NPH4/ARF7 and ARF19 promote leaf expansion and auxin-induced lateral root formation.
Auxin response factors (ARFs) bind auxin response promoter elements and mediate transcriptional responses to auxin. Five of the 22 ARF genes in Arabidopsis thaliana encode ARFs with glutamine-rich middle domains. Four of these can activate transcription and have been ascribed developmental functions. We show that ARF19, the fifth Q-rich ARF, also activates transcription. Mutations in ARF19 have little effect on their own, but in combination with mutations in NPH4/ARF7, encoding the most closely related ARF, they cause several phenotypes including a drastic decrease in lateral and adventitious root formation and a decrease in leaf cell expansion. These results indicate that auxin induces lateral roots and leaf expansion by activating NPH4/ARF7 and ARF19. Auxin induces the ARF19 gene, and NPH4/ARF7 and ARF19 together are required for expression of one of the arf19 mutant alleles, suggesting that a positive feedback loop regulates leaf expansion and/or lateral root induction.
Wilmoth
Jill C
JC
Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB no. 3280, Coker Hall, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA.
Wang
Shucai
S
Tiwari
Shiv B
SB
Joshi
Atul D
AD
Hagen
Gretchen
G
Guilfoyle
Thomas J
TJ
Alonso
Jose M
JM
Ecker
Joseph R
JR
Reed
Jason W
JW
D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D010641:Phenotype; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000254:growth & development*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000254:growth & development*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
C503426:ARF19 protein, Arabidopsis; C503425:ARF7 protein, Arabidopsis; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; C030737:indoleacetic acid