Molecular Mechanism of Slow Vegetative Growth in Populus Tetraploid

Tetraploid plants often have altered rates of vegetative growth relative to their diploid progenitors. However, the molecular basis for altered growth rates remains a mystery. This study reports microRNA (miRNA) and gene expression differences in Populus tetraploids and counterpart diploids using RNA and miRNA sequencing. The results showed that there was no significant difference between young leaves in the expression of vegetative growth-related miRNAs. However, as leaves aged, the expression of auxin- and gibberellin-related miRNAs was significantly upregulated, while the expression of senescence-related miRNAs was significantly downregulated. The dose effect enhanced the negative regulation of the target genes with ARFs, GA20ox, GA3ox, and GAMYB being downregulated, and TCP and NAC being upregulated. As a result, the chloroplast degradation of tetraploid leaves was accelerated, the photosynthetic rate was decreased, and the synthesis and decomposition ability of carbohydrate was decreased.