Chinese Bulletin of Botany ›› 2021, Vol. 56 ›› Issue (1): 6-9.DOI: 10.11983/CBB20190

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Auxin Regulates the Lateral Root Development Through MAPK-mediated VLCFAs Biosynthesis

Rongfeng Huang, Tongda Xu*()   

  1. Horticultural Plant Biology and Metabolomics Center, Haixia Institute of Science and Technology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
  • Received:2020-11-25 Accepted:2021-01-05 Online:2021-01-01 Published:2021-01-15
  • Contact: Tongda Xu

Abstract: Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade is an important and highly conserved cellular signal transduction pathway by delivery and amplification of upstream signals through protein kinase cascade phosphorylation in eukaryotes. In plants, MAPK signaling pathways not only mediate plant responses to environment, but also play crucial roles in regulating plant growth and development. A recent study from the Zhaojun Ding’s group of Shandong University uncovered a novel molecular mechanism of MPK14-mediated auxin signaling in lateral root development via ERF13- regulated very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) biosynthesis. This study reveals the molecular mechanism of the lateral root development from a new perspective, and further confirms the coupling between the vital phytohormone auxin and the ancient MAPKs module. Since lateral roots act as essential organs for plants in response to environment, deciphering the MAPK signaling pathway in regulation of lateral root development will provide a new strategy for how plants integrate development signals and environmental cues.

Key words: MAPK cascade, auxin, VLCFA, lateral root development