ABI1 of Arabidopsis is a protein serine/threonine phosphatase highly regulated by the proton and magnesium ion concentration1This work is dedicated to Prof. Dr. M.H. Zenk on the occasion of his 65th birthday.1

AbstractThe plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) mediates various responses such as stomatal closure, maintenance of seed dormancy, and inhibition of plant growth. All three responses are regulated by the ABI1 gene product. The ABI1 protein (ABI1p) has been characterized as a protein serine/threonine phosphatase of type 2C that is highly affected in its activity by changes in the proton and magnesium ion concentrations. In the ABA-insensitive mutant abi1 of Arabidopsis thaliana a single amino acid exchange in the primary structure results in both a dominant insensitive phenotype and a strongly reduced protein phosphatase activity in vitro by possibly impairing metal ion coordination