The role of microtubules in guard cell function

Stomatal opening efficiency is controlled by cell wall organization in Arabidopsis thaliana

Stomatal function in plants is regulated by the nanoscale architecture of the cell wall and turgor pressure, which together control stomatal pore size to facilitate gas exchange and photosynthesis. The mechanical properties of the cell wall and cell geometry are critical determinants of stomatal dynamics. However, the specific biomechanical functions of wall constituents, for example, cellulose and pectins, and their impact on the work required to open or close the stomatal pore are unclear. Here, we use nanoindentation in normal and lateral directions, computational modeling, and microscopic imaging of cells from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana to investigate the precise influences of wall architecture and turgor pressure on stomatal biomechanics. This approach allows us to quantify and compare the unique anisotropic properties of guard cells with normal composition, lower cellulose content, or alterations in pectin molecular weight. Using these data to calculate the work required to open the stomata reveals that the wild type, with a circumferential-to-longitudinal modulus ratio of 3:1, is the most energy-efficient of those studied. In addition, the tested genotypes displayed similar changes in their pore size despite large differences in wall thickness and biomechanical properties. These findings imply that homeostasis in stomatal function is maintained in the face of varying wall compositions and biomechanics by tuning wall thickness.

Vacuolar control of stomatal opening revealed by 3D imaging of the guard cells

Land plants regulate their photosynthesis and water transpiration by exchanging gases (CO₂ and H₂O_vapour) with the atmosphere. These exchanges take place through microscopic valves, called stomata, on the leaf surface. The opening of the stomata is regulated by two guard cells that actively and reversibly modify their turgor pressure to modulate the opening of the stomatal pores. Stomatal function depends on the regulation of the ion transport capacities of cell membranes as well as on the modification of the subcellular organisation of guard cells. Here we report how the vacuolar and cytosolic compartments of guard cells quantitatively participate in stomatal opening. We used a genetically encoded biosensor to visualise changes in ionic concentration during stomatal opening. The 3D reconstruction of living guard cells shows that the vacuole is the responsible for the change in guard cell volume required for stomatal opening.

The OPEN STOMATA1-SPIRAL1 module regulates microtubule stability during abscisic acid-induced stomatal closure in Arabidopsis

Drought stress triggers abscisic acid (ABA) signaling in guard cells and induces stomatal closure to prevent water loss in land plants. Stomatal movement is accompanied by reorganization of the cytoskeleton. Cortical microtubules disassemble in response to ABA, which is required for stomatal closure. However, how ABA signaling regulates microtubule disassembly is unclear, and the microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) involved in this process remain to be identified. In this study, we show that OPEN STOMATA 1 (OST1), a central component in ABA signaling, mediates microtubule disassembly during ABA-induced stomatal closure in Arabidopsis thaliana. We identified the MAP SPIRAL1 (SPR1) as the substrate of OST1. OST1 interacts with and phosphorylates SPR1 at Ser6, which promotes the disassociation of SPR1 from microtubules and facilitates microtubule disassembly. Compared with the wild type, the spr1 mutant exhibited significantly greater water loss and reduced ABA responses, including stomatal closure and microtubule disassembly in guard cells. These phenotypes were restored by introducing the phosphorylated active form of SPR1. Our findings demonstrate that SPR1 positively regulates microtubule disassembly during ABA-induced stomatal closure, which depends on OST1-mediated phosphorylation. These findings reveal a specific connection between a core component of ABA signaling and MAPs.

Controlling the Gate: The Functions of the Cytoskeleton in Stomatal Movement

Stomata are specialized epidermal structures composed of two guard cells and are involved in gas and water exchange between plants and the environment and pathogen entry into the plant interior. Stomatal movement is a response to many internal and external stimuli to increase adaptability to environmental change. The cytoskeleton, including actin filaments and microtubules, is highly dynamic in guard cells during stomatal movement, and the destruction of the cytoskeleton interferes with stomatal movement. In this review, we discuss recent progress on the organization and dynamics of actin filaments and microtubule network in guard cells, and we pay special attention to cytoskeletal-associated protein-mediated cytoskeletal rearrangements during stomatal movement. We also discuss the potential mechanisms of stomatal movement in relation to the cytoskeleton and attempt to provide a foundation for further research in this field.

The E3 ligase MREL57 modulates microtubule stability and stomatal closure in response to ABA

Regulation of stomatal movement is critical for plant adaptation to environmental stresses. The microtubule cytoskeleton undergoes disassembly, which is critical for stomatal closure in response to abscisic acid (ABA). However, the mechanism underlying this regulation largely remains unclear. Here we show that a ubiquitin-26S proteasome (UPS)-dependent pathway mediates microtubule disassembly and is required for ABA-induced stomatal closure. Moreover, we identify and characterize the ubiquitin E3 ligase MREL57 (MICROTUBULE-RELATED E3 LIGASE57) and the microtubule-stabilizing protein WDL7 (WAVE-DAMPENED2-LIKE7) in Arabidopsis and show that the MREL57-WDL7 module regulates microtubule disassembly to mediate stomatal closure in response to drought stress and ABA treatment. MREL57 interacts with, ubiquitinates and degrades WDL7, and this effect is clearly enhanced by ABA. ABA-induced stomatal closure and microtubule disassembly are significantly suppressed in mrel57 mutants, and these phenotypes can be restored when WDL7 expression is decreased. Our results unravel UPS-dependent mechanisms and the role of an MREL57-WDL7 module in microtubule disassembly and stomatal closure in response to drought stress and ABA.

Arabidopsis KASH Proteins SINE1 and SINE2 Are Involved in Microtubule Reorganization During ABA-Induced Stomatal Closure

Abscisic acid (ABA) induces stomatal closure by utilizing complex signaling mechanisms, allowing for sessile plants to respond rapidly to ever-changing environmental conditions. ABA regulates the activity of plasma membrane ion channels and calcium-dependent protein kinases, Ca2+ oscillations, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentrations. Throughout ABA-induced stomatal closure, the cytoskeleton undergoes dramatic changes that appear important for efficient closure. However, the precise role of this cytoskeletal reorganization in stomatal closure and the nature of its regulation are unknown. We have recently shown that the plant KASH proteins SINE1 and SINE2 are connected to actin organization during ABA-induced stomatal closure but their role in microtubule (MT) organization remains to be investigated. We show here that depolymerizing MTs using oryzalin can restore ABA-induced stomatal closure deficits in sine1-1 and sine2-1 mutants. GFP-MAP4-visualized MT organization is compromised in sine1-1 and sine2-1 mutants during ABA-induced stomatal closure. Loss of SINE1 or SINE2 results in loss of radially organized MT patterning in open guard cells, aberrant MT organization during stomatal closure, and an overall decrease in the number of MT filaments or bundles. Thus, SINE1 and SINE2 are necessary for establishing MT patterning and mediating changes in MT rearrangement, which is required for ABA-induced stomatal closure.

