Project description:Symplasmicly connected cells called sieve elements form a network of tubes in the phloem of vascular plants. Sieve elements have essential functions as they provide routes for photoassimilate distribution, the exchange of developmental signals, and the coordination of defense responses. Nonetheless, they are the least understood main type of plant cells. They are extremely sensitive, possess a reduced endomembrane system without Golgi apparatus, and lack nuclei and translation machineries, so that transcriptomics and similar techniques cannot be applied. Moreover, the analysis of phloem exudates as a proxy for sieve element composition is marred by methodological problems. We developed a simple protocol for the isolation of sieve elements from leaves and stems of Nicotiana tabacum at sufficient amounts for large-scale proteome analysis. By quantifying the enrichment of individual proteins in purified sieve element relative to bulk phloem preparations, proteins of increased likelyhood to function specifically in sieve elements were identified. To evaluate the validity of this approach, YFP-constructs of genes encoding three of the candidate proteins were expressed in plants. Tagged proteins occurred exclusively in sieve elements. Two of them, a putative cytochrome b561/ferric reductase and a reticulon-like protein, appeared restricted to ER segments that were inaccessible to the luminal ER marker, HDEL-GFP, suggesting a previously unknown differentiation of the endomembrane system in sieve elements. Evidently, our list of promising candidate proteins provides a valuable exploratory tool for sieve element biology.
Project description:Single cell sequencing has recently allowed the generation of exhaustive root cell atlases. However, some cell types are elusive and remain underrepresented. Here, we use a second-generation single cell approach, where we zoom in on the root transcriptome by sorting cells with specific markers, to profile the phloem poles at an unprecedented resolution. Our data highlight the similarities among the developmental trajectories and gene regulatory networks communal to protophloem sieve element (PSE) adjacent lineages in relation to PSE enucleation, a key event in phloem biology. As a signature for early PSE-adjacent lineages, we have identified a set of DNA-binding with one finger (DOF) transcription factors, the PINEAPPLEs (PAPL), that act downstream of PHLOEM EARLY DOF (PEAR) genes, and are important to guarantee a proper root nutrition in the transition to autotrophy. Our data provide a holistic view of the phloem poles that act as a functional unit in root development.
Project description:Single cell sequencing has recently allowed the generation of exhaustive root cell atlases. However, some cell types are elusive and remain underrepresented. Here, we use a second-generation single cell approach, where we zoom in on the root transcriptome by sorting cells with specific markers, to profile the phloem poles at an unprecedented resolution. Our data highlight the similarities among the developmental trajectories and gene regulatory networks communal to protophloem sieve element (PSE) adjacent lineages in relation to PSE enucleation, a key event in phloem biology. As a signature for early PSE-adjacent lineages, we have identified a set of DNA-binding with one finger (DOF) transcription factors, the PINEAPPLEs (PAPL), that act downstream of PHLOEM EARLY DOF (PEAR) genes, and are important to guarantee a proper root nutrition in the transition to autotrophy. Our data provide a holistic view of the phloem poles that act as a functional unit in root development.
Project description:The vascular system of plants consists of xylem, phloem and procambium in a specific pattern. The phloem consists of sieve elements, the apparatus for bulk flow of photo-assimilates, and companion cells, which mediate transport of photo-assimilates between the sieve elements and surrounding cells and support the biological activities of the sieve element cells. The regulatory mechanisms of vascular development are being uncovered. Here we show that PHLOEM EARLY DOFs (PEARs) and related genes (collectively phloem-Dofs) not only regulate the number of procambium cell files, but also positively regulate phloem differentiation. Overexpression of phloem-Dofs induced cells that expressed either sieve element or companion cell marker genes, which are mutually exclusive. Conversely, disruption of phloem-Dofs caused loss of phloem. Phloem-Dofs induce CLAVATA3/EMBRYO SURROUNDING REGION-RELATED25 (CLE25) and CLE26 peptides, which in turn inhibit expression of phloem-Dofs and phloem formation, forming a negative feedback loop. Disruption of multiple genes for either phloem-expressed CLEs, BARELY ANY MERISTEM (BAM)-class receptors, or their coreceptors, CLAVATA3 INSENSITIVE RECEPTOR KINASEs (CIKs), caused excess formation of phloem cell files. We further show that phloem-Dofs are under positive self and mutual regulation. These positive and negative feedback loops create the proper phloem pattern.