Publications by authors named "Alex Willems"

The anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) marks key cell cycle proteins for proteasomal breakdown, thereby ensuring unidirectional progression through the cell cycle. Its target recognition is temporally regulated by activating subunits, one of which is called CELL CYCLE SWITCH 52 A2 (CCS52A2). We sought to expand the knowledge on the APC/C by using the severe growth phenotypes of CCS52A2-deficient Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plants as a readout in a suppressor mutagenesis screen, resulting in the identification of the previously undescribed gene called PIKMIN1 (PKN1).

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Article Synopsis
  • - The anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) is an essential E3-ubiquitin ligase complex that regulates the cell cycle by tagging specific proteins for degradation, with roles that vary across different species.
  • - In plants, the APC/C is linked to key developmental processes like polyploidization and gametogenesis, and its core subunits are vital for plant development.
  • - By understanding the targets of the plant APC/C, there is potential for enhancing crop yield and resilience against climate change through targeted manipulation of its activity.
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The anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) controls unidirectional progression through the cell cycle by marking key cell cycle proteins for proteasomal turnover. Its activity is temporally regulated by the docking of different activating subunits, known in plants as CELL DIVISION PROTEIN20 (CDC20) and CELL CYCLE SWITCH52 (CCS52). Despite the importance of the APC/C during cell proliferation, the number of identified targets in the plant cell cycle is limited.

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Growth and development of plants are driven by the continuous production of new cells at the meristems; hence, it is of pivotal importance for plants to precisely regulate the timing and extent of cell proliferation. Although over the past decades the molecular components underlying cell cycle progression have been the subject of intensive research, knowledge remains scarce on how the various elements connect with developmental pathways. Recently, advances have been made that link cell cycle entry with nutrient availability, cell division maintenance with stem cell organization, and cell cycle exit with reactive oxygen species and developmental programs.

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