Arabidopsis RING E3 ubiquitin ligase JUL1 participates in ABA-mediated microtubule depolymerization, stomatal closure, and tolerance response to drought stress

Ubiquitination is a critical post-translational protein modification that has been implicated in diverse cellular processes, including abiotic stress responses, in plants. In the present study, we identified and characterized a T-DNA insertion mutant in the At5g10650 locus. Compared to wild-type Arabidopsis plants, at5g10650 progeny were hyposensitive to ABA at the germination stage. At5g10650 possessed a single C-terminal C3HC4-type Really Interesting New Gene (RING) motif, which was essential for ABA-mediated germination and E3 ligase activity in vitro. At5g10650 was closely associated with microtubules and microtubule-associated proteins in Arabidopsis and tobacco leaf cells. Localization of At5g10650 to the nucleus was frequently observed. Unexpectedly, At5g10650 was identified as JAV1-ASSOCIATED UBIQUITIN LIGASE1 (JUL1), which was recently reported to participate in the jasmonate signaling pathway. The jul1 knockout plants exhibited impaired ABA-promoted stomatal closure. In addition, stomatal closure could not be induced by hydrogen peroxide and calcium in jul1 plants. jul1 guard cells accumulated wild-type levels of H₂ O₂ after ABA treatment. These findings indicated that JUL1 acts downstream of H₂ O₂ and calcium in the ABA-mediated stomatal closure pathway. Typical radial arrays of microtubules were maintained in jul1 guard cells after exposure to ABA, H₂ O₂ , and calcium, which in turn resulted in ABA-hyposensitive stomatal movements. Finally, jul1 plants were markedly more susceptible to drought stress than wild-type plants. Overall, our results suggest that the Arabidopsis RING E3 ligase JUL1 plays a critical role in ABA-mediated microtubule disorganization, stomatal closure, and tolerance to drought stress.

Inhibition of light-induced stomatal opening by allyl isothiocyanate does not require guard cell cytosolic Ca2+ signaling

The glucosinolate-myrosinase system is a well-known defense system that has been shown to induce stomatal closure in Brassicales. Isothiocyanates are highly reactive hydrolysates of glucosinolates, and an isothiocyanate, allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), induces stomatal closure accompanied by elevation of free cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]cyt) in Arabidopsis. It remains unknown whether AITC inhibits light-induced stomatal opening. This study investigated the role of Ca2+ in AITC-induced stomatal closure and inhibition of light-induced stomatal opening. AITC induced stomatal closure and inhibited light-induced stomatal opening in a dose-dependent manner. A Ca2+ channel inhibitor, La3+, a Ca2+chelator, EGTA, and an inhibitor of Ca2+ release from internal stores, nicotinamide, inhibited AITC-induced [Ca2+]cyt elevation and stomatal closure, but did not affect inhibition of light-induced stomatal opening. AITC activated non-selective Ca2+-permeable cation channels and inhibited inward-rectifying K+ (K+in) channels in a Ca2+-independent manner. AITC also inhibited stomatal opening induced by fusicoccin, a plasma membrane H+-ATPase activator, but had no significant effect on fusicoccin-induced phosphorylation of the penultimate threonine of H+-ATPase. Taken together, these results suggest that AITC induces Ca2+ influx and Ca2+ release to elevate [Ca2+]cyt, which is essential for AITC-induced stomatal closure but not for inhibition of K+in channels and light-induced stomatal opening.

PP2A and microtubules function in 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated H2 O2 signaling in Arabidopsis guard cells

5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), a plant growth regulator with great application potential in agriculture and horticulture, induces stomatal opening and inhibits stomatal closure by decreasing guard cell H₂ O₂ . However, the mechanisms behind ALA-decreased H₂ O₂ in guard cells are not fully understood. Here, using type 2A protein phosphatase (PP2A) inhibitors, microtubule-stabilizing/disrupting drugs and green fluorescent protein-tagged α-tubulin 6 transgenic Arabidopsis (GFP-TUA6), we find that PP2A and cortical microtubules (MTs) are involved in ALA-regulated stomatal movement. Then, we analyze stomatal responses of Arabidopsis overexpressing C2 catalytic subunit of PP2A (PP2A-C2) and pp2a-c2 mutant to ALA and abscisic acid (ABA) under both light and dark conditions, and show that PP2A-C2 participates in ALA-induced stomatal movement. Furthermore, using pharmacological methods and confocal studies, we reveal that PP2A and MTs function upstream and downstream, respectively, of H₂ O₂ in guard cell signaling. Finally, we demonstrate the role of H₂ O₂ -mediated microtubule arrangement in ALA inhibiting ABA-induced stomatal closure. Our findings indicate that MTs regulated by PP2A-mediated H₂ O₂ decreasing play an important role in ALA guard cell signaling, revealing new insights into stomatal movement regulation.

Plant Hormone Signaling Crosstalks between Biotic and Abiotic Stress Responses

In the natural environment, plants are often bombarded by a combination of abiotic (such as drought, salt, heat or cold) and biotic (necrotrophic and biotrophic pathogens) stresses simultaneously. It is critical to understand how the various response pathways to these stresses interact with one another within the plants, and where the points of crosstalk occur which switch the responses from one pathway to another. Calcium sensors are often regarded as the first line of response to external stimuli to trigger downstream signaling. Abscisic acid (ABA) is a major phytohormone regulating stress responses, and it interacts with the jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) signaling pathways to channel resources into mitigating the effects of abiotic stresses versus defending against pathogens. The signal transduction in these pathways are often carried out via GTP-binding proteins (G-proteins) which comprise of a large group of proteins that are varied in structures and functions. Deciphering the combined actions of these different signaling pathways in plants would greatly enhance the ability of breeders to develop food crops that can thrive in deteriorating environmental conditions under climate change, and that can maintain or even increase crop yield.

Cortical microtubules and fusicoccin response in clustered stomatal guard cells induced by sucrose solution immersion

We previously found that sucrose solution immersion treatment permitted ectopic guard cell differentiation, resulting in clustered stomatal guard cells. Using this system, we examined the effects of sucrose solution-induced stomatal clustering on guard cell cortical microtubules and the stomatal response to fusicoccin. Confocal observation revealed that the radial orientation of cortical microtubules was largely maintained in clustered guard cells. Outward movement of cortical microtubule plus-ends was also kept in the clustered guard cells. Fusicoccin treatment induced stomatal opening in both spaced and clustered stomata, although sucrose solution-treated guard cells had lower stomatal apertures. These results suggested that immersion treatment with sucrose solution perturbed the one-cell spacing of stomata but not the cortical microtubule organization required to open stomatal pores.

Vacuolar convolution: possible mechanisms and role of phosphatidylinositol 3,5-bisphosphate

The central or lytic vacuole is the largest intracellular organelle in plant cells, but we know unacceptably little about the mechanisms regulating its function in vivo. The underlying reasons are related to difficulties in accessing this organelle without disrupting the cellular integrity and to the dynamic morphology of the vacuole, which lacks a defined structure. Among such morphological changes, vacuolar convolution is probably the most commonly observed event, reflected in the (reversible) transformation of a large central vacuole into a structure consisting of interconnected bubbles of a smaller size. Such behaviour is observed in plant cells subjected to hyperosmotic stress but also takes place in physiological conditions (e.g. during stomatal closure). Although vacuolar convolution is a relatively common phenomenon in plants, studies aimed at elucidating its execution mechanisms are rather scarce. In the present review, we analyse the available evidence on the participation of the cellular cytoskeleton and ion transporters in vacuolar morphology dynamics, putting special emphasis on the available evidence of the role played by phosphatidylinositol 3,5-bisphosphate in this process.

Differential Effects of Phosphatidylinositol 4-Kinase (PI4K) and 3-Kinase (PI3K) Inhibitors on Stomatal Responses to Environmental Signals

Specific cellular components including products of phosphatidylinositol (PI) metabolism play an important role as signaling molecules in stomatal responses to environmental signals. In this study, pharmacological inhibitors of a set of cellular components, including PI4-kinase (PI4K) and PI3K, were used to investigate stomatal closure in response to CO₂, darkness, and abscisic acid (ABA). Treatment with PAO, a specific inhibitor of PI4K, specifically inhibited the stomatal response to CO₂ compared with that to darkness and ABA. In contrast, treatment with LY294002, a PI3K-specific inhibitor, specifically inhibited the stomatal response to darkness compared with that to CO₂ and ABA. The specific inhibitory effects of PAO and LY294002 were also observed as changes in the spatial density of dot-like structures labeled by green fluorescent protein-tagged PATROL1, a protein that controls stomatal aperture possibly via regulation of H⁺-ATPase amount in guard cell plasma membranes. Our results suggest an important role for PI4K and PI3K in the CO₂ and darkness signal transduction pathways, respectively, that mediate PATROL1 dynamics.

A novel-type phosphatidylinositol phosphate-interactive, Ca-binding protein PCaP1 in Arabidopsis thaliana: stable association with plasma membrane and partial involvement in stomata closure

The Ca(2+)-binding protein-1 (PCaP1) of Arabidopsis thaliana is a new type protein that binds to phosphatidylinositol phosphates and Ca(2+)-calmodulin complex as well as free Ca(2+). Although biochemical properties, such as binding to ligands and N-myristoylation, have been revealed, the intracellular localization, tissue and cell specificity, integrity of membrane association and physiological roles of PCaP1 are unknown. We investigated the tissue and intracellular distribution of PCaP1 by using transgenic lines expressing PCaP1 linked with a green fluorescence protein (GFP) at the carboxyl terminus of PCaP1. GFP fluorescence was obviously detected in most tissues including root, stem, leaf and flower. In these tissues, PCaP1-GFP signal was observed predominantly in the plasma membrane even under physiological stress conditions but not in other organelles. The fluorescence was detected in the cytosol when the 25-residue N-terminal sequence was deleted from PCaP1 indicating essential contribution of N-myristoylation to the plasma membrane anchoring. Fluorescence intensity of PCaP1-GFP in roots was slightly decreased in seedlings grown in medium supplemented with high concentrations of iron for 1 week and increased in those grown with copper. In stomatal guard cells, PCaP1-GFP was strictly, specifically localized to the plasma membrane at the epidermal-cell side but not at the pore side. A T-DNA insertion mutant line of PCaP1 did not show marked phenotype in a life cycle except for well growth under high CO2 conditions. However, stomata of the mutant line did not close entirely even in high osmolarity, which usually induces stomata closure. These results suggest that PCaP1 is involved in the stomatal movement, especially closure process, in leaves and response to excessive copper in root and leaf as a mineral nutrient as a physiological role.

Regulation of developmental and environmental signaling by interaction between microtubules and membranes in plant cells

Cell division and expansion require the ordered arrangement of microtubules, which are subject to spatial and temporal modifications by developmental and environmental factors. Understanding how signals translate to changes in cortical microtubule organization is of fundamental importance. A defining feature of the cortical microtubule array is its association with the plasma membrane; modules of the plasma membrane are thought to play important roles in the mediation of microtubule organization. In this review, we highlight advances in research on the regulation of cortical microtubule organization by membrane-associated and membrane-tethered proteins and lipids in response to phytohormones and stress. The transmembrane kinase receptor Rho-like guanosine triphosphatase, phospholipase D, phosphatidic acid, and phosphoinositides are discussed with a focus on their roles in microtubule organization.

Gate control: guard cell regulation by microbial stress

Terrestrial plants rely on stomata, small pores in the leaf surface, for photosynthetic gas exchange and transpiration of water. The stomata, formed by a pair of guard cells, dynamically increase and decrease their volume to control the pore size in response to environmental cues. Stresses can trigger similar or opposing movements: for example, drought induces closure of stomata, whereas many pathogens exploit stomata and cause them to open to facilitate entry into plant tissues. The latter is an active process as stomatal closure is part of the plant's immune response. Stomatal research has contributed much to clarify the signalling pathways of abiotic stress, but guard cell signalling in response to microbes is a relatively new area of research. In this article, we discuss present knowledge of stomatal regulation in response to microbes and highlight common points of convergence, and differences, compared to stomatal regulation by abiotic stresses. We also expand on the mechanisms by which pathogens manipulate these processes to promote disease, for example by delivering effectors to inhibit closure or trigger opening of stomata. The study of pathogen effectors in stomatal manipulation will aid our understanding of guard cell signalling.

Subcellular and supracellular mechanical stress prescribes cytoskeleton behavior in Arabidopsis cotyledon pavement cells

Although it is a central question in biology, how cell shape controls intracellular dynamics largely remains an open question. Here, we show that the shape of Arabidopsis pavement cells creates a stress pattern that controls microtubule orientation, which then guides cell wall reinforcement. Live-imaging, combined with modeling of cell mechanics, shows that microtubules align along the maximal tensile stress direction within the cells, and atomic force microscopy demonstrates that this leads to reinforcement of the cell wall parallel to the microtubules. This feedback loop is regulated: cell-shape derived stresses could be overridden by imposed tissue level stresses, showing how competition between subcellular and supracellular cues control microtubule behavior. Furthermore, at the microtubule level, we identified an amplification mechanism in which mechanical stress promotes the microtubule response to stress by increasing severing activity. These multiscale feedbacks likely contribute to the robustness of microtubule behavior in plant epidermis.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01967.001

The surfaces of plants are covered in epithelial cells that come in many different shapes, suggesting that individual cells must have some control over their own shape. An unusually shaped epithelial cell is the pavement cell, which looks like a jigsaw puzzle piece and is found in the leaves of many flowering plants. Relatively little was known about the exact contribution of mechanical properties of the wall to this shape. Furthermore, although it was known that parts of pavement cells are rich in microtubules—tubes of protein that act as a scaffold inside the cell— the possibility that shape impacts the behavior of microtubules was not fully addressed.

Now, using a combination of computer modelling and experiments, Sampathkumar et al. reveal that the shape of the pavement cells relies in part on the response of the microtubules to stress. In an individual cell, microtubules align along the direction of the largest stress, with a protein severing those microtubules that are not aligned in this direction. As the stress inside a cell is determined in part by the cell’s shape, this sets up a feedback loop: the stress resulting from the cell shape aligns the microtubules that reinforce the cell wall, thus maintaining the shape of the cell.

An external stress applied to the epithelium can override this internal stress. Because all of the plant cells are under turgor pressure from the inside, pressure from the outside, like squeezing a balloon, changes the stress pattern, causing the realignment of the microtubules so as to resist the new stress. This shows that the microtubules respond to local stresses within a cell, and are continually responsive to stress changes.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01967.002

Phosphatidic acid integrates calcium signaling and microtubule dynamics into regulating ABA-induced stomatal closure in Arabidopsis

Specific cellular components have been identified to function in abscisic acid (ABA) regulation of stomatal apertures, including calcium, the cytoskeleton, and phosphatidic acid. In this study, the regulation and dynamic organization of microtubules during ABA-induced stomatal closure by phospholipase D (PLD) and its product PA were investigated. ABA induced microtubule depolymerization and stomatal closure in wide-type (WT) Arabidopsis, whereas these processes were impaired in PLD mutant (pldα1). The microtubule-disrupting drugs oryzalin or propyzamide induced microtubule depolymerization, but did not affect the stomatal aperture, whereas their co-treatment with ABA resulted in stomatal closure in both WT and pldα1. In contrast, the microtubule-stabilizing drug paclitaxel arrested ABA-induced microtubule depolymerization and inhibited ABA-induced stomatal closure in both WT and pldα1. In pldα1, ABA-induced cytoplasmic Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)]cyt) elevation was partially blocked, and exogenous Ca(2+)-induced microtubule depolymerization and stomatal closure were impaired. These results suggested that PLDα1 and PA regulate microtubular organization and Ca(2+) increases during ABA-induced stomatal closing and that crosstalk among signaling lipid, Ca(2+), and microtubules are essential for ABA signaling.

A biomarker based on gene expression indicates plant water status in controlled and natural environments

Plant or soil water status is required in many scientific fields to understand plant responses to drought. Because the transcriptomic response to abiotic conditions, such as water deficit, reflects plant water status, genomic tools could be used to develop a new type of molecular biomarker. Using the sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) as a model species to study the transcriptomic response to water deficit both in greenhouse and field conditions, we specifically identified three genes that showed an expression pattern highly correlated to plant water status as estimated by the pre-dawn leaf water potential, fraction of transpirable soil water, soil water content or fraction of total soil water in controlled conditions. We developed a generalized linear model to estimate these classical water status indicators from the expression levels of the three selected genes under controlled conditions. This estimation was independent of the four tested genotypes and the stage (pre- or post-flowering) of the plant. We further validated this gene expression biomarker under field conditions for four genotypes in three different trials, over a large range of water status, and we were able to correct their expression values for a large diurnal sampling period.

Overexpression of Arabidopsis translationally controlled tumor protein gene AtTCTP enhances drought tolerance with rapid ABA-induced stomatal closure

Translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP), also termed P23 in human, belongs to a family of calcium- and tubulin-binding proteins, and it is generally regarded as a growth-regulating protein. Recently, Arabidopsis TCTP (AtTCTP) has been reported to function as an important growth regulator in plants. On the other hand, plant TCTP has been suggested to be involved in abiotic stress signaling such as aluminum, salt, and water deficit by a number of microarray or proteomic analyses. In this study, the biological functions of AtTCTP were investigated by using transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing AtTCTP. Interestingly, AtTCTP overexpression enhanced drought tolerance in plants. The expression analysis showed that AtTCTP was expressed in guard cells as well as in actively growing tissues. Physiological studies of the overexpression lines showed increased ABA- and calcium-induced stomatal closure ratios and faster stomatal closing responses to ABA. Furthermore, in vitro protein-protein interaction analysis confirmed the interaction between AtTCTP and microtubules, and microtubule cosedimentation assays revealed that the microtubule binding of AtTCTP increased after calcium treatment. These results demonstrate that the overexpression of AtTCTP confers drought tolerance to plants by rapid ABA-mediated stomatal closure via the interaction with microtubules in which calcium binding enhances the interaction. Collectively, the present results suggest that the plant TCTP has molecular properties similar to animal TCTPs, such as tubulin- and calcium-binding, and that it functions in ABA-mediated stomatal movement, in addition to regulating the growth of plants.

Quantitative changes in microtubule distribution correlate with guard cell function in Arabidopsis

Radially arranged cortical microtubules are a prominent feature of guard cells. We observed guard cells expressing GFP-tubulin (GFP-TUA6) with confocal microscopy and found recognizable changes in the appearance of microtubules when stomata open or close (Eisinger et al., 2012). In the present study, analysis of fluorescence distribution showed a dramatic increase in peak intensities of microtubule bundles within guard cells as stomata open. This increase was correlated with an increase in the total fluorescence that could be attributed to polymerized tubulin. Adjacent pavement cells did not show similar changes in peak intensities or integrated fluorescence when stomatal apertures changed. Imaging of RFP-tagged end binding protein 1 (EB1) and YFP-tagged α-tubulin expressed in the same cell revealed that the number of microtubules with growing ends remained constant, although the total amount of polymerized tubulin was higher in open than in closed guard cells. Taken together, these results indicate that the changes in microtubule array organization that are correlated with and required for normal guard cell function are characterized by changes in microtubule clustering or bundling.

