APC/C-CCS52A complexes control meristem maintenance in the Arabidopsis root

Control of the plant cell cycle by developmental and environmental cues

Plant morphogenesis relies on cell proliferation and differentiation strictly controlled in space and time. As in other eukaryotes, progression through the plant cell cycle is governed by cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) that associate with their activator proteins called cyclins (CYCs), and the activity of CYC-CDK is modulated at both transcriptional and post-translational levels. Compared with animals and yeasts, plants generally possess many more genes encoding core cell cycle regulators and it has been puzzling how their functions are specified or overlapped in development or in response to various environmental changes. Thanks to the recent advances in high-throughput, genome-wide transcriptome and proteomic technologies, we are finally beginning to see how core regulators are assembled during the cell cycle and how their activities are modified by developmental and environmental cues. In this review we will summarize the latest progress in plant cell cycle research and provide an overview of some of the emerging molecular interfaces that link upstream signaling cascades and cell cycle regulation.

Characterization of an arachidonic acid-deficient (Fads1 knockout) mouse model

Arachidonic acid (20:4(Δ5,8,11,14), AA)-derived eicosanoids regulate inflammation and promote cancer development. Previous studies have targeted prostaglandin enzymes in an attempt to modulate AA metabolism. However, due to safety concerns surrounding the use of pharmaceutical agents designed to target Ptgs2 (cyclooxygenase 2) and its downstream targets, it is important to identify new targets upstream of Ptgs2. Therefore, we determined the utility of antagonizing tissue AA levels as a novel approach to suppressing AA-derived eicosanoids. Systemic disruption of the Fads1 (Δ5 desaturase) gene reciprocally altered the levels of dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (20:3(Δ8,11,14), DGLA) and AA in mouse tissues, resulting in a profound increase in 1-series-derived and a concurrent decrease in 2-series-derived prostaglandins. The lack of AA-derived eicosanoids, e.g., PGE₂ was associated with perturbed intestinal crypt proliferation, immune cell homeostasis, and a heightened sensitivity to acute inflammatory challenge. In addition, null mice failed to thrive, dying off by 12 weeks of age. Dietary supplementation with AA extended the longevity of null mice to levels comparable to wild-type mice. We propose that this new mouse model will expand our understanding of how AA and its metabolites mediate inflammation and promote malignant transformation, with the eventual goal of identifying new drug targets upstream of Ptgs2.

APC/C-mediated degradation of dsRNA-binding protein 4 (DRB4) involved in RNA silencing

Background

Selective protein degradation via the ubiquitin-26S proteasome is a major mechanism underlying DNA replication and cell division in all Eukaryotes. In particular, the APC/C (Anaphase Promoting Complex or Cyclosome) is a master ubiquitin protein ligase (E3) that targets regulatory proteins for degradation allowing sister chromatid separation and exit from mitosis. Interestingly, recent work also indicates that the APC/C remains active in differentiated animal and plant cells. However, its role in post-mitotic cells remains elusive and only a few substrates have been characterized.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In order to identify novel APC/C substrates, we performed a yeast two-hybrid screen using as the bait Arabidopsis APC10/DOC1, one core subunit of the APC/C, which is required for substrate recruitment. This screen identified DRB4, a double-stranded RNA binding protein involved in the biogenesis of different classes of small RNA (sRNA). This protein interaction was further confirmed in vitro and in plant cells. Moreover, APC10 interacts with DRB4 through the second dsRNA binding motif (dsRBD2) of DRB4, which is also required for its homodimerization and binding to its Dicer partner DCL4. We further showed that DRB4 protein accumulates when the proteasome is inactivated and, most importantly, we found that DRB4 stability depends on APC/C activity. Hence, depletion of Arabidopsis APC/C activity by RNAi leads to a strong accumulation of endogenous DRB4, far beyond its normal level of accumulation. However, we could not detect any defects in sRNA production in lines where DRB4 was overexpressed.

Conclusions/Significance

Our work identified a first plant substrate of the APC/C, which is not a regulator of the cell cycle. Though we cannot exclude that APC/C-dependent degradation of DRB4 has some regulatory roles under specific growth conditions, our work rather points to a housekeeping function of APC/C in maintaining precise cellular-protein concentrations and homeostasis of DRB4.

Degradation of MONOCULM 1 by APC/C(TAD1) regulates rice tillering

A rice tiller is a specialized grain-bearing branch that contributes greatly to grain yield. The MONOCULM 1 (MOC1) gene is the first identified key regulator controlling rice tiller number; however, the underlying mechanism remains to be elucidated. Here we report a novel rice gene, Tillering and Dwarf 1 (TAD1), which encodes a co-activator of the anaphase-promoting complex (APC/C), a multi-subunit E3 ligase. Although the elucidation of co-activators and individual subunits of plant APC/C involved in regulating plant development have emerged recently, the understanding of whether and how this large cell-cycle machinery controls plant development is still very limited. Our study demonstrates that TAD1 interacts with MOC1, forms a complex with OsAPC10 and functions as a co-activator of APC/C to target MOC1 for degradation in a cell-cycle-dependent manner. Our findings uncovered a new mechanism underlying shoot branching and shed light on the understanding of how the cell-cycle machinery regulates plant architecture.

Rice APC/C(TE) controls tillering by mediating the degradation of MONOCULM 1

Rice MONOCULM 1 (MOC1) and its orthologues LS/LAS (lateral suppressor in tomato and Arabidopsis) are key promoting factors of shoot branching and tillering in higher plants. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating MOC1/LS/LAS have remained elusive. Here we show that the rice tiller enhancer (te) mutant displays a drastically increased tiller number. We demonstrate that TE encodes a rice homologue of Cdh1, and that TE acts as an activator of the anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) complex. We show that TE coexpresses with MOC1 in the axil of leaves, where the APC/C^TE complex mediates the degradation of MOC1 by the ubiquitin–26S proteasome pathway, and consequently downregulates the expression of the meristem identity gene Oryza sativa homeobox 1, thus repressing axillary meristem initiation and formation. We conclude that besides having a conserved role in regulating cell cycle, APC/C^TE has a unique function in regulating the plant-specific postembryonic shoot branching and tillering, which are major determinants of plant architecture and grain yield.

The protein complex APC/C is an E3 ubiquitin ligase and its subunit Cdh1 determines substrate recognition. Lin et al. show that the transcriptional regulator MONOCULM1 is a substrate of the rice homologue of Cdh1 and that APC/C-mediated degradation of MONOCULM1 controls rice tillering, a determinant of grain yield.

Arabidopsis E2FA stimulates proliferation and endocycle separately through RBR-bound and RBR-free complexes

Post-embryonic growth in plants depends on the continuous supply of undifferentiated cells within meristems. Proliferating cells maintain their competence for division by active repression of differentiation and the associated endocycle entry. We show by upregulation and downregulation of E2FA that it is required for maintaining proliferation, as well as for endocycle entry. While E2FB-RBR1 (retinoblastoma-related protein 1) complexes are reduced after sucrose addition or at elevated CYCD3;1 levels, E2FA maintains a stable complex with RBR1 in proliferating cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation shows that RBR1 binds in the proximity of E2F promoter elements in CCS52A1 and CSS52A2 genes, central regulators for the switch from proliferation to endocycles. Overexpression of a truncated E2FA mutant (E2FA(ΔRB)) lacking the RBR1-binding domain interferes with RBR1 recruitment to promoters through E2FA, leading to decreased meristem size in roots, premature cell expansion and hyperactivated endocycle in leaves. E2F target genes, including CCS52A1 and CCS52A2, are upregulated in E2FA(ΔRB) and e2fa knockout lines. These data suggest that E2FA in complex with RBR1 forms a repressor complex in proliferating cells to inhibit premature differentiation and endocycle entry. Thus, E2FA regulates organ growth via two distinct, sequentially operating pathways.

Potential role of the rice OsCCS52A gene in endoreduplication

In eukaryotes, the cell cycle consists of four distinct phases: G1, S, G2 and M. In certain condition, the cells skip M-phase and undergo endoreduplication. Endoreduplication, occurring during a modified cell cycle, duplicates the entire genome without being followed by M-phase. A cycle of endoreduplication is common in most of the differentiated cells of plant vegetative tissues and it occurs extensively in cereal endosperm cells. Endoreduplication occurs when CDK/Cyclin complex low or inactive caused by ubiquitin-mediated degradation by APC and their activators. In this study, rice cell cycle switch 52 A (OsCCS52A), an APC activator, is functionally characterized using the reverse genetic approach. In rice, OsCCS52A is highly expressed in seedlings, flowers, immature panicles and 15 DAP kernels. Localization studies revealed that OsCCS52A is a nuclear protein. OsCCS52A interacts with OsCdc16 in yeast. In addition, overexpression of OsCCS52A inhibits mitotic cell division and induces endoreduplication and cell elongation in fission yeast. The homozygous mutant exhibits dwarfism and smaller seeds. Further analysis demonstrated that endoreduplication cycles in the endosperm of mutant seeds were disturbed, evidenced by reduced nuclear and cell sizes. Taken together, these results suggest that OsCCS52A is involved in maintaining normal seed size formation by mediating the exit from mitotic cell division to enter the endoreduplication cycles in rice endosperm.

GLABROUS INFLORESCENCE STEMS (GIS) is required for trichome branching through gibberellic acid signaling in Arabidopsis

Cell differentiation generally corresponds to the cell cycle, typically forming a non-dividing cell with a unique differentiated morphology, and Arabidopsis trichome is an excellent model system to study all aspects of cell differentiation. Although gibberellic acid is reported to be involved in trichome branching in Arabidopsis, the mechanism for such signaling is unclear. Here, we demonstrated that GLABROUS INFLORESCENCE STEMS (GIS) is required for the control of trichome branching through gibberellic acid signaling. The phenotypes of a loss-of-function gis mutant and an overexpressor showed that GIS acted as a repressor to control trichome branching. Our results also show that GIS is not required for cell endoreduplication, and our molecular and genetic study results have shown that GIS functions downstream of the key regulator of trichome branching, STICHEL (STI), to control trichome branching through the endoreduplication-independent pathway. Furthermore, our results also suggest that GIS controls trichome branching in Arabidopsis through two different pathways and acts either upstream or downstream of the negative regulator of gibbellic acid signaling SPINDLY (SPY).

Control of Arabidopsis root development

The Arabidopsis root has been the subject of intense research over the past decades. This research has led to significantly improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying root development. Key insights into the specification of individual cell types, cell patterning, growth and differentiation, branching of the primary root, and responses of the root to the environment have been achieved. Transcription factors and plant hormones play key regulatory roles. Recently, mechanisms involving protein movement and the oscillation of gene expression have also been uncovered. Root gene regulatory networks controlling root development have been reconstructed from genome-wide profiling experiments, revealing novel molecular connections and models. Future refinement of these models will lead to a more complete description of the complex molecular interactions that give rise to a simple growing root.

Arabidopsis ULTRAVIOLET-B-INSENSITIVE4 maintains cell division activity by temporal inhibition of the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome

The anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) is a multisubunit ubiquitin ligase that regulates progression through the cell cycle by marking key cell division proteins for destruction. To ensure correct cell cycle progression, accurate timing of APC/C activity is important, which is obtained through its association with both activating and inhibitory subunits. However, although the APC/C is highly conserved among eukaryotes, no APC/C inhibitors are known in plants. Recently, we have identified ULTRAVIOLET-B-INSENSITIVE4 (UVI4) as a plant-specific component of the APC/C. Here, we demonstrate that UVI4 uses conserved APC/C interaction motifs to counteract the activity of the CELL CYCLE SWITCH52 A1 (CCS52A1) activator subunit, inhibiting the turnover of the A-type cyclin CYCA2;3. UVI4 is expressed in an S phase-dependent fashion, likely through the action of E2F transcription factors. Correspondingly, uvi4 mutant plants failed to accumulate CYCA2;3 during the S phase and prematurely exited the cell cycle, triggering the onset of the endocycle. We conclude that UVI4 regulates the temporal inactivation of APC/C during DNA replication, allowing CYCA2;3 to accumulate above the level required for entering mitosis, and thereby regulates the meristem size and plant growth rate.

Apical meristem exhaustion during determinate primary root growth in the moots koom 1 mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana

An indeterminate developmental program allows plant organs to grow continuously by maintaining functional meristems over time. The molecular mechanisms involved in the maintenance of the root apical meristem are not completely understood. We have identified a new Arabidopsis thaliana mutant named moots koom 1 (mko1) that showed complete root apical meristem exhaustion of the primary root by 9 days post-germination. MKO1 is essential for maintenance of root cell proliferation. In the mutant, cell division is uncoupled from cell growth in the region corresponding to the root apical meristem. We established the sequence of cellular events that lead to meristem exhaustion in this mutant. Interestingly, the SCR and WOX5 promoters were active in the mko1 quiescent center at all developmental stages. However, during meristem exhaustion, the mutant root tip showed defects in starch accumulation in the columella and changes in auxin response pattern. Therefore, contrary to many described mutants, the determinate growth in mko1 seedlings does not appear to be a consequence of incorrect establishment or affected maintenance of the quiescent center but rather of cell proliferation defects both in stem cell niche and in the rest of the apical meristem. Our results support a model whereby the MKO1 gene plays an important role in the maintenance of the root apical meristem proliferative capacity and indeterminate root growth, which apparently acts independently of the SCR/SHR and WOX5 regulatory pathways.

Progress on trichome development regulated by phytohormone signaling

Trichomes are specialized structures that develop from epidermal cells in the aerial parts of plants, and are an excellent model system to study all aspects of cell differentiation including cell fate determination, cell cycle regulation, cell polarity and cell expansion. The development of the trichome is a process of integration of both external signals and endogenous developmental programs. During recent years, molecular analysis of trichome development at different stages has been well studied, and through the mutant phenotypes and the function of corresponding genes, the underlying mechanism has been revealed in a first glimpse. This paper offers a mini-view on this integration process with emphasis on the effects of plant hormone signaling on trichome development in plants through GLABROUS INFLORESCENCE STEMS (GIS) family and subfamily genes.

GIGAS CELL1, a novel negative regulator of the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome, is required for proper mitotic progression and cell fate determination in Arabidopsis

Increased cellular ploidy is widespread during developmental processes of multicellular organisms, especially in plants. Elevated ploidy levels are typically achieved either by endoreplication or endomitosis, which are often regarded as modified cell cycles that lack an M phase either entirely or partially. We identified GIGAS CELL1 (GIG1)/OMISSION OF SECOND DIVISION1 (OSD1) and established that mutation of this gene triggered ectopic endomitosis. On the other hand, it has been reported that a paralog of GIG1/OSD1, UV-INSENSITIVE4 (UVI4), negatively regulates endoreplication onset in Arabidopsis thaliana. We showed that GIG1/OSD1 and UVI4 encode novel plant-specific inhibitors of the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) ubiquitin ligase. These proteins physically interact with APC/C activators, CDC20/FZY and CDH1/FZR, in yeast two-hybrid assays. Overexpression of CDC20.1 and CCS52B/FZR3 differentially promoted ectopic endomitosis in gig1/osd1 and premature occurrence of endoreplication in uvi4. Our data suggest that GIG1/OSD1 and UVI4 may prevent an unscheduled increase in cellular ploidy by preferentially inhibiting APC/C(CDC20) and APC/C(FZR), respectively. Generation of cells with a mixed identity in gig1/osd1 further suggested that the APC/C may have an unexpected role for cell fate determination in addition to its role for proper mitotic progression.

Molecular control and function of endoreplication in development and physiology

Endoreplication, also called endoreduplication, is a cell cycle variant of multicellular eukaryotes in which mitosis is skipped and cells repeatedly replicate their DNA, resulting in cellular polyploidy. In recent years, research results have shed light on the molecular mechanism of endoreplication control, but the function of this cell-cycle variant has remained elusive. However, new evidence is at last providing insight into the biological relevance of cellular polyploidy, demonstrating that endoreplication is essential for developmental processes, such as cell fate maintenance, and is a prominent response to physiological conditions, such as pathogen attack or DNA damage. Thus, endoreplication is being revealed as an important module in plant growth that contributes to the robustness of plant life.

The APC/C subunit 10 plays an essential role in cell proliferation during leaf development

The largest E3 ubiquitin-ligase complex, known as anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C), regulates the proteolysis of cell cycle regulators such as CYCLIN B and SECURIN that are essential for sister-chromatid separation and exit from mitosis. Despite its importance, the role of APC/C in plant cells and the regulation of its activity during cell division remain poorly understood. Here, the Arabidopsis thaliana APC/C subunit APC10 was characterized and shown to functionally complement an apc10 yeast mutant. The APC10 protein was located in specific nuclear bodies, most probably resulting from its association with the proteasome complex. An apc10 Arabidopsis knockout mutant strongly impaired female gametogenesis. Surprisingly, constitutive overexpression of APC10 enhanced leaf size. Through kinematic analysis, the increased leaf size was found to be due to enhanced rates of cell division during the early stages of leaf development and, at the molecular level, by increased APC/C activity as measured by an amplification of the proteolysis rate of the mitotic cyclin, CYCB1;1.

The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor MYC2 directly represses PLETHORA expression during jasmonate-mediated modulation of the root stem cell niche in Arabidopsis

The root stem cell niche, which in the Arabidopsis thaliana root meristem is an area of four mitotically inactive quiescent cells (QCs) and the surrounding mitotically active stem cells, is critical for root development and growth. We report here that during jasmonate-induced inhibition of primary root growth, jasmonate reduces root meristem activity and leads to irregular QC division and columella stem cell differentiation. Consistently, jasmonate reduces the expression levels of the AP2-domain transcription factors PLETHORA1 (PLT1) and PLT2, which form a developmentally instructive protein gradient and mediate auxin-induced regulation of stem cell niche maintenance. Not surprisingly, the effects of jasmonate on root stem cell niche maintenance and PLT expression require the functioning of MYC2/JASMONATE INSENSITIVE1, a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor that involves versatile aspects of jasmonate-regulated gene expression. Gel shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments reveal that MYC2 directly binds the promoters of PLT1 and PLT2 and represses their expression. We propose that MYC2-mediated repression of PLT expression integrates jasmonate action into the auxin pathway in regulating root meristem activity and stem cell niche maintenance. This study illustrates a molecular framework for jasmonate-induced inhibition of root growth through interaction with the growth regulator auxin.

Conserved CDC20 cell cycle functions are carried out by two of the five isoforms in Arabidopsis thaliana

Background

The CDC20 and Cdh1/CCS52 proteins are substrate determinants and activators of the Anaphase Promoting Complex/Cyclosome (APC/C) E3 ubiquitin ligase and as such they control the mitotic cell cycle by targeting the degradation of various cell cycle regulators. In yeasts and animals the main CDC20 function is the destruction of securin and mitotic cyclins. Plants have multiple CDC20 gene copies whose functions have not been explored yet. In Arabidopsis thaliana there are five CDC20 isoforms and here we aimed at defining their contribution to cell cycle regulation, substrate selectivity and plant development.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Studying the gene structure and phylogeny of plant CDC20s, the expression of the five AtCDC20 gene copies and their interactions with the APC/C subunit APC10, the CCS52 proteins, components of the mitotic checkpoint complex (MCC) and mitotic cyclin substrates, conserved CDC20 functions could be assigned for AtCDC20.1 and AtCDC20.2. The other three intron-less genes were silent and specific for Arabidopsis. We show that AtCDC20.1 and AtCDC20.2 are components of the MCC and interact with mitotic cyclins with unexpected specificity. AtCDC20.1 and AtCDC20.2 are expressed in meristems, organ primordia and AtCDC20.1 also in pollen grains and developing seeds. Knocking down both genes simultaneously by RNAi resulted in severe delay in plant development and male sterility. In these lines, the meristem size was reduced while the cell size and ploidy levels were unaffected indicating that the lower cell number and likely slowdown of the cell cycle are the cause of reduced plant growth.

Conclusions/Significance

The intron-containing CDC20 gene copies provide conserved and redundant functions for cell cycle progression in plants and are required for meristem maintenance, plant growth and male gametophyte formation. The Arabidopsis-specific intron-less genes are possibly “retrogenes” and have hitherto undefined functions or are pseudogenes.

Programmed induction of endoreduplication by DNA double-strand breaks in Arabidopsis

Genome integrity is continuously threatened by external stresses and endogenous hazards such as DNA replication errors and reactive oxygen species. The DNA damage checkpoint in metazoans ensures genome integrity by delaying cell-cycle progression to repair damaged DNA or by inducing apoptosis. ATM and ATR (ataxia-telangiectasia-mutated and -Rad3-related) are sensor kinases that relay the damage signal to transducer kinases Chk1 and Chk2 and to downstream cell-cycle regulators. Plants also possess ATM and ATR orthologs but lack obvious counterparts of downstream regulators. Instead, the plant-specific transcription factor SOG1 (suppressor of gamma response 1) plays a central role in the transmission of signals from both ATM and ATR kinases. Here we show that in Arabidopsis, endoreduplication is induced by DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), but not directly by DNA replication stress. When root or sepal cells, or undifferentiated suspension cells, were treated with DSB inducers, they displayed increased cell size and DNA ploidy. We found that the ATM-SOG1 and ATR-SOG1 pathways both transmit DSB-derived signals and that either one suffices for endocycle induction. These signaling pathways govern the expression of distinct sets of cell-cycle regulators, such as cyclin-dependent kinases and their suppressors. Our results demonstrate that Arabidopsis undergoes a programmed endoreduplicative response to DSBs, suggesting that plants have evolved a distinct strategy to sustain growth under genotoxic stress.

