title: EB1 reveals mobile microtubule nucleation sites in Arabidopsis.
abstract: In plants, it is unclear how dispersed cortical microtubules are nucleated, polarized and organized in the absence of centrosomes. In Arabidopsis thaliana cells, expression of a fusion between the microtubule-end-binding protein AtEB1a and green fluorescent protein (GFP) results in labelling of spindle poles, where minus ends gather. During interphase, AtEB1a-GFP labels the microtubule plus end as a comet, but also marks the minus end as a site from which microtubules can grow and shrink. These minus-end nucleation sites are mobile, explaining how the cortical array can redistribute during the cell cycle and supporting the idea of a flexible centrosome in plants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Colney, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Grant M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Calder
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Doonan
authors.forename: Clive W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Lloyd
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017931:DNA Primers; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008870:Microtubules / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins