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The cyclophilin A DIAGEOTROPICA gene affects auxin transport in both root and shoot to control lateral root formation

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Cyclophilin A is a conserved peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase) best known as the cellular receptor of the immunosuppressant cyclosporine A. Despite significant effort, evidence of developmental functions of cyclophilin A in non-plant systems has remained obscure. Mutations in a tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) cyclophilin A ortholog, DIAGEOTROPICA (DGT), have been shown to abolish the organogenesis of lateral roots; however, a mechanistic explanation of the phenotype is lacking. Here, we show that the dgt mutant lacks auxin maxima relevant to priming and specification of lateral root founder cells. DGT is expressed in shoot and root, and localizes to both the nucleus and cytoplasm during lateral root organogenesis. Mutation of ENTIRE/IAA9, a member of the auxin-responsive Aux/IAA protein family of transcriptional repressors, partially restores the inability of dgt to initiate lateral root primordia but not the primordia outgrowth. By comparison, grafting of a wild-type scion restores the process of lateral root formation, consistent with participation of a mobile signal. Antibodies do not detect movement of the DGT protein into the dgt rootstock; however, experiments with radiolabeled auxin and an auxin-specific microelectrode demonstrate abnormal auxin fluxes. Functional studies of DGT in heterologous yeast and tobacco-leaf auxin-transport systems demonstrate that DGT negatively regulates PIN-FORMED (PIN) auxin efflux transporters by affecting their plasma membrane localization. Studies in tomato support complex effects of the dgt mutation on PIN expression level, expression domain and plasma membrane localization. Our data demonstrate that DGT regulates auxin transport in lateral root formation. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
The cyclophilin A DIAGEOTROPICA gene affects auxin transport
in both root and shoot to control lateral root formation
Maria G. Ivanchenko
1,
*, Jinsheng Zhu
2
, Bangjun Wang
2,8
, Eva Medvecka
3
, Yunlong Du
4,5
, Elisa Azzarello
6
,
Stefano Mancuso
6
, Molly Megraw
1
, Sergei Filichkin
1
, Joseph G. Dubrovsky
7
, Jir
ıFriml
3,4
and Markus Geisler
2
ABSTRACT
Cyclophilin A is a conserved peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase)
best known as the cellular receptor of the immunosuppressant
cyclosporine A. Despite significant effort, evidence of developmental
functions of cyclophilin A in non-plant systems has remained obscure.
Mutations in a tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) cyclophilin A ortholog,
DIAGEOTROPICA (DGT), have been shown to abolish the
organogenesis of lateral roots; however, a mechanistic explanation of
the phenotype is lacking. Here, we show that the dgt mutant lacks auxin
maxima relevant to priming and specification of lateral root founder cells.
DGT is expressed in shoot and root, and localizes to both the nucleus
and cytoplasm during lateral root organogenesis. Mutation of ENTIRE/
IAA9, a member of the auxin-responsive Aux/IAA protein family of
transcriptional repressors, partially restores the inability of dgt to initiate
lateral root primordia but not the primordia outgrowth. By comparison,
grafting of a wild-type scion restores the process of lateral root
formation, consistent with participation of a mobile signal. Antibodies
do not detect movement of the DGT protein into the dgt rootstock;
however, experiments with radiolabeled auxin and an auxin-specific
microelectrode demonstrate abnormal auxin fluxes. Functional studies
of DGT in heterologous yeast and tobacco-leaf auxin-transport systems
demonstrate that DGT negatively regulates PIN-FORMED (PIN) auxin
efflux transporters by affecting their plasma membrane localization.
Studies in tomato support complex effects of the dgt mutation on PIN
expression level, expression domain and plasma membrane
localization. Our data demonstrate that DGT regulates auxin transport
in lateral root formation.
KEY WORDS: Auxin response, Auxin transport, Lateral root
initiation, Cyclophilin A, DIAGEOTROPICA
INTRODUCTION
The formation of root branches, known as lateral roots, continues
throughout the entire lifespan of a plant. In most eudicot plants such
as Arabidopsis and tomato, lateral root meristems form de novo from
cells in the pericycle cell layer of the parent root (for a recent review,
see Lavenus et al., 2013a). This process comprises several distinct
phases. First, some of the pericycle cells adjacent to a protoxylem
pole in the basal region of the root apical meristem (also referred to
as the transition zone) undergo pre-selection or priming(De Smet
et al., 2007; Moreno-Risueno et al., 2010). In the differentiation
zone of the root, selected pericycle cells become specified as lateral
root founder cells; these cells undergo asymmetric anticlinal
(perpendicular to the root surface) division, giving rise to a file of
short cells referred to as the stage I primordium (Malamy and
Benfey, 1997). Cells in the stage I primordium divide periclinally
(parallel to the root surface) to form a two-cell layered primordium
(stage II). Further development generates a dome-shaped advanced
primordium, then a recognizable meristem forms and the new lateral
root emerges through the overlying tissues of the parent root.
A number of studies have highlighted the organogenetic power of
the plant hormone auxin. Auxin biosynthesis, perception, signaling
and polar transport (PAT) are all required for normal lateral root
formation (reviewed by Benková et al., 2009; Lavenus et al., 2013b;
Overvoorde et al., 2010; Vanneste and Friml, 2009). PAT and auxin
responses are tightly interlinked and difficult to resolve in planta
(Vieten et al., 2005). Expression of the auxin-responsive reporter
gene DR5 in vascular cells in the Arabidopsis root apical meristem
associates with priming of adjacent pericycle cells (De Smet et al.,
2007; Moreno-Risueno et al., 2010), whereas DR5 expression in
pericycle cells in the root differentiation zone of Arabidopsis and
tomato marks their specification as lateral root founder cells
(Benková et al., 2003; Dubrovsky et al., 2008; Himanen et al.,
2002). Both types of DR5 expression patterns are abolished upon
application of the auxin efflux inhibitor 1-N-naphthylphthalamic
acid (NPA), indicating that these auxin responses depend on
PAT (De Smet et al., 2007: Himanen et al., 2002). In Arabidopsis,a
gain-of-function mutation solitary root (slr-1/iaa14) leads to
accumulation of a stabilized form of SLR/IAA14, a member of
the Aux/IAA protein family of transcriptional repressors, and
expression of mIAA14 in wild-type plants inhibits lateral root
formation (Fukaki et al., 2002). A close tomato SLR ortholog is
ENTIRE (E)/Sl-IAA9 (Wu et al., 2012). RNAi lines with decreased
Sl-IAA9 gene expression (Wang et al., 2005) and loss-of-function
e/iaa9 mutants (Zhang et al., 2007) show shoot morphological
defects but normal root development.
In Arabidopsis, PAT relies on two major families of membrane-
localized auxin efflux proteins, PIN and ABCB, and a family of
auxin influx proteins, AUX1/LAX (reviewed by Vanneste and
Friml, 2009). Dynamic recycling of PINs to and from the plasma
membrane is essential for PIN functionality (Geldner et al., 2001;
Grunewald and Friml, 2010; Kleine-Vehn et al., 2008). In the root,
auxin runs from the base towards the tip (acropetal stream) and from
the tip towards the base (basipetal stream). Using a self-referencing
IAA-specific microelectrode that permits noninvasive continuous
recordings of auxin flux rate along the root, it is possible to detect
Received 22 May 2014; Accepted 11 December 2014
1
Oregon State University, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, 2082 Cordley
Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.
2
University of Fribourg, Department of Biology
Plant Biology, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland.
3
Institute of Science and Technology
Austria, Am Campus 1, Klosterneuburg A-3400, Austria.
4
VIB Department of Plant
Systems Biology and Department of Plant Biotechnology and Genetics, Ghent
University, Gent 9052, Belgium.
5
Key Laboratory of Agro-biodiversity and Pest
Management of Education Ministry of China, Yunnan Agricultural University,
Kunming 650201, China.
6
LINVDIPSAAUniversitadi Firenze, Viale delle idee 30,
Sesto Fiorentino 50019, Italy.
7
Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Instituto
de Biotecnologı
a, Departamento de Biologı
a Molecular de Plantas, Apartado
Postal 510-3, 62210 Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
8
School of Life Sciences,
Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
*Author for correspondence (ivanchem@science.oregonstate.edu)
712
© 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd
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Development (2015) 142, 712-721 doi:10.1242/dev.113225
DEVELOPMENT
a distinct peak at the root transition zone (Mancuso et al., 2005;
Santelia et al., 2005), correlating with a PIN-dependent auxin
reflux loopfrom peripheral towards central vascular cells (Blilou
et al., 2005). Less is known about how auxin transporters are
regulated by protein interactions that may influence their
conformation and thus affect trafficking, stability or activity.
Trafficking of ABCBs from the ER to the plasma membrane and
their functionality on the membrane is maintained by the peptidyl-
prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase) FKBP42/TWD1, which does
not interact with PIN auxin transporters (Bouchard et al., 2006;
Wang et al., 2013; Wu et al., 2010).
Similar to FKBPs, cyclophilins (Cyps) display a PPIase activity
in vitro, suggesting they act in protein folding (Schiene-Fischer
and Yu, 2001). FKBPs and Cyps are commonly referred to as
immunophilins due to their high affinity for the immunosuppressive
drugs FK506 and cyclosporine A, respectively. Cyclophilin A
consists of only the core PPIase domain, localizes primarily in the
cytosol and nucleus, and is highly conserved from yeast to humans
[reviewed by Wang and Heitman (2005)]. In higherplants, cyclophilin
A has been linked to auxin-regulated development throughthe cloning
of the diageotropica (dgt) mutation in tomato (Oh et al., 2006). DGT
possessesPPIase activity and might affect plant development through
physiological refolding of target proteins (Oh et al., 2006). One of
the most remarkable phenotypes of dgt is the lack of lateral root
primordium organogenesis (Ivanchenko et al., 2006). In dgt,the
expression of members of the auxin-regulated Aux/IAA gene family
is abnormal to a different degree, depending on organ and
developmental stage (Balbi and Lomax, 2003; Mignolli et al., 2012;
Mito and Bennett, 1995; Nebenführ et al., 2000). Protoplasts from dgt
hypocotyls do not swell but instead decrease in volume when treated
with auxin or antibodies against AUXIN BINDING PROTEIN 1
(ABP1), further suggesting an abnormal auxin response (Christian
et al., 2003). Previous work has reported unchanged auxin transport
in dgt root and shoot, which has led to the hypothesis that DGT
regulates auxin perception or signaling but plays no role in PAT
(Daniel et al., 1989; Muday et al., 1995). Here, we show that DGT is
required for effective auxin transport in planta and in heterologous
auxin-transport systems that lack plant-specific components of auxin
perception and signaling. In contrast to TWD1 involved in regulation
of ABCB auxin transporters, DGT appears to regulate PIN
transporters.
RESULTS
The dgt mutant lacks auxin maxima related to pericycle cell
priming and founder cell specification
We analyzed auxin signals in vascular cells in the root apical
meristem related to pericycle cell priming using DR5:GUS and
IAA2:GUS reporters. DR5 was expressed in vascular cells in wild-
type root tips (Fig. 1A), similar to the pattern reported in
Arabidopsis (De Smet et al., 2007). Remarkably, vascular DR5
signals were completely absent in dgt, although expression in the
quiescent center region (QC) and the central root cap (columella)
was present and even appeared increased compared with wild type.
Treatment with the auxin transport inhibitor NPA abolished DR5
expression in the vascular cells of wild-type roots, causing them to
resemble untreated dgt roots. Upon a pulse treatment with IAA
(5 µM for 3 h), DR5 activity increased in the wild-type vascular
cells but no expression was induced in dgt. On comparing the effect
of a longer IAA treatment (5 µM for 40 h) with that of the synthetic
auxins NAA and 2,4-D, postulated to be inefficiently transported by
the auxin efflux and influx transporter, respectively (Marchant et al.,
1999), we found that IAA and NAA induced multiple lateral root
primordia in the wild-type root tip, whereas 2,4-D increased DR5
expression without primordium induction. None of these treatments
Fig. 1. The dgt mutant lacks auxin signals related
to pericycle cell priming and lateral root
organogenesis. (A) DR5:GUS auxin reporter
expression in wild-type and dgt root tips after
treatments as indicated. Note reporter expression in
vascular cells in the wild-type root apical meristem and
its absence in dgt (arrowhead). The dgt root exhibits
DR5 expression only in the QC region and central root
cap (arrow). Treatment with auxin transport inhibitor
NPA (10 μM for 20 h) abolishes DR5 expression in the
vascular region of wild type. Pulse treatment with IAA
(5 μM for 3 h) increases DR5 expression in stele of the
wild-type root tip but has no effect on dgt. Treatment
with IAA or NAA for 40 h induces lateral root primordia
in the wild-type root tip but not in dgt. 2,4-D increases
DR5 expression at the root tip in wild type but not in
dgt. (B) IAA2:GUS reporter expression in newly
emerged lateral roots induced through meristem
decapitation shows strong expression in stele of wild
type and more peripheral expression in dgt.
(C) Tomato root anatomy (one half of the root is
shown). (D) Wild-type lateral root primordia showing
DR5 expression at the primordia tips. (E) The
differentiation zone of wild-type and dgt roots after
treatment with 5 μM IAA for 3 h. Arrows in D,E denote
divided pericycle cells that do not show DR5
expression. c, cortex; cc, central cylinder; e,
endodermis; ep, epidermis; p, pericycle; x, xylem.
Scale bars: 100 μm in A,B; 30 μm in D,E.
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RESEARCH ARTICLE Development (2015) 142, 712-721 doi:10.1242/dev.113225
DEVELOPMENT
induced DR5 expression in the vascular cells of dgt or primordium
formation (Fig. 1A). Although dgt is unable to form lateral roots,
these can be induced in both wild type and dgt following meristem
decapitation. In induced lateral roots, which are thinner and allow
for more precise tissue assessment in tomato, IAA2 reporter
expression was strong in wild-type vascular cells, whereas in dgt
it was decreased in vascular and increased in peripheral tissues
(Fig. 1B). Furthermore, upon gravitropic stimulation wild-type roots
reoriented their growth direction and demonstrated asymmetric
IAA2:GUS reporter expression on the lower side of the root, whereas
dgt roots did not reorient, and did not show asymmetric IAA2:GUS
expression (supplementary material Fig. S1). Thus, dgt root tips
displayed spatial abnormalities in auxin reporter expression that
could be justifiably interpreted as resulting from a defect in PAT.
We next analyzed auxin signals in pericycle cells in the dgt root
differentiation zone. The tomato root anatomy is similar to that of
Arabidopsis except that the cortex has three cell layers instead of one
(Fig. 1C). In the differentiation zone of the wild-type root, DR5 was
expressed in lateral root primordia and increased at the primordia tips
(Fig. 1D). It appears that in tomato, some primordia are initiated by
relatively longer stretches of divided pericycle cells but those extra
cells do not show DR5 expression and do not participate in further
primordiumdevelopment (Fig. 1D, arrows). Because, intomato, DR5
expression was insufficiently strong at early stages of primordium
organogenesis, we analyzed rootsthat were pulse-treated with IAA for
3 h (F ig. 1E). In these roots, DR5 expression/signal was clearly seen in
founder cells and stage I primordia in wild type, apparently associated
with primordia centers and absent from short pericycle cells at the
primordia periphery. In dgt,noDR5 expression was observed in this
zone. Although some dgt roots exhibited short pericycle cells
apparently resulting from anticlinal pericycle cell division, these
cells did not show DR5 expression (Fig. 1E). We conclude that, in
tomato, DR5 marks auxin signals associated with primordium
initiation and growth; however, such signals are absent in dgt.
To confirm that DR5 expression in vascular cells at the wild-type
tomato root tip is indeed related to the process of pericycle cell
priming, as has been shown in Arabidopsis, we treated seedlings
with a 3 h pulse of IAA, transferred them onto fresh agar plates, and
marked the position of the root tips. As roots elongated below the
mark, the DR5-positive vascular tissues remained just above the
mark. Analysis of the root zone above the mark in a time course
revealed DR5 activity in pericycle cells 20 h after the treatment, and
a few hours later a primordium formed, then a lateral root emerged
(Fig. 2). However, no primordium organogenesis or lateral root
formation was observed in dgt, consistent with the lack of DR5
response in vascular cells of the root apical meristem (Fig. 2).
DGT tissue-specific expression and subcellular localization
DGT:GUS expression was observed in roots, cotyledons and leaves,
and is apparently associated with the vasculature in these tissues
(Fig. 3A-C). DGT activity was broader in cross-sections through the
middle part of the meristem (Fig. 3D), but was restricted to the central
cylinder and pericycle and endodermis near the transition and
elongation zone, where it was observed predominantly at the phloem
poles (Fig. 3E). At the beginning of the differentiation zone, some
DGT expression was also detected in early-stage lateral root
primordia (Fig. 3F). To observe the subcellular localization of
DGT in pericycle cells, we stably expressed a DGT:mCherry-DGT
fusion in Arabidopsis, which has thinner roots that are amenable to
confocal microscope imaging of inner tissues. Consistent with the
DGT:GUS expression in tomato, mCherry-DGT fluorescence was
observed in lateral root founder cells and lateral root primordia in
Arabidopsis roots (Fig. 3G). At the subcellular level, DGT
was observed in the nucleus and the cytoplasm in early-primordia
cells, consistent with the subcellular localization of yeast and
mammalian cyclophilin A (reviewed by Wang and Heitman, 2005).
Transformation the DGT:mCherry-DGT construct into dgt restored
the lateral root formation defect, demonstrating the functionality
of the mCherry-DGT fusion (supplementary material Fig. S2).
The DGT expression pattern supports participation in lateral root
primordium organogenesis and suggests a nuclear and a cytoplasmic
function of DGT.
DGT and E/Sl-IAA9 pathways overlap partially
Transformation of the Arabidopsis IAA14:mIAA14-GFP construct in
tomato resulted in a dramatic reduction in lateral root formation
(Fig. 4A) similar to that observed in Arabidopsis (Fukaki et al.,2002),
indicating conservation of the SLR-governed pathway in tomato. To
test whether DGT genetically interacts with the tomato SLR ortholog
E, we generated a dgt e double mutant. Lateral root formation was
partially restored in the dgt e background, although the appearance
of root branches was much delayed (Fig. 4B). Comparing the
primordium development, we found that wild-type and the esingle
mutant roots exhibited primordia of all stages, dgt roots rarely
exhibited primordium initiation, and dgt e roots predominantly
exhibited structures resembling stage I primordia (Fig. 4C). On
exposure to 5 µM IAA for 40 h, the wild type and the emutant roots
formed lateral root primordia close to the root apex as expected,
whereas dgt and the dgt e double mutant were equally insensitive to
the treatment (Fig. 4D). Thus, downregulation of Epartially restored
the primordium initiation in dgt but not the primordium outgrowth
and the ability to respond to exogenously applied auxin.
Grafting of a wild-type shoot partially restores the lateral root
defect in dgt
Because shoot-derived auxin is known to stimulate the outgrowth of
lateral root primordia in Arabidopsis (Bhalerao et al., 2002), and
application of the auxin transport inhibitor NPA was shown to
Fig. 2. Induction of lateral root organogenesis after treatment with 5 μM
IAA for 3 h. At 0h post-treatment, DR5 expression is increased in developing
vascular cells in the wild-type root tip, but is not observed in dgt.At20h,
adjacent pericycle cells demonstrate DR5 expression and primordium
formation in wild type, and at 72 h a lateral root is formed; this process does not
take place in dgt roots. Panels (0-25 h) show images from cleared roots; panels
(72 h) show live roots on agar plates. e, endodermis; p, pericycle; v, vascular
cells; x, xylem. Scale bars: 50 μm (0, 20 and 25 h); 100 μm (72 h).
