Differential spatial distribution of miR165/6 determines variability in plant root anatomy
01 Pubblicazione su rivista
Di Ruocco Giovanna, Bertolotti Gaia, Pacifici Elena, Polverari Laura, Tsiantis Miltos, Sabatini Sabrina, Costantino Paolo, DELLO IOIO Raffaele
DOI: 10.1242/dev.153858
ISSN: 0950-1991
A clear example of interspecific variation is the number of root cortical layers in plants. The genetic
mechanisms underlying this variability are poorly understood, partly due to the lack of a convenient
model. Here, we demonstrate that Cardamine hirsuta, unlike Arabidopsis thaliana, has two cortical
layers that are patterned during late embryogenesis. We show that a miR165/6-dependent
distribution of the HOMEODOMAIN LEUCINE ZIPPER III (HD-ZIPIII) transcription factor
PHABULOSA (PHB) controls this pattern. Our findings reveal that interspecies variation in
miRNA distribution can determine differences in anatomy in plants.