Trafficking within a cell can occur through clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME). CME depends upon coating plasma membrane vesicles with clathrin and adaptor proteins but the mechanism is unclear in plants. Adamowski et al. establish a means with which to study this process in order to further elucidate the machinery involved in plant endocytosis. Proteins involved in […]
Ethylene is an important mediator during plant adaptation to salt stress. During salt stress, ethylene has been shown to promote microtubule (MT) stability and organization. Dou et al. further examine this pathway using Ag+ to block ethylene signaling in addition to using various mutants. In wildtype and ethylene overexpression mutants, adding NaCl and Ag+ hastened […]
The nucleus is a dynamic organelle whose positioning and movement is highly coordinated throughout plant development and differs between cell types. Upon the initiation and subsequent elongation of root hairs, the nucleus moves from a central position to the tip of the growing root hair. Nakamura et al. investigated the mechanism behind this essential nuclear […]
Bisphenol A (BPA) is known for its negative impact on mammalian cell lines and, recently, as an emerging environmental pollutant. BPA, readily taken up and metabolized by plants, results in many growth and developmental defects, from disrupted mitotic microtubule (MT) arrays to altered calcium fluctuations and actin disorganization during pollen tube growth. Stavropoulou et al. […]
The plant cytoskeleton determines cell shape and integrity by delivering cellulose microfibrils and other cell wall components to the plasma membrane and cell wall. Auxin is involved in establishing the polarity of cell expansion and auxin distribution is partly regulated by actin. Sahi et al. examine the role of ARP2/3 in connecting F-actin dynamics and […]
Guest Editor: Alecia Biel Alecia is a graduate student at The Ohio State University in the US and has been a Plantae Fellow since September 2017. Her research focuses on elucidating hormone signaling pathways and the role of the nucleus during this process, particularly throughout plant abiotic stress responses in guard cells. She is very […]
Pollen is an essential component in angiosperm reproduction. Pollen grains are surrounded by a highly resistant wall called exine which enables survival of the male gametes in adverse environmental conditions. Suzuki et al. examined the contribution of an Arabinogalactan β-(1,3)-Galactosyltransferase in proper exine development through characterization of the KNS4 gene. The kaonashi mutant (kns4) was […]
Successful fertilization in plants requires sperm cells (SCs) to be carried along the growing pollen tube (PT) until reaching the female gametophyte where the PT then bursts to release the SCs. One challenge PTs must overcome in order to achieve fertilization is deciding to rupture or not to rupture. Ge et al. identified two receptor-like […]
Ca2+-dependent protein kinases (CPKs) can transfer calcium signals via phosphorylation events, a signaling process important for plant development and response to environmental stresses. With the multitude of CPKs thus far identified and their overlapping roles in both abiotic and biotic stress response, more information is needed to elucidate the roles of individual CPKs. Huang et […]