SUMMARYBrassinosteroids (BRs) play crucial roles in plant growth and development. Previous studies have shown that BRs promote cell elongation in vegetative organs in several plant species, but their contribution to meristem homeostasis remains unexplored. Our analyses report that both loss-and gain-of-function BR-related mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana have reduced meristem size, indicating that balanced BR signalling is needed for the optimal root growth. In the BR-insensitive bri1-116 mutant, the expression pattern of the cell division markers CYCB1;1, ICK2/KRP2 and KNOLLE revealed that a decreased mitotic activity accounts for the reduced meristem size; accordingly, this defect could be overcome by the overexpression of CYCD3;1. The activity of the quiescent centre (QC) was low in the short roots of bri1-116, as reported by cell type-specific markers and differentiation phenotypes of distal stem cells. Conversely, plants treated with the most active BR, brassinolide, or mutants with enhanced BR signalling, such as bes1-D, show a premature cell cycle exit that results in early differentiation of meristematic cells, which also negatively influence meristem size and overall root growth. In the stem cell niche, BRs promote the QC renewal and differentiation of distal stem cells. Together, our results provide evidence that BRs play a regulatory role in the control of cellcycle progression and differentiation in the Arabidopsis root meristem.

Stomatal formation is regulated by multiple developmental and environmental signals, but how these signals are integrated to control this process is not fully understood. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor SPEECHLESS (SPCH) regulates the entry, amplifying and spacing divisions that occur during stomatal lineage development. SPCH activity is negatively regulated by mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-mediated phosphorylation. Here, we show that in addition to MAPKs, SPCH activity is also modulated by brassinosteroid (BR) signalling. The GSK3/SHAGGY-like kinase BIN2 (BR INSENSITIVE2) phosphorylates residues overlapping those targeted by the MAPKs, as well as four residues in the amino-terminal region of the protein outside the MAPK target domain. These phosphorylation events antagonize SPCH activity and limit epidermal cell proliferation. Conversely, inhibition of BIN2 activity in vivo stabilizes SPCH and triggers excessive stomatal and non-stomatal cell formation. We demonstrate that through phosphorylation inputs from both MAPKs and BIN2, SPCH serves as an integration node for stomata and BR signalling pathways to control stomatal development in Arabidopsis.

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