The MADS-box gene XAANTAL1 participates in Arabidopsis thaliana primary root growth and columella stem cell patterns in response to ROS, via direct regulation of PEROXIDASE 28 and RETINOBLASTOMA RELATED.

The balance between cell growth, proliferation and differentiation emerges from gene regulatory networks coupled to various signal transduction pathways, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) and transcription factors (TFs), enabling developmental responses to environmental cues. The Arabidopsis thaliana's primary root has become a valuable system for unraveling such networks. Recently, the role of TFs that mediate the ROS's inhibition of primary root growth has begun to be characterized. This study demonstrates that the MADS-box transcription factor XAANTAL1 (XAL1) is an essential regulator of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in primary root growth and root stem cell niche identity. Interestingly, our findings suggest that XAL1 acts as a positive regulator of H2O2 concentration in the root meristem by directly regulating genes involved in oxidative stress response, such as PEROXIDASE 28 (PER28). Moreover, we found that XAL1 is necessary for the H2O2-induced inhibition of primary root growth through the negative regulation of peroxidase and catalase activities. Furthermore, XAL1, in conjunction with RETINOBLASTOMA-RELATED (RBR), is essential for positively regulating the differentiation of columella stem cells and for participating in primary root growth inhibition in response to oxidative stress induced by H2O2 treatment.

Genome-wide association studies meta-analysis uncovers NOJO and SGS3 novel genes involved in Arabidopsis thaliana primary root development and plasticity.

BACKGROUND: Arabidopsis thaliana primary root growth has become a model for evo-devo studies due to its simplicity and facility to record cell proliferation and differentiation. To identify new genetic components relevant to primary root growth, we used a Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) meta-analysis approach using data published in the last decade. In this work, we performed intra and inter-studies analyses to discover new genetic components that could participate in primary root growth. METHODS AND RESULTS: We used 639 accessions from nine different studies under control conditions and performed different GWAS tests. We found that primary root growth changes were associated with 41 genes, of which six (14.6%) have been previously described as inhibitors or promoters of primary root growth. The knockdown lines of two genes, Suppressor of Gene Silencing (SGS3), involved in tasiRNA processing, and a gene with a Sterile Alpha Motif (SAM) motif named NOJOCH MOOTS (NOJO), confirmed their role as repressors of primary root growth, none has been shown to participate in this developmental process before. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, our GWAS analysis of different available studies identified new genes that participate in primary root growth; two of them were identified as repressors of primary root growth.

Live Plant Cell Tracking: Fiji plugin to analyze cell proliferation dynamics and understand morphogenesis.

Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) primary and lateral roots (LRs) are well suited for 3D and 4D microscopy, and their development provides an ideal system for studying morphogenesis and cell proliferation dynamics. With fast-advancing microscopy techniques used for live-imaging, whole tissue data are increasingly available, yet present the great challenge of analyzing complex interactions within cell populations. We developed a plugin "Live Plant Cell Tracking" (LiPlaCeT) coupled to the publicly available ImageJ image analysis program and generated a pipeline that allows, with the aid of LiPlaCeT, 4D cell tracking and lineage analysis of populations of dividing and growing cells. The LiPlaCeT plugin contains ad hoc ergonomic curating tools, making it very simple to use for manual cell tracking, especially when the signal-to-noise ratio of images is low or variable in time or 3D space and when automated methods may fail. Performing time-lapse experiments and using cell-tracking data extracted with the assistance of LiPlaCeT, we accomplished deep analyses of cell proliferation and clonal relations in the whole developing LR primordia and constructed genealogical trees. We also used cell-tracking data for endodermis cells of the root apical meristem (RAM) and performed automated analyses of cell population dynamics using ParaView software (also publicly available). Using the RAM as an example, we also showed how LiPlaCeT can be used to generate information at the whole-tissue level regarding cell length, cell position, cell growth rate, cell displacement rate, and proliferation activity. The pipeline will be useful in live-imaging studies of roots and other plant organs to understand complex interactions within proliferating and growing cell populations. The plugin includes a step-by-step user manual and a dataset example that are available at https://www.ibt.unam.mx/documentos/diversos/LiPlaCeT.zip.

XAANTAL1 Reveals an Additional Level of Flowering Regulation in the Shoot Apical Meristem in Response to Light and Increased Temperature in Arabidopsis.

