Plant Hormone Transport and Localization: Signaling Molecules on the Move

Plant hormones are a group of small signaling molecules produced by plants at very low concentrations that have the ability to move and function at distal sites. Hormone homeostasis is critical to balance plant growth and development and is regulated at multiple levels, including hormone biosynthesis, catabolism, perception, and transduction. In addition, plants move hormones over short and long distances to regulate various developmental processes and responses to environmental factors. Transporters coordinate these movements, resulting in hormone maxima, gradients, and cellular and subcellular sinks. Here, we summarize the current knowledge of most of the characterized plant hormone transporters with respect to biochemical, physiological, and developmental activities. We further discuss the subcellular localizations of transporters, their substrate specificities, and the need for multiple transporters for the same hormone in the context of plant growth and development.