Identification of WUSCHEL direct targets.

Cell-cell communication is critical for stem cell maintenance. Shoot apical meristem (SAM) located at the shoot tip harbors stem cells within the central zone (CZ). Their progeny differentiate in the adjacent peripheral zone (PZ). WUSCHEL (WUS) is a homeodomain transcription factor produced in a few cells of the organizing center (OC), located beneath the CZ. It has been shown to specify stem cell fate and also activate CLAVATA3 (CLV3) expression in cells of the CZ. CLV3 is a secreted peptide that activates a membrane bound receptor kinase-CLAVATA1 to restrict WUS transcription to the OC. It has been hypothesized that WUS activates CLV3 expression and stem cell fate in adjacent cells of the CZ by activating a non-cell autonomous signal. Contrary to this hypothesis, here we show that the WUS protein after being synthesized in cells of the OC, migrates into the superficial cell layers of the CZ where it activates CLV3 transcription by binding to its promoter elements. WUS also migrates laterally into the PZ to repress the expression of differentiation promoting transcription factors by binding to their regulatory regions. Migration of a stem cell inducing transcription factor into adjacent cells to activate a negative regulator, whereby restricting its own accumulation is unique to plant stem cell niches. While stem cell promoting transcription factor directly repressing differentiation promoting transcription factors to prevent premature differentiation of stem cell progenitors is conserved among diverse stem cell niches.

12

Yadav RK, Perales M, Gruel J, Ohno C, Heisler M, Girke T, Jönsson H, Reddy GV