Ethylene modulates cell wall mechanics for root responses to compaction.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 41299175.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41586-025-09765-7 and PMC identifier 12804079.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Soil stresses affect crop yields and present global agricultural challenges<sup>1</sup>. Soil compaction triggers reduction in root length and radial expansion driven by the plant hormone ethylene<sup>2</sup>. Here we report how ethylene controls cell wall biosynthesis to promote root radial expansion. We demonstrate how soil compaction stress, via ethylene, upregulates Auxin Response Factor1 in the root cortex, which represses cellulose synthase (CESA) genes. CESA repression drives radial expansion of root cortical cells by modifying the thickness of their cell walls, which results in a thicker epidermis and thinner cortex. Our research links ethylene signalling with root cell wall remodelling, and reveals how dynamic regulation of cellulose synthesis controls root growth in compacted soil.
Medical subject headings
- Ethylenes
- Cell Wall
- Plant Roots
- Arabidopsis
- Soil