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Development: A new function of plant trichomes

Nature Plants volume 2, Article number: 16096 (2016) Cite this article

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Trichomes are specific epidermal cells often functional in protection, seed dispersal and, less frequently, development. A MIXTA-like MYB transcription factor from cotton, GhMYBML10, has been shown to control petal trichome formation. Interestingly, the petal trichomes act as natural Velcro in maintaining correct flower bud shape, ensuring seed production.

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Figure 1: Overview of a young flower bud of cotton (G. hirsutum) at an early development stage (7 mm in diameter).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Qing Zhao and Xiao-Ya Chen are at the Shanghai Chenshan Plant Science Research Centre and Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,

    Qing Zhao & Xiao-Ya Chen

Authors
  1. Qing Zhao
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  2. Xiao-Ya Chen
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Correspondence to Xiao-Ya Chen.

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Zhao, Q., Chen, XY. Development: A new function of plant trichomes. Nature Plants 2, 16096 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nplants.2016.96

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