title: Exploring key cellular processes and candidate genes regulating the primary thickening growth of Moso underground shoots.
abstract: The primary thickening growth of Moso (Phyllostachys edulis) underground shoots largely determines the culm circumference. However, its developmental mechanisms remain largely unknown. Using an integrated anatomy, mathematics and genomics approach, we systematically studied cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the growth of Moso underground shoots. We discovered that the growth displayed a spiral pattern and pith played an important role in promoting the primary thickening process of Moso underground shoots and driving the evolution of culms with different sizes among different bamboo species. Different with model plants, the shoot apical meristem (SAM) of Moso is composed of six layers of cells. Comparative transcriptome analysis identified a large number of genes related to the vascular tissue formation that were significantly upregulated in a thick wall variant with narrow pith cavity, mildly spiral growth, and flat and enlarged SAM, including those related to plant hormones and those involved in cell wall development. These results provide a systematic perspective on the primary thickening growth of Moso underground shoots, and support a plausible mechanism resulting in the narrow pith cavity, weak spiral growth but increased vascular bundle of the thick wall Moso.
authors.affiliation: Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210037, China.|Bamboo Research Institute, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210037, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jiao
authors.affiliation: Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210037, China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210037, China.|Bamboo Research Institute, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210037, China.
authors.forename: Yulong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210037, China.
authors.forename: Junjie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210037, China.
authors.forename: Jianyuan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210037, China.
authors.forename: Xiaobo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Linyong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Honghe
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Bamboo Germplasm Resources and Utilization, Jiangxi Agriculture University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330045, China.
authors.forename: Fen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Bamboo Germplasm Resources and Utilization, Jiangxi Agriculture University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330045, China.
authors.forename: Guangyao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210037, China.|Bamboo Research Institute, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210037, China.
authors.forename: Peijian
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
authors.forename: Guodong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Zhangjun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fei
mesh_terms: D005075:Biological Evolution; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002482:Cellulose / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D017343:Genes, Plant; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D018519:Meristem / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000494:pharmacology; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D058526:Plant Vascular Bundle / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D006109:Poaceae / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D059467:Transcriptome / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; D002482:Cellulose
keywords: Moso bamboo; pith development; shoot apical meristem (SAM) differentiation; spiral growth; transcriptome profiling; underground shoot growth