2018年1月18日，Plant Cell发表了题为“GIF Transcriptional Co-regulators Control Root Meristem Homeostasis”的文章。文章揭示了调控根分生组织和静止中心的分子机制。

GRFs（包括ANGUSTIFOLIA3，GIF2和GIF3）通过与GRF转录因子和BRAHMA复合物的相互作用来控制根分生组织和静止中心的维持。

在根分生组织中，静止中心（QC）被干细胞包围，进而产生根的不同细胞类型。QC细胞很少在正常条件下分裂，但可以补充受损的干细胞。在近端分生组织中，短期扩增细胞（干细胞的子细胞）在分化之前进行额外的细胞分裂。在这里，我们阐述了拟南芥根中GIFs（包括AN3）的功能。已有研究显示GIFs与GRF转录因子和SWI/SNF染色质重塑复合物相互作用。我们发现GIF突变体的组合导致QC的缺失。此外，除了他们的QC受损，GIF突变体的根分生组织显著扩大，并伴有附加的侧根冠层。我们的结果表明an3突变体扩大的根分生组织部分是由于PLT1的表达增加引起的。此外，我们发现GIFs对于维持关键发育调节子的精确表达模式是必需的，并且AN3复合物直接结合PLT1以及SCARECROW的启动子区域。我们推测AN3/GIF参与了控制QC组织和分生组织大小的不同途径。

In the root meristem, the quiescent center (QC) is surrounded by stem cells, which in turn generate the different cell types of the root. QC cells rarely divide under normal conditions but can replenish damaged stem cells. In the proximal meristem, the daughters of stem cells, which are referred to as transit amplifying cells, undergo additional rounds of cell division prior to differentiation. Here, we describe the functions of GRF-INTERACTING FACTORs (GIFs), including ANGUSTIFOLIA3 (AN3), in Arabidopsis thaliana roots. GIFs have been shown to interact with GRF transcription factors and SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes. We found that combinations of GIF mutants cause the loss of QC identity. However, despite their QC impairment, GIF mutants have a significantly enlarged root meristem with additional lateral root cap layers. We show that the increased expression of PLETHORA1 (PLT1) is at least partially responsible for the large root meristems of an3 mutants. Furthermore, we found that GIFs are necessary for maintaining the precise expression patterns of key developmental regulators and that AN3 complexes bind directly to the promoter regions of PLT1 as well as SCARECROW. We propose that AN3/GIFs participate in different pathways that control QC organization and the size of the meristem.