The interaction of transcription factors controls the spatial layout of plant aerial stem cell niches.

Authors
Gruel, Jérémy 
Deichmann, Julia 
Hitchcock, Thomas 
Jönsson, Henrik 

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Type
Article
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Abstract

The plant shoot apical meristem holds a stem cell niche from which all aerial organs originate. Using a computational approach we show that a mixture of monomers and heterodimers of the transcription factors WUSCHEL and HAIRY MERISTEM is sufficient to pattern the stem cell niche, and predict that immobile heterodimers form a regulatory "pocket" surrounding the stem cells. The model achieves to reproduce an array of perturbations, including mutants and tissue size modifications. We also show its ability to reproduce the recently observed dynamical shift of the stem cell niche during the development of an axillary meristem. The work integrates recent experimental results to answer the longstanding question of how the asymmetry of expression between the stem cell marker CLAVATA3 and its activator WUSCHEL is achieved, and recent findings of plasticity in the system.

Publication Date
2018
Online Publication Date
2018-09-06
Acceptance Date
2018-07-31
Keywords
0601 Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 0604 Genetics, Basic Science, Stem Cell Research - Nonembryonic - Non-Human, Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell Research, Generic Health Relevance, 1.1 Normal biological development and functioning
Journal Title
NPJ Syst Biol Appl
Journal ISSN
2056-7189
2056-7189
Volume Title
4
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Sponsorship
Gatsby Charitable Foundation (unknown)
Gatsby Charitable Foundation (GAT3395/PR4)
Gatsby Charitable Foundation (GAT3395-PR4)