Faculty Opinions Recommendation of Modulation of Phospholipid Signaling by GLABRA2 in Root-Hair Pattern Formation
TLDR GLABRA2 represses root hair formation by inhibiting a specific gene.
The study by Ohashi et al. characterized the developmental pathway in Arabidopsis by identifying the phospholipase Dzeta1 gene (AtPLDzeta1) as a direct target of the transcription factor GLABRA2 (GL2), which negatively regulated root hair formation. Through cDNA subtraction experiments with transgenic plants, the researchers found that AtPLDzeta1 was a target of GL2, with its ectopic expression leading to hair-like cell bulges and its repression preventing root-hair formation. This suggested that AtPLDzeta1 acted as a positive factor in root hair development, while GL2 functioned as a repressor by inhibiting AtPLDzeta1 expression. The study highlighted the role of phospholipid signaling in hair cell development, with GL2 repressing this process in non-hair epidermal cells.
