Advertisement
JOURNAL ARTICLES
The homeobox gene GLABRA2 is required for position-dependent cell differentiation in the root epidermis of Arabidopsis thaliana
J.D. Masucci, W.G. Rerie, D.R. Foreman, M. Zhang, M.E. Galway, M.D. Marks, J.W. Schiefelbein
Development 1996 122: 1253-1260;

Summary

The role of the Arabidopsis homeobox gene, GLABRA 2 (GL2), in the development of the root epidermis has been investigated. The wild-type epidermis is composed of two cell types, root-hair cells and hairless cells, which are located at distinct positions within the root, implying that positional cues control cell-type differentiation. During the development of the root epidermis, the differentiating root-hair cells (trichoblasts) and the differentiating hairless cells (atrichoblasts) can be distinguished by their cytoplasmic density, vacuole formation, and extent of elongation. We have determined that mutations in the GL2 gene specifically alter the differentiation of the hairless epidermal cells, causing them to produce root hairs, which indicates that GL2 affects epidermal cell identity. Detailed analyses of these differentiating cells showed that, despite forming root hairs, they are similar to atrichoblasts of the wild type in their cytoplasmic characteristics, timing of vacuolation, and extent of cell elongation. The results of in situ nucleic acid hybridization and GUS reporter gene fusion studies show that the GL2 gene is preferentially expressed in the differentiating hairless cells of the wild type, during a period in which epidermal cell identity is believed to be established. These results indicate that the GL2 homeodomain protein normally regulates a subset of the processes that occur during the differentiation of hairless epidermal cells of the Arabidopsis root. Specifically, GL2 appears to act in a cell-position-dependent manner to suppress hair formation in differentiating hairless cells.

Reference

    1. Benfey P. N.,
    2. Schiefelbein J. W.
    (1994) Getting to the root of plant development: the genetics of Arabidopsis root formation. Trends Genet 10, 84–88
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
    1. Bunning E.
    (1951) Uber die Differenzierungsvorgange in der Cruciferenwurzel. Planta 39, 126–153
    OpenUrlCrossRefWeb of Science
    1. Cormack R. G. H.
    (1947) A comparative study of developing epidermal cells in white mustard and tomato roots. Am. J. Bot 34, 310–314
    OpenUrlCrossRefWeb of Science
    1. Dolan L.,
    2. Janmaat K.,
    3. Willemsen V.,
    4. Linstead P.,
    5. Poethig S.,
    6. Roberts K.,
    7. Scheres B.
    (1993) Cellular organisation of the Arabidopsis thaliana root. Development 119, 71–84
    OpenUrlAbstract
    1. Dolan L.,
    2. Duckett C.,
    3. Grierson C.,
    4. Linstead P.,
    5. Schneider K.,
    6. Lawson E.,
    7. Dean C.,
    8. Poethig S.,
    9. Roberts K.
    (1994) Clonal relations and patterning in the root epidermis of Arabidopsis. Development 120, 2465–2474
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
    1. Duckett C. M.,
    2. Oparka K. J.,
    3. Prior D. A. M.,
    4. Dolan L.,
    5. Roberts K.
    (1994) Dye-coupling in the root epidermis of Arabidopsis is progressively reduced during development. Development 120, 3247–3255
    OpenUrlAbstract
    1. Estelle M. A.,
    2. Somerville C.
    (1987) Auxin-resistant mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana with an altered morphology. Mol. Gen. Genet 206, 200–206
    OpenUrlCrossRefWeb of Science
    1. Galway M.,
    2. Masucci J.,
    3. Lloyd A.,
    4. Walbot V.,
    5. Davis R.,
    6. Schiefelbein J.
    (1994) The TTG gene is required to specify epidermal cell fate and cell patterning in the Arabidopsis root. Dev. Biol 166, 740–754
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
    1. Hood E. E.,
    2. Gelvin S. A.,
    3. Melchers L. S.,
    4. Hoekema A.
    (1993) New Agrobacterium helper plasmids for gene transfer to plants. Transgenic Res 2, 208–218
    OpenUrlCrossRefWeb of Science
    1. Jefferson R. A.,
    2. Kavanagh T. A.,
    3. Bevan M. W.
    (1987) GUS fusions: beta-glucuronidase as a sensitive and versatile gene fusion marker in higher plants. EMBO J 6, 3901–3907
    OpenUrlPubMedWeb of Science
    1. Koornneef M.,
    2. Dellaert S. W. M.,
    3. van der Veen J. H.
    (1982) EMS-and radiation-induced mutation frequencies at individual loci in Arabidopsis thaliana (L) Heynh. Mutat. Res 93, 109–123
    OpenUrlPubMedWeb of Science
    1. Larkin J. C.,
    2. Oppenheimer D. G.,
    3. Lloyd A. M.,
    4. Paparozzi E. T.,
    5. Marks M. D.
    (1994) Roles of the GLABROUS1 and TRANSPARENT TESTA GLABRA genes in Arabidopsis trichome development. Plant Cell 6, 1065–1076
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
    1. Lloyd A. M.,
    2. Walbot V.,
    3. Davis R. W.
    (1992) Arabidopsis and Nicotiana anthocyanin production activated by maize regulators R and C1. Science 258, 1773–1775
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
    1. Masucci J. D.,
    2. Schiefelbein J. W.
    (1994) The rhd6 mutation of Arabidopsis thaliana alters root-hair initiation through an auxin-and ethylene-associated process. Plant Physiol 106, 1335–1346
    OpenUrlAbstract
    1. Oppenheimer D.,
    2. Herman P. L.,
    3. Sivakumaran S.,
    4. Esch J.,
    5. Marks M. D.
    (1991) A myb gene required for leaf trichome differentiation in Arabidopsis is expressed in stipules. Cell 67, 483–493
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
    1. Scheres B.,
    2. Wolkenfelt H.,
    3. Willemsen V.,
    4. Terlouw M.,
    5. Lawson E.,
    6. Dean C.,
    7. Weisbeek P.
    (1994) Embryonic origin of the Arabidopsis primary root and root meristem initials. Development 120, 2475–2487
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
    1. Schiefelbein J. W.,
    2. Somerville C.
    (1990) Genetic control of root hair development in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Cell 2, 235–243
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
    1. Valvekens D.,
    2. Van Montagu M.,
    3. Van Lijsevettens M.
    (1988) Agrobacterium tumefaciens -mediated transformation of Arabidopsis thaliana root explants by using kanamycin selection. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85, 5536–5540
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
Back to top

