PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Emily Abrash
AU  - M Ximena Anleu Gil
AU  - Juliana L Matos
AU  - Dominique C Bergmann
TI  - Conservation and Divergence of YODA MAPKKK Function in Regulation of Grass Epidermal Patterning
AID  - 10.1101/287433
DP  - 2018 Jan 01
TA  - bioRxiv
PG  - 287433
4099  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2018/03/23/287433.short
4100  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2018/03/23/287433.full
AB  - All multicellular organisms must properly pattern cell types to generate functional tissues and organs. The organized and predictable cell lineages of the Brachypodium leaf enabled us to characterize the role of the MAPK kinase kinase gene BdYODA1 in regulating asymmetric cell divisions. We find that YODA genes promote normal stomatal spacing patterns in both Arabidopsis and Brachypodium, despite species-specific differences in those patterns. Using lineage tracing and cell fate markers, we show that, unexpectedly, patterning defects in bdyoda1 mutants do not arise from faulty physical asymmetry in cell divisions but rather from improper enforcement of alternative cellular fates after division. These cross-species comparisons allow us to refine our interpretations of MAPK activities during plant asymmetric cell divisions.Summary Statement Analysis of Brachypodium leaf epidermis development reveals that the MAPKKK, BdYODA1, regulates asymmetric divisions by enforcing resultant cell fates rather than driving initial physical asymmetries.