403 / 2019-02-23 12:22:37

Interaction of master regulators WUS and STM specifies shoot stem cells in Arabidopsis

WUS,STM,stem cell,shoot apical meristem

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Shoot apical meristem (SAM) in higher plant gives rise to the aerial part of a plant. The ability of SAM to continuously generate new organs depends on the activity of their stem cell populations. In Arabidopsis, three master regulators SHOOTMERISTEMLESS (STM), WUSCHEL (WUS) andCLAVATA3 (CLV3)are critical for stem cell specification in SAM. Among them, CLV3 expression is controlled by the activity of both WUS and STM. But whether and how STM and WUS interaction regulates CLV3 activity remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that WUS and STM share a physical interaction for heterodimerization, and both the heterodimerization and simultaneous binding of these proteins at two sites in the CLV3 promoter synergistically enhance the CLV3 transcription required for maintenance of stem cell identity in the SAM. Our results reveal that STM and WUS are functionally integrated to regulate CLV3 functions and provide molecular framework that specifies shoot stem cells.