title: Ectopic localization of auxin and cytokinin in tobacco seedlings by the plant-oncogenic AK-6b gene of Agrobacterium tumefaciens AKE10.
abstract: The oncogenic 6b gene of Agrobacterium tumefaciens induces a number of morphological and metabolic alterations in plants. Although molecular functions associated with the 6b genes have been proposed, including auxin transport, sugar transport, transcriptional regulation, and miRNA metabolism, so far an unequivocal conclusion has not been obtained. We investigated the association between auxin accumulation and tumor development of the tobacco seedlings expressing the AK-6b gene under the control of the dexamethasone-inducible promoter. Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) localization was examined by immunochemical staining with monoclonal antibody against IAA and by histochemical analysis using the IAA-specific induced construct, DR5::GUS (β-glucuronidase). Both procedures indicated that IAA preferentially accumulated in the tumorous protrusions as well as in newly developing vascular bundles in the tumors. Furthermore, true leaves also showed abaxial IAA localization, leading to altered leaves in which the adaxial and abaxial identities were no longer evident. Co-localization of cytokinin and auxin in the abaxial tumors was verified by immunochemical staining with an antibody against cytokinin. Treatment of AK-6b-seedlings with N-1-naphthylphthalamic acid, an inhibitor of polar auxin transport, promoted the morphological severity of phenotypes, whereas 1-naphthoxyacetic acid, a specific auxin influx carrier inhibitor, induced tumor regression on cotyledons and new tumorous proliferations on hypocotyls. Prominent accumulation of both auxin and cytokinin was observed in both regressed and newly developing tumors. We suggest from these results that modulation of auxin/cytokinin localization as a result of AK-6b gene expression is responsible for the tumorous proliferation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Production, Faculty of Bioresource Sciences, Akita Prefectural University, 241-438 Kaidobata Nishi, Nakano-Aza, Shimoshinjo, Akita, 010-0195, Japan.
authors.forename: Sachiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Miho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hashiba
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toyofuku
authors.forename: Taiki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sawata
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohsawa
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: Hiroetsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wabiko
mesh_terms: D016960:Agrobacterium tumefaciens / Q000235:genetics*; D003583:Cytokinins / Q000378:metabolism*; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006016:Glycolates; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D010797:Phthalimides; D010941:Plant Tumors / Q000209:etiology*; D036226:Seedlings / Q000378:metabolism; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D003583:Cytokinins; D006016:Glycolates; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids; D010797:Phthalimides; C002687:alpha-naphthylphthalamic acid; C018610:1-naphthoxyacetic acid