Genetic control of plant development by overriding a geometric division rule
Saiko Yoshida1,
Pierre Barbier de Reuille2,
Brendan Lane3,
George W. Bassel4,
Przemyslaw Prusinkiewicz3,
Richard S. Smith2,
Dolf Weijers1
1 Wageningen University
2 University of Bern
3 University of Calgary
4 University of Birmingham
Summary
Formative cell divisions are critical for multicellular patterning. In
the early plant embryo, such divisions follow from orienting the
division plane. A major unanswered question is how division plane
orientation is genetically controlled, and in particular whether this
relates to cell geometry. We have generated a complete 4D map of early
Arabidopsis embryogenesis and used computational analysis to
demonstrate that several divisions follow a rule that uses the
smallest wall area going through the center of the cell. In other
cases, however, cell division clearly deviates from this rule, which
invariably leads to asymmetric cell division. By analyzing mutant
embryos and through targeted genetic perturbation, we show that
response to the hormone auxin triggers a deviation from the "shortest
wall" rule. Our work demonstrates that a simple default rule couples
division orientation to cell geometry in the embryo and that genetic
regulation can create patterns by overriding the default rule.
Reference
Saiko Yoshida, Pierre Barbier de Reuille, Brendan Lane,
George W. Bassel, Przemyslaw Prusinkiewicz,
Richard S. Smith, and Dolf Weijers.
Genetic control of plant development by overriding a geometric division rule.
Developmental Cell 29(1), p75-87, April 2014.
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