Going the distance with auxin: unravelling the molecular basis of auxin transport

Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 1998 Sep 29;353(1374):1511-5. doi: 10.1098/rstb.1998.0306.

Abstract

Auxin represents one of the most important classes of signalling molecules described in plants. Auxins regulate several fundamental cellular processes including division, elongation and differentiation. Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), the principal form of auxin in higher plants, is first synthesized within young apical tissues, then conveyed to its basal target tissues by a specialized delivery system termed polar auxin transport. The polarity of IAA movement represents one of the most novel aspect of auxin signalling. IAA transport has been demonstrated to involve auxin influx and efflux carrier activities. The adoption of a mutational approach in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana has led to the identification of a number of genes which encode components for, or regulate the activity of, the auxin transport machinery. This paper will review the advances being made in identifying and characterizing these auxin transport-related gene products and discuss their importance within the context of Arabidopsis development.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis / genetics
  • Arabidopsis / growth & development
  • Arabidopsis / metabolism*
  • Arabidopsis Proteins*
  • Biological Transport, Active
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism
  • Genes, Plant
  • Indoleacetic Acids / metabolism*
  • Plant Proteins / genetics
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • AUX1 protein, Arabidopsis
  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Indoleacetic Acids
  • Plant Proteins
  • indoleacetic acid