Auxin-Regulated Reversible Inhibition of TMK1 Signaling by MAKR2 Modulates the Dynamics of Root Gravitropism.

Plants are able to orient their growth according to gravity, which ultimately controls both shoot and root architecture.1 Gravitropism is a dynamic process whereby gravistimulation induces the asymmetric distribution of the plant hormone auxin, leading to asymmetric growth, organ bending, and subsequent reset of auxin distribution back to the original pre-gravistimulation situation.1-3 Differential auxin accumulation during the gravitropic response depends on the activity of polarly localized PIN-FORMED (PIN) auxin-efflux carriers.1-4 In particular, the timing of this dynamic response is regulated by PIN2,5,6 but the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we show that MEMBRANE ASSOCIATED KINASE REGULATOR2 (MAKR2) controls the pace of the root gravitropic response. We found that MAKR2 is required for the PIN2 asymmetry during gravitropism by acting as a negative regulator of the cell-surface signaling mediated by the receptor-like kinase TRANSMEMBRANE KINASE1 (TMK1).2,7-10 Furthermore, we show that the MAKR2 inhibitory effect on TMK1 signaling is antagonized by auxin itself, which triggers rapid MAKR2 membrane dissociation in a TMK1-dependent manner. Our findings suggest that the timing of the root gravitropic response is orchestrated by the reversible inhibition of the TMK1 signaling pathway at the cell surface.

A SOSEKI-based coordinate system interprets global polarity cues in Arabidopsis.

Multicellular development requires coordinated cell polarization relative to body axes, and translation to oriented cell division1-3. In plants, it is unknown how cell polarities are connected to organismal axes and translated to division. Here, we identify Arabidopsis SOSEKI proteins that integrate apical-basal and radial organismal axes to localize to polar cell edges. Localization does not depend on tissue context, requires cell wall integrity and is defined by a transferrable, protein-specific motif. A Domain of Unknown Function in SOSEKI proteins resembles the DIX oligomerization domain in the animal Dishevelled polarity regulator. The DIX-like domain self-interacts and is required for edge localization and for influencing division orientation, together with a second domain that defines the polar membrane domain. Our work shows that SOSEKI proteins locally interpret global polarity cues and can influence cell division orientation. Furthermore, this work reveals that, despite fundamental differences, cell polarity mechanisms in plants and animals converge on a similar protein domain.

Análise de complicações em blefaroplastia inferior associada ou não a cantopexia no Hospital do Servidor Público Municipal / Analysis of complications in lower blepharoplasty associated or not with cantopexy in the Hospital do Servidor Público Municipal

RESUMO Os primeiros sinais de envelhecimento surgem na região periorbital, as mudanças nesta incluem o aparecimento de rítides, esclera aparente, deflação da região infraorbital, protusão das bolsas adiposas, excesso de pele na pálpebra superior e inferior. O tratamento cirúrgico busca remodelar as estruturas normais e restaurar a aparência jovial, melhorando além da aparência a autoimagem do paciente. A blefaroplastia é um dos procedimentos mais realizados em cirurgia plástica. As complicações incluem mau posicionamento palpebral, hematoma conjuntival, hematoma retrobulbar (raro), infecção, quemose, scleral show, ectrópio, ptose palpebral, epífora e sensação de corpo estranho. Este trabalho tem o objetivo de avaliar as complicações pós-operatórias de blefaroplastia inferior, realizadas no Hospital do Servidor Público Municipal de São Paulo, de março a outubro de 2018, com um seguimento pós-operatório de 6 meses. Foram realizadas 88 cirurgias, divididas em quatro grupo conforme a necessidade de cada paciente, sendo 37 blefaroplastias superior e inferior (grupo I), 2 blefaroplastias inferior sem cantopexia (grupo II), 43 blefaroplastias inferior e superior com cantopexia (grupo III) e 6 blefaroplastias inferior com cantopexia (grupo IV). No grupo I ocorreram 5 complicações recentes, resolvidas com tratamento conservador. No grupo III ocorreram 11 complicações recentes (25,5%), 23 complicações tardias (53,4%), mas com 6 meses de seguimento apenas 2 pacientes (4,6%) mantiveram o scleral show. A complicação mais frequente foi a quemose, em 10 casos (11,3% do total), 5 tiveram resolução completa com medidas conservadoras. A complicação mais grave foi o mau posicionamento palpebral, e 2 casos do grupo III necessitaram de correção. Os resultados mostram que as complicações foram mais frequentes quando a cantopexia foi associada. Contudo a blefaroplastia inferior é um procedimento seguro e com baixo índice de complicações, levando a melhora e rejuvenescimento facial. Os pacientes apresentam alto índice de satisfação a longo prazo, com melhora da auto-estima, mesmo aqueles que apresentaram alguma complicação. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: blefaroplastia. cirurgia plástica. Blefaroptose. complicações pós-operatórias. Pálpebras.

