WPA1 encodes a vWA domain protein that regulates wheat plant architecture

Plant height, spike, leaf, stem and grain morphologies are key components of plant architecture and related to wheat yield. A wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) mutant, wpa1, displaying temperature-dependent pleiotropic developmental anomalies, was isolated. The WPA1 gene, encoding a von Willebrand factor type A (vWA) domain protein, was located on chromosome arm 7DS and isolated by map-based cloning. The functionality of WPA1 was validated by multiple independent EMS-induced mutants and gene editing. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that WPA1 is monocotyledon-specific in higher plants. The identification of WPA1 provides opportunity to study the temperature regulated wheat development and grain yield.