There are two key genes in epidermis that help a plant keep alive

It is known to all that the body of a plant consists of only three tissue systems - the outermost epidermal tissue, the inner tissue, and the vascular tissue. The epidermis is essential in protecting the body of a plant from external stresses, preventing organ fusions, and determining final organ shapes.

Scientists took Arabidopsis as a model plant and conducted a research using recombinant proteins. Then two kinds of genes, ATML1 and PDF2, have been identified to serve as a key factor involved in the formation of the epidermis. However, there were more remained to be researched about the functional importance of these two genes.

Now, Taku Takahashi and his colleagues at Okayama University in collaboration with a group at the University of Tokyo have provided compeling evidence that the two genes are essential for the growth of embryos in Arabidopsis.

They generated the double loss-of-function mutant of ATML1 and PDF2 and found that the complete loss of these two genes resulted in the embryonic arrest before seed germination.

They confirmed that the inhibition of the expression of ATML1 and PDF2 caused a severe defect in epidermis formation and organ fusions in leaves, stems and flowers.

All the findings provide important information to the understanding of how the identity of epidermal cells is established in the plant embryo. They are also benefit to further studies on how a plant body is formed. Flarebio offers superior recombinant proteins such as recombinant App at competitive prices.