Publication Date:
2013-09-13
Description:
Shoot growth depends on meristems, pools of stem cells that are maintained by a negative feedback loop between the CLAVATA pathway and the WUSCHEL homeobox gene. CLAVATA signalling involves a secreted peptide, CLAVATA3 (CLV3), and its perception by cell surface leucine-rich repeat (LRR) receptors, including the CLV1 receptor kinase and a LRR receptor-like protein, CLV2 (ref. 4). However, the signalling mechanisms downstream of these receptors are poorly understood, especially for LRR receptor-like proteins, which lack a signalling domain. Here we show that maize COMPACT PLANT2 (CT2) encodes the predicted alpha-subunit (Galpha) of a heterotrimeric GTP binding protein. Maize ct2 phenotypes resemble Arabidopsis thaliana clavata mutants, and genetic, biochemical and functional assays indicate that CT2/Galpha transmits a stem-cell-restrictive signal from a CLAVATA LRR receptor, suggesting a new function for Galpha signalling in plants. Heterotrimeric GTP-binding proteins are membrane-associated molecular switches that are commonly activated by ligand binding to an associated seven-pass transmembrane (7TM) G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). Recent studies have questioned the idea that plant heterotrimeric G proteins interact with canonical GPCRs, and our findings suggest that single pass transmembrane receptors act as GPCRs in plants, challenging the dogma that GPCRs are exclusively 7TM proteins.〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Notes: 〈/span〉Bommert, Peter -- Je, Byoung Il -- Goldshmidt, Alexander -- Jackson, David -- England -- Nature. 2013 Oct 24;502(7472):555-8. doi: 10.1038/nature12583. Epub 2013 Sep 11.〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Author address: 〈/span〉Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA.〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Record origin:〈/span〉 〈a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24025774" target="_blank"〉PubMed〈/a〉
Keywords:
Cloning, Molecular
;
GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits/genetics/*metabolism
;
Genes, Plant/*genetics
;
Meristem/*anatomy & histology/metabolism
;
Mutation/genetics
;
Phenotype
;
Plant Proteins/genetics/*metabolism
;
Proteome/genetics/metabolism
;
Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/chemistry/metabolism
;
*Signal Transduction
;
Zea mays/*anatomy & histology/*genetics
Print ISSN:
0028-0836
Electronic ISSN:
1476-4687
Topics:
Biology
,
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Medicine
,
Natural Sciences in General
,
Physics
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