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Control of proliferation, endoreduplication and differentiation by the Arabidopsis E2Fa–DPa transcription factor
Author(s) -
De Veylder Lieven,
Beeckman Tom,
Beemster Gerrit T.S.,
de Almeida Engler Janice,
Ormenese Sandra,
Maes Sara,
Naudts Mirande,
Van Der Schueren Els,
Jacqmard Annie,
Engler Gilbert,
Inzé Dirk
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
the embo journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.484
H-Index - 392
eISSN - 1460-2075
pISSN - 0261-4189
DOI - 10.1093/emboj/21.6.1360
Subject(s) - endoreduplication , biology , transcription factor , arabidopsis , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , gene , mutant , cell cycle
New plant cells arise at the meristems, where they divide a few times before they leave the cell‐cycle program and start to differentiate. Here we show that the E2Fa–DPa transcription factor of Arabidopsis thaliana is a key regulator determining the proliferative status of plant cells. Ectopic expression of E2Fa induced sustained cell proliferation in normally differentiated cotyledon and hypocotyl cells. The phenotype was enhanced strongly by the co‐expression of E2Fa with its dimerization partner, DPa . In endoreduplicating cells, E2Fa–DPa also caused extra DNA replication that was correlated with transcriptional induction of S phase genes. Because E2Fa–DPa transgenic plants arrested early in development, we argue that controlled exit of the cell cycle is a prerequisite for normal plant development.