Abstract
It is well known that the size of meristem is regulated by CLAVATA (CLV) signaling pathway in Arabidopsis. On the other hand, the genetic mechanisms of such regulation are poorly understood in other plants. We have been studying the function of FLORAL ORGAN NUMBER1 (FON1) and FON2 genes that regulate the size of floral meristem in rice. We have already reported that FON1 encodes a CLV1-like receptor-like kinase (Suzaki et al. Development 131: 5649-5657). We have revealed that FON2 encodes a small secreted peptide similar to CLV3.
Here, we report phenotypic analyses of transgenic plants that constitutively express FON2 in rice and Arabidopsis. The results obtained here suggested that the genetic network that regulates meristem maintenance is conserved in rice, and FON2 has the function similar to that of CLV3. Furthermore, our results suggested that additional or modified pathways may be involved in the regulation of meristem maintenance in rice.
