Model-based reconstruction of whole organ growth dynamics reveals invariant patterns in leaf morphogenesis
Abstract
Morphogenesis is a process that spans several orders of magnitude in both time and space.
Because it is generally impossible to follow organs all along growth, analyses typically rely on static data sampled at different developmental stages.
We propose a model-based approach for the accurate dating of organs from initiation, allowing spatio-temporal reconstruction of morphogenesis over unlimited time windows, based on static data.
We showed that leaves in Arabidopsis thaliana are initiated at a regular pace, and finely characterized growth dynamics of different organs.
Although considered leaves displayed contrasted final shapes and sizes, we revealed invariant, iterated developmental schemes and common critical time points, suggesting conserved morphogenetic modules.
We similarly showed that serrations developing at different times and/or in different leaves grow in a synchronized way.
This suggests modules determining local features act independently of global leaf growth.
Altogether, we illustrated how our strategy can finely dissect multi-scale morphogenesis processes.