Abstract
The Arabidopsis root apical meristem is an excellent model for studying plant organ growth that involves a coordinated process of cell division, elongation, and differentiation, while each tissue type develops on its own schedule. Among these tissues, the protophloem is particularly important, differentiating early to supply nutrients and signalling molecules to the growing root tip. The OCTOPUS (OPS) protein and its homolog OPS-LIKE 2 (OPL2) are essential for proper root protophloem differentiation and, likely through this role, indirectly promote root growth. Here, we explored the roles of the other three OPS homologs in Arabidopsis, OPL1, OPL3, and OPL4. OPS/OPL genes exhibit overlapping expression patterns and functions, with a high degree of redundancy among them. Although higher-order mutants do not display more severe phloem defects, they exhibit significantly reduced root growth compared to the ops opl2 mutant. These results suggest a direct contribution of the investigated OPL genes to meristematic activity. While our focus was on root growth, the OPS/OPL gene family also plays a positive role in regulating shoot growth, emphasizing its broader impact on plant development. Furthermore, our analyses reiterate the central role of OPS and the phloem domain in controlling overall plant growth.
Published Version
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