Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Roles of YUCCA Genes in Local Auxin Biosynthesis and Plant Development

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Plant Developmental Biology - Biotechnological Perspectives

Abstract

Auxin is an essential hormone for almost every aspect of plant growth and development. Much of the progress in understanding the roles of auxin in plant development is derived from findings in auxin signalling and polar auxin transport during the past two decades. However, recent molecular genetics studies in Arabidopsis have begun to reveal the secrets of auxin biosynthesis and its role in plant development. This chapter summarizes the recent progress in identifying YUCCA (YUC) flavin monooxygenases as key enzymes in auxin biosynthesis. Overexpression of YUC genes in Arabidopsis leads to auxin overproduction, and inactivation of YUC genes causes developmental defects that can be rescued by auxin produced in situ. The identification of YUC genes and loss-of-function yuc mutants provides a completely different angle for studying auxin biology because previous auxin studies were centred on understanding how plants respond to excess exogenous auxin. One example is provided on how understanding of auxin biosynthesis has helped to elucidate the mechanisms by which auxin regulates organogenesis in Arabidopsis.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Barlier I, Kowalczyk M, Marchant A, Ljung K, Bhalerao R, Bennett M, Sandberg G, Bellini C (2000) The SUR2 gene of Arabidopsis thaliana encodes the cytochrome P450 CYP83B1, a modulator of auxin homeostasis. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 97:14819–14824

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bartel B (1997) Auxin biosynthesis. Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 48:51–66

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Boerjan W, Cervera MT, Delarue M, Beeckman T, Dewitte W, Bellini C, Caboche M, Van Onckelen H, Van Montagu M, Inze D (1995) superroot, a recessive mutation in Arabidopsis, confers auxin overproduction. Plant Cell 7:1405–1419

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng Y, Dai X, Zhao Y (2006) Auxin biosynthesis by the YUCCA flavin monooxygenases controls the formation of floral organs and vascular tissues in Arabidopsis. Genes Dev 20:1790–1799

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng Y, Dai X, Zhao Y (2007a) Auxin synthesized by the YUCCA flavin monooxygenases is essential for embryogenesis and leaf formation in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 19:2430–2439

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng Y, Qin G, Dai X, Zhao Y (2007b) NPY1, a BTB-NPH3-like protein, plays a critical role in auxin-regulated organogenesis in Arabidopsis. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 104:18825–18829

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng Y, Qin G, Dai X, Zhao Y (2008) NPY genes and AGC kinases define two key steps in auxin-mediated organogenesis in Arabidopsis. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 105:21017–21022

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Christensen SK, Dagenais N, Chory J, Weigel D (2000) Regulation of auxin response by the protein kinase PINOID. Cell 100:469–478

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Comai L, Kosuge T (1982) Cloning characterization of iaaM, a virulence determinant of Pseudomonas savastanoi. J Bacteriol 149:40–46

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Comai L, Kosuge T (1983) Transposable element that causes mutations in a plant pathogenic Pseudomonas sp. J Bacteriol 154:1162–1167

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Delarue M, Prinsen E, Onckelen HV, Caboche M, Bellini C (1998) Sur2 mutations of Arabidopsis thaliana define a new locus involved in the control of auxin homeostasis. Plant J 14:603–611

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Expósito-Rodríguez M, Borges AA, Borges-Pérez AB, Hernández M, Pérez JA (2007) Cloning and biochemical characterization of ToFZY, a tomato gene encoding a flavin monooxygenase involved in a tryptophan-dependent auxin biosynthesis pathway. J Plant Growth Regul 26:329–340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fujino K, Matsuda Y, Ozawa K, Nishimura T, Koshiba T, Fraaije MW, Sekiguchi H (2008) NARROW LEAF 7 controls leaf shape mediated by auxin in rice. Mol Genet Genomics 279:499–507

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gallavotti A, Barazesh S, Malcomber S, Hall D, Jackson D, Schmidt RJ, McSteen P (2008) sparse inflorescence1 encodes a monocot-specific YUCCA-like gene required for vegetative and reproductive development in maize. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 105:15196–15201

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Galweiler L, Guan C, Muller A, Wisman E, Mendgen K, Yephremov A, Palme K (1998) Regulation of polar auxin transport by AtPIN1 in Arabidopsis vascular tissue. Science 282:2226–2230

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gray WM, Ostin A, Sandberg G, Romano CP, Estelle M (1998) High temperature promotes auxin-mediated hypocotyl elongation in Arabidopsis. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 95:7197–7202

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harper RM, Stowe-Evans EL, Luesse DR, Muto H, Tatematsu K, Watahiki MK, Yamamoto K, Liscum E (2000) The NPH4 locus encodes the auxin response factor ARF7, a conditional regulator of differential growth in aerial Arabidopsis tissue. Plant Cell 12:757–770

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Last RL, Bissinger PH, Mahoney DJ, Radwanski ER, Fink GR (1991) Tryptophan mutants in Arabidopsis: the consequences of duplicated tryptophan synthase β genes. Plant Cell 3:345–358

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lincoln C, Britton JH, Estelle M (1990) Growth and development of the axr1 mutants of Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 2:1071–1080

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liscum E, Briggs WR (1995) Mutations in the NPH1 locus of Arabidopsis disrupt the perception of phototropic stimuli. Plant Cell 7:473–485

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mikkelsen MD, Naur P, Halkier BA (2004) Arabidopsis mutants in the C-S lyase of glucosinolate biosynthesis establish a critical role for indole-3-acetaldoxime in auxin homeostasis. Plant J 37:770–777

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Motchoulski A, Liscum E (1999) Arabidopsis NPH3: A NPH1 photoreceptor-interacting protein essential for phototropism. Science 286:961–964

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pedmale UV, Liscum E (2007) Regulation of phototropic signaling in Arabidopsis via phosphorylation state changes in the phototropin 1-interacting protein NPH3. J Biol Chem 282:19992–20001

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Przemeck GK, Mattsson J, Hardtke CS, Sung ZR, Berleth T (1996) Studies on the role of the Arabidopsis gene MONOPTEROS in vascular development and plant cell axialization. Planta 200:229–237

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Romano CP, Robson PR, Smith H, Estelle M, Klee H (1995) Transgene-mediated auxin overproduction in Arabidopsis: hypocotyl elongation phenotype and interactions with the hy6-1 hypocotyl elongation and axr1 auxin-resistant mutants. Plant Mol Biol 27:1071–1083

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sohlberg JJ, Myrenas M, Kuusk S, Lagercrantz U, Kowalczyk M, Sandberg G, Sundberg E (2006) STY1 regulates auxin homeostasis and affects apical-basal patterning of the Arabidopsis gynoecium. Plant J 47:112–123

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stone S L, Braybrook SA, Paula SL, Kwong LW, Meuser J, Pelletier J, Hsieh TF, Fischer RL, Goldberg RB, Harada JJ (2008) Arabidopsis LEAFY COTYLEDON2 induces maturation traits and auxin activity: Implications for somatic embryogenesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 105:3151–3156

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tobena-Santamaria R, Bliek M, Ljung K, Sandberg G, Mol JN, Souer E, Koes R (2002) FLOOZY of petunia is a flavin mono-oxygenase-like protein required for the specification of leaf and flower architecture. Genes Dev 16:753–763

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Woo YM, Park HJ, Su’udi M, Yang JI, Park JJ, Back K, Park YM, An G (2007) Constitutively wilted 1, a member of the rice YUCCA gene family, is required for maintaining water homeostasis and an appropriate root to shoot ratio. Plant Mol Biol 65:125–136

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wright AD, Sampson MB, Neuffer MG, Michalczuk L, Slovin JP, Cohen JD (1991) Indole-3-acetic acid biosynthesis in the mutant maize orange pericarp, a tryptophan auxotroph. Science 254:998–1000

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yamamoto Y, Kamiya N, Morinaka Y, Matsuoka M, Sazuka T (2007) Auxin biosynthesis by the YUCCA genes in rice. Plant Physiol 143:1362–1371

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao Y, Christensen SK, Fankhauser C, Cashman JR, Cohen JD, Weigel D, Chory J (2001) A role for flavin monooxygenase-like enzymes in auxin biosynthesis. Science 291:306–309

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao Y, Hull AK, Gupta NR, Goss KA, Alonso J, Ecker JR, Normanly J, Chory J, Celenza JL (2002) Trp-dependent auxin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis: involvement of cytochrome P450s CYP79B2 and CYP79B3. Genes Dev 16:3100–3112

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Research in my lab is supported by the NIH grant #R01GM68631 and the NSF Plant Genome grant DBI-0820729. The author thanks members of the lab for their comments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0116, USA

    Y. Zhao

Authors
  1. Y. Zhao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Y. Zhao .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. New Era College, Jalan Bukit, Kajang, 43000, Malaysia

    Eng Chong Pua

  2. Dept. Plant Sciences Division, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, United Kingdom

    Michael R. Davey

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Zhao, Y. (2010). The Roles of YUCCA Genes in Local Auxin Biosynthesis and Plant Development. In: Pua, E., Davey, M. (eds) Plant Developmental Biology - Biotechnological Perspectives. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-04670-4_12

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation