Functional characterization of a small auxin-up RNA gene in apical hook development in Arabidopsis

Auxin functions, at least in part, by regulating a set of early auxin response genes: Aux/IAAs, GH3s and small auxin-up RNAs (SAURs). The SAUR genes encode short transcripts that accumulate rapidly after auxin treatment. There are 72 SAUR genes in Arabidopsis. However, none of these genes have been functionally characterized, although some members have been implicated in calcium/calmodulin-mediated auxin responses and etiolated seedling growth. Here, we investigated the function of a SAUR gene, abolished apical hook maintenance 1 (AAM1), through molecular genetic and transgenic studies. Transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings overexpressing AAM1 exhibited short, hookless hypocotyls with partially open cotyledons in darkness. The hookless phenotype was completely rescued by exogenous auxin. In contrast, hypocotyls of a T-DNA insertion mutant aam1 were slightly longer than wild-type hypocotyls and exhibited normal hook curvature. Notably, AAM1 is predominantly expressed on the inner side of the apical hook, similar to the DR5::GUS reporter. However, on illumination, the AAM1 transcripts were evenly distributed in the apical region, demonstrating that the apical hook development is intimately related to the localized expression of AAM1.