Genes involved in asymmetric cell division

摘要

The present invention relates to a method to isolate genes involved in the process of asymmetric cell division. The invention relates further to genes isolated using this method, and their use in controlling root formation, preferably lateral root formation.

主权项

1. A method to identify a nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein involved in asymmetric cell division, comprising:
(1) subjecting roots of a wild type plant to a treatment inducing lateral root initiation in a synchronous way; (2) subjecting roots of a mutant not developing lateral roots by a defect in auxin signalling to a treatment inducing lateral root initiation in the wild type in a synchronous way; (3) identifying a nucleic acid molecule that is expressed at a higher level in the wild type plant xylem pole pericycle cells than in the mutant plant xylem pole pericycle cells using microarray analysis comprising:
(i) isolating xylem pole pericycle cells of the lateral root inducing portion of the wild type roots by using a xylem pole pericycle specific GFP marker line followed by cell sorting;(ii) isolating xylem pole pericycle cells of the lateral root inducing portion of the mutant roots by using a xylem pole pericycle specific GFP marker line followed by cell sorting;(iii) from the wild type and mutant xylem pole pericycle cells, generating nucleic acids that are used in microarray analysis and;(iv) identifying a nucleic acid molecule using microarray analysis that is expressed differentially between the wild type and mutant xylem pole pericycle cells, wherein said nucleic acid molecule encodes a protein involved in asymmetric cell division comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, or wherein said nucleic acid molecule encodes a protein involved in asymmetric cell division comprising a sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 4.