Key gene for cytokinin translocation identified

April 29, 2014

A gene essential for cytokinin transport from plant root to shoot controls shoot growth

A key to long-distance translocation of the plant hormone cytokinin, the gene ABCG14, was identified by joint research between RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS), Pohang University of Science and Technology (South Korea), and the University of Zurich (Switzerland).

The research group found and analyzed a mutant named abcg14, which exhibits dwarfism in their above-ground biomass reminiscent of cytokinin-deficient mutants. They found that root-to-shoot transport of cytokinin is disrupted in the mutant. This led to the conclusion that ABCG14, the causative gene for abcg14, plays a major role in the transport of cytokinin from roots to shoots and therefore promotes shoot growth.

Further investigation into the details of the cytokinin transport mechanism would give us insight into how plants optimize their body balance in response to various environmental stresses. Additionally, since cytokinin serves to promote plant growth and yield, control of cytokinin transport should contribute to agricultural improvements aimed at increasing crop production.

Original article

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA doi: 10.1073/pnas.1321519111

D. Koh, J. Kang, T. Kiba, J. Park, M. Kojima, J. Do, K. Y. Kim, M. Kwon, A. Endler, W. -Y. Song, E. Martinoia, H. Sakakibara, Y. Lee,

"Arabidopsis ABCG14 is essential for the root-to-shoot translocation of cytokinin".

Contact

Hitoshi Sakakibara: Group Director

Takatoshi Kiba: Research Scientist

Plant Productivity Systems Research Group