Journal
CURRENT BIOLOGY
Volume 18, Issue 24, Pages 1943-1948Publisher
CELL PRESS
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2008.10.065
Keywords
-
Categories
Funding
- Human Frontiers Science Program [ndegreesRGP0062/2005-C]
- EC [ndegrees 512265, ndegrees 037704]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Plant organs are produced from meristems in a characteristic pattern. This pattern, referred to as phyllotaxis, is thought to be generated by local gradients of an information molecule, auxin [1-6]. Some studies propose a key role for the mechanical properties of the cell walls in the control of organ outgrowth [7-12]. A major cell-wall component is the linear alpha-1-4-linked D-GalAp pectic polysaccharide homogalacturonan (HG), which plays a key role in cell-to-cell cohesion [13, 14]. HG is deposited in the cell wall in a highly (70%-80%) methyl-esterified form and is subsequently de-methyl-esterified by pectin methyl-esterases (PME, EC 3.1.1.11). PME activity is itself regulated by endogenous PME inhibitor (PMEI) proteins [15]. PME action modulates cell-wall-matrix properties and plays a role in the control of cell growth [16-18]. Here, we show that the formation of flower primordia in the Arabidopsis shoot apical meristem is accompanied by the de-methyl-esterification of pectic polysaccharides in the cell walls. In addition, experimental perturbation of the methyl:esterification status of pectins within the meristem dramatically alters the phyllotactic pattern. These results demonstrate that regulated de-methyl-esterification of pectins is a key event in the outgrowth of primordia and possibly also in phyllotactic patterning.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available