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RESEARCH ARTICLE Development (2015) 142, 712-721 doi:10.1242/dev.113225
DEVELOPMENT
inhibit lateral root formation (Reed et al., 1998), we tested whether
grafting of a wild-type scion would improve the lateral root
formation in the dgt rootstock. Seedlings were grafted at the middle
of the hypocotyl as soon as they germinated. At this stage, neither
wild type nor dgt had root branches, and the primary wild-type root
had on average seven primordial, whereas primordia were very rare
in dgt. Older soil-grown dgt plants also had root systems much
smaller than those in wild type. Grafted seedlings were analyzed for
root development at 12 days post-grafting (Fig. 5). As expected, root
development was minimal in self-grafted dgt seedlings compared
with self-grafted wild-type plants (Fig. 5A). The grafting of a dgt
scion onto a wild-type rootstock did not affect the root development.
However, when a wild-type scion was grafted onto a dgt rootstock,
the development of the dgt rootstock was significantly improved,
confirming an earlier report (Zobel, 1973). Histological markers in
the differentiation zone were improved, including asymmetric
pericycle cell division, early-stage primordium formation and DR5
expression in primordia (Fig. 5B). At the root tip, DR5 expression
was missing in vascular cells of self-grafted dgt plants, and was
restored in some of the plants with a dgt rootstock grafted on a wild-
type shoot (Fig. 5C). Furthermore, root growth in a dgt1-1 (AC
background) rootstock was restored upon grafting of an ethylene
overproducing Epinastic (Epi) mutant scion (VFN8 background)
and emutant scion (AC background) but not dgt-dp (Chatham
background), indicating that the effect was a property of the DGT
protein and not the genetic background used for grafting
(supplementary material Fig. S3). Thus, grafting improved the
auxin responses and lateral root formation in the dgt rootstock,
consistent with participation of a mobile signal. We therefore tested
whether DGT could move from the shoot into the root in grafted
plants. An Arabidopsis cyclophilin A antibody (Lippuner et al.,
1994) detects DGT in wild-type tissues but not in dgt tissues in
western blots (Oh et al., 2006). Using this antibody, we could not
detect any DGT signal in dgt rootstocks grafted on wild-type scions
(n=5 plants) (supplementary material Fig. S4), ruling out the
possibility that DGT movement restored the lateral root formation in
grafted dgt rootstocks.
Measurements of auxin transport detect abnormal PAT
fluxes in dgt
To investigate defects in PAT in dgt, transport of radiolabelled IAA
was assayed. Root IAA transport from the root-shoot junction to the
root tip (root-ward) was increased in dgt (Fig. 6A), whereas
transport from the root tip toward its base (shoot-ward) was
decreased (Fig. 6B). By comparison, movement of benzoic acid
(BA), assayed as a diffusion control, was unchanged between dgt
and wild type (Fig. 6A,B). Using an IAA-specific microelectrode,
we then analyzed the IAA influx velocity along the root tip. In wild
type, the transition between the meristem and elongation zone was at
0.85±0.06 mm from the root apex; in dgt it was at 0.58±0.04 mm
(Fig. 6C). An IAA influx peak averaging 188 fmoles cm
2
s
1
was
recorded in this zone in wild type that was dramatically reduced to
106 fmoles cm
2
s
1
in presence of NPA, as expected (Fig. 6C,D).
In dgt, the IAA influx peak averaged only 98 fmoles cm
2
s
1
,
comparable to that in NPA-treated wild-type roots, and even more
strikingly was completely unaffected by the presence of NPA
(Fig. 6C,D). Thus, the dgt root tip seems to be inefficient in
generating an IAA reflux loop at the transition zone and supplying
auxin into vascular cells involved in lateral root formation.
Modulating the DGT level results in changes in cellular IAA
efflux, and subcellular localization and functionality of PIN
auxin transporters
Protoplasts prepared from dgt leaves had an increased IAA efflux
compared with wild type, indicating that DGT is a negative PAT
regulator at the cellular level (Fig. 7A). To separate the effect of
DGT on PAT from that on auxin signaling, we then used a yeast
(Saccharomyces cerevisiae) auxin-transport system. HA-DGT had
no effect on its own, but reduced Arabidopsis PIN2-driven and
synergistic ABCB1/PIN1-mediated IAA efflux, apparently acting
Fig. 3. DGT expression pattern and subcellular
localization. (A-F) Expression of DGT:GUS
reporter in tomato. (A) Five-day-old seedling,
(B) cotyledon, (C) leaf-1 primordium, (D-F)
cross-sections through the middle of the meristem
(D), transition zone (E) and the beginning of the
differentiation zone (F) of an 8-day-old seedling.
Asterisks indicate the pericycle cell layer and an
arrow indicates an early primordium. pp, phloem
pole; xp, xylem pole. (G) Expression of DGT:
mCherry-DGT construct in Arabidopsis.p,
pericycle; x, xylem. Scale bars: 5 mm in A; 300 μm
in B,C; 50 μm in D-F; 20 μminG.
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RESEARCH ARTICLE Development (2015) 142, 712-721 doi:10.1242/dev.113225
DEVELOPMENT
in line with the above-described function as a negative regulator of
auxin efflux (Fig. 7B). HA-DGT had no significant effect on
ABCB1 alone (Fig. 7B), indicating that DGT might act preferably as
a negative regulator of PIN transporters. Because PIN1 is not
functional in S. cerevisiae without ABCB1 (Blakeslee et al., 2007;
Kim et al., 2010), we re-tested the effect of DGT on PIN1 in a
tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana) leaf transport system (Henrichs
et al., 2012). Analogous to the yeast system, a mCherry-DGT fusion
had a negative effect on PIN1-driven IAA efflux but no significant
effect on ABCB1-driven IAA efflux, demonstrating a preferential
regulation of PIN transporters (Fig. 7C).
TargetP searches (at http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/services/TargetP/) did
not reveal any canonical subcellular localization signals in DGT, with
the exception of a potential palmitoylation signal at the C terminus;
such signals are important for protein targeting to the plasma
membrane and/or interactions with membrane proteins. To explore
how DGT could functionally affect auxin transporters, we analyzed
the colocalization of DGT with Arabidopsis PIN1 and ABCB1 upon
co-expression in N. benthamiana leaves. When expressed alone,
DGT localized predominantly in the nucleus, in addition to signals in
the cytoplasm and the cell periphery as expected; PIN1 and ABCB1
localized predominantly to the plasma membrane, consistent with
previous results (Henrichs et al., 2012) (Fig. 7D). When DGT was co-
expressed with ABCB1, the localization of ABCB1 did not change
significantly, but most of the DGT signal disappeared from the
nucleus and appeared on the cell periphery (Fig. 7E), suggesting that
ABCB1 may directly or indirectly affect localization and putative
nuclear and cytoplasmic function of DGT. When DGT was co-
expressed with PIN1, the localization of both proteins was modified:
Fig. 4. Partial overlap between DGT and ENTIRE (E)/Sl-IAA9 pathways.
(A) Inhibition of lateral root formation in tomato upon expression of Arabidopsis
IAA14:mIAA14-GFP construct.(B) Comparison of wild-type and mutant
phenotypes. Lateral root formation is partially restored in dgt e mutant
compared with dgt. (C) Quantification of primordia stages: 3-cm-long root
apices were excised from each genotype and primordia quantified after root
clearing. The percentages of stage I primordia are indicated. Only two
primordia, both from stage I, were found in 20 dgt roots. Data are mean±s.e.m.
(D) Inability of dgt and dgt e mutants to form primordia upon treatment with IAA
(5 µM for 40 h). Morphogenesis of primordia in the transition zone in wild type
and eis marked with asterisks. The larger cell size in dgt and dgt e indicates
that the IAA treatment did not suppress cell elongation in these genotypes.
Scale bar: 30 μminD.
Fig. 5. Grafting of a wild-type shoot partially restores development in the
dgt rootstock. (A) Root system phenotypes in grafted tomato seedlings.
Arrowheads indicate the sites of the graft junctions. The tissue identity is
indicated. (B) Improvement of primordium organogenesis in dgt roots upon
grafting of a wild-type scion. (C) DR5 expression in root tips of grafted plants.
n(dgt/dgt)=10 roots from eight plants, n(dgt/wt)=11 roots from three plants,
n(wt/dgt)=14 roots from five plants, n(wt/wt)=11 roots from three plants. The
number of roots with DR5 expression in vascular tissues is indicated. Scale
bars: 10 mm in A; 30 μminB;50μminC.
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a significant proportion of PIN1 shifted from the plasma membrane
to the nuclear periphery, whereas DGT increased on the cell
periphery (Fig. 7F). The PIN1 internalization following DGT co-
expression explains the negative effect of DGT on PIN-driven auxin
efflux, and the lack of DGT effect on ABCB1 localization is in line
with unchanged ABCB1-driven auxin efflux (Fig. 7B,C). Together,
the data supported a function of DGT in PAT that was independent of
auxin signaling, and identified distinct interactions of DGT with
different types of auxin transporters.
DGT affects PIN expression and localization to the plasma
membrane at the root tip
We analyzed the expression of PIN mRNAs in the apical 1 cm
region of the root. We found no significant change in tomato PIN1a,
blevels, whereas the expression of PIN2 was reduced (Fig. 8A). We
also analyzed the PIN protein behavior using Arabidopsis PIN1 and
PIN2 antibodies. Tomato PIN1 and PIN2 showed a typical polar
Fig. 6. dgt roots show defects in polar auxin transport. (A,B) Acropetal (A)
and basipetal (B) IAA and benzoic acid (BA) transport in wild-type (wt) and dgt
roots. IAA and BA radioactivity sections 5-10 mm (5), 10-15 mm (10) and
15-20 mm (15) from the source; data are mean±s.e.m. (n=4). (C) Images of a
wild-type and a dgt root; arrowheads indicate the length of the meristem.
