Ck-Signalling

Springer-VerlagTokyo102650918-94401618-086030669031Journal

of Plant Research J

Plant Res009410.1007/s10265-003-0094-6

J Plant Res (2003) 116:221–231 Digital Object Identifier (DOI) 10.1007/s10265-003-0094-6

© The Botanical Society of Japan and Springer-Verlag Tokyo 2003

JPR SYMPOSIUM

Takashi Aoyama • Atsuhiro Oka

Cytokinin signal transduction in plant cells

Received: February 4, 2003 / Accepted: March 8, 2003 / Published online: April 17, 2003

Abstract Cytokinins regulate various events in plant development according to the intrinsic developmental program and in response to environmental stimuli. Recent genetic and molecular biological studies have revealed the framework of the intracellular signal transduction pathway from cytokinin perception to transcriptional regulation of primary cytokinin-responsive genes in Arabidopsis thaliana. Membrane-bound histidine kinases, including CRE1/ AHK4, AHK2, and AHK3, perceive cytokinins. The signal is then transferred via histidine-containing phosphotransfer factors, AHPs, to transcription-factor-type response regulators, such as ARR1, which execute the signal-dependent transactivation of primary cytokinin-responsive genes, including those for other types of response regulator. Simply stated, the cytokinin signal is mediated by the His-Asp phosphorelay, which was originally found in bacterial twocomponent regulatory systems. However, many details, especially those that are essential for elucidating the regulatory mechanisms underlying complicated cytokinin responses, remain unknown. Key words His-Asp phosphorelay · Intracellular signal transduction · Phytohormone · Signal perception · Transcriptional regulation · Two-component regulatory system

Introduction
Plants develop in response to both their intrinsic development program and environmental stimuli. Cytokinins play regulatory roles in plant development, including chloroplast development, leaf senescence, lateral shoot development, and

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