Gene Responsible for Root Offshoots Identified

Researchers at the Flanders Institute of Biotechnology (VIB) and Ghent University in the Netherlands have pinpointed the gene responsible for root offshoot formation in plants. The gene ACR4 was found to govern asymmetric cell division in root pericycle. In contrast to the usual cell division, which results to two identical cells, asymmetric stem cell division produces two different cells: a stem cell that is identical to the parent cell and a cell that is ready to become specialized.

The gene encodes a signal receptor, a protein that is often located on the exterior of cells to pick up signals from the outside and transmit them to the controlling mechanisms inside. Arabidopsis mutants harboring a defective ACR4 showed disturbed asymmetric cell division.

The fundamental mechanism discovered in the research might enable plant breeders to promote or retard the formation of root offshoots. Promoting an extensive root system helps plants absorb nutrients more readily, and thus they need less fertilizer. Such plants can also grow more easily in dry or infertile soils. On the other hand, slowing down secondary root formation can be advantageous in tuberous plants, like potatoes or sugar beets, allowing them to invest all their energy in nutrient production.

Read the complete article at http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1160158