Role of CIPK6 in root growth and auxin transport

In our recent publication, we have shown that a T-DNA insertion in Arabidopsis CIPK6 gene encoding a CBL-interacting protein kinase caused reduction in expression of the gene and emergence of lateral roots. The change in phenotype in the mutant line was likely due to reduction in shoot-to-root acropetal and the root tip basipetal auxin transport. Here we report identification of a homozygous knockout line of AtCIPK6 (atcipk6) with no detectable expression of the gene in normal growth condition. The knockout line exhibited considerable decrease in growth rate of the taproot as well as in emergence of lateral roots. The mutant line also showed reduction in the root tip basipetal and shoot-to-root acropetal auxin transport. Relative rate of auxin transport and the root phenotype of the atcipk6 closely matched with those of pgp4-1, an Arabidopsis line mutated in PGP4. This gene encodes an ABC integral membrane transporter, which functions in polar auxin transport. These observations strengthen our earlier proposal that CIPK6 is probably involved in polar auxin transport and indicate that it may function through the PGP4 auxin transporter.