PIN proteins perform a rate-limiting function in cellular auxin efflux

• Authors: PETRÁŠEK J.; MRAVEC J.; BOUCHARD R.; BLAKESLEE J.; ABAS M.; SEIFERTOVÁ D.; WISNIEWSKA J.; TADELE Z.; ČOVANOVÁ M.; DHONUKSHE P.; SKŮPA P.; BENKOVÁ E.; PERRY L.; KŘEČEK P.; LEE O.R.; FINK G.; GEISLER M.; MURPHY A.; LUSCHNIG C.; ZAŽÍMALOVÁ E.; FRIML J.
• Year of publication: 2006
• Type: Article in Periodical
• Magazine / Source: Science
• MU Faculty or unit: Faculty of Science
• Field: Genetics and molecular biology
• Keywords: auxin transport; auxin efflux; PIN proteins; Arabidopsis
• Description: Intercellular flow of the phytohormone auxin underpins multiple developmental processes in plants. Plant-specific PIN proteins and several PGP transporters are crucial factors in auxin transport-related development, yet PINs molecular function remains unknown. Here we show that PINs mediate auxin efflux from mammalian and yeast cells without needing additional plant-specific factors. Conditional gain-of-function alleles and quantitative measurements of auxin accumulation in Arabidopsis and tobacco cultured cells revealed that the action of PINs in auxin efflux is distinct from PGPs, rate-limiting, specific to auxins and sensitive to auxin transport inhibitors. This suggests a direct involvement of PINs in catalyzing cellular auxin efflux.

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