Genetic control of meristematic proliferation in Arabidopsis thaliana

2014-08-08When a dormant seed of flowering plants receives environmental cues to begin germination, a remarkable series of transformation takes place. The seed coat cracks open, the embryonic root (radical) emerges, and the stem (hypocotyl) begins to elongate upward. Once the light source is detected, the previously closed embryonic leaves (cotyledons) expand and photosynthesis begins. The meristems, which house clusters of pluripotent stem cells and were patterned during embryogenesis, will now produce the adult organs—leaves, roots, shoots, flowers, throughout the plant’s life. Using model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, this thesis focuses on the molecular and genetic aspects of the latter process, meristematic function, by examining the roles of individual genes in meristematic maintenance during early seedling development. ❧ Chapter 1 gives a brief overview of plant development and describes the current state of knowledge of shoot and root apical meristems’ maintenance and the genetic networks involved. Chapters 2‐3 focus on the homeodomain transcription factor STIMPY and its role in meristematic cell maintenance. Chapter 4 discusses another gene, ELONGATA 3 (histone acetyltransferase) and its role in meristematic cell cycle progression. Chapter 5 contains concluding remarks and discussion