Shoot meristem size is dependent on inbred background and presence of the maize homeobox gene, knotted1

Development ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 127 (14) ◽  
pp. 3161-3172 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Vollbrecht ◽  
L. Reiser ◽  
S. Hake
Keyword(s):  
Gene Function ◽  
Apical Meristem ◽  
Homeobox Gene ◽  
Shoot Meristem ◽  
Dominant Allele ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Meristem Size ◽  
Recessive Mutations ◽  
Undifferentiated State ◽  
Meristem Maintenance

The knotted1 (kn1) gene of maize is expressed in meristems and is absent from leaves, including the site of leaf initiation within the meristem. Recessive mutations of kn1 have been described that limit the capacity to make branches and result in extra carpels. Dominant mutations suggest that kn1 function plays a role in maintaining cells in an undifferentiated state. We took advantage of a Ds-induced dominant allele in order to screen for additional recessive alleles resulting from mobilization of the Ds element. Analysis of one such allele revealed a novel embryonic shoot phenotype in which the shoot initiated zero to few organs after the cotyledon was made, resulting in plants that arrested as seedlings. We refer to this phenotype as a limited shoot. The limited shoot phenotype reflected loss of kn1 function, but its penetrance was background dependent. We examined meristem size and found that plants lacking kn1 function had shorter meristems than non-mutant siblings. Furthermore, meristems of restrictive inbreds were significantly shorter than meristems of permissive inbreds, implying a correlation between meristem height and kn1 gene function in the embryo. Analysis of limited shoot plants during embryogenesis indicated a role for kn1 in shoot meristem maintenance. We discuss a model for kn1 in maintenance of the morphogenetic zone of the shoot apical meristem.

Control of phyllotaxy in maize by the abphyl1 gene

Development ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 126 (2) ◽  
pp. 315-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Jackson ◽  
S. Hake
Keyword(s):  
Apical Meristem ◽  
General Structure ◽  
Homeobox Gene ◽  
The Other ◽  
Shoot Meristem ◽  
Regular Pattern ◽  
Expression Domain ◽  
Geometric Patterns ◽  
Maize Plants ◽  
Shoot Meristems

Organogenesis in plants occurs at the shoot apical meristem, a group of indeterminate stem cells that are organized during embryogenesis. Regulated initiation of leaves or flowers from the shoot meristem gives rise to the familiar geometric patterns observed throughout the plant kingdom. The mechanism by which these patterns, termed phyllotaxies, are generated, remains unclear. Maize plants initiate leaves singly, alternating from one side to the other in a regular pattern. Here we describe a recessive maize mutant, abphyl1, that initiates leaves in opposite pairs, in a pattern termed decussate phyllotaxy. The decussate shoot meristems are larger than normal throughout development, though the general structure and organization of the meristem is not altered. abph1 mutants are first distinguished during embryogenesis, prior to true leaf initiation, by a larger shoot meristem and coincident larger expression domain of the homeobox gene knotted1. Therefore, the abph1 gene regulates morphogenesis in the embryo, and plays a role in determining the phyllotaxy of the shoot.

Initiation of shoot apical meristem in rice: characterization of four SHOOTLESS genes

Development ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 126 (16) ◽  
pp. 3629-3636 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Satoh ◽  
S.K. Hong ◽  
A. Nishimura ◽  
M. Matsuoka ◽  
H. Kitano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Shoot Apical Meristem ◽  
Apical Meristem ◽  
Adventitious Shoots ◽  
Homeobox Gene ◽  
Hybridization Experiment ◽  
Expression Domain ◽  
Recessive Mutations ◽  
Normal Expression ◽  
Extensive Growth