(D) IAA influx profiles and peak influx rates (inset) along wild-type (wt) and
dgt root tips in the absence and presence of NPA. Data are mean±s.e.m.
(n=12). Asterisk indicates statistically significant differences between
genotypes; # indicates statistically significant differences between treatments
(P0.01, t-test). Scale bar: 50 μm.
Fig. 7. Effect of DGT expression level on PIN- and ABCB-mediated auxin
efflux. (A) dgtleaf protoplasts exhibit increased IAA export (mean±s.e.m.;
n=4). (B) Co-expression of DGT blocks Arabidopsis PIN2 and synergistic
PIN1/ABCB1 IAA export in yeast (mean±s.e.m.; n=4). PIN1 is inactive in the
absence of ABCB1 in the yeast S. cerevisiae. (C) Co-transfection of N.
benthamiana leaves with mCherry-DGT significantly reduces Arabidopsis
PIN1 but not ABCB1 IAA export activity. IAA efflux was calculated relative to
the initial export, where vector control was set to 100% (mean±s.e.m.; n=4).
(D) Single transfection results in nuclear and weak cytoplasmic and PM
labeling (arrow) for mCherry-DGT and PM locations for ABCB1-YFP and
PIN1-YFP, respectively. (E,F) Co-transfection of mCherry-DGT does not alter
ABCB1-YFP location (E) but shifts PIN1-YFP to the nuclear periphery
(F, arrows). Both ABCB1 (E) and PIN1 co-expression (F) enhance mCherry-
DGT presence at the cell periphery. Typical results from four independent
experiments are shown in each case. (A-C) Significant differences
(unpaired t-test with Welchs correction, P<0.05) are indicated by asterisks.
Scale bars: 20 μm.
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DEVELOPMENT
localization known from Arabidopsis, with PIN1 localizing on the
lower/rootward face of cells in central tissues, and PIN2 on the
upper/shootward face of cells in more peripheral tissues (Fig. 8B,C).
Notably, PIN1 signals were essentially missing in stele tissues at the
dgt root tip (Fig. 8B). We could not assess the PIN1 plasma
membrane localization in those cell files due to the low expression
level. In the cell files where PIN1 was normally present its plasma
membrane localization appeared normal (Fig. 8B, inset). By
contrast, PIN2 plasma membrane localization was modified
showing a notably broader localization domain with fuzzy
appearance in the wild type when compared with a narrow more-
compact signal in dgt (Fig. 8C, inset). The PIN2 signal distribution
along the membrane (measured in pixels) was similar in wild type
and dgt (17.2±2.7 vs. 16.2±3.3, respectively) but the distribution of
the signal across the plasma membrane reached 5.0±1.4 in wild type
and only 2.4±0.9 in dgt (P=6.17519E-36; mean±s.d.; n=266 cells
from 13 roots in wild type and 191 cells from eight roots in dgt). In
the wild type, the mean PIN2 signal intensity at the plasma
membrane was 60.64±0.9043 and inside the cell it was 51.12±
0.8276 (ratio inside/PM: 0.8446), whereas in the dgt roots the PIN2
signal at the membrane was 54.55±1.099, and inside the cell it was
42.22±0.9123 (ratio inside/PM: 0.7663). Thus, the PIN2 signal in
dgt roots was overall lower but more sharply defined at the plasma
membrane, and the proportion of PIN2 allocated to the plasma
membrane was significantly higher (P<0.05).
In an attempt to analyze the subcellular trafficking of PIN2, we
also tried treatments with the trafficking inhibitor BFA that in
Arabidopsis interferes with the constitutive endocytic recycling of
PIN proteins to the plasma membrane and leads to PIN
internalization (Geldner et al., 2001; Kleine-Vehn et al., 2008).
The BFA treatment in tomato roots was ineffective as we did not see
the typical BFA compartmentswith internalized PIN proteins, as
observed in Arabidopsis, presumably due to different arrangements
of BFA-sensitive and -insensitive ARF GEFs in tomato when
compared with Arabidopsis. Altogether, the results show that the
dgt mutation affects the PIN expression domain and expression
level, as well as the plasma membrane localization of PIN proteins.
DISCUSSION
Our results show that DGT is required for the generation of PAT-
driven auxin maxima that are essential for lateral root formation.
Two earlier works reported unchanged PAT in dgt (Daniel et al.,
1989; Muday et al., 1995). However, it is important to note that both
studies detected increased transport of radiolabelled IAA in dgt
hypocotyls (Daniel et al., 1989, Fig. 2) and from the root base
towards the root tip (Muday et al., 1995, Fig. 8) but interpreted this
as normal. We observed increased root transport from the root-
shoot junction to the root tip and decreased transport from the root
tip toward the root base, demonstrating clearly abnormal PAT fluxes
and explaining our earlier findings of increased auxin level and
abnormal distribution along the dgt root tip (Ivanchenko et al.,
2006). Although more auxin moves from the aerial parts of dgt into
the root, it is abnormally distributed and no response maxima occur
in stele tissues related to lateral root initiation. Low auxin supply
into the stele of dgt is evident from low expression of auxin-
responsive DR5,IAA2 and PIN1 signals, and inability of the
e/sl-iaa9 mutation to restore the outgrowth of lateral root primordia.
The increased PAT in the dgt shoot might result from increased
cellular efflux, occur in response to PAT deficiencies in the root, or
be related to a putative yet unknown function of DGT in leaves,
whereas the decreased basipetal PAT at the root tip correlated with
decreased expression of PIN2.
The root tip is the most dynamic root region with respect to PAT.
In the tip, auxin is moved down the vascular tissues mainly by PIN1,
and redirected at the transition zone from peripheral into vascular
tissues in a reflux loopby PIN2, PIN3 and PIN7, providing stable
auxin circulation through the meristem (Blilou et al., 2005). The
IAA influx peak recorded at the dgt transition zone with an
IAA-specific microelectrode was reduced to 50% and was
insensitive to NPA, a potent auxin-efflux inhibitor, consistent
with inefficient IAA supply into vascular cells. This defect was
much greater than those reported in loss-of-function Arabidopsis
twd1 mutant (Bouchard et al., 2006; Wang et al., 2013) and pin2
mutant in blue light conditions (Wan et al., 2012), the peaks of
which average at 80% of wild type. The more severe dgt
phenotype argues that multiple transporters, PIN1, PIN2, and
potentially also PIN3 and PIN7, might be regulated by DGT.
We also observed that grafting of a wild-type scion partially
rescued the auxin response in the root tip vasculature of the dgt
rootstock, leading to primordium initiation, and antibodies did not
detect DGT movement into the rootstock. We therefore hypothesize
that the rescue was achieved through improving auxin transport
from the wild-type scion. A recent study in Arabidopsis has shown
Fig. 8. PIN expression and plasma membrane localization in dgt root tips.
(A) Relative expression of tomato PIN1a,PIN1b and PIN2 mRNA in root tips of
wild-type and dgt seedlings (combined values from three experiments
performed in duplicate). Data are mean±s.e.m., P<0.01. (B) Immunodetection of
tomato PIN1 in root tips of wild type and dgt (arrowheads). (C) Immunodetection
of tomato PIN2 in root tips of wild type and dgt (arrowheads). PIN2 signal is
more condensed in dgt compared withwild type. PIN signals are present in stele
of wild-type roots (asterisks) but absent in dgt. Representative images are
from four independent experiments with total of 60 roots per group. Scale bars:
50 μminB;75μminC.
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DEVELOPMENT
that radiolabelled auxin moves down the vasculature from the shoot
through plasmodesmal connections in the phloem and accumulates
at the root tip, but that the signal is barely perceptible in NPA-treated
plants, demonstrating a strong dependence on PAT (Bishopp et al.,
2011). Thus, the simplest explanation of our grafting results is that
in the grafted wild-type scion, auxin is more successfully channeled
into the vasculature, allowing for movement into the vasculature of
the dgt rootstock. Auxin transport from developing true leaves has
been reported to stimulate the emergence of lateral root primordia
(Bhalerao et al., 2002), whereas basipetal PAT from the root tip has
been proposed to stimulate the primordium initiation (Casimiro
et al., 2001). Our results show that, at least in tomato, the shoot is
important for root primordium initiation.
In contrast to the Arabidopsis immunophilin TWD1, which has
been demonstrated to act as a positive regulator of ABCB-driven
auxin efflux (Bouchard et al., 2006; Wang et al., 2013; Wu et al.,
2010), our functional studies implicate DGT as a negative regulator
of auxin efflux that preferentially affects PIN transporters at the
cellular level. First, protoplasts from dgt leaves displayed an
increased IAA efflux, whereas overexpression of DGT in tobacco
leaves reduced the PIN-mediated IAA efflux. Second, in a yeast-
based auxin-transport system, which lacks plant-specific auxin
responses, DGT co-expression still reduced the PIN-mediated IAA
efflux, providing strong evidence that DGT affects PIN
functionality independently of auxin signaling. As to how DGT
could affect auxin transporters at the protein level, DGT reduced the
PIN1 plasma membrane localization simultaneously with reducing
the PIN1-mediated auxin efflux upon co-expression in tobacco
leaves. This result agrees with previous observations in Arabidopsis
showing that increasing PIN levels at the plasma membrane leads to
elevated auxin efflux (Paciorek et al., 2005; Robert et al., 2010).
