Biotech Updates

Interaction of ERF3 and WOX11 Promotes Crown Root Development in Rice

October 21, 2015

Crown roots are the main components of the fibrous root system in rice (Oryza sativa). WOX11, a gene specifically expressed in the emerging crown root meristem, is a key regulator in crown root development. However, the function of WOX11 in crown root development has remained unclear. A team led by Yu Zhao of Huazhong Agricultural University in China, identified a rice gene, ERF3, which interacts with WOX11 and is expressed in crown root and during crown root growth.

Functional analysis revealed that ERF3 acts in auxin- and cytokinin-responsive gene expression. Downregulation of ERF3 in mutants with no WOX11 produced severe root phenotype. Further analysis indicates that the two genes functioned cooperatively to regulate crown root development. ERF3 and WOX11 both target the expression of the gene involved in cytokinin signalling, RR2.

ERF3-regulated RR2 expression was found to be involved in crown root initiation, while the ERF3/WOX11 interaction repressed RR2 during crown root elongation.

Learn more on the study in The Plant Cell.