title: Spatial coordination between stem cell activity and cell differentiation in the root meristem.
abstract: A critical issue in development is the coordination of the activity of stem cell niches with differentiation of their progeny to ensure coherent organ growth. In the plant root, these processes take place at opposite ends of the meristem and must be coordinated with each other at a distance. Here, we show that in Arabidopsis, the gene SCR presides over this spatial coordination. In the organizing center of the root stem cell niche, SCR directly represses the expression of the cytokinin-response transcription factor ARR1, which promotes cell differentiation, controlling auxin production via the ASB1 gene and sustaining stem cell activity. This allows SCR to regulate, via auxin, the level of ARR1 expression in the transition zone where the stem cell progeny leaves the meristem, thus controlling the rate of differentiation. In this way, SCR simultaneously controls stem cell division and differentiation, ensuring coherent root growth.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie, Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics of Model Systems, Università di Roma, Sapienza, via dei Sardi, 70-00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Laila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moubayidin
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Di Mambro
authors.forename: Rosangela
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sozzani
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pacifici
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salvi
authors.forename: Inez
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Terpstra
authors.forename: Dongping
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Dijken
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dello Ioio
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perilli
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ljung
authors.forename: Philip N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Benfey
authors.forename: Renze
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heidstra
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Costantino
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sabatini
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D003583:Cytokinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D018519:Meristem / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D055153:Stem Cell Niche / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D003583:Cytokinins; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins