do transcription factors double as signal molecules in plants?
Cell fate in plants is predominantly determined by position during development. Jorgensen discusses a new mechanism by which cells can regulate gene expression in neighboring cells. Several lines of evidence suggest that transcription factors expressed in one cell can traffic through plasmodesmata to regulate gene expression in adjacent cells that are not expressing the transcription factor themselves. In plants, some transcription factors appear to be intercellular signaling molecules, as well as intracellular regulators of gene expression.
