Regulation of floral patterning and organ identity by Arabidopsis ERECTA-family receptor kinase genes

MAPK Cascades in Plant Microbiota Structure and Functioning

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are highly conserved signaling modules that coordinate diverse biological processes such as plant innate immunity and development. Recently, MAPK cascades have emerged as pivotal regulators of the plant holobiont, influencing the assembly of normal plant microbiota, essential for maintaining optimal plant growth and health. In this review, we provide an overview of current knowledge on MAPK cascades, from upstream perception of microbial stimuli to downstream host responses. Synthesizing recent findings, we explore the intricate connections between MAPK signaling and the assembly and functioning of plant microbiota. Additionally, the role of MAPK activation in orchestrating dynamic changes in root exudation to shape microbiota composition is discussed. Finally, our review concludes by emphasizing the necessity for more sophisticated techniques to accurately decipher the role of MAPK signaling in establishing the plant holobiont relationship.

An EPFL peptide signaling pathway promotes stamen elongation via enhancing filament cell proliferation to ensure successful self-pollination in Arabidopsis thaliana

Proper stamen filament elongation is essential for plant self-pollination and reproduction. Several phytohormones such as jasmonate and gibberellin play important roles in controlling filament elongation, but other endogenous signals involved in this developmental process remain unknown. We report here that three EPIDERMAL PATTERNING FACTOR-LIKE (EPFL) family peptides, EPFL4, EPFL5 and EPFL6, act redundantly to promote stamen filament elongation via enhancing filament cell proliferation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Knockout of EPFL4-6 genes led to shortened filaments due to defective filament cell proliferation, resulting in pollination failure and male sterility. Further genetic and biochemical analyses indicated that the ERECTA family and the SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS RECEPTOR KINASE (SERK) family RLKs form receptor complexes to perceive EPFL4-6 peptides and promote filament cell proliferation. Moreover, based on both loss- and gain-of-function genetic analyses, the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade MKK4/MKK5-MPK6 was shown to function downstream of EPFL4-6 to positively regulate cell proliferation in stamen filaments. Together, this study reveals that an EPFL peptide signaling pathway composed of the EPFL4-6 peptide ligands, the ERECTA-SERK receptor complexes and the downstream MKK4/MKK5-MPK6 cascade promotes stamen filament elongation via enhancing filament cell proliferation to ensure successful self-pollination and normal fertility in Arabidopsis.

The EPFL-ERf-SERK signaling controls integument development in Arabidopsis

As the seed precursor, the ovule produces the female gametophyte (or embryo sac), and the subsequent double fertilization occurs in it. The integuments emerge sequentially from the integument primordia at the early stages of ovule development and finally enwrap the embryo sac gradually during gametogenesis, protecting and nursing the embryo sac. However, the mechanisms regulating integument development are still obscure. In this study, we show that SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASES (SERKs) play essential roles during integument development in Arabidopsis thaliana. The serk1/2/3 triple mutant shows arrested integuments and abnormal embryo sacs, similar defects also found in the triple loss-of-function mutants of ERECTA family (ERf) genes. Ovules of serk1/2/3 er erl1/2 show defects similar to er erl1/2 and serk1/2/3. Results of yeast two-hybrid analyses, bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) analyses, and co-immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that SERKs interact with ERf, which depends on EPIDERMAL PATTERNING FACTOR-LIKE (EPFL) family small peptides. The sextuple mutant epfl1/2/3/4/5/6 shows integument defects similar to both of er erl1/2 and serk1/2/3. Our results demonstrate that ERf-SERK-mediated EPFL signaling orchestrates the development of the female gametophyte and the surrounding sporophytic integuments.

Direct attenuation of Arabidopsis ERECTA signalling by a pair of U-box E3 ligases

Plants sense a myriad of signals through cell-surface receptors to coordinate their development and environmental response. The Arabidopsis ERECTA receptor kinase regulates diverse developmental processes via perceiving multiple EPIDERMAL PATTERNING FACTOR (EPF)/EPF-LIKE peptide ligands. How the activated ERECTA protein is turned over is unknown. Here we identify two closely related plant U-box ubiquitin E3 ligases, PUB30 and PUB31, as key attenuators of ERECTA signalling for two developmental processes: inflorescence/pedicel growth and stomatal development. Loss-of-function pub30 pub31 mutant plants exhibit extreme inflorescence/pedicel elongation and reduced stomatal numbers owing to excessive ERECTA protein accumulation. Ligand activation of ERECTA leads to phosphorylation of PUB30/31 via BRI1-ASSOCIATED KINASE1 (BAK1), which acts as a coreceptor kinase and a scaffold to promote PUB30/31 to associate with and ubiquitinate ERECTA for eventual degradation. Our work highlights PUB30 and PUB31 as integral components of the ERECTA regulatory circuit that ensure optimal signalling outputs, thereby defining the role for PUB proteins in developmental signalling.

Multifaceted roles of the ERECTA family in plant organ morphogenesis

Receptor-like kinases (RLKs) can participate in multiple signalling pathways and are considered one of the most critical components of the early events of intercellular signalling. As an RLK, the ERECTA family (ERf), which comprises ERECTA (ER), ERECTA-Like1 (ERL1), and ERECTA-Like2 (ERL2) in Arabidopsis, regulates multiple signalling pathways in plant growth and development. Despite its indispensability, detailed information on ERf-manipulated signalling pathways remains elusive. In this review, we attempt to summarize the essential roles of the ERf in plant organ morphogenesis, including shoot apical meristem, stem, and reproductive organ development.