Light and photoperiod are environmental signals that regulate flowering transition. In plants like Arabidopsis thaliana, this regulation relies on CONSTANS, a transcription factor that is negatively posttranslational regulated by phytochrome B during the morning, while it is stabilized by PHYA and cryptochromes 1/2 at the end of daylight hours. CO induces the expression of FT, whose protein travels from the leaves to the apical meristem, where it binds to FD to regulate some flowering genes. Although PHYB delays flowering, we show that light and PHYB positively regulate XAANTAL1 and other flowering genes in the shoot apices. Also, the genetic data indicate that XAL1 and FD participate in the same signaling pathway in flowering promotion when plants are grown under a long-day photoperiod at 22 °C. By contrast, XAL1 functions independently of FD or PIF4 to induce flowering at higher temperatures (27 °C), even under long days. Furthermore, XAL1 directly binds to FD, SOC1, LFY, and AP1 promoters. Our findings lead us to propose that light and temperature influence the floral network at the meristem level in a partially independent way of the signaling generated from the leaves.

Beyond the Genetic Pathways, Flowering Regulation Complexity in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Flowering is one of the most critical developmental transitions in plants' life. The irreversible change from the vegetative to the reproductive stage is strictly controlled to ensure the progeny's success. In Arabidopsis thaliana, seven flowering genetic pathways have been described under specific growth conditions. However, the evidence condensed here suggest that these pathways are tightly interconnected in a complex multilevel regulatory network. In this review, we pursue an integrative approach emphasizing the molecular interactions among the flowering regulatory network components. We also consider that the same regulatory network prevents or induces flowering phase change in response to internal cues modulated by environmental signals. In this sense, we describe how during the vegetative phase of development it is essential to prevent the expression of flowering promoting genes until they are required. Then, we mention flowering regulation under suboptimal growing temperatures, such as those in autumn and winter. We next expose the requirement of endogenous signals in flowering, and finally, the acceleration of this transition by long-day photoperiod and temperature rise signals allowing A. thaliana to bloom in spring and summer seasons. With this approach, we aim to provide an initial systemic view to help the reader integrate this complex developmental process.

ULTRAPETALA1 maintains Arabidopsis root stem cell niche independently of ARABIDOPSIS TRITHORAX1.

During plant development, morphogenetic processes rely on the activity of meristems. Meristem homeostasis depends on a complex regulatory network constituted by different factors and hormone signaling that regulate gene expression to coordinate the correct balance between cell proliferation and differentiation. ULTRAPETALA1, a transcriptional regulatory protein described as an Arabidopsis Trithorax group factor, has been characterized as a regulator of the shoot and floral meristems activity. Here, we highlight the role of ULTRAPETALA1 in root stem cell niche maintenance. We found that ULTRAPETALA1 is required to regulate both the quiescent center cell division rate and auxin signaling at the root tip. Furthermore, ULTRAPETALA1 regulates columella stem cell differentiation. These roles are independent of the ARABIDOPSIS TRITHORAX1, suggesting a different mechanism by which ULTRAPETALA1 can act in the root apical meristem of Arabidopsis. This work introduces a new component of the regulatory network needed for the root stem cell niche maintenance.

Beyond What Your Retina Can See: Similarities of Retinoblastoma Function between Plants and Animals, from Developmental Processes to Epigenetic Regulation.

The Retinoblastoma protein (pRb) is a key cell cycle regulator conserved in a wide variety of organisms. Experimental analysis of pRb's functions in animals and plants has revealed that this protein participates in cell proliferation and differentiation processes. In addition, pRb in animals and its orthologs in plants (RBR), are part of highly conserved protein complexes which suggest the possibility that analogies exist not only between functions carried out by pRb orthologs themselves, but also in the structure and roles of the protein networks where these proteins are involved. Here, we present examples of pRb/RBR participation in cell cycle control, cell differentiation, and in the regulation of epigenetic changes and chromatin remodeling machinery, highlighting the similarities that exist between the composition of such networks in plants and animals.

MADS-box genes underground becoming mainstream: plant root developmental mechanisms.

