Enhancement of RNA polymerase activity by a factor released by auxin from plasma membrane.

Using recently developed techniques for solubilization of RNA polymerase from soybean chromatin and isolation of plasma membrane fractions from plants we can show the presence of a transcriptional factor specifically released from the membranes by auxin, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. The nonauxin, 3,5-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, does not release the factor, but subsequent exposure of the membranes to auxin results in its release. Factor activity could not be demonstrated in fractions devoid of plasma membranes. The presence of a regulatory factor for RNA polymerase associated with plant plasma membrane and specifically released by auxin provides a mechanism whereby both rapid growth responses and delayed nuclear changes could be derived from a common auxin receptor site associated with plasma membrane.