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  • The EMBO Journal (2002) 21, 5036 - 5046
  • doi:10.1093/emboj/cdf524

TRIPTYCHON and CAPRICE mediate lateral inhibition during trichome and root hair patterning in Arabidopsis

S. Schellmann1,2, A. Schnittger1,3, V. Kirik1,4, T. Wada5, K. Okada5,6, A. Beermann7, J. Thumfahrt1, G. Jürgens1 and M. Hülskamp4

  1. ZMBP, Entwicklungsgenetik, Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 3 D-72076 Tübingen Germany
  2. CSIRO Plant Industry, Adelaide Laboratory, Entry No. 2 Waite Campus, Hartley Grove, Urrbrae, PO Box 350, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia
  3. Max-Planck-Institut für Züchtungsforschung, Carl-von-Linné Weg 10, D-50829 Köln
  4. University of Köln, Botanisches Institut III, Gyrhofstr. 15, D-50931 Köln, Germany
  5. RIKEN Plant Science Center , Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
  6. Department of Botany, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
  7. Abteilung Genetik der Tiere, Interfakultäres Institut für Zellbiologie, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, D-72076 Tübingen Germany

Correspondence to:

M. Hülskamp, E-mail: martin.huelskamp@uni-koeln.de

Received 1 July 2002; Accepted 14 August 2002; Revised 12 August 2002

Trichome patterning in Arabidopsis is a model for the generation of a spacing pattern from initially equivalent cells. We show that the TRIPTYCHON gene that functions in lateral inhibition encodes a single-repeat MYB-related transcription factor that lacks a recognizable activation domain. It has high sequence simi larity to the root hair patterning gene CAPRICE. Both genes are expressed in trichomes and act together during lateral inhibition. We further show that TRIPTYCHON and CAPRICE act redundantly in the position-dependent cell fate determination in the root epidermis. Thus, the same lateral inhibition mechanism seems to be involved in both de novo patterning and position-dependent cell determination. We propose a model explaining trichome and root hair patterning by a common mechanism.

  • Keywords:

    • MYB,
    • pattern formation,
    • root hairs,
    • trichomes,
    • TRIPTYCHON