Your browser version may not work well with NCBI's Web applications. More information here...
1: Science. 2007 Apr 20;316(5823):421-5.
Related Articles, Links
Click here to read Click here to read
Erratum in:
  • Science. 2007 Dec 21;318(5858);1866.

Comment in:
An evolutionarily conserved mechanism delimiting SHR movement defines a single layer of endodermis in plants.

Cui H, Levesque MP, Vernoux T, Jung JW, Paquette AJ, Gallagher KL, Wang JY, Blilou I, Scheres B, Benfey PN.

Department of Biology and Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.

Intercellular protein movement plays a critical role in animal and plant development. SHORTROOT (SHR) is a moving transcription factor essential for endodermis specification in the Arabidopsis root. Unlike diffusible animal morphogens, which form a gradient across multiple cell layers, SHR movement is limited to essentially one cell layer. However, the molecular mechanism is unknown. We show that SCARECROW (SCR) blocks SHR movement by sequestering it into the nucleus through protein-protein interaction and a safeguard mechanism that relies on a SHR/SCR-dependent positive feedback loop for SCR transcription. Our studies with SHR and SCR homologs from rice suggest that this mechanism is evolutionarily conserved, providing a plausible explanation why nearly all plants have a single layer of endodermis.

Publication Types:
PMID: 17446396 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]