Open AccessDifferential spatial distribution of miR165/6 determines variability in plant root anatomy
Author(s) -
Giovanna Di Ruocco,
Gaia Bertolotti,
Elena Pacifici,
Laura Polverari,
Miltos Tsiantis,
Sabrina Sabatini,
Paolo Costantino,
Raffaele Dello Ioio
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.754
H-Index - 325
eISSN - 1477-9129
pISSN - 0950-1991
DOI - 10.1242/dev.153858
Subject(s) - biology , homeobox , arabidopsis , transcription factor , arabidopsis thaliana , evolutionary biology , botany , anatomy , embryo , phenotype , interspecific competition , genetics , gene , mutant
A clear example of interspecific variation is the number of root cortical layers in plants. The genetic mechanisms underlying this variability are poorly understood, partly because of the lack of a convenient model. Here, we demonstrate that Cardamine hirsuta , unlike Arabidopsis thaliana , has two cortical layers that are patterned during late embryogenesis. We show that a miR165/6-dependent distribution of the HOMEODOMAIN LEUCINE ZIPPER III (HD-ZIPIII) transcription factor PHABULOSA (PHB) controls this pattern. Our findings reveal that interspecies variation in miRNA distribution can determine differences in anatomy in plants.