Dr. Seisuke Kimura from Kyoto Sangyo University visited IHB on September 17.

 

Dr. Seisuke Kimura from Kyoto Sangyo University visited Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) on September 17. He presented a report on the "Impact of Environment on the Leaf Development: Studies on Heterophylly of Rorippa aquatic" to IHB scientists and students .  

Plants show leaf form alteration in response to changes in the surrounding environment, and this phenomenon is called heterophylly. Although heterophylly is seen across plant species, the regulatory mechanisms involved are largely unknown. Rorippa aquatic develops pinnately dissected leaves in submerged conditions, whereas it forms simple leaves with serrated margins in terrestrial conditions. Dr. Kimura’s group found that the expression levels of KNOTTED1-LIKE HOMEOBOX (KNOX1) orthologs changed in response to changes in the environment (e.g., changes of ambient temperature; below or above water) and that the accumulation of gibberellin (GA) and cytokinin (CK), which is thought to be regulated by KNOX1 genes, also changed in the leaf primordial .  

Then he demonstrated that GA and cytokinin affect the complexity of leaf form in this species. Moreover, their RNA-seq results revealed a relationship between light intensity and leaf form. They have proved a regulatory network through ambient tempreture, submerse/emerse living conditions and light to leaves shape in Rorippa aquatic. They also show that the mechanism responsible for morphological diversification of leaf form among species may also govern the variation of leaf form within a species in response to environmental changes. After the presentation, scientists and students communicated with Dr. Kimura regarding to heterophylly development. 

Dr. Kimura is leading the Laboratory of Plant Ecological and Evolutionary Developmental Biology at the department of bioresource and environmental Sciences. He has discussed many times in details with peers of IHB and achieved some consensus about sharing resource and cooperation.