Calcium Dependence of Rapid Auxin Action in Maize Roots

We investigated the interaction of Ca²⁺ and auxin on root elongation in seedlings of Zea mays L. The seedlings were raised either in the presence of Ca²⁺ (high calcium; HC = imbibed and raised in 10 millimolar CaCl₂), in the absence of additional Ca²⁺ (intermediate calcium; IC = imbibed and raised in distilled H₂O, calcium supply from seed only), or without additional Ca²⁺ and subsequently depleting them of Ca²⁺ (low calcium; LC = imbibed and raised in distilled H₂O and subsequently treated with 1 millimolar ethyleneglycol-bis-β-aminoethylether]-N,N,N′,N′ -tetraacetic acid EGTA]). Exposure of roots of either HC or IC seedlings to auxin concentrations from 0.1 to 10 micromolar resulted in strong inhibition of elongation. In roots of LC seedlings, on the other hand, auxin concentrations as high as 10 micromolar caused only slight inhibition of elongation. Adding 0.5 millimolar Ca²⁺ to LC roots in the presence of IAA allowed normal expression of the inhibitory action of the hormone. Inhibition of elongation in IC roots by indoleacetic acid was reversible upon treatment of the roots with 1 millimolar EGTA. The inhibitory action of auxin could then be re-established by supplying 0.5 millimolar Ca²⁺. The data indicate that Ca²⁺ may be necessary to the growth-regulating action of auxin. The significance of this finding is discussed with respect to the potential role of Ca²⁺ as a second messenger of auxin action and the relevance of this model to recent evidence for gravi-induced redistribution of Ca²⁺ and its role in establishing gravitropic curvature.