TY - JOUR AB - Advanced transcriptome sequencing has revealed that the majority of eukaryotic genes undergo alternative splicing (AS). Nonetheless, little effort has been dedicated to investigating the functional relevance of particular splicing events, even those in the key developmental and hormonal regulators. Combining approaches of genetics, biochemistry and advanced confocal microscopy, we describe the impact of alternative splicing on the PIN7 gene in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. PIN7 encodes a polarly localized transporter for the phytohormone auxin and produces two evolutionarily conserved transcripts, PIN7a and PIN7b. PIN7a and PIN7b, differing in a four amino acid stretch, exhibit almost identical expression patterns and subcellular localization. We reveal that they are closely associated and mutually influence each other's mobility within the plasma membrane. Phenotypic complementation tests indicate that the functional contribution of PIN7b per se is minor, but it markedly reduces the prominent PIN7a activity, which is required for correct seedling apical hook formation and auxin-mediated tropic responses. Our results establish alternative splicing of the PIN family as a conserved, functionally relevant mechanism, revealing an additional regulatory level of auxin-mediated plant development. AU - Kashkan, Ivan AU - Hrtyan, Mónika AU - Retzer, Katarzyna AU - Humpolíčková, Jana AU - Jayasree, Aswathy AU - Filepová, Roberta AU - Vondráková, Zuzana AU - Simon, Sibu AU - Rombaut, Debbie AU - Jacobs, Thomas B. AU - Frilander, Mikko J. AU - Hejátko, Jan AU - Friml, Jiří AU - Petrášek, Jan AU - Růžička, Kamil ID - 10282 JF - New Phytologist SN - 0028-646X TI - Mutually opposing activity of PIN7 splicing isoforms is required for auxin-mediated tropic responses in Arabidopsis thaliana VL - 233 ER - TY - JOUR AB - Strigolactones (SLs) are carotenoid-derived plant hormones that control shoot branching and communications between host plants and symbiotic fungi or root parasitic plants. Extensive studies have identified the key components participating in SL biosynthesis and signalling, whereas the catabolism or deactivation of endogenous SLs in planta remains largely unknown. Here, we report that the Arabidopsis carboxylesterase 15 (AtCXE15) and its orthologues function as efficient hydrolases of SLs. We show that overexpression of AtCXE15 promotes shoot branching by dampening SL-inhibited axillary bud outgrowth. We further demonstrate that AtCXE15 could bind and efficiently hydrolyse SLs both in vitro and in planta. We also provide evidence that AtCXE15 is capable of catalysing hydrolysis of diverse SL analogues and that such CXE15-dependent catabolism of SLs is evolutionarily conserved in seed plants. These results disclose a catalytic mechanism underlying homoeostatic regulation of SLs in plants, which also provides a rational approach to spatial-temporally manipulate the endogenous SLs and thus architecture of crops and ornamental plants. AU - Xu, Enjun AU - Chai, Liang AU - Zhang, Shiqi AU - Yu, Ruixue AU - Zhang, Xixi AU - Xu, Chongyi AU - Hu, Yuxin ID - 10326 JF - Nature Plants TI - Catabolism of strigolactones by a carboxylesterase VL - 7 ER - TY - JOUR AB - The quality control system for messenger RNA (mRNA) is fundamental for cellular activities in eukaryotes. To elucidate the molecular mechanism of 3'-Phosphoinositide-Dependent Protein Kinase1 (PDK1), a master regulator that is essential throughout eukaryotic growth and development, we employed a forward genetic approach to screen for suppressors of the loss-of-function T-DNA insertion double mutant pdk1.1 pdk1.2 in Arabidopsis thaliana. Notably, the severe growth attenuation of pdk1.1 pdk1.2 was rescued by sop21 (suppressor of pdk1.1 pdk1.2), which harbours a loss-of-function mutation in PELOTA1 (PEL1). PEL1 is a homologue of mammalian PELOTA and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) DOM34p, which each form a heterodimeric complex with the GTPase HBS1 (HSP70 SUBFAMILY B SUPPRESSOR1, also called SUPERKILLER PROTEIN7, SKI7), a protein that is responsible for ribosomal rescue and thereby assures the quality and fidelity of mRNA molecules during translation. Genetic analysis further