@article{19003, abstract = {Super-resolution methods provide far better spatial resolution than the optical diffraction limit of about half the wavelength of light (∼200-300 nm). Nevertheless, they have yet to attain widespread use in plants, largely due to plants’ challenging optical properties. Expansion microscopy improves effective resolution by isotropically increasing the physical distances between sample structures while preserving relative spatial arrangements and clearing the sample. However, its application to plants has been hindered by the rigid, mechanically cohesive structure of plant tissues. Here, we report on whole-mount expansion microscopy of thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) root tissues (PlantEx), achieving a four-fold resolution increase over conventional microscopy. Our results highlight the microtubule cytoskeleton organization and interaction between molecularly defined cellular constituents. Combining PlantEx with stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy, we increase nanoscale resolution and visualize the complex organization of subcellular organelles from intact tissues by example of the densely packed COPI-coated vesicles associated with the Golgi apparatus and put these into a cellular structural context. Our results show that expansion microscopy can be applied to increase effective imaging resolution in Arabidopsis root specimens. }, author = {Gallei, Michelle C and Truckenbrodt, Sven M and Kreuzinger, Caroline and Inumella, Syamala and Vistunou, Vitali and Sommer, Christoph M and Tavakoli, Mojtaba and Agudelo Duenas, Nathalie and Vorlaufer, Jakob and Jahr, Wiebke and Randuch, Marek and Johnson, Alexander J and Benková, Eva and Friml, Jiří and Danzl, Johann G}, issn = {1532-298X}, journal = {The Plant Cell}, number = {4}, publisher = {Oxford University Press}, title = {{Super-resolution expansion microscopy in plant roots}}, doi = {10.1093/plcell/koaf006}, volume = {37}, year = {2025}, } @article{14726, abstract = {Autocrine signaling pathways regulated by RAPID ALKALINIZATION FACTORs (RALFs) control cell wall integrity during pollen tube germination and growth in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). To investigate the role of pollen-specific RALFs in another plant species, we combined gene expression data with phylogenetic and biochemical studies to identify candidate orthologs in maize (Zea mays). We show that Clade IB ZmRALF2/3 mutations, but not Clade III ZmRALF1/5 mutations, cause cell wall instability in the sub-apical region of the growing pollen tube. ZmRALF2/3 are mainly located in the cell wall and are partially able to complement the pollen germination defect of their Arabidopsis orthologs AtRALF4/19. Mutations in ZmRALF2/3 compromise pectin distribution patterns leading to altered cell wall organization and thickness culminating in pollen tube burst. Clade IB, but not Clade III ZmRALFs, strongly interact as ligands with the pollen-specific Catharanthus roseus RLK1-like (CrRLK1L) receptor kinases Zea mays FERONIA-like (ZmFERL) 4/7/9, LORELEI-like glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchor (LLG) proteins Zea mays LLG 1 and 2 (ZmLLG1/2) and Zea mays pollen extension-like (PEX) cell wall proteins ZmPEX2/4. Notably, ZmFERL4 outcompetes ZmLLG2 and ZmPEX2 outcompetes ZmFERL4 for ZmRALF2 binding. Based on these data, we suggest that Clade IB RALFs act in a dual role as cell wall components and extracellular sensors to regulate cell wall integrity and thickness during pollen tube growth in maize and probably other plants.}, author = {Zhou, Liang-Zi and Wang, Lele and Chen, Xia and Ge, Zengxiang and Mergner, Julia and Li, Xingli and Küster, Bernhard and Längst, Gernot and Qu, Li-Jia and Dresselhaus, Thomas}, issn = {1532-298X}, journal = {The Plant Cell}, keywords = {Cell Biology, Plant Science}, number = {5}, publisher = {Oxford University Press}, title = {{The RALF signaling pathway regulates cell wall integrity during pollen tube growth in maize}}, doi = {10.1093/plcell/koad324}, volume = {36}, year = {2024}, } @article{15319, abstract = {Exocyst component of 70-kDa (EXO70) proteins are constituents of the exocyst complex implicated in vesicle tethering during exocytosis. MILDEW RESISTANCE LOCUS O (MLO) proteins are plant-specific calcium channels and some MLO isoforms enable fungal powdery mildew pathogenesis. We here detected an unexpected phenotypic overlap of Arabidopsis thaliana exo70H4 and mlo2 mlo6 mlo12 triple mutant plants regarding the biogenesis of leaf trichome secondary cell walls. Biochemical and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analyses corroborated deficiencies in the composition of trichome cell walls in these mutants. Transgenic lines expressing fluorophore-tagged EXO70H4 and MLO exhibited extensive colocalization of these proteins. Furthermore, mCherry-EXO70H4 mislocalized in trichomes of the mlo triple mutant and, vice versa, MLO6-GFP mislocalized in trichomes of the exo70H4 mutant. Expression of GFP-marked PMR4 callose synthase, a known cargo of EXO70H4-dependent exocytosis, revealed reduced cell wall delivery of GFP-PMR4 in trichomes of mlo triple mutant plants. In vivo protein–protein interaction assays in plant and yeast cells uncovered isoform-preferential interactions between EXO70.2 subfamily members and MLO proteins. Finally, exo70H4 and mlo6 mutants, when combined, showed synergistically enhanced resistance to powdery mildew attack. Taken together, our data point to an isoform-specific interplay of EXO70 and MLO proteins in the modulation of trichome cell wall biogenesis and powdery mildew susceptibility.