1. Root stem cell niche organizer specification by molecular convergence of PLETHORA and SCARECROW transcription factor modules.
- Author
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Shimotohno A, Heidstra R, Blilou I, and Scheres B
- Subjects
- Arabidopsis cytology, Arabidopsis embryology, Arabidopsis genetics, Arabidopsis growth & development, Arabidopsis Proteins chemistry, Arabidopsis Proteins genetics, Gene Expression, Homeodomain Proteins genetics, Homeodomain Proteins metabolism, Mutation, Plant Roots cytology, Plant Roots embryology, Plant Roots growth & development, Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs, Transcription Factors chemistry, Transcription Factors genetics, Arabidopsis Proteins metabolism, Plant Roots genetics, Stem Cell Niche, Transcription Factors metabolism
- Abstract
Continuous formation of somatic tissues in plants requires functional stem cell niches where undifferentiated cells are maintained. In Arabidopsis thaliana , PLETHORA ( PLT ) and SCARECROW ( SCR ) genes are outputs of apical-basal and radial patterning systems, and both are required for root stem cell specification and maintenance. The WUSCHEL-RELATED HOMEOBOX 5 ( WOX5 ) gene is specifically expressed in and required for functions of a small group of root stem cell organizer cells, also called the quiescent center (QC). PLT and SCR are required for QC function, and their expression overlaps in the QC; however, how they specify the organizer has remained unknown. We show that PLT and SCR genetically and physically interact with plant-specific teosinte-branched cycloidea PCNA (TCP) transcription factors to specify the stem cell niche during embryogenesis and maintain organizer cells post-embryonically. PLT-TCP-SCR complexes converge on PLT-binding sites in the WOX5 promoter to induce expression., (© 2018 Shimotohno et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.)
- Published
- 2018
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