Mutual inhibition between EPFL2 and auxin extends the intervals of periodic leaf morphogenesis
Rules behind the spatial arrangement of repetitive modules are key principles of multicellular morphogenesis. In plant shoots, PIN-FORMED 1 (PIN1)-mediated polar auxin transport instructs periodic formation of auxin maxima, which develop into lateral organs or leaf serrations. However, it remains unknown how the intervals of regularly arising auxin maxima are controlled. Here we show that a cysteine rich peptide EPIDERMAL PATTERNING FACTOR-LIKE 2 (EPFL2) dose-dependently determines the intervals of auxin maxima during serration formation in leaf primordia. EPFL2 constitutes a mutually repressive relationship with cellular auxin response, thereby produces bistable states. Based on our computational simulations, we propose that the bistability modulates the periodicity of PIN1-mediated auxin maxima formation. Moreover, EPFL2 ensures precise phyllotactic angles, underscoring the general role of EPFL2 in auxin-mediated shoot patterning. This study illustrates that the intercoupling between EPFL2-auxin bistable module and PIN1-mediated polar auxin transport underpins versatile periodicity in auxin maxima formation during shoot development.
Authors
- Mitsuhiro Aida (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9000-7502)
- Naoyuki Uchida (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4123-6154)
- Keiko U. Torii (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6168-427X)
- Yuuki Matsushita
- Yuki Doll (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8485-8527)
- Koichi Fujimoto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6473-7990)
- Toshiaki Tameshige (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9959-3800)
- Hiroyuki Kasahara (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4858-0978)
- Takashi Tsuchida (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3438-1676)
- Momoko Ikeuchi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9474-5131)
- Kaisei Maruyama (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2240-2980)
- Takemoto Agui (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-7623-2947)
Institutions
- Hiroshima University (JP)
- Kihara Institute for Biological Research (JP)
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
- Kyoto Prefectural University (JP)
- Hiroshima University of Economics (JP)
- National Centre for Biological Sciences (IN)
- RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (JP)
- Hiroshima City University (JP)
- Nagoya University (JP)
- Nara Institute of Science and Technology (JP)
- The University of Texas at Austin (US)
- Yokohama City University (JP)
- Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (JP)
- Kumamoto University (JP)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2025-11-13
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-65792-y
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Plant Molecular Biology Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.75
Funders
- Nara Institute of Science and Technology
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
- Co-creation place formation support program