title: Towards the discovery of novel genetic component involved in stress resistance in Arabidopsis thaliana.
abstract: The exposure of plants to high concentrations of trace metallic elements such as copper involves a remodeling of the root system, characterized by a primary root growth inhibition and an increase in the lateral root density. These characteristics constitute easy and suitable markers for screening mutants altered in their response to copper excess. A forward genetic approach was undertaken in order to discover novel genetic factors involved in the response to copper excess. A Cu(2+) -sensitive mutant named copper modified resistance1 (cmr1) was isolated and a causative mutation in the CMR1 gene was identified by using positional cloning and next-generation sequencing. CMR1 encodes a plant-specific protein of unknown function. The analysis of the cmr1 mutant indicates that the CMR1 protein is required for optimal growth under normal conditions and has an essential role in the stress response. Impairment of the CMR1 activity alters root growth through aberrant activity of the root meristem, and modifies potassium concentration and hormonal balance (ethylene production and auxin accumulation). Our data support a putative role for CMR1 in cell division regulation and meristem maintenance. Research on the role of CMR1 will contribute to the understanding of the plasticity of plants in response to changing environments.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Molecular Genetics, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1050, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Juraniec
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Molecular Genetics, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1050, Brussels, Belgium.|Groupe de Recherche en Physiologie Végétale, Earth and Life Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, 5 bte13, Croix du Sud, 1348, Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lequeux
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Molecular Genetics, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1050, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hermans
authors.affiliation: Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030, Vienna, Austria.|Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Glenda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Willems
authors.affiliation: Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nordborg
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Korbinian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schneeberger
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Molecular Genetics, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1050, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Pietrino
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Salis
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Molecular Genetics, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1050, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Maud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vromant
authors.affiliation: Groupe de Recherche en Physiologie Végétale, Earth and Life Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, 5 bte13, Croix du Sud, 1348, Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lutts
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Molecular Genetics, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1050, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Verbruggen
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D000483:Alleles; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003300:Copper / Q000633:toxicity; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D017343:Genes, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; C036483:T-DNA; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D003300:Copper; D012964:Sodium
keywords: Arabidopsis; copper-sensitive mutant; meristem; root growth; stress resistance