FERONIA mediates root nutating growth. (28th September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, En; Wang, Guangda; Zhang, Yu‐Ling; Kong, Zhaosheng; Li, Sha
• Is Part Of: Plant journal. Volume 104:Number 4(2020)
• Page Start: 1105
• Page End: 1116
• Publication Date: 2020-09-28
• Subjects: Arabidopsis -- asymmetric root growth -- calcium; microtubule -- PIN2 -- polar auxin transport; Plant molecular biology -- Periodicals; Plant cells and tissues -- Periodicals; Botany -- Periodicals; 580
• DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14984
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-7412

Abstract

SUMMARY: Root nutation indicates the behavior that roots grow in a waving and skewing way due to unequal growth rates on different sides. Although a few developmental and environmental factors have been reported, genetic pathways mediating this process are obscure. We report here that the Arabidopsis CrRLK1L family member FERONIA (FER) is critical for root nutation. Functional loss of FER resulted in enhanced root waviness on tilted plates or roots forming anti‐clockwise coils on horizontal plates. Suppressing polar auxin transport, either by pharmacological treatment or by introducing mutations at PIN‐FORMED2 ( PIN2 ) or AUXIN RESISTANT1 ( AUX1 ), suppressed the asymmetric root growth (ARG) in fer‐4, a null mutant of FER, indicating that FER suppression of ARG depends on polar auxin transport. We further showed by pharmacological treatments that dynamic microtubule organization and Ca 2+ signaling are both critical for FER‐mediated ARG. Results presented here demonstrate a key role of FER in mediating root nutating growth, through PIN2‐ and AUX1‐mediated auxin transport, through dynamic microtubule organization, and through Ca 2+ signaling. Significance Statement: Root nutation indicates the behavior that roots grow in a waving and skewing way due to unequal growth rates on different sides, which likely enhances plant fitness by efficiently sampling soil for better growth environments. We report that the Arabidopsis FERONIA (FER) is critical for root nutation. Polar auxin transport, dynamic microtubule organization, and Ca 2+ signaling are critical for FER‐mediated root nutation.