The correct synchronization of development of the different tissues of the male organ (stamen) in flowers is essential for male fertility in self-pollinating plants. In this work we demonstrate that the correct distribution of auxin, a plant morphogen, is essential to ensure this synchronization in the model plant Arabidopsis, and that the middle layer - a stamen tissue of previously unknown function - is crucial in generating a developmentally instructive auxin distribution. These findings expand our understanding of the mechanisms regulating plant reproduction.
An auxin maximum in the middle layer controls stamen development and pollen maturation in Arabidopsis (Cecchetti V, Celebrin D, Napoli N, Ghelli R, Brunetti P, Costantino P, Cardarelli M. New Phytol. 2017; vol. 213:1194-1207. doi: 10.1111/nph.14207
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