Functional characterisation of BnaA02.TOP1α and BnaC02.TOP1α involved in true leaf biomass accumulation in Brassica napus L.

Leaves, as primary photosynthetic organs essential for high crop yield and quality, have attracted significant attention. The functions of DNA topoisomerase 1α (TOP1α) in various biological processes, including leaf development, in Brassica napus remain unknown. Here, four paralogs of BnaTOP1α, namely BnaA01.TOP1α, BnaA02.TOP1α, BnaC01.TOP1α and BnaC02.TOP1α, were identified and cloned in the B. napus inbred line ‘K407’. Expression pattern analysis revealed that BnaA02.TOP1α and BnaC02.TOP1α, but not BnaA01.TOP1α and BnaC01.TOP1α, were persistently and highly expressed in B. napus true leaves. Preliminary analysis in Arabidopsis thaliana revealed that BnaA02.TOP1α and BnaC02.TOP1α paralogs, but not BnaA01.TOP1α and BnaC01.TOP1α, performed biological functions. Targeted mutations of four BnaTOP1α paralogs in B. napus using the CRISPR-Cas9 system revealed that BnaA02.TOP1α and BnaC02.TOP1α served as functional paralogs and redundantly promoted true leaf number and size, thereby promoting true leaf biomass accumulation. Moreover, BnaA02.TOP1α modulated the levels of endogenous gibberellins, cytokinins and auxins by indirectly regulating several genes related to their metabolism processes. BnaA02.TOP1α directly activated BnaA03.CCS52A2 and BnaC09.AN3 by facilitating the recruitment of RNA polymerase II and modulating H3K27me3, H3K36me2 and H3K36me3 levels at these loci and indirectly activated the BnaA08.PARL1 expression, thereby positively controlling the true leaf size in B. napus. Additionally, BnaA02.TOP1α indirectly activated the BnaA07.PIN1 expression to positively regulate the true leaf number. These results reveal the important functions of BnaTOP1α and provide insights into the regulatory network controlling true leaf biomass accumulation in B. napus.