Abstract
As a model system to study coordinated cell differentiation in higher plants, we have studied vascular development in Arabidopsis. During the leaf primordium development, formation of the vascular precursor preprocambium occurs, creating basic patterns of the leaf venation. However, a molecular mechanism for polarized preprocambium development is still largely unknown. We have isolated and analyzed Arabidopsis mutants defective in vascular development. NO VEIN (NOV) and VASCULAR HYPERPLASIA (VAH) were identified as genes whose mutants were defective in formation of the normal leaf-venation pattern. We have shown that NOV mediates auxin-dependent cell specification and patterning in the embryo, shoot and root, thus regulating vascular development (Tsugeki et al., Plant Cell, 2009; Tsugeki et al., Plant Signaling & Behavior, 2010). Expression analysis of ATHB8 suggested that VAH is required for prepro/procambial patterning in leaves. Further analyses on roles of VAH in vascular development will be presented.
