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Plant Biology Home

Phone: (612) 625-1234
Fax: (612) 625-1738

Department of Plant Biology
University of Minnesota
250 Biological Science Center
1445 Gortner Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55108

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David Marks

Professor, Department of Plant Biology
Ph.D., Purdue University, 1985.

Molecular genetic control of cell fate in plants

Contact Information

Mailing Address:

Dr. M. David Marks
Dept. of Plant Biology
University of Minnesota
250 Biological Science Center
1445 Gorner Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55108

Office: 468 Biological Sciences Center, (612) 625-6737
Lab: 476 Biological Sciences Center, (612) 624-3607
Fax: (612) 625-5754
E-mail: marks004@umn.edu

Research Strengths

• Plant Cell and Molecular Biology
• Developmental Mechanisms
• Regulation of Gene Expression

Research Techniques

• Arabidopsis thaliana genetics
• Agrobacterium- mediated transformation of Arabidopsis thaliana
• GUS reporter promoter and gene fusions
• In situ localization of RNA using chemiluminescent detection

Fig. 1. Scanning electron micrograph demonstrating the different developmental stages of trichome morphogenesis. Numbers positioned at the lower right corner of each cell indicate the specific developmental stages. (A) Early stages of wild-type morphogenesis: Stage 1) radial expansion of the trichome precursor in the plane of the leaf. Stage 2) stalk emergence and expansion. Stage 3) formation of branch structures. Stage 4) expansion of the stalk and branches, which have blunt tips. (B) Late stages of wild-type trichome development. Stage 5) continued expansion of the stalk and branches, which develop pointed tips. Stage 6) mature trichome with papillate surface. (C) Late stages of trichome development in the gl2 mutant. Bar=10 mm.

Research Interests

Pot containing Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings. The plants are approximately 30 days old.

The focus of my research is on how plants make simple developmental decisions. I am using the development of trichomes on the plant Arabidopsis thaliana as a model to study this process. Trichomes are unicellular hairs found on the surface of the plant. Recessive mutations that effect the location, spacing, initiation and expansion of trichomes have been identified. My short term goal is to isolate and characterize the genes defined by these mutations. The long range goal is to understand how genes involved in trichome formation interact to affect the differentiation of a unique cell type. I believe this system will provide a useful paradigm to which the differentiation of other cell types can be compared.

This system is of practical importance. The trichomes of many plant species provide the first line of defense against unfavorable environmental forces. Unfortunately, many crop species, such as canola, lack these protective hairs. Results from our studies may provide useful information on how to enhance trichome development on others plant species.

Selected Publications

Jeffrey J. Esch, Margaret A. Chen, Matthew Hillestad M.D. Marks (2004) Comparison of TRY and the closely related At1g01380 gene in controlling Arabidopsis trichome patterning. Plant Journal Dec .2004, Vol 40, Issue 6, p860-869.

Jeffrey J. Esch, Margaret Chen, Mark Sanders, Matthew Hillestad, Sampson Ndkium, Brian Idelkope, James Neizer1 and M.D. Marks (2003) A contradictory GLABRA3 allele helps define gene interactions controlling trichome development in Arabidopsis. Development 130, 5885-5894.

M. David Marks + & Jeffrey J. Esch (2003) Initiating Inhibition: Control of epidermal cell patterning in plants. EMBO reports 4:24-25

Wada T, Kurata T, Tominaga R., Koshino-Kimura Y, Tachibana T, Goto K, Marks M.D., Shimura Y, Okada K. (2002) Role of a positive regulator of root hair development, CAPRICE, in Arabidopsis root epidermal cell differentiation. Development 129:5409-19

Qiu, J-L, R. Jilk, M.D. Marks, and D.B. Szymanski (2002) The Arabidopsis SPIKE1 gene is required for normal cell shape control and tissue development Plant Cell 14:101-118

Szymanski, D.B., A.M. Lloyd, M.D. Marks (2000) Progress in the molecular genetic analysis of trichome initiation and morphogenesis in Arabidopsis. Trends in Plant Science 5:214-219 (cover article)

Walker, A.R., and M.D. Marks (2000) Trichome Initiation in Arabidopsis. In Advance in Botanical Research: a special volume on Plnat Trichomes, Eds D.L. Hallahan and J.C. Gray. Academic Press, London, volume 31:219-233

Szymanski, D.B., M.D. Marks, and S. Wick (1999) Organized F-Actin is essential for normal trichome morphogenesis in Arabidopsis Plant Cell 11:2331-2347

Walker, A.R., P.A. Davison, A.C. Bolognesi-Winfield, C.M. James, N. Srinivasan, T.L. Blundell, J.J. Esch, M.D. Marks, and J.C. Gray (1999) The TTG1 (Transparent Testa, Glabra1) locus which regulates trichome differentiation and anthocyanin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis encodes a WD40-repeat protein. Plant Cell 11:1337-1350

Larkin, J.C., N. Young, M. Prigge, and M.D. Marks (1996) The control of trichome spacing and number in Arabidopsis. Development 122:997-1005.

Massucci, J.D., W.G. Rerie, D.R. Foreman, M. Zhang, M.E. Galway, M.D. Marks, and J.W. Schiefelbein (1996) The homeobox gene GLABRA2 is required for position-dependent cell differentiation in the root epidermis of Arabidopsis thaliana. Development 122:1253-1260.

Marks, M.D., D.G. Oppenheimer, and E. Garon (1996) Analysis of clonal sectors of altered epidermis on EMS treated Arabidopsis plants. Weeds World 3:1-5.

^*Marks, M.D. (1997) Molecular genetic analysis of trichome development in Arabidopsis. Ann. Rev. Plant. Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol. 48:137-163. 137-163.

^*Oppenheimer, D.G., M.A. Pollock, J. Vacik, B. Ericson, K.A. Feldmann, and M.D. Marks (1997) Essential role of a kinesin-like protein in Arabidopsis trichome morphogenesis. PNAS 94:6261-6266.

^*Larkin, J. C., M. D. Marks, J. Nadeau, and F. Sack. (1997) Epidermal cell fate and patterning in leaves. Plant Cell 9:1109-1120.

^*Hung, C. Y., Y. Lin, M. Zhang, S. Pollock, M. D. Marks and J. Schiefelbein (1998) A common position-dependent mechanism controls cell-type patterning and GLABRA2 regulation in the root and hypocotyl epidermis of Arabidopsis. Plant Physiol 117: 73-84.

^*Szymanski, D. B., R. A. Jilk, S. M. Pollock and M. D. Marks (1998) Control of GL2 expression in Arabidopsis leaves and trichomes. Development 125: 1161-71.

^*Szymanski, D. B., D. A. Klis, J. C. Larkin and M. D. Marks (1998) cot1: a regulator of Arabidopsis trichome initiation. Genetics 149: 565-77.

^*Szymanski, D. B. and M. D. Marks (1998) GLABROUS1 overexpression and TRIPTYCHON alter the cell cycle and trichome cell fate in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 10: 2047-2062.


^*refereed