Microtubules are essential for guard-cell function in Vicia and Arabidopsis

Radially arranged cortical microtubules are a prominent feature of guard cells. Guard cells expressing GFP-tubulin showed consistent changes in the appearance of microtubules when stomata opened or closed. Guard cells showed fewer microtubule structures as stomata closed, whether induced by transfer to darkness, ABA, hydrogen peroxide, or sodium hydrogen carbonate. Guard cells kept in the dark (closed stomata) showed increases in microtubule structures and stomatal aperture on light treatment. GFP-EB1, marking microtubule growing plus ends, showed no change in number of plus ends or velocity of assembly on stomatal closure. Since the number of growing plus ends and the rate of plus-end growth did not change when microtubule structure numbers declined, microtubule instability and/or rearrangement must be responsible for the apparent loss of microtubules. Guard cells with closed stomata showed more cytosolic GFP-fluorescence than those with open stomata as cortical microtubules became disassembled, although with a large net loss in total fluorescence. Microtubule-targeted drugs blocked guard-cell function in Vicia and Arabidopsis. Oryzalin disrupted guard-cell microtubules and prevented stomatal opening and taxol stabilized guard-cell microtubules and delayed stomatal closure. Gas exchange measurements indicated that the transgenes for fluorescent-labeled proteins did not disrupt normal stomatal function. These dynamic changes in guard-cell microtubules combined with our inhibitor studies provide evidence for an active role of microtubules in guard-cell function.

Ixabepilone for the treatment of breast cancer

Patients with breast cancer that becomes resistant to taxanes and anthracyclines experience considerable morbidity and mortality. The Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of ixabepilone for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer that is refractory or resistant to taxanes and anthracyclines. The purpose of this review is to summarize the evidence from published studies on the pharmacological data and clinical activity of ixabepilone in patients with breast cancer. The conclusion of this review is that ixabepilone demonstrated a high efficacy in combination with capecitabine and as a single agent in breast cancer refractory to taxanes and anthracyclines. The clinical activity of ixabepilone combined with bevacizumab for advanced breast cancer was very promising.

mEosFP-based green-to-red photoconvertible subcellular probes for plants

Photoconvertible fluorescent proteins (FPs) are recent additions to the biologists' toolbox for understanding the living cell. Like green fluorescent protein (GFP), monomeric EosFP is bright green in color but is efficiently photoconverted into a red fluorescent form using a mild violet-blue excitation. Here, we report mEosFP-based probes that localize to the cytosol, plasma membrane invaginations, endosomes, prevacuolar vesicles, vacuoles, the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi bodies, mitochondria, peroxisomes, and the two major cytoskeletal elements, filamentous actin and cortical microtubules. The mEosFP fusion proteins are smaller than GFP/red fluorescent protein-based probes and, as demonstrated here, provide several significant advantages for imaging of living plant cells. These include an ability to differentially color label a single cell or a group of cells in a developing organ, selectively highlight a region of a cell or a subpopulation of organelles and vesicles within a cell for tracking them, and understanding spatiotemporal aspects of interactions between similar as well as different organelles. In addition, mEosFP probes introduce a milder alternative to fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, whereby instead of photobleaching, photoconversion followed by recovery of green fluorescence can be used for estimating subcellular dynamics. Most importantly, the two fluorescent forms of mEosFP furnish bright internal controls during imaging experiments and are fully compatible with cyan fluorescent protein, GFP, yellow fluorescent protein, and red fluorescent protein fluorochromes for use in simultaneous, multicolor labeling schemes. Photoconvertible mEosFP-based subcellular probes promise to usher in a much higher degree of precision to live imaging of plant cells than has been possible so far using single-colored FPs.

Microtubule-associated protein AtMPB2C plays a role in organization of cortical microtubules, stomata patterning, and tobamovirus infectivity

AtMPB2C is the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) homolog of MPB2C, a microtubule-associated host factor of tobacco mosaic virus movement protein that was been previously identified in Nicotiana tabacum. To analyze the endogenous function of AtMPB2C and its role in viral infections, transgenic Arabidopsis plant lines stably overexpressing green fluorescent protein (GFP)-AtMPB2C were established. The GFP-AtMPB2C fusion protein was detectable in various cell types and organs and localized at microtubules in a punctuate pattern or in filaments. To determine whether overexpression impacted on the cortical microtubular cytoskeleton, GFP-AtMPB2C-overexpressing plants were compared to known microtubular marker lines. In rapidly elongated cell types such as vein cells and root cells, GFP-AtMPB2C overexpression caused highly unordered assemblies of cortical microtubules, a disturbed, snake-like microtubular shape, and star-like crossing points of microtubules. Phenotypically, GFP-AtMPB2C transgenic plants showed retarded growth but were viable and fertile. Seedlings of GFP-AtMPB2C transgenic plants were characterized by clockwise twisted leaves, clustered stomata, and enhanced drought tolerance. GFP-AtMPB2C-overexpressing plants showed increased resistance against oilseed rape mosaic virus, a close relative of tobacco mosaic virus, but not against cucumber mosaic virus when compared to Arabidopsis wild-type plants. These results suggest that AtMPB2C is involved in the alignment of cortical microtubules, the patterning of stomata, and restricting tobamoviral infections.

Cortical actin filament organization in developing and functioning stomatal complexes ofZea maysandTriticum turgidum

Cortical actin filament (AF) organization was studied in detail in developing stomatal complexes of the grasses Zea mays and Triticum turgidum. AF arrays during the whole stomatal complex development are dynamic, partly following the pattern of cortical microtubule (MT) organization. They also exhibit particular patterns of organization, spatially and temporarily restricted. Among AF arrays, the radial ones that underlie young guard cell (GC) periclinal walls, those that line the bulbous GC ends and the AF ring at the junction between subsidiary cells (SCs) and GCs are described here for the first time. Although many similarities in cortical AF organization exist among the stomatal cells of both plants studied, considerable differences have also been observed between them. Our data reveal that the expanding areas of stomatal cell walls are lined by distinct cortical AF aggregations that probably protect the plasmalemma against mechanical stresses. Experimental AF disruption does not seem to affect detectably stomatal cell morphogenesis. Moreover, the structural and experimental data of this study revealed that, in contrast to the elliptical stomata, in the dumbbell-shaped ones the AFs and MTs seem not to be involved in the mechanism of opening and closing of the stomatal pore.

Distinct fluorescent pattern of KAT1::GFP in the plasma membrane of Vicia faba guard cells

The organisation of membrane proteins into certain domains of the plasma membrane (PM) has been proposed to be important for signalling in yeast and animal cells. Here we describe the formation of a very distinct pattern of the K(+) channel KAT1 fused to the green fluorescent protein (KAT1::GFP) when transiently expressed in guard cells of Vicia faba. Using confocal laser scanning microscopy we observed a radially striped pattern of KAT1::GFP fluorescence in the PM in about 70% of all transfected guard cells. This characteristic pattern was found to be cell type and protein specific and independent of the stomatal aperture and the cytoskeleton. Staining of the cell wall of guard cells with Calcofluor White revealed a great similarity between the arrangement of cellulose microfibrils and the KAT1::GFP pattern. Furthermore, the radial pattern of KAT1::GFP immediately disappeared when turgor pressure was strongly decreased by changing from hypotonic to hypertonic conditions. The pattern reappeared within 15 min upon reestablishment of high turgor pressure in hypotonic solution. Evaluation of the staining pattern by a mathematical algorithm further confirmed this reversible abolishment of the radial pattern during hypertonic treatment. We therefore conclude that the radial organisation of KAT1::GFP depends on the close contact between the PM and cell wall in turgid guard cells. These results offer the first indication for a role of the cell wall in the localisation of ion channels. We propose a model in which KAT1 is located in the cellulose fibrils intermediate areas of the PM and discuss the physiological role of this phenomenon.

