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PMID: 25136060 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Review

Branching out in roots: uncovering form, function, and regulation.

Plant physiology ·Vol. 166 ·No. 2 ·2014-10-00 ·Pages 538-50

Atkinson JA, Rasmussen A, Traini R, Voß U, Sturrock C, Mooney SJ, Wells DM, Bennett MJ

Abstract

Root branching is critical for plants to secure anchorage and ensure the supply of water, minerals, and nutrients. To date, research on root branching has focused on lateral root development in young seedlings. However, many other programs of postembryonic root organogenesis exist in angiosperms. In cereal crops, the majority of the mature root system is composed of several classes of adventitious roots that include crown roots and brace roots. In this Update, we initially describe the diversity of postembryonic root forms. Next, we review recent advances in our understanding of the genes, signals, and mechanisms regulating lateral root and adventitious root branching in the plant models Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), maize (Zea mays), and rice (Oryza sativa). While many common signals, regulatory components, and mechanisms have been identified that control the initiation, morphogenesis, and emergence of new lateral and adventitious root organs, much more remains to be done. We conclude by discussing the challenges and opportunities facing root branching research.

MeSH Terms
Arabidopsis/growth & development,physiology Edible Grain/growth & development,physiology Morphogenesis Plant Roots/growth & development,physiology Terminology as Topic
Authors & Affiliations
8 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Atkinson Jonathan A
Centre for Plant Integrative Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, United Kingdom (J.A.A., A.R., R.T., U.V., C.S., S.J.M., D.M.W., M.J.B.); andCollege of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (M.J.B.).
Rasmussen Amanda
Centre for Plant Integrative Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, United Kingdom (J.A.A., A.R., R.T., U.V., C.S., S.J.M., D.M.W., M.J.B.); andCollege of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (M.J.B.).
Traini Richard
Centre for Plant Integrative Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, United Kingdom (J.A.A., A.R., R.T., U.V., C.S., S.J.M., D.M.W., M.J.B.); andCollege of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (M.J.B.).
Voß Ute
Centre for Plant Integrative Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, United Kingdom (J.A.A., A.R., R.T., U.V., C.S., S.J.M., D.M.W., M.J.B.); andCollege of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (M.J.B.).
Sturrock Craig
Centre for Plant Integrative Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, United Kingdom (J.A.A., A.R., R.T., U.V., C.S., S.J.M., D.M.W., M.J.B.); andCollege of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (M.J.B.).
Mooney Sacha J
Centre for Plant Integrative Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, United Kingdom (J.A.A., A.R., R.T., U.V., C.S., S.J.M., D.M.W., M.J.B.); andCollege of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (M.J.B.).
Wells Darren M
Centre for Plant Integrative Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, United Kingdom (J.A.A., A.R., R.T., U.V., C.S., S.J.M., D.M.W., M.J.B.); andCollege of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (M.J.B.).
Bennett Malcolm J
Centre for Plant Integrative Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, United Kingdom (J.A.A., A.R., R.T., U.V., C.S., S.J.M., D.M.W., M.J.B.); andCollege of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (M.J.B.) malcolm.bennett@nottingham.ac.uk.
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Article Info
Journal
Plant physiology
Abbr.
Plant Physiol
ISSN
1532-2548
DOI
10.1104/pp.114.245423
Email
malcolm.bennett@nottingham.ac.uk
Published
2014-10-00
Epub
2014-00-18
Pages
538-50
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
0401224
PMCID
PMC4213086
Subset
IM
Grants
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council · United Kingdom
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1104/pp.114.245423 PMC Full Text View journal details
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