Spatiotemporal formation of glands in plants is modulated by MYB-like transcription factors.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 38491132.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-024-46683-0 and PMC identifier 10943084.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
About one third of vascular plants develop glandular trichomes, which produce defensive compounds that repel herbivores and act as a natural biofactory for important pharmaceuticals such as artemisinin and cannabinoids. However, only a few regulators of glandular structures have been characterized so far. Here we have identified two closely-related MYB-like genes that redundantly inhibit the formation of glandular cells in tomatoes, and they are named as GLAND CELL REPRESSOR (GCR) 1 and 2. The GCR genes highly express in the apical cells of tomato trichomes, with expression gradually diminishing as the cells transition into glands. The spatiotemporal expression of GCR genes is coordinated by a two-step inhibition process mediated by SlTOE1B and GCRs. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the GCR genes act by suppressing Leafless (LFS), a gene that promotes gland formation. Intriguingly, homologous GCR genes from tobacco and petunia also inhibit gland formation, suggesting that the GCR-mediated repression mechanism likely represents a conserved regulatory pathway for glands across different plant species.
Medical subject headings
- Transcription Factors
- Solanum lycopersicum