A positive approach to branching.
Plants regulate the development of branches in response to environmental and developmental signals in order to maximize reproductive success. A number of hormone signals are involved in the regulation of branching and both their production and transmission affect axillary meristem outgrowth. With the identification of strigolactones as root-derived branch inhibitors it seems likely that a biochemical pathway starting from a carotenoid and resulting in production of a strigolactone hormone is present in most plants. Our observation that loss of CCD7 or CCD8 also results in production of a promoter of branching from roots shows the branching pathway has multiple levels of control which allows a high degree of sensitivity to subtle differences in environmental and developmental signals.
Janssen
Bart J
BJ
The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research, Auckland, New Zealand.
Drummond
Revel S M
RS
Ledger
Susan E
SE
Snowden
Kimberley C
KC