The phs1-3 mutation in a putative dual-specificity protein tyrosine phosphatase gene provokes hypersensitive responses to abscisic acid in Arabidopsis thaliana

The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) controls numerous physiological traits: dormancy and germination of seeds, senescence and resistance to abiotic stresses. In order to get more insight into the role of protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) in ABA signalling, we obtained eight homozygous T-DNA insertion lines in Arabidopsis thaliana PTP genes. One mutant, named phs1-3, exhibited a strong ABA-induced inhibition of germination as only 26% of its seeds germinated after 3 days instead of 92% for the Columbia (Col-0) line. Genetic and molecular analyses of phs1-3 showed that it bears a unique T-DNA insertion in the promoter of the gene and that the mutation is recessive. PHS1 expression in the mutant is about half that of the Col-0 line. The upregulation of two ABA-induced genes (At5g06760, RAB18) and the downregulation of two ABA-repressed genes (AtCLC-A, ACL) are enhanced in the phs1-3 mutant compared with the wild-type. The 'in planta' aperture of phs1-3 stomata is reduced and the inhibition of the light-induced opening of stomata by ABA is stronger in phs1-3 leaves than in Col-0 leaves. Finally, PHS1 expression is upregulated in the presence of ABA in both phs1-3 and Col-0 but more intensively in the mutant. Thus, phs1-3 is hypersensitive to ABA. Taken together, these results show that PHS1, which encodes a dual-specificity PTP, is a negative regulator of ABA signalling.

Change in the actin cytoskeleton during seismonastic movement of Mimosa pudica

The seismonastic movement of Mimosa pudica is triggered by a sudden loss of turgor pressure. In the present study, we compared the cell cytoskeleton by immunofluorescence analysis before and after movement, and the effects of actin- and microtubule-targeted drugs were examined by injecting them into the cut pulvinus. We found that fragmentation of actin filaments and microtubules occurs during bending, although the actin cytoskeleton, but not the microtubules, was involved in regulation of the movement. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that actin cables became loose after the bending. We injected phosphatase inhibitors into the severed pulvinus to examine the effects of such inhibitors on the actin cytoskeleton. We found that changes in actin isoforms, fragmentation of actin filaments and the bending movement were all inhibited after injection of a tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor. We thus propose that the phosphorylation status of actin at tyrosine residues affects the dynamic reorganization of actin filaments and causes seismonastic movement.

Illuminating subcellular structures and dynamics in plants: a fluorescent protein toolboxThis review is one of a selection of papers published in the Special Issue on Plant Cell Biology

The discovery and development of multicoloured fluorescent proteins has led to the exciting possibility of observing a remarkable array of subcellular structures and dynamics in living cells. This minireview highlights a number of the more common fluorescent protein probes in plants and is a testimonial to the fact that the plant cell has not lagged behind during the live-imaging revolution and is ready for even more in-depth exploration.

Actin cytoskeleton is involved in targeting of a viral Hsp70 homolog to the cell periphery

The cell-to-cell movement of plant viruses involves translocation of virus particles or nucleoproteins to and through the plasmodesmata (PDs). As we have shown previously, the movement of the Beet yellows virus requires the concerted action of five viral proteins including a homolog of cellular approximately 70-kDa heat shock proteins (Hsp70h). Hsp70h is an integral component of the virus particles and is also found in PDs of the infected cells. Here we investigate subcellular distribution of Hsp70h using transient expression of Hsp70h fused to three spectrally distinct fluorescent proteins. We found that fluorophore-tagged Hsp70h forms motile granules that are associated with actin microfilaments, but not with microtubules. In addition, immobile granules were observed at the cell periphery. A pairwise appearance of these granules at the opposite sides of cell walls and their colocalization with the movement protein of Tobacco mosaic virus indicated an association of Hsp70h with PDs. Treatment with various cytoskeleton-specific drugs revealed that the intact actomyosin motility system is required for trafficking of Hsp70h in cytosol and its targeting to PDs. In contrast, none of the drugs interfered with the PD localization of Tobacco mosaic virus movement protein. Collectively, these findings suggest that Hsp70h is translocated and anchored to PDs in association with the actin cytoskeleton.

Isolation of a protein interacting with Vfphot1a in guard cells of Vicia faba

A recent study has demonstrated that phototropins act as blue light receptors in stomatal guard cells. However, the downstream components responsible for phototropin signaling are largely unknown. In this study, using a yeast two-hybrid system, we isolated a Vicia faba protein that has a high similarity to dynein light chain in the C terminus, which interacts with Vicia faba phototropin 1a (Vfphot1a). Protein-blot and two-hybrid analyses revealed that Vfphot1a interacting protein (VfPIP) bound to the N-terminal [corrected] region of Vfphot1a but did not bind to Vfphot1b. The interaction between VfPIP and Vfphot was indicated by a pull-down assay. Northern analysis revealed that the transcription level of VfPIP gene was more abundant in guard cells than in other tissues or cell types. The transiently expressed fusion protein of VfPIP-green fluorescent protein was localized on cortical microtubules in Vicia guard cells. Microtubule-depolymerizing herbicides partially inhibited both blue light-dependent H(+) pumping in Vicia guard cell protoplasts and stomatal opening in the Vicia epidermis. From these results, we conclude that VfPIP may act as a downstream component of phototropin (Vfphot1a) in blue light signaling in guard cells. The possible role of VfPIP in blue light signaling of guard cells is discussed.

Microtubules of guard cells are light sensitive

Guard cells of stomata are characterized by ordered bundles of microtubules radiating from the ventral side toward the dorsal side of the cylindrical cell. It was suggested that microtubules play a role in directing the radial arrangement of the cellulose micro-fibrils of guard cells. However, the role of microtubules in daily cycles of opening and closing of stomata is not clear. The organization of microtubules in guard cells of Commelina communis leaves was studied by analysis of three-dimensional immunofluorescent images. It was found that while guard cell microtubules in the epidermis of leaves incubated in the light were organized in parallel, straight and dense bundles, in the dark they were less straight and oriented randomly near the stomatal pore. The effect of blue and red light on the organization of guard cell microtubules resembled the effects of white light and dark respectively. When stomata were induced to open in the dark with fusicoccin, microtubules remained in the dark configuration. Furthermore, when incubated in the light, guard cell microtubules were more resistant to oryzalin. Similarly, microtubules of Arabidopsis guard cells, expressing green fluorescent protein-tubulin alpha 6, were disorganized in the dark, but were organized in parallel arrays in the presence of white light. The dynamics of microtubule rearrangement upon transfer of intact leaves from dark to light was followed in single stomata, showing that an arrangement of microtubules typical for light conditions was obtained after 1 h in the light. Our data suggest that microtubule organization in guard cells is responsive to light signals.

