Callose Deficiency Modulates Plasmodesmata Frequency and Extracellular Distance in Rice Pollen Mother and Tapetal cells.

Fertilization relies on pollen mother cells able to transit from mitosis to meiosis to supply gametes. This process involves remarkable changes at the molecular, cellular and physiological levels including (but not limited to) remodelling of the cell wall. During the meiosis onset, cellulose content at the pollen mother cell walls gradually declines with the concurrent deposition of the polysaccharide callose in anther locules.

Plasmodesmata: Channels Under Pressure.

Multicellularity has emerged multiple times in evolution, enabling groups of cells to share a living space and reducing the burden of solitary tasks. While unicellular organisms exhibit individuality and independence, cooperation among cells in multicellular organisms brings specialization and flexibility. However, multicellularity also necessitates intercellular dependence and relies on intercellular communication.

Cellulose-Callose Hydrogels: Computational Exploration of Their Nanostructure and Mechanical Properties.

Polysaccharides play a crucial role in virtually all living systems. They also represent the biocompatible and fully sustainable component of a variety of nanoparticles, which are of increasing interest in biomedicine, food processing, cosmetics, and structural reinforcement of polymeric materials. The computational modeling of complex polysaccharide phases will assist in understanding the properties and behavior of all these systems.

Ectopic callose deposition into woody biomass modulates the nano-architecture of macrofibrils.

Plant biomass plays an increasingly important role in the circular bioeconomy, replacing non-renewable fossil resources. Genetic engineering of this lignocellulosic biomass could benefit biorefinery transformation chains by lowering economic and technological barriers to industrial processing. However, previous efforts have mostly targeted the major constituents of woody biomass: cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin.

Callose metabolism and the regulation of cell walls and plasmodesmata during plant mutualistic and pathogenic interactions.

Cell walls are essential for plant growth and development, providing support and protection from external environments. Callose is a glucan that accumulates in specialized cell wall microdomains including around intercellular pores called plasmodesmata. Despite representing a small percentage of the cell wall (~0.

A comparative meta-proteomic pipeline for the identification of plasmodesmata proteins and regulatory conditions in diverse plant species.

Background: A major route for cell-to-cell signalling in plants is mediated by cell wall-embedded pores termed plasmodesmata forming the symplasm. Plasmodesmata regulate the plant development and responses to the environment; however, our understanding of what factors or regulatory cues affect their structure and permeability is still limited. In this paper, a meta-analysis was carried out for the identification of conditions affecting plasmodesmata transport and for the in silico prediction of plasmodesmata proteins in species for which the plasmodesmata proteome has not been experimentally determined.

Immunofluorescence Detection of Callose in Plant Tissue Sections.

The accumulation of the cell wall component callose at plasmodesmata (PD) is crucial for the regulation of symplastic intercellular transport in plants. Here we describe protocols to fluorescently image callose in sectioned plant tissue using monoclonal antibodies. This protocol achieves high-resolution images by the fixation, embedding, and sectioning of plant material to expose internal cell walls.

Plasmodesmata Structural Components and Their Role in Signaling and Plant Development.

Plasmodesmata are plant intercellular channels that mediate the transport of small and large molecules including RNAs and transcription factors (TFs) that regulate plant development. In this review, we present current research on plasmodesmata form and function and discuss the main regulatory pathways. We show the progress made in the development of approaches and tools to dissect the plasmodesmata proteome in diverse plant species and discuss future perspectives and challenges in this field of research.

George Washington Carver: A plant scientist's perspective.

Yoselin Benitez-Alfonso discusses the work and influence of African American agricultural scientist and inventor George Washington Carver, whose under-recognised studies of crop rotation and soil depletion greatly improved the lives of farmers, and whose teachings continue to inspire and remain relevant today.

Plasmodesmata and their role in the regulation of phloem unloading during fruit development.

Fruit consumption is fundamental to a balanced diet. The contemporary challenge of maintaining a steady food supply to meet the demands of a growing population is driving the development of strategies to improve the production and nutritional quality of fruit. Plasmodesmata, the structures that mediate symplasmic transport between plant cells, play an important role in phloem unloading and distribution of sugars and signalling molecules into developing organs.