}, author = {Huebbers, Jan W. and Caldarescu, George A. and Kubátová, Zdeňka and Sabol, Peter and Levecque, Sophie C.J. and Kuhn, Hannah and Kulich, Ivan and Reinstädler, Anja and Büttgen, Kim and Manga-Robles, Alba and Mélida, Hugo and Pauly, Markus and Panstruga, Ralph and Žárský, Viktor}, issn = {1532-298X}, journal = {Plant Cell}, number = {4}, pages = {1007--1035}, publisher = {Oxford University Press}, title = {{Interplay of EXO70 and MLO proteins modulates trichome cell wall composition and susceptibility to powdery mildew}}, doi = {10.1093/plcell/koad319}, volume = {36}, year = {2024}, } @article{15375, abstract = {In the eukaryotic nucleus, heterochromatin forms highly condensed, visible foci known as heterochromatin foci (HF). These HF are enriched with linker histone H1, a key player in heterochromatin condensation and silencing. However, it is unknown how H1 aggregates HF and condenses heterochromatin. In this study, we established that H1 facilitates heterochromatin condensation by enhancing inter- and intrachromosomal interactions between and within heterochromatic regions of the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) genome. We demonstrated that H1 drives HF formation via phase separation, which requires its C-terminal intrinsically disordered region (C-IDR). A truncated H1 lacking the C-IDR fails to form foci or recover HF in the h1 mutant background, whereas C-IDR with a short stretch of the globular domain (18 out of 71 amino acids) is sufficient to rescue both defects. In addition, C-IDR is essential for H1's roles in regulating nucleosome repeat length and DNA methylation in Arabidopsis, indicating that phase separation capability is required for chromatin functions of H1. Our data suggest that bacterial H1-like proteins, which have been shown to condense DNA, are intrinsically disordered and capable of mediating phase separation. Therefore, we propose that phase separation mediated by H1 or H1-like proteins may represent an ancient mechanism for condensing chromatin and DNA.}, author = {He, Shengbo and Yu, Yiming and Wang, Liang and Zhang, Jingyi and Bai, Zhengyong and Li, Guohong and Li, Pilong and Feng, Xiaoqi}, issn = {1532-298X}, journal = {The Plant Cell}, number = {5}, pages = {1829--1843}, publisher = {Oxford University Press}, title = {{Linker histone H1 drives heterochromatin condensation via phase separation in Arabidopsis}}, doi = {10.1093/plcell/koae034}, volume = {36}, year = {2024}, } @article{12669, abstract = {The study of RNAs has become one of the most influential research fields in contemporary biology and biomedicine. In the last few years, new sequencing technologies have produced an explosion of new and exciting discoveries in the field but have also given rise to many open questions. Defining these questions, together with old, long-standing gaps in our knowledge, is the spirit of this article. The breadth of topics within RNA biology research is vast, and every aspect of the biology of these molecules contains countless exciting open questions. Here, we asked 12 groups to discuss their most compelling question among some plant RNA biology topics. The following vignettes cover RNA alternative splicing; RNA dynamics; RNA translation; RNA structures; R-loops; epitranscriptomics; long non-coding RNAs; small RNA production and their functions in crops; small RNAs during gametogenesis and in cross-kingdom RNA interference; and RNA-directed DNA methylation. In each section, we will present the current state-of-the-art in plant RNA biology research before asking the questions that will surely motivate future discoveries in the field. We hope this article will spark a debate about the future perspective on RNA biology and provoke novel reflections in the reader.}, author = {Manavella, Pablo A and Godoy Herz, Micaela A and Kornblihtt, Alberto R and Sorenson, Reed and Sieburth, Leslie E and Nakaminami, Kentaro and Seki, Motoaki and Ding, Yiliang and Sun, Qianwen and Kang, Hunseung and Ariel, Federico D and Crespi, Martin and Giudicatti, Axel J and Cai, Qiang and Jin, Hailing and Feng, Xiaoqi and Qi, Yijun and Pikaard, Craig S}, issn = {1532-298X}, journal = {The Plant Cell}, keywords = {Cell Biology, Plant Science}, number = {6}, publisher = {Oxford University Press}, title = {{Beyond transcription: compelling open questions in plant RNA biology}}, doi = {10.1093/plcell/koac346}, volume = {35}, year = {2023}, } @article{12053, abstract = {Strigolactones (SLs) are a class of phytohormones that regulate plant shoot branching and adventitious root development. However, little is known regarding the role of SLs in controlling the behavior of the smallest unit of the organism, the single cell. Here, taking advantage of a classic single-cell model offered by the cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) fiber cell, we show that SLs, whose biosynthesis is fine-tuned by gibberellins (GAs), positively regulate cell elongation and cell wall thickness by promoting the biosynthesis of very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) and