Calcium participates in feedback regulation of the oscillating ROP1 Rho GTPase in pollen tubes.

ABSTRACT: Biological oscillation occurs at various levels, from cellular signaling to organismal behaviors. Mathematical modeling has allowed a quantitative understanding of slow oscillators requiring changes in gene expression (e.g., circadian rhythms), but few theoretical studies have focused on the rapid oscillation of cellular signaling. The tobacco pollen tube, which exhibits growth bursts every 80 s or so, is an excellent system for investigating signaling oscillation. Pollen tube growth is controlled by a tip-localized ROP1 GTPase, whose activity oscillates in a phase about 90 degrees ahead of growth. We constructed a mathematical model of ROP1 activity oscillation consisting of interlinking positive and negative feedback loops involving F-actin and calcium, ROP1-signaling targets that oscill

SUBMITTER: Yan A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2799871 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature