Coactivation of antagonistic genes stabilizes polarity patterning during shoot organogenesis.

Abstract

Spatiotemporal patterns of gene expression are instrumental to morphogenesis. A stable pattern interface, often between reciprocal-inhibiting morphogens, must be robustly maintained after initial patterning cues diminish, organ growth, or organ geometry changes. In plants, floral and leaf primordia obtain the adaxial-abaxial pattern at the shoot apical meristem periphery. However, it is unknown how the pattern is maintained after primordia have left the shoot apex. Here, through a combination of computational simulations, time-lapse imaging, and genetic analysis, we propose a model in which auxin simultaneously promotes both adaxial and abaxial domains of expression. Furthermore, we identified multilevel feedback regulation of auxin signaling to refine the spatiotemporal patterns. Our results demonstrate that coactivation by auxin determines and stabilizes antagonistic adaxial-abaxial patterning during aerial organ formation.