気孔形成過程を調節するペプチドホルモン

概要

論文の詳細を見る
Stomata are composed of a pair of guard cells and a pore between them. The stomatal guard cells control gas exchange by changing the pore size, so that plants balance CO_2 uptake needed for photosynthesis vs. the loss of water. The density of stomata also affects gas-exchange rate, and is controlled by genetic and environmental factors. During the leaf development, epidermal cells of leaf primordia are multipotent. A proper number of cells are selected to undergo asymmetric cell division, which produces two types of cells, the meristemoid and its sister cell. The meristemoid becomes the guard mother cell, which symmetrically divides producing two guard cells. The sister cell may differentiate into the pavement cell or may undergo asymmetric cell division creating a meristemoid and the sister cell. Recent studies on stomatal formation revealed that the Epidermal Patterning Factor (EPF) family peptides, named EPF1, EPF2 and stomagen, play pivotal roles in these developmental steps. In this review, we will introduce recent findings in the mechanisms underlying the stomatal development, especially focusing on the cell-to-cell communication via peptide ligands and their receptors.
2011-12-20