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01:25Cell Signaling in Plants
Plant cells communicate to coordinate their cycle of growth, flowering and fruiting, and activities in roots, shoots, and leaves in response to the changing environmental conditions. Plant signaling is distinct from animal signaling. Plants primarily utilize enzyme-linked receptors, whereas the largest class of cell-surface receptors in animals are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Unlike animals, receptor tyrosine kinases are rare in plants. Instead, plants have a diverse class of...
02:19Morphogenesis
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03:02Primary and Secondary Growth in Roots and Shoots
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02:36Meristems and Plant Growth
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02:26Responses to Gravity and Touch
Gravitropism: Plant Responses to Gravity
02:12Short-distance Transport of Resources
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Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2026
05:22
Identification of the Genes Involved in Stomatal Development via Epidermal Phenotype Scoring
Published on: January 20, 2023
Brassinosteroid perception in the epidermis controls root meristem size.
Yael Hacham1, Neta Holland, Cristina Butterfield
1Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
Development (Cambridge, England)
|January 29, 2011
Summary
Brassinosteroids (BRs) are essential for maintaining root meristem size by regulating cell cycle activity and expansion. BR signaling specifically in the epidermis controls meristem size, independent of auxin efflux carriers.
Area of Science:
- Plant biology
- Hormone signaling
- Developmental biology
Background:
- Plant growth is regulated by various hormones.
- Brassinosteroids (BRs) influence shoot growth but their role in meristem size is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the role of brassinosteroids (BRs) in root meristem size regulation.
- Determine the specific cell types and signaling pathways involved in BR-mediated meristem control.
Main Methods:
- Studied root meristems to analyze BR effects on cell cycle and expansion.
- Examined expression levels of auxin efflux carriers (PIN1, PIN3, PIN7).
- Assessed BR signaling sufficiency in different root cell types (epidermis, endodermis, QC, stele).
Main Results:
- BRs are crucial for normal cell cycle activity and expansion in the root meristem.
- BR activity does not alter PIN1, PIN3, or PIN7 expression.
- BR signaling in the epidermis is sufficient to control root meristem size.
- Epidermal BR signaling modulates QC and stele gene expression (AGL42).
Conclusions:
- Brassinosteroids play a key role in maintaining root meristem size through cell cycle and expansion.
- Epidermal BR signaling is sufficient and necessary for root meristem size control.
- BR signaling in the epidermis impacts gene expression in other root tissues.