Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Identification of the Genes Involved in Stomatal Development via Epidermal Phenotype Scoring
Published on: January 20, 2023
Novel receptor-like kinase ALE2 controls shoot development by specifying epidermis in Arabidopsis
Hirokazu Tanaka1, Masaru Watanabe, Michiko Sasabe
1College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chubu University and CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kasugai, Japan.
Abstract:
The epidermis plays crucial roles in the development of various organs and in water retention in both animals and plants. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the subtilase ABNORMAL LEAF SHAPE 1 (ALE1) and the Arabidopsis homolog of the Crinkly4 (ACR4) receptor-like protein kinase (RLK) have been implicated in the intercellular communication that is required for surface functions of the epidermis. We have identified a novel mutant gene in Arabidopsis, ale2, which is associated with various epidermal defects, including disorganization of epidermis-related tissues, defects in the leaf cuticle and the fusion of organs. ALE2 encodes a previously uncharacterized RLK with a cluster of basic amino acid residues followed by a cysteine-containing sequence in the putative extracellular domain. Our genetic investigations suggest that ALE2 and ACR4 function in the same process, whereas ALE1 has a different mode of action, and that these three genes play partially overlapping roles in positively regulating protoderm-specific gene expression and for the formation of leafy organs. We propose that at least two modes of intercellular communication facilitate the specification of epidermis, thereby promoting shoot organogenesis in Arabidopsis.
Related Concept Videos
Cell Signaling in Plants
Photoreceptors and Plant Responses to Light
Primary and Secondary Growth in Roots and Shoots
MAPK Signaling Cascades
Cell Adhesion in Plants
Pectins are complex heteropolymers mainly composed of negatively-charged α-D-glucopyranosyl uronic acid and some neutral glycosyl residues such as α-L-rhamnopyranose, α-L-arabinofuranose, and...
Morphogenesis

