REGULATION OF CELL DIFFERENTIATION IN PLANTS

Cell differentiation is an essential and necessary step for the development of complex structures in multicellular organisms. Despite its importance, very little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying the activation of cell differentiation. Recently, the characterization of the binary switch MINIYO/RIMA in Arabidopsis and its ortholog in animals RPAP1 brought light on how this fundamental decision is activated. The research of our research group focuses on understanding at a molecular level how cell differentiation mechanisms have evolved in order to unravel the mechanisms that determine the activation of this fundamental decision. The final objective of these comparative studies is to identify the key factors, common in different organisms, responsible for triggering cell differentiation for their future biotechnological application.