MDP25, a novel calcium regulatory protein, mediates hypocotyl cell elongation by destabilizing cortical microtubules in Arabidopsis

Plant Cell. 2011 Dec;23(12):4411-27. doi: 10.1105/tpc.111.092684. Epub 2011 Dec 30.

Abstract

The regulation of hypocotyl elongation is important for plant growth. Microtubules play a crucial role during hypocotyl cell elongation. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this process is not well understood. In this study, we describe a novel Arabidopsis thaliana microtubule-destabilizing protein 25 (MDP25) as a negative regulator of hypocotyl cell elongation. We found that MDP25 directly bound to and destabilized microtubules to enhance microtubule depolymerization in vitro. The seedlings of mdp25 mutant Arabidopsis lines had longer etiolated hypocotyls. In addition, MDP25 overexpression resulted in significant overall shortening of hypocotyl cells, which exhibited destabilized cortical microtubules and abnormal cortical microtubule orientation, suggesting that MDP25 plays a crucial role in the negative regulation of hypocotyl cell elongation. Although MDP25 localized to the plasma membrane under normal conditions, increased calcium levels in cells caused MDP25 to partially dissociate from the plasma membrane and move into the cytosol. Cellular MDP25 bound to and destabilized cortical microtubules, resulting in their reorientation, and subsequently inhibited hypocotyl cell elongation. Our results suggest that MDP25 exerts its function on cortical microtubules by responding to cytoplasmic calcium levels to mediate hypocotyl cell elongation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Arabidopsis / cytology
  • Arabidopsis / drug effects
  • Arabidopsis / genetics
  • Arabidopsis / growth & development
  • Arabidopsis / metabolism*
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism*
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Culture Techniques
  • Cell Enlargement*
  • Cell Membrane / genetics
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Cytosol / metabolism
  • Dinitrobenzenes / pharmacology
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
  • Hypocotyl / cytology
  • Hypocotyl / genetics
  • Hypocotyl / growth & development*
  • Hypocotyl / metabolism
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Microtubules / genetics
  • Microtubules / metabolism
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Plant Cells / drug effects
  • Plant Cells / metabolism
  • Polymerization
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Transport
  • Seedlings / cytology
  • Seedlings / growth & development
  • Seedlings / metabolism
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sulfanilamides / pharmacology
  • Tubulin / genetics
  • Tubulin / metabolism
  • Tubulin Modulators / metabolism

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Dinitrobenzenes
  • Membrane Proteins
  • PCaP1 protein, Arabidopsis
  • Sulfanilamides
  • Tubulin
  • Tubulin Modulators
  • oryzalin
  • Calcium