Conserved RGF1 peptide signaling regulates root meristem development through ROS in Arabidopsis and rice.

OsRGF1-1, a rice homologue of Arabidopsis RGF1, regulates root meristem development through ROS signaling, with mutants showing shorter roots and reduced ROS.

• Why it matters: Understanding conserved signaling pathways across land plants can reveal fundamental mechanisms of root development, which are crucial for crop improvement and resilience.
• What they did: The study used CRISPR/Cas9 to generate Osrgf1-1 mutants, analyzed root growth, ROS levels, and cell proliferation, and tested peptide sensitivity and receptor interactions in Arabidopsis and rice.
• The result: Findings demonstrate that the RGF1-receptor-ROS signaling module is evolutionarily conserved between dicots and monocots, enabling potential cross-species strategies to manipulate root growth.