SBT4.1 promotes xylem cell expansion and coordinates secondary wall deposition and PCD by modulating PME61 activity downstream of SND1/VND6/MYB46 in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Xylem development involves a series of coordinated processes, including cell differentiation, expansion, secondary cell wall (SCW) deposition, and programmed cell death (PCD). Here, we characterize a subtilisin-like serine protease gene, SBT4.1, which exhibits specific expression in stem xylem. Loss of SBT4.1 function...