ERF115 Controls Root Quiescent Center Cell Division and Stem Cell Replenishment

The quiescent center (QC) plays an essential role during root development by creating a microenvironment that preserves the stem cell fate of its surrounding cells. Despite being surrounded by highly mitotic active cells, QC cells self-renew at a low proliferation rate. Here, we identified the ERF115 transcription factor as a rate-limiting factor of QC cell division, acting as a transcriptional activator of the phytosulfokine PSK5 peptide hormone. ERF115 marks QC cell division but is restrained through proteolysis by the APC/C(CCS52A2) ubiquitin ligase, whereas QC proliferation is driven by brassinosteroid-dependent ERF115 expression. Together, these two antagonistic mechanisms delimit ERF115 activity, which is called upon when surrounding stem cells are damaged, revealing a cell cycle regulatory mechanism accounting for stem cell niche longevity.