Initiation of aboveground organ primordia depends on combined action of auxin, ERECTA family genes, and PINOID

Leaves and flowers are produced by the shoot apical meristem (SAM) at a certain distance from its center, a process that requires the hormone auxin. The amount of auxin and the pattern of its distribution in the initiation zone determine the size and spatial arrangement of organ primordia. Auxin gradients in the SAM are formed by PIN-FORMED (PIN) auxin efflux carriers whose polar localization in the plasma membrane depends on the protein kinase PINOID (PID). Previous work determined that ERECTA (ER) family genes (ERfs) control initiation of leaves. ERfs are plasma membrane receptors that enable cell-to-cell communication by sensing extracellular small proteins from the EPIDERMAL PATTERNING FACTOR/EPF-LIKE (EPF/EPFL) family. Here, we investigated whether ERfs regulate initiation of organs by altering auxin distribution or signaling in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Genetic and pharmacological data suggested that ERfs do not regulate organogenesis through PINs while transcriptomics data showed that ERfs do not alter primary transcriptional responses to auxin. Our results indicated that in the absence of ERf signaling the peripheral zone cells inefficiently initiate leaves in response to auxin signals and that increased accumulation of auxin in the er erecta-like1 (erl1) erl2 SAM can partially rescue organ initiation defects. We propose that both auxin and ERfs are essential for leaf initiation and that they have common downstream targets. Genetic data also indicated that the role of PID in initiation of cotyledons and leaves cannot be attributed solely to regulation of PIN polarity and PID is likely to have other functions in addition to regulation of auxin distribution.

Transcriptome landscape of early inflorescence developmental stages identifies key flowering time regulators in chickpea

Transcriptome landscape during early inflorescence developmental stages identified candidate flowering time regulators including Early Flowering 3a. Further genomics approaches validated the role of this gene in flowering time regulation. The early stages of inflorescence development in plants are as crucial as the later floral developmental stages. Several traits, such as inflorescence architecture and flower developmental timings, are determined during those early stages. In chickpea, diverse forms of inflorescence architectures regarding meristem determinacy and the number of flowers per node are observed within the germplasm. Transcriptome analysis in four desi chickpea accessions with such unique inflorescence characteristics identifies the underlying shared regulatory events leading to inflorescence development. The vegetative to reproductive stage transition brings about major changes in the transcriptome landscape. The inflorescence development progression associated genes identified through co-expression network analysis includes both protein-coding genes and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Few lncRNAs identified in our study positively regulate flowering-related mRNA stability by acting competitively with miRNAs. Bulk segregrant analysis and association mapping narrowed down an InDel marker regulating flowering time in chickpea. Deletion of 11 bp in first exon of a negative flowering time regulator, Early Flowering 3a gene, leads to early flowering phenotype in chickpea. Understanding the key players involved in vegetative to reproductive stage transition and floral meristem development will be useful in manipulating flowering time and inflorescence architecture in chickpea and other legumes.

Receptor-like protein kinases in plant reproduction: Current understanding and future perspectives

Reproduction is a crucial process in the life span of flowering plants, and directly affects human basic requirements in agriculture, such as grain yield and quality. Typical receptor-like protein kinases (RLKs) are a large family of membrane proteins sensing extracellular signals to regulate plant growth, development, and stress responses. In Arabidopsis thaliana and other plant species, RLK-mediated signaling pathways play essential roles in regulating the reproductive process by sensing different ligand signals. Molecular understanding of the reproductive process is vital from the perspective of controlling male and female fertility. Here, we summarize the roles of RLKs during plant reproduction at the genetic and molecular levels, including RLK-mediated floral organ development, ovule and anther development, and embryogenesis. In addition, the possible molecular regulatory patterns of those RLKs with unrevealed mechanisms during reproductive development are discussed. We also point out the thought-provoking questions raised by the research on these plant RLKs during reproduction for future investigation.

Stomatal development in the context of epidermal tissues

BACKGROUND

Stomata are adjustable pores on the surface of plant shoots for efficient gas exchange and water control. The presence of stomata is essential for plant growth and survival, and the evolution of stomata is considered as a key developmental innovation of the land plants, allowing colonization on land from aquatic environments some 450 million years ago. In the past two decades, molecular genetic studies using the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana identified key genes and signalling modules that regulate stomatal development: master regulatory transcription factors that orchestrate cell state transitions and peptide-receptor signal transduction pathways, which, together, enforce proper patterning of stomata within the epidermis. Studies in diverse plant species, ranging from bryophytes to angiosperm grasses, have begun to unravel the conservation and uniqueness of the core modules in stomatal development.

SCOPE

Here, I review the mechanisms of stomatal development in the context of epidermal tissue patterning. First, I introduce the core regulatory mechanisms of stomatal patterning and differentiation in the model species A. thaliana. Subsequently, experimental evidence is presented supporting the idea that different cell types within the leaf epidermis, namely stomata, hydathodes pores, pavement cells and trichomes, either share developmental origins or mutually influence each other's gene regulatory circuits during development. Emphasis is placed on extrinsic and intrinsic signals regulating the balance between stomata and pavement cells, specifically by controlling the fate of stomatal-lineage ground cells (SLGCs) to remain within the stomatal cell lineage or differentiate into pavement cells. Finally, I discuss the influence of intertissue layer communication between the epidermis and underlying mesophyll/vascular tissues on stomatal differentiation. Understanding the dynamic behaviours of stomatal precursor cells and their differentiation in the broader context of tissue and organ development may help design plants tailored for optimal growth and productivity in specific agricultural applications and a changing environment.

