CLAVATA signalling shapes barley inflorescence by controlling activity and determinacy of shoot meristem and rachilla

Abstract The large variety of inflorescence architectures evolved in grasses depends on shape, longevity and determinacy of meristems directing growth of the main and lateral axes. The CLAVATA pathway is known to regulate meristem size and inflorescence architecture in grasses. However, how individu...

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Main Authors: Isaia Vardanega, Jan Eric Maika, Edgar Demesa-Arevalo, Tianyu Lan, Gwendolyn K. Kirschner, Jafargholi Imani, Ivan F. Acosta, Katarzyna Makowska, Götz Hensel, Thilanka Ranaweera, Shin-Han Shiu, Thorsten Schnurbusch, Maria von Korff, Rüdiger Simon
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59330-z
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author Isaia Vardanega
Jan Eric Maika
Edgar Demesa-Arevalo
Tianyu Lan
Gwendolyn K. Kirschner
Jafargholi Imani
Ivan F. Acosta
Katarzyna Makowska
Götz Hensel
Thilanka Ranaweera
Shin-Han Shiu
Thorsten Schnurbusch
Maria von Korff
Rüdiger Simon
author_facet Isaia Vardanega
Jan Eric Maika
Edgar Demesa-Arevalo
Tianyu Lan
Gwendolyn K. Kirschner
Jafargholi Imani
Ivan F. Acosta
Katarzyna Makowska
Götz Hensel
Thilanka Ranaweera
Shin-Han Shiu
Thorsten Schnurbusch
Maria von Korff
Rüdiger Simon
author_sort Isaia Vardanega
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The large variety of inflorescence architectures evolved in grasses depends on shape, longevity and determinacy of meristems directing growth of the main and lateral axes. The CLAVATA pathway is known to regulate meristem size and inflorescence architecture in grasses. However, how individual meristem activities are determined and integrated to generate specific inflorescences is not yet understood. We found that activity of distinct meristems in the barley inflorescence is controlled by a signalling pathway comprising the receptor-like kinase Hordeum vulgare CLAVATA1 (HvCLV1) and the secreted CLAVATA3/EMBRYO-SURROUNDING REGION RELATED (CLE)-family peptide FON2-LIKE CLE PROTEIN1 (HvFCP1). HvFCP1 and HvCLV1 interact to promote spikelet formation, but restrict inflorescence meristem and rachilla proliferation. Hvfcp1 or Hvclv1 mutants generate additional rows of spikelets and supernumerary florets from extended rachilla activity. HvFCP1/HvCLV1 signalling coordinates meristem activity through regulation of trehalose-6-phosphate levels. Our discoveries outline a path to engineer inflorescence architecture via specific regulation of distinct meristem activities.
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spelling doaj-art-e548b866772a41bf994ce627f1bec4eb2025-08-20T03:08:43ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-04-0116111410.1038/s41467-025-59330-zCLAVATA signalling shapes barley inflorescence by controlling activity and determinacy of shoot meristem and rachillaIsaia Vardanega0Jan Eric Maika1Edgar Demesa-Arevalo2Tianyu Lan3Gwendolyn K. Kirschner4Jafargholi Imani5Ivan F. Acosta6Katarzyna Makowska7Götz Hensel8Thilanka Ranaweera9Shin-Han Shiu10Thorsten Schnurbusch11Maria von Korff12Rüdiger Simon13Institute of Developmental Genetics, Heinrich-Heine UniversityInstitute of Developmental Genetics, Heinrich-Heine UniversityInstitute of Developmental Genetics, Heinrich-Heine UniversityInstitute of Plant Genetics, Heinrich-Heine UniversityInstitute of Developmental Genetics, Heinrich-Heine UniversityInstitute of Phytopathology, Justus Liebig UniversityMax Planck Institute for Plant Breeding ResearchCentre for Plant Genome Engineering, Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine UniversityCentre for Plant Genome Engineering, Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine UniversityDepartment of Plant Biology, Michigan State UniversityDepartment of Plant Biology, Michigan State UniversityLeibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK)CEPLAS, Center of Excellence in Plant Sciences, Heinrich-Heine UniversityInstitute of Developmental Genetics, Heinrich-Heine UniversityAbstract The large variety of inflorescence architectures evolved in grasses depends on shape, longevity and determinacy of meristems directing growth of the main and lateral axes. The CLAVATA pathway is known to regulate meristem size and inflorescence architecture in grasses. However, how individual meristem activities are determined and integrated to generate specific inflorescences is not yet understood. We found that activity of distinct meristems in the barley inflorescence is controlled by a signalling pathway comprising the receptor-like kinase Hordeum vulgare CLAVATA1 (HvCLV1) and the secreted CLAVATA3/EMBRYO-SURROUNDING REGION RELATED (CLE)-family peptide FON2-LIKE CLE PROTEIN1 (HvFCP1). HvFCP1 and HvCLV1 interact to promote spikelet formation, but restrict inflorescence meristem and rachilla proliferation. Hvfcp1 or Hvclv1 mutants generate additional rows of spikelets and supernumerary florets from extended rachilla activity. HvFCP1/HvCLV1 signalling coordinates meristem activity through regulation of trehalose-6-phosphate levels. Our discoveries outline a path to engineer inflorescence architecture via specific regulation of distinct meristem activities.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59330-z
spellingShingle Isaia Vardanega
Jan Eric Maika
Edgar Demesa-Arevalo
Tianyu Lan
Gwendolyn K. Kirschner
Jafargholi Imani
Ivan F. Acosta
Katarzyna Makowska
Götz Hensel
Thilanka Ranaweera
Shin-Han Shiu
Thorsten Schnurbusch
Maria von Korff
Rüdiger Simon
CLAVATA signalling shapes barley inflorescence by controlling activity and determinacy of shoot meristem and rachilla
Nature Communications
title CLAVATA signalling shapes barley inflorescence by controlling activity and determinacy of shoot meristem and rachilla
title_full CLAVATA signalling shapes barley inflorescence by controlling activity and determinacy of shoot meristem and rachilla
title_fullStr CLAVATA signalling shapes barley inflorescence by controlling activity and determinacy of shoot meristem and rachilla
title_full_unstemmed CLAVATA signalling shapes barley inflorescence by controlling activity and determinacy of shoot meristem and rachilla
title_short CLAVATA signalling shapes barley inflorescence by controlling activity and determinacy of shoot meristem and rachilla
title_sort clavata signalling shapes barley inflorescence by controlling activity and determinacy of shoot meristem and rachilla
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59330-z
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