Unlocking the Functional Dynamics of ERF103 in Arabidopsis thaliana: A key player in Plant Growth Regulation

This study investigates the role of the transcription factor AtERF013 in regulating root and shoot development, flowering time, leaf morphology, anthocyanin biosynthesis, and reproduction in Arabidopsis thaliana . AtERF013 overexpression ( 35s-AtERF013 ) enhanced vegetative growth, increasing auxin (IAA) levels in seedlings by 131%, significantly increasing root length, and accelerating lateral root development. In contrast, genome-edited ( GE-aterf013 ) lines reduced growth, with a 50% decrease in IAA levels and shorter primary and lateral roots. Overexpression also induced early flowering, accelerated stem elongation, and increased silique length by 38% and 33% compared to wild-type (Col-0) plants. In contrast, genome-edited lines delayed flowering and reduced silique length by 32% and 27%. Leaf morphology was significantly altered, with 35s-AtERF013 lines showing a 71–84% increase in leaf length and an 82–85% increase in total leaf area, while GE-etaref013 line exhibited 17–18% and 81–111% reductions in leaf length and area, respectively. AtERF013 overexpression also enhanced anthocyanin biosynthesis, increasing anthocyanin accumulation and upregulating the DFR gene seven-fold. Regarding reproductive traits, overexpression increased seed count per silique by 72–111%, while genome-edited lines showed a 50–77% decrease compared to Col-0 plants. Furthermore, GE-aterf013 lines displayed underdeveloped stigmas and a higher proportion of non-viable seeds. These findings highlight AtERF013 as a crucial regulator of plant growth, development, and metabolism, with significant implications for enhancing agronomic traits in A. thalian and other crops.