The Angiosperm Gibberellin-GID1-DELLA Growth Regulatory Mechanism: How an "Inhibitor of an Inhibitor" Enables Flexible Response to Fluctuating Environments

• Published in: The Plant cell Vol. 21; no. 5; pp. 1328 - 1339
• Main Authors: Harberd, Nicholas P., Belfield, Eric, Yasumura, Yuki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Society of Plant Biologists 01.05.2009
• Subjects: Adaptation, Physiological; Arabidopsis - genetics; Arabidopsis - growth & development; Arabidopsis - metabolism; Arabidopsis Proteins - genetics; Arabidopsis Proteins - metabolism; Arabidopsis Proteins - physiology; Flowering plants; Gene expression regulation; Gibberellins; Gibberellins - physiology; Models, Biological; Phenotypes; Plant cells; Plant growth; Plant growth regulators; Plant Growth Regulators - physiology; Plants; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex - metabolism; Proteins; Receptors; Receptors, Cell Surface - genetics; Receptors, Cell Surface - physiology; Review; Rice; Signal Transduction
• ISSN: 1040-4651; 1532-298X
• DOI: 10.1105/tpc.109.066969

The phytohormone gibberellin (GA) has long been known to regulate the growth, development, and life cycle progression of flowering plants. However, the molecular GA-GID1-DELLA mechanism that enables plants to respond to GA has only recently been discovered. In addition, studies published in the last few years have highlighted previously unsuspected roles for the GA-GID1-DELLA mechanism in regulating growth response to environmental variables. Here, we review these advances within a general plant biology context and speculate on the answers to some remaining questions. We also discuss the hypothesis that the GA-GID1-DELLA mechanism enables flowering plants to maintain transient growth arrest, giving them the flexibility to survive periods of adversity.