The regulatory mechanism of shoot apical meristem (SAM) initiation is an important subject in developmental plant biology. We characterized nine recessive mutations derived from four independent loci (SHL1-SHL4) causing the deletion of the SAM. Radicles were produced in these mutant embryos. Concomitant with the loss of SAM, two embryo-specific organs, coleoptile and epiblast, were lost, but the scutellum was formed normally. Therefore, differentiation of radicle and scutellum is regulated independently of SAM, but that of coleoptile and epiblast may depend on SAM. Regeneration experiments using adventitious shoots from the scutellum-derived calli showed that no adventitious shoots were regenerated in any shl mutant. However, small adventitious leaves were observed in both mutant and wild-type calli, but they soon became necrotic and showed no extensive growth. Thus, leaf primordia can initiate in the absence of SAM, but their extensive growth requires the SAM. An in situ hybridization experiment using a rice homeobox gene, OSH1, as a probe revealed that shl1 and shl2 modified the expression domain of OSH1, but normal expression of OSH1 was observed in shl3 and shl4 embryos. Accordingly, SHL1 and SHL2 function upstream of OSH1, and SHL3 and SHL4 downstream or independently of OSH1. These shl mutants are useful for elucidating the genetic program driving SAM initiation and for unraveling the interrelationships among various organs in grass embryos.

scholarly journals Loss-of-function mutations in the maize homeobox gene, knotted1, are defective in shoot meristem maintenance

Development ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 124 (16) ◽  
pp. 3045-3054 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.A. Kerstetter ◽  
D. Laudencia-Chingcuanco ◽  
L.G. Smith ◽  
S. Hake
Keyword(s):  
Homeobox Gene ◽  
Leaf Primordia ◽  
Shoot Meristem ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Floral Organs ◽  
Leaf Phenotype ◽  
Lateral Organ ◽  
Recessive Mutant ◽  
Meristem Maintenance ◽  
Shoot Meristems

The product of the maize homeobox gene, knotted1 (kn1), localizes to the nuclei of cells in shoot meristems, but is absent from portions of the meristem where leaf primordia or floral organs initiate. Recessive mutant alleles of kn1 were obtained by screening for loss of the dominant leaf phenotype in maize. Mutant kn1 alleles carrying nonsense, splicing and frame shift mutations cause severe inflorescence and floral defects. Mutant tassels produce fewer branches and spikelets. Ears are often absent, and when present, are small with few spikelets. In addition, extra carpels form in female florets and ovule tissue proliferates abnormally. Less frequently, extra leaves form in the axils of vegetative leaves. These mutations reveal a role for kn1 in meristem maintenance, particularly as it affects branching and lateral organ formation.

scholarly journals Extended expression of MaKN1 contributes to the leaf morphology in aquatic forms of Myriophyllum aquaticum

Botany ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 93 (9) ◽  
pp. 611-621
Author(s):  
M.D. Shafiullah ◽  
Christian R. Lacroix
Keyword(s):  
Apical Meristem ◽  
Leaf Morphology ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Homeobox Gene ◽  
Leaf Primordia ◽  
Leaf Primordium ◽  
Myriophyllum Aquaticum ◽  
Knox Gene ◽  
Leaf Morphogenesis

Myriophyllum aquaticum (Vell.) Verdc. is heterophyllous in nature with highly dissected simple leaves consisting of several lobes. KNOX (KNOTTED1-LIKE HOMEOBOX) genes are believed to have played an important role in the evolution of leaf diversity. Up-regulation of KNOX during leaf primordium initiation can lead to leaf dissection in plants with simple leaves and, if overexpressed, can produce ectopic meristems on leaves. A previous study on KNOX gene expression in the aerial form of this species showed that this gene is expressed in the shoot apical meristem (SAM), as well as in leaf primordia P0 to P8. Based on these results, it was hypothesized that the prolonged expression of the MaKN1 (Myriophyllum aquaticum Knotted1-like homeobox) gene beyond P8, might play an important role in the generation of more lobes, longer lobes, and hydathode formation in the aquatic leaves of M. aquaticum. The technique of in situ hybridization was carried out using a previously sequenced 300 bp fragment of MaKN1 to determine the expression patterns of this gene in the shoot of aquatic forms of the plant. Expression patterns of MaKN1 revealed that the SAM and leaf primordia of aquatic forms of M. aquaticum at levels P0 (youngest) to P4 were distributed throughout these structures. The level of expression of this MaKN1 gene progressively became more localized to lobes in older leaf primordia (levels P5 to P12). Previous studies of aerial forms of this plant showed MaKN1 expression until P8. Our results with aquatic forms show that the highly dissected leaf morphology in aquatic forms was the result of the prolonged expression of MaKN1 beyond P8. This resulted in the formation of elongated and slightly more numerous lobes, and hydathodes in aquatic forms. These findings support the view that KNOX genes are important developmental regulators of leaf morphogenesis and have played an important role in the evolution of leaf forms in the plant kingdom.