Framework for gradual progression of cell ontogeny in the Arabidopsis root meristem.

In plants, apical meristems allow continuous growth along the body axis. Within the root apical meristem, a group of slowly dividing quiescent center cells is thought to limit stem cell activity to directly neighboring cells, thus endowing them with unique properties, distinct from displaced daughters. This binary identity of the stem cells stands in apparent contradiction to the more gradual changes in cell division potential and differentiation that occur as cells move further away from the quiescent center. To address this paradox and to infer molecular organization of the root meristem, we used a whole-genome approach to determine dominant transcriptional patterns along root ontogeny zones. We found that the prevalent patterns are expressed in two opposing gradients. One is characterized by genes associated with development, the other enriched in differentiation genes. We confirmed these transcript gradients, and demonstrate that these translate to gradients in protein accumulation and gradual changes in cellular properties. We also show that gradients are genetically controlled through multiple pathways. Based on these findings, we propose that cells in the Arabidopsis root meristem gradually transition from stem cell activity toward differentiation.

Predicting gene regulatory networks by combining spatial and temporal gene expression data in Arabidopsis root stem cells.

Identifying the transcription factors (TFs) and associated networks involved in stem cell regulation is essential for understanding the initiation and growth of plant tissues and organs. Although many TFs have been shown to have a role in the Arabidopsis root stem cells, a comprehensive view of the transcriptional signature of the stem cells is lacking. In this work, we used spatial and temporal transcriptomic data to predict interactions among the genes involved in stem cell regulation. To accomplish this, we transcriptionally profiled several stem cell populations and developed a gene regulatory network inference algorithm that combines clustering with dynamic Bayesian network inference. We leveraged the topology of our networks to infer potential major regulators. Specifically, through mathematical modeling and experimental validation, we identified PERIANTHIA (PAN) as an important molecular regulator of quiescent center function. The results presented in this work show that our combination of molecular biology, computational biology, and mathematical modeling is an efficient approach to identify candidate factors that function in the stem cells.

Auxin response cell-autonomously controls ground tissue initiation in the early Arabidopsis embryo.

Plant organs are typically organized into three main tissue layers. The middle ground tissue layer comprises the majority of the plant body and serves a wide range of functions, including photosynthesis, selective nutrient uptake and storage, and gravity sensing. Ground tissue patterning and maintenance in Arabidopsis are controlled by a well-established gene network revolving around the key regulator SHORT-ROOT (SHR). In contrast, it is completely unknown how ground tissue identity is first specified from totipotent precursor cells in the embryo. The plant signaling molecule auxin, acting through AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR (ARF) transcription factors, is critical for embryo patterning. The auxin effector ARF5/MONOPTEROS (MP) acts both cell-autonomously and noncell-autonomously to control embryonic vascular tissue formation and root initiation, respectively. Here we show that auxin response and ARF activity cell-autonomously control the asymmetric division of the first ground tissue cells. By identifying embryonic target genes, we show that MP transcriptionally initiates the ground tissue lineage and acts upstream of the regulatory network that controls ground tissue patterning and maintenance. Strikingly, whereas the SHR network depends on MP, this MP function is, at least in part, SHR independent. Our study therefore identifies auxin response as a regulator of ground tissue specification in the embryonic root, and reveals that ground tissue initiation and maintenance use different regulators and mechanisms. Moreover, our data provide a framework for the simultaneous formation of multiple cell types by the same transcriptional regulator.

Dynamic control of lateral root positioning.

In dicot root systems, lateral roots are in general regularly spaced along the longitudinal axis of the primary root to facilitate water and nutrient uptake. Recently, recurrent programmed cell death in the root cap of the growing root has been implicated in lateral root spacing. The root cap contains an auxin source that modulates lateral root patterning. Periodic release of auxin by dying root cap cells seems to trigger lateral root specification at regular intervals. However, it is currently unclear through which molecular mechanisms auxin restricts lateral root specification to specific cells along the longitudinal and radial axes of the root, or how environmental signals impact this process.

In Vivo Identification of Plant Protein Complexes Using IP-MS/MS.

