Novel receptor-like kinase ALE2 controls shoot development by specifying epidermis in Arabidopsis.
The epidermis plays crucial roles in the development of various organs and in water retention in both animals and plants. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the subtilase ABNORMAL LEAF SHAPE 1 (ALE1) and the Arabidopsis homolog of the Crinkly4 (ACR4) receptor-like protein kinase (RLK) have been implicated in the intercellular communication that is required for surface functions of the epidermis. We have identified a novel mutant gene in Arabidopsis, ale2, which is associated with various epidermal defects, including disorganization of epidermis-related tissues, defects in the leaf cuticle and the fusion of organs. ALE2 encodes a previously uncharacterized RLK with a cluster of basic amino acid residues followed by a cysteine-containing sequence in the putative extracellular domain. Our genetic investigations suggest that ALE2 and ACR4 function in the same process, whereas ALE1 has a different mode of action, and that these three genes play partially overlapping roles in positively regulating protoderm-specific gene expression and for the formation of leafy organs. We propose that at least two modes of intercellular communication facilitate the specification of epidermis, thereby promoting shoot organogenesis in Arabidopsis.
Tanaka
Hirokazu
H
College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chubu University and CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kasugai, Japan.
Watanabe
Masaru
M
Sasabe
Michiko
M
Hiroe
Tomonori
T
Tanaka
Toshihiro
T
Tsukaya
Hirokazu
H
Ikezaki
Masaya
M
Machida
Chiyoko
C
Machida
Yasunori
Y
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004843:Epistasis, Genetic; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D010766:Phosphorylation; D019441:Plant Epidermis / Q000254:growth & development*; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000254:growth & development*; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012639:Seeds / Q000378:metabolism; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics; D015398:Signal Transduction
D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011494:Protein Kinases; C462019:ACR4 protein, Arabidopsis; C520427:ALE2 protein, Arabidopsis; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C443900:ALE1 protein, Arabidopsis; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases