Flavonoid scutellarin positively regulates root length through NUTCRACKER

Exploring approaches to regulate meristem is of special importance and broad interest.In this study,we found that the flavonoid scutellarin,which has a 6-hydroxyl and a 7-glucoside,increased root length through the transcription factor NUTCRACKER(NUC).This root lengthening disappeared in NUCknockout and reappeared in NUC-rescue plants.Scutellarin induced NUC expression and promoted the division of cortex/endodermal initials.In contrast,naringenin,which has same chemical backbone but without 6-hydroxyl and with 7-hydroxyl group,showed the opposite or no effects.Our results demonstrate that scutellarin promotes root length through NUC-mediated regulatory pathways and reveal that flavonoids with and without the 6-hydroxyl and 7-glucoside have positive and negative effects on meristem size,respectively。