Individual proteins often function as part of a protein complex. The identification of interacting proteins is therefore vital to understand the biological role and function of the studied protein. Here we describe a method for the in vivo identification of nuclear, cytoplasmic, and membrane-associated protein complexes from plant tissues using a strategy of immunoprecipitation followed by tandem mass spectrometry. By performing quantitative mass spectrometry measurements on biological triplicates, relative abundance of proteins in GFP-tagged complexes compared to background controls can be statistically evaluated to identify high-confidence interactors. We detail the entire workflow of this approach.

Cyclic programmed cell death stimulates hormone signaling and root development in Arabidopsis.

The plant root cap, surrounding the very tip of the growing root, perceives and transmits environmental signals to the inner root tissues. In Arabidopsis thaliana, auxin released by the root cap contributes to the regular spacing of lateral organs along the primary root axis. Here, we show that the periodicity of lateral organ induction is driven by recurrent programmed cell death at the most distal edge of the root cap. We suggest that synchronous bursts of cell death in lateral root cap cells release pulses of auxin to surrounding root tissues, establishing the pattern for lateral root formation. The dynamics of root cap turnover may therefore coordinate primary root growth with root branching in order to optimize the uptake of water and nutrients from the soil.

A set of domain-specific markers in the Arabidopsis embryo.

KEY MESSAGE: We describe a novel set of domain-specific markers that can be used in genetic studies, and we used two examples to show loss of stem cells in a monopteros background. Multicellular organisms can be defined by their ability to establish distinct cell identities, and it is therefore of critical importance to distinguish cell types. One step that leads to cell identity specification is activation of unique sets of transcripts. This property is often exploited in order to infer cell identity; the availability of good domain-specific marker lines is, however, poor in the Arabidopsis embryo. Here we describe a novel set of domain-specific marker lines that can be used in Arabidopsis (embryo) research. Based on transcriptomic data, we selected 12 genes for expression analysis, and according to the observed expression domain during embryogenesis, we divided them into four categories (1-ground tissue; 2-root stem cell; 3-shoot apical meristem; 4-post-embryonic). We additionally show the use of two markers from the "stem cell" category in a genetic study, where we use the absence of the markers to infer developmental defects in the monopteros mutant background. Finally, in order to judge whether the established marker lines also play a role in normal development, we generated loss-of-function resources. None of the analyzed T-DNA insertion, artificial microRNA, or misexpression lines showed any apparent phenotypic difference from wild type, indicating that these genes are not nonredundantly required for development, but also suggesting that marker activation can be considered an output of the patterning process. This set of domain-specific marker lines is therefore a valuable addition to the currently available markers and will help to move toward a generic set of tissue identity markers.

Root Cap-Derived Auxin Pre-patterns the Longitudinal Axis of the Arabidopsis Root.

During the exploration of the soil by plant roots, uptake of water and nutrients can be greatly fostered by a regular spacing of lateral roots (LRs). In the Arabidopsis root, a regular branching pattern depends on oscillatory gene activity to create prebranch sites, patches of cells competent to form LRs. Thus far, the molecular components regulating the oscillations still remain unclear. Here, we show that a local auxin source in the root cap, derived from the auxin precursor indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), modulates the oscillation amplitude, which in turn determines whether a prebranch site is created or not. Moreover, transcriptome profiling identified novel and IBA-regulated components of root patterning, such as the MEMBRANE-ASSOCIATED KINASE REGULATOR4 (MAKR4) that converts the prebranch sites into a regular spacing of lateral organs. Thus, the spatiotemporal patterning of roots is fine-tuned by the root cap-specific conversion pathway of IBA to auxin and the subsequent induction of MAKR4.

A bHLH complex controls embryonic vascular tissue establishment and indeterminate growth in Arabidopsis.

Plants have a remarkable potential for sustained (indeterminate) postembryonic growth. Following their specification in the early embryo, tissue-specific precursor cells first establish tissues and later maintain them postembryonically. The mechanisms underlying these processes are largely unknown. Here we define local control of oriented, periclinal cell division as the mechanism underlying both the establishment and maintenance of vascular tissue. We identify an auxin-regulated basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor dimer as a critical regulator of vascular development. Due to a loss of periclinal divisions, vascular tissue gradually disappears in bHLH-deficient mutants; conversely, ectopic expression is sufficient for triggering periclinal divisions. We show that this dimer operates independently of tissue identity but is restricted to a small vascular domain by integrating overlapping transcription patterns of the interacting bHLH proteins. Our work reveals a common mechanism for tissue establishment and indeterminate vascular development and provides a conceptual framework for developmental control of local cell divisions.

Imaging of phenotypes, gene expression, and protein localization during embryonic root formation in Arabidopsis.

