Mechanical constraints imposed by 3D cellular geometry and arrangement modulate growth patterns in the Arabidopsis embryo
Morphogenesis occurs in 3D space over time and is guided by coordinated gene expression programs. Here we use postembryonic development in Arabidopsis plants to investigate the genetic control of growth. We demonstrate that gene expression driving the production of the growth-stimulating hormone gib...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Published: |
National Academy of Sciences
2014
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/40044/ |
| _version_ | 1848795974323929088 |
|---|---|
| author | Bassel, G.W. Stamm, P. Mosca, G. Barbier de Reuille, P. Gibbs, D.J. Winter, R. Janka, A. Holdsworth, Michael J. Smith, R.S. |
| author_facet | Bassel, G.W. Stamm, P. Mosca, G. Barbier de Reuille, P. Gibbs, D.J. Winter, R. Janka, A. Holdsworth, Michael J. Smith, R.S. |
| author_sort | Bassel, G.W. |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Morphogenesis occurs in 3D space over time and is guided by coordinated gene expression programs. Here we use postembryonic development in Arabidopsis plants to investigate the genetic control of growth. We demonstrate that gene expression driving the production of the growth-stimulating hormone gibberellic acid and downstream growth factors is first induced within the radicle tip of the embryo. The center of cell expansion is, however, spatially displaced from the center of gene expression. Because the rapidly growing cells have very different geometry from that of those at the tip, we hypothesized that mechanical factors may contribute to this growth displacement. To this end we developed 3D finite-element method models of growing custom-designed digital embryos at cellular resolution. We used this framework to conceptualize how cell size, shape, and topology influence tissue growth and to explore the interplay of geometrical and genetic inputs into growth distribution. Our simulations showed that mechanical constraints are sufficient to explain the disconnect between the experimentally observed spatiotemporal patterns of gene expression and early postembryonic growth. The center of cell expansion is the position where genetic and mechanical facilitators of growth converge. We have thus uncovered a mechanism whereby 3D cellular geometry helps direct where genetically specified growth takes place. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:40:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-40044 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:40:36Z |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publisher | National Academy of Sciences |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-400442020-05-04T16:49:43Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/40044/ Mechanical constraints imposed by 3D cellular geometry and arrangement modulate growth patterns in the Arabidopsis embryo Bassel, G.W. Stamm, P. Mosca, G. Barbier de Reuille, P. Gibbs, D.J. Winter, R. Janka, A. Holdsworth, Michael J. Smith, R.S. Morphogenesis occurs in 3D space over time and is guided by coordinated gene expression programs. Here we use postembryonic development in Arabidopsis plants to investigate the genetic control of growth. We demonstrate that gene expression driving the production of the growth-stimulating hormone gibberellic acid and downstream growth factors is first induced within the radicle tip of the embryo. The center of cell expansion is, however, spatially displaced from the center of gene expression. Because the rapidly growing cells have very different geometry from that of those at the tip, we hypothesized that mechanical factors may contribute to this growth displacement. To this end we developed 3D finite-element method models of growing custom-designed digital embryos at cellular resolution. We used this framework to conceptualize how cell size, shape, and topology influence tissue growth and to explore the interplay of geometrical and genetic inputs into growth distribution. Our simulations showed that mechanical constraints are sufficient to explain the disconnect between the experimentally observed spatiotemporal patterns of gene expression and early postembryonic growth. The center of cell expansion is the position where genetic and mechanical facilitators of growth converge. We have thus uncovered a mechanism whereby 3D cellular geometry helps direct where genetically specified growth takes place. National Academy of Sciences 2014-06-10 Article PeerReviewed Bassel, G.W., Stamm, P., Mosca, G., Barbier de Reuille, P., Gibbs, D.J., Winter, R., Janka, A., Holdsworth, Michael J. and Smith, R.S. (2014) Mechanical constraints imposed by 3D cellular geometry and arrangement modulate growth patterns in the Arabidopsis embryo. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111 (23). pp. 8685-8690. ISSN 0027-8424 computational modeling; quantification; biomechanics; plant development; seed germination http://www.pnas.org/content/111/23/8685 doi:10.1073/pnas.1404616111 doi:10.1073/pnas.1404616111 |
| spellingShingle | computational modeling; quantification; biomechanics; plant development; seed germination Bassel, G.W. Stamm, P. Mosca, G. Barbier de Reuille, P. Gibbs, D.J. Winter, R. Janka, A. Holdsworth, Michael J. Smith, R.S. Mechanical constraints imposed by 3D cellular geometry and arrangement modulate growth patterns in the Arabidopsis embryo |
| title | Mechanical constraints imposed by 3D cellular geometry and arrangement modulate growth patterns in the Arabidopsis embryo |
| title_full | Mechanical constraints imposed by 3D cellular geometry and arrangement modulate growth patterns in the Arabidopsis embryo |
| title_fullStr | Mechanical constraints imposed by 3D cellular geometry and arrangement modulate growth patterns in the Arabidopsis embryo |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mechanical constraints imposed by 3D cellular geometry and arrangement modulate growth patterns in the Arabidopsis embryo |
| title_short | Mechanical constraints imposed by 3D cellular geometry and arrangement modulate growth patterns in the Arabidopsis embryo |
| title_sort | mechanical constraints imposed by 3d cellular geometry and arrangement modulate growth patterns in the arabidopsis embryo |
| topic | computational modeling; quantification; biomechanics; plant development; seed germination |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/40044/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/40044/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/40044/ |