Publication

Journal	Annual Reviews in Plant Biology
Title of proceedings	Annual Reviews in Plant Biology

Experimental innovations have unraveled the core regulatory circuitry in cytokinin signaling involving hybrid histidine kinases for cytokinin perception and signaling initiation, and His-to-Asp phosphorelay from phosphotransfer proteins to response regulators as transcriptional activators or repressors. Novel downstream signaling branches derived or deviated from the canonical two-component-transcription circuitry have also emerged. Integrative approaches are revealing diverse and complex physiological functions of cytokinins and its interplays with auxin and other signal transduction pathways. This review flows from the historical background paving the path to cytokinin discovery into the elucidation of diverse cytokinin functions and key signaling components. Highlighted features focus on the latest understanding in integrating the cytokinin signaling components into signaling networks in specific contexts with molecular and mechanistic insights from organ development in embryo, root apical meristem, shoot apical meristem, stem and root vasculature, nodule organogenesis, to organismal responses underlying immunity, stress tolerance and senescence.