Research on leaf vein pattern formation in C4 plants by Professor Yuri Munekage of the School of Biological and Environmental Sciences is Published in “Plant, Cell & Environment”

Professor Yuri Munekage of the School of Biological and Environmental Sciences and colleagues published a research paper analyzing the formation of leaf vein patterns in C4 plants in “Plant, Cell & Environment” on January 13, 2025. This study used two closely related species from the genus Flaveria in the Asteraceae family—one C3 and one C4—to compare their leaf vein patterns. They found that in the C4 species, leaf veins form more densely in the early stages of leaf development than in the C3 species. Furthermore, by visualizing the expression of the SCARECROW gene, the team demonstrated how cells adjacent to the vascular bundles differentiate into bundle sheath cells in C4 species. They also showed that the flow of the plant hormone auxin is essential for this cell pattern formation. These findings deepen our understanding of leaf structure development in C4 plants, which are resistant to high temperatures and drought, and contribute to the application of this mechanism in crop breeding.

Journal name: Plant, Cell & Environment
Article title: Early Initiation of Bundle Sheath Cells During Leaf Development as Visualised by SCARECROW Expression in Dicotyledonous C4 Plants
Authors: Yuri N. Munekage, Mei Osawa, Yukimi Y. Taniguchi, Ken Okudono and Tammy L. Sage