Auxin: regulation, action, and interaction.

Many plant-associated bacteria synthesize the phytohormone indoleacetic acid (IAA). While IAA produced by phytopathogenic bacteria, mainly by the indoleacetamide pathway, has been implicated in the induction of plant tumors, it is not clear whether IAA synthesized by beneficial bacteria, usually via the indolepyruvic acid pathway, is involved in plant growth promotion. To determine whether bacterial IAA enhances root development in host plants, the ipdc gene that encodes indolepyruvate decarboxylase, a key enzyme in the indolepyruvic acid pathway, was isolated from the plant growth-promoting bacterium Pseudomonas putida GR12-2 and an IAA-deficient mutant constructed by insertional mutagenesis. The canola seedling primary roots from seeds treated with wild-type P. putida GR12-2 were on average 35 to 50% longer than the roots from seeds treated with the IAA-deficient mutant and the roots from uninoculated seeds. In addition, exposing mung bean cuttings to high levels of IAA by soaking them in a suspension of the wild-type strain stimulated the formation of many, very small, adventitious roots. Formation of fewer roots was stimulated by treatment with the IAA-deficient mutant. These results suggest that bacterial IAA plays a major role in the development of the host plant root system.

Role of Pseudomonas putida Indoleacetic Acid in Development of the Host Plant Root System

Many microorganisms form symbioses with plants that range, on a continuous scale, from parasitic to mutualistic. Among these, the most widespread mutualistic symbiosis is the arbuscular mycorrhiza, formed between arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and vascular flowering plants. These associations occur in terrestrial ecosystems throughout the world and have a global impact on plant phosphorus nutrition. The arbuscular mycorrhiza is an endosymbiosis in which the fungus inhabits the root cortical cells and obtains carbon provided by the plant while it transfers mineral nutrients from the soil to the cortical cells. Development of the symbiosis involves the differentiation of both symbionts to create novel symbiotic interfaces within the root cells. The aim of this review is to explore the current understanding of the signals and signaling pathways used by the symbionts for the development of the AM symbiosis. Although the signal molecules used for initial communication are not yet known, recent studi...

Signaling in the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis

Auxin conjugates are thought to play important roles as storage forms for the active plant hormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). In its free form, IAA comprises only up to 25% of the total amount of IAA, depending on the tissue and the plant species studied. The major forms of IAA conjugate are low molecular weight ester or amide forms, but there is increasing evidence of the occurrence of peptides and proteins modified by IAA. Since the discovery of genes and enzymes involved in synthesis and hydrolysis of auxin conjugates, much knowledge has been gained on the biochemistry and function of these compounds, but there is still much to discover. For example, recent work has shown that some auxin conjugate hydrolases prefer conjugates with longer-chain auxins such as indole-3-propionic acid and indole-3-butyric acid as substrate. Also, the compartmentation of these reactions in the cell or in tissues has not been resolved in great detail. The function of auxin conjugates has been mainly elucidated by mutant analysis in genes for synthesis or hydrolysis and a possible function for conjugates inferred from these results. In the evolution of land plants auxin conjugates seem to be connected with the development of certain traits such as embryo, shoot, and vasculature. Most likely, the synthesis of auxin conjugates was developed first, since it has been already detected in moss, whereas sequences typical of auxin conjugate hydrolases were found according to database entries first in moss ferns. The implications for the regulation of auxin levels in different species will be discussed.

Auxin conjugates: their role for plant development and in the evolution of land plants

Auxin plays important roles during the entire life span of a plant. This small organic acid influences cell division, cell elongation and cell differentiation, and has great impact on the final shape and function of cells and tissues in all higher plants. Auxin metabolism is not well understood but recent discoveries, reviewed here, have started to shed light on the processes that regulate the synthesis and degradation of this important plant hormone.

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Auxin metabolism and homeostasis during plant development.

