C3 photosynthesis occurs in mesophyll (M) cells whereas C4 photosynthesis occurs mainly in bundle sheath (BS) cells, making C4 photosynthesis more efficient. A team led by Dr. Wen-Hsiung Li used laser-capture microdissection to isolate pre-BS and pre-M cells in early leaf development in maize, a C4 plant. From the transcriptomes of these cells they identified transcription factors (e.g., ANT1) that control leaf development and constructed a gene regulatory network, increasing our understanding the regulation of maize leaf development. The results were published in Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences.

Article link:
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2208795119