Transcriptional Circuits, Division Dynamics, and Plant Stem Cell Homeostasis

Seminar Details

Host: Dr. Juan Dong

Time: 4:00 pm-5:00 pm

Location: BICH 108

Seminar Abstract

Multicellular organisms face the fundamental challenge of specifying and maintaining distinct cell fates during continuous growth and division. Plant meristems provide an ideal system to study this problem, as they house stem cells that self-renew while giving rise to diverse cell types for organ formation. Our research integrates two complementary model systems—Arabidopsis thaliana and Ceratopteris richardii—to investigate the molecular and cellular mechanisms governing meristem development and stem cell homeostasis. By combining time-lapse imaging, computational modeling, biochemical assays, molecular genetics, and transcriptomic analyses, we have identified regulatory circuits involving transcription factors and microRNAs that shape gene expression dynamics and cell behavior in Arabidopsis shoot apical meristems and Ceratopteris gametophyte meristems. We also explore how cell division patterns and growth dynamics contribute to the initiation and proliferation of multicellular meristems. This talk will highlight both conserved and lineage-specific mechanisms that drive meristem function across plant lineages and life cycle stages, offering new perspectives on the regulation of stem cell homeostasis in land plants.