Recent Posts

PIF4 regulates microtubule organization to mediate high temperature–induced hypocotyl elongation

Plant growth adaptation to heat stress (thermomorphogenesis) is regulated by changes in plant morphology such as petiole and hypocotyl elongation.  One of the known players in this response is PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTOR 4 (PIF4), a central regulator of hypocotyl elongation. However, the mechanisms…

TTL bridges microtubules and cellulose synthase complexes

Cellulose synthase (CESA) complexes (CSCs) synthesize the main polysaccharide component of plant primary cell wall, cellulose. The trafficking and dynamics of CSC are tightly regulated. Kesten et al. identified a new family of CSC- and microtubule-interacting proteins, named TETRATRICOPEPTIDE THIOREDOXIN-LIKE…

Developmental functions of Marchantia ROP

Precise control of cell division is an important requirement for proper development in multicellular organisms. Rho-like GTPases from Plants (ROPs) are key conserved regulators of cell polarity and morphogenesis, however, it is unknown if ROP signaling pathways regulate cell division patterning and meristem…

TOR complex regulates actin cytoskeleton dynamics through controlling ATP levels (PNAS)

TOR (Target of Rapamycin) complex is an information hub that integrates nutrition and energy signals and serves as a master regulator for multiple downstream cellular processes. The actin cytoskeleton in plant cells is highly dynamic, with rapid changes of its organization and constant turnover between…

Microtubule-based perception of mechanical conflicts controls plant organ morphogenesis (Sci. Adv.)

Morphogenesis is a critical process in plants and animals that allows a cell, tissue, or organism to reach its final shape. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the formation of lateral root primordia (LRP) is an excellent example of organ morphogenesis that involves cell remodeling throughout differential growth…

Membrane pointillism: Lipid nano-patterning controls distinct molecular pathways at the plasma membrane of pollen tubes

Fratini et al. explore lipid patterns in the plasma membrane of the pollen tube. http://bit.ly/3uwYqsM Ingo Heilmann and Marta Fratini Department of Plant Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany Background:…

Review: The mechanical feedback theory of leaf lamina formation ($) (Trends Plant Sci.)

The contribution of microtubule orientation to the direction of cell expansion is familiar to most; when microtubules wrap around the middle of a cell like a belt, the cell expands in the perpendicular direction to become longer. Recent studies have extended this idea and proposed that the mechanical…

Barley RIPb opens the gates for epidermal fungal penetration

Elisa Dell’Aglio Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon Lyon, France elisa.dell-aglio@insa-lyon.fr  The ascomycete Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei (Bgh) is a powdery mildew causal agent, specifically adapted to barley (Hordeum vulgare), wheat (Triticum aestivum, Triticum turgidum)…

Opposing, polarity-driven nuclear migrations underpin asymmetric divisions in stomatal patterning (Curr. Biol.)

Asymmetric cell divisions (ACDs) are often used by organisms to generate different cell sizes, each adopting a different cell fate. In plants, stomatal development provides an example of an ACD-derived patterning mechanism. Several proteins are known to be implicated in ACDs, like BREAKING OF ASYMMETRY…