Plants grow elaborate architectures by repeatedly initiating new organs post-embryonically. The competence to do so depends on the activity of meristems, stem cell niches located at the tips of shoot and root. These meristems are first specified early during embryogenesis. Therefore, important insight into the activity of factors that are central to the establishment of stem cell niches in plants can be gained from studying early embryogenesis. However, embryos are not directly accessible to microscopic observation since they are embedded within the seed, which is itself enveloped by the fruit. Here we describe a suite of methods for the analysis of mutant phenotypes, fluorescent reporter gene expression and protein localization in Arabidopsis embryos, and show how these methods can be used to visualize key factors in embryonic root formation.

Control of embryonic meristem initiation in Arabidopsis by PHD-finger protein complexes.

Plant growth is directed by the activity of stem cells within meristems. The first meristems are established during early embryogenesis, and this process involves the specification of both stem cells and their organizer cells. One of the earliest events in root meristem initiation is marked by re-specification of the uppermost suspensor cell as hypophysis, the precursor of the organizer. The transcription factor MONOPTEROS (MP) is a key regulator of hypophysis specification, and does so in part by promoting the transport of the plant hormone auxin and by activating the expression of TARGET OF MP (TMO) transcription factors, both of which are required for hypophysis specification. The mechanisms leading to the activation of these genes by MP in a chromatin context are not understood. Here, we show that the PHD-finger proteins OBERON (OBE) and TITANIA (TTA) are essential for MP-dependent embryonic root meristem initiation. TTA1 and TTA2 are functionally redundant and function in the same pathway as OBE1 and OBE2. These PHD-finger proteins interact with each other, and genetic analysis shows that OBE-TTA heterotypic protein complexes promote embryonic root meristem initiation. Furthermore, while MP expression is unaffected by mutations in OBE/TTA genes, expression of MP targets TMO5 and TMO7 is locally lost in obe1 obe2 embryos. PHD-finger proteins have been shown to act in initiation of transcription by interacting with nucleosomes. Indeed, we found that OBE1 binds to chromatin at the TMO7 locus, suggesting a role in its MP-dependent activation. Our data indicate that PHD-finger protein complexes are crucial for the activation of MP-dependent gene expression during embryonic root meristem initiation, and provide a starting point for studying the mechanisms of developmental gene activation within a chromatin context in plants.

A cellular expression map of the Arabidopsis AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR gene family.

The plant hormone auxin triggers a wide range of developmental and growth responses throughout a plant's life. Most well-known auxin responses involve changes in gene expression that are mediated by a short pathway involving an auxin-receptor/ubiquitin-ligase, DNA-binding auxin response factor (ARF) transcription factors and their interacting auxin/indole-3-acetic acid (Aux/IAA) transcriptional inhibitors. Auxin promotes the degradation of Aux/IAA proteins through the auxin receptor and hence releases the inhibition of ARF transcription factors. Although this generic mechanism is now well understood, it is still unclear how developmental specificity is generated and how individual gene family members of response components contribute to local auxin responses. We have established a collection of transcriptional reporters for the ARF gene family and used these to generate a map of expression during embryogenesis and in the primary root meristem. Our results demonstrate that transcriptional regulation of ARF genes generates a complex pattern of overlapping activities. Genetic analysis shows that functions of co-expressed ARFs converge on the same biological processes, but can act either antagonistically or synergistically. Importantly, the existence of an 'ARF pre-pattern' could explain how cell-type-specific auxin responses are generated. Furthermore, this resource can now be used to probe the functions of ARF in other auxin-dependent processes.

The AP-3 adaptor complex is required for vacuolar function in Arabidopsis.

Subcellular trafficking is required for a multitude of functions in eukaryotic cells. It involves regulation of cargo sorting, vesicle formation, trafficking and fusion processes at multiple levels. Adaptor protein (AP) complexes are key regulators of cargo sorting into vesicles in yeast and mammals but their existence and function in plants have not been demonstrated. Here we report the identification of the protein-affected trafficking 4 (pat4) mutant defective in the putative δ subunit of the AP-3 complex. pat4 and pat2, a mutant isolated from the same GFP imaging-based forward genetic screen that lacks a functional putative AP-3 ß, as well as dominant negative AP-3 µ transgenic lines display undistinguishable phenotypes characterized by largely normal morphology and development, but strong intracellular accumulation of membrane proteins in aberrant vacuolar structures. All mutants are defective in morphology and function of lytic and protein storage vacuoles (PSVs) but show normal sorting of reserve proteins to PSVs. Immunoprecipitation experiments and genetic studies revealed tight functional and physical associations of putative AP-3 ß and AP-3 δ subunits. Furthermore, both proteins are closely linked with putative AP-3 µ and σ subunits and several components of the clathrin and dynamin machineries. Taken together, these results demonstrate that AP complexes, similar to those in other eukaryotes, exist in plants, and that AP-3 plays a specific role in the regulation of biogenesis and function of vacuoles in plant cells.

