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Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Lateral Root Inducible System in Arabidopsis and Maize
Published on: January 15, 2016
Auxin metabolism in the root apical meristem
N M Kerk1, K Jiang, L J Feldman
1Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, 111 Koshland Hall, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-3102, USA.
Abstract:
Within the root meristem of flowering plants is a group of mitotically inactive cells designated the quiescent center (QC). Recent work links the quiescent state to high levels of the growth regulator auxin that accumulates in the QC via polar transport. This in turn results in elevated levels of the enzyme ascorbic acid oxidase (AAO), resulting in a reduction of ascorbic acid (AA) within the QC and mitotic quiescence. We present evidence for additional interactions between auxin, AAO, and AA, and report that, in vitro, AAO oxidatively decarboxylates auxin, suggesting a mechanism for regulating auxin levels within the QC. We also report that oxidative decarboxylation occurs at the root tip and that an intact root cap must be present for this metabolic event to occur. Finally, we consider how interaction between auxin and AAO may influence root development by regulating the formation of the QC.
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