PRL1 modulates root stem cell niche activity and meristem size through WOX5 and PLTs in Arabidopsis. (22nd December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ji, Hongtao; Wang, Shuangfeng; Li, Kexue; Szakonyi, Dóra; Koncz, Csaba; Li, Xia
• Is Part Of: Plant journal. Volume 81:Number 3(2015:Feb.)
• Page Start: 399
• Page End: 412
• Publication Date: 2014-12-22
• Subjects: Plant molecular biology -- Periodicals; Plant cells and tissues -- Periodicals; Botany -- Periodicals; 580
• DOI: 10.1111/tpj.12733
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-7412

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="tpj12733-abs-0001"> <title>Summary</title> <p>The stem cell niche in the root meristem maintains pluripotent stem cells to ensure a constant supply of cells for root growth. Despite extensive progress, the molecular mechanisms through which root stem cell fates and stem cell niche activity are determined remain largely unknown. In <italic>Arabidopsis thaliana</italic>, the <italic>Pleiotropic Regulatory Locus 1</italic> (<italic>PRL1</italic>) encodes a WD40‐repeat protein subunit of the spliceosome‐activating Nineteen Complex (NTC) that plays a role in multiple stress, hormone and developmental signaling pathways. Here, we show that PRL1 is involved in the control of root meristem size and root stem cell niche activity. <italic>PRL1</italic> is strongly expressed in the root meristem and its loss of function mutation results in disorganization of the quiescent center (QC), premature stem cell differentiation, aberrant cell division, and reduced root meristem size. Our genetic studies indicate that <italic>PRL1</italic> is required for confined expression of the homeodomain transcription factor <italic>WOX5</italic> in the QC and acts upstream of the transcription factor <italic>PLETHORA</italic> (<italic>PLT</italic>) in modulating stem cell niche activity and root meristem size. These findings define a role for PRL1 as an important determinant of <italic>PLT</italic> signaling that modulates maintenance of the stem cell niche and root meristem size.</p> </abstract>