Role of Auxin and Nitrate Signaling in the Development of Root System Architecture

Qi-Qi Hu,Wen-Min Li,Jian-Qin Shu,Guang-Zhi Wang

doi:10.3389/fpls.2021.690363

Abstract

The plant root is an important storage organ that stores indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) from the apical meristem, as well as nitrogen, which is obtained from the external environment. IAA and nitrogen act as signaling molecules that promote root growth to obtain further resources. Fluctuations in the distribution of nitrogen in the soil environment induce plants to develop a set of strategies that effectively improve nitrogen use efficiency. Auxin integrates the information regarding the nitrate status inside and outside the plant body to reasonably distribute resources and sustainably construct the plant root system. In this review, we focus on the main factors involved in the process of nitrate- and auxin-mediated regulation of root structure to better understand how the root system integrates the internal and external information and how this information is utilized to modify the root system architecture.

Highlights

Plant roots integrate signals relating to the internal and external environment of the plant and provide a vascular system that delivers the necessary nutrients, water, and hormones to various organs and tissues for growth, development, and reproduction (Jing and Strader, 2019)
The molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of nutrients and plant hormones on the root system architecture (RSA) have mostly been elucidated through studies conducted on Arabidopsis
It is increasingly evident that nitrate and auxin signaling pathways are not mutually exclusive; instead, extensive nitrate-associated signaling cascades are integrated into the internal auxin pathways

Summary

Introduction

Plant roots integrate signals relating to the internal and external environment of the plant and provide a vascular system that delivers the necessary nutrients, water, and hormones to various organs and tissues for growth, development, and reproduction (Jing and Strader, 2019). In addition to sensing local nitrate availability, plants must integrate internal N demand signals of various regions to coordinate the overall resource allocation and regulate the growth and development of the root system, a process known as long-distance (or systemic) nitrate response (Forde, 2002).

Results

Conclusion