title: A CLE-WOX signalling module regulates root meristem maintenance and vascular tissue development in rice.
abstract: CLAVATA3 (CLV3)/ENDOSPERM SURROUNDING REGION (ESR)-related (CLE) proteins belong to a small peptide family conserved in plants. Recent studies in Arabidopsis and rice have revealed a key role for CLEs in mediating cell-cell communication and stem cell maintenance during plant development, but how CLE signalling controls root development in the rice remains largely unknown. Here it is shown that exogenous application of a synthetic dodeca-amino acid peptide corresponding to the CLE motif of the rice FON2-LIKE CLE PROTEIN2 (FCP2p) protein or overexpression of FCP2 terminates root apical meristem (RAM) activity and impairs late metaxylem formation. FCP2p treatment suppresses the expression of the rice QUIESCENT-CENTER-SPECIFIC HOMEOBOX (QHB) gene, a putative orthologue of Arabidopsis WUSCHEL (WUS)-RELATED HOMEOBOX 5 (WOX5) gene, in both quiescent centre and late metaxylem cells; whereas inducible overexpression of QHB reduces the sensitivity of rice to FCP2p treatment. These results together suggest that in rice RAM maintenance and late metaxylem development are probably controlled by the mutual regulation between FCP2 and QHB. Moreover, a cross-species peptide treatment experiment in Arabidopsis implies that FCP2 has both evolutionarily conserved and species-specific roles in root development.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
authors.forename: Huangwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Wanqi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Yunfei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Likai
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chunming
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qifa
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Dabing
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002450:Cell Communication; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018519:Meristem / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D012275:Oryza / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D058526:Plant Vascular Bundle / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013045:Species Specificity; D052584:Xylem / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D010455:Peptides; D010940:Plant Proteins; C116421:WUSCHEL protein, Arabidopsis
keywords: FCP2; QHB; rice; root meristem; signalling; vascular tissue identity.