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Published on: April 17, 2016
The origin and evolution of auxin as a plant signaling molecule
Jorge Hernandez-Garcia1, Dolf Weijers2
1Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (CBGP, UPM-INIA/CSIC) Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) - Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA, CSIC), Campus de Montegancedo, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain.
Abstract:
The plant signaling molecule auxin is key to plant growth and development, and has been connected to numerous processes. Yet, auxin is by no means a plant-specific compound, but is found ubiquitously across all domains of life. In this review, we trace the evolutionary steps that allowed this small molecule to gain control over plant biology. We explore the ecological context in which its plant signaling function arose, and review recent insights into the evolution of the known signaling mediators in plants. What emerges is a scenario in which coordinated changes in a small number of pre-existing proteins ushered in the assembly of a simple intracellular perception/response system that, along with the gained capacity to synthesize auxin, converted an environmental signal into an endogenous signaling molecule.
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