The final size of plant organs such as leaves is tightly controlled by environmental and genetic factors that must spatially and temporally coordinate cell expansion and cell cycle activity. However this regulation of organ growth is still poorly understood. The aim of this study is to gain more insight in the genetic control of leaf size in Arabidopsis by performing a comparative analysis of transgenic lines that produce larger leaves under standardized environmental conditions. To this end, we selected five genes, belonging to different functional classes, that all positively affect leaf size when over-expressed: AVP1, GRF5, JAW, BRI1 and GA20OX1. We show that the increase in leaf area in these lines depends on leaf position and growth conditions and that all five lines affect leaf size differently. However, in all cases an increase in cell number is, entirely or predominantly, responsible for the leaf size enlargement. By means of analyses of hormone levels, transcriptome and metabolome we provide deeper insight in the molecular basis of the growth phenotype for the individual lines. A comparative analysis between them indicates that enhanced organ growth is governed by different, seemingly independent pathways. The analysis of transgenic lines simultaneously over-expressing two growth-enhancing genes further supports the concept that multiple pathways independently converge on organ size control in Arabidopsis.
Increased leaf size: different means to an end.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe goal of this study is to identify co-expressed genes downstream of Atonal and Senseless. These gene lists are used as candidate target genes (technically: as foreground sets) in computational predictions of cis-regulatory elements using the cisTargetX method (http://med.kuleuven.be/cme-mg/lng/cisTargetX). Together, the gene expression results and cis-regulatory predictions, yield a gene regulatory network underlying the early events in retinal differentiation. Predicted cis-regulatory interactions have been validated extensively in vivo using enhancer reporter assays and genetic perturbations.
No associated publication
Specimen part
View SamplesThe number of cells in an organ is a major factor for the determination of organ size. However, genetic basis of cell number determination is not well understood. Three grandifolia-D (gra-D) mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana developed huge leaves containing two- to three-fold increased number of cells of the wild type. Tiling array and microarray analysis of gra-D mutants suggested that genes found in a lower part of chromosome 4 were upregulated, suggesting the occurrence of segmental chromosomal duplications in the gra-D mutants. These region contain positive regulators of cell proliferation such as AINTEGUMENTA (ANT) and cyclin genes such as CYCD3;1.
Impact of segmental chromosomal duplications on leaf size in the grandifolia-D mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe number of cells in an organ is a major factor for the determination of organ size. However, genetic basis of cell number determination is not well understood. Three grandifolia-D (gra-D) mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana developed huge leaves containing two- to three-fold increased number of cells of the wild type. Tiling array and microarray analysis of gra-D mutants suggested that genes found in a lower part of chromosome 4 were upregulated, suggesting the occurrence of segmental chromosomal duplications in the gra-D mutants. These region contain positive regulators of cell proliferation such as AINTEGUMENTA (ANT) and cyclin genes such as CYCD3;1.
Impact of segmental chromosomal duplications on leaf size in the grandifolia-D mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe final size of plant organs such as leaves is tightly controlled by environmental and genetic factors that must spatially and temporally coordinate cell expansion and cell cycle activity. However this regulation of organ growth is still poorly understood. The aim of this study is to gain more insight in the genetic control of leaf size in Arabidopsis by performing a comparative analysis of transgenic lines that produce larger leaves under standardized environmental conditions. To this end, we selected five genes, belonging to different functional classes, that all positively affect leaf size when over-expressed: AVP1, GRF5, JAW, BRI1 and GA20OX1. We show that the increase in leaf area in these lines depends on leaf position and growth conditions and that all five lines affect leaf size differently. However, in all cases an increase in cell number is, entirely or predominantly, responsible for the leaf size enlargement. By means of analyses of hormone levels, transcriptome and metabolome we provide deeper insight in the molecular basis of the growth phenotype for the individual lines. A comparative analysis between them indicates that enhanced organ growth is governed by different, seemingly independent pathways. The analysis of transgenic lines simultaneously over-expressing two growth-enhancing genes further supports the concept that multiple pathways independently converge on organ size control in Arabidopsis.
Increased leaf size: different means to an end.
