Cell Wall-Associated Root Hair Specific 10, a Proline-Rich Receptor-Like Kinase, Is a Negative Modulator of Arabidopsis Root Hair Growth

The study focused on the role of ROOT HAIR SPECIFIC 10 (RHS10), a proline-rich receptor-like kinase, in Arabidopsis thaliana root hair growth. RHS10 was found to negatively affect root hair length by influencing the duration of growth rather than the growth rate. It was localized to the plasma membrane and associated with the cell wall, with its extracellular proline-rich domain being crucial for its inhibitory function. The study also revealed that RHS10 suppresses reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, which is essential for root hair growth, and may interact with RNase RNS2, affecting RNA levels in root hair cells. Overexpression of RHS10 led to decreased RNA levels, while its loss resulted in increased RNA levels. The findings suggest that RHS10 and its family members, including PERK1, PERK5, PERK8, and PERK10, play a general role in regulating root hair growth in angiosperms. The number of seedlings observed ranged from 11 to 75 per genotype, with root hair lengths measured from 93 to 2696 root hairs per construct, indicating a substantial sample size for the conclusions drawn.