Rabbit Anti-Human LAX1 (a.a. 15-120) Polyclonal antibody

The root meristem of the Arabidopsis thaliana mature embryo is a highly organized structure in which individual cell shape and size must be regulated in co-ordination with the surrounding cells. The objective of this study was to determine the role of the AUX1 LAX family of auxin import carriers during the establishment of the embryonic root cell pattern. The radicle apex of single and multiple aux1 lax mutant mature embryos was used to evaluate the effect of this gene family upon embryonic root organization and root cap size, cell number and cell size. It was demonstrated here that mutations within the AUX1 LAX family are associated with changes in cell pattern establishment in the embryonic quiescent centre and columella. aux1 lax mutants have a larger radicle root cap than the wild type and this is associated with a significant increase in the root-cap cell number, average cell size, or both. Extreme disorganization of the radicle apex was observed among quadruple aux1 lax1 lax2 lax3 mutant embryos, but not in single aux1 null or in lax1, lax2 and lax3 single mutants, indicating redundancy within the AUX1 LAX family. It was determined that the AUX1 LAX family of auxin influx facilitators participates in the establishment of cell pattern within the apex of the embryonic root in a gene-redundant fashion. It was demonstrated that aux1 lax mutants are affected in cell proliferation and cell growth within the radicle tip. Thus AUX1 LAX auxin importers emerge as new players in morphogenetic processes involved in patterning during embryonic root formation.

miR396 is a conservative microRNA family, which has been shown to be important for plant growth and development. To investigate the functions of miR396 in rice (Oryza sativa L.), we carried out a study on OsmiR396a. We found that OsmiR396a was expressed in various tissues with highest transcriptional level in leaves. Bioinformatic prediction suggested that OsmiR396a targets nine Growth Regulating Factor(GRF) genes, of which four (OsGRF1/2/6/8) were significantly down regulated by overexpression of OsmiR396a (aOE). aOE severely suppressed cell proliferation, leading to dwarf plants with smaller leaves. aOE also resulted in abnormal panicles and spikelets, especially a large proportion of rare conjoined-twin florets. Consistent with these defects, some related genes, including H4-2 and OsRAN2 (involved in cell division), FZP and LAX1 (controlling inflorescence architecture) and various floral organ identity genes (involved in floral development), exhibited significantly altered expressional levels in the aOE plants. Our findings further demonstrated the functional conservation of miR396 across dicot and monocot plants and suggested that OsmiR396a functions mainly by targeting OsGRF genes and indirectly regulating many downstream genes in rice.