Lf2 is a knotted homeobox regulator that modulates leaflet number in soybean

Variation in leaf complexity modulates light capture and is a target for crop enhancement. Soybean (Glycine max) typically has compound leaves with three leaflets each, but a spontaneous mutation, designated lf2, possesses seven leaflets, offering a means to dissect the molecular mechanisms specifying leaflet number and assess its potential for soybean improvement. However, the developmental and genetic bases of the lf2 mutation remain unknown. Here, we characterize the seven-leaflet phenotype at morphological and developmental levels and identify the mutation responsible for the phenotypic changes. Microscopic examination of leaf emergence sites revealed that the seven-leaflet phenotype arises through a two-step process: five leaflets form initially, followed by secondary leaflet initiation at the margins of the central leaflet. Genetic mapping delineated lf2 to an approximately 2.5 Mb region at the start of chromosome 11. Fortuitously, integration of pedigree analysis with comparative analysis of genomic sequences from the region pinpointed a 2-bp deletion in the coding sequence of a gene, homologous to the Arabidopsis KNAT7 encoding a KNOTTED1-LIKE HOMEOBOX 2 transcription factor, as the sole candidate for Lf2. The deletion is predicted to result in disruption of the putative DNA-binding homeodomain. Expression of the wild-type allele of the candidate gene in the seven-leaflet lf2 mutant restored the three-leaflet phenotype, validating its candidacy. Partial disruption of the wild-type allele through CRISPR-Cas9 editing induced extra leaflet formation. This study advances our understanding of leaflet formation and underscores the potential of targeted modifications at the Lf2 locus as a strategy to achieve diverse soybean plant architecture.