A versatile set of ligation-independent cloning vectors for functional studies in plants.

With plant molecular biology entering the omics era, there is a need for simple cloning strategies that allow high throughput to systematically study the expression and function of large numbers of genes. Such strategies would facilitate the analysis of gene (sub)families and/or sets of coexpressed genes identified by transcriptomics. Here, we provide a set of 34 ligation-independent cloning (LIC) binary vectors for expression analysis, protein localization studies, and misexpression that will be made freely available. This set of plant LIC vectors offers a fast alternative to standard cloning strategies involving ligase or recombination enzyme technology. We demonstrate the use of this strategy and our new vectors by analyzing the expression domains of genes belonging to two subclades of the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor family. We show that neither the closest homologs of TARGET OF MONOPTEROS7 (TMO7/ATBS1) nor the members of the ATBS1 INTERACTING FACTOR subclade of putative TMO7 interactors are expressed in the embryo and that there is very limited coexpression in the primary root meristem. This suggests that these basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors are most likely not involved in TMO7-dependent root meristem initiation.

A novel aux/IAA28 signaling cascade activates GATA23-dependent specification of lateral root founder cell identity.

BACKGROUND: Lateral roots are formed at regular intervals along the main root by recurrent specification of founder cells. To date, the mechanism by which branching of the root system is controlled and founder cells become specified remains unknown. RESULTS: Our study reports the identification of the auxin regulatory components and their target gene, GATA23, which control lateral root founder cell specification. Initially, a meta-analysis of lateral root-related transcriptomic data identified the GATA23 transcription factor. GATA23 is expressed specifically in xylem pole pericycle cells before the first asymmetric division and is correlated with oscillating auxin signaling maxima in the basal meristem. Also, functional studies revealed that GATA23 controls lateral root founder cell identity. Finally, we show that an Aux/IAA28-dependent auxin signaling mechanism in the basal meristem controls GATA23 expression. CONCLUSIONS: We have identified the first molecular components that control lateral root founder cell identity in the Arabidopsis root. These include an IAA28-dependent auxin signaling module in the basal meristem region that regulates GATA23 expression and thereby lateral root founder cell specification and root branching patterns.

MONOPTEROS controls embryonic root initiation by regulating a mobile transcription factor.

Acquisition of cell identity in plants relies strongly on positional information, hence cell-cell communication and inductive signalling are instrumental for developmental patterning. During Arabidopsis embryogenesis, an extra-embryonic cell is specified to become the founder cell of the primary root meristem, hypophysis, in response to signals from adjacent embryonic cells. The auxin-dependent transcription factor MONOPTEROS (MP) drives hypophysis specification by promoting transport of the hormone auxin from the embryo to the hypophysis precursor. However, auxin accumulation is not sufficient for hypophysis specification, indicating that additional MP-dependent signals are required. Here we describe the microarray-based isolation of MP target genes that mediate signalling from embryo to hypophysis. Of three direct transcriptional target genes, TARGET OF MP 5 (TMO5) and TMO7 encode basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors that are expressed in the hypophysis-adjacent embryo cells, and are required and partially sufficient for MP-dependent root initiation. Importantly, the small TMO7 transcription factor moves from its site of synthesis in the embryo to the hypophysis precursor, thus representing a novel MP-dependent intercellular signal in embryonic root specification.

Cyclophilin 40 is required for microRNA activity in Arabidopsis.

Loss-of-function mutations of SQUINT (SQN)-which encodes the Arabidopsis orthologue of cyclophilin 40 (CyP40)-cause the precocious expression of adult vegetative traits, an increase in carpel number, and produce abnormal spacing of flowers in the inflorescence. Here we show that the vegetative phenotype of sqn is attributable to the elevated expression of miR156-regulated members of the SPL family of transcription factors and provide evidence that this defect is a consequence of a reduction in the activity of ARGONAUTE1 (AGO1). Support for this latter conclusion was provided by the phenotypic similarity between hypomorphic alleles of AGO1 and null alleles of SQN and by the genetic interaction between sqn and these alleles. Our results suggest that AGO1, or an AGO1-interacting protein, is a major client of CyP40 and that miR156 and its targets play a central role in the regulation of vegetative phase change in Arabidopsis.