Negative regulation of conserved RSL class I bHLH transcription factors evolved independently among land plants
- University of Oxford, United Kingdom
- Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico
Abstract
Basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors encoded by RSL class I genes control a gene regulatory network that positively regulates the development of filamentous rooting cells - root hairs and rhizoids - in land plants. The GLABRA2 transcription factor negatively regulates these genes in the angiosperm Arabidopsis thaliana. To find negative regulators of RSL class I genes in early diverging land plants we conducted a mutant screen in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha. This identified FEW RHIZOIDS1 (MpFRH1) microRNA (miRNA) that negatively regulates the RSL class I gene MpRSL1. The miRNA and its mRNA target constitute a feedback mechanism that controls epidermal cell differentiation. MpFRH1 miRNA target sites are conserved among liverwort RSL class I mRNAs but are not present in RSL class I mRNAs of other land plants. These findings indicate that while RSL class I genes are ancient and conserved, independent negative regulatory mechanisms evolved in different lineages during land plant evolution.
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All data generated or analysed during this study are included in the manuscript and supporting files.
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Author details
Funding
European Commission (EVO-500 25028)
- Suvi Honkanen
- Liam Dolan
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/F016093/1)
- Suvi Honkanen
- Anna Thamm
University of Oxford EPA Cephalosporin scholarship
- Anna Thamm
University of California Institute for Mexico and the United States (UCMEXUS-19941-44-OAC7)
- Mario A Arteaga-Vazquez
The Royal Society Newton Advanced Fellowship (NA150181 RG79985)
- Mario A Arteaga-Vazquez
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (J0144271/1)
- Suvi Honkanen
- Anna Thamm
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.
Copyright
© 2018, Honkanen et al.
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.
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Negative regulation of conserved RSL class I bHLH transcription factors evolved independently among land plants
eLife 7:e38529.
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.38529
