROLASE9 (NT_XTH9), NT_XTH15 and NT_XTH33, indicating that these genes appear to be target of AtLNG1. As results of molecular and cellular examination, AtLNG1 seemed to have a conserved functional role in shaping leaf morphology in both Arabidopsis and tobacco.