The Arabidopsis RING-Type E3 Ligase TEAR4 Controls Seed Germination by Targeting RGA for Degradation.

Light and DELLA proteins are central factors controlling seed germination which is critical for seed plant survival and agricultural production. However, the mechanisms underlying DELLA degradation under different light conditions during seed germination remain to be clarified. Here, it is reported that TIE1-ASSOCIATED RING-TYPE E3 LIGASE4 (TEAR4) and other TEARs redundantly promote DELLA degradation to positively regulate seed germination in Arabidopsis.

Multifaceted roles of TCP transcription factors in fate determination.

Fate determination is indispensable for the accurate shaping and specialization of plant organs, a process critical to the structural and functional diversity in plant kingdom. The TEOSINTE BRANCHED 1/CYCLOIDEA/PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR (TCP) family of transcription factors has been recognized for its significant contributions to plant organogenesis and morphogenesis. Recent research has shed light on the pivotal roles that TCPs play in fate determination.

Arabidopsis transcription factor TCP4 controls the identity of the apical gynoecium.

The style and stigma at the apical gynoecium are crucial for flowering plant reproduction. However, the mechanisms underlying specification of the apical gynoecium remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that Class II TEOSINTE BRANCHED 1/CYCLOIDEA/PCF (TCP) transcription factors are critical for apical gynoecium specification in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana).

Rice transcriptional repressor OsTIE1 controls anther dehiscence and male sterility by regulating JA biosynthesis.

Proper anther dehiscence is essential for successful pollination and reproduction in angiosperms, and jasmonic acid (JA) is crucial for the process. However, the mechanisms underlying the tight regulation of JA biosynthesis during anther development remain largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the rice (Oryza sativa L.

Parthenocarpy in : Advances for Economic and Environmental Sustainability.

Parthenocarpy is an important agricultural trait that not only produces seedless fruits, but also increases the rate of the fruit set under adverse environmental conditions. The study of parthenocarpy in crops has considerable implications for cultivar improvement. This article provides a comprehensive review of relevant studies on the parthenocarpic traits of several major crops and offers a perspective on future developments and research directions.

Arabidopsis TCP4 transcription factor inhibits high temperature-induced homeotic conversion of ovules.

Abnormal high temperature (HT) caused by global warming threatens plant survival and food security, but the effects of HT on plant organ identity are elusive. Here, we show that Class II TEOSINTE BRANCHED 1/CYCLOIDEA/ PCF (TCP) transcription factors redundantly protect ovule identity under HT. The duodecuple tcp2/3/4/5/10/13/17/24/1/12/18/16 (tcpDUO) mutant displays HT-induced ovule conversion into carpelloid structures.

Binding by the Polycomb complex component BMI1 and H2A monoubiquitination shape local and long-range interactions in the Arabidopsis genome.

Three-dimensional (3D) chromatin organization is highly dynamic during development and seems to play a crucial role in regulating gene expression. Self-interacting domains, commonly called topologically associating domains (TADs) or compartment domains (CDs), have been proposed as the basic structural units of chromatin organization. Surprisingly, although these units have been found in several plant species, they escaped detection in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana).

DNA-TCP complex structures reveal a unique recognition mechanism for TCP transcription factor families.

Plant-specific TCP transcription factors are key regulators of diverse plant functions. TCP transcription factors have long been annotated as basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors according to remote sequence homology without experimental validation, and their consensus DNA-binding sequences and protein-DNA recognition mechanisms have remained elusive. Here, we report the crystal structures of the class I TCP domain from AtTCP15 and the class II TCP domain from AtTCP10 in complex with different double-stranded DNA (dsDNA).

Activation tagging identifies WRKY14 as a repressor of plant thermomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis.

Increases in recorded high temperatures around the world are causing plant thermomorphogenesis and decreasing crop productivity. PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 4 (PIF4) is a central positive regulator of plant thermomorphogenesis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying PIF4-regulated thermomorphogenesis remain largely unclear.

TIE1 and TIE2 transcriptional repressors dampen cytokinin response during root development.

Cytokinin plays critical roles in root development. Cytokinin signaling depends on activation of key transcription factors known as type B response regulators (ARRs). However, the mechanisms underlying the finely tuned regulation of type B ARR activity remain unclear.

Arabidopsis transcription factor TCP4 represses chlorophyll biosynthesis to prevent petal greening.

Green petals pose a challenge for pollinators to distinguish flowers from leaves, but they are valuable as a specialty flower trait. However, little is understood about the molecular mechanisms that underlie the development of green petals. Here, we report that CINCINNATA (CIN)-like TEOSINTE BRANCHED 1/CYCLOIDEA/PCF (TCP) proteins play key roles in the control of petal color.

MicroRNA775 regulates intrinsic leaf size and reduces cell wall pectin levels by targeting a galactosyltransferase gene in Arabidopsis.

Plants possess unique primary cell walls made of complex polysaccharides that play critical roles in determining intrinsic cell and organ size. How genes responsible for synthesizing and modifying the polysaccharides in the cell wall are regulated by microRNAs (miRNAs) to control plant size remains largely unexplored. Here we identified 23 putative cell wall-related miRNAs, termed as CW-miRNAs, in Arabidopsis thaliana and characterized miR775 as an example.

TCP transcription factors suppress cotyledon trichomes by impeding a cell differentiation-regulating complex.

