A multiscale analysis of early flower development in Arabidopsis provides an integrated view of molecular regulation and growth control

We have analyzed the link between the gene regulation and growth during the early stages of flower development in Arabidopsis. Starting from time-lapse images, we generated a 4D atlas of early flower development, including cell lineage, cellular growth rates, and the expression patterns of regulatory genes. This information was introduced in MorphoNet, a web-based platform. Using computational models, we found that the literature-based molecular network only explained a minority of the gene expression patterns. This was substantially improved by adding regulatory hypotheses for individual genes. Correlating growth with the combinatorial expression of multiple regulators led to a set of hypotheses for the action of individual genes in morphogenesis. This identified the central factor LEAFY as a potential regulator of heterogeneous growth, which was supported by quantifying growth patterns in a leafy mutant. By providing an integrated view, this atlas should represent a fundamental step toward mechanistic models of flower development.

Automated summary

The study analyzed the relationship between gene regulation and growth during early flower development in Arabidopsis, creating a 4D atlas using time-lapse images and introducing it in the MorphoNet platform. Computational models and regulatory hypotheses were used to better explain gene expression patterns and individual gene actions in morphogenesis. The correlation between growth and the combinatorial expression of regulators led to the identification of LEAFY as a potential central regulator of heterogeneous growth.