Plant growth is largely post-embryonic and depends on meristems that are active throughout the lifespan of an individual. Developmental patterns rely on the coordinated spatio-temporal expression of different genes, and the activity of transcription factors is particularly important during most morphogenetic processes. MADS-box genes constitute a transcription factor family in eukaryotes. In Arabidopsis, their proteins participate in all major aspects of shoot development, but their role in root development is still not well characterized. In this review we synthetize current knowledge pertaining to the function of MADS-box genes highly expressed in roots: XAL1, XAL2, ANR1 and AGL21, as well as available data for other MADS-box genes expressed in this organ. The role of Trithorax group and Polycomb group complexes on MADS-box genes' epigenetic regulation is also discussed. We argue that understanding the role of MADS-box genes in root development of species with contrasting architectures is still a challenge. Finally, we propose that MADS-box genes are key components of the gene regulatory networks that underlie various gene expression patterns, each one associated with the distinct developmental fates observed in the root. In the case of XAL1 and XAL2, their role within these networks could be mediated by regulatory feedbacks with auxin.

A dynamic genetic-hormonal regulatory network model explains multiple cellular behaviors of the root apical meristem of Arabidopsis thaliana.

The study of the concerted action of hormones and transcription factors is fundamental to understand cell differentiation and pattern formation during organ development. The root apical meristem of Arabidopsis thaliana is a useful model to address this. It has a stem cell niche near its tip conformed of a quiescent organizer and stem or initial cells around it, then a proliferation domain followed by a transition domain, where cells diminish division rate before transiting to the elongation zone; here, cells grow anisotropically prior to their final differentiation towards the plant base. A minimal model of the gene regulatory network that underlies cell-fate specification and patterning at the root stem cell niche was proposed before. In this study, we update and couple such network with both the auxin and cytokinin hormone signaling pathways to address how they collectively give rise to attractors that correspond to the genetic and hormonal activity profiles that are characteristic of different cell types along A. thaliana root apical meristem. We used a Boolean model of the genetic-hormonal regulatory network to integrate known and predicted regulatory interactions into alternative models. Our analyses show that, after adding some putative missing interactions, the model includes the necessary and sufficient components and regulatory interactions to recover attractors characteristic of the root cell types, including the auxin and cytokinin activity profiles that correlate with different cellular behaviors along the root apical meristem. Furthermore, the model predicts the existence of activity configurations that could correspond to the transition domain. The model also provides a possible explanation for apparently paradoxical cellular behaviors in the root meristem. For example, how auxin may induce and at the same time inhibit WOX5 expression. According to the model proposed here the hormonal regulation of WOX5 might depend on the cell type. Our results illustrate how non-linear multi-stable qualitative network models can aid at understanding how transcriptional regulators and hormonal signaling pathways are dynamically coupled and may underlie both the acquisition of cell fate and the emergence of hormonal activity profiles that arise during complex organ development.

The MADS transcription factor XAL2/AGL14 modulates auxin transport during Arabidopsis root development by regulating PIN expression.

Elucidating molecular links between cell-fate regulatory networks and dynamic patterning modules is a key for understanding development. Auxin is important for plant patterning, particularly in roots, where it establishes positional information for cell-fate decisions. PIN genes encode plasma membrane proteins that serve as auxin efflux transporters; mutations in members of this gene family exhibit smaller roots with altered root meristems and stem-cell patterning. Direct regulators of PIN transcription have remained elusive. Here, we establish that a MADS-box gene (XAANTAL2, XAL2/AGL14) controls auxin transport via PIN transcriptional regulation during Arabidopsis root development; mutations in this gene exhibit altered stem-cell patterning, root meristem size, and root growth. XAL2 is necessary for normal shootward and rootward auxin transport, as well as for maintaining normal auxin distribution within the root. Furthermore, this MADS-domain transcription factor upregulates PIN1 and PIN4 by direct binding to regulatory regions and it is required for PIN4-dependent auxin response. In turn, XAL2 expression is regulated by auxin levels thus establishing a positive feedback loop between auxin levels and PIN regulation that is likely to be important for robust root patterning.

A Minimal Regulatory Network of Extrinsic and Intrinsic Factors Recovers Observed Patterns of CD4+ T Cell Differentiation and Plasticity.

