Analysis of the mechanism controlling vegetative reproduction through gemma formation in Marchantia polymorpha

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K15116
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 44030:Plant molecular biology and physiology-related
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Komatsu Aino 東北大学, 生命科学研究科, 助教 (70824837)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 栄養繁殖 / ゼニゴケ / 植物ホルモン / KL信号伝達

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A wide range of plants uses vegetative or asexual reproduction for propagation. The vegetative reproduction is controlled by environmental conditions, but the molecular signaling pathways that control this process are poorly understood. We designed a research study to investigate the hormones and signaling pathways associated with vegetative reproduction in the liverwort plant Marchantia polymorpha and demonstrated that the MpKARRIKIN INSENSITIVE2 (MpKAI2)-dependent signaling pathway initiates gemma cup, the structure that surrounds gemmae plantlets, and gemmae formation in liverwort plants, and that KAI2-dependent signaling determines the total number of gemmae produced in a gemma cup. By establishing and utilizing the signal transduction induction system, we succeeded in identifying a group of genes that control gemma formation downstream of KL signal transduction.

Free Research Field

植物発生

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

栄養繁殖は植物の生存戦略上非常に重要であり、作物栽培においても重要性質であるが、栄養繁殖の程度を調節する分子機構については知見が乏しい。本研究の成果は、陸上植物で保存されているKLを受容し信号を流す信号伝達機構が栄養繁殖の調節に寄与することを明らかにしたものであり、栄養繁殖の調節機構の起源や進化の解明につながると期待される。また、K L信号伝達の下流で機能する遺伝子群を明らかにしたことで、KL信号伝達の下流制御機構の解析が可能となった。未解明な部分の多いKL信号伝達の下流制御機構について解明の足がかりとなり得る。