Cytokinin oxidase gene expression in maize is localized to the vasculature, and is induced by cytokinins, abscisic acid, and abiotic stress.

Cytokinins are hormones that play an essential role in plant growth and development. The irreversible degradation of cytokinins, catalyzed by cytokinin oxidase, is an important mechanism by which plants modulate their cytokinin levels. Cytokinin oxidase has been well characterized biochemically, but its regulation at the molecular level is not well understood.