CD4+ T cells orchestrate the adaptive immune response in vertebrates. While both experimental and modeling work has been conducted to understand the molecular genetic mechanisms involved in CD4+ T cell responses and fate attainment, the dynamic role of intrinsic (produced by CD4+ T lymphocytes) versus extrinsic (produced by other cells) components remains unclear, and the mechanistic and dynamic understanding of the plastic responses of these cells remains incomplete. In this work, we studied a regulatory network for the core transcription factors involved in CD4+ T cell-fate attainment. We first show that this core is not sufficient to recover common CD4+ T phenotypes. We thus postulate a minimal Boolean regulatory network model derived from a larger and more comprehensive network that is based on experimental data. The minimal network integrates transcriptional regulation, signaling pathways and the micro-environment. This network model recovers reported configurations of most of the characterized cell types (Th0, Th1, Th2, Th17, Tfh, Th9, iTreg, and Foxp3-independent T regulatory cells). This transcriptional-signaling regulatory network is robust and recovers mutant configurations that have been reported experimentally. Additionally, this model recovers many of the plasticity patterns documented for different T CD4+ cell types, as summarized in a cell-fate map. We tested the effects of various micro-environments and transient perturbations on such transitions among CD4+ T cell types. Interestingly, most cell-fate transitions were induced by transient activations, with the opposite behavior associated with transient inhibitions. Finally, we used a novel methodology was used to establish that T-bet, TGF-ß and suppressors of cytokine signaling proteins are keys to recovering observed CD4+ T cell plastic responses. In conclusion, the observed CD4+ T cell-types and transition patterns emerge from the feedback between the intrinsic or intracellular regulatory core and the micro-environment. We discuss the broader use of this approach for other plastic systems and possible therapeutic interventions.

A Dynamic Gene Regulatory Network Model That Recovers the Cyclic Behavior of Arabidopsis thaliana Cell Cycle.

Cell cycle control is fundamental in eukaryotic development. Several modeling efforts have been used to integrate the complex network of interacting molecular components involved in cell cycle dynamics. In this paper, we aimed at recovering the regulatory logic upstream of previously known components of cell cycle control, with the aim of understanding the mechanisms underlying the emergence of the cyclic behavior of such components. We focus on Arabidopsis thaliana, but given that many components of cell cycle regulation are conserved among eukaryotes, when experimental data for this system was not available, we considered experimental results from yeast and animal systems. We are proposing a Boolean gene regulatory network (GRN) that converges into only one robust limit cycle attractor that closely resembles the cyclic behavior of the key cell-cycle molecular components and other regulators considered here. We validate the model by comparing our in silico configurations with data from loss- and gain-of-function mutants, where the endocyclic behavior also was recovered. Additionally, we approximate a continuous model and recovered the temporal periodic expression profiles of the cell-cycle molecular components involved, thus suggesting that the single limit cycle attractor recovered with the Boolean model is not an artifact of its discrete and synchronous nature, but rather an emergent consequence of the inherent characteristics of the regulatory logic proposed here. This dynamical model, hence provides a novel theoretical framework to address cell cycle regulation in plants, and it can also be used to propose novel predictions regarding cell cycle regulation in other eukaryotes.

The MADS-box XAANTAL1 increases proliferation at the Arabidopsis root stem-cell niche and participates in transition to differentiation by regulating cell-cycle components.

Background Morphogenesis depends on the concerted modulation of cell proliferation and differentiation. Such modulation is dynamically adjusted in response to various external and internal signals via complex transcriptional regulatory networks that mediate between such signals and regulation of cell-cycle and cellular responses (proliferation, growth, differentiation). In plants, which are sessile, the proliferation/differentiation balance is plastically adjusted during their life cycle and transcriptional networks are important in this process. MADS-box genes are key developmental regulators in eukaryotes, but their role in cell proliferation and differentiation modulation in plants remains poorly studied. Methods We characterize the XAL1 loss-of-function xal1-2 allele and overexpression lines using quantitative cellular and cytometry analyses to explore its role in cell cycle, proliferation, stem-cell patterning and transition to differentiation. We used quantitative PCR and cellular markers to explore if XAL1 regulates cell-cycle components and PLETHORA1 (PLT1) gene expression, as well as confocal microscopy to analyse stem-cell niche organization. Key Results We previously showed that XAANTAL1 (XAL1/AGL12) is necessary for Arabidopsis root development as a promoter of cell proliferation in the root apical meristem. Here, we demonstrate that XAL1 positively regulates the expression of PLT1 and important components of the cell cycle: CYCD3;1, CYCA2;3, CYCB1;1, CDKB1;1 and CDT1a. In addition, we show that xal1-2 mutant plants have a premature transition to differentiation with root hairs appearing closer to the root tip, while endoreplication in these plants is partially compromised. Coincidently, the final size of cortex cells in the mutant is shorter than wild-type cells. Finally, XAL1 overexpression-lines corroborate that this transcription factor is able to promote cell proliferation at the stem-cell niche. Conclusion XAL1 seems to be an important component of the networks that modulate cell proliferation/differentiation transition and stem-cell proliferation during Arabidopsis root development; it also regulates several cell-cycle components.

