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A cell wall-associated gene network shapes leaf boundary domains
Nathalie Bouré1,2, Alexis Peaucelle1, Magali Goussot1
1Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin (IJPB), 78000 Versailles, France.
Development (Cambridge, England)
|May 16, 2022
Summary
SPINDLY (SPY) and CUP-SHAPED COTYLEDON (CUC2) transcription factors repress cell wall loosening genes, controlling plant organ growth. This reveals a network linking tissue patterning with cell mechanics.
Area of Science:
- Plant developmental biology
- Molecular genetics
- Cellular mechanics
Background:
- Boundary domains are crucial for plant organ growth, architecture, and morphogenesis.
- These domains exhibit reduced growth and regulate adjacent tissues non-cell-autonomously.
- The mechanisms underlying these functions are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of SPINDLY (SPY) in leaf boundary domain development.
- To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which boundary domains regulate cell growth and tissue patterning.
- To identify the relationship between SPY, CUC transcription factors, and cell wall properties.
Main Methods:
- Morphometric analysis at organ and cellular levels.
- Gene expression analysis to identify common target genes.
- Atomic force microscopy to assess cell wall stiffness.
Main Results:
- SPINDLY (SPY) acts as a cell growth repressor in leaf boundary domains.
- SPY functions redundantly with CUP-SHAPED COTYLEDON (CUC2 and CUC3) transcription factors.
- SPY and CUC2 repress a shared set of genes involved in cell wall loosening.
- Boundary domain cells exhibit greater cell wall stiffness, which is reduced in spy mutants.
Conclusions:
- SPINDLY (SPY) is essential for regulating cell growth in plant boundary domains.
- A conserved molecular network involving SPY and CUC2 links tissue patterning to cell growth and mechanics.
- Differential cell wall stiffness is a key feature of boundary domains regulated by this network.
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