Wuschel

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WUSCHEL ( Arabidopsis thaliana )
Mass / length primary structure 292 amino acids
Identifier
Gene name (s) WUS
External IDs
Occurrence
Parent taxon Seed plants

The name WUSCHEL refers to a plant protein that is necessary for the formation of stem cells and the maintenance of the stem cell niche in the apical meristem of plants. It is a transcription factor that is expressed during early embryogenesis, oogenesis and flower formation. WUSCHEL is one of the transcription factors with a WUS homeobox as a DNA binding domain.

The WUS gene was first characterized in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana , where a gain-of-function mutation leads to a "fluffy" habit , which explains the name. Since the WUSCHEL function is crucial for the formation and maintenance of the stem cell population in the apical meristem, only a few stem cells are present in the WUS mutant. Therefore, shoot apical meristems often stop their activity, the plant remains small, forms only short shoot sections and mainly leaves on these. Incomplete sterile flowers can rarely develop on side shoots .

The expression of WUS takes place in the organizing center of the apical meristem, which is located directly below the stem cell niche. The WUS gene codes for a transcription factor of the homeodomain class, but how WUS induces stem cell fate is still unknown. Direct target genes from WUS suggest that plant hormones could play an important role here.

The expression of the gene CLAVATA3 (or CLV3 for short ) is stimulated in the stem cells . CLV3 codes for a small peptide and is released by the stem cells as a signaling molecule.

The CLV3 protein then goes down into the organizing center and there represses the expression of WUS, so that overall it appears to be a largely self-regulating system.

Individual evidence

  1. tair: WUS
  2. UniProt Q9SB92

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