Abstract
To understand developmental process of leaves, we have analyzed ASYMMETRIC LEAVES1 (AS1) and ASYMMETRIC LEAVES2 (AS2) genes. AS1 and AS2 are involved in the establishment of the leaf venation systems, formation of symmetrical and flat lamina and regulation of expression of class 1 knox genes in leaves to maintain the developmental state of cells. Transcripts for AS1 were accumulated in the central region in leaf primordia, and transcripts for AS2 were entirely found in SAM and leaf primordia, and predominantly detected in the epidermal layer in leaf primordia. In this study we show that overexpressor of AS2 generated upwardly curled leaves, while as1 and as2 mutants generated downwardly curled leaves. The results suggested that AS2 might be involved in regulation of cell proliferation of adaxial side of leaf primordia in the presence of AS1. We further show the results of characterization of the AS1 and AS2 proteins.
