Initiation of asexual reproduction by the AP2/ERF gene <i>GEMMIFER</i> in <i>Marchantia polymorpha</i>

Initiation of asexual reproduction by the AP2/ERF gene GEMMIFER in Marchantia polymorpha | bioRxiv Skip to main content Home About Submit ALERTS / RSS Search for this keyword Advanced Search New Results Initiation of asexual reproduction by the AP2/ERF gene GEMMIFER in Marchantia polymorpha Go Takahashi , Saori Yamaya , View ORCID Profile Facundo Romani , View ORCID Profile Ignacy Bonter , View ORCID Profile Kimitsune Ishizaki , View ORCID Profile Masaki Shimamura , View ORCID Profile Tomohiro Kiyosue , View ORCID Profile Jim Haseloff , View ORCID Profile Yuki Hirakawa doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.01.16.699827 Go Takahashi 1 Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University , Higashi Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Saori Yamaya 2 Department of Life Science, Graduate School of Science, Gakushuin University , 1-5-1 Mejiro, Tokyo 171-8588, Japan Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Facundo Romani 3 Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge , Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Facundo Romani Ignacy Bonter 3 Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge , Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Ignacy Bonter Kimitsune Ishizaki 4 Graduate School of Science, Kobe University , Kobe, 657-8501, Japan Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Kimitsune Ishizaki Masaki Shimamura 1 Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University , Higashi Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Masaki Shimamura Tomohiro Kiyosue 2 Department of Life Science, Graduate School of Science, Gakushuin University , 1-5-1 Mejiro, Tokyo 171-8588, Japan Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Tomohiro Kiyosue Jim Haseloff 3 Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge , Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Jim Haseloff Yuki Hirakawa 1 Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University , Higashi Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Yuki Hirakawa For correspondence: yuki-hirakawa{at}hiroshima-u.ac.jp Abstract Full Text Info/History Metrics Supplementary material Preview PDF Summary Plants can propagate their own clones through asexual reproduction. Genetic and hormonal factors regulating asexual reproduction have begun to be elucidated in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha , which produce asexual propagules called gemmae within the gemma cups. Here, we report an AP2/ERF family gene, GEMMIFER (Mp GMFR ), as a key regulator of asexual reproduction in M. polymorpha . Suppression of MpGMFR function using genome editing and amiRNA results in the loss of gemma and gemma cup formation. In contrast, activation of MpGMFR function using a dexamethasone inducible system promotes gemma and/or gemma cup formation depending on the induction conditions. Notably, transient strong activation of MpGMFR induced gemma initial cells at the meristem, which develop into mature gemmae capable of reproducing as new individuals after detachment. These results show that MpGMFR is necessary and sufficient for the initiation of asexual reproduction at the meristem. Mp GMFR expression was detected from the meristem through to the early stages of gemma development including the gemma cup floor cells. Mp GMFR expression precedes the expression of GEMMA CUP-ASSOCIATED MYB1 (Mp GCAM1 ) in early gemma development, supporting the notion that Mp GMFR initiates asexual reproduction. We anticipate this finding to be a foundation to study the evolution of extra meristem formation in plant bodies that may have made a significant contribution to the prosperity of plants on land. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Funder Information Declared Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, https://ror.org/00hhkn466 , JP22H02676 Takeda Science Foundation, https://ror.org/02y123g31 Japan Science and Technology Agency, https://ror.org/00097mb19 , JPMJGX23B0 Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council , BB/T007117/1 , BB/F011458/1 Leverhulme Trust , ECF-2023-534 Isaac Newton Trust, https://ror.org/02gn6ta77 , ECF-2023-534 Copyright The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license . Back to top Previous Next Posted January 16, 2026. Download PDF Supplementary Material Email Thank you for your interest in spreading the word about bioRxiv. NOTE: Your email address is requested solely to identify you as the sender of this article. Your Email * Your Name * Send To * Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas. 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