Roles of auxin and ethylene in aerenchyma formation in sugarcane roots

Although the cross-talk between auxin and ethylene has been described during plant development, the role played by auxin upon gene expression during aerenchyma formation is poorly understood. Root aerenchyma formation results from the opening of gas spaces in the cortex. It is part of a developmental program (constitutive) or due to ethylene treatment or abiotic stress (induced) such as flooding and nutrient starvation. This process relies on programmed cell death and cell wall modifications. Here we followed development of aerenchyma formation in sugarcane along 5 cm from the root apex. As a constitutive process, the aerenchyma formation was observed in the cortex from the 3(rd) cm onwards. This occurred despite 1-methylcyclepropene (1-MCP) treatment, an inhibitor of ethylene perception. However, this process occurred while ethylene (and auxin) levels decreased. Within the aerenchyma formation zone, the concentration of ethylene is lower in comparison to the concentration in maize. Besides, the ratio between both hormones (ethylene and auxin) was around 1:1. These pieces of evidence suggest that ethylene sensitivity and ethylene-auxin balance may play a role in the formation of aerenchyma. Furthermore, the transcriptional analysis showed that genes related to cell expansion are up-regulated due to 1-MCP treatment. Our results help explaining the regulation of the formation constitutive aerenchyma in sugarcane.