Spatiotemporal control of miR398 biogenesis, via chromatin remodeling and kinase signaling, ensures proper ovule development

The coordinated development of sporophytic and gametophytic tissues is essential for proper ovule patterning and fertility. However, the mechanisms regulating their integrated development remain poorly understood. Here, we report that the Swi2/Snf2-Related1 (SWR1) chromatin-remodeling complex acts with the ERECTA receptor kinase-signaling pathway to control female gametophyte and integument growth in Arabidopsis thaliana by inhibiting transcription of the microRNA gene MIR398c in early-stage megagametogenesis. Moreover, pri-miR398c is transcribed in the female gametophyte but is then translocated to and processed in the ovule sporophytic tissues. Together, SWR1 and ERECTA also activate ARGONAUTE10 (AGO10) expression in the chalaza; AGO10 sequesters miR398, thereby ensuring the expression of three AGAMOUS-LIKE (AGL) genes (AGL51, AGL52, and AGL78) in the female gametophyte. In the context of sexual organ morphogenesis, these findings suggest that the spatiotemporal control of miRNA biogenesis, resulting from coordination between chromatin remodeling and cell signaling, is essential for proper ovule development in Arabidopsis.

Shouting out loud: signaling modules in the regulation of stomatal development

Stomata are small pores on the surface of land plants that facilitate gas exchange for photosynthesis while minimizing water loss. The function of stomata is pivotal for plant growth and survival. Intensive research on the model plant Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) has discovered key peptide signaling pathways, transcription factors, and polarity components that together drive proper stomatal development and patterning. In this review, we focus on recent findings that have revealed co-option of peptide-receptor kinase signaling modules-utilized for diverse developmental processes and immune response. We further discuss an emerging connection between extrinsic signaling and intrinsic polarity modules. These findings have further enlightened our understanding of this fascinating developmental process.

ERECTA signaling regulates plant immune responses via chromatin-mediated promotion of WRKY33 binding to target genes

The signaling pathway mediated by the receptor-like kinase ERECTA (ER) plays important roles in plant immune responses, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. Genetic interactions between ER signaling and the chromatin remodeling complex SWR1 in the control of plant immune responses were studied. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay and yeast one-hybrid analysis were applied to identify ER-WRKY33 downstream components. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses were further investigated. In this study, we show that the chromatin remodeling complex SWR1 enhances resistance to the white mold fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in Arabidopsis thaliana via a process mediated by ER signaling. We identify a series of WRKY33 target YODA DOWNSTREAM (YDD) genes and demonstrate that SWR1 and ER signaling are required to enrich H2A.Z histone variant and H3K4me3 histone modification at YDDs and the binding of WRKY33 to YDD promoters upon S. sclerotiorum infection. We also reveal that the binding of WRKY33 to YDD promoters in turn promotes the enrichment of H2A.Z and H3K4me3 at YDD genes, thereby forming a positive regulatory loop to activate YDDs expression. Our study reveals how H2A.Z, H3K4me3 and ER signaling mutually regulate YDDs gene expression upon pathogen infection, highlighting the critical role of chromatin structure in ER-signaling-mediated plant immune responses.

A Peptide Pair Coordinates Regular Ovule Initiation Patterns with Seed Number and Fruit Size

Ovule development in Arabidopsis thaliana involves pattern formation, which ensures that ovules are regularly arranged in the pistils to reduce competition for nutrients and space. Mechanisms underlying pattern formation in plants, such as phyllotaxis, flower morphogenesis, or lateral root initiation, have been extensively studied, and genes controlling the initiation of ovules have been identified. However, the fundamental patterning mechanism that determines the spacing of ovule anlagen within the placenta remained unexplored. Using natural variation analysis combined with quantitative trait locus analysis, we found that the spacing of ovules in the developing gynoecium and fruits is controlled by two secreted peptides, EPFL2 and EPFL9 (also known as Stomagen), and their receptors from the ERECTA (ER) family that act from the carpel wall and the placental tissue. We found that a signaling pathway controlled by EPFL9 acting from the carpel wall through the LRR-receptor kinases ER, ERL1, and ERL2 promotes fruit growth. Regular spacing of ovules depends on EPFL2 expression in the carpel wall and in the inter-ovule spaces, where it acts through ERL1 and ERL2. Loss of EPFL2 signaling results in shorter gynoecia and fruits and irregular spacing of ovules or even ovule twinning. We propose that the EPFL2 signaling module evolved to control the initiation and regular, equidistant spacing of ovule primordia, which may serve to minimize competition between seeds or facilitate equal resource allocation. Together, EPFL2 and EPFL9 help to coordinate ovule patterning and thereby seed number with gynoecium and fruit growth through a set of shared receptors.

Stomatal development in the grasses: lessons from models and crops (and crop models)

When plants emerged from their aquatic origins to colonise land, they needed to avoid desiccation while still enabling gas and water exchange with the environment. The solution was the development of a waxy cuticle interrupted by epidermal pores, known as stomata. Despite the importance of stomata in plant physiology and their contribution to global water and carbon cycles, our knowledge of the genetic basis of stomatal development is limited mostly to the model dicot, Arabidopsis thaliana. This limitation is particularly troublesome when evaluating grasses, whose members represent our most agriculturally significant crops. Grass stomatal development follows a trajectory strikingly different from Arabidopsis and their uniquely shaped four-celled stomatal complexes are especially responsive to environmental inputs. Thus, understanding the development and regulation of these efficient complexes is of particular interest for the purposes of crop engineering. This review focuses on genetic regulation of grass stomatal development and prospects for the future, highlighting discoveries enabled by parallel comparative investigations in cereal crops and related genetic model species such as Brachypodium distachyon.