Furthermore, the proportion of PIN2 on the plasma membrane
versus inside the cell was also increased at the dgt root tip and
displayed a sharper signal when compared with wild type. Together,
the data demonstrate that DGT is implicated in a mechanism related
to membrane localization of PINs. However, both PIN1 and
ABCB1 were also able to modify the subcellular localization of
DGT upon co-expression in tobacco leaves, suggesting complex
inter-relationships among all three types of proteins. Whether
DGT interacts with PINs (and ABCBs) directly or via other proteins
or molecules remains to be determined. Given that the gene
transcription of DGT is downregulated by auxin at the root tip
(Ivanchenko et al., 2013), that PIN expression is upregulated in
Arabidopsis (Vieten et al., 2005), and PIN and ABCB activities
interact synergistically (Blakeslee et al., 2007), one can envision an
extremely complex functional feedback between DGT level, auxin
level, functionality and membrane localization of PINs, and
maintenance of PAT fluxes at the plant level. This complexity is
evident in the observed complex effect of the dgt mutation on the
expression levels of the PIN genes and their expression domain, and
on PIN protein localization to the plasma membrane at root tip.
It has been shown that mutations in the rice cyclophilin gene
OsCYP2 cause a similar inability to form lateral roots (Kang et al.,
2013; Zheng et al., 2013) and mutations in the DGT ortholog in the
moss Physcomitrella patens cause auxin-resistant phenotypes (Lavy
et al., 2012), demonstrating a conservation of DGT-like function in
auxin-regulated development. Several aspects of cyclophilin A
function have also emerged in non-plant systems, suggesting it to be
a multifunctional protein. Cyclophilin A has been linked to
regulation of protein activity (Brazin et al., 2002; Colgan et al.,
2004), protein interactions (Zander et al., 2003; Sorin and Kalpana,
2006) and protein trafficking (Ansari et al., 2002; Galigniana et al.,
2004). Another suggested function of yeast and mammalian
cyclophilin A is regulation of gene expression at the level of
chromatin folding (Arévalo-Rodríguez et al., 2000; Pijnappel et al.,
2001; Arévalo-Rodríguez and Heitman, 2005; Lu et al., 2006). Our
findings demonstrate a role of a plant cyclophilin A in polar auxin
transport. Some phenotypes of the dgt mutant cannot be directly
explained by a defect in auxin transport, e.g. the inability of dgt to
respond to exogenously applied auxin with increased DR5 auxin
reporter expression at the root tip, and the partial restoration of
lateral root formation by a loss of ENTIRE (IAA9). Therefore, in
addition to affecting auxin-regulated gene expression via regulating
PAT, DGT could also have a direct effect on auxin signaling, or even
act more broadly on gene expression, possibilities suggested by the
nuclear expression of DGT. In addition, the dgt root tip shows an
increased level of hydrogen peroxide (H
2
O
2
) (Ivanchenko et al.,
2013), and this oxidative environment could contribute to
decreasing the auxin sensitivity of dgt due to auxin oxidation, to
which grafted plants might be less susceptible because of the direct
auxin delivery into vascular tissues.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Plant material and growth conditions
Wild-type tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), dgt1-1 and entire (e)mutants
in the Ailsa Craig (AC) background, and Arabidopsis seedlings in the
Columbia 0 (Col ) background were used unless otherwise stated. The
dgt1-1 and dgt-dp tomato mutant alleles (Oh et al., 2006), the emutant
(Zhang et al., 2007), Epi mutant (Fujino et al., 1988), transgenic tomato
DR5:GUS line (Dubrovsky et al., 2008), tomato IAA2:GUS line
(Dubrovsky et al., 2011) and IAA14:mIAA14-GFP construct (Fukaki
et al., 2002) have been reported. Tomato and Arabidopsis seedlings were
grown in 0.2× MS agar medium with vitamins (PhytoTechnology). Indole-
3-acetic acid (IAA) (Sigma), N-naphthalene-acetic acid (NAA) (Sigma),
2,4-dichloro phenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) (Sigma) and NPA (Chem
Service) were used at concentrations and exposure times as indicated.
For grafting, tomato seedlings were germinated in vermiculite moistened
with 0.2× MS liquid medium and grafted as described in Arabidopsis
(Turnbull et al., 2002).
Cloning procedures and plant transformation
For the DGT:GUS construct, the 5flanking region of the DGT gene from
1389 to +36 bp was cloned between the KpnI and BamHI sites in a
pCAMBIA1300 vector (http://www.cambia.org), and the GUS-coding
sequence between the BamHI and SalI sites. A TGA stop codon was
introduced at the end of GUS. For the DGT:mCherry-DGT construct, the 5
region of the DGT gene was cloned between the HindIII and SalI sites of
pCAMBIA1300, and an mCherry-DGT in-frame fusion was introduced
between the SalI and BamHI sites. For expression in N. benthamiana leaves,
the mCherry-DGT fusion was amplified by PCR and cloned under 35S
constitutive promoter between BamHI and SpeI sites in pCB302-3. For yeast
expression, HA-DGT fusion was generated by PCR and cloned between
BamHI and SalI sites in pRS314CUP. Arabidopsis transformation was
performed by the floral dip method, and tomato transformation as described
previously (Ivanchenko et al., 2006).
Histological analyses and microscopy
GUS staining was performed as described previously (Ivanchenko et al.,
2006) and westernblot as described previously (Oh etal., 2006). For meristem
and lateral root primordium analyses, roots were cleared as described
previously (Malamy and Benfey, 1997), and mounted in saturated chloral
hydrate solution in 10% glycerol. For tissue sectioning, roots stained for GUS
were imbedded in Technovit 7100 (Electron Microscopy Sciences). Root
samples were analyzed under a Zeiss Axiovert microscope with differential
interference contact (DIC) optics. Confocal microscopy in Arabidopsis roots
and N. benthamiana leaves was performed using an inverted Zeiss LSM 510
Meta (Carl Zeiss) microscope with ×63 (NA 1.2, C-Apochromat) objective
with water immersion.
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DEVELOPMENT
Auxin transport assays
Root acropetal (root-shoot junction to root tip) and basipetal (root tip to root
base) PAT measurements were performed as described previously (Lewis
and Muday, 2009). Continuous recordings of IAA fluxes at the root apex
with a self-referencing IAA-specific microelectrode were performed as
described previously (Mancuso et al., 2005). For NPA response, plants were
treated with or without 5 μM NPA for 2 h. Yeast IAA transport was
performed as described previously (Kim et al., 2010). Relative export from
yeast is calculated from retained radioactivity as follows: (radioactivity in
the yeast at time t=10 min)(radioactivity in the yeast at time t=0)×(100%)/
(radioactivity in the yeast at t=0 min); mean values from four independent
experiments are presented. IAA export from N. benthamiana leaf tissue was
analyzed as described previously (Mravec et al., 2009; Henrichs et al.,
2012). Tomato protoplast assays were conducted as for tobacco, except that
enzyme digestion was performed overnight at room temperature. Relative
export from protoplasts is calculated from exported radioactivity as follows:
(radioactivity in the protoplasts at time t=xmin)(radioactivity in the
protoplasts at time t=0)×(100%)/(radioactivity in the protoplasts at t=0 min);
mean values from four independent experiments are presented.
Quantification of PIN mRNA expression
RT-qPCR was performed as described previously (Ivanchenko et al., 2013).
Primers for tomato PIN1a (Bayer et al., 2009), PIN1b (Acc. HQ127074) and
PIN2 (Acc. HQ127077) were designed to include part of the 3UTRs:
PIN1a F 5-AGCACAGGGGTCATATTTGG, R 5-TCCCAACAATTG-
ACCATTCA; PIN1b F 5-TCCTGACATTCTTAGCACAGC, R 5-TTTA-
TCTCCATGCCAATTGCT; PIN2 F 5-CAGGACCAGCTGTTATTGCT,
R5-CCAAGTCTACACACCAAGAAGC.
Analyses of PIN expression at the root tip
Roots from 8-day-old tomato seedlings were probed with Arabidopsis anti-
PIN1 or -PIN2 primary antibody (1:1000) and Cyanine Dye3 (Cy3)-
conjugated anti-rabbit secondary antibody (1:600) (Sigma) following a
whole-mount procedure as described for Arabidopsis (Sauer et al., 2006).
Images were acquired using a Zeiss LSM 700 upright confocal microscope.
To quantify PIN2 distribution in root epidermal cells of wild type and dgt,
measurements were performed with ImageJ2x software and analyzed with
GraphPad Prism6 software. Obtained data were tested by MannWhitney
test to assess significance. The PIN2 levels inside the cell were measured as
the mean gray value of pixel intensity using the poligonoption, and the
PIN2 levels at the plasma membrane as the mean gray value of pixel
intensity using the segmented linesoption with line widthset to three
pixels. For each cell, the distribution of the PIN2 signal across the membrane
was measured in pixels as the length of the area possessing PIN2 signal
(thicknessof the PM signal). The distribution of the PIN2 signal along the
same plasma membrane (length of the PM domain with signal) was
measured to normalize for differences in cell size.
Acknowledgements
We thank S. Napsucialy-Mendivil, L. Charrier (Department of Biology, University of
Fribourg, Switzerland) and Kathy Cook (Microtechniques Laboratory, Oregon State
University, USA) for technical assistance; Hideriro Fukaki (Department of Biology,
Kobe University, Japan) for the IAA14:mIAA14-GFP construct; Chris Kuhlemeyer
(Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Switzerland) for the tomato PIN1a
sequence; Charles Gasser (University of California Davis, USA) for cyclophilin A
antibody; M. J. Ek Ramos and T. P. Devarenne (Department of Biochemistry and
Biophysics, Texas A&M University, USA) for advice in tomato protoplast
preparation; and The Tomato Genetics Resource Center at University of California,
Davis (http://tgrc.ucdavis.edu/) for seeds of the entire (e)andEpinastic (Epi)tomato
mutants.
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing or financial interests.
Author contributions
M.G.I., M.G. and J.F. designed experiments. M.G.I. generated expression constructs,
prepared transgenic Arabidopsis and tomato lines, analyzed reporter expression,
generated and analyzed dgt e mutants, and performed grafting experiments. J.Z. and
B.W. performed PAT measurements in tomato, N. benthamiana and S. cerevisiae
auxin transport assays, and confocal microscope imaging of protein localization. E.M.
analyzed PIN1and PIN2 expression intomato root tips. Y.D. analyzed PIN expression
in response to BFA treatment. E.A. and S.M. performed measurements of IAA fluxes
with an IAA-specific microelectrode. M.M. performed statistical analysis of PIN
expression in BFA-treated roots. S.F. performed RT-qPCRof PIN mRNA expression.
