First published online October 15, 2002; 10.1105/tpc.006320
The Plant Cell, Vol. 14, 2745-2760,
November 2002, Copyright © 2002,
American Society of Plant Biologists
Plant Rac-Like GTPases Are Activated by Auxin and Mediate Auxin-Responsive Gene Expression
Li-zhen Taoa,
Alice Y. Cheung1,a,b,c and
Hen-ming Wua,b
a Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
b Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
c Plant Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
1 To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail acheung{at}biochem.umass.edu; fax 413-545-3291
The auxin indole-3-acetic acid is a key plant hormone essential for a broad range of growth and developmental processes. Here, we show that auxin activates Rac-like GTPases (referred to as Rac/Rop GTPases), and they in turn stimulate auxin-responsive gene expression. In particular, we show that overexpressing a wild-type tobacco Rac/Rop GTPase, NtRac1, and its constitutively active mutant form activates auxin-responsive gene expression. On the other hand, overexpressing dominant-negative NtRac1 and Rac-negative regulators, or reducing the endogenous NtRac1 level, suppresses auxin-induced gene expression. Furthermore, overexpression of NtRac1 activity or suppression of its expression in transgenic seedlings induces phenotypes that are similar to auxin-related defects. Together, our results show that a subset of plant Rac/Rop GTPases functions in mediating the auxin signal to downstream responsive genes.
This article has been cited by other articles:

|
 |

|
 |
 
S. Yalovsky, D. Bloch, N. Sorek, and B. Kost
Regulation of Membrane Trafficking, Cytoskeleton Dynamics, and Cell Polarity by ROP/RAC GTPases
Plant Physiology,
August 1, 2008;
147(4):
1527 - 1543.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
W.D. Teale, F.A. Ditengou, A.D. Dovzhenko, X. Li, A.M. Molendijk, B. Ruperti, I. Paponov, and K. Palme
Auxin as a Model for the Integration of Hormonal Signal Processing and Transduction
Mol Plant,
March 1, 2008;
1(2):
229 - 237.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
B. W. Jeon, J.-U. Hwang, Y. Hwang, W.-Y. Song, Y. Fu, Y. Gu, F. Bao, D. Cho, J. M. Kwak, Z. Yang, et al.
The Arabidopsis Small G Protein ROP2 Is Activated by Light in Guard Cells and Inhibits Light-Induced Stomatal Opening
PLANT CELL,
January 1, 2008;
20(1):
75 - 87.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
Y. Zhang and S. McCormick
A distinct mechanism regulating a pollen-specific guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the small GTPase Rop in Arabidopsis thaliana
PNAS,
November 20, 2007;
104(47):
18830 - 18835.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
P. Abbal, M. Pradal, F.-X. Sauvage, P. Chatelet, S. Paillard, A. Canaguier, A.-F. Adam-Blondon, and C. Tesniere
Molecular characterization and expression analysis of the Rop GTPase family in Vitis vinifera
J. Exp. Bot.,
July 1, 2007;
58(10):
2641 - 2652.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
K. Dreher and J. Callis
Ubiquitin, Hormones and Biotic Stress in Plants
Ann. Bot.,
May 1, 2007;
99(5):
787 - 822.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
Y. Gu, S. Li, E. M. Lord, and Z. Yang
Members of a Novel Class of Arabidopsis Rho Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors Control Rho GTPase-Dependent Polar Growth
PLANT CELL,
February 1, 2006;
18(2):
366 - 381.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
C. D. Johnson, S. N. Chary, E. A. Chernoff, Q. Zeng, M. P. Running, and D. N. Crowell
Protein Geranylgeranyltransferase I Is Involved in Specific Aspects of Abscisic Acid and Auxin Signaling in Arabidopsis
Plant Physiology,
October 1, 2005;
139(2):
722 - 733.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
L.-z. Tao, A. Y. Cheung, C. Nibau, and H.-m. Wu
RAC GTPases in Tobacco and Arabidopsis Mediate Auxin-Induced Formation of Proteolytically Active Nuclear Protein Bodies That Contain AUX/IAA Proteins
PLANT CELL,
August 1, 2005;
17(8):
2369 - 2383.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
D. Bloch, M. Lavy, Y. Efrat, I. Efroni, K. Bracha-Drori, M. Abu-Abied, E. Sadot, and S. Yalovsky
Ectopic Expression of an Activated RAC in Arabidopsis Disrupts Membrane Cycling
Mol. Biol. Cell,
April 1, 2005;
16(4):
1913 - 1927.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. I. Armstrong, S. Yuan, J. M. Dale, V. N. Tanner, and A. Theologis
Identification of inhibitors of auxin transcriptional activation by means of chemical genetics in Arabidopsis
PNAS,
October 12, 2004;
101(41):
14978 - 14983.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
H. L. Wong, T. Sakamoto, T. Kawasaki, K. Umemura, and K. Shimamoto
Down-Regulation of Metallothionein, a Reactive Oxygen Scavenger, by the Small GTPase OsRac1 in Rice
Plant Physiology,
July 1, 2004;
135(3):
1447 - 1456.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
C. Y.-h. Chen, A. Y. Cheung, and H.-m. Wu
Actin-Depolymerizing Factor Mediates Rac/Rop GTPase-Regulated Pollen Tube Growth
PLANT CELL,
January 1, 2003;
15(1):
237 - 249.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|
|
|