title: Transcriptional profile of the Arabidopsis root quiescent center.
abstract: The self-renewal characteristics of stem cells render them vital engines of development. To better understand the molecular mechanisms that determine the properties of stem cells, transcript profiling was conducted on quiescent center (QC) cells from the Arabidopsis thaliana root meristem. The AGAMOUS-LIKE 42 (AGL42) gene, which encodes a MADS box transcription factor whose expression is enriched in the QC, was used to mark these cells. RNA was isolated from sorted cells, labeled, and hybridized to Affymetrix microarrays. Comparisons with digital in situ expression profiles of surrounding tissues identified a set of genes enriched in the QC. Promoter regions from a subset of transcription factors identified as enriched in the QC conferred expression in the QC. These studies demonstrated that it is possible to successfully isolate and profile a rare cell type in the plant. Mutations in all enriched transcription factor genes including AGL42 exhibited no detectable root phenotype, raising the possibility of a high degree of functional redundancy in the QC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA.
authors.forename: Tal
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nawy
authors.forename: Ji-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Juliette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Colinas
authors.forename: Jean Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Sumena C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Thongrod
authors.forename: Jocelyn E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Malamy
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Birnbaum
authors.forename: Philip N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Benfey
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D026161:MADS Domain Proteins; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; D018749:RNA, Plant; D014157:Transcription Factors