Analysis of molecular switch for cell differentiation in leaf primordium

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25440144
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Plant molecular biology/Plant physiology
• Research Institution: Chubu University
• Principal Investigator: KOJIMA Shoko 中部大学, 応用生物学部, 講師 (10340209)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): TAKAHASHI Hiro 千葉大学, 大学院園芸学研究科, 准教授 (30454367) ; MACHIDA Chiyoko 中部大学, 応用生物学部, 教授 (70314060)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 植物 / 発生・分化 / シロイヌナズナ / マイクロアレイ / サイトカイニン / 茎頂メリステム / AS1・AS2 / IPT3

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Leaf primordia are derived from the undifferentiated cell groups in shoot apex known as shoot apical meristem (SAM). The peripheral cells in SAM divide asymmetrically to self-renew and generate differentiated cells with leaf identity. The mechanism of this switching to cell differentiation remains unclear. We performed genetic analysis using Arabidopsis as2 eal and as2 elo3 mutants with defects in leaf differentiation. We found the levels of transcripts of ISOPENTENYLTRANSFERASE3 (IPT3) gene encoding a key enzyme in cytokinin biosynthesis are increased in these mutants as compared to those in wild type. Cytokinin, one of important plant hormones for organ initiations. The endogenous cytokinins in shoot apices were increased in these mutants. The ipt3 mutation suppressed leaf defective phenotypes in as2 eal mutants but did not in as2 elo3 mutants. These results indicate that cytokinin-dependent and -independent pathways are involved in switching for cell differentiation.

Free Research Field

植物分子生物学