Genetic approach towards the identification of auxin-cytokinin crosstalk components involved in root development

Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2012 Jun 5;367(1595):1469-78. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2011.0233.

Abstract

Phytohormones are important plant growth regulators that control many developmental processes, such as cell division, cell differentiation, organogenesis and morphogenesis. They regulate a multitude of apparently unrelated physiological processes, often with overlapping roles, and they mutually modulate their effects. These features imply important synergistic and antagonistic interactions between the various plant hormones. Auxin and cytokinin are central hormones involved in the regulation of plant growth and development, including processes determining root architecture, such as root pole establishment during early embryogenesis, root meristem maintenance and lateral root organogenesis. Thus, to control root development both pathways put special demands on the mechanisms that balance their activities and mediate their interactions. Here, we summarize recent knowledge on the role of auxin and cytokinin in the regulation of root architecture with special focus on lateral root organogenesis, discuss the latest findings on the molecular mechanisms of their interactions, and present forward genetic screen as a tool to identify novel molecular components of the auxin and cytokinin crosstalk.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis / drug effects
  • Arabidopsis / genetics*
  • Arabidopsis / growth & development
  • Arabidopsis / metabolism
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism
  • Cytokinins / metabolism*
  • Cytokinins / pharmacology
  • Ethyl Methanesulfonate / pharmacology
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant*
  • Genes, Plant
  • Indoleacetic Acids / metabolism*
  • Indoleacetic Acids / pharmacology
  • Membrane Transport Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Transport Proteins / metabolism
  • Meristem / drug effects
  • Meristem / growth & development
  • Meristem / metabolism
  • Mutation
  • Plant Growth Regulators / metabolism
  • Plant Roots / drug effects
  • Plant Roots / growth & development*
  • Plant Roots / metabolism
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / drug effects
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / genetics
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / growth & development
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / metabolism
  • Seedlings / drug effects
  • Seedlings / growth & development
  • Seedlings / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Cytokinins
  • Indoleacetic Acids
  • Membrane Transport Proteins
  • PIN1 protein, Arabidopsis
  • Plant Growth Regulators
  • Ethyl Methanesulfonate