Figure 4

miR156 and miR172 in maize flower development (Adapted from Poethig (2009). (a) The development of the maize ear (female inflorescence) and the juvenile phase regulated by miR156 and miR172. In the ear, the inflorescence meristem (IM, stage I) directly gives rise to spikelet pair meristems (SPM, stage II). SPMs give rise to two spikelet meristems (SM, stage III), which subsequently form two floral meristems (FM, stage IV). miR172 and its targets IDS1 and SID1 function to influence the SM to FM conversion. IDS1 is also a negative regulator of its homolog SID1. Both IDS1 and SID1 are positive regulators of the SM to FM transition. (b) The expression pattern of zma-miR156a and zma-miR172e. * indicated the significant difference in adjacent two developmental stages (one-way ANOVA and Fisher’s LSD, p < 0.01, n = 4).