J.G.D. performed confocal microscope analyses of DGT:mCherry expression in
Arabidopsis roots. M.G.I. wrote the paper with inputs from M.G. and J.F. All authors
participated with data analysis and interpretation.
Funding
Financial support was provided by the USDA National Research Initiative
Competitive Grants Program [2007-35304-17728 to M.G.I.], by the Oregon State
University General Research Fund (to M.G.I.), by PRIN 2010-11 PRO-ROOT(to
S.M.), by Mexican CONACyT [127957, J.G.D.], by PAPIIT-DGAPA, by Universidad
Nacional AutonomadeMe
xico [IN204312 to J.G.D.], by the Odysseus program of
Research Foundation-Flanders (J.F.), by the Pool de Recherche of the University of
Fribourg (M.G.), by the Novartis Foundation (M.G.) and by Swiss NationalFunds (M.G.).
Supplementary material
Supplementary material available online at
http://dev.biologists.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1242/dev.113225/-/DC1
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RESEARCH ARTICLE Development (2015) 142, 712-721 doi:10.1242/dev.113225
DEVELOPMENT
... Biosynthesis, perception, signaling, and polar transport of auxin are required for normal lateral root development [94]. SlCyp1, a tomato gene that encodes a peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase, has been reported to mediate lateral root development through alteration in the localization of PIN-FORMED auxin efflux transporters [95]. Despite the detection of the Cyp1 protein in phloem exudates collected from various species [96][97][98], the role of Cyp1, as a phloem-borne systemic signal, in the regulation of root development has only recently been deciphered [93,97,98]. ...
... The pleiotropic phenotypes of the diageotropica (dgt) mutant, which carries a point mutation on SlCyp1, result in a defect in auxin response pathways, and hence, reprogramming of the transcription profile of the mutant root system [95,99]. Experiments using heterografting techniques, employed between wild-type tomato scion and the dgt mutant rootstock, showed that the graft-transmissible SlCyp1 signal could restore xylem differentiation, root response to auxin treatment, and lateral root formation in the mutant rootstock [95,99,100] (Figure 3a). ...
... The pleiotropic phenotypes of the diageotropica (dgt) mutant, which carries a point mutation on SlCyp1, result in a defect in auxin response pathways, and hence, reprogramming of the transcription profile of the mutant root system [95,99]. Experiments using heterografting techniques, employed between wild-type tomato scion and the dgt mutant rootstock, showed that the graft-transmissible SlCyp1 signal could restore xylem differentiation, root response to auxin treatment, and lateral root formation in the mutant rootstock [95,99,100] (Figure 3a). ...
Article
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Food security has become a topic of great concern in many countries. Global food security depends heavily on agriculture that has access to proper resources and best practices to generate higher crop yields. Crops, as with other plants, have a variety of strategies to adapt their growth to external environments and internal needs. In plants, the distal organs are interconnected through the vascular system and intricate hierarchical signaling networks, to communicate and enhance survival within fluctuating environments. Photosynthesis and carbon allocation are fundamental to crop production and agricultural outputs. Despite tremendous progress achieved by analyzing local responses to environmental cues, and bioengineering of critical enzymatic processes, little is known about the regulatory mechanisms underlying carbon assimilation, allocation, and utilization. This review provides insights into vascular-based systemic regulation of photosynthesis and resource allocation, thereby opening the way for the engineering of source and sink activities to optimize the yield performance of major crops.
... Not much information on genetic control of pericycle cell commitment to form LRs is available for other species. In tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), DIAGEOTROPICA (DGT), encoding a single domain Cyclophilin A, is absolutely required for pericycle commitment to form LRs (Ivanchenko et al., 2006(Ivanchenko et al., , 2015. Interestingly, this phenotype is also auxin dependent. ...
... Interestingly, this phenotype is also auxin dependent. The grafting of a wild-type scion is capable to restore deficient auxin transport from shoot to root, and this partially rescues the pericycle capacity to form LRs (Ivanchenko et al., 2015). In maize, a monocot-specific Aux/IAA protein, encoded by ROOTLESS WITH UNDETECTABLE MERISTEM 1 (RUM1), similarly to A. thaliana SLR interacts with ARFs (ZmARF25 and ZmARF34) and is required for pericycle cell commitment to form LRs (von Behrens et al., 2011). ...
Chapter
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Pericycle is a primary tissue of plant roots with meristematic properties and is the site for the initiation of lateral roots and two secondary meristems, the vascular cambium and phellogen (cork cambium). Pericycle pluripotent cell properties are also revealed during cultivation of root explants in shoot regeneration media. In this article, the characteristics of the pericycle related to each of its functions are reviewed. During lateral root development, five important and coordinated events take place in the pericycle: founder cell identity acquisition, cell division competence, asymmetric cell division, new organ growth axis establishment and lateral inhibition. Cellular and molecular bases of these processes as well as transcriptomic insights in pericycle cell identity are discussed. Cell cycle and related genetic control in pericycle development are also addressed. Cellular and molecular bases of participation of pericycle in the formation of lateral meristems, vascular cambium and phellogen (cork cambium), differences among eudicots and monocots in pericycle development, as well as participation of pericycle in loading of mineral nutrients and unloading of organic compounds are also reviewed. Key Concepts The pericycle is a primary tissue with pluripotent properties that participates in lateral root (LR) formation. In eudicots, it also gives rise to two lateral meristems: vascular cambium and cork cambium (phellogen). Pericycle is typical of plant roots and is the most external cell layer (or layers) of the vascular cylinder. In other plant organs, pericycle or pericycle‐like cell layers can also be present depending on taxon. Outside the root apical meristem, in the root differentiation zone of eudicots, the xylem pole pericycle (XPP) maintains its proliferation activity. Due to its proliferation activity, pericycle possesses high regenerative properties involved in regeneration of shoots from roots. The XPP and phloem pole pericycle (PPP) are characterised by distinct transcriptomic profiles related to their adjacent vascular tissues. Pericycle cells committed for LR development in monocots and eudicots retain the common features related to cell cycle, active auxin synthesis, transport and signalling, and responsiveness to nitrates. LR formation starts from pericycle founder cell specification which is auxin dependent and implies drastic developmental changes in genetic programs involved in asymmetric cell division, new organ growth axis establishment and lateral inhibition. The first founder cell specification is followed by the recruitment of neighbouring pericycle cells that leads to the formation of a morphogenetic field of founder cells giving rise to a LR. The transition from primary to secondary growth starts in the pericycle and procambium and leads to the formation of vascular cambium and phellogen which are coordinated processes dependent on auxin and cytokinin. Pericycle maintains high metabolic activity and participates in loading phloem and xylem and in unloading phloem and thus is involved in shoot‐to‐root and root‐to‐shoot long‐distance transport.
... The e mutant has a constitutive response phenotype to auxin, since it is a loss-of-function of the tomato AUX/IAA9 (SlIAA9) gene, which acts as a negative regulator of auxin signaling (Zhang et al., 2007). The dgt mutant is a loss-of-function of the tomato CYCLO-PHILIN1 gene (SlCYP1; Oh et al., 2006) required for the effective transport of auxin and regulation of PIN transporters (Ivanchenko et al., 2015). Homozygous double transgenic-mutant OE#2, e and OE#2, dgt plants showed strong reduction of shoot development (Fig. 5A), when compared to OE#2 plants. ...
... Firstly, significant reductions in bud length were observed in the double transgenicmutant CKX2-OE, dgt and CKX2-OE, e. These results show that altered basipetal auxin transport in the main stem of dgt (Ivanchenko et al., 2015;Silva et al., 2018) or auxin sensitivity in e (Wang et al., 2005;Zhang et al., 2007) interfere in shoot branching of CK-deficient tomato plants. Secondly, reduced transcriptional levels of the auxin export-related genes PIN1, PIN4 and PIN7 in buds and PIN1 and PIN7 in hypocotyls were associated with lower auxin transport in stem of intact tomato CKX2-OE plants. ...
Article
Full-text available
Tomato production is influenced by shoot branching, which is controlled by different hormones. Here we produced tomato plants overexpressing the cytokinin-deactivating gene CYTOKININ OXYDASE 2 (CKX2). CKX2-overexpressing (CKX2-OE) plants showed an excessive growth of axillary shoots, the opposite phenotype expected for plants with reduced cytokinin content, as evidenced by LC-MS analysis and ARR5-GUS staining. The TCP transcription factor SlBRC1b was downregulated in the axillary buds of CKX2-OE and its excessive branching was dependent on a functional version of the GRAS-family gene LATERAL SUPPRESSOR (LS). Grafting experiments indicated that increased branching in CKX2-OE plants is unlikely to be mediated by root-derived signals. Crossing CKX2-OE plants with transgenic antisense plants for the strigolactone biosynthesis gene CAROTENOID CLEAVAGE DIOXYGENASE (CCD7-AS) produced an additive phenotype, indicating independent effects of cytokinin and strigolactones on increased branching. On the other hand, CKX2-OE plants showed reduced polar auxin transport and their bud outgrowth was reduced when combined with auxin mutants. Accordingly, CKX2-OE basal buds did not respond to auxin applied in the decapitated apex. Our results suggest that tomato shoot branching depends on a fine-tuning of different hormonal balances and that perturbations in the auxin status could compensate for the reduced cytokinin levels in CKX2-OE plants. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s43897-022-00032-1.
... These observations strongly indicate that OsCyp2-P affects the signaling and transport of auxin in rice. In tomato, CYPA has been shown to regulate PIN-Formed auxin efflux transporters by disturbing their localization on the plasma membrane (Ivanchenko et al. 2015). ...
