Glucose functions as a hormone-like signalling molecule that modulates plant growth and development in Arabidopsis thaliana. However, the role of glucose in root elongation remains elusive. Our study demonstrates that high concentrations of glucose reduce the size of the root meristem zone by repressing PIN1 accumulation and thereby reducing auxin levels. In addition, we verified the involvement of ABA INSENSITIVE 5 (ABI5) in this process by showing that abi5-1 is less sensitive to glucose than the wild type, whereas glucose induces ABI5 expression and the inducible overexpression of ABI5 reduces the size of the root meristem zone. Furthermore, the inducible overexpression of ABI5 in PIN1::PIN1-GFP plants reduces the level of PIN1-GFP, but glucose reduces the level of PIN1-GFP to a lesser extent in abi5-1 PIN1::PIN1-GFP plants than in the PIN1::PIN1-GFP control, suggesting that ABI5 is involved in glucoseregulated PIN1 accumulation. Taken together, our data suggest that ABI5 functions in the glucose-mediated inhibition of the root meristem zone by repressing PIN1 accumulation, thus leading to reduced auxin levels in roots.

Plants exhibit reduced root growth when exposed to low temperature; however, how low temperature modulates root growth remains to be understood. Our study demonstrated that low temperature reduces both meristem size and cell number, repressing the division potential of meristematic cells by reducing auxin accumulation, possibly through the repressed expression of PIN1/3/7 and auxin biosynthesis-related genes, although the experiments with exogenous auxin application also suggest the involvement of other factor(s). In addition, we verified that ARABIDOPSIS RESPONSE REGULATOR 1 (ARR1) and ARR12 are involved in low temperature-mediated inhibition of root growth by showing that the roots of arr1-3 arr12-1 seedlings were less sensitive than wild-type roots to low temperature, in terms of changes in root length and meristem cell number. Furthermore, low temperature reduced the levels of PIN1/3 transcripts and the auxin level to a lesser extent in arr1-3 arr12-1 roots than in wild-type roots, suggesting that cytokinin signaling is involved in the low-temperature-mediated reduction of auxin accumulation. Taken together, our data suggest that low temperature inhibits root growth by reducing auxin accumulation via ARR1/12.

SUMMARYRoot negative phototropism is an important response in plants. Although blue light is known to mediate this response, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying root negative phototropism remain unclear. Here, we report that the auxin efflux carrier PIN-FORMED (PIN) 3 is involved in asymmetric auxin distribution and root negative phototropism. Unilateral blue-light illumination polarized PIN3 to the outer lateral membrane of columella cells at the illuminated root side, and increased auxin activity at the illuminated side of roots, where auxin promotes growth and causes roots bending away from the light source. Furthermore, root negative phototropic response and blue-light-induced PIN3 polarization were modulated by a brefeldin A-sensitive, GNOM-dependent, trafficking pathway and by phot1-regulated PINOID (PID)/PRO-TEIN PHOSPHATASE 2A (PP2A) activity. Our results indicate that blue-light-induced PIN3 polarization is needed for asymmetric auxin distribution during root negative phototropic response.

Plants can be adapted to the changing environments through tropic responses, such as light and gravity. One of them is root negative phototropism, which is needed for root growth and nutrient absorption. Here, we show that the auxin efflux carrier PIN-FORMED (PIN) 1 is involved in asymmetric auxin distribution and root negative phototropism. In darkness, PIN1 is internalized and localized to intracellular compartments; upon blue light illumination, PIN1 relocalize to basal plasma membrane in root stele cells. The shift of PIN1 localization induced by blue light is involved in asymmetric auxin distribution and root negative phototropic response. Both blue-light-induced PIN1 redistribution and root negative phototropism is mediated by a BFA-sensitive trafficking pathway and the activity of PID/PP2A. Our results demonstrate that blue-light-induced PIN1 redistribution participate in asymmetric auxin distribution and root negative phototropism.