The relative stabilities of IAA and IBA under various tissue culture pro- cedures were determined. IBA was significantly more stable than IAA to autoclaving. IBA was also found to be more stable than IAA in liquid Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) under growth chamber conditions. The stabilities of IBA and IAA were similar in agar-solidifi ed MS. Light provided by cool-white fluorescent bulbs promoted deg- radation of IAA and IBA in both liquid and agar media. Activated charcoal in con- centrations as high as 5% was found to adsorb more than 97% of IAA and IBA in liquid MS. These results have important implications for the preparation, storage, and handling of IBA and IAA in plant tissue culture. Chemical names used: indole-3-acetic acid (IAA); indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). Natural and synthetic auxins have been used

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Stability of IAA and IBA in Nutrient Medium to Several Tissue Culture Procedures

Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) was identified by HPLC and GC-MS as an endogenous compound in plantlets of the crucifer Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. A. thaliana was cultivated under sterile conditions as shaking culture in different liquid media with and without supply of hormones. Free and total IBA and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) were determined at different stages of development during the culture period as well as in culture media of different initial pH values. The results showed that IAA was present in higher concentrations than IBA, but both hormones seemed to show the same behaviour under the different experimental conditions. Differences were found in the mode of conjugation of the two hormones. While IAA was mostly conjugated via amide bonds, the main IBA conjugates were ester bound. The ethylene concentration derived from the seedlings, when they were grown in flasks of different size, seemed not to influence the auxin content in the same cultures.

Indole 3-butyric acid in Arabidopsis thaliana. I: Identification and quantification

In vitro rooting response and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) levels were examined in two genetically related dwarfing apple (Malus pumila Mill) rootstocks. M.26 and M.9 were cultured in vitro using Linsmaier-Skoog medium supplemented with benzyladenine (BA), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), and 1,3,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid (PG). Rooting response was tested in Lepoivre medium supplemented with IBA and PG. IBA concentrations of 12.0 and 4.0 micromolar induced the maximum rooting percentages for M.9 and M.26, respectively. At these concentrations rooting response was 100% for M.26 and 80% for M.9. Free and conjugated IAA levels were determined in M.26 and M.9 shoots prior to root inducing treatment by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection and validated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry using 13[C6]IAA as internal standard. Basal sections of M.26 shoots contained 2.8 times more free IAA than similar tissue in M.9 (477.1 ± 6.5 versus 166.6 ± 6.7 nanograms per gram fresh weight), while free IAA levels in apical sections of M.26 and M.9 shoots were comparable (298.0 ± 4.4 versus 263.7 ± 9.3 nanograms per gram fresh weight). Conjugated IAA levels were significantly higher in M.9 than in M.26 indicating that a greater proportion of total IAA was present as a conjugate in M.9. These data suggest that differences between M.26 and M.9 rooting responses may be related to differences in free IAA levels in the shoot base.

Relationship between Indole-3-Acetic Acid Levels in Apple (Malus pumila Mill) Rootstocks Cultured in Vitro and Adventitious Root Formation in the Presence of Indole-3-Butyric Acid

Previous findings indicated that leaf conductance and net photosynthesis were positively correlated with water status (relative water content) of tissue-cultured shoots and plantlets, and that acclimatization was associated with a reduction in leaf conductance and transpiration. In the present study, the effect of acclimatization on plant water status after plants were removed from culture and transplanted in soil, as well as the relation of water status with survival and growth after acclimatization were determined. Tissue-cultured plantlets (Malus pumila cv. Greensleaves) were acclimatized by exposure to a 4-day gradual reduction in humidity before they were transplanted. Once plants were transplanted, acclimatized plants maintained a higher relative water content than nonacclimatized plants, probably because of a lower initial stomatal conductance and less transpiration. High plant water status, as indicated by high relative water content, appeared to be an important factor for both plant survival and growth after the plants were transplanted. Higher water status was associated with higher growth rates and net assimilation rates. The differences in gas exchange, water relations and growth characteristics between plantlets in vitro and at 4 weeks after they were transplanted were also studied. Compared to in vitro plants, transplanted plants had a higher water status and higher leaf conductance and net photosynthesis. There was also an increase in the leaf area ratio (leaf area to plant biomass ratio) after they were transplanted which might have contributed to the higher net assimilation rate in transplanted compared to in vitro plants.

Ellen G. Sutter

Papers

Stability of IAA and IBA in Nutrient Medium to Several Tissue Culture Procedures

Indole 3-butyric acid in Arabidopsis thaliana. I: Identification and quantification

Relationship between Indole-3-Acetic Acid Levels in Apple (Malus pumila Mill) Rootstocks Cultured in Vitro and Adventitious Root Formation in the Presence of Indole-3-Butyric Acid

Acclimatization and subsequent gas exchange, water relations, survival and growth of microcultured apple plantlets after transplanting them in soil

Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) is enhanced in young maize (Zea mays L.) roots colonized with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices