Enlarged meristems and delayed growth in plp mutants result from lack of CaaX prenyltransferases

MP Running, M Lavy, H Sternberg… - Proceedings of the …, 2004 - National Acad Sciences
MP Running, M Lavy, H Sternberg, A Galichet, W Gruissem, S Hake, N Ori, S Yalovsky
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2004National Acad Sciences
Meristems require a myriad of intercellular signaling pathways for coordination of cell
division within and between functional zones and clonal cell layers. This control of cell
division ensures a constant availability of stem cells throughout the life span of the meristem
while limiting overproliferation of meristematic cells and maintaining the meristem structure.
We have undertaken a genetic screen to identify additional components of meristem
signaling pathways. We identified pluripetala (plp) mutants based on their dramatically …
Meristems require a myriad of intercellular signaling pathways for coordination of cell division within and between functional zones and clonal cell layers. This control of cell division ensures a constant availability of stem cells throughout the life span of the meristem while limiting overproliferation of meristematic cells and maintaining the meristem structure. We have undertaken a genetic screen to identify additional components of meristem signaling pathways. We identified pluripetala (plp) mutants based on their dramatically larger meristems and increased floral organ number. PLURIPETALA encodes the α-subunit shared between protein farnesyltransferase and protein geranylgeranyltransferase-I. plp mutants also have altered abscisic acid responses and overall much slower growth rate. plp is epistatic to mutations in the β-subunit of farnesyltransferase and shows a synergistic interaction with clavata3 mutants. plp mutants lead to insights into the mechanism of meristem homeostasis and provide a unique in vivo system for studying the functional role of prenylation in eukaryotes.
National Acad Sciences