title: Cellulose-Microtubule Uncoupling Proteins Prevent Lateral Displacement of Microtubules during Cellulose Synthesis in Arabidopsis.
abstract: Cellulose is the most abundant biopolymer on Earth and is the major contributor to plant morphogenesis. Cellulose is synthesized by plasma membrane-localized cellulose synthase complexes (CSCs). Nascent cellulose microfibrils become entangled in the cell wall, and further catalysis therefore drives the CSC forward through the membrane: a process guided by cortical microtubules via the protein CSI1/POM2. Still, it is unclear how the microtubules can withstand the forces generated by the motile CSCs to effectively direct CSC movement. Here, we identified a family of microtubule-associated proteins, the cellulose synthase-microtubule uncouplings (CMUs), that located as static puncta along cortical microtubules. Functional disruption of the CMUs caused lateral microtubule displacement and compromised microtubule-based guidance of CSC movement. CSCs that traversed the microtubules interacted with the microtubules via CSI1/POM2, which prompted the lateral microtubule displacement. Hence, we have revealed how microtubules can withstand the propulsion of the CSCs during cellulose biosynthesis and thus sustain anisotropic plant cell growth.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany; Haixia Institute of Science and Technology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
authors.forename: Zengyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany; School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kesten
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Somssich
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany.
authors.forename: Youjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany.
authors.forename: Alisdair R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Fernie
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany; School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls, School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia. Electronic address: staffan.persson@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: Staffan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Persson
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism; D002482:Cellulose / Q000378:metabolism*; D005964:Glucosyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071245:Mitochondrial Uncoupling Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D000071245:Mitochondrial Uncoupling Proteins; D002482:Cellulose; D005964:Glucosyltransferases; C478648:cellulose synthase