title: The Arabidopsis ERECTA gene encodes a putative receptor protein kinase with extracellular leucine-rich repeats.
abstract: Arabidopsis Landsberg erecta is one of the most popular ecotypes and is used widely for both molecular and genetic studies. It harbors the erecta (er) mutation, which confers a compact inflorescence, blunt fruits, and short petioles. We have identified five er mutant alleles from ecotypes Columbia and Wassilewskija. Phenotypic characterization of the mutant alleles suggests a role for the ER gene in regulating the shape of organs originating from the shoot apical meristem. We cloned the ER gene, and here, we report that it encodes a putative receptor protein kinases. The deduced ER protein contains a cytoplasmic protein kinase catalytic domain, a transmembrane region, and an extracellular domain consisting of leucine-rich repeats, which are thought to interact with other macromolecules. Our results suggest that cell-cell communication mediated by a receptor kinase has an important role in plant morphogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Genetics Research Laboratory, University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: K U
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Torii
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mitsukawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oosumi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsuura
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Whittier
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Komeda
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D016384:Consensus Sequence; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics*; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases