A negative feedback loop between TERMINAL FLOWER1 and LEAFY protects inflorescence indeterminacy.

Area of Science:

• Plant biology
• Developmental biology
• Genetics

Background:

• Plant inflorescence architecture is shaped by genetic programs and environmental factors.
• The shoot apical meristem stem cell pool is typically unresponsive to environmental cues.
• Understanding the molecular mechanisms controlling meristem indeterminacy is crucial for plant development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying environmental buffering in plant inflorescence development.
• To investigate the roles of LEAFY (LFY) and TERMINAL FLOWER1 (TFL1) in regulating meristem behavior.
• To reveal how plants maintain robust developmental pathways despite environmental fluctuations.

Main Methods:

• Computational modeling of gene regulatory networks.
• Experimental analysis in the model plant *Arabidopsis thaliana*.
• Quantitative gene expression analysis and genetic manipulation.

Main Results:

• A negative feedback loop between LFY and TFL1 was identified.
• LFY directly up-regulates TFL1 expression during the reproductive transition.
• TFL1 negatively regulates LFY, preventing overaccumulation and blocking inflorescence termination.
• This loop provides robust buffering against environmental signals.

Conclusions:

• The LFY-TFL1 feedback loop is a key mechanism for environmental buffering in plant development.
• Differential responses of cell populations to environmental stimuli contribute to developmental robustness.
• This study reveals a novel pathway for maintaining stem cell activity and inflorescence indeterminacy.