Microtubules become more dynamic but not shorter during preprophase band formation: a possible "search-and-capture" mechanism for microtubule translocation

The dynamic behavior of the microtubule cytoskeleton plays a crucial role in cellular organization, but the physical mechanisms underlying microtubule (re)organization in plant cells are poorly understood. We investigated microtubule dynamics in tobacco BY-2 suspension cells during interphase and during the formation of the preprophase band (PPB), the cytoskeletal structure that defines the site of cytokinesis. Here we show that after 2 h of microtubule accumulation in the PPB and concurrent disappearance elsewhere in the cortex, the PPB is completed and starts to breakdown exponentially already 20 min before the onset of prometaphase. During formation of the PPB, the dynamic instability, i.e., the stochastic alternating between growing and shrinking phases, of the cortical microtubules outside the PPB increases significantly, but the microtubules do not become shorter. Based on this, as well as on the cross-linking of microtubules in the PPB and the lack of evidence for motor involvement, we propose a "search-and-capture" mechanism for PPB formation, in which the regulation of dynamic instability causes the cortical microtubules to become more dynamic and possibly longer, while the microtubule cross-linking activity of the developing PPB preferentially stabilizes these "searching" microtubules. Thus, microtubules gradually disappear from the cortex outside the PPB and aggregate to the forming PPB.

The role of the cytoskeleton in the morphogenesis and function of stomatal complexes

Microtubules (MTs) and actin filaments (AFs) form highly organized arrays in stomatal cells that play key roles in the morphogenesis of stomatal complexes. The cortical MTs controlling the orientation of the depositing cellulose microfibrils (CMs) and affecting the pattern of local wall thickenings define the mechanical properties of the walls of stomatal cells, thus regulating accurately their shape. Besides, they are involved in determination of the cell division plane. Substomatal cavity and stomatal pore formation are also MT-dependent processes. Among the cortical MT arrays, the radial ones lining the periclinal walls are of particular morphogenetic importance. Putative MT organizing centers (MTOCs) function at their focal regions, at least in guard cells (GCs), or alternatively, these regions either organize or nucleate cortical MTs. AFs are involved in cell polarization preceding asymmetrical divisions, in determination of the cell division plane and final cell plate alignment and probably in transduction of stimuli implicated in stomatal complex morphogenesis. Mature kidney-shaped GCs display radial AF arrays, undergoing definite organization cycles during stomatal movement. They are involved in stomatal movement, probably by controlling plasmalemma ion-channel activities. Radial MT arrays also persist in mature GCs, but a role in stomatal function cannot yet be attributed to them. Contents Summary 613 I. Introduction 614 II. Cytoskeleton and development of the stomatal complexes 614 III. Cytoskeleton and stomatal cell shaping 620 IV. Stomatal pore formation 624 V. Substomatal cavity formation 625 VI. Stomatal complex morphogenesis in mutants 626 VII. Cytoskeleton dynamics in functioning stomata 628 VIII. Mechanisms of microtubule organization in stomatal cells 631 IX. Conclusions-perspectives 634 References 635.

Alteration of microtubule dynamic instability during preprophase band formation revealed by yellow fluorescent protein-CLIP170 microtubule plus-end labeling

At the onset of mitosis, plant cells form a microtubular preprophase band that defines the plane of cell division, but the mechanism of its formation remains a mystery. Here, we describe the use of mammalian yellow fluorescent protein-tagged CLIP170 to visualize the dynamic plus ends of plant microtubules in transfected cowpea protoplasts and in stably transformed and dividing tobacco Bright Yellow 2 cells. Using plus-end labeling, we observed dynamic instability in different microtubular conformations in live plant cells. The interphase plant microtubules grow at 5 micro m/min, shrink at 20 micro m/min, and display catastrophe and rescue frequencies of 0.02 and 0.08 events/s, respectively, exhibiting faster turnover than their mammalian counterparts. Strikingly, during preprophase band formation, the growth rate and catastrophe frequency of plant microtubules double, whereas the shrinkage rate and rescue frequency remain unchanged, making microtubules shorter and more dynamic. Using these novel insights and four-dimensional time-lapse imaging data, we propose a model that can explain the mechanism by which changes in microtubule dynamic instability drive the dramatic rearrangements of microtubules during preprophase band and spindle formation in plant cells.

Mechanosensing and signal transduction in tendrils

The perception of thigmic stimuli is a widespread phenomenon among plants with decisive meaning for the ability to survive. Beside a general sensitivity for mechanical stimuli many plants have evolved specialized organs with highly developed mechanisms to perceive and transduce the applied forces. Tendrils of Bryonia dioica and Pisum sativum have been chosen to study the effects of mechanical stimulation on plant physiology. Both types of tendrils, although exhibiting different morphology, respond to such a stimulus with a rapid coiling response to the dorsal side of the organ within minutes. The actual perception of the stimulus is most likely coupled to the cytoskeleton serving as the mediator between the physical stimulus and the biochemical response. Drugs affecting the status of the cytoskeleton were used to get more insights into this specific process. The results indicate that microtubuli (MT) play the most important role in the perception of thigmic stimuli in tendrils. Colchicine-mediated disruption of MT lead to total inhibition of the response to the thigmic stimulus in tendrils of Pisum and to a reduced response in Bryonia. Alamethicin, an ionophore that can mimic action potentials in membranes, was able to bypass this inhibition suggesting a direct involvement of MT in depolarization of the membranes. Auxin, however, which is also supposed to be involved in the regulation of the coiling response, failed to bypass colchicine-dependent inhibition. Vinblastine, another microtubule depolimerizing agent, did induce tendril coiling in Pisum without further stimulation. Application of taxol and other MT-stabilizing drugs as well as disruption of the actin network did not affect the coiling response of tendrils. In Pisum indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is induced after mechanical stimulation during the coiling response, but not jasmonic acid. A further consequence of mechanical stimulation is the induction of an oxidative burst and an increase in soluble sugar. A model is presented integrating these results and might serve as a common basis for the understanding of the perception of mechanical stimuli.

