Behind phyllotaxis, within the meristem: a REM-ARF complex shapes inflorescence in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Inflorescence architecture is established during the early stages of reproductive development and depends on the activity and identity of meristems. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the floral meristems (FMs), which will develop into flowers, arise with precise spatiotemporal regulation from the inflorescence meristem (IM). The outcome of this process is a geometrically organized structure characterized by a reiterated pattern called phyllotaxis, in which successive organs arise at specific divergence angles of 137.

The ALOG domain defines a family of plant-specific transcription factors acting during Arabidopsis flower development.

The ALOG (Arabidopsis LIGHT-DEPENDENT SHORT HYPOCOTYLS 1 (LSH1) and Oryza G1) proteins are conserved plant-specific Transcription Factors (TFs). They play critical roles in the development of various plant organs (meristems, inflorescences, floral organs, and nodules) from bryophytes to higher flowering plants. Despite the fact that the first members of this family were originally discovered in Arabidopsis, their role in this model plant has remained poorly characterized.

Assessing the role of REM13, REM34 and REM46 during the transition to the reproductive phase in Arabidopsis thaliana.

REM (reproductive meristem) transcription factors have been proposed as regulators of plant reproductive development mainly based on their specific expression patterns in reproductive structures, but their roles are still largely unknown probably because of their redundancy. We selected three REM genes (REM13, REM34 and REM46) for functional analysis, based on their genome position and/or co-expression data.Our results suggest that these genes have a role in flowering time regulation and may modulate cell cycle progression.

Crop reproductive meristems in the genomic era: a brief overview.

Modulation of traits beneficial for cultivation and yield is one of the main goals of crop improvement. One of the targets for enhancing productivity is changing the architecture of inflorescences since in many species it determines fruit and seed yield. Inflorescence shape and organization is genetically established during the early stages of reproductive development and depends on the number, arrangement, activities, and duration of meristems during the reproductive phase of the plant life cycle.

Functionally Divergent Splicing Variants of the Rice AGAMOUS Ortholog OsMADS3 Are Evolutionary Conserved in Grasses.

Within the MADS-box gene family, the -subfamily genes are particularly important for plant reproduction, because they control stamen and carpel identity. A number of studies in the last three decades have demonstrated that the () function has been conserved during land plant evolution. However, gene duplication events have led to subfunctionalization and neofunctionalization of -like genes in many species.

MADS-Box and bHLH Transcription Factors Coordinate Transmitting Tract Development in .

The MADS-domain transcription factor () controls several aspects of plant reproduction. is co-expressed with (), a basic Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) transcription factor-encoding gene. was reported to control redundantly with the brassinosteroid positive signaling factors BRASSINOSTEROID ENHANCED EXPRESSION1 (BEE1) and BEE3 the development of the transmitting tract.

BPC transcription factors and a Polycomb Group protein confine the expression of the ovule identity gene SEEDSTICK in Arabidopsis.

The BASIC PENTACYSTEINE (BPC) GAGA (C-box) binding proteins belong to a small plant transcription factor family. We previously reported that class I BPCs bind directly to C-boxes in the SEEDSTICK (STK) promoter and the mutagenesis of these cis-elements affects STK expression in the flower. The MADS-domain factor SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE (SVP) is another key regulator of STK.

and Control Female and Male Gametophyte Development in .

The REproductive Meristem (REM) gene family encodes for transcription factors belonging to the B3 DNA binding domain superfamily. In , the gene family is composed of 45 members, preferentially expressed during flower, ovule, and seed developments. Only a few members of this family have been functionally characterized: () and, most recently, () regulate flowering time and (), together with () that control the death of the receptive synergid cell in the female gametophyte.

Targeting candidates for directly administered highly active antiretroviral therapy: benefits observed in HIV-infected injecting drug users in residential drug-rehabilitation facilities.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate retrospectively the potential benefits of directly administered antiretroviral therapy (DAART) in HIV-infected former injecting drug users (ex-IDUs) admitted to residential drug rehabilitation facilities. We compared 106 of these patients consecutively admitted in 12 communities where DAART was administered (DAART group) to two matched control groups of ex-IDUs undergoing self-administered ART: 106 subjects in other 10 communities (SAT group) and 106 outpatients at hospital infectious-disease wards where community patients were referred after discharge (OUT group). We estimated the proportion of patients with high adherence and the hazard ratio (HR) of 20% or more increase in the CD4(+) cell count and of reaching an undetectable viral load.

An outbreak of influenza in a residential drug-rehabilitation community.

Influenza outbreaks can be difficult to control in confined settings where high-risk individuals are concentrated. Following the occurrence of a large number of cases of influenza-like illness in a rehabilitation community for drug users, between February and March 2004, surveillance activities were implemented. Attack rates of influenza-like illness were calculated, and risk factors for the development of disease and complications were evaluated through the use of relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Comparison of four methods for DNA typing of clinical isolates of Candida glabrata.

A series of 35 isolates of Candida glabrata from 29 subjects (five AIDS patients and 24 HIV-seronegative individuals) was typed by electrophoretic karyotyping (EK), restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis, random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter-repeat PCR (IR-PCR). The rank order of discriminatory ability among the four methods was as follows: EK (25 DNA types) > RAPD (19 DNA types) > IR-PCR (14 DNA types) > RFLP (4 DNA types). A composite DNA type was defined for each of the strains as the combination of types obtained by the four molecular methods.