ERECTA receptor-kinases play a key role in the appropriate timing of seed germination under changing salinity

Appropriate timing of seed germination is crucial for the survival and propagation of plants, and for crop yield, especially in environments prone to salinity or drought. However, the exact mechanisms by which seeds perceive changes in soil conditions and integrate them to trigger germination remain elusive, especially once the seeds are non-dormant. In this study, we determined that the Arabidopsis ERECTA (ER), ERECTA-LIKE1 (ERL1), and ERECTA-LIKE2 (ERL2) leucine-rich-repeat receptor-like kinases regulate seed germination and its sensitivity to changes in salt and osmotic stress levels. Loss of ER alone, or in combination with ERL1 and/or ERL2, slows down the initiation of germination and its progression to completion, or arrests it altogether under saline conditions, until better conditions return. This function is maternally controlled via the tissues surrounding the embryo, with a primary role being played by the properties of the seed coat and its mucilage. These relate to both seed-coat expansion and subsequent differentiation and to salinity-dependent interactions between the mucilage, subtending seed coat layers and seed interior in the germinating seed. Salt-hypersensitive er105, er105 erl1.2, er105 erl2.1 and triple-mutant seeds also exhibit increased sensitivity to exogenous ABA during germination, and under salinity show an enhanced up-regulation of the germination repressors and inducers of dormancy ABA-insensitive-3, ABA-insensitive-5, DELLA-encoding RGL2, and Delay-Of-Germination-1. These findings reveal a novel role of the ERECTA receptor-kinases in the sensing of conditions at the seed surface and the integration of developmental, dormancy and stress signalling pathways in seeds. They also open novel avenues for the genetic improvement of plant adaptation to changing drought and salinity patterns.

AtEDT1/HDG11 regulates stomatal density and water-use efficiency via ERECTA and E2Fa

Improvement of crop drought resistance and water-use efficiency (WUE) has been a major endeavor in agriculture. Arabidopsis ENHANCED DROUGHT TOLERANCE1/HOMEODOMAIN GLABROUS11 (AtEDT1/HDG11), a homeodomain-START transcription factor we previously identified from the enhanced drought tolerance1 mutant (edt1), has been demonstrated to improve drought tolerance and WUE significantly in multiple plant species when constitutively overexpressed. Here, we report the genetic evidence suggesting a genetic pathway, which consists of EDT1/HDG11, ERECTA, and E2Fa loci, and regulates WUE by modulating stomatal density. AtEDT1/HDG11 transcriptionally activates ERECTA by binding to homeodomain-binding (HD) cis-elements in the ERECTA promoter. ERECTA, in turn, depends on E2Fa to modulate the expression of cell cycle-related genes. This modulation affects the transition from mitosis to endocycle, leading to increased ploidy levels in leaf cells, and therefore increased cell size and decreased stomatal density. Our results suggest a possible EDT1/HDG11-ERECTA-E2Fa genetic pathway that reduces stomatal density by increasing cell size and provide a new avenue to improve WUE of crops.

Manipulating Endoplasmic Reticulum-Plasma Membrane Tethering in Plants Through Fluorescent Protein Complementation

The bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assay has been widely used to examine interactions between integral and peripheral proteins within putative plasma membrane (PM) microdomains. In the course of using BiFC assays to examine the co-localization of plasma membrane (PM) targeted receptor-like kinases (RLKs), such as FLS2, with PM micro-domain proteins such as remorins, we unexpectedly observed heterogeneous distribution patterns of fluorescence on the PM of Nicotiana benthamiana leaf cortical cells. These patterns appeared to co-localize with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and with ER-PM contact sites, and closely resembled patterns caused by over-expression of the ER-PM tether protein Synaptotagmin1 (SYT1). Using domain swap experiments with SYT1, we inferred that non-specific dimerization between FLS2-VenusN and VenusC-StRem1.3 could create artificial ER-PM tether proteins analogous to SYT1. The same patterns of ER-PM tethering were produced when a representative set of integral membrane proteins were partnered in BiFC complexes with PM-targeted peripheral membrane proteins, including PtdIns(4)P-binding proteins. We inferred that spontaneous formation of mature fluorescent proteins caused the BiFC complexes to trap the integral membrane proteins in the ER during delivery to the PM, producing a PM-ER tether. This phenomenon could be a useful tool to deliberately manipulate ER-PM tethering or to test protein membrane localization. However, this study also highlights the risk of using the BiFC assay to study membrane protein interactions in plants, due to the possibility of alterations in cellular structures and membrane organization, or misinterpretation of protein-protein interactions. A number of published studies using this approach may therefore need to be revisited.

Organ-specific genetic interactions between paralogues of the PXY and ER receptor kinases enforce radial patterning in Arabidopsis vascular tissue

In plants, cells do not migrate. Tissues are frequently arranged in concentric rings; thus, expansion of inner layers is coordinated with cell division and/or expansion of cells in outer layers. In Arabidopsis stems, receptor kinases, PXY and ER, genetically interact to coordinate vascular proliferation and organisation via inter-tissue signalling. The contribution of PXY and ER paralogues to stem patterning is not known, nor is their function understood in hypocotyls, which undergo considerable radial expansion. Here, we show that removal of all PXY and ER gene-family members results in profound cell division and organisation defects. In hypocotyls, these plants failed to transition to true radial growth. Gene expression analysis suggested that PXY and ER cross- and inter-family transcriptional regulation occurs, but it differs between stem and hypocotyl. Thus, PXY and ER signalling interact to coordinate development in a distinct manner in different organs. We anticipate that such specialised local regulatory relationships, where tissue growth is controlled via signals moving across tissue layers, may coordinate tissue layer expansion throughout the plant body.

Stem cells within the shoot apical meristem: identity, arrangement and communication

Stem cells are specific cells that renew themselves and also provide daughter cells for organ formation. In plants, primary stem cell populations are nurtured within shoot and root apical meristems (SAM and RAM) for the production of aerial and underground parts, respectively. This review article summarizes recent progress on control of stem cells in the SAM from studies of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. To that end, a brief overview of the RAM is provided first to emphasize similarities and differences between the two apical meristems, which would help in better understanding of stem cells in the SAM. Subsequently, we will discuss in depth how stem cells are arranged in an organized manner in the SAM, how dynamically the stem cell identity is regulated, what factors participate in stem cell control, and how intercellular communication by mobile signals modulates stem cell behaviors within the SAM. Remaining questions and perspectives are also presented for future studies.

Sucrose Signaling Regulates Anthocyanin Biosynthesis Through a MAPK Cascade in Arabidopsis thaliana

Anthocyanin accumulation specifically depends on sucrose (Suc) signaling. However, the molecular basis of this process remains unknown. In this study, in vitro pull-down assays identified ETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE3 (EIN3), a component of both sugar signaling or/and metabolism. This protein interacted with YDA, and the physiological relevance of this interaction was confirmed by in planta co-immunoprecipitation, yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) assay, and bimolecular fluorescence complementation. Ethylene insensitive3-like 1 (eil1) ein3 double-mutant seedlings, but not ein3-1 seedlings, showed anthocyanin accumulation. Furthermore, ein3-1 suppressed anthocyanin accumulation in yda-1 plants. Thus, EMB71/YDA-EIN3-EIL1 may form a sugar-mediated gene cascade integral to the regulation of anthocyanin accumulation. Moreover, the EMB71/YDA-EIN3-EIL1 gene cascade module directly targeted the promoter of Transparent Testa 8 (TT8) by direct EIN3 binding. Collectively, our data inferred a molecular model where the signaling cascade of the YDA-EIN3-TT8 appeared to target TT8 via EIN3, thereby modulating Suc signaling-mediated anthocyanin accumulation.

Plant cell surface receptor-mediated signaling - a common theme amid diversity

Sessile plants employ a diverse array of plasma membrane-bound receptors to perceive endogenous and exogenous signals for regulation of plant growth, development and immunity. These cell surface receptors include receptor-like kinases (RLKs) and receptor-like proteins (RLPs) that harbor different extracellular domains for perception of distinct ligands. Several RLK and RLP signaling pathways converge at the somatic embryogenesis receptor kinases (SERKs), which function as shared co-receptors. A repertoire of receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases (RLCKs) associate with the receptor complexes to relay intracellular signaling. Downstream of the receptor complexes, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are among the key signaling modules at which the signals converge, and these cascades regulate diverse cellular and physiological responses through phosphorylation of different downstream substrates. In this Review, we summarize the emerging common theme that underlies cell surface receptor-mediated signaling pathways in Arabidopsisthaliana: the dynamic association of RLKs and RLPs with specific co-receptors and RLCKs for signal transduction. We further discuss how signaling specificities are maintained through modules at which signals converge, with a focus on SERK-mediated receptor signaling.

ERECTA-family genes coordinate stem cell functions between the epidermal and internal layers of the shoot apical meristem

The epidermal cell layer and the tissues that lie underneath have different intrinsic functions during plant development. The stem cells within the shoot apical meristem (SAM) that give rise to aerial structures are located in the epidermal and internal tissue layers. However, our understanding of how the functions of these stem cells are coordinated across tissue layers so stem cells can behave as a single population remains limited. WUSCHEL (WUS) functions as a master regulator of stem cell activity. Here, we show that loss of function in the ERECTA (ER)-family receptor kinase genes can rescue the mutant phenotype of wus plants (loss of stem cells), as demonstrated by the reinstated expression of a stem cell marker gene in the SAM epidermis. Localized ER expression in the epidermis can suppress the SAM phenotype caused by loss of ER-family activity. Furthermore, the CLAVATA3- and cytokinin-induced outputs, which contribute to stem cell homeostasis, are dysfunctional in a tissue layer-specific manner in ER-family mutants. Collectively, our findings suggest that the ER family plays a role in the coordination of stem cell behavior between different SAM tissue layers.

The Sorghum bicolor reference genome: improved assembly, gene annotations, a transcriptome atlas, and signatures of genome organization

Sorghum bicolor is a drought tolerant C4 grass used for the production of grain, forage, sugar, and lignocellulosic biomass and a genetic model for C4 grasses due to its relatively small genome (approximately 800 Mbp), diploid genetics, diverse germplasm, and colinearity with other C4 grass genomes. In this study, deep sequencing, genetic linkage analysis, and transcriptome data were used to produce and annotate a high-quality reference genome sequence. Reference genome sequence order was improved, 29.6 Mbp of additional sequence was incorporated, the number of genes annotated increased 24% to 34 211, average gene length and N50 increased, and error frequency was reduced 10-fold to 1 per 100 kbp. Subtelomeric repeats with characteristics of Tandem Repeats in Miniature (TRIM) elements were identified at the termini of most chromosomes. Nucleosome occupancy predictions identified nucleosomes positioned immediately downstream of transcription start sites and at different densities across chromosomes. Alignment of more than 50 resequenced genomes from diverse sorghum genotypes to the reference genome identified approximately 7.4 M single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 1.9 M indels. Large-scale variant features in euchromatin were identified with periodicities of approximately 25 kbp. A transcriptome atlas of gene expression was constructed from 47 RNA-seq profiles of growing and developed tissues of the major plant organs (roots, leaves, stems, panicles, and seed) collected during the juvenile, vegetative and reproductive phases. Analysis of the transcriptome data indicated that tissue type and protein kinase expression had large influences on transcriptional profile clustering. The updated assembly, annotation, and transcriptome data represent a resource for C4 grass research and crop improvement.