Specimen part
View SamplesSHORT-ROOT (SHR) and SCARECROW (SCR) are required for stem cell maintenance in the Arabidopsis thaliana root meristem, ensuring its indeterminate growth. Mutation of SHR and SCR genes results in disorganization of the quiescent center and loss of stem cell activity, resulting in the cessation of root growth. This manuscript reports on the role of SHR and SCR in the development of leaves, which, in contrast to the root, have a determinate growth pattern and lack a persistent stem-cell niche. Our results demonstrate that inhibition of leaf growth in shr and scr mutants is not a secondary effect of the compromised root development, but is caused by a direct effect on cell division in the leaves: a reduced cell division rate and early exit of proliferation phase. Consistent with the observed cell division phenotype, the expression of SHR and SCR genes in leaves is closely associated with cell division activity in most cell types. The increased cell cycle duration is due to a prolonged S-phase duration, which is mediated by up-regulation of cell cycle inhibitors known to restrain the activity of the transcription factor, E2Fa. Therefore, we conclude that, in contrast to their specific role in cortex/endodermis differentiation and stem cell maintenance in the root, SHR and SCR primarily function as general regulators of cell proliferation in leaves.
No associated publication
Specimen part
View SamplesThe final size of plant organs such as leaves is tightly controlled by environmental and genetic factors that must spatially and temporally coordinate cell expansion and cell cycle activity. However this regulation of organ growth is still poorly understood. The aim of this study is to gain more insight in the genetic control of leaf size in Arabidopsis by performing a comparative analysis of transgenic lines that produce larger leaves under standardized environmental conditions. To this end, we selected five genes, belonging to different functional classes, that all positively affect leaf size when over-expressed: AVP1, GRF5, JAW, BRI1 and GA20OX1. We show that the increase in leaf area in these lines depends on leaf position and growth conditions and that all five lines affect leaf size differently. However, in all cases an increase in cell number is, entirely or predominantly, responsible for the leaf size enlargement. By means of analyses of hormone levels, transcriptome and metabolome we provide deeper insight in the molecular basis of the growth phenotype for the individual lines. A comparative analysis between them indicates that enhanced organ growth is governed by different, seemingly independent pathways. The analysis of transgenic lines simultaneously over-expressing two growth-enhancing genes further supports the concept that multiple pathways independently converge on organ size control in Arabidopsis.
Increased leaf size: different means to an end.
Specimen part
View SamplesSince the introduction of high-resolution molecular cytogenetic methods for the screening for chromosomal abnormalities in human embryonic stem cells (hESC), numerous laboratories worldwide have reported the gain of 20q11.21 as a recurrent mutation. Recently, in a large joint study, the International Stem Cell Initiative (ISCI) screened 125 hESC lines worldwide and found this aberration in over 20% of the lines. In our laboratory, we found an increased copy number of 20q11.21 in four hESC lines, VUB01, VUB02, VUB03 and VUB07. We first carried out Affymetrix HG-U133-Plus2 gene-expression microarray analysis of pairs of the mutant and wild type sublines. We identified a small group of very significantly deregulated genes, but none of them were located in the region of duplication. Validation of these results by qRT-PCR revealed that CHCHD2 and TRPC6 were most consistently deregulated.
No associated publication
Sex, Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesTranscription profiling of Arabidopsis mutant ron1-1 vs the wild type Ler
The RON1/FRY1/SAL1 gene is required for leaf morphogenesis and venation patterning in Arabidopsis.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe high metabolic flux through photorespiration constitutes a significant part of the carbon cycle. Although, the major enzymatic steps of the photorespiratory pathway are well characterized, little information is available on the functional significance of photorespiration beyond carbon recycling. Particularly important in this respect is the peroxisomal catalase activity which removes photorespiratory H2O2 generated during the oxidation of glycolate to glyoxylate, thus maintaining the cellular redox homeostasis governing the perception, integration and execution of stress responses. By perfroming a chemical screen, we identified 34 small molecules that alleviate the negative effects of photorespiration in Arabidopsis thaliana mutants lacking photorespiratory catalase (cat2). The chlorophyll fluorescence parameter photosystem II maximum efficiency (Fv'/Fm') was used as a high-throughput readout. The most potent chemical that could rescue the photorespiratory phenotype of cat2 is a pro-auxin that contains a synthetic auxin-like substructure belonging to the phenoxy herbicide family which can be released in planta. The naturally occurring indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and other chemically distinct synthetic auxins also inhibited the photorespiratory-dependent cell death in cat2 mutants, implying a role for auxin signaling in stress tolerance.
No associated publication
Specimen part, Treatment
View Samples