As above, so below: Auxin's role in lateral organ development

• Auxin plays a critical role in shaping plant architecture.
• Similar auxin-driven gene modules impact development in shoots and roots.
• New approaches elucidate how auxin GRNs translate into developmental outcomes.

Organogenesis requires the coordination of many highly-regulated developmental processes, including cell fate determination, cell division and growth, and cell-cell communication. For tissue- and organ-scale coordination, a network of regulators enables molecular events in individual cells to translate into multicellular changes in structure and functional capacity. One recurrent theme in plant developmental networks is a central role for plant hormones, especially auxin. Here, we focus first on describing recent advances in understanding lateral root development, one of the best-studied examples of auxin-mediated organogenesis. We then use this framework to examine the parallel process of emergence of lateral organs in the shoot—a process called phyllotaxy. This comparison reveals a high degree of conservation, highlighting auxin's pivotal role determining overall plant architecture.