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<p>Secondary growth is a fundamental process in the development of woody plants, contributing to biomass accumulation and structural support. The WUSCHEL-related homeobox 4 (<i>BpWOX4</i>) gene is known to regulate vascular cambium activity in trees, however, its specific function in <i>Betula platyphylla</i> remains unclear. In this study, we functionally characterized <i>BpWOX4</i> and examined its role in secondary growth using transcriptomic, physiological, and histological analyses. Transcriptomic data revealed that <i>BpWOX4</i> overexpression enhances the upstream steps of the phenylpropanoid pathway, significantly upregulating key lignin biosynthesis genes, including <i>PAL</i>, <i>4CL</i>, and <i>COMT</i>, while <i>CAD</i> expression was reduced compared to wild type (WT). Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG enrichment analyses further supported the activation of phenylpropanoid and lignin biosynthesis pathways. In addition, major transcription factors associated with secondary growth, particularly members of the MYB and NAC families, were significantly upregulated in the overexpression (OE) lines. Physiological and anatomical assessments showed that <i>BpWOX4</i> overexpression increased stem diameter, xylem thickness, and lignin content. Collectively, these findings provide new insights into the molecular regulation of secondary growth and identified <i>BpWOX4</i> as a promising genetic target for improving biomass production and wood quality in forest trees.</p>

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The WUSCHEL-related homeobox 4 (BpWOX4) promotes secondary growth through lignin biosynthesis activation in Betula platyphylla

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月19日

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  • Haroon Rasheed,
  • Tingting Jin,
  • Dinghao Liu,
  • Yijie Li,
  • Chichi Winarsih,
  • Bello Hassan Jakada,
  • Xigang Wang,
  • Haijiao Huang

摘要

Secondary growth is a fundamental process in the development of woody plants, contributing to biomass accumulation and structural support. The WUSCHEL-related homeobox 4 (BpWOX4) gene is known to regulate vascular cambium activity in trees, however, its specific function in Betula platyphylla remains unclear. In this study, we functionally characterized BpWOX4 and examined its role in secondary growth using transcriptomic, physiological, and histological analyses. Transcriptomic data revealed that BpWOX4 overexpression enhances the upstream steps of the phenylpropanoid pathway, significantly upregulating key lignin biosynthesis genes, including PAL, 4CL, and COMT, while CAD expression was reduced compared to wild type (WT). Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG enrichment analyses further supported the activation of phenylpropanoid and lignin biosynthesis pathways. In addition, major transcription factors associated with secondary growth, particularly members of the MYB and NAC families, were significantly upregulated in the overexpression (OE) lines. Physiological and anatomical assessments showed that BpWOX4 overexpression increased stem diameter, xylem thickness, and lignin content. Collectively, these findings provide new insights into the molecular regulation of secondary growth and identified BpWOX4 as a promising genetic target for improving biomass production and wood quality in forest trees.