From plasmodesma geometry to effective symplasmic permeability through biophysical modelling.

Regulation of molecular transport via intercellular channels called plasmodesmata (PDs) is important for both coordinating developmental and environmental responses among neighbouring cells, and isolating (groups of) cells to execute distinct programs. Cell-to-cell mobility of fluorescent molecules and PD dimensions (measured from electron micrographs) are both used as methods to predict PD transport capacity (i.e.

Cell Wall Polymer Composition and Spatial Distribution in Ripe Banana and Mango Fruit: Implications for Cell Adhesion and Texture Perception.

Banana () and mango () are two of the most popular fruits eaten worldwide. They both soften during ripening but their textural attributes are markedly different. This study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanism underpinning textural differences between banana and mango.

Plasma Membrane-Associated Receptor-like Kinases Relocalize to Plasmodesmata in Response to Osmotic Stress.

Plasmodesmata act as key elements in intercellular communication, coordinating processes related to plant growth, development, and responses to environmental stresses. While many of the developmental, biotic, and abiotic signals are primarily perceived at the plasma membrane (PM) by receptor proteins, plasmodesmata also cluster receptor-like activities; whether these two pathways interact is currently unknown. Here, we show that specific PM-located Leu-rich-repeat receptor-like-kinases, Qiān Shŏu kinase (QSK1) and inflorescence meristem kinase2, which under optimal growth conditions are absent from plasmodesmata, rapidly relocate and cluster to the pores in response to osmotic stress.

Callose-Regulated Symplastic Communication Coordinates Symbiotic Root Nodule Development.

The formation of nitrogen-fixing nodules in legumes involves the initiation of synchronized programs in the root epidermis and cortex to allow rhizobial infection and nodule development. In this study, we provide evidence that symplastic communication, regulated by callose turnover at plasmodesmata (PD), is important for coordinating nodule development and infection in Medicago truncatula. Here, we show that rhizobia promote a reduction in callose levels in inner tissues where nodules initiate.

Interactions between callose and cellulose revealed through the analysis of biopolymer mixtures.

The properties of (1,3)-β-glucans (i.e., callose) remain largely unknown despite their importance in plant development and defence.

Emerging models on the regulation of intercellular transport by plasmodesmata-associated callose.

The intercellular transport of molecules through membranous channels that traverse the cell walls-so-called plasmodesmata-is of fundamental importance for plant development. Regulation of plasmodesmata aperture (and transport capacity) is mediated by changes in the flanking cell walls, mainly via the synthesis/degradation (turnover) of the (1,3)-β-glucan polymer callose. The role of callose in organ development and in plant environmental responses is well recognized, but detailed understanding of the mechanisms regulating its accumulation and its effects on the structure and permeability of the channels is still missing.

Unconventional Transport Routes of Soluble and Membrane Proteins and Their Role in Developmental Biology.

Many proteins and cargoes in eukaryotic cells are secreted through the conventional secretory pathway that brings proteins and membranes from the endoplasmic reticulum to the plasma membrane, passing through various cell compartments, and then the extracellular space. The recent identification of an increasing number of leaderless secreted proteins bypassing the Golgi apparatus unveiled the existence of alternative protein secretion pathways. Moreover, other unconventional routes for secretion of soluble or transmembrane proteins with initial endoplasmic reticulum localization were identified.

Sucrose Transporter ZmSut1 Expression and Localization Uncover New Insights into Sucrose Phloem Loading.

Sucrose transporters (SUTs) translocate sucrose (Suc) across cellular membranes, and in eudicots, multiple SUTs are known to function in Suc phloem loading in leaves. In maize (Zea mays), the Sucrose Transporter1 (ZmSut1) gene has been implicated in Suc phloem loading based upon RNA expression in leaves, electrophysiological experiments, and phenotypic analysis of zmsut1 mutant plants. However, no previous studies have examined the cellular expression of ZmSut1 RNA or the subcellular localization of the ZmSUT1 protein to assess the gene's hypothesized function in Suc phloem loading or to evaluate its potential roles, such as phloem unloading, in nonphotosynthetic tissues.