15Potato is the most economically important non-cereal food crop. Tuber formation in potato is regulated 16 by phytohormones, cytokinins in particular. The present work was aimed to study cytokinin signal 17 perception in potato. The sequenced potato genome of doubled monoploid Phureja was used for 18 bioinformatic analysis and as a tool for identification of cytokinin receptors from autotetraploid potato 19 cv. Désirée. All basic elements of multistep phosphorelay (MSP) required for cytokinin signal 20 transduction were identified in Phureja genome, including three genes orthologous to three cytokinin 21 receptor genes (AHK 2-4) of Arabidopsis. As distinct from Phureja, autotetraploid potato contains at 22 least two allelic isoforms of each receptor type. Putative receptor genes from Désirée plants were 23 cloned, sequenced and expressed, and main characteristics of encoded proteins, firstly their consensus 24 motifs, structure models, ligand-binding properties, and the ability to transmit cytokinin signal, were 25 determined. In all studied aspects the predicted sensor histidine kinases met the requirements for 26 genuine cytokinin receptors. Expression of potato cytokinin receptors was found to be organ-specific 27 and sensitive to growth conditions, particularly to sucrose content. Our results provide a solid basis for 28 further in-depth study of cytokinin signaling system and biotechnological improvement of potato. 29 2