Microtubules and the tax payer

Plant microtubules have evolved into a versatile tool to link environmental signals into flexible morphogenesis. Cortical microtubules define the axiality of cell expansion by control of cellulose orientation. Plant-specific microtubule structures such as preprophase band and phragmoplast determine symmetry and axiality of cell divisions. In addition, microtubules act as sensors and integrators for stimuli such as mechanic load, gravity, but also osmotic stress, cold and pathogen attack. Many of these functions are specific for plants and involve specific proteins or the recruitment of proteins to new functions. The review aims to ventilate the potential of microtubule-based strategies for biotechnological application by highlighting representative case studies. These include reorientation of cortical microtubules to increase lodging resistance, control of microtubule dynamics to alter the gravity-dependent orientation of leaves, the use of microtubules as sensitive thermometers to improve adaptive cold tolerance of chilling and freezing sensitive plants, the reduction of microtubule treadmilling to inhibit cell-to-cell transport of plant viruses, or the modulation of plant defence genes by pharmacological manipulation of microtubules. The specificity of these responses is controlled by a great variety of specific associated proteins opening a wide field for biotechnological manipulation of plant architecture and stress tolerance.