TEOSINTE BRANCHED 1/CYCLOIDEA/PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR 1 (TCP) transcription factors control multiple aspects of growth and development in various plant species. However, few genes were reported to be directly targeted and regulated by them through their specific binding sites, and then uncover their functions in plants. A consensus DNA-binding site motif of TCP2 was identified by random binding site selection (RBSS). DNA recognized by TCP2 contained the motif G(G/T)GGNCC(A/C), which showed high consistency with motifs bound by other TCP domain proteins. Consequently, this motif was regarded as the specific DNA-binding sites of TCP2. Circadian clock associated 1 (CCA1) and EARLY FLOWERING 3 (ELF3) were subsequently considered as potential target genes owing to the containing of the similar TCP2 binding sites or core binding sites GGNCC and found to be positively regulated by TCP2 via DNA binding. Phenotype analysis results showed that mutation and over-expression of TCP2 resulted in variations in leaf morphogenesis, especially the double or triple mutations of TCP2, 4 and 10. Mutations in TCPs caused late flowering. Finally, TCP2 was shown to influence hypocotyl elongation by mediating the jasmonate signaling pathway. Overall, these results provide a basis for future studies aimed at distinguishing the target genes of TCP2 and elucidating the important roles of TCP2 in plant growth and development.

Cell motility is a widespread biological property that is best understood in the context of individual cell migration. Indeed, studies of migration in culture have provided tremendous insight into the signals and mechanics involved and have laid the foundation for our understanding of similar migrations by larger cellular collectives. By contrast, our understanding of another flavor of movement, cell intercalation during convergent extension, is only now emerging. Here, we integrate divergent findings related to intercalation in different settings into a unifying model, paying attention to how this model does and does not resemble current models for directed cell migration.

SigmaB plays an important role in both osmoprotection and proper differentiation in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). We searched for candidate members of the sigmaB regulon from the genome database, using the consensus promoter sequence (GNNTN14-16GGGTAC/T). The list consists of 115 genes, and includes all the known sigmaB target genes and many other genes whose functions are related to stress protection and differentiation.

One of the most important questions in evolutionary biology is: what orients the evolutionary process? That is, what causes evolution to proceed toward certain developmental trajectories, and hence phenotypes, rather than others? In particular, there has been prolonged controversy over whether the direction of evolution is determined solely by external factors or whether the nature of the ontogenetic process, and the ways in which it can be altered by mutations in developmental genes, may also play a major role. Here, I examine this issue, concentrating on the following: the possible evolutionary orienting role of \"developmental bias;\" the question of whether selection can and/or will break bias; the extent to which bias is already incorporated in quantitative genetic studies; and ways of approaching the possible role of bias in the origin of evolutionary novelties. Finally, I suggest that developmental bias may provide a focal point for the coming together of conceptual and practical approaches to evo-devo.