The type-A response regulator,ARR15, acts as a negative regulator in the cytokinin-mediated signal transduction in Arabidopsis thaliana

The Arabidopsis thaliana AHK4 histidine kinase (also known as CRE1 or WOL) acts as a cytokinin signal transducer, presumably, in concert with downstream components, such as histidine-containing phosphotransfer factors (AHPs) and response regulators (ARRs), through the histidine-to-aspartate (His-->Asp) phosphorelay. Among 10 members of the type-A ARR family, the cytokinin-induced expression of ARR15 in roots is selectively impaired in the cre1-1 mutant, which carries a mutation in the AHK4 gene, suggesting a link between this type-A response regulator and the AHK4-mediated cytokinin signal transduction in roots. To address this issue further, we characterized a T-DNA insertion mutant of ARR15, and also constructed transgenic lines (referred to as ARR15-ox) that overexpress the ARR15 gene in a manner independent of cytokinin. While the T-DNA insertion mutant (arr15-1) showed no apparent phenotype, the cytokinin-independent overexpression of ARR15 in ARR15-ox plants resulted in a reduced sensitivity toward exogenously applied cytokinin, not only in elongation of roots in plants, but also in green callus formation (or shoot formation) in explants. Cytokinin-induced expressions of certain type-A ARRs were also down-regulated in ARR15-ox plants. These results support the view that ARR15 acts as a repressor that mediates a negative feedback loop in the cytokinin and AHK4-mediated His-->Asp phosphorelay.     

An Arabidopsis histidine-containing phosphotransfer (HPt) factor implicated in phosphorelay signal transduction: overexpression of AHP2 in plants results in hypersensitiveness to cytokinin

Histidine-containing phosphotransfer (HPt) factors from Arabidopsis thaliana, designated as AHPs, function most likely in concert with histidine (His)-kinases (HKs) and response regulators (RRs) in certain multistep histidine (His)-->aspartate (Asp) phosphorelays that are involved in the signal transduction mechanisms, by which plant cells appear to respond to certain hormonal stimuli, including cytokinin. Although some previous in vitro results from studies on Arabidopsis AHPs (AHP1 to AHP5) supported this hypothesis, it has not yet been proven. To this end, here we constructed transgenic plants that contained the AHP2 protein in a considerably higher amount than in wild-type plants. Such AHP2-overexpressing young seedlings were examined in comparison with wild-type plants, with special reference to hormone responses; particularly, their inhibitory effects on root elongation of plants grown on agar-plates, and also hypocotyl elongation of etiolated seedlings grown in the dark. The results of this study suggested that AHP2-overexpressing plants showed a characteristic phenotype of cytokinin-hypersensitive. These in vivo observations were best interpreted by assuming that the AHP factor(s) is somehow implicated, if not directly, in a cytokinin-mediated His-->Asp phosphorelay signaling in Arabidopsis.     

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis thaliana</Emphasis> response regulator ARR22 is a putative AHP phospho-histidine phosphatase expressed in the chalaza of developing seeds

Background  

The Arabidopsis response regulator 22 (ARR22) is one of two members of a recently defined novel group of two-component system (TCS) elements. TCSs are stimulus perception and response modules of prokaryotic origin, which signal by a His-to-Asp phosphorelay mechanism. In plants, TCS regulators are involved in hormone response pathways, such as those for cytokinin and ethylene. While the functions of the other TCS elements in Arabidopsis, such as histidine kinases (AHKs), histidine-containing phosphotransfer proteins (AHPs) and A-type and B-type ARRs are becoming evident, the role of ARR22 is poorly understood.     

