The fasciated ear2 gene encodes a leucine-rich repeat receptor-like protein that regulates shoot meristem proliferation in maize

The ability to initiate organs throughout the lifecycle is a unique feature of plant development that is executed by groups of stem cells called meris tems. The balance between stem cell proliferation and organ initiation is c arefully regulated and ensures that organs can be initiated in regular geom etric patterns. To understand how this regulation is achieved, we isolated a novel mutant of maize, fasciated ear2 (fea2), which causes a massive over proliferation of the ear inflorescence meristem and a more modest effect on floral meristem size and organ number. We cloned the fea2 gene using trans poson tagging, and it encodes a membrane localized leucine-rich repeat rece ptor-like protein that is most closely related to CLAVATA2 from Arabidopsis . These findings provide evidence that the CLAVATA pathway for regulation o f meristem size is functionally conserved throughout the angiosperms. A pos sible connection of fea2 to the control of crop yields is discussed.