Pars Pro Toto: Every Single Cell Matters

Abstract

Compared to other species, plants stand out by their unparalleled self-repair capacities. Being the loss of a single cell or an entire tissue, most plant species are able to efficiently repair the inflicted damage. Although this self-repair process is commonly referred to as “regeneration,” depending on the type of damage and organ being affected, subtle to dramatic differences in the modus operandi can be observed. Recent publications have focused on these different types of tissue damage and their associated response in initiating the regeneration process. Here, we review the regeneration response following loss of a single cell to a complete organ, emphasizing key molecular players and hormonal cues involved in the model species Arabidopsis thaliana. In addition, we highlight the agricultural applications and techniques that make use of these regenerative responses in different crop and tree species.

The wound-activated ERF15 transcription factor drives Marchantia polymorpha regeneration by activating an oxylipin biosynthesis feedback loop

“…In Arabidopsis , members of the subfamily class X of ERF TFs play an important role in wound-induced regeneration, of which several are rapidly induced upon injury ( 2 , 33 ). On the basis of the presence of the conserved DNA-binding AP2-encoding sequence, 30 ERF genes were found in the M. polymorpha genome (Mp ERF ), compared to 147 genes in Arabidopsis (At ERF ) ( 2 , 12 ).…”

“…Arabidopsis members of the ERF subfamily class-X play important roles during regeneration (2,33). Among these, ERF109 expression is JA-dependent and controls the expression of auxin biosynthesis-related genes, as well as ERF115 (17)(18)(19).…”

Evolution of wound-activated regeneration pathways in the plant kingdom

“…Depending on the extent of the injury, plants activate precise regenerative mechanisms required for each of the numerous scenarios of wounding, even enabling them to reconstruct new meristems within the root or shoot (Christiaens et al, 2021;Ikeuchi et al, 2019).…”

“…Numerous aspects of plant regeneration, such as grafting, somatic embryogenesis, and the regeneration of leaves, shoots, and roots, have been well studied using Arabidopsis as a model organism (Christiaens et al, 2021;Horstman et al, 2017;Ikeuchi et al, 2019;Xu, 2018). This section focuses on the Arabidopsis root, as it represents an interesting tissue in regeneration research.…”

PAT1-type GRAS-domain proteins control regeneration by activating DOF3.4 to drive cell proliferation in Arabidopsis roots

“…This regeneration potential is exemplified in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), where a completely excised root tip is efficiently regenerated within three to four days (Sena et al, 2009). Remarkably, plant regeneration not only replenishes tissues and restores damaged organs but can also give rise to whole plant bodies (Ikeuchi et al, 2019;Christiaens et al, 2021). This unique feature of asexual reproduction is widely exploited in modern agricultural applications, including vegetative propagation and grafting (Sussex, 2008;Duclercq et al, 2011;Xu and Huang, 2014).…”