Brassinosteroids Regulate Root Growth, Development, and Symbiosis

Zhuoyun Wei; Jia Li

doi:10.1016/j.molp.2015.12.003

Brassinosteroids Regulate Root Growth, Development, and Symbiosis

Mol Plant. 2016 Jan 4;9(1):86-100. doi: 10.1016/j.molp.2015.12.003. Epub 2015 Dec 15.

Authors

Zhuoyun Wei¹, Jia Li²

Affiliations

¹ Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
² Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China. Electronic address: lijia@lzu.edu.cn.

PMID: 26700030
DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2015.12.003

Abstract

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are natural plant hormones critical for growth and development. BR deficient or signaling mutants show significantly shortened root phenotypes. However, for a long time, it was thought that these phenotypes were solely caused by reduced cell elongation in the mutant roots. Functions of BRs in regulating root development have been largely neglected. Nonetheless, recent detailed analyses, revealed that BRs are not only involved in root cell elongation but are also involved in many aspects of root development, such as maintenance of meristem size, root hair formation, lateral root initiation, gravitropic response, mycorrhiza formation, and nodulation in legume species. In this review, current findings on the functions of BRs in mediating root growth, development, and symbiosis are discussed.

Keywords: brassinosteroids; gravitropic response; lateral root development; root hair; root meristem; symbiosis.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Brassinosteroids / poisoning*
Plant Roots / growth & development*
Symbiosis*

Substances

Brassinosteroids