ROS homeostasis as a prerequisite for the accomplishment of plant cytokinesis

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are emerging players in several biological processes. The present work investigates their potential involvement in plant cytokinesis by the application of reagents disturbing ROS homeostasis in root-tip cells of Triticum turgidum. In particular, the NADPH-oxidase inhibitor diphenylene iodonium, the ROS scavenger N-acetyl-cysteine, and menadione that leads to ROS overproduction were used. The effects on cytokinetic cells were examined using light, fluorescence, and transmission electron microscopy. ROS imbalance had a great impact on the cytokinetic process including the following: (a) formation of atypical phragmoplasts incapable of guiding vesicles to the equatorial plane, (b) inhibition of the dictyosomal and/or endosomal vesicle production that provides the developing cell plates with membranous and matrix polysaccharidic material, (c) disturbance of the fusion processes between vesicles arriving on the cell plate plane, (d) disruption of endocytic vesicle production that mediates the removal of the excess membrane material from the developing cell plate, and (e) the persistence of large callose depositions in treated cell plates. Consequently, either elevated or low ROS levels in cytokinetic root-tip cells resulted in a total inhibition of cell plate assembly or the formation of aberrant cell plates, depending on the stage of the affected cytokinetic cells. The latter failed to expand towards cell cortex and hence to give rise to complete daughter cell wall. These data revealed for the first time the necessity of ROS homeostasis for accomplishment of plant cytokinesis, since it seems to be a prerequisite for almost every aspect of this process.