So we built a mathematical model of interactions between 2 buds! As a simple self-activating and mutually-inhibiting system. If, as hypothesised, BRC1 affects background rate of bud auxin efflux, modifying this parameter in our model should reproduce the phenotypes of plants w/ altered BRC1 10/n

We used 1- and 2-node explants (stem segments with 1 or 2 buds) as minimal systems for studying the effect of bud-bud interactions. We already knew 2-nodes can show different outcomes: sometimes neither buds grow, only one bud grows and inhibits the other, or both grow, as illustrated below 5/n

In addition to systemic regulation, it's well-known that the transcription factor BRANCHED1 (BRC1), expressed locally in each bud, is an important signal integrator repressing bud activation 3/n

Very fond of the yearly explosion of yellow in front of @SLCU