Trichomes are specialized epidermal cells that act as barriers against biotic and abiotic stresses. Although the formation of trichomes on hairy organs is well studied, the molecular mechanisms of trichome inhibition on smooth organs are still largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the CINCINNATA (CIN)-like TEOSINTE BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA/PCF (TCP) transcription factors inhibit the formation of trichomes on cotyledons in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana).

The Regulation of CIN-like TCP Transcription Factors.

TEOSINTE BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA/PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR 1 and 2 (TCP) family proteins are the plant-specific transcription factors extensively participating in diverse developmental processes by integrating external cues with internal signals. The roles of CINCINNATA (CIN)-like TCPs are conserved in control of the morphology and size of leaves, petal development, trichome formation and plant flowering. The tight regulation of CIN-like TCP activity at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels are central for plant developmental plasticity in response to the ever-changing environmental conditions.

Arabidopsis Transcription Factor TCP5 Controls Plant Thermomorphogenesis by Positively Regulating PIF4 Activity.

Plants display thermomorphogenesis in response to high temperature (HT). PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 4 (PIF4) is a central integrator regulated by numerous negative regulators. However, the mechanisms underpinning PIF4 positive regulation are largely unknown.

The Transcription Factors TCP4 and PIF3 Antagonistically Regulate Organ-Specific Light Induction of Genes to Modulate Cotyledon Opening during De-Etiolation in Arabidopsis.

Light elicits different growth responses in different organs of plants. These organ-specific responses are prominently displayed during de-etiolation. While major light-responsive components and early signaling pathways in this process have been identified, this information has yet to explain how organ-specific light responses are achieved.

Correction: The TIE1 transcriptional repressor controls shoot branching by directly repressing BRANCHED1 in Arabidopsis.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.

The Arabidopsis USL1 controls multiple aspects of development by affecting late endosome morphology.

The polar transport of auxin controls many aspects of plant development. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying auxin tranport regulation remain to be further elucidated. We identified a mutant named as usl1 (unflattened and small leaves) in a genetic screen in Arabidopsis thaliana.

The SWI/SNF subunit SWI3B regulates IAMT1 expression via chromatin remodeling in Arabidopsis leaf development.

The SWI/SNF complex is crucial to chromatin remodeling in various biological processes in different species, but the distinct functions of its components in plant development remain unclear. Here we uncovered the role of SWI3B, a subunit of the Arabidopsis thaliana SWI/SNF complex, via RNA interference. Knockdown of SWI3B resulted in an upward-curling leaf phenotype.

TANDEM ZINC-FINGER/PLUS3 Is a Key Component of Phytochrome A Signaling.

Phytochrome A (phyA) is the primary plant photoreceptor responsible for perceiving and mediating various responses to far-red (FR) light and is essential for survival in canopy shade. In this study, we identified two mutants that grew longer hypocotyls in FR light. Genetic analyses showed that they were allelic and their FR phenotypes were caused by mutations in the gene named (), previously shown to encode a nuclear protein involved in blue light signaling and phyB-dependent regulation of photoperiodic flowering.

The TIE1 transcriptional repressor controls shoot branching by directly repressing BRANCHED1 in Arabidopsis.

Shoot branching is a major determinant of plant architecture and is regulated by both endogenous and environmental factors. BRANCHED1 (BRC1) is a central local regulator that integrates signals controlling shoot branching. So far, the regulation of BRC1 activity at the protein level is still largely unknown.

The Arabidopsis RING-Type E3 Ligase TEAR1 Controls Leaf Development by Targeting the TIE1 Transcriptional Repressor for Degradation.

The developmental plasticity of leaf size and shape is important for leaf function and plant survival. However, the mechanisms by which plants form diverse leaves in response to environmental conditions are not well understood. Here, we identified TIE1-ASSOCIATED RING-TYPE E3 LIGASE1 (TEAR1) and found that it regulates leaf development by promoting the degradation of TCP INTERACTOR-CONTAINING EAR MOTIF PROTEIN1 (TIE1), an important repressor of CINCINNATA (CIN)-like TEOSINTE BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA/PCF (TCP) transcription factors, which are key for leaf development.

A Novel Imprinted Gene NUWA Controls Mitochondrial Function in Early Seed Development in Arabidopsis.

Imprinted genes display biased expression of paternal and maternal alleles and are only found in mammals and flowering plants. Compared to several hundred imprinted genes that are functionally characterized in mammals, very few imprinted genes were confirmed in plants and even fewer of them have been functionally investigated. Here, we report a new imprinted gene, NUWA, in plants.

EXB1/WRKY71 transcription factor regulates both shoot branching and responses to abiotic stresses.

As the sessile organisms, plants evolve different strategies to survive in adverse environmental conditions. The elaborate regulation of shoot branching is an important strategy for plant morphological adaptation to various environments, while the regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) is pivotal for plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Recently, we have demonstrated that Arabidopsis EXB1, a WRKY transcription factor, is a positive regulator of shoot branching as a cover story in Plant Cell.

CFLAP1 and CFLAP2 Are Two bHLH Transcription Factors Participating in Synergistic Regulation of AtCFL1-Mediated Cuticle Development in Arabidopsis.

The cuticle is a hydrophobic lipid layer covering the epidermal cells of terrestrial plants. Although many genes involved in Arabidopsis cuticle development have been identified, the transcriptional regulation of these genes is largely unknown. Previously, we demonstrated that AtCFL1 negatively regulates cuticle development by interacting with the HD-ZIP IV transcription factor HDG1.