revealed that a dysfunctional PEL1-HBS1 complex failed to degrade the T-DNA-disrupted PDK1 transcripts, which were truncated but functional, and thus rescued the growth and developmental defects of pdk1.1 pdk1.2. Our studies demonstrated the functionality of a homologous PELOTA-HBS1 complex and identified its essential regulatory role in plants, providing insights into the mechanism of mRNA quality control. AU - Kong, W AU - Tan, Shutang AU - Zhao, Q AU - Lin, DL AU - Xu, ZH AU - Friml, Jiří AU - Xue, HW ID - 9368 IS - 4 JF - Plant Physiology SN - 0032-0889 TI - mRNA surveillance complex PELOTA-HBS1 eegulates phosphoinositide-sependent protein kinase1 and plant growth VL - 186 ER - TY - JOUR AB - Polar subcellular localization of the PIN exporters of the phytohormone auxin is a key determinant of directional, intercellular auxin transport and thus a central topic of both plant cell and developmental biology. Arabidopsis mutants lacking PID, a kinase that phosphorylates PINs, or the MAB4/MEL proteins of unknown molecular function display PIN polarity defects and phenocopy pin mutants, but mechanistic insights into how these factors convey PIN polarity are missing. Here, by combining protein biochemistry with quantitative live-cell imaging, we demonstrate that PINs, MAB4/MELs, and AGC kinases interact in the same complex at the plasma membrane. MAB4/MELs are recruited to the plasma membrane by the PINs and in concert with the AGC kinases maintain PIN polarity through limiting lateral diffusion-based escape of PINs from the polar domain. The PIN-MAB4/MEL-PID protein complex has self-reinforcing properties thanks to positive feedback between AGC kinase-mediated PIN phosphorylation and MAB4/MEL recruitment. We thus uncover the molecular mechanism by which AGC kinases and MAB4/MEL proteins regulate PIN localization and plant development. AU - Glanc, Matous AU - Van Gelderen, K AU - Hörmayer, Lukas AU - Tan, Shutang AU - Naramoto, S AU - Zhang, Xixi AU - Domjan, David AU - Vcelarova, L AU - Hauschild, Robert AU - Johnson, Alexander J AU - de Koning, E AU - van Dop, M AU - Rademacher, E AU - Janson, S AU - Wei, X AU - Molnar, Gergely AU - Fendrych, Matyas AU - De Rybel, B AU - Offringa, R AU - Friml, Jiří ID - 9290 IS - 9 JF - Current Biology SN - 0960-9822 TI - AGC kinases and MAB4/MEL proteins maintain PIN polarity by limiting lateral diffusion in plant cells VL - 31 ER - TY - JOUR AB - Plants are able to orient their growth according to gravity, which ultimately controls both shoot and root architecture.1 Gravitropism is a dynamic process whereby gravistimulation induces the asymmetric distribution of the plant hormone auxin, leading to asymmetric growth, organ bending, and subsequent reset of auxin distribution back to the original pre-gravistimulation situation.1, 2, 3 Differential auxin accumulation during the gravitropic response depends on the activity of polarly localized PIN-FORMED (PIN) auxin-efflux carriers.1, 2, 3, 4 In particular, the timing of this dynamic response is regulated by PIN2,5,6 but the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we show that MEMBRANE ASSOCIATED KINASE REGULATOR2 (MAKR2) controls the pace of the root gravitropic response. We found that MAKR2 is required for the PIN2 asymmetry during gravitropism by acting as a negative regulator of the cell-surface signaling mediated by the receptor-like kinase TRANSMEMBRANE KINASE1 (TMK1).2,7, 8, 9, 10 Furthermore, we show that the MAKR2 inhibitory effect on TMK1 signaling is antagonized by auxin itself, which triggers rapid MAKR2 membrane dissociation in a TMK1-dependent manner. Our findings suggest that the timing of the root gravitropic response is orchestrated by the reversible inhibition of the TMK1 signaling pathway at the cell surface. AU - Marquès-Bueno, MM AU - Armengot, L AU - Noack, LC AU - Bareille, J AU - Rodriguez Solovey, Lesia AU - Platre, MP AU - Bayle, V AU - Liu, M AU - Opdenacker, D AU - Vanneste, S AU - Möller, BK AU - Nimchuk, ZL AU - Beeckman, T AU - Caño-Delgado, AI AU - Friml, Jiří AU - Jaillais, Y ID - 8824 IS - 1 JF - Current Biology SN - 0960-9822 TI - Auxin-regulated reversible inhibition of TMK1 signaling by MAKR2 modulates the dynamics of root gravitropism VL - 31 ER -