High impact information on ATHB-15

• CORONA, a member of the class III homeodomain leucine zipper gene family in Arabidopsis, regulates stem cell specification and organogenesis [1].
• The CNA gene was isolated by positional cloning and found to encode a class III homeodomain Leu zipper protein [1].
• Our results suggest that the ICU4 gene has an adaxializing function and that it is down-regulated by microRNAs that require the HASTY protein for their biogenesis [2].
• A similar phenotype was observed in Arabidopsis plants with reduced ATHB15 expression but reversed in transgenic plants overexpressing an miR166-resistant ATHB15 [3].
• In a gain-of-function MIR166a mutant, the decreased transcript level of ATHB15 was accompanied by an altered vascular system with expanded xylem tissue and interfascicular region, indicative of accelerated vascular cell differentiation from cambial/procambial cells [3].

Biological context of ATHB-15

• Although most double-mutant combinations displayed additivity of the Icu phenotypes, those of icu1 icu2 and icu3 icu4 double mutants were interpreted as synergistic, which suggests that the five genes studied represent three independent genetic operations that are at work for the leaf to acquire its final form at full expansion [4].

Other interactions of ATHB-15

• Ectopic expression of AGAMOUS and APETALA3 was observed in clf and icu2, but not in icu3, icu4, and icu5 mutants [4].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of ATHB-15

• To further understand the relation of HD-Zip III genes in vascular differentiation, we isolated a new member of the HD-Zip III genes, ZeHB-13, as a Zinnia homolog of ATHB-15, and then characterized the expression profile using a Zinnia xylogenic cell culture and Zinnia plants [5].

References