Abstract View

Author(s): Sameer Srivastava1

Email(s): 1ssrivastava060.btech2023@bt.nitrr.ac.in

Address:

    Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Raipur, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India

Published In:   Volume - 7,      Issue - 1,     Year - 2025

DOI: 10.52228/NBW-JAAB.2025-7-1-5  

 View HTML        View PDF

Please allow Pop-Up for this website to view PDF file.

ABSTRACT:
The shoot and root apical meristems (SAM and RAM) are pivotal for plant growth and development, governing the formation of above- and below-ground structures through tightly regulated molecular mechanisms. This review highlights recent advancements in understanding the gene regulatory networks (GRNs), transcription factors, microRNAs, and posttranslational modifications that control meristem maintenance and organogenesis. It explores how next-generation sequencing, CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, and in planta transformation have revolutionized our ability to manipulate these regulatory pathways, offering novel strategies for crop improvement. Applications include enhancing stress resilience, improving nutritional quality, and accelerating breeding through genomics-assisted selection. The review also discusses ethical considerations, future directions, and case studies illustrating practical implementations in major crop species. By integrating molecular insights with advanced breeding technologies, this research contributes to the development of sustainable, high-yield, and climate-resilient crops to address global food security challenges.

Cite this article:
Sameer Srivastava (2025) Molecular Regulation of Shoot and Root Apical Meristems- Advances and Applications in Crop Improvement. NewBioWorld A Journal of Alumni Association of Biotechnology, 7(1):31-38.DOI: https://doi.org/10.52228/NBW-JAAB.2025-7-1-5


Ahmadikhah A, Zarabizadeh H, Nayeri S, Abbasi M S (2025) Advancements in genome editing tools for genetic studies and crop improvement. Frontiers in Plant Science, 15:1370675

Bélanger J G, Copley T R, Hoyos-Villegas V, Charron J B, O’Donoughue L (2024) A comprehensive review of in planta stable transformation strategies. Plant Methods, 20:79

Bevan M W, Messerer M, Gundlach H, Kamal N, Hall A, Spannagl M, Mayer K F X (2025) Integrating Arabidopsis and crop species gene discovery for crop improvement. The Plant Cell, 37(5):koaf087.

Chang W, Guo Y, Zhang H, Liu X, Guo L (2020) Same actor in different stages: Genes in shoot apical meristem maintenance and floral meristem determinacy in Arabidopsis. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 8:89.

Chen, Z., Debernardi, J. M., Dubcovsky, J., & Gallavotti, A. (2022). Recent advances in crop transformation technologies. Nature Plants, 8(12)

Dabravolski S A, Isayenkov S V (2025) Exploring hormonal pathways and gene networks in crown root formation under stress conditions: An update. Plants, 14(4):630

Daniel, M. A., Sebastin, R., Yu, J.-K., Soosaimanickam, M. P., & Chung, J. W. (2023). Enhancing horticultural crops through genome editing: Applications, benefits, and considerations. Horticulturae, 9(8), 884.

Depuydt S, Hardtke C S (2011) Hormone signalling crosstalk in plant growth regulation. Current Biology, 21(9):R365–R373.

Divya, K., Thangaraj, M., & Radhika, N. K. (2024). CRISPR/Cas9: an advanced platform for root and tuber crops improvement. Frontiers in Genome Editing, 5(2023).

Eljebbawi A, Dolata A, Strotmann V I, Stahl Y (2024) Stem cell quiescence and dormancy in plant meristems. Journal of Experimental Botany, 75(19):6022–6036

Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.). Apical meristem. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved October 27, 2025, at 5:25 p.m. IST, from https://www.britannica.com/science/apical-meristem

Gao, L., Hao, N., Wu, T., & Cao, J. (2022). Advances in understanding and harnessing the molecular regulatory mechanisms of vegetable quality. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13, 836515.

Huo Q, Song R, Ma Z (2024) Recent advances in exploring transcriptional regulatory landscape of crops. Frontiers in Plant Science, 15:1421503.

Jung J K H, McCouch S (2013) Getting to the roots of it: Genetic and hormonal control of root architecture. Frontiers in Plant Science, 4:186

Kean-Galeno T, Lopez-Arredondo D, Herrera-Estrella L (2024) The shoot apical meristem: An evolutionary molding of higher plants. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(3):1519.

Kesiraju, K., Tyagi, S., Mukherjee, S., Rai, R., Singh, N. K., Sreevathsa, R., & Dash, P. K. (2023). An apical meristem-targeted in planta transformation method for the development of transgenics in flax (Linum usitatissimum): Optimization and validation. Plant Methods, 19, Article 112.

Kumar R, Das S P, Choudhury B U, Kumar A, Prakash N R, Verma R, Chakraborti M, Devi A G, Bhattacharjee B, Das R, Das B, Devi H L, Das B, Rawat S, Mishra V K (2024) Advances in genomic tools for plant breeding: Harnessing DNA molecular markers, genomic selection, and genome editing. Biological Research, 57:80

Luo Z, Wu L, Miao X, Zhang S, Wei N, Zhao S, Shang X, Hu H, Xue J, Zhang T, Yang F, Xu S, Li L (2024) A dynamic regulome of shoot-apical-meristem-related homeobox transcription factors modulates plant architecture in maize. Genome Biology, 25:245.

Martignago D, Rico-Medina A, Blasco-Escámez D, Fontanet-Manzaneque J B, Caño-Delgado A I (2020) Drought resistance by engineering plant tissue-specific responses. Frontiers in Plant Science, 10:1676.

OER Commons (n.d.) Statewide Dual Credit Introduction to Plant Science – Plant Form: Stages of Plant Growth. Available at: https://oercommons.org/courseware/lesson/87593/overview (Accessed on 27 October 2025, 18:30 IST.

Osugi A, Sakakibara H (2015) Q&A: How do plants respond to cytokinins and what is their importance? BMC Biology, 13:102.

Poelman, E. H., Bourne, M. E., Croijmans, L., Cuny, M. A. C., Delamore, Z., Joachim, G., Kalisvaart, S. N., Kamps, B. B. J., Longuemare, M., Suijkerbuijk, H. A. C., & Zhang, N. X. (2023). Bringing fundamental insights of induced resistance to agricultural management of herbivore pests. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 49, 218–229

Razzaq, A., Kaur, P., Akhter, N., Wani, S. H., & Saleem, F. (2021). Next-generation breeding strategies for climate-ready crops. Frontiers in Plant Science, 12, 620420.

Rodriguez-Alonso G, Matvienko M, López-Valle M L, Lázaro-Mixteco P E, Napsucialy-Mendivil S, Dubrovsky J G, Shishkova S (2018) Transcriptomics insights into the genetic regulation of root apical meristem exhaustion and determinate primary root growth in Pachycereus pringlei (Cactaceae). Scientific Reports, 8:8529

Roy A, Dutta S, Das S, Choudhury M R (2024) Next-generation sequencing in the development of climate-resilient and stress-responsive crops – A review. The Open Biotechnology Journal, 18:65–74.

RSECO (n.d.) Shoot apical meristems. RSECO Educational Resources. Retrieved October 27, 2025, at 17:42 IST, from https://rseco.org/content/712-shoot-apical-meristems.html

Sebiani-Calvo, A., Hernández-Soto, A., Hensel, G., & Gatica-Arias, A. (2024). Crop genome editing through tissue-culture-independent transformation methods. Frontiers in Genome Editing, 6, 1490295.

Yu K, Li H, Wu X, Amoo O, He H, Fan C, Zhou Y (2023) Targeted mutagenesis of BnaSTM leads to abnormal shoot apex development and cotyledon petiole fusion at the seedling stage in Brassica napus L. Frontiers in Plant Science, 14:1042430.

Zaidi S S A, Mahas A, Vanderschuren H, Mahfouz M M (2020) Engineering crops of the future: CRISPR approaches to develop climate-resilient and disease-resistant plants. Genome Biology, 21:289.

Zhang H, Mu Y, Zhang H, Yu C (2023) Maintenance of stem cell activity in plant development and stress responses. Frontiers in Plant Science, 14:1302046.

Zhang L, Qin L N, Zeng Z R, Wu C Z, Gong Y Y, Liu L H, Cao F Q (2019) Molecular identification of a root apical cell-specific and stress-responsive enhancer from an Arabidopsis enhancer trap line. Plant Methods, 15:8

Related Images:



Recent Images



Contemporary Perspectives on Helicobacter pylori: A Review
Roadkill Incidents of Butterflies on National Highway 130C in Gariaband District, Chhattisgarh, India
Species-Specific Variation in Nutrients and Antioxidant Activity among Calocybe Mushrooms
A Review on: 3d Porous Scaffolds in Tissue Engineering
Molecular Regulation of Shoot and Root Apical Meristems- Advances and Applications in Crop Improvement
Comparative antibiotic susceptibility profiling of S. haemolyticus recovered from frequency hand-touched surfaces of hospital settings and urban built environments of central India
Eco-Friendly Agricultural Waste Management through Pleurotus sapidus Cultivation
Morphological diversity of some actinomycetes isolated from Durg district of Chhattisgarh
Exploring the antimicrobial properties of essential oils derived from Nyctanthes arbor-tristis on food borne pathogens
Flavonoids as magical bullets: In silico ADMET profile and molecular docking study against hMPX Virus

Tags


Recomonded Articles:

Author(s): Naveen Dewangan*; Khemraj Sahu; Harish Bhardwaj

DOI: 10.52228/NBW-JAAB.2020-2-1-3         Access: Open Access Read More

Author(s): Shivendra Singh Dewhare*; Shifa Swaleha; Sneha Agrawal

DOI: 10.52228/NBW-JAAB.2025-7-1-1         Access: Open Access Read More