Molekulare Netzwerke zur Regulation der Peridermentwicklung

01/07/2018 to 30/06/2021

In most dicots and gymnosperm, during secondary growth, the periderm replaces the epidermis as the protective tissue surrounding the vasculature. The periderm, similar to vascular system, comprises three tissues: the phellogen/cork cambium that produces inward the phelloderm and outward the suberized phellem/cork. Despite the economical and agronomical relevance, the molecular network underlying periderm establishment is largely unknown. To shed light on the mechanisms of periderm development, we established a framework to study periderm growth in the model plant Arabidopsis.
In the Arabidopsis root and hypocotyl, the periderm arises from an inner tissue, the pericycle and only after shedding the outer tissues (epidermis; cortex; endodermis) it becomes the outside protective layer.
Similar to trees, the phellem of Arabidopsis is lignified and suberized and undergoes a maturation program. Moreover, several periderm associated genes from oak, potato and poplar are also expressed in Arabidopsis rendering Arabidopsis a valid model to study phellogen establishment.
We aim to unravel the molecular mechanisms of phellogen establishment and maintenance studying: 1) the role of auxin and SHORTROOT in the process, 2) whether the vascular cambium and the phellogen are part of the same regulatory network and influence each other 3) whether lateral roots (which also arise from the pericycle) and periderm share the same regulators.