 Download PDF

Email
JOURNAL ARTICLES
The homeobox gene GLABRA2 is required for position-dependent cell differentiation in the root epidermis of Arabidopsis thaliana
J.D. Masucci, W.G. Rerie, D.R. Foreman, M. Zhang, M.E. Galway, M.D. Marks, J.W. Schiefelbein
Development 1996 122: 1253-1260;
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
Citation Tools
Alerts

Article navigation

Other journals from The Company of Biologists

Advertisement

Kathryn Virginia Anderson (1952-2020)

Developmental geneticist Kathryn Anderson passed away at home on 30 November 2020. Tamara Caspary, a former postdoc and friend, remembers Kathryn and her remarkable contribution to developmental biology.

Zooming into 2021

In a new Editorial, Editor-in-Chief James Briscoe and Executive Editor Katherine Brown reflect on the triumphs and tribulations of the last 12 months, and look towards a hopefully calmer and more predictable year.

Read & Publish participation extends worldwide

Over 60 institutions in 12 countries are now participating in our Read & Publish initiative. Here, James Briscoe explains what this means for his institution, The Francis Crick Institute. Find out more and view our full list of participating institutions.

Upcoming special issues

Imaging Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration
Submission deadline: 30 March 2021
Publication: mid-2021

The Immune System in Development and Regeneration
Guest editors: Florent Ginhoux and Paul Martin
Submission deadline: 1 September 2021
Publication: Spring 2022

Both special issues welcome Review articles as well as Research articles, and will be widely promoted online and at key global conferences.

Development presents...

Our successful webinar series continues into 2021, with early-career researchers presenting their papers and a chance to virtually network with the developmental biology community afterwards. Sign up to join our next session:

10 February
Time: 13:00 (GMT)
Chaired by: preLights