PubMed · 2026-06-18
Researchers identified a gene in hybrid tulip trees that, when overexpressed, both boosts the efficiency of growing new plants from ordinary cells and triggers chromosome doubling — effectively creating a molecular shortcut to polyploid breeding without traditional crossing methods.
Overexpressing the LhAHL15 gene significantly improved both somatic embryogenesis efficiency and embryogenic callus induction in hybrid tulip trees by upregulating key developmental genes including BBM, LEC1, PIN1, PLT2, ARR7, and ARF12.
Flow cytometry confirmed that chromosome number in LhAHL15-overexpressing plants was approximately twice that of controls, demonstrating induced polyploidy.
LhAHL15 promoter activity begins at the earliest stages of embryo development and remains active through all embryo stages — spherical, heart-shaped, torpedo-shaped, and cotyledonary — marking it as a core regulator throughout somatic embryogenesis.