... Impaired IAA genes have phenotypic effects on lateral roots, studied in mutants such as iaa16-1 mutant, which showed an anomaly in root elongation and lateral root initiation pattern (Rinaldi et al. 2012). A mutation study of IAA9 transcriptional repressors could restore the inability of dgt mutant to partially initiate lateral root primordia but not the primordia outgrowth (Ivanchenko et al. 2015). Our study further demonstrated that the expression of OsIAA11 and OsIAA16 was downregulated in KD transgenic plants (Fig. 5). ...
Article
OsCYP2-P is an active cyclophilin (having peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase activity, PPIase) isolated from the wild rice Pokkali having a natural capacity to grow and yield seeds in coastal saline regions of India. Transcript abundance analysis in rice seedlings showed the gene is inducible by multiple stresses, including salinity, drought, high temperature, and heavy metals. To dissect the role of OsCYP2-P gene in stress response, we raised overexpression (OE) and knockdown (KD) transgenic rice plants with >2-3 folds higher and ~2-fold lower PPIase activity, respectively. Plants overexpressing this gene had more favourable physiological and biochemical parameters (K+ /Na+ ratio, electrolytic leakage, membrane damage, antioxidant enzymes) than wild type, and the reverse was observed in plants that were knocked down for this gene. We propose that OsCYP2-P contributes to stress tolerance via maintenance of ion homeostasis and thus prevents toxic cellular ion buildup and membrane damage. OE plants were found to have a higher harvest index and higher number of filled grains under salinity and drought stress than wild type. OsCYP2-P interacts with calmodulin, indicating it functions via the Ca-CaM pathway. Compared to the WT, the germinating OE seeds exhibited a substantially higher auxin level, and this hormone was below the detection limits in the WT and KD lines. These observations strongly indicate that OsCyp2-P affects the signaling and transport of auxin in rice.
... StTCP15 regulates the dormancy and germination of potato tubers by affecting the dynamic balance between ABA and GA [14]. Compared to the model plant Arabidopsis and other graminaceous crops, few studies on the genes or miRNAs related to the potato root architecture have been reported so far [15][16][17]. ...
Article
Full-text available
MicroRNAs are a class of endogenous, non-coding, small-RNA molecules with important functions in plant development and stress response processes. Root systems are important because they allow plants to absorb nutrients and water from the soil and are fundamental for anchoring the plant and responding to environmental signals. However, the roles of miRNAs underlying root development remain poorly investigated in potato. In this research, small-RNA sequencing was performed to thoroughly detect underlying miRNAs and their roles in regulating root development between the early root (ER) stage and the mature root (MR) stage of potato roots. A total of 203 known and 137 novel miRNAs were obtained, and 64 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) were identified between the ER and MR stages. The expression patterns of 12 DEMs were also determined via qRT-PCR. In addition, a mixed degradome library was constructed from the ER and the MR stages to identify the targets of the identified miRNAs, and 2400 target genes were verified to be the targets of 131 miRNAs. Based on target annotation, we identified that nine target genes of six DEMs were probably involved in potato root development, and eight targets of six DEMs were validated via 5’-RLM-RACE assays. These targets may participate in root development by regulating cell proliferation, root cultures (PGSC0003DMT400013837), root meristem growth (PGSC0003DMT400079970), root morphogenesis (PGSC0003DMT400040282), post-embryonic root development (PGSC0003DMT400021612), root hair elongation (PGSC0003DMT400034518), cell wall repair (PGSC0003DMT400074930), and auxin polar transport (PGSC0003DMT400079970), and by negatively regulating cell proliferation (PGSC0003DMT400009997) and cell growth (PGSC0003DMT400003464). The qRT-PCR analysis indicated that most miRNAs have opposing expression patterns to their targets. It is widely accepted that potato root development is regulated by miRNAs, among which stu-miR8006-p5-1ss9AT is substantially down-regulated during root development. We show here that the suppression of stu-miR8006-p5-1ss9AT led to an alteration in the potato root architecture and that it targeted auxin induction in the root culture protein 12-encoding gene that is potentially involved in the regulation of root development. In addition, the suppression of stu-miR8006-p5-1ss9AT led to a significant alteration in the potato root architecture. Altogether, our results might provide some useful insights into stu-miR8006-p5-1ss9AT and the crucial role that it plays in potato root development; they could also facilitate the molecular genetic breeding of potato.
... Auxin influx carrier AUX/LAX and PIN families encode auxin input and export carrier proteins, respectively [49][50][51], which both mediate the polar transport of auxin. DIAGEOTROPICA encodes a cyclophilin A-type protein (SlCYP1), which regulates auxin polar transport by altering the abundance of PIN at the plasma membrane, thereby positively regulating the initiation of ARs [52][53][54]. In this study, PIN also plays an important role in the initiation of alfalfa ARs. ...
Article
Full-text available
Background Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) as an important legume plant can quickly produce adventitious roots (ARs) to form new plants by cutting. But the regulatory mechanism of AR formation in alfalfa remains unclear. Results To better understand the rooting process of alfalfa cuttings, plant materials from four stages, including initial separation stage (C stage), induction stage (Y stage), AR primordium formation stage (P stage) and AR maturation stage (S stage) were collected and used for RNA-Seq. Meanwhile, three candidate genes (SAUR, VAN3 and EGLC) were selected to explore their roles in AR formation. The numbers of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of Y-vs-C (9,724) and P-vs-Y groups (6,836) were larger than that of S-vs-P group (150), indicating highly active in the early AR formation during the complicated development process. Pathways related to cell wall and sugar metabolism, root development, cell cycle, stem cell, and protease were identified, indicating that these genes were involved in AR production. A large number of hormone-related genes associated with the formation of alfalfa ARs have also been identified, in which auxin, ABA and brassinosteroids are thought to play key regulatory roles. Comparing with TF database, it was found that AP2/ERF-ERF, bHLH, WRKY, NAC, MYB, C2H2, bZIP, GRAS played a major regulatory role in the production of ARs of alfalfa. Furthermore, three identified genes showed significant promotion effect on AR formation. Conclusions Stimulation of stem basal cells in alfalfa by cutting induced AR production through the regulation of various hormones, transcription factors and kinases. This study provides new insights of AR formation in alfalfa and enriches gene resources in crop planting and cultivation.
... Next, we evaluated PIN polarity using Arabidopsis-derived PIN1 (Gälweiler et al., 1998) and PIN2 antibodies in S. hermonthica roots. Both PIN1 and PIN2 antibodies have been shown to recognize PIN orthologues in other plants species and can thus be used as tools to evaluate auxin flux within the root meristem (Lee et al., 2009;Ivanchenko et al., 2015;Pasternak et al., 2015). ...
Article
Full-text available
The parasitic plant Striga (Striga hermonthica) invades the host root through the formation of a haustorium and has detrimental impacts on cereal crops. The haustorium results from the prehaustorium, which is derived directly from the differentiation of the Striga radicle. The molecular mechanisms leading to radicle differentiation shortly after germination remain unclear. In this study, we determined the developmental programs that regulate terminal prehaustorium formation in S. hermonthica at cellular resolution. We showed that shortly after germination, cells in the root meristem undergo multiplanar divisions. During growth, the meristematic activity declines and associates with reduced expression of the stem cell regulator PLETHORA1 and the cell cycle genes CYCLINB1 and HISTONE H4. We also observed a basal localization of the PIN-FORMED (PIN) proteins and a decrease in auxin levels in the meristem. Using the structural layout of the root meristem and the polarity of outer-membrane PIN proteins, we constructed a mathematical model of auxin transport that explains the auxin distribution patterns observed during S. hermonthica root growth. Our results reveal a fundamental molecular and cellular framework governing the switch of S. hermonthica roots to form the invasive prehaustoria.
... In most eudicot plants such as Arabidopsis and tomato, lateral roots are derived from the xylem pole pericycle cells of the primary root (Van Norman et al., 2013). The development of lateral roots comprises several distinct phases (Ivanchenko et al., 2015). First, some of the xylem pole pericycle cells in the transition zone undergo "priming." ...
Chapter
Brassinosteroids (BRs) are plant steroidal hormones involved in several key physiological and biochemical processes of plants, i.e., vascular differentiation, seed germination, fertility, shoot and root growth, and flowering and also in response to environmental stresses. BRs were first identified in the pollen of Brassica napus in the early 1970s, and later during the same decade several members of the BR family were isolated from different plant species. BRs are synthesized most likely in the endoplasmic reticulum of plant cell and its synthesis is controlled by several transcription factors. External factors such as nutrient availability also influence BR biosynthesis and signaling. Moreover, BR signaling plays a crucial role in regulating diverse processes related to plant growth under normal and suboptimal growth environments. These compounds exist in free and conjugated form and their activity is highly dependent on the presence of hydroxyl group on side chain or steroid ring. Among various forms of BRs, 24-epibrassinolide (EBL) has been identified as the most active BR. During the past five decades, the BRs biosynthesis pathways have been well investigated with reverse and forward genetic techniques and nearly 60 compounds with a structure similar to that of BRs have been detected and isolated from various plant parts. These compounds were found in bryophytes (2 families), algae (6 families), pteridophytes (8 families), gymnosperms (4 families), angiosperms (35 families), and in some other plant-derivative products. This chapter discusses the initiation of research on BRs, their discovery, inhibitors, classification, and biodiversity. Moreover, it also highlights the mechanism of BR biosynthesis and signaling in plants.
