Helical microtubule arrays in a collection of twisting tubulin mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana.

ABSTRACT: Anisotropic expansion of plant cells requires organized arrays of cortical microtubules. Mutations in microtubule-associated proteins and a particular mutation in alpha-tubulins were reported to cause abnormal microtubule arrays and result in helical growth in Arabidopsis thaliana. However, the way in which these mutations affect the organization of microtubules remains unknown. We here identified 32 Arabidopsis twisting mutants that have either missense or amino acid deletion mutations in alpha- or beta-tubulins. Mutations were mapped to the GTPase-activating region in alpha-tubulin, intra- and interdimer interfaces of tubulin heterodimers, and lateral contact regions among adjacent protofilaments. These dominant-negative tubulin mutants were incorporated into the microtubule polymer and

SUBMITTER: Ishida T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1895986 | biostudies-literature | 2007 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature