title: Root Cap-Derived Auxin Pre-patterns the Longitudinal Axis of the Arabidopsis Root.
abstract: During the exploration of the soil by plant roots, uptake of water and nutrients can be greatly fostered by a regular spacing of lateral roots (LRs). In the Arabidopsis root, a regular branching pattern depends on oscillatory gene activity to create prebranch sites, patches of cells competent to form LRs. Thus far, the molecular components regulating the oscillations still remain unclear. Here, we show that a local auxin source in the root cap, derived from the auxin precursor indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), modulates the oscillation amplitude, which in turn determines whether a prebranch site is created or not. Moreover, transcriptome profiling identified novel and IBA-regulated components of root patterning, such as the MEMBRANE-ASSOCIATED KINASE REGULATOR4 (MAKR4) that converts the prebranch sites into a regular spacing of lateral organs. Thus, the spatiotemporal patterning of roots is fine-tuned by the root cap-specific conversion pathway of IBA to auxin and the subsequent induction of MAKR4.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Gent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Gent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Audenaert
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Gent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Parizot
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Gent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Barbara K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Möller
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Gent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Maria F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Njo
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Gent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: De Rybel
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Gent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Gieljan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Rop
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Gent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Gert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Van Isterdael
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 9, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 1, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Ari Pekka
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Mähönen
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Gent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vanneste
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Gent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: tobee@psb.vib-ugent.be.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Beeckman
mesh_terms: D042964:Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D019521:Body Patterning; D044783:F-Box Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D007211:Indoles / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C000603490:AFB2 protein, Arabidopsis; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D044783:F-Box Proteins; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids; D007211:Indoles; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C501405:TIR1 protein, Arabidopsis; C014612:indolebutyric acid; D042964:Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase; C520627:IBR3 protein, Arabidopsis