Abstract
asymmetric leaves1 (as1) and asymmetric leacves2 (as2) mutants of Arabidopsis show similar phenotype, such as the formation of asymmetrically lobed and downwardly curled leaves. It has been reported that as1 and as2 mutants also show the abaxialized leaves. The AS1 gene encodes a protein containing two myb repeats. The AS2 gene encodes a plant-specific protein with a domain containing a cysteine repeat and a leucine-zipper-like sequence. To elucidate the molecular function of AS1 and AS2, we isolated several enhancer mutants that enhance the abnormality in the adaxial-abaxial polarity in the leaves of the as1 mutant. One of the enhancer mutants, enhancer of asymmetric leaves1 (eal1) had abaxialized filamentous leaves. RT-PCR analysis revealed that the transcripts of EAL1 gene were accumulated in leaves and shoot apices.
