Under the leadership TAKADA Shinobu, Assistant Professor, TAKADA Nozomi, Researcher, and YOSHIDA Ayaka, Graduate Student at the Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, a group of researchers identified a gene related to the formation of the epidermis in plants.

A plant is composed of a variety of cells with different roles. However, how the variety of cells such as epidermal cells and mesophyll cells are formed is unknown. In particular, the genes involved in differentiation of epidermal and mesophyll cells have not been identified.

This group paid attention to a gene Arabidopsis Thaliana Meristem Layer 1 (ATML1) in thale cress. ATML1 was the first transcription factor and was thought to be related to the formation of epidermal cells. In order to examine whether ATML1 had the ability to regulate the formation of the epidermis, this group created transgenic plants that would enable the ATML1 gene to be activated in any of its cells.

As a result, cells with stomata and cirrus were formed in the inner cells in locations where mesophyll cells should have been formed. Mesophyll cell differentiation was repressed and leaves with ectopic patches of transparent cells were formed. It was also found that the transcript level of genes related to epidermis had increased in these transgenic plants. These results demonstrated that ATML1 has the ability to differentiate cells other than epidermal cells into epidermis.

This group’s achievement will possibly lead to the clarification of the evolutionary process of plants on land and how the stomata and cuticle are formed in the epidermis of plants.

(Link) http://resou.osaka-u.ac.jp/en/research/2013/20130408_1