Nuclear trapping by GL3 controls intercellular transport and redistribution of TTG1 protein in Arabidopsis

Abstract

Trichome patterning on Arabidopsis leaves is one of the best-studied model systems for two-dimensional de novo patterning. In addition to an activator-inhibitor-related mechanism, we previously proposed a depletion mechanism to operate during this process such that GLABRA3 (GL3) traps the trichome-promoting factor TRANSPARENT TESTA GLABRA1 (TTG1) in trichomes that, in turn, results in a depletion of TTG1 in trichome neighbouring cells. In this manuscript we analyze the molecular basis underlying this trapping mechanism. We demonstrate the ability of GL3 to regulate TTG1 mobility by expressing TTG1 and GL3 in different tissue layers in different combinations. We further show that TTG1 trapping by GL3 is based on direct interaction between both proteins and recruitment in the nucleus.