Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 2, 2026
Long-term, High-resolution Confocal Time Lapse Imaging of Arabidopsis Cotyledon Epidermis during Germination
Published on: December 31, 2012
CUC2 as an early marker for regeneration competence in Arabidopsis root explants
Hans Motte1, Inge Verstraeten, Stefaan Werbrouck
1Department of Plant Production, University College Ghent, member of the Ghent University Association, Schoonmeersstraat, 52, BE-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
Abstract:
CUP SHAPED COTELYDON 2 (CUC2) was tested as a marker for shoot induction to monitor and facilitate the optimization of in vitro regeneration of Arabidopsis thaliana. The expression of a pCUC2::3XVENUS-N7 fluorescent marker allowed the observation of early steps in the initiation and development of shoots on root explants. The explants were first incubated on an auxin-rich callus induction medium (CIM) and then transferred to a cytokinin-rich shoot induction medium (SIM). CUC2-expression occurred prior to visible shoot formation during the incubation of the root explant on CIM. Shoot formation was invariably preceded by the accumulation of CUC2 expression at dispersed sites along the root explant. These patches of CUC2-expression also marked the site of lateral root primordium formation in root explants that were transferred to hormone free medium. Thus, CUC2 is a predictive marker for the acquisition of root explant competence for root and shoot organogenesis.
