GAL4-GFP enhancer trap lines for genetic manipulation of lateral root development in Arabidopsis thaliana

J Exp Bot. 2005 Sep;56(419):2433-42. doi: 10.1093/jxb/eri236. Epub 2005 Jul 25.

Abstract

Lateral root development occurs throughout the life of the plant and is responsible for the plasticity of the root system. In Arabidopsis thaliana, lateral root founder cells originate from pericycle cells adjacent to xylem poles. In order to study the mechanisms of lateral root development, a population of Arabidopsis GAL4-GFP enhancer trap lines were screened and two lines were isolated with GAL4 expression in root xylem-pole pericycle cells (J0121), i.e. in cells competent to become lateral root founder cells, and in young lateral root primordia (J0192). These two enhancer trap lines are very useful tools with which to study the molecular and cellular bases of lateral root development using targeted gene expression. These lines were used for genetic ablation experiments by targeting the expression of a toxin-encoding gene. Moreover, the molecular bases of the enhancer trap expression pattern were characterized. These results suggest that the lateral-root-specific GAL4 expression pattern in J0192 is due to a strong enhancer in the promoter of the LOB-domain protein gene LBD16.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis / genetics*
  • Arabidopsis / growth & development
  • Base Sequence
  • DNA Primers
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Enhancer Elements, Genetic*
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics*
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Mutagenesis, Insertional
  • Plant Roots / growth & development
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / genetics
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / growth & development
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / metabolism
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / genetics*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / metabolism
  • Transcription Factors / genetics*
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • GAL4 protein, S cerevisiae
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins