PILS6 is a temperature-sensitive regulator of nuclear auxin input and organ growth in Arabidopsis thaliana

Abstract

Global warming is threatening plant productivity, because plant growth is highly sensitive to elevated temperatures. High temperature (HT) triggers the auxin biosynthesis-dependent growth in aerial tissues. On the other hand, the contribution of auxin to HT-induced root growth is currently under debate. Here we show that the putative intracellular auxin carrier PIN-LIKES 6 (PILS6) is a negative regulator of organ growth and that its abundance is highly sensitive to HT. PILS6 localises to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and limits the nuclear availability of auxin, consequently reducing the auxin signalling output. HT represses the transcription and protein abundance of PILS6 specifically in the root tip, which impacts on PILS6-dependent root organ growth rates. Accordingly, we hypothesize that PILS6 is part of a novel mechanism, linking HT to auxin responses in roots.