Autocrine regulation of stomatal differentiation potential by EPF1 and ERECTA-LIKE1 ligand-receptor signaling

Development of stomata, valves on the plant epidermis for optimal gas exchange and water control, is fine-tuned by multiple signaling peptides with unique, overlapping, or antagonistic activities. EPIDERMAL PATTERNING FACTOR1 (EPF1) is a founding member of the secreted peptide ligands enforcing stomatal patterning. Yet, its exact role remains unclear. Here, we report that EPF1 and its primary receptor ERECTA-LIKE1 (ERL1) target MUTE, a transcription factor specifying the proliferation-to-differentiation switch within the stomatal cell lineages. In turn, MUTE directly induces ERL1. The absolute co-expression of ERL1 and MUTE, with the co-presence of EPF1, triggers autocrine inhibition of stomatal fate. During normal stomatal development, this autocrine inhibition prevents extra symmetric divisions of stomatal precursors likely owing to excessive MUTE activity. Our study reveals the unexpected role of self-inhibition as a mechanism for ensuring proper stomatal development and suggests an intricate signal buffering mechanism underlying plant tissue patterning.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.24102.001

ERECTA-family receptor kinase genes redundantly prevent premature progression of secondary growth in the Arabidopsis hypocotyl

Secondary growth is driven by continuous cell proliferation and differentiation of the cambium that acts as vascular stem cells, producing xylem and phloem to expand vascular tissues laterally. During secondary growth of hypocotyls in Arabidopsis thaliana, the xylem undergoes a drastic phase transition from a parenchyma-producing phase to a fiber-producing phase at the appropriate time. However, it remains to be fully elucidated how progression of secondary growth is properly controlled. We focused on phenotypes of hypocotyl vasculatures caused by double mutation in ERECTA (ER) and ER-LIKE1 (ERL1) receptor-kinase genes to elucidate their roles in secondary growth. ER and ERL1 redundantly suppressed excessive radial growth of the hypocotyl vasculature during secondary growth. ER and ERL1 also prevented premature initiation of the fiber differentiation process mediated by the NAC SECONDARY WALL THICKENING PROMOTING FACTORs in the hypocotyl xylem. Upon floral transition, the hypocotyl xylem gained a competency to respond to GA in a BREVIPEDICELLUS-dependent manner, which was a prerequisite for fiber differentiation. However, even after the floral transition, ER and ERL1 prevented precocious initiation of the GA-mediated fiber formation. Collectively, our findings reveal that ER and ERL1 redundantly prevent premature progression of sequential events in secondary growth.

Identification of critical functional residues of receptor-like kinase ERECTA

In plants, extracellular signals are primarily sensed by plasma membrane-localized receptor-like kinases (RLKs). ERECTA is a leucine-rich repeat RLK that together with its paralogs ERECTA-like 1 (ERL1) and ERL2 regulates multiple aspects of plant development. ERECTA forms complexes with a range of co-receptors and senses secreted cysteine-rich small proteins from the EPF/EPFL family. Currently the mechanism of the cytoplasmic domain activation and transmission of the signal by ERECTA is unclear. To gain a better understanding we performed a structure-function analysis by introducing altered ERECTA genes into erecta and erecta erl1 erl2 mutants. These experiments indicated that ERECTA's ability to phosphorylate is functionally significant, and that while the cytoplasmic juxtamembrane domain is important for ERECTA function, the C-terminal tail is not. An analysis of multiple putative phosphorylation sites identified four amino acids in the activation segment of the kinase domain as functionally important. Homology of those residues to functionally significant amino acids in multiple other plant RLKs emphasizes similarities in RLK function. Specifically, our data predicts Thr812 as a primary site of phosphor-activation and potential inhibitory phosphorylation of Tyr815 and Tyr820. In addition, our experiments suggest that there are differences in the molecular mechanism of ERECTA function during regulation of stomata development and in elongation of above-ground organs.

MicroRNA and Transcription Factor: Key Players in Plant Regulatory Network

Recent achievements in plant microRNA (miRNA), a large class of small and non-coding RNAs, are very exciting. A wide array of techniques involving forward genetic, molecular cloning, bioinformatic analysis, and the latest technology, deep sequencing have greatly advanced miRNA discovery. A tiny miRNA sequence has the ability to target single/multiple mRNA targets. Most of the miRNA targets are transcription factors (TFs) which have paramount importance in regulating the plant growth and development. Various families of TFs, which have regulated a range of regulatory networks, may assist plants to grow under normal and stress environmental conditions. This present review focuses on the regulatory relationships between miRNAs and different families of TFs like; NF-Y, MYB, AP2, TCP, WRKY, NAC, GRF, and SPL. For instance NF-Y play important role during drought tolerance and flower development, MYB are involved in signal transduction and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, AP2 regulate the floral development and nodule formation, TCP direct leaf development and growth hormones signaling. WRKY have known roles in multiple stress tolerances, NAC regulate lateral root formation, GRF are involved in root growth, flower, and seed development, and SPL regulate plant transition from juvenile to adult. We also studied the relation between miRNAs and TFs by consolidating the research findings from different plant species which will help plant scientists in understanding the mechanism of action and interaction between these regulators in the plant growth and development under normal and stress environmental conditions.

Purification of Plant Receptor Kinases from Plant Plasma Membranes

Receptor kinases play a central role in various biological processes, but due to their low abundance and highly hydrophobic and dynamic nature, only a few of them have been functionally characterized, and their partners and ligands remain unidentified. Receptor protein extraction and purification from plant tissues is one of the most challenging steps for the success of various biochemical analyses to characterize their function. Immunoprecipitation is a widely used and selective method for enriching or purifying a specific protein. Here we describe two different optimized protein purification protocols, batch and on-chip immunoprecipitation, which efficiently isolate plant membrane receptor kinases for functional analysis.

Overexpression of AtEDT1/HDG11 in Chinese Kale (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra) Enhances Drought and Osmotic Stress Tolerance

Plants are constantly challenged by environmental stresses, including drought and high salinity. Improvement of drought and osmotic stress tolerance without yield decrease has been a great challenge in crop improvement. The Arabidopsis ENHANCED DROUGHT TOLERANCE1/HOMEODOMAIN GLABROUS11 (AtEDT1/HDG11), a protein of the class IV HD-Zip family, has been demonstrated to significantly improve drought tolerance in Arabidopsis, rice, and pepper. Here, we report that AtEDT1/HDG11 confers drought and osmotic stress tolerance in the Chinese kale. AtEDT1/HDG11-overexpression lines exhibit auxin-overproduction phenotypes, such as long hypocotyls, tall stems, more root hairs, and a larger root system architecture. Compared with the untransformed control, transgenic lines have significantly reduced stomatal density. In the leaves of transgenic Chinese kale plants, proline (Pro) content and reactive oxygen species-scavenging enzyme activity was significantly increased after drought and osmotic stress, particularly compared to wild kale. More importantly, AtEDT1/HDG11-overexpression leads to abscisic acid (ABA) hypersensitivity, resulting in ABA inhibitor germination and induced stomatal closure. Consistent with observed phenotypes, the expression levels of auxin, ABA, and stress-related genes were also altered under both normal and/or stress conditions. Further analysis showed that AtEDT1/HDG11, as a transcription factor, can target the auxin biosynthesis gene YUCC6 and ABA response genes ABI3 and ABI5. Collectively, our results provide a new insight into the role of AtEDT1/HDG11 in enhancing abiotic stress resistance through auxin- and ABA-mediated signaling response in Chinese kale.

ERECTA and BAK1 Receptor Like Kinases Interact to Regulate Immune Responses in Arabidopsis

ERECTA (ER) receptor-like kinase (RLK) regulates Arabidopsis thaliana organ growth, and inflorescence and stomatal development by interacting with the ERECTA-family genes (ERf) paralogs, ER-like 1 (ERL1) and ERL2, and the receptor-like protein (RLP) TOO MANY MOUTHS (TMM). ER also controls immune responses and resistance to pathogens such as the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (Pto) and the necrotrophic fungus Plectosphaerella cucumerina BMM (PcBMM). We found that er null-mutant plants overexpressing an ER dominant-negative version lacking the cytoplasmic kinase domain (ERΔK) showed an enhanced susceptibility to PcBMM, suggesting that ERΔK associates and forms inactive complexes with additional RLKs/RLPs required for PcBMM resistance. Genetic analyses demonstrated that ER acts in a combinatorial specific manner with ERL1, ERL2, and TMM to control PcBMM resistance. Moreover, BAK1 (BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE 1-associated kinase 1) RLK, which together with ERf/TMM regulates stomatal patterning and resistance to Pto, was also found to have an unequal contribution with ER in regulating immune responses and resistance to PcBMM. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments in Nicotiana benthamiana further demonstrated BAK1-ER protein interaction. The secreted epidermal pattern factor peptides (EPF1 and EPF2), which are perceived by ERf members to specify stomatal patterning, do not seem to regulate ER-mediated immunity to PcBMM, since their inducible overexpression in A. thaliana did not impact on PcBMM resistance. Our results indicate that the multiproteic receptorsome formed by ERf, TMM and BAK1 modulates A. thaliana resistance to PcBMM, and suggest that the cues underlying ERf/TMM/BAK1-mediated immune responses are distinct from those regulating stomatal pattering.

Exploring potential new floral organ morphogenesis genes of Arabidopsis thaliana using systems biology approach

Flowering is one of the important defining features of angiosperms. The initiation of flower development and the formation of different floral organs are the results of the interplays among numerous genes. But until now, just fewer genes have been found linked with flower development. And the functions of lots of genes of Arabidopsis thaliana are still unknown. Although, the quartet model successfully simplified the ABCDE model to elaborate the molecular mechanism by introducing protein-protein interactions (PPIs). We still don't know much about several important aspects of flower development. So we need to discriminate even more genes involving in the flower development. In this study, we identified seven differentially modules through integrating the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) method to analyze co-expression network and PPIs using the public floral and non-floral expression profiles data of Arabidopsis thaliana. Gene set enrichment analysis was used for the functional annotation of the related genes, and some of the hub genes were identified in each module. The potential floral organ morphogenesis genes of two significant modules were integrated with PPI information in order to detail the inherent regulation mechanisms. Finally, the functions of the floral patterning genes were elucidated by combining the PPI and evolutionary information. It was indicated that the sub-networks or complexes, rather than the genes, were the regulation unit of flower development. We found that the most possible potential new genes underlining the floral pattern formation in A. thaliana were FY, CBL2, ZFN3, and AT1G77370; among them, FY, CBL2 acted as an upstream regulator of AP2; ZFN3 activated the flower primordial determining gene AP1 and AP2 by HY5/HYH gene via photo induction possibly. And AT1G77370 exhibited similar function in floral morphogenesis, same as ELF3. It possibly formed a complex between RFC3 and RPS15 in cytoplasm, which regulated TSO1 and CPSF160 in the nucleus, to control the floral organ morphogenesis. This process might also be fine tuning by AT5G53360 in the nucleus.

