Evidence of oxidative attenuation of auxin signalling

Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is the principle auxin in Arabidopsis and is synthesized primarily in meristems and nodes. Auxin is transported to distal parts of the plant in response to developmental programming or environmental stimuli to activate cell-specific responses. As with any signalling event, the signal must be attenuated to allow the system to reset. Local auxin accumulations are thus reduced by conjugation or catabolism when downstream responses have reached their optima. In most cell types, localized auxin accumulation increases both reactive oxygen species (ROS) and an irreversible catabolic product 2-oxindole-3-acid acid (oxIAA). oxIAA is inactive and does not induce expression of the auxin-responsive reporters DR5 or 2XD0. Here it is shown that oxIAA is not transported from cell to cell, although it appears to be a substrate for the ATP-binding cassette subfamily G (ABCG) transporters that are positioned primarily on the outer lateral surface of the root epidermis. However, oxIAA and oxIAA–Glc levels are higher in ABCB mutants that accumulate auxin due to defective cellular export. Auxin-induced ROS production appears to be at least partially mediated by the NAD(P)H oxidase RbohD. oxIAA levels are higher in mutants that lack ROS-scavenging flavonoids (tt4) and are lower in mutants that accumulate excess flavonols (tt3). These data suggest a model where IAA signalling is attenuated by IAA catabolism to oxIAA. Flavonoids appear to buffer ROS accumulations that occur with localized increases in IAA. This buffering of IAA oxidation would explain some growth responses observed in flavonoid-deficient mutants that cannot be explained by their established role in partially inhibiting auxin transport.