Longitudinal zonation pattern in Arabidopsis root tip defined by a multiple structural change algorithm.

Background and Aims The Arabidopsis thaliana root is a key experimental system in developmental biology. Despite its importance, we are still lacking an objective and broadly applicable approach for identification of number and position of developmental domains or zones along the longitudinal axis of the root apex or boundaries between them, which is essential for understanding the mechanisms underlying cell proliferation, elongation and differentiation dynamics during root development. Methods We used a statistics approach, the multiple structural change algorithm (MSC), for estimating the number and position of developmental transitions in the growing portion of the root apex. Once the positions of the transitions between domains and zones were determined, linear models were used to estimate the critical size of dividing cells (LcritD) and other parameters. Key Results The MSC approach enabled identification of three discrete regions in the growing parts of the root that correspond to the proliferation domain (PD), the transition domain (TD) and the elongation zone (EZ). Simultaneous application of the MSC approach and G2-to-M transition (CycB1;1DB:GFP) and endoreduplication (pCCS52A1:GUS) molecular markers confirmed the presence and position of the TD. We also found that the MADS-box gene XAANTAL1 (XAL1) is required for the wild-type (wt) PD increase in length during the first 2 weeks of growth. Contrary to wt, in the xal1 loss-of-function mutant the increase and acceleration of root growth were not detected. We also found alterations in LcritD in xal1 compared with wt, which was associated with longer cell cycle duration in the mutant. Conclusions The MSC approach is a useful, objective and versatile tool for identification of the PD, TD and EZ and boundaries between them in the root apices and can be used for the phenotyping of different genetic backgrounds, experimental treatments or developmental changes within a genotype. The tool is publicly available at www.ibiologia.com.mx/MSC_analysis.

Role of transcriptional regulation in the evolution of plant phenotype: A dynamic systems approach.

A growing body of evidence suggests that alterations in transcriptional regulation of genes involved in modulating development are an important part of phenotypic evolution, and this can be documented among species and within populations. While the effects of differential transcriptional regulation in organismal development have been preferentially studied in animal systems, this phenomenon has also been addressed in plants. In this review, we summarize evidence for cis-regulatory mutations, trans-regulatory changes and epigenetic modifications as molecular events underlying important phenotypic alterations, and thus shaping the evolution of plant development. We postulate that a mechanistic understanding of why such molecular alterations have a key role in development, morphology and evolution will have to rely on dynamic models of complex regulatory networks that consider the concerted action of genetic and nongenetic components, and that also incorporate the restrictions underlying the genotype to phenotype mapping process. Developmental Dynamics 244:1074-1095, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A model of the regulatory network involved in the control of the cell cycle and cell differentiation in the Caenorhabditis elegans vulva.

BACKGROUND: There are recent experimental reports on the cross-regulation between molecules involved in the control of the cell cycle and the differentiation of the vulval precursor cells (VPCs) of Caenorhabditis elegans. Such discoveries provide novel clues on how the molecular mechanisms involved in the cell cycle and cell differentiation processes are coordinated during vulval development. Dynamic computational models are helpful to understand the integrated regulatory mechanisms affecting these cellular processes. RESULTS: Here we propose a simplified model of the regulatory network that includes sufficient molecules involved in the control of both the cell cycle and cell differentiation in the C. elegans vulva to recover their dynamic behavior. We first infer both the topology and the update rules of the cell cycle module from an expected time series. Next, we use a symbolic algorithmic approach to find which interactions must be included in the regulatory network. Finally, we use a continuous-time version of the update rules for the cell cycle module to validate the cyclic behavior of the network, as well as to rule out the presence of potential artifacts due to the synchronous updating of the discrete model. We analyze the dynamical behavior of the model for the wild type and several mutants, finding that most of the results are consistent with published experimental results. CONCLUSIONS: Our model shows that the regulation of Notch signaling by the cell cycle preserves the potential of the VPCs and the three vulval fates to differentiate and de-differentiate, allowing them to remain completely responsive to the concentration of LIN-3 and lateral signal in the extracellular microenvironment.

Molecular evolution constraints in the floral organ specification gene regulatory network module across 18 angiosperm genomes.

The gene regulatory network of floral organ cell fate specification of Arabidopsis thaliana is a robust developmental regulatory module. Although such finding was proposed to explain the overall conservation of floral organ types and organization among angiosperms, it has not been confirmed that the network components are conserved at the molecular level among flowering plants. Using the genomic data that have accumulated, we address the conservation of the genes involved in this network and the forces that have shaped its evolution during the divergence of angiosperms. We recovered the network gene homologs for 18 species of flowering plants spanning nine families. We found that all the genes are highly conserved with no evidence of positive selection. We studied the sequence conservation features of the genes in the context of their known biological function and the strength of the purifying selection acting upon them in relation to their placement within the network. Our results suggest an association between protein length and sequence conservation, evolutionary rates, and functional category. On the other hand, we found no significant correlation between the strength of purifying selection and gene placement. Our results confirm that the studied robust developmental regulatory module has been subjected to strong functional constraints. However, unlike previous studies, our results do not support the notion that network topology plays a major role in constraining evolutionary rates. We speculate that the dynamical functional role of genes within the network and not just its connectivity could play an important role in constraining evolution.

The impact of Polycomb group (PcG) and Trithorax group (TrxG) epigenetic factors in plant plasticity.

Current advances indicate that epigenetic mechanisms play important roles in the regulatory networks involved in plant developmental responses to environmental conditions. Hence, understanding the role of such components becomes crucial to understanding the mechanisms underlying the plasticity and variability of plant traits, and thus the ecology and evolution of plant development. We now know that important components of phenotypic variation may result from heritable and reversible epigenetic mechanisms without genetic alterations. The epigenetic factors Polycomb group (PcG) and Trithorax group (TrxG) are involved in developmental processes that respond to environmental signals, playing important roles in plant plasticity. In this review, we discuss current knowledge of TrxG and PcG functions in different developmental processes in response to internal and environmental cues and we also integrate the emerging evidence concerning their function in plant plasticity. Many such plastic responses rely on meristematic cell behavior, including stem cell niche maintenance, cellular reprogramming, flowering and dormancy as well as stress memory. This information will help to determine how to integrate the role of epigenetic regulation into models of gene regulatory networks, which have mostly included transcriptional interactions underlying various aspects of plant development and its plastic response to environmental conditions.

Molecular evolution and patterns of duplication in the SEP/AGL6-like lineage of the Zingiberales: a proposed mechanism for floral diversification.

The diversity of floral forms in the plant order Zingiberales has evolved through alterations in floral organ morphology. One striking alteration is the shift from fertile, filamentous stamens to sterile, laminar (petaloid) organs in the stamen whorls, attributed to specific pollination syndromes. Here, we examine the role of the SEPALLATA (SEP) genes, known to be important in regulatory networks underlying floral development and organ identity, in the evolution of development of the diverse floral organs phenotypes in the Zingiberales. Phylogenetic analyses show that the SEP-like genes have undergone several duplication events giving rise to multiple copies. Selection tests on the SEP-like genes indicate that the two copies of SEP3 have mostly evolved under balancing selection, probably due to strong functional restrictions as a result of their critical role in floral organ specification. In contrast, the two LOFSEP copies have undergone differential positive selection, indicating neofunctionalization. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, gene expression from RNA-seq data, and in situ hybridization analyses show that the recovered genes have differential expression patterns across the various whorls and organ types found in the Zingiberales. Our data also suggest that AGL6, sister to the SEP-like genes, may play an important role in stamen morphology in the Zingiberales. Thus, the SEP-like genes are likely to be involved in some of the unique morphogenetic patterns of floral organ development found among this diverse order of tropical monocots. This work contributes to a growing body of knowledge focused on understanding the role of gene duplications and the evolution of entire gene networks in the evolution of flower development.