Comparative studies of the AHP histidine-containing phosphotransmitters implicated in His-to-Asp phosphorelay in Arabidopsis thaliana

The evolutionarily-conserved histidine to aspartate (His-to-Asp) phosphorelay signal transduction is common in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Such a phosphorelay system is generally made up of 'a histidine (His)-kinase', 'a histidine-containing phosphotransmitter (HPt)', and 'a phospho-accepting response regulator (RR)'. In general, an HPt factor acts as an intermediate in a given multistep His-to-Asp phosphorelay. In Arabidopsis thaliana, this model higher plant has five genes (named AHP1 to AHP5), each of which seems to encode an HPt factor. Recent studies suggested that the His-to-Asp phosphorelay involving the AHP factors is at least partly implicated in signal transduction in response to cytokinin (a plant hormone). Nevertheless, the properties of AHPs have not yet been fully clarified. Here we did comparative studies of all the AHP factors, in terms of (i) expression profiles in plants, (ii) intracellular localization, (iii) ability to acquire a phosphoryl group in vitro, and (iv) ability to interact with the downstream components, ARRs (Arabidopsis response regulators). The results of this study provided us with a comprehensive view at the molecular level for understanding the functions of the AHP phosphotransmitters in the His-to-Asp phosphorelay.     

Characterization of the ARR15 and ARR16 response regulators with special reference to the cytokinin signaling pathway mediated by the AHK4 histidine kinase in roots of Arabidopsis thaliana

The cytokinin receptor AHK4 histidine kinase, identified in Arabidopsis thaliana, presumably acts in concert with downstream components, such as histidine-containing phosphotransfer (HPt) factors (AHPs) and response regulators (ARRs). In this respect, we characterized a loss-of-function mutant of the AHK4 gene, named cre1-1, which showed a reduced cell number within the vascular tissues in roots. Among the 10 type-A ARR members, the expression of ARR15 and ARR16 in roots was specifically and markedly reduced in cre1-1, suggesting a link between these response regulators and the AHK4-mediated signal transduction in roots. The results for transgenic plants expressing promoter::GUS or promoter::LUC fusion genes showed that both the ARR15 and the ARR16 gene products are accumulated upon cytokinin treatment in roots. The results of GFP-fusion experiments with onion epidermal cells further showed that ARR15 was found in the nucleus, and ARR16 mainly in the cytoplasm. Together, it was suggested that ARR15 and ARR16 are distinctly implicated in the presumed AHK4-mediated signaling pathway in roots.     

l-Serine Production Improved by Analogue-resistant Mutants of a Methanol-utilizing Bacterium

In the higher plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, histidine-to-aspartate (His-to-Asp) phosphorelay signal transduction systems play crucial roles in propagation of environmental stimuli, including plant hormones. This plant has 11 sensor His-kinases, 5 histidine-containing phosphotransfer (HPt) factors (AHPs), and 20 response regulators (ARRs). To gain new insight into the functions of these phosphorelay components, their intracellular localization was examined with use of GFP-fusion proteins, constructed for certain representatives of HPt factors (AHP2) and type-A and type-B ARRs (ARR6/ARR7 and ARR10, respectively). The results showed that AHP2 is mainly located in the cytoplasmic space, while both the types of ARRs have an ability to enter preferentially into the nuclei, if not exclusively. Together with the results from an in vitro phosphorelay assay with AHP2 and ARRs, these results are discussed, in terms of a geneal framework of the Arabidopsis His-to-Asp phosphorelay network.     

Cellular localization of the signaling components of Arabidopsis His-to-Asp phosphorelay.

In the higher plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, histidine-to-aspartate (His-to-Asp) phosphorelay signal transduction systems play crucial roles in propagation of environmental stimuli, including plant hormones. This plant has 11 sensor His-kinases, 5 histidine-containing phosphotransfer (HPt) factors (AHPs), and 20 response regulators (ARRs). To gain new insight into the functions of these phosphorelay components, their intracellular localization was examined with use of GFP-fusion proteins, constructed for certain representatives of HPt factors (AHP2) and type-A and type-B ARRs (ARR6/ARR7 and ARR10, respectively). The results showed that AHP2 is mainly located in the cytoplasmic space, while both the types of ARRs have an ability to enter preferentially into the nuclei, if not exclusively. Together with the results from an in vitro phosphorelay assay with AHP2 and ARRs, these results are discussed, in terms of a geneal framework of the Arabidopsis His-to-Asp phosphorelay network.