Abstract
Cellular dedifferentiation, in which adult somatic cells regress to less differentiated states and regain cellular proliferative competence, occurs widely in multicellular organisms. One of the most profound examples of cell dedifferentiation is provoked by wounding. It is well discovered that the ratio of two plant hormones, auxin and cytokinin, is critical to induce dedifferentiation and subsequent redifferentiation of plant explants but molecular mechanisms underlying this control are poorly understood in plants. We discovered a WOUND- INDUCED DEDIFFERENTIATION 1 (WIND1) participates in the regulation of cell dedifferentiation in Arabidopsis. WIND1 is rapidly induced at the wound site and it promotes cell dedifferentiation and subsequent cell proliferation to form mass of cells termed callus. We further demonstrate that ectopic overexpression of WIND1 is sufficient to establish and maintain the dedifferentiated status of somatic cells without exogenous phytohormones. We discuss the possible function of WIND1 for the regulation of dedifferentiation in relation to auxin and cytokinin responses.
