Identification and Candidate Gene Analysis of , a Novel Gene Confers a Leaf Curled Phenotype in L.

Leaf shape is an important determinant of photosynthesis, yield and quality in plants. In this study, we obtained a curled leaf mutant, , from an ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS)-induced mutagenesis population. It was designated the locus. Bulk segregant RNA sequencing combined with recombinant screening identified the candidate interval responsible for in a 97.5 kb region on chromosome A02. Twelve genes were identified within the candidate region. Sequence differences and co-separation verification confirmed that was the most promising candidate gene underlying the locus. It is homologous to (), which has been shown to act as a negative regulator of the gibberellin pathway. Combined with cell morphology observation, it is speculated that the loss of function of results in differences in cell development, ultimately leading to changes in leaf morphology. The results will contribute to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying leaf curling in . .