Disruption of CHORISMATE SYNTHASE1 leads to yellow-green variegation in soybean leaves.

Yellow-green variegation leaf phenotype adds more value in the ornamental plants, but it is regarded as an undesirable trait in crop plants affecting their yields. Until data, the underlying mechanism regulating the yellow-green variegation phenotype has remained largely unexplored in soybean. In the present study, we used four Glycine max Leaf Yellow/Green Variegation Mutants viz., Gmvar1, Gmvar2, Gmvar3, and Gmvar4 identified from the artificial mutagenesis populations. Map-based cloning together with the allelic identification test and CRISPR-based gene knockout, proved that mutated GmCS1 gene controls yellow-green variegation phenotype of Gmvar mutants. GmCS1 encodes a chorismate synthase in soybean. The content of Phe, Tyr and Trp were dramatically decreased in Gmcs1 mutants. Exogenous supply of three aromatic amino acid mixture or only Phe to Gmvar mutants, leads to the recovery of the mutant phenotype in Gmvar mutants. The various biological processes and signaling pathways related to metabolism and biosynthesis have been altered in Gmvar mutants. Collectively, our findings provide new insights about the molecular regulatory network of yellow-green variegation leaf phenotype in soybean.