Spatio-temporal orientation of microtubules controls conical cell shape in Arabidopsis thaliana petals.

ABSTRACT: The physiological functions of epidermal cells are largely determined by their diverse morphologies. Most flowering plants have special conical-shaped petal epidermal cells that are thought to influence light capture and reflectance, and provide pollinator grips, but the molecular mechanisms controlling conical cell shape remain largely unknown. Here, we developed a live-confocal imaging approach to quantify geometric parameters of conical cells in Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana). Through genetic screens, we identified katanin (KTN1) mutants showing a phenotype of decreased tip sharpening of conical cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that SPIKE1 and Rho of Plants (ROP) GTPases were required for the final shape formation of conical cells, as KTN1 does. Live-cell imaging showed that wild

SUBMITTER: Ren H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5507347 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature