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Mitogen-activated protein kinases MPK3 and MPK6 are required for stem cell maintenance in the Arabidopsis shoot apical meristem

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Abstract

Key message

CLV3p-mediated phosphorylation of MPK3 and MPK6 occurs via CLV1 and BAM1 receptors to regulate the maintenance of SAM development.

Abstract

The CLAVATA peptide-receptor (CLV3p-CLV1) pathway modulates a homeodomain master regulator WUSCHEL (WUS) transcription factor in the shoot apical meristem (SAM) with poorly defined signaling mechanisms. Here, we report that mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs, also known as MPKs in plants) act in an intracellular signaling cascade to play an important role in the maintenance of SAM development. Interestingly, the application of exogenous CLV3p triggers rapid signaling in the SAM via dynamic activation of MPK3 and MPK6, which are positively regulated by both CLV1 and BARELY ANY MERISTEM 1 (BAM1) receptors. Surprisingly, the timing of MAPK activation is tightly correlated with the transcriptional repression of WUS expression in the SAM, indicating a fast CLV3p-CLV1/BAM1 signaling event. Furthermore, conditional mpk3,6 double mutants exhibited CLV3p insensitivity in stem cell maintenance manifested by the persistent SAM growth in the presence of exogenous CLV3p signals, as well as elevated WUS expression and repressed WUS-specific target genes. Taken together, these results suggest that MPK3 and MPK6 activated by CLV3p signals through mainly CLV1 and BAM1 receptors are key regulators controlling stem cell homeostasis in the SAM.

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Abbreviations

MAPK (MPK):

Mitogen-activated protein kinase

SAM:

Shoot apical meristem

CLV3p:

CLAVATA3 peptide

WUS:

WUSCHEL

BAM:

Barely any meristem

LRR-RLK:

Leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase

ER:

Erecta

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Y. Xiong for the mpk3,6-es1/2 lines and HJ Kim for technical supports. HL was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (2014R1A1A1006288 and 2018R1D1A1A02048850) and the Next Generation Biogreen 21 Program (PJ01109901). JS is supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (R01 GM070567).

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Author notes

  1. Horim Lee and Ye Sol Jun contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biotechnology, Duksung Women’s University, Seoul, 01369, South Korea

    Horim Lee, Ye Sol Jun & Ok-Kyoung Cha

  2. Department of Molecular Biology and Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA

    Ok-Kyoung Cha & Jen Sheen

  3. Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Ok-Kyoung Cha & Jen Sheen

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  1. Horim Lee
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  2. Ye Sol Jun
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Correspondence to Horim Lee.

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Communicated by Jeong Sheop Shin.

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Lee, H., Jun, Y.S., Cha, OK. et al. Mitogen-activated protein kinases MPK3 and MPK6 are required for stem cell maintenance in the Arabidopsis shoot apical meristem. Plant Cell Rep 38, 311–319 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-018-2367-5

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