Abstract:In plants and animals, small peptide ligands have been suggested to play crucial roles in development as signal molecules of cell-cell communication.We identified TDIF (Tracheary element Differentiati...In plants and animals, small peptide ligands have been suggested to play crucial roles in development as signal molecules of cell-cell communication.We identified TDIF (Tracheary element Differentiation Inhibitory Factor) by using a single cell transdifferentation system of Zinnia as a bioassay.TDIF, in the concentration range of 10-11M, can suppress xylem cell development and promotes cell division.TDIF was a dodeca-peptide with two hydroxyproline residues, which was the functional product of a gene from the CLE family.In Arabidopsis, there are 31 CLE genes containing CLAVATA3 (CLV3), which produce 26 different dodeca-CLE peptides.In collaboration with Drs Kondo and Sakagami, Nagoya University, we found that CLV3 functions as a dodeca-peptide with two hydroxyproline residues.The application to plants of 26 different synthetic dodeca-peptides with two hydroxyproline residues corresponding to all of the Arabidopsis CLE genes, revealed diverse signaling pathways involved in cell fate of stem cells.Read More