title: The Arabidopsis thaliana GRF-INTERACTING FACTOR gene family plays an essential role in control of male and female reproductive development.
abstract: Reproductive success of angiosperms relies on the precise development of the gynoecium and the anther, because their primary function is to bear and to nurture the embryo sac/female gametophyte and pollen, in which the egg and sperm cells, respectively, are generated. It has been known that the GRF-INTERACTING FACTOR (GIF) transcription co-activator family of Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) consists of three members and acts as a positive regulator of cell proliferation. Here, we demonstrate that GIF proteins also play an essential role in development of reproductive organs and generation of the gamete cells. The gif1 gif2 gif3 triple mutant, but not the single or double mutants, failed to establish normal carpel margin meristem (CMM) and its derivative tissues, such as the ovule and the septum, resulting in a split gynoecium and no observable embryo sac. The gif triple mutant also displayed severe structural and functional defects in the anther, producing neither microsporangium nor pollen grains. Therefore, we propose that the GIF family of Arabidopsis is a novel and essential component required for the cell specification maintenance during reproductive organ development and, ultimately, for the reproductive competence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Byung Ha
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
authors.forename: April N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Wynn
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Franks
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yong-sic
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: kimjeon4@knu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jeong Hoe
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D035264:Flowers / Q000254:growth & development*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D018519:Meristem / Q000254:growth & development; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008857:Microscopy, Interference; D005810:Multigene Family; D009154:Mutation; D056771:Ovule / Q000254:growth & development; D010641:Phenotype; D051479:Plant Infertility; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011058:Pollen / Q000254:growth & development; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; C503423:GIF1 protein, Arabidopsis; D015534:Trans-Activators
keywords: Anther; Arabidopsis thaliana; Carpel; Cell specification; GRF-INTERACTING FACTOR