Tyrosine phosphorylation controls brassinosteroid receptor activation by triggering membrane release of its kinase inhibitor

Abstract

Receptor tyrosine kinases control many critical processes in metazoans, but these enzymes appear to be absent in plants. Recently, two Arabidopsis receptor kinases—BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE 1 (BRI1) and BRI1-ASSOCIATED KINASE1 (BAK1), the receptor and coreceptor for brassinosteroids—were shown to autophosphorylate on tyrosines. However, the cellular roles for tyrosine phosphorylation in plants remain poorly understood. Here, we report that the BRI1 KINASE INHIBITOR 1 (BKI1) is tyrosine phosphorylated in response to brassinosteroid perception. Phosphorylation occurs within a reiterated [KR][KR] membrane targeting motif, releasing BKI1 into the cytosol and enabling formation of an active signaling complex. Our work reveals that tyrosine phosphorylation is a conserved mechanism controlling protein localization in all higher organisms.