Light determines the meristem fate during plant regeneration

September 27, 2024

Expectations for improving regeneration efficiency by tunning light conditions

A joint research team from RIKEN CSRS, the University of Tokyo, and Chubu University has uncovered the molecular mechanism by which light controls the regeneration of new meristems. This research is expected to advance our understanding of plant stem cell regulation, improve the efficiency of tissue culture technologies, and ultimately contribute to the sustainable food supply and biomass production. The team discovered that light signals suppress root formation from pluripotent callus and promote shoot (stem and attached leaves) regeneration. They also revealed that the transcription factor ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5), which is crucial for light signal transduction, plays a central role in controlling the fate of new meristems. Furthermore, they found that the initial activation of photosynthesis is critical for shoot formation, and this process is transcriptionally regulated downstream of the HY5-dependent pathway.

Original article

Plant Physiology doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiae474

Y. Chen, Y. Ç. Ince, A. Kawamura, D. S. Favero, T. Suzuki, K. Sugimoto,

"ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL5-mediated light signaling promotes shoot regeneration in Arabidopsis thaliana".

Contact

Yu Chen; Postdoctoral Researcher
Keiko Sugimoto; Team Leader
Cell Function Research Team