A transcriptional feedback loop modulating signaling crosstalks between auxin and brassinosteroid in Arabidopsis.
Auxin and brassinosteroid (BR) play essential roles in diverse aspects of growth and developmental processes in plants mainly through coordinate regulation of cell division, elongation, and differentiation. Consistent with the overlapped roles, accumulating evidence indicates that the two growth hormones act in a synergistic as well as in an interdependent manner in many cases, although the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we demonstrate that auxin and BR signaling pathways are interconnected at the transcriptional level via a negative feedback loop. An Arabidopsis activating tagging mutant dlf-1D exhibited dwarfed growth with small, dark-green leaves and reduced fertility. Hormone feeding assays revealed that the mutant phenotype is caused by the reduction of endogenous BR level. Consistent with this, a gene encoding the CYP72C1 enzyme that catabolizes BR was up-regulated. Notably, the transcript level of the ARF8 transcription factor gene, which modulates the expression of auxin-responsive genes, was significantly elevated in the mutant. In addition, the ARF8 gene expression was significantly reduced by BR but induced by brassinazole, a BR biosynthetic inhibitor. On the other hand, two BR catabolic pathway genes, DLF (CYP72C1) and BAS1, were induced by auxin. Our observations indicate that at least part of auxin and BR signaling pathways are unified through a transcriptional feedback control of the DLF and ARF8 genes.
Jung
Jae-Hoon
JH
Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, Korea.
Lee
Minsun
M
Park
Chung-Mo
CM
D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000502:physiology; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004392:Dwarfism / Q000235:genetics; D025461:Feedback, Physiological; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010840:Phytosterols / Q000378:metabolism; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020239:Receptor Cross-Talk; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014230:Triazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage
D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids; D010840:Phytosterols; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; D014230:Triazoles; C495666:auxin response factor 8, Arabidopsis; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; C500888:CYP72C1 protein, Arabidopsis; C412342:brassinazole