scholarly journals Spatiotemporal Sequestration of miR165/166 by Arabidopsis Argonaute10 Promotes Shoot Apical Meristem Maintenance

Cell Reports ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1819-1827 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuyi Zhou ◽  
Minami Honda ◽  
Hongliang Zhu ◽  
Zhonghui Zhang ◽  
Xinwei Guo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Shoot Apical Meristem ◽  
Apical Meristem ◽  
Meristem Maintenance

scholarly journals KNOX HOMOLOGS SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (STM) and KNAT6 are epistatic to CLAVATA3 (CLV3) during embryonic meristem development in Arabidopsis thaliana

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharma Nidhi ◽  
Liu Tie
Keyword(s):  
Arabidopsis Thaliana ◽  
Shoot Apex ◽  
Double Mutant ◽  
Genetic Interaction ◽  
Homeobox Gene ◽  
The Other ◽  
Shoot Meristem ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Meristem Development ◽  
Shoot Meristemless

AbstractIn Arabidopsis, the genes SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (STM) and CLAVATA3 (CLV3) antagonistically regulate shoot meristem development. STM is essential for both development and maintenance of the meristem, as stm mutants fail to develop a shoot meristem during embryogenesis. CLV3, on the other hand, negatively regulates meristem proliferation, and clv3 mutants possess an enlarged shoot meristem. Genetic interaction studies revealed that stm and clv3 dominantly suppress each other’s phenotypes. STM works in conjunction with its closely related homologue KNOTTED1-LIKE HOMEOBOX GENE 6 (KNAT6) to promote meristem development and organ separation, as stm knat6 double mutants fail to form a meristem and produce a fused cotyledon. In this study, we show that clv3 fails to promote post-embryonic meristem formation in stm-1 background if we also remove KNAT6. stm-1 knat6 clv3 triple mutants result in early meristem termination and produce fused cotyledons similar to stm knat6 double mutant. Notably, the stm-1 knat6 and stm-1 knat6 clv3 alleles lack tissue in the presumed region of SAM. stm knat6 clv3 also showed reduced inflorescence size and shoot apex size as compared to clv3 single or stm clv3 double mutants. In contrast to previously published data, these data suggest that stm is epistatic to clv3 in postembryonic meristem development.HighlightSTM and KNAT6 genes determine post-embryonic meristem formation and activity in Arabidopsis. clv3 mutation is unable to rescue the stm knat6 meristemless phenotype.

scholarly journals Hypomethylated poplars show higher tolerance to water deficit and highlight a dual role for DNA methylation in shoot meristem: regulation of stress response and genome integrity

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.D. Sow ◽  
A-L. Le Gac ◽  
R. Fichot ◽  
S. Lanciano ◽  
A. Delaunay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Stress Response ◽  
Transposable Elements ◽  
Water Deficit ◽  
Shoot Apical Meristem ◽  
Apical Meristem ◽  
Shoot Meristem ◽  
Genome Integrity ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Altered Expression

