Screening of transcriptional factors that are involved in myrosin cell differentiation.

Abstract

Myrosin cells in Capparales plants are idioblasts that accumulate β-glucosidases, myrosinases, in their vacuoles. Isothiocyanates that work on defense against insects are produced from glucosinolates by myrosinase in damaged tissues. We screened mutants that have abnormal development of myrosin cells in Arabidopsis thaliana , using a transcriptional factor mutant library produced by CRES-T (Chimeric REpressor Silencing Technology), and identified two mutants. These transcriptional factors belong to the same subfamily and their expression patterns are similar to each other. Both transcriptional factors identified are down-regulated in atvam3 mutant that has many myrosin cells compared with wild type. We discuss roles of identified transcriptional factors in differentiation of myrosin cell.