title: CRINKLY4: A TNFR-like receptor kinase involved in maize epidermal differentiation.
abstract: The maize crinkly4 (cr4) mutation affects leaf epidermis differentiation such that cell size and morphology are altered, and surface functions are compromised, allowing graft-like fusions between organs. In the seed, loss of cr4 inhibits aleurone formation in a pattern that reflects the normal progression of differentiation over the developing endosperm surface. The cr4 gene was isolated by transposon tagging and found to encode a putative receptor kinase. The extracellular domain contains a cysteine-rich region similar to the ligand binding domain in mammalian tumor necrosis factor receptors (TNFRs) and seven copies of a previously unknown 39-amino acid repeat. The results suggest a role for cr4 in a differentiation signal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Becraft
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Stinard
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: McCarty
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D017343:Genes, Plant; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016296:Mutagenesis; D010641:Phenotype; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000166:cytology; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000737:chemistry; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000737:chemistry; D012639:Seeds / Q000166:cytology; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D010940:Plant Proteins; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D011494:Protein Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases