Figure 8.

Network hubs predict new and conserved regulators for anatomical reconnection during junction formation. The anatomical timeline conserved throughout graftable plants includes initial adhesion, callus proliferation, scion–stock contact, nonvascular cell proliferation, vascular cell proliferation, and restored physiological transport through reconnected phloem and xylem strands (A). There are eight functionally characterized genes involved in graft junction formation in A. thaliana. We have identified 16 candidate genes for graft junction formation in tomato and pepper, many of which are described for the first time as graft-related, and one of which is the first functionally validated gene involved in vegetable crop graft formation (B). Despite the genetic diversity amongst A. thaliana, tomato, and pepper, all involved genes are associated with core anatomical steps along the graft junction timeline (C). The black boxes in B specify the processes captured in the anatomical timelines for tomato and pepper (Figure 2). Functionally validated genes involved in grafting are bolded. Non-transcription factors are notated with an Asterix.