Identification and Characterization of Arabidopsis Indole-3-Butyric Acid Response Mutants Defective in Novel Peroxisomal Enzymes

Genetic evidence suggests that indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) is converted to the active auxin indole-3- acetic acid (IAA) by removal of two side-chain methylene units in a process similar to fatty acid boxidation. Previous studies implicate peroxisomes as the site of IBA metabolism, although the enzymes that act in this process are still being identified. Here, we describe two IBA-response mutants, ibr1 and ibr10. Like the previously described ibr3 mutant, which disrupts a putative peroxisomal acyl-CoA oxidase/ dehydrogenase, ibr1 and ibr10 display normal IAA responses and defective IBA responses. These defects include reduced root elongation inhibition, decreased lateral root initiation, and reduced IBA-responsive gene expression. However, peroxisomal energy-generating pathways necessary during early seedling development are unaffected in the mutants. Positional cloning of the genes responsible for the mutant defects reveals that IBR1 encodes a member of the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase family and that IBR10 resembles enoyl-CoA hydratases/isomerases. Both enzymes contain C-terminal peroxisomaltargeting signals, consistent with IBA metabolism occurring in peroxisomes. We present a model in which IBR3, IBR10, and IBR1 may act sequentially in peroxisomal IBA b-oxidation to IAA.