Root hair formation at the root-hypocotyl junction in CPC-LIKE MYB double and triple mutants of Arabidopsis

Abstract

In Arabidopsis thaliana, R3-type MYB genes, CAPRICE (CPC) and its family of genes including TRIPTYCHON (TRY), ENHANCER OF TRY AND CPC1 (ETC1), ETC2 and CPC-LIKE MYB3 cooperatively regulate epidermal cell differentiation. Root hair formation is greatly reduced by a mutation in CPC, and try and etc1 enhance this phenotype. In this study, we demonstrate that CPC, TRY and ETC1 are also involved in root hair formation at the root-hypocotyl junction. The cpc try and cpc etc1 double mutants showed a reduced number of root hairs in that area. Additionally, the expression of ETC1:: GUS was higher near this area. These results suggest that CPC family of genes also cooperatively regulates root hair formation at the root-hypocotyl junction in unique ways.