Auxin is not asymmetrically distributed in initiating Arabidopsis leaves

Abstract

It has been proposed that asymmetric auxin levels within initiating leaves help establish leaf polarity, based in part on observations of the DII auxin sensor. Here we show that the mDII control sensor also exhibits an asymmetry and that according to the ratio-metric auxin sensor R2D2, no obvious asymmetry in auxin exists. Together with other recent findings, our results argue against the importance of auxin asymmetry in establishing leaf polarity.