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Antagonistic action of TILLERS ABSENT1 and FLORAL ORGAN NUMBER2 regulates stem cell maintenance during axillary meristem development in rice
Author(s) -
Tanaka Wakana,
Hirano HiroYuki
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/nph.16163
Subject(s) - meristem , biology , arabidopsis , axillary bud , arabidopsis thaliana , microbiology and biotechnology , stem cell , botany , shoot , genetics , gene , mutant , tissue culture , in vitro
Summary Shoot branches are formed from the axillary meristem and their formation is a key process in plant development. Although our understanding of the mechanisms underlying stem cell maintenance in the shoot apical meristem ( SAM ) is progressing, our knowledge of these mechanisms during the process of axillary meristem development is insufficient. To elucidate the genetic mechanisms underlying axillary meristem development in rice ( Oryza sativa ), we undertook a molecular genetic analysis focusing on TILLERS ABSENT 1 ( TAB 1 ) and FLORAL ORGAN NUMBER 2 ( FON 2 ), respective orthologs of the WUSCHEL and CLAVATA 3 genes involved in SAM maintenance in Arabidopsis ( Arabidopsis thaliana ). We revealed that stem cells were established at an early stage of axillary meristem development in the wild‐type, but were not maintained in tab1 . By contrast, the stem cell region and TAB 1 expression domain were expanded in fon2 , and FON 2 overexpression inhibited axillary meristem formation. These results indicate that TAB 1 is required to maintain stem cells during axillary meristem development, whereas FON 2 negatively regulates stem cell fate by restricting TAB 1 expression. Thus, the genetic pathway regulating SAM maintenance in Arabidopsis seems to have been recruited to play a specific role within a narrow developmental window – namely, axillary meristem establishment – in rice.