A network of CLAVATA receptors buffers auxin-dependent meristem maintenance

• Published in: Nature plants Vol. 9; no. 8; pp. 1306 - 1317
• Main Authors: John, Amala, Smith, Elizabeth Sarkel, Jones, Daniel S., Soyars, Cara L., Nimchuk, Zachary L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01-08-2023; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/208/2491; 631/449/2653/2657; Arabidopsis - metabolism; Arabidopsis Proteins - genetics; Arabidopsis Proteins - metabolism; Auxins; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biosynthesis; Buffers; Cell growth; Cell proliferation; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Indoleacetic Acids - metabolism; Life Sciences; Maintenance; Meristem - metabolism; Meristems; Peptides; Plant Sciences; Primordia; Receptors; Signal Transduction; Stem cells; Thermal environments
• ISSN: 2055-0278; 2055-0278
• DOI: 10.1038/s41477-023-01485-y

Plant body plans are elaborated in response to both environmental and endogenous cues. How these inputs intersect to promote growth and development remains poorly understood. During reproductive development, central zone stem cell proliferation in inflorescence meristems is negatively regulated by the CLAVATA3 (CLV3) peptide signalling pathway. In contrast, floral primordia formation on meristem flanks requires the hormone auxin. Here we show that CLV3 signalling is also necessary for auxin-dependent floral primordia generation and that this function is partially masked by both inflorescence fasciation and heat-induced auxin biosynthesis. Stem cell regulation by CLAVATA signalling is separable from primordia formation but is also sensitized to temperature and auxin levels. In addition, we uncover a novel role for the CLV3 receptor CLAVATA1 in auxin-dependent meristem maintenance in cooler environments. As such, CLV3 signalling buffers multiple auxin-dependent shoot processes across divergent thermal environments, with opposing effects on cell proliferation in different meristem regions.
Flower formation across thermal environments is critical for efficient reproduction. This study reveals that temperature and the CLAVATA peptide signalling pathway intersect to confer robustness in hormone-dependent reproductive shoot development.