Hyperosmotic stress induces formation of tubulin macrotubules in root-tip cells of Triticum turgidum: their probable involvement in protoplast volume control

Treatment of root-tip cells of Triticum turgidum with 1 M mannitol solution for 30 min induces microtubule (Mt) disintegration in the plasmolyzed protoplasts. Interphase plasmolyzed cells possess many cortical, perinuclear and endoplasmic macrotubules, 35 nm in mean diameter, forming prominent arrays. In dividing cells macrotubules assemble into aberrant mitotic and cytokinetic apparatuses resulting in the disturbance of cell division. Putative tubulin paracrystals were occasionally observed in plasmolyzed cells. The quantity of polymeric tubulin in plasmolyzed cells exceeds that in control cells. Root-tip cells exposed for 2-8 h to plasmolyticum recover partially, although the volume of the plasmolyzed protoplast does not change detectably. Among other events, the macrotubules are replaced by Mts, chromatin assumes its typical appearance and the cells undergo typical cell divisions. Additionally, polysaccharidic material is found in the periplasmic space. Oryzalin and colchicine treatment induced macrotubule disintegration and a significant reduction of protoplast volume in every plasmolyzed cell type examined, whereas cytochalasin B had only minor effects restricted to differentiated cells. These results suggest that Mt destruction by hyperosmotic stress, and their replacement by tubulin macrotubules and putative tubulin paracrystals is a common feature among angiosperms and that macrotubules are involved in the mechanism of protoplast volume regulation.

From milliseconds to millions of years: guard cells and environmental responses

During the past year, significant advances have been made in our understanding of stomatal development and its response to climate change, and in our knowledge of how guard cell Ca(2+) oscillations encode environmental signals. Recent studies on (de)phosphorylation mechanisms have provided new information on how guard cells respond to abscisic acid and blue light.

A 90-kD phospholipase D from tobacco binds to microtubules and the plasma membrane

The organization of microtubule arrays in the plant cell cortex involves interactions with the plasma membrane, presumably through protein bridges. We have used immunochemistry and monoclonal antibody 6G5 against a candidate bridge protein, a 90-kD tubulin binding protein (p90) from tobacco BY-2 membranes, to characterize the protein and isolate the corresponding gene. Screening an Arabidopsis cDNA expression library with the antibody 6G5 produced a partial clone encoding phospholipase D (PLD), and a full-length gene was obtained by sequencing a corresponding expressed sequence tag clone. The predicted protein of 857 amino acids contains the active sites of a phospholipid-metabolizing enzyme and a Ca(2+)-dependent lipid binding domain and is identical to Arabidopsis PLD delta. Two amino acid sequences obtained by Edman degradation of the tobacco p90 are identical to corresponding segments of a PLD sequence from tobacco. Moreover, immunoprecipitation using the antibody 6G5 and tobacco BY-2 protein extracts gave significant PLD activity, and PLD activity of tobacco BY-2 membrane proteins was enriched 6.7-fold by tubulin-affinity chromatography. In a cosedimentation assay, p90 bound and decorated microtubules. In immunofluorescence microscopy of intact tobacco BY-2 cells or lysed protoplasts, p90 colocalized with cortical microtubules, and taxol-induced microtubule bundling was accompanied by corresponding reorganization of p90. Labeling of p90 remained along the plasma membrane when microtubules were depolymerized, although detergent extraction abolished the labeling. Therefore, p90 is a specialized PLD that associates with membranes and microtubules, possibly conveying hormonal and environmental signals to the microtubule cytoskeleton.

A 90-kD phospholipase D from tobacco binds to microtubules and the plasma membrane

The organization of microtubule arrays in the plant cell cortex involves interactions with the plasma membrane, presumably through protein bridges. We have used immunochemistry and monoclonal antibody 6G5 against a candidate bridge protein, a 90-kD tubulin binding protein (p90) from tobacco BY-2 membranes, to characterize the protein and isolate the corresponding gene. Screening an Arabidopsis cDNA expression library with the antibody 6G5 produced a partial clone encoding phospholipase D (PLD), and a full-length gene was obtained by sequencing a corresponding expressed sequence tag clone. The predicted protein of 857 amino acids contains the active sites of a phospholipid-metabolizing enzyme and a Ca(2+)-dependent lipid binding domain and is identical to Arabidopsis PLD delta. Two amino acid sequences obtained by Edman degradation of the tobacco p90 are identical to corresponding segments of a PLD sequence from tobacco. Moreover, immunoprecipitation using the antibody 6G5 and tobacco BY-2 protein extracts gave significant PLD activity, and PLD activity of tobacco BY-2 membrane proteins was enriched 6.7-fold by tubulin-affinity chromatography. In a cosedimentation assay, p90 bound and decorated microtubules. In immunofluorescence microscopy of intact tobacco BY-2 cells or lysed protoplasts, p90 colocalized with cortical microtubules, and taxol-induced microtubule bundling was accompanied by corresponding reorganization of p90. Labeling of p90 remained along the plasma membrane when microtubules were depolymerized, although detergent extraction abolished the labeling. Therefore, p90 is a specialized PLD that associates with membranes and microtubules, possibly conveying hormonal and environmental signals to the microtubule cytoskeleton.

A 90-kD phospholipase D from tobacco binds to microtubules and the plasma membrane

The organization of microtubule arrays in the plant cell cortex involves interactions with the plasma membrane, presumably through protein bridges. We have used immunochemistry and monoclonal antibody 6G5 against a candidate bridge protein, a 90-kD tubulin binding protein (p90) from tobacco BY-2 membranes, to characterize the protein and isolate the corresponding gene. Screening an Arabidopsis cDNA expression library with the antibody 6G5 produced a partial clone encoding phospholipase D (PLD), and a full-length gene was obtained by sequencing a corresponding expressed sequence tag clone. The predicted protein of 857 amino acids contains the active sites of a phospholipid-metabolizing enzyme and a Ca(2+)-dependent lipid binding domain and is identical to Arabidopsis PLD delta. Two amino acid sequences obtained by Edman degradation of the tobacco p90 are identical to corresponding segments of a PLD sequence from tobacco. Moreover, immunoprecipitation using the antibody 6G5 and tobacco BY-2 protein extracts gave significant PLD activity, and PLD activity of tobacco BY-2 membrane proteins was enriched 6.7-fold by tubulin-affinity chromatography. In a cosedimentation assay, p90 bound and decorated microtubules. In immunofluorescence microscopy of intact tobacco BY-2 cells or lysed protoplasts, p90 colocalized with cortical microtubules, and taxol-induced microtubule bundling was accompanied by corresponding reorganization of p90. Labeling of p90 remained along the plasma membrane when microtubules were depolymerized, although detergent extraction abolished the labeling. Therefore, p90 is a specialized PLD that associates with membranes and microtubules, possibly conveying hormonal and environmental signals to the microtubule cytoskeleton.