An Arabidopsis MADS Box Gene That Controls Nutrient-Induced Changes in Root Architecture

The development of plant root systems is sensitive to the availability and distribution of nutrients within the soil. For example, lateral roots proliferate preferentially within nitrate (NO ₃ ^– )-rich soil patches. A NO ₃ ⁻ -inducible Arabidopsis gene ( ANR1 ), was identified that encodes a member of the MADS box family of transcription factors. Transgenic plants in which ANR1 was repressed had an altered sensitivity to NO ₃ ^– and no longer responded to NO ₃ ^– -rich zones by lateral root proliferation, indicating that ANR1 is a key determinant of developmental plasticity in Arabidopsis roots.