IRON MAN is a ubiquitous family of peptides that control iron transport in plants.

Iron (Fe) is an essential mineral nutrient that severely affects the growth, yield and nutritional quality of plants if not supplied in sufficient quantities. Here, we report that a short C-terminal amino-acid sequence consensus motif (IRON MAN; IMA) conserved across numerous, highly diverse peptides in angiosperms is essential for Fe uptake in plants. Overexpression of the IMA sequence in Arabidopsis induced Fe uptake genes in roots, causing accumulation of Fe and manganese in all plant parts including seeds.

Characterization of Root Epidermal Cell Patterning and Differentiation in Arabidopsis.

The root epidermis of Arabidopsis thaliana has been established as a model system for elucidating the mechanisms which govern the spatial patterningAbstract and morphogenesis of plant cells. Investigations into root hairs focus on various aspects of the biology of epidermal cells, using methods specifically developed to dissect the biological question under study. Despite the large number of studies related to epidermal cell differentiation, a survey of methods to analyze the phenotypic readout resulting from environmental conditions or the genetic background of the plant has not been provided so far.