Synonymous mutation in Growth Regulating Factor 15 of miR396a target sites enhances photosynthetic efficiency and heat tolerance in poplar

Abstract Heat stress damages plant tissues and induces multiple adaptive responses. Complex and spatiotemporally specific interactions among transcription factors (TFs), microRNAs (miRNAs), and their targets play crucial roles in regulating stress responses. To explore these interactions and to identify regulatory networks in perennial woody plants subjected to heat stress, we integrated time-course RNA-seq, small RNA-seq, degradome sequencing, weighted gene correlation network analysis, and multi-gene association approaches in poplar. Results from Populus trichocarpa enabled us to construct a three-layer, highly interwoven regulatory network involving 15 TFs, 45 miRNAs, and 77 photosynthetic genes. Candidate gene association studies in a population of P. tomentosa identified 114 significant associations and 696 epistatic SNP–SNP pairs that were linked to 29 photosynthetic and growth traits (P<0.0001, q<0.05). We also identified miR396a and its target, Growth-Regulating Factor 15 (GRF15) as an important regulatory module in the heat-stress response. Transgenic plants of hybrid poplar (P. alba × P. glandulosa) overexpressing a GRF15 mRNA lacking the miR396a target sites exhibited enhanced heat tolerance and photosynthetic efficiency compared to wild-type plants. Together, our observations demonstrate that GRF15 plays a crucial role in responding to heat stress, and they highlight the power of this new, multifaceted approach for identifying regulatory nodes in plants.