title: The TUMOROUS SHOOT DEVELOPMENT2 gene of Arabidopsis encoding a putative methyltransferase is required for cell adhesion and co-ordinated plant development.
abstract: Mutations in the TUMOROUS SHOOT DEVELOPMENT2 (TSD2) gene reduce cell adhesion, and in strongly affected individuals cause non-coordinated shoot development that leads to disorganized tumor-like growth in vitro. tsd2 mutants showed increased activity of axial meristems, reduced root growth and enhanced de-etiolation. The expression domains of the shoot meristem marker genes KNAT1 and KNAT2 were enlarged in the mutant background. Soil-grown tsd2 mutants were dwarfed, but overall showed morphology similar to that of the wild-type (WT). The TSD2 gene was identified by map-based cloning. It encodes a novel 684 amino acid polypeptide containing a single membrane-spanning domain in the N-terminal part and S-adenosyl-l-methionine binding and methyltransferase domains in the C-terminal part. Expression of a TSD2:GUS reporter gene was detected mainly in meristems and young tissues. A green fluorescent protein-tagged TSD2 protein localized to the Golgi apparatus. The cell-adhesion defects indicated altered pectin properties, and we hypothesize that TSD2 acts as a pectin methyltransferase. However, analyses of the cell-wall composition revealed no significant differences of the monosaccharide composition, the uronic acid content and the overall degree of pectin methylesterification between tsd2 and WT. The findings support a function of TSD2 as a methyltransferase, with an essential role in cell adhesion and coordinated plant development.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology/Applied Genetics, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Krupková
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Immerzeel
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pauly
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schmülling
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D017931:DNA Primers; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant; D008780:Methyltransferases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D010802:Phylogeny; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D008780:Methyltransferases