The dimension of the plants largest organelle-the vacuole-plays a major role in defining cellular elongation rates. The morphology of the vacuole is controlled by the actin cytoskeleton, but molecular players remain largely unknown. Recently, the Networked (NET) family of membrane-associated, actin-binding proteins has been identified. Here, we show that NET4A localizes to highly constricted regions of the vacuolar membrane and contributes to vacuolar morphology. Using genetic interference, we found that deregulation of NET4 abundance increases vacuolar occupancy, and that overexpression of NET4 abundance decreases vacuolar occupancy. Our data reveal that NET4A induces more compact vacuoles, correlating with reduced cellular and organ growth in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Keywords: Arabidopsis; actin cytoskeleton; cell biology; cell size; compactness; plant growth; vacuolar occupancy; vacuole.