Deep functional redundancy between FAMA and FOUR LIPS in stomatal development

• DOI: 10.1111/tpj.12489
• Publication Date: 2014-02-27T06:36:36Z
• Authors: EunKyoung Lee; Jessica Regan Lucas; Fred David Sack
• Keywords: Cell fate determination; Functional divergence

Summary Functional redundancy arises between gene paralogs as well non‐homologous genes that play a common role at shared node. The bHLH transcription factor FAMA, along with the paralogous MYB genes, FOUR LIPS ( FLP ) and MYB88 all ensure Arabidopsis stomata contain just two guard cells (GCs) by enforcing single symmetric precursor cell division before stomatal maturity. Consistent this function, FAMA exhibit same expression pattern in which both translational GFP fusions emit fluorescence after division; however, but not is required to confer GC fate. Strikingly, swapping promoters of results reciprocal complementation respective loss‐of‐function mutants. Thus, an transgene can restore fate fama mutant background. , paralog were previously shown influence higher order functions development, including maintaining stabilizing Here we show these overlapping are likely also involve interactions RETINOBLASTOMA‐RELATED (RBR) protein.