Abstract
Sugars function as signal molecules to regulate growth, development, and gene expression in plants, yeasts, and animals. A coordination of sugar availability with phytohormone signals is crucial for plant growth and development. The molecular link between sugar availability and hormone-dependent plant growth are largely unknown. Here we report that BRI1 and BAK1 are involved in sugar-responsive growth and development. Glucose influences the physical interactions and phosphorylations of BRI1 and BAK1 in a concentration-dependent manner. BRI1 and BAK1 physically interact with G proteins that are essential for mediating sugar signaling. Biochemical data show that BRI1 can phosphorylate G protein β subunit and γ subunits, and BAK1 can phosphorylate G protein γ subunits. Genetic analyses suggest that BRI1 and BAK1 function in a common pathway with G-protein subunits to regulate sugar responses. Thus, our findings reveal an important genetic and molecular mechanism by which BR receptors associate with G proteins to regulate sugar-responsive growth and development.
Highlights
Sugars function as signal molecules to regulate growth, development, and gene expression in plants, yeasts, and animals
Genetic analyses suggest that BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE 1 (BRI1) and BRI1-associated kinase 1 (BAK1) function in a common pathway with G-protein subunits to control sugar-responsive growth and development
Dark-grown Arabidopsis seedlings develop leaf-like organs on vertical Petri dishes with even very low concentrations of sugars, suggesting that the dark development phenotype of Arabidopsis seedlings is a sensitive indicator of the effects of sugars on plant growth and development[32,33,34]
Summary
Sugars function as signal molecules to regulate growth, development, and gene expression in plants, yeasts, and animals. Genetic analyses suggest that BRI1 and BAK1 function in a common pathway with G-protein subunits to regulate sugar responses. Our findings reveal an important genetic and molecular mechanism by which BR receptors associate with G proteins to regulate sugar-responsive growth and development. Sugars play crucial roles as energy sources and carbon skeleton supply and act as signal molecules that regulate a variety of growth and developmental processes in yeasts, animals, and plants[1,2,3]. Genetic analyses suggest that BRI1 and BAK1 function in a common pathway with G-protein subunits to control sugar-responsive growth and development. Our findings define an important genetic and molecular mechanism by which BR receptors interact with G-protein subunits to regulate sugar-responsive growth and development
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