FUNCTION OF MIR396 AND GROWTH REGULATING FACTORS TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS IN ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA ROOT DEVELOPMENT

ERCOLI, MA FLORENCIA; DEBERNARDI, JUAN MANUEL; SABATINI, MARTIN; MECCHIA, MARTIN; PALATNIK, JAVIER F; RODRIGUEZ VIRASORO, RAMIRO ESTEBAN

Mar del PLata

Congreso; Reunión Argentina de Fisiología Vegetal.; 2012

Sociedad Argentina de Fisiología Vegetal

MiRNAs are important regulators of gene expression that affect various aspects of plant biology. In particular, the miR396 is involved in the morphogenesis of vegetative and reproductive organs of the plant through the regulation of expression of some members of the family of transcription factors GROWTH REGULATING FACTOR (GRF). In Arabidopsis thaliana roots, cell proliferation is restricted to the meristematic zone, located in the first 200 micrometers of the organ. Above the meristematic zone, elongation and maturation zones are found, where cells increase tens of times in volume and differentiate into specific cell types. Here, we describe the role of miR396 and their targets, the GRFs, in Arabidopsis root development. Root growth rate was affected in plants with altered levels of miR396 or GRFs. The cellular basis of these defects was analyzed using laser scanning confocal microscopy in propidium iodide counterstained roots. In addition, we evaluated the expression patterns of miR396 and GRFs during different stages of root development and in different cell types. These results suggest that miR396 and GRFs form a relevant module in the regulation of cell proliferation during root development.