Multiple type-B response regulators mediate cytokinin signal transduction in Arabidopsis

Plant Cell. 2005 Nov;17(11):3007-18. doi: 10.1105/tpc.105.035451. Epub 2005 Oct 14.

Abstract

Type-B Arabidopsis thaliana response regulators (ARRs) are transcription factors that function in the final step of two-component signaling systems. To characterize their role in plant growth and development, we isolated T-DNA insertions within six of the genes (ARR1, ARR2, ARR10, ARR11, ARR12, and ARR18) from the largest subfamily of type-B ARRs and also constructed various double and triple combinations of these mutations. Higher order mutants revealed progressively decreased sensitivity to cytokinin, including effects on root elongation, lateral root formation, callus induction and greening, and induction of cytokinin primary response genes. The triple mutant arr1,10,12 showed almost complete insensitivity to cytokinin under many of the assay conditions used. By contrast, no significant change in the sensitivity to ethylene was found among the mutants examined. These results indicate that there is functional overlap among the type-B ARRs and that they act as positive regulators of cytokinin signal transduction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis / genetics
  • Arabidopsis / growth & development
  • Arabidopsis / metabolism*
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cytokinins / metabolism*
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Ethylenes / metabolism
  • Ethylenes / pharmacology
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / genetics
  • Mutation / physiology
  • Plant Roots / genetics
  • Plant Roots / growth & development
  • Plant Roots / metabolism
  • Seedlings / genetics
  • Seedlings / growth & development
  • Seedlings / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Transcriptional Activation / physiology

Substances

  • ARR1 protein, Arabidopsis
  • ARR10 protein, Arabidopsis
  • ARR11 protein, Arabidopsis
  • ARR2 protein, Arabidopsis
  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Cytokinins
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Ethylenes
  • T-DNA
  • Transcription Factors
  • ethylene