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Auxin is an important hormone playing crucial roles during fruit growth and ripening, however, the metabolic impact of changes in auxin signalling during tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) ripening remains unclear. Here, we investigated the significance of changes in auxin signalling during different stages of fruit development by analysing changes in tomato fruit quality and primary metabolism using mutants with either lower or higher auxin sensitivity [diageotropica (dgt) and entire mutants, respectively]. Altered auxin sensitivity modifies metabolism, through direct impacts on fruit respiration and fruit growth. We verified that the dgt mutant plants exhibit reductions in fruit set, total fruit dry weight, fruit size, number of seeds per fruit, and fresh weight loss during post-harvest. Sugar accumulation was associated with delayed fruit ripening in dgt, likely connected with reduced ethylene levels and respiration, coupled with a lower rate of starch degradation. By contrast, despite exhibiting parthenocarpy, increased auxin perception (entire) did not alter fruit ripening, leading to only minor changes in primary metabolism. By performing a comprehensive analysis our results connect auxin signalling and metabolic changes during tomato fruit development, indicating that reduced auxin signalling led to extensive changes in sugar content and starch metabolism during tomato fruit ripening.
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Auxins are known to regulate xylem development in plants, however, their effects on water transport efficiency are poorly known. Here we used tomato plants of the diageotropica mutant (dgt), which has impaired function of a Cyclophilin 1 cis/trans isomerase involved in auxin signaling, and its corresponding wild type (WT) to explore its effects on plant hydraulics and leaf gas exchange. The xylem conduits of dgt showed a reduced hydraulically-weighted vessel diameter (Dh) (24-43%) and conduit number (25-58%) in petioles and stems, resulting in lower theoretical hydraulic conductivities (Kt); on the other hand, no changes in root Dh and Kt were observed. The measured stem and leaf hydraulic conductances of dgt agreed with the Kt values and were lower (up to 81%) as well; however, despite dgt and WT showed similar root Dh and Kt, the measured root hydraulic conductance of dgt was 75% lower. The dgt mutation increased the vein and stomata density, which could potentially increase photosynthesis. Nevertheless, even presenting the same photosynthetic capacity of WT plants, the dgt showed a photosynthetic rate c. 25% lower, coupled with a stomatal conductance reduction of 52%. These results clearly demonstrate that increases in Dv and Ds only result in higher leaf gas exchange when accompanied by higher hydraulic efficiency.
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Lateral root development in Arabidopsis provides a model for the study of hormonal signals that regulate postembryonic organogenesis in higher plants. Lateral roots originate from pairs of pericycle cells, in several cell files positioned opposite the xylem pole, that initiate a series of asymmetric, transverse divisions. The auxin transport inhibitor N-1-naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA) arrests lateral root development by blocking the first transverse division(s). We investigated the basis of NPA action by using a cell-specific reporter to demonstrate that xylem pole pericycle cells retain their identity in the presence of the auxin transport inhibitor. However, NPA causes indoleacetic acid (IAA) to accumulate in the root apex while reducing levels in basal tissues critical for lateral root initiation. This pattern of IAA redistribution is consistent with NPA blocking basipetal IAA movement from the root tip. Characterization of lateral root development in the shoot meristemless1 mutant demonstrates that root basipetal and leaf acropetal auxin transport activities are required during the initiation and emergence phases, respectively, of lateral root development.
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Auxin plays a pivotal role in many facets of plant development. It acts by inducing the interaction between auxin-responsive [auxin (AUX)/indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)] proteins and the ubiquitin protein ligase SCFTIR to promote the degradation of the AUX/IAA proteins. Other cofactors and chaperones that participate in auxin signaling remain to be identified. Here, we characterized rice (Oryza sativa) plants with mutations in a cyclophilin gene (OsCYP2). cyp2 mutants showed defects in auxin responses and exhibited a variety of auxin-related growth defects in the root. In cyp2 mutants, lateral root initiation was blocked after nuclear migration but before the first anticlinal division of the pericycle cell. Yeast two-hybrid and in vitro pull-down results revealed an association between OsCYP2 and the co-chaperone Suppressor of G2 allele of skp1 (OsSGT1). Luciferase complementation imaging assays further supported this interaction. Similar to previous findings in an Arabidopsis thaliana SGT1 mutant (atsgt1b), degradation of AUX/IAA proteins was retarded in cyp2 mutants treated with exogenous 1-naphthylacetic acid. Our results suggest that OsCYP2 participates in auxin signal transduction by interacting with OsSGT1.
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Diageotropica (dgt) is a single gene mutant of tomato which requires extremely low concentrations of ethylene for normal growth and development. The morphology of the mutant is charactertized by diageotropic growth of both shoots and roots, thin stems without large secondary xylem vessels but with abnormally thick phloem fibers, dark green hyponastic leaf segments, primary and adventitious roots without lateral branching, and an open hypocotyl hook. Studies with the mutant indicate that plant morphology may be at least partly controlled developmentally by an endogenous ethylene–auxin feedback mechanism. The mutant's requirement for ethylene concentrations in the range of 0.005 μl/liter or less implies that higher concentrations may be supraoptimal in studies dealing with ethylene effects on plant growth and development in tomato. Results of grafting and excised root culture experiments combined with results of ethylene treatments indicate that a polarly transported substance, which controls lateral root initiation but not adventitious root initiation, is produced in the shoot in response to ethylene and transported to the roots. The dgt mutant should prove useful in investigations of ethylene and auxin control of morphogenesis.
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The developmental plasticity of the root system represents a key adaptive trait enabling plants to cope with abiotic stresses such as drought and is therefore important in the current context of global changes. Root branching through lateral root formation is an important component of the adaptability of the root system to its environment. Our understanding of the mechanisms controlling lateral root development has progressed tremendously in recent years through research in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis). These studies have revealed that the phytohormone auxin acts as a common integrator to many endogenous and environmental signals regulating lateral root formation. Here, we review what has been learnt about the myriad roles of auxin during lateral root formation in Arabidopsis.
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Plant architecture is influenced by the polar, cell-to-cell transport of auxin that is primarily provided and regulated by plasma membrane efflux catalysts of the PIN-FORMED and B family of ABC transporter (ABCB) classes. The latter were shown to require the functionality of the FK506 binding protein42 TWISTED DWARF1 (TWD1), although underlying mechanisms are unclear. By genetic manipulation of TWD1 expression, we show here that TWD1 affects shootward root auxin reflux and, thus, downstream developmental traits, such as epidermal twisting and gravitropism of the root. Using immunological assays, we demonstrate a predominant lateral, mainly outward-facing, plasma membrane location for TWD1 in the root epidermis characterized by the lateral marker ABC transporter G36/PLEIOTROPIC DRUG-RESISTANCE8/PENETRATION3. At these epidermal plasma membrane domains, TWD1 colocalizes with nonpolar ABCB1. In planta bioluminescence resonance energy transfer analysis was used to verify specific ABC transporter B1 (ABCB1)-TWD1 interaction. Our data support a model in which TWD1 promotes lateral ABCB-mediated auxin efflux via protein-protein interaction at the plasma membrane, minimizing reflux from the root apoplast into the cytoplasm.
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In roots two distinct polar movements of auxin have been reported that may control different developmental and growth events. To test the hypothesis that auxin derived from the shoot and transported toward the root controls lateral root development, the two polarities of auxin transport were uncoupled in Arabidopsis. Local application of the auxin-transport inhibitor naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA) at the root-shoot junction decreased the number and density of lateral roots and reduced the free indoleacetic acid (IAA) levels in the root and [³H]IAA transport into the root. Application of NPA to the basal half of or at several positions along the root only reduced lateral root density in regions that were in contact with NPA or in regions apical to the site of application. Lateral root development was restored by application of IAA apical to NPA application. Lateral root development in Arabidopsis roots was also inhibited by excision of the shoot or dark growth and this inhibition was reversible by IAA. Together, these results are consistent with auxin transport from the shoot into the root controlling lateral root development.
Article
Lateral root development in Arabidopsis provides a model for the study of hormonal signals that regulate postembryonic organogenesis in higher plants. Lateral roots originate from pairs of pericycle cells, in several cell files positioned opposite the xylem pole, that initiate a series of asymmetric, transverse divisions. The auxin transport inhibitor N-1-naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA) arrests lateral root development by blocking the first transverse division(s). We investigated the basis of NPA action by using a cell-specific reporter to demonstrate that xylem pole pericycle cells retain their identity in the presence of the auxin transport inhibitor. However, NPA causes indoleacetic acid (IAA) to accumulate in the root apex while reducing levels in basal tissues critical for lateral root initiation. This pattern of IAA redistribution is consistent with NPA blocking basipetal IAA movement from the root tip. Characterization of lateral root development in the shoot meristemless1 mutant demonstrates that root basipetal and leaf acropetal auxin transport activities are required during the initiation and emergence phases, respectively, of lateral root development.
Article
Background and AimsThe hormone auxin and reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulate root elongation, but the interactions between the two pathways are not well understood. The aim of this study was to investigate how auxin interacts with ROS in regulating root elongation in tomato, Solanum lycopersicum.Methods Wild-type and auxin-resistant mutant, diageotropica (dgt), of tomato (S. lycopersicum 'Ailsa Craig') were characterized in terms of root apical meristem and elongation zone histology, expression of the cell-cycle marker gene Sl-CycB1;1, accumulation of ROS, response to auxin and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and expression of ROS-related mRNAs.Key ResultsThe dgt mutant exhibited histological defects in the root apical meristem and elongation zone and displayed a constitutively increased level of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the root tip, part of which was detected in the apoplast. Treatments of wild-type with auxin increased the H2O2 concentration in the root tip in a dose-dependent manner. Auxin and H2O2 elicited similar inhibition of cell elongation while bringing forth differential responses in terms of meristem length and number of cells in the elongation zone. Auxin treatments affected the expression of mRNAs of ROS-scavenging enzymes and less significantly mRNAs related to antioxidant level. The dgt mutation resulted in resistance to both auxin and H2O2 and affected profoundly the expression of mRNAs related to antioxidant level.Conclusions The results indicate that auxin regulates the level of H2O2 in the root tip, so increasing the auxin level triggers accumulation of H2O2 leading to inhibition of root cell elongation and root growth. The dgt mutation affects this pathway by reducing the auxin responsiveness of tissues and by disrupting the H2O2 homeostasis in the root tip.