Plant regeneration articles from across Nature Portfolio

This study reveals that water availability at the wound determines plant regeneration outcomes. High water availability induces root regeneration whereas low water availability triggers callus formation via stress hormones that shape auxin response maxima to activate distinct regeneration pathways.

A study using Arabidopsis shows that plants can monitor the integrity of their outer barriers by sensing gas diffusion, enabling them to initiate wound repair to prevent water loss and pathogen entry.

This study reveals the mechanisms connecting DNA methylation and totipotent gene expression in somatic cell reprogramming. SUVH-SDJ-AHL complex binds to CHH-hypermethylation regions and interacts with LEC2, establishing a feed forward loop to activate totipotency-regulating genes.

The miR396–GRF module controls a trade-off between competence and speed during root tip regeneration in Arabidopsis. Roots ectopically expressing miR396 grow without stem cell niche reconstitution, probably due to dispersed stem cell activity.

Injury-induced regeneration allows plants to restore lost or damaged cells, tissues and organs and thus to survive severe injuries. A recent study shows that the microRNA396–GROWTH REGULATING FACTORs (miR396–GRFs) module has a bifunctional role in restoring a damaged root: miR396 bolsters regeneration potential, while its targets, the GRFs, accelerate regeneration speed.

A synthetic auxin improves the growth of adventitious roots in various plant species.

Hormone-induced plant regeneration involves acquisition of pluripotency based on auxin–cytokinin crosstalk. A recent study demonstrates the spatial and functional organization of callus cells and the role of pluripotent middle-layer cells in de novo tissue regeneration.

Plant researchers have speculated about the need for mechanisms to lock-down cell fate in late development. In PRC2 mutants, specialized, endoreplicated root hair cells differentiate normally but later revert to an embryo-like state.