A professor specializing in plant molecular biology aims to highlight the presence of stem cells in plants. Similar to their medical counterparts, plant stem cells can contribute to human growth and development, especially when they enhance food resources. The researcher’s team has identified a transcription factor gene known as HVA, which is crucial for regulating cell division in vascular stem cells.
Stem cell research is currently a trending subject. Its implications for various human medical advancements have led scientists to explore both animal and human stem cells over the years.
However, animals are not the sole creatures with stem cells.
Huanzhong Wang, a professor of plant molecular biology within the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR), emphasizes that plants also possess stem cells. Just like in health care, these plant stem cells might aid in human growth and development, particularly through the enhancement of food production.
“It’s not only about humans and animals,” asserts Wang. “Plants have stem cells too, and they deserve our attention.”
In various parts of plants, including their roots, shoots, and vascular systems, stem cells manage cell division and differentiation. These stem cells are essential to the growth and development of plants.
“Plants can continue to grow for many years because different types of stem cells help them extend upward and downward,” Wang explains. “To develop a thicker stem or trunk, plants necessitate another type of stem cell.”
Although plant stem cells have often been ignored due to their lack of direct applications in human biomedical studies, their significance remains undeniable. Wang has shown that a deeper understanding of these cells can lead to more robust food production systems.
Wang’s lab has spent years researching plant stem cells, focusing on how they regulate their own stem cells, particularly those that contribute to vascular bundles—the elements that transport water and nutrients throughout the plant.
Recently, the team published findings in New Phytologist that provide insight into this area.
The lab discovered that the transcription factor gene called HVA plays a vital role in controlling cell division within vascular stem cells.
When there is an increase in the expression of this gene, the researchers noted a rise in the number of vascular bundles and overall activity among stem cells.
The team compared plants categorized by levels of HVA expression: those without any overexpression, those with one overexpressed copy of the HVA gene and one normal gene, and those with two overexpressed copies.
In the plants lacking overexpression, there were five to eight vascular bundles; those with one copy of the overexpressed HVA gene had over 20 bundles, while those with two copies boasted more than 50.
Beyond enhancing the scientific community’s knowledge of plant biology, Wang’s discoveries could significantly impact agriculture.
Plants possessing a higher number of vascular bundles tend to be more resilient and capable of withstanding wind. This insight could be utilized to purposely create stronger cultivars through the overexpression of the HVA mutation.
This is particularly important for tall crops, such as corn, which is America’s primary crop.
<p”When plants grow taller, they risk falling over,” Wang says. “Having an increased number of vascular bundles allows the plant to remain stable and resist adverse conditions.”
While this study was conducted using a model organism in the mustard family, the HVA gene is present in various other plant species, lending the research extensive applicability.
HVA is part of a larger family of transcription factors within the plant genome, and Wang is keen to explore the functions of other related genes.
“We aim to investigate other closely related genes to understand their roles,” Wang states. “It will be compelling to see how this gene family impacts vascular development.”
