Transcriptional landscaping in plant stem cells: from chromatin to gene regulatory networks

All terrestrial life ultimately depends on plant meristems – small groups of undifferentiated cells that produce all major plant organs such as leaves and flowers.

In the shoot apical meristem (SAM) of higher plants such as Arabidopsis, gene regulatory networks (GRNs) control cell growth, fate and identity to balance the formation of new organs, such as leaves and flowers, with maintenance of meristem integrity, ensuring the sustainable supply of pluripotent cells necessary for growth. Transcription factors, particularly the homeodomain protein SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (STM), play critical roles in SAM function through regulation of target gene expression. However, the components and structure of the STM GRN are not fully understood.

This project aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of the STM gene regulatory network in the SAM. STM encodes a Knotted1-like TALE homeodomain transcription factor that is expressed only in the meristem. Loss of STM function leads to failure to develop or maintain the meristem, while STM overexpression inhibits leaf cell differentiation and promotes the de novo formation of ectopic shoot meristems. These dramatic phenotypic changes suggest a central role for STM in the GRN(s) that regulate meristem development and function.

For more information on this project, please see the following link: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research/programmes/project/transcriptional-landscaping-in-plant-stem-cells