The PIN auxin efflux facilitators: evolutionary and functional perspectives.

It is widely believed that the PIN proteins are crucial for proper cellular coordination. Since the analysis of the Arabidopsis pin-formed mutant in 1991, and the subsequent cloning of AtPIN1, a further seven members of the family have been discovered. Here, we present an overview of this family of auxin efflux facilitators in monocot and dicot plants, summarizing their evolutionary history, expression profiles and, where appropriate, relating them to protein function.