Heterodimerization and endocytosis of Arabidopsis brassinosteroid receptors BRI1 and AtSERK3 (BAK1)

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Eugenia Russinova
  • Jan-Willem Borst
  • Mark Adrianus Cornelis J Kwaaitaal
  • Ana Caño-Delgado
  • Yanhai Yin
  • Joanne Chory
  • Sacco C de Vries
In Arabidopsis thaliana brassinosteroid (BR), perception is mediated by two Leu-rich repeat receptor-like kinases, BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE1 (BRI1) and BRI1-ASSOCIATED RECEPTOR KINASE1 (BAK1) (Arabidopsis SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS RECEPTOR-like KINASE3 [AtSERK3]). Genetic, biochemical, and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) interaction studies suggested that the BRI1-BAK1 receptor complex initiates BR signaling, but the role of the BAK1 receptor is still not clear. Using transient expression in protoplasts of BRI1 and AtSERK3 fused to cyan and yellow fluorescent green fluorescent protein variants allowed us to localize each receptor independently in vivo. We show that BRI1, but not AtSERK3, homodimerizes in the plasma membrane, whereas BRI1 and AtSERK3 preferentially heterodimerize in the endosomes. Coexpression of BRI1 and AtSERK3 results in a change of the steady state distribution of both receptors because of accelerated endocytosis. Endocytic vesicles contain either BRI1 or AtSERK3 alone or both. We propose that the AtSERK3 protein is involved in changing the equilibrium between plasma membrane-located BRI1 homodimers and endocytosed BRI1-AtSERK3 heterodimers.
Original languageEnglish
JournalPlant Cell
Volume16
Issue number12
Pages (from-to)3216-29
Number of pages14
ISSN1040-4651
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2004

    Research areas

  • Arabidopsis, Arabidopsis Proteins, Bacterial Proteins, Cell Membrane, Dimerization, Endocytosis, Endosomes, Luminescent Proteins, Protein Kinases, Protein Transport, Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases, Protoplasts, Signal Transduction, Steroids, Transport Vesicles

ID: 47194054