ARF small GTPases in the developmental function mediated by ARF regulators GNOM and VAN3

ARF small GTPases are molecular switches acting in intracellular trafficking. Their cycles of activity are controlled by regulators, ARF Guanine nucleotide Exchange Factors (ARF-GEFs) and ARF GTPase Activating Proteins (ARF-GAPs). The ARF-GEF GNOM (GN) and the ARF-GAP VAN3 share a prominent function in auxin-mediated developmental patterning, but the ARFs which they might control were not identified. We conducted a loss-of-function and localization-based screening of the ARF/ARF-LIKE gene family in Arabidopsis thaliana with the primary aim of identifying functional partners of GN and VAN3, while extending the limited understanding of this gene group as a whole. We identified a function of ARLA1 in branching angle control. Mutants lacking the variably localized ARLB1, ARFB1, ARFC1, ARFD1, and ARF3, even in high order combinations, do not exhibit any evident phenotypes. Loss of function arfa1 phenotypes support a major role of ARFA1 in growth and development overall, but patterning defects typical to gn loss of function are not found. ARFA1 are not localized at the plasma membrane, where GN and VAN3 carry out developmental patterning function according to current models. Taken together, putative ARF partners of GN and VAN3 in developmental patterning cannot be conclusively identified.