Mechano-biochemical principles of anisotropic root growth

Plant roots are capable of acquiring a markedly anisotropic shaped that allows plants to penetrate the ground and reach for elementary nutrients. Individual root cells present a characteristic polarity that controls the directional cell-to-cell transport of signalling molecule auxin. Researcher from @PlantDynamics lab developed a next generation computer model of plant root growth that incorporates biomechanics with biochemical processes such as cell division, anisotropic growth and polar transport of growth regulator auxin, using cutting-edge techniques from computer graphics field. This biomechanical model is able to obtain a realistic organ growth of the Arabidopsis root meristem through the interaction between tissue mechanics, cell polarities and direction cegifll to cell transport of auxin. Additionally, we show how to reproduce several aspects of root development and its perturbations, including cell ablation, chemical treatments, and genetic mutations. Taken together, our study highlights the key design principles underlying root growth organization determined by local interactions between directional transport of auxin, auxin-dependent cell elongation, cell polarization, and biomechanical stimuli. Our model framework provides a powerful prediction tool for fundamental research and plant biotechnology.