Abstract
Key message
The role of the root cap in the plant response to phosphate deprivation has been scarcely investigated. Here we describe early structural, physiological and molecular changes prior to the determinate growth program of the primary roots under low Pi and unveil a critical function of the transcription factor SOMBRERO in low Pi sensing.
Abstract
Mineral nutrient distribution in the soil is uneven and roots efficiently adapt to improve uptake and assimilation of sparingly available resources. Phosphate (Pi) accumulates in the upper layers and thus short and branched root systems proliferate to better exploit organic and inorganic Pi patches. Here we report an early adaptive response of the Arabidopsis primary root that precedes the entrance of the meristem into the determinate developmental program that is a hallmark of the low Pi sensing mechanism. In wild-type seedlings transferred to low Pi medium, the quiescent center domain in primary root tips increases as an early response, as revealed by WOX5:GFP expression and this correlates with a thicker root tip with extra root cap cell layers. The halted primary root growth in WT seedlings could be reversed upon transfer to medium supplemented with 250 µM Pi. Mutant and gene expression analysis indicates that auxin signaling negatively affects the cellular re-specification at the root tip and enabled identification of the transcription factor SOMBRERO as a critical element that orchestrates both the formation of extra root cap layers and primary root growth under Pi scarcity. Moreover, we provide evidence that low Pi-induced root thickening or the loss-of-function of SOMBRERO is associated with expression of phosphate transporters at the root tip. Our data uncover a developmental window where the root tip senses deprivation of a critical macronutrient to improve adaptation and surveillance.
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported by The Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, México (CONACYT), Grant FORDECYT-PRONACES/377863/2020 to Jesús Salvador López Bucio.
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The design of the work and the interpretation were performed by JSL-B, JL-B, HRdlC and JC-G. Material preparation, acquisition and analysis of data were performed by GR-O, RP-F, and JSL-B. Writing manuscript: JSL-B and JL-B. Review and editing: HRdlC and JC-G. Founding: JSL-B. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. GR-O and RP-F contributed equally to this work.
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Ravelo-Ortega, G., Pelagio-Flores, R., López-Bucio, J. et al. Early sensing of phosphate deprivation triggers the formation of extra root cap cell layers via SOMBRERO through a process antagonized by auxin signaling. Plant Mol Biol 108, 77–91 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11103-021-01224-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11103-021-01224-x