Investigating the functional conservance and divergence of OsHD genes across plant species

Abstract

Roots are key to plants for nutrition and water uptake. Studying root architecture to understand its response to stress condition and genetic factors underlying it, is important to create high yield crops. Since the evolution and proliferation of life forms from aquatics to terrestrial habitat, plants required a well-developed efficient system to absorb nutrients from the surroundings. Functional divergence in parallel with gene amplification and duplication are the vital players of evolution. One such example is Arabidopsis stem cell regulator WUSCHEL (WUS), besides WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX named after WUS). They possess conserved homeodomain for their function. These are master regulators of key developmental programs i.e., stem cell maintenance, cellular reprogramming, cell fate determination, fertility, stem, root and leaf development, apical meristem maintenance amongst others. Some of these transcription factors are evolutionary conserved for their functions in root development perspective across monocots and dicots others have divergent function. Rice HD factors are very well known to control shoot borne adventitious root development (establishment, initiation, and emergence). This study will focus on investigating the role of OsHD genes in Arabidopsis in temporal control manner to analyze the surfeit of functional conservancy and divergence in its functioning vis-à-vis root architecture.