BR-INSENSITIVE1 regulates hydrotropic response by interacting with plasma membrane H + -ATPases in Arabidopsis.

Arabidopsis roots sense the moisture gradient in soils and grow toward an area with higher water potential - a process called hydrotropism. Our previous study has shown that the apoplastic proton extrusion in root tips is influenced by brassinosteroids (BRs) receptor BR-INSENSITIVE1 (BRI1) and is crucial for hydrotropic response in Arabidopsis. Here we show that BRI1 interacts directly not only with Arabidopsis plasma membrane H+ -ATPase 2 (AHA2) but also with Arabidopsis plasma membrane H+ -ATPase 7 (AHA7). Therefore, BRI1 may affect hydrotropic response via regulating the activities of AHA2 and AHA7.