TLDR ERULUS controls root hair growth by regulating cell wall composition and pectin activity.
The study investigated the role of the auxin-regulated CrRLK1L kinase ERULUS (ERU) in controlling cell wall composition during root hair (RH) tip growth in Arabidopsis thaliana. ERU was found to be crucial for RH expansion by modulating cell wall dynamics, particularly through the regulation of pectin methylesterase (PME) activity. Mutant eru plants exhibited short, bulged RHs with altered pectin composition and increased PME activity. Pharmacological inhibition of PME activity rescued up to 80% of the eru phenotype. ERU also influenced the phosphorylation status of FERONIA and H+-ATPases 1/2, which are involved in apoplastic pH regulation. The findings highlighted ERU's role in auxin signaling and cell wall metabolism during RH growth.
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