cellulose, respectively. Furthermore, we identified two layers of transcription factors (TFs) involved in the hierarchical regulation of this GA-SL crosstalk. The top-layer TF GROWTH-REGULATING FACTOR 4 (GhGRF4) directly activates expression of the SL biosynthetic gene DWARF27 (D27) to increase SL accumulation in fiber cells and GAs induce GhGRF4 expression. SLs induce the expression of four second-layer TF genes (GhNAC100-2, GhBLH51, GhGT2, and GhB9SHZ1), which transmit SL signals downstream to two ketoacyl-CoA synthase genes (KCS) and three cellulose synthase (CesA) genes by directly activating their transcription. Finally, the KCS and CesA enzymes catalyze the biosynthesis of very long chain fatty acids and cellulose, respectively, to regulate development of high-grade cotton fibers. In addition to providing a theoretical basis for cotton fiber improvement, our results shed light on SL signaling in plant development at the single-cell level.}, author = {Tian, Z and Zhang, Yuzhou and Zhu, L and Jiang, B and Wang, H and Gao, R and Friml, Jiří and Xiao, G}, issn = {1532-298X}, journal = {The Plant Cell}, number = {12}, pages = {4816--4839}, publisher = {Oxford University Press}, title = {{Strigolactones act downstream of gibberellins to regulate fiber cell elongation and cell wall thickness in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum)}}, doi = {10.1093/plcell/koac270}, volume = {34}, year = {2022}, } @article{7619, abstract = {Cell polarity is a fundamental feature of all multicellular organisms. In plants, prominent cell polarity markers are PIN auxin transporters crucial for plant development. To identify novel components involved in cell polarity establishment and maintenance, we carried out a forward genetic screening with PIN2:PIN1-HA;pin2 Arabidopsis plants, which ectopically express predominantly basally localized PIN1 in the root epidermal cells leading to agravitropic root growth. From the screen, we identified the regulator of PIN polarity 12 (repp12) mutation, which restored gravitropic root growth and caused PIN1-HA polarity switch from basal to apical side of root epidermal cells. Complementation experiments established the repp12 causative mutation as an amino acid substitution in Aminophospholipid ATPase3 (ALA3), a phospholipid flippase with predicted function in vesicle formation. ala3 T-DNA mutants show defects in many auxin-regulated processes, in asymmetric auxin distribution and in PIN trafficking. Analysis of quintuple and sextuple mutants confirmed a crucial role of ALA proteins in regulating plant development and in PIN trafficking and polarity. Genetic and physical interaction studies revealed that ALA3 functions together with GNOM and BIG3 ARF GEFs. Taken together, our results identified ALA3 flippase as an important interactor and regulator of ARF GEF functioning in PIN polarity, trafficking and auxin-mediated development.}, author = {Zhang, Xixi and Adamowski, Maciek and Marhavá, Petra and Tan, Shutang and Zhang, Yuzhou and Rodriguez Solovey, Lesia and Zwiewka, Marta and Pukyšová, Vendula and Sánchez, Adrià Sans and Raxwal, Vivek Kumar and Hardtke, Christian S. and Nodzynski, Tomasz and Friml, Jiří}, issn = {1532-298X}, journal = {The Plant Cell}, number = {5}, pages = {1644--1664}, publisher = {American Society of Plant Biologists}, title = {{Arabidopsis flippases cooperate with ARF GTPase exchange factors to regulate the trafficking and polarity of PIN auxin transporters}}, doi = {10.1105/tpc.19.00869}, volume = {32}, year = {2020}, } @article{412, abstract = {Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is a cellular trafficking process in which cargoes and lipids are internalized from the plasma membrane into vesicles coated with clathrin and adaptor proteins. CME is essential for many developmental and physiological processes in plants, but its underlying mechanism is not well characterised compared to that in yeast and animal systems. Here, we searched for new factors involved in CME in Arabidopsis thaliana by performing Tandem Affinity Purification of proteins that interact with clathrin light chain, a principal component of the clathrin coat. Among the confirmed interactors, we found two putative homologues of the clathrin-coat uncoating factor auxilin previously described in non-plant systems. Overexpression of AUXILIN-LIKE1 and AUXILIN-LIKE2 in A. thaliana caused an arrest of seedling growth and development. This was concomitant with inhibited endocytosis due to blocking of clathrin recruitment after the initial step of adaptor protein binding to the plasma membrane. By contrast, auxilin-like(1/2) loss-of-function lines did not present endocytosis-related developmental or cellular phenotypes under normal growth conditions. This work contributes to the on-going characterization of the endocytotic machinery in plants and provides a robust tool for conditionally and specifically interfering with CME in A. thaliana.}, author = {Adamowski, Maciek and Narasimhan, Madhumitha and Kania, Urszula and Glanc, Matous and De Jaeger, Geert and Friml, Jirí}, issn = {1532-298X}, journal = {The Plant Cell}, number = {3}, pages = {700 -- 716}, publisher = {American Society of Plant Biologists}, title = {{A functional study of AUXILIN LIKE1 and 2 two putative clathrin uncoating factors in Arabidopsis}}, doi = {10.1105/tpc.17.00785}, volume = {30}, year = {2018}, }