title: Cyclic programmed cell death stimulates hormone signaling and root development in Arabidopsis.
abstract: The plant root cap, surrounding the very tip of the growing root, perceives and transmits environmental signals to the inner root tissues. In Arabidopsis thaliana, auxin released by the root cap contributes to the regular spacing of lateral organs along the primary root axis. Here, we show that the periodicity of lateral organ induction is driven by recurrent programmed cell death at the most distal edge of the root cap. We suggest that synchronous bursts of cell death in lateral root cap cells release pulses of auxin to surrounding root tissues, establishing the pattern for lateral root formation. The dynamics of root cap turnover may therefore coordinate primary root growth with root branching in order to optimize the uptake of water and nutrients from the soil.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium. Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Gent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium. State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement and MOA Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilization in Lower-Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang No. 1, Nanjing 210095, PR China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xuan
authors.affiliation: Centre for Plant Integrative Biology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham LE12 5RD, UK.
authors.forename: Leah R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Band
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium. Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Gent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Kumpf
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium. Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Gent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Daniël
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Van Damme
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium. Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Gent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Parizot
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium. Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Gent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Gieljan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Rop
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium. Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Gent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Davy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Opdenacker
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium. Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Gent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Barbara K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Möller
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Spemannstrasse 35, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Noemi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Skorzinski
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium. Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Gent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Maria F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Njo
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium. Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Gent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium. Laboratory of Biochemistry, Wageningen University, Dreijenlaan 3, 6703HA Wageningen, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: De Rybel
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium. Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Gent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Audenaert
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium. Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Gent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Moritz K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Nowack
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium. Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Gent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vanneste
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium. Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Gent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium. tobee@psb.vib-ugent.be.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Beeckman
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D019441:Plant Epidermis / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D018518:Plant Root Cap / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D053220:Receptors, TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D012987:Soil; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007210:Indoleacetic Acids; D053220:Receptors, TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; D012987:Soil; D014867:Water