Competitive binding of antagonistic peptides fine-tunes stomatal patterning

During development, cells interpret complex and often conflicting signals to make optimal decisions. Plant stomata, the cellular interface between a plant and the atmosphere, develop according to positional cues, which include a family of secreted peptides called epidermal patterning factors (EPFs). How these signalling peptides orchestrate pattern formation at a molecular level remains unclear. Here we report in Arabidopsis that Stomagen (also called EPF-LIKE9) peptide, which promotes stomatal development, requires ERECTA (ER)-family receptor kinases and interferes with the inhibition of stomatal development by the EPIDERMAL PATTERNING FACTOR 2 (EPF2)-ER module. Both EPF2 and Stomagen directly bind to ER and its co-receptor TOO MANY MOUTHS. Stomagen peptide competitively replaced EPF2 binding to ER. Furthermore, application of EPF2, but not Stomagen, elicited rapid phosphorylation of downstream signalling components in vivo. Our findings demonstrate how a plant receptor agonist and antagonist define inhibitory and inductive cues to fine-tune tissue patterning on the plant epidermis.

TaER Expression Is Associated with Transpiration Efficiency Traits and Yield in Bread Wheat

ERECTA encodes a receptor-like kinase and is proposed as a candidate for determining transpiration efficiency of plants. Two genes homologous to ERECTA in Arabidopsis were identified on chromosomes 6 (TaER2) and 7 (TaER1) of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), with copies of each gene on the A, B and D genomes of wheat. Similar expression patterns were observed for TaER1 and TaER2 with relatively higher expression of TaER1 in flag leaves of wheat at heading (Z55) and grain-filling (Z73) stages. Significant variations were found in the expression levels of both TaER1 and TaER2 in the flag leaves at both growth stages among 48 diverse bread wheat varieties. Based on the expression of TaER1 and TaER2, the 48 wheat varieties could be classified into three groups having high (5 varieties), medium (27 varieties) and low (16 varieties) levels of TaER expression. Significant differences were also observed between the three groups varying for TaER expression for several transpiration efficiency (TE)- related traits, including stomatal density (SD), transpiration rate, photosynthetic rate (A), instant water use efficiency (WUEi) and carbon isotope discrimination (CID), and yield traits of biomass production plant^-1 (BYPP) and grain yield plant^-1 (GYPP). Correlation analysis revealed that the expression of TaER1 and TaER2 at the two growth stages was significantly and negatively associated with SD (P<0.01), transpiration rate (P<0.05) and CID (P<0.01), while significantly and positively correlated with flag leaf area (FLA, P<0.01), A (P<0.05), WUEi (P<0.05), BYPP (P<0.01) and GYPP (P<0.01), with stronger correlations for TaER1 than TaER2 and at grain-filling stage than at heading stage. These combined results suggested that TaER involved in development of transpiration efficiency -related traits and yield in bread wheat, implying a function for TaER in regulating leaf development of bread wheat and contributing to expression of these traits. Moreover, the results indicate that TaER could be exploitable for manipulating important agronomical traits in wheat improvement.

ERECTA family genes regulate development of cotyledons during embryogenesis

Receptor-like kinases are important regulators of plant growth. Often a single receptor is involved in regulation of multiple developmental processes in a variety of tissues. ERECTA family (ERf) receptors have previously been linked with stomata development, above-ground organ elongation, shoot apical meristem function, flower differentiation and biotic/abiotic stresses. Here we explore the role of these genes during embryogenesis. ERfs are expressed in the developing embryo, where their expression is progressively limited to the upper half of the embryo. During embryogenesis ERfs redundantly stimulate the growth of cotyledons by promoting cell proliferation and inhibiting premature stomata differentiation.

The ERECTA receptor kinase regulates Arabidopsis shoot apical meristem size, phyllotaxy and floral meristem identity

In plants, the shoot apical meristem (SAM) serves as a reservoir of pluripotent stem cells from which all above ground organs originate. To sustain proper growth, the SAM must maintain homeostasis between the self-renewal of pluripotent stem cells and cell recruitment for lateral organ formation. At the core of the network that regulates this homeostasis in Arabidopsis are the WUSCHEL (WUS) transcription factor specifying stem cell fate and the CLAVATA (CLV) ligand-receptor system limiting WUS expression. In this study, we identified the ERECTA (ER) pathway as a second receptor kinase signaling pathway that regulates WUS expression, and therefore shoot apical and floral meristem size, independently of the CLV pathway. We demonstrate that reduction in class III HD-ZIP and ER function together leads to a significant increase in WUS expression, resulting in extremely enlarged shoot meristems and a switch from spiral to whorled vegetative phyllotaxy. We further show that strong upregulation of WUS in the inflorescence meristem leads to ectopic expression of the AGAMOUS homeotic gene to a level that switches cell fate from floral meristem founder cell to carpel founder cell, suggesting an indirect role for ER in regulating floral meristem identity. This work illustrates the delicate balance between stem cell specification and differentiation in the meristem and shows that a shift in this balance leads to abnormal phyllotaxy and to altered reproductive cell fate.