AbstractAs fixed and long living organisms subjected to repeated environmental stresses, trees have developed mechanisms such as phenotypic plasticity that help them to cope with fluctuating environmental conditions. Here, we tested the role DNA methylation as a hub of integration, linking plasticity and physiological response to water deficit in the shoot apical meristem of the model tree poplar (Populus). Using a reverse genetic approach, we compared hypomethylated RNAi-ddm1 lines to wild-type trees for drought tolerance. An integrative analysis was realized with phytohormone balance, methylomes, transcriptomes and mobilomes.Hypomethylated lines were more tolerant when subjected to moderate water deficit and were intrinsically more tolerant to drought-induced cavitation. The alteration of the DDM1 machinery induced variation in DNA methylation in a cytosine context dependent manner, both in genes and transposable elements. Hypomethylated lines subjected to water deficit showed altered expression of genes involved in phytohormone pathways, such as salicylic acid and modified hormonal balance. Several transposable elements showed stress- and/or line-specific patterns of reactivation, and we could detect copy number variations for two of them in stressed ddm1 lines.Overall, our data highlight two major roles for DNA methylation in the shoot apical meristem: control of stress response and plasticity through transduction of hormone signaling and maintenance of genome integrity through the control of transposable elements.

A class act: conservation of homeodomain protein functions

Development ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 1994 (Supplement) ◽  
pp. 61-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Robert Manak ◽  
Matthew P. Scott
Keyword(s):  
Gene Function ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Hox Genes ◽  
Homeobox Gene ◽  
Homeodomain Protein ◽  
Animal Development ◽  
Protein Functions ◽  
Unified View ◽  
Protein Classes ◽  
And Function

Dramatic successes in identifying vertebrate homeobox genes closely related to their insect relatives have led to the recognition of classes within the homeodomain superfamily. To what extent are the homeodomain protein classes dedicated to specific functions during development? Although information on vertebrate gene functions is limited, existing evidence from mice and nematodes clearly supports conservation of function for the Hox genes. Less compelling, but still remarkable, is the conservation of other homeobox gene classes and of regulators of homeotic gene expression and function. It is too soon to say whether the cases of conservation are unique and exceptional, or the beginning of a profoundly unified view of gene regulation in animal development. In any case, new questions are raised by the data: how can the differences between mammals and insects be compatible with conservation of homeobox gene function? Did the evolution of animal form involve a proliferation of new homeodomain proteins, new modes of regulation of existing gene types, or new relationships with target genes, or is evolutionary change largely the province of other classes of genes? In this review, we summarize what is known about conservation of homeobox gene function.

Characterisation of three shoot apical meristem mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana

Development ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 116 (2) ◽  
pp. 397-403 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. M. Ottoline Leyser ◽  
I. J. Furner
Keyword(s):  
Arabidopsis Thaliana ◽  
Root Growth ◽  
Shoot Apical Meristem ◽  
Apical Meristem ◽  
Floral Development ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Recessive Mutations ◽  
Phenotypic Characterisation ◽  
Dicotyledonous Plants ◽  
And Function

The shoot apical meristem of dicotyledonous plants is highly regulated both structurally and functionally, but little is known about the mechanisms involved in this regulation. Here we describe the genetic and phenotypic characterisation of recessive mutations at three loci of Arabidopsis thaliana in which meristem structure and function are disrupted. The loci are Clavata1 (Clv1), Fasciata1 (Fas1) and Fasciata2 (Fas2). Plants mutant at these loci are fasciated having broad, flat stems and disrupted phyllotaxy. In all cases, the fasciations are associated with shoot apical meristem enlargement and altered floral development. While all the mutants share some phenotypic features they can be divided into two classes. The pleiotropic fas1 and fas2 mutants are unable to initiate wild- type organs, show major alterations in meristem structure and have reduced root growth. In contrast, clv1 mutant plants show near wild-type organ phenotypes, more subtle changes in shoot apical meristem structure and wild-type root growth.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document