Gene regulatory networks (GRNs) regulate the development and function of the shoot apical meristem (SAM) in higher plants by controlling the division, differentiation, and developmental fate of meristematic cells. These GRNs are composed of transcription factors and their target genes, and are also coordinated by phytohormones, microRNAs, and epigenetic regulators. With the increasing integration of multiomic and single cell approaches, large amounts of data relating to SAM regulation have been collated, providing insight to the interactions between many GRN components. Whilst many well-established experimental approaches such as gene knockouts, transgene overexpression and reporter gene imaging still heavily contribute to the understanding of these networks, the use of large-scale datasets to construct GRNs has driven novel hypothesis generation and has been used to predict network topology and component interactions. Many of these components and interactions have subsequently been explored in silico and verified in vivo , emphasising the usefulness of data-driven approaches in studying the GRNs governing complex developmental processes. In this review, we highlight the interactions between some of the key SAM-associated transcription factors which act as network hubs both in normal plant development and in de novo shoot formation during regeneration, illustrating the importance of integrating multiple genome-wide approaches to generate robust GRNs and predictive models of SAM activity and de novo shoot regeneration.
Carpenter et al. (Thu,) studied this question.