The effects of auxin transport on root system architecture’s response to phosphate deprivation in Arabidopsis
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Date
2024
Authors
Hasan, Maliha
University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science
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Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Dept. of Biological Sciences
Abstract
Root system architecture (RSA) involves the spatial and temporal distribution of primary roots, lateral roots, and root hairs. The RSA provides the plants' anchorage and facilitates the uptake of water and nutrients. Lateral roots and root hairs provide the root system a high degree of developmental plasticity and are crucial to respond to any environmental stressor like drought, salinity, and nutrient deficiency. Plants, for their optimum growth and development, require some macronutrients, among which phosphorus is of great importance. Reduced availability of phosphorus causes defects in plant growth and development. RSA is highly plastic to phosphate deficiency and compensates for deficiency by modulating the length and density of lateral roots, altering the length of primary roots and root hairs. Auxin signaling and biosynthesis have been found to be involved in the phosphate starvation signaling pathways but very little is known about the involvement of auxin transport in these pathways. My research aims at understanding if Arabidopsis mutants that cause defects in auxin transport could also affect the RSA’s response to phosphate deprivation. My findings suggest that the auxin transport mutants demonstrate significantly different primary root length, tip to the first lateral root distance, and root hair length compared to the Wt. Unexpectedly, the mutant fkd1/fl1-2/fl2/fl3 produced significantly longer root hairs compared to the Wt and the remaining mutants (cvp2cvl1 and sfc40). This finding also suggests the defective PIN2 localization at the epidermal region of the fkd1/fl1-2/fl2/fl3 mutant leading to longer root hairs. It was also evident that the defective PIN localization of the mutants affected their ability to respond to the phosphate starvation. The mutants fkd1/fl1-2/fl2/fl3 and sfc40 was unable to respond to the phosphate deprivation. My findings provide more information regarding the involvement of auxin transport in modulating the RSA under low phosphate concentration along with the importance of FKD1, CVP2, CVL1, and SFC40 genes in this process. Understanding the mechanism through which these genes alter plant’s ability to modulate RSA under phosphate deficiency could lead to improved phosphate uptake efficiency and improved crop production in the future.
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Keywords
auxin transport , root system architecture , phosphate deficiency , Arabidopsis mutants