Significance: High temperature (HT) strongly modulates plant growth and eventually threatens yield stability. HT induces biosynthesis of the phytohormone auxin, which in turn increases cellular auxin levels and growth rates in shoots. This mechanism does not control HT-induced root growth and, hence, the role of auxin in this process is currently controversial. Here we show that the putative auxin carrier PIN-LIKES 6 (PILS6) localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum, where it gates nuclear auxin accumulation and perception. HT decreases the abundance of PILS6 proteins, consequently increasing nuclear auxin signaling and root growth. Our data dismantle current controversy, revealing an alternative subcellular mechanism in roots, which links PILS6-dependent control of cellular auxin sensitivity with HT-induced organ growth.

Directional organ growth allows the plant root system to strategically cover its surroundings. Intercellular auxin transport is aligned with the gravity vector in the primary root tips, facilitating downward organ bending at the lower root flank. Here we show that cytokinin signaling functions as a lateral root specific anti-gravitropic component, promoting the radial distribution of the root system. We performed a genome-wide association study and reveal that signal peptide processing of Cytokinin Oxidase 2 (CKX2) affects its enzymatic activity and, thereby, determines the degradation of cytokinins in natural Arabidopsis thaliana accessions. Cytokinin signaling interferes with growth at the upper lateral root flank and thereby prevents downward bending. Our interdisciplinary approach proposes that two phytohormonal cues at opposite organ flanks counterbalance each other’s negative impact on growth, suppressing organ growth towards gravity and allow for radial expansion of the root system.

TFL1 is known as a floral repressor in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. In apple there are two TFL1 homologs, MdTFL1-1 and MdTFL1-2. The MdTFL1-1 gene was silenced in transgenic clones expressing a hairpin gene construct of a 323 bp fragment of MdTFL1-1. The hairpin gene construct was transferred to three different apple genotypes. Of 22 transgenic clones, 21 showed a significant reduction in MdTFL1-1 mRNA expression. Precocious flowering was obtained for 20 clones, which flowered already during in vitro cultivation. Nineteen clones could successfully be transferred to the greenhouse where 18 of them flowered within a few weeks followed by the death or at least a strongly inhibited vegetative growth of the plant. Most of the transgenic flowers developed abnormally. Results obtained on greenhouse-grown plants of the transgenic clones and transgenic seedlings clearly demonstrated the major role of MdTFL1 genes in maintaining the vegetative growth as prerequisite for a perennial lifecycle. It was shown that MdTFL1 dsRNAi promotes a life history similar to annual plants. Preliminary results obtained from grafting experiments with non-transgenic scions grafted onto MdTFL1 dsRNAi transgenic rootstocks indicated that the flower-inducing signal obtained after silencing of MdTFL1 genes seems not to be graft-transmissible.

The root system architecture describes the shape and spatial arrangement of roots within the soil. Its spatial distribution depends on growth and branching rates as well as directional organ growth. The embryonic primary root gives rise to lateral (secondary) roots, and the ratio of both root types changes over the life span of a plant. Most studies have focused on the growth of primary roots and the development of lateral root primordia. Comparably less is known about the growth regulation of secondary root organs. Here, we review similarities and differences between primary and lateral root organ growth, and emphasize particularly how external stimuli and internal signals differentially integrate root system growth.

Intercellular distribution of the plant hormone auxin largely depends on the polar subcellular distribution of the plasma membrane PIN-FORMED (PIN) auxin transporters. PIN polarity switches in response to different developmental and environmental signals have been shown to redirect auxin fluxes mediating certain developmental responses. PIN phosphorylation at different sites and by different kinases is crucial for PIN function. Here we investigate the role of PIN phosphorylation during gravitropic response. Loss- and gain-of-function mutants in PINOID and related kinases but not in D6PK kinase as well as mutations mimicking constitutive dephosphorylated or phosphorylated status of two clusters of predicted phosphorylation sites partially disrupted PIN3 phosphorylation and caused defects in gravitropic bending in roots and hypocotyls. In particular, they impacted PIN3 polarity rearrangements in response to gravity and during feed-back regulation by auxin itself. Thus PIN phosphorylation, besides regulating transport activity and apical-basal targeting, is also important for the rapid polarity switches in response to environmental and endogenous signals.

Chromatin is a major determinant in the regulation of virtually all DNA-dependent processes. Chromatin architectural proteins interact with nucleosomes to modulate chromatin accessibility and higher-order chromatin structure. The evolutionarily conserved DEK domain-containing protein is implicated in important chromatin-related processes in animals, but little is known about its DNA targets and protein interaction partners. In plants, the role of DEK has remained elusive. In this work, we identified DEK3 as a chromatin-associated protein in Arabidopsis thaliana. DEK3 specifically binds histones H3 and H4. Purification of other proteins associated with nuclear DEK3 also established DNA topoisomerase 1α and proteins of the cohesion complex as in vivo interaction partners. Genome-wide mapping of DEK3 binding sites by chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by deep sequencing revealed enrichment of DEK3 at protein-coding genes throughout the genome. Using DEK3 knockout and overexpressor lines, we show that DEK3 affects nucleosome occupancy and chromatin accessibility and modulates the expression of DEK3 target genes. Furthermore, functional levels of DEK3 are crucial for stress tolerance. Overall, data indicate that DEK3 contributes to modulation of Arabidopsis chromatin structure and function.