THE PLANT CELL, Vol 8, Issue 4 735-746, Copyright © 1996 by American Society of Plant Biologists
The Arabidopsis ERECTA Gene Encodes a Putative Receptor Protein Kinase with Extracellular Leucine-Rich Repeats
K. U. Torii, N. Mitsukawa, T. Oosumi, Y. Matsuura, R. Yokoyama, R. F. Whittier and Y. Komeda
Molecular Genetics Research Laboratory, University of Tokyo, Hongo, Tokyo 113, Japan
Arabidopsis Landsberg erecta is one of the most popular ecotypes and is
used widely for both molecular and genetic studies. It harbors the erecta
(er) mutation, which confers a compact inflorescence, blunt fruits, and
short petioles. We have identified five er mutant alleles from ecotypes
Columbia and Wassilewskija. Phenotypic characterization of the mutant
alleles suggests a role for the ER gene in regulating the shape of organs
originating from the shoot apical meristem. We cloned the ER gene, and
here, we report that it encodes a putative receptor protein kinase. The
deduced ER protein contains a cytoplasmic protein kinase catalytic domain,
a transmembrane region, and an extracellular domain consisting of
leucine-rich repeats, which are thought to interact with other
macromolecules. Our results suggest that cell-cell communication mediated
by a receptor kinase has an important role in plant morphogenesis.
