Research Interests

Tissue patterning and organ development depend on spatiotemporal control and coordination of cell proliferation, growth, and specialization, but how is this achieved? Across biological systems, cell-cell communication and cell polarity are considered fundamental to these developmental processes.
Using Arabidopsis as a model organism, my lab focuses on understanding the relationship between cell polarity and developmental events. We have identified a group of receptor kinases, POLARLY LOCALIZED KINASEs (PLKs), that polarize to different plasma membrane domains in root cells and function in development. Two of these polarized receptor kinases function to repress root cell divisions and organ size, directly linking lateral cell polarity with tissue patterning and organ size in the radial and longitudinal axes. We also find that contra-polarity of two PLKs is achieved through separate cellular mechanisms, shifting ideas about how plant protein polarity is achieved. We are working to characterize 5 more novel PLKs and next steps include connecting the PLKs to the regulatory networks that operate in cell division and fate specification. We expect our findings will reveal unique plant cell polarity domains along with details about their establishment and maintenance, identify novel PLK functions, and, ultimately, uncover mechanisms underlying repression of cell division with potential translational and therapeutic value.

Selected Publications

Oscillating gene expression determines competence for periodic Arabidopsis root branching
MA Moreno-Risueno, JM Van Norman, A Moreno, J Zhang, SE Ahnert, ...
Science 329 (5997), 1306-1311

Spatiotemporal regulation of cell-cycle genes by SHORTROOT links patterning and growth
R Sozzani, H Cui, MA Moreno-Risueno, W Busch, JM Van Norman, ...
Nature 466 (7302), 128-132

SCARFACE encodes an ARF-GAP that is required for normal auxin efflux and vein patterning in Arabidopsis
LE Sieburth, GK Muday, EJ King, G Benton, S Kim, KE Metcalf, L Meyers, ...
The Plant Cell 18 (6), 1396-1411

To branch or not to branch: the role of pre-patterning in lateral root formation
JM Van Norman, W Xuan, T Beeckman, PN Benfey
Development 140 (21), 4301-4310

Components of the Arabidopsis mRNA decapping complex are required for early seedling development
DC Goeres, JM Van Norman, W Zhang, NA Fauver, ML Spencer, ...
The Plant Cell 19 (5), 1549-1564

Intercellular communication during plant development
JM Van Norman, NW Breakfield, PN Benfey
The Plant Cell 23 (3), 855-864

Periodic root branching in Arabidopsis requires synthesis of an uncharacterized carotenoid derivative
JM Van Norman, J Zhang, CI Cazzonelli, BJ Pogson, PJ Harrison, ...
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 111 (13), E1300-E1309

BYPASS1 negatively regulates a root-derived signal that controls plant architecture
JM Van Norman, RL Frederick, LE Sieburth
Current biology 14 (19), 1739-1746

Dissecting the biosynthetic pathway for the bypass1 root‐derived signal
JM Van Norman, LE Sieburth
The Plant Journal 49 (4), 619-628

VARICOSE, a WD-domain protein, is required for leaf blade development
MK Deyholos, GF Cavaness, B Hall, E King, J Punwani, J Van Norman, ...
Oxford University Press for The Company of Biologists Limited 130 (26), 6577 …

Symmetry breaking in plants: molecular mechanisms regulating asymmetric cell divisions in Arabidopsis
JJ Petricka, JM Van Norman, PN Benfey
Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in biology 1 (5), a000497

Auxin-induced signaling protein nanoclustering contributes to cell polarity formation
X Pan, L Fang, J Liu, B Senay-Aras, W Lin, S Zheng, T Zhang, J Guo, ...
Nature communications 11 (1), 3914

Arabidopsis thaliana as a model organism in systems biology
JM Van Norman, PN Benfey
Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Systems Biology and Medicine 1 (3), 372-379

Membrane receptor-mediated mechano-transduction maintains cell integrity during pollen tube growth within the pistil
X Zhou, J Lu, Y Zhang, J Guo, W Lin, JM Van Norman, Y Qin, X Zhu, ...
Developmental Cell 56 (7), 1030-1042. e6

A plane choice: coordinating timing and orientation of cell division during plant development
MR Facette, CG Rasmussen, JM Van Norman
Current Opinion in Plant Biology 47, 47-55

The Arabidopsis Receptor Kinase IRK Is Polarized and Represses Specific Cell Divisions in Roots
R Campos, J Goff, C Rodriguez-Furlan, JM Van Norman
Developmental Cell 52 (2), 183-195. e4

Asymmetry and cell polarity in root development
JM Van Norman
Developmental Biology 419 (1), 165-174

BYPASS1: synthesis of the mobile root-derived signal requires active root growth and arrests early leaf development
JM Van Norman, C Murphy, LE Sieburth
BMC plant biology 11, 1-10

A series of dual‐reporter vectors for ratiometric analysis of protein abundance in plants
A Khosla, C Rodriguez‐Furlan, S Kapoor, JM Van Norman, DC Nelson
Plant direct 4 (6), e00231

Transcriptional switches direct plant organ formation and patterning
MA Moreno-Risueno, JM Van Norman, PN Benfey
Current topics in developmental biology 98, 229-257

Distinct mechanisms orchestrate the contra-polarity of IRK and KOIN, two LRR-receptor-kinases controlling root cell division
C Rodriguez-Furlan, R Campos, JN Toth, JM Van Norman
Nature communications 13 (1), 235

In the absence of BYPASS1-related gene function, the bps signal disrupts embryogenesis by an auxin-independent mechanism
DK Lee, JM Van Norman, C Murphy, E Adhikari, JW Reed, LE Sieburth
Development 139 (4), 805-815

Membrane nanodomains: dynamic nanobuilding blocks of polarized cell growth
X Pan, P Pérez-Henríquez, JM Van Norman, Z Yang
Plant Physiology 193 (1), 83-97

Polarly localized receptor-like kinases PXC2 and IRK act redundantly during Arabidopsis root development in the radial axis
JB Goff
bioRxiv

Root System Patterning: Auxin Synthesis at the Root Periphery
JM Van Norman
Current Biology 25 (11), R460-R462

A G-type lectin receptor kinase negatively regulates Arabidopsis immunity against root-knot nematodes
D Zhou, D Godinez-Vidal, J He, M Teixeira, J Guo, L Wei, JM Van Norman, ...
Plant Physiology 193 (1), 721-735

A G-lectin Receptor Kinase is a Negative Regulator of Arabidopsis Immunity Against Root-Knot Nematode Meloidogyne incognita
D Zhou, D Godinez-Vidal, J He, M Teixeira, J Guo, L Wei, JM Van Norman, ...
bioRxiv, 2021.09. 07.459316

Arabidopsis root: a model organ in plant genomics
JM Van Norman, LM Liberman, PN Benfey
Plant Roots: The Hidden Half, 2.1-2.17

A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience in CRISPR-Cas9 Experimental Design to Support Reverse Genetic Studies in Arabidopsis thaliana
A Mills, V Jaganatha, A Cortez, M Guzman, JM Burnette III, M Collin, ...
Journal of microbiology & biology education 22 (2), 10.1128/jmbe. 00155-21

PXC2, a polarized receptor kinase, functions to repress ground tissue cell divisions and restrict stele size
J Goff, RMIK Rony, Z Ge, J Hajný, C Rodriguez-Furlan, J Friml, ...
bioRxiv, 2021.02. 11.429611

Hierarchical global and local auxin signals coordinate cellular interdigitation in Arabidopsis
P Pérez-Henríquez, H Li, X Zhou, X Pan, W Lin, W Tang, S Nagawa, D Lin, ...
BioRxiv, 2024.06. 17.599171

PIN2-mediated self-organizing transient auxin flow contributes to auxin maxima at the tip of Arabidopsis cotyledons
P Perez-Henriquez, S Nagawa, Z Liu, X Pan, M Michniewicz, W Tang, ...
bioRxiv, 2024.06. 24.599792

Plant cell polarity: The many facets of sidedness
J Dong, J Van Norman, V Žárský, Y Zhang
Plant physiology 193 (1), 1-5

Confocal Analysis of Arabidopsis Root Cell Divisions in 3D: A Focus on the Endodermis
R Campos, JM Van Norman
Plant Cell Division: Methods and Protocols, 181-207

A course-based undergraduate research experience for high-throughput reverse genetic studies in Arabidopsis thaliana with CRISPR-Cas9
A Mills, V Jagannatha, A Cortez, M Guzman, JM Burnette III, M Collin, ...
Preprints

Softening the Breaks: Releasing a Key Negative Immune Regulator Results in Enhanced Resistance to Nematodes
MA Teixeira, D Zhou, J He, D Godinez-Vidal, J Van Norman, I Kaloshian
2019 IS-MPMI XVIII Congress

Pluripotency of a founding field: rebranding developmental biology
CD Rogers, C Amemiya, S Arur, L Babonis, M Barresi, M Bartlett, ...
Development 151 (3)

Distinct ADP-ribosylation factor-GTP exchange factors govern the opposite polarity of 2 receptor kinases
C Rodriguez-Furlan, A Emami, JM Van Norman
Plant Physiology 194 (2), 673-683

Sucrose-responsive osmoregulation of plant cell size by a long non-coding RNA
J Hajny, T Travnickova, RMIK Rony, S Sacharowski, M Krzyszton, ...
bioRxiv, 2024.02. 19.581113

Radial askew endodermal cell divisions reveal IRK functions in division orientation
RMIK Rony, R Campos, JM Van Norman
bioRxiv, 2023.03. 31.534810

WALLFLOWER, a RLK, simultaneously localizes to opposite sides of root hair cells & functions to position hairs
JN Toth, C Rodriguez-Furlan, JM Van Norman
bioRxiv, 2023.03. 16.533027

Girl power: NORTIA polarization seals pollen tube fate
C Rodriguez-Furlan, JM Van Norman
Developmental Cell 56 (21), 2923-2925

SHR–SCR regulates cortical cell division and nodulation
MA Ashraf, JM Van Norman
Molecular Plant 14 (2), 198

Cell signalling and gene regulation.
JM Van Norman, LC Strader, R Sozzani

Editorial overview: Directionality and precision-how signaling and gene regulation drive plant development and growth
JM Van Norman, LC Strader, R Sozzani
Current Opinion in Plant Biology 57, A1-A3