Receptors for plant growth regulators: Recent advances

We have reviewed recent progress in research on plant growth regulator (PGR) receptors. For some growth regulators, no receptor protein has yet been identified, but promising new approaches are discussed. For other receptors, specific and sensitive probes have been developed and, in one case, the membrane-associated auxin-binding protein of maize, these have been used to study the function of the receptor. The maize receptor has been cloned and sequenced; cDNA probes will allow the expression of receptor genes in normal and transformed plants to be studied. PGR sensitivity mutants have been described and, in conjunction with biochemical probes, should prove valuable in elucidating the functions of receptors and the nature of subsequent signal transduction events.