Elucidating the functional role of endoreduplication in tomato fruit development

BACKGROUND

Endoreduplication is the major source of endopolyploidy in higher plants. The process of endoreduplication results from the ability of cells to modify their classical cell cycle into a partial cell cycle where DNA synthesis occurs independently from mitosis. Despite the ubiquitous occurrence of the phenomenon in eukaryotic cells, the physiological meaning of endoreduplication remains vague, although several roles during plant development have been proposed, mostly related to cell differentiation and cell size determination.

SCOPE

Here recent advances in the knowledge of endoreduplication and fruit organogenesis are reviewed, focusing on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) as a model, and the functional analyses of endoreduplication-associated regulatory genes in tomato fruit are described.

CONCLUSIONS

The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitory kinase WEE1 and the anaphase promoting complex activator CCS52A both participate in the control of cell size and the endoreduplication process driving cell expansion during early fruit development in tomato. Moreover the fruit-specific functional analysis of the tomato CDK inhibitor KRP1 reveals that cell size and fruit size determination can be uncoupled from DNA ploidy levels, indicating that endoreduplication acts rather as a limiting factor for cell growth. The overall functional data contribute to unravelling the physiological role of endoreduplication in growth induction of fleshy fruits.

Determination of symmetric and asymmetric division planes in plant cells

The cellular organization of plant tissues is determined by patterns of cell division and growth coupled with cellular differentiation. Cells proliferate mainly via symmetric division, whereas asymmetric divisions are associated with initiation of new developmental patterns and cell types. Division planes in both symmetrically and asymmetrically dividing cells are established through the action of a cortical preprophase band (PPB) of cytoskeletal filaments, which is disassembled upon transition to metaphase, leaving behind a cortical division site (CDS) to which the cytokinetic phragmoplast is later guided to position the cell plate. Recent progress has been made in understanding PPB formation and function as well as the nature and function of the CDS. In asymmetrically dividing cells, division plane establishment is governed by cell polarity. Recent work is beginning to shed light on polarization mechanisms in asymmetrically dividing cells, with receptor-like proteins and potential downstream effectors emerging as important players in this process.

Phosphorus and nitrogen interaction: loss of QC identity in response to P or N limitation is antecipated in pdr23 mutant

Changes in root architecture are an important adaptive strategy used by plants in response to limited nutrient availability to increase the odds of acquiring them. The quiescent center (QC) plays an important role by altering the meristem activity causing differentiation and therefore, inducing a determinate growth program. The arabidopsis mutant pdr23 presents primary short root in the presence of nitrate and is inefficient in the use of nucleic acids as a source of phosphorus. In this study the effect of the pdr23 mutation on the QC maintenance under low phosphorus (P) and/or nitrogen is evaluated. QC identity is maintained in wild-type in the absence of nitrate and/or phosphate if nucleic acids can be used as an alternative source of these nutrients, but not in pdr23. The mutant is not able to use nucleic acids efficiently for substitute Pi, determinate growth is observed, similar to wild-type in the total absence of P. In the absence of N pdr23 loses the expression of QC identity marker earlier than wild-type, indicating that not only the response to P is altered, but also to N. The data suggest that the mutation affects a gene involved either in the crosstalk between these nutrients or in a pathway shared by both nutrients limitation response. Moreover loss of QC identity is also observed in wild-type in the absence of N at longer limitation. Less drastic symptoms are observed in lateral roots of both genotypes.

Selective proteolysis sets the tempo of the cell cycle

Ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis is one of the key mechanisms underlying cell cycle control in all eukaryotes. This is achieved by the action of ubiquitin ligases (E3s), which remove both negative and positive regulators of the cell cycle. Though our current understanding of the plant cell cycle has improved a lot these recent years, the identity of the E3s regulating it and their mode of action is still in its infancy. Nevertheless, recent research in Arabidopsis revealed some novel findings in this area. Thus the anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) not only controls mitotic events, but is also important in post-mitotic cells for normal plant development and cell differentiation. Moreover conserved and novel E3s were identified that target cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors at different plant developmental stages. Finally, environmental constrains and stress hormones negatively impact on the cell cycle by processes that also include E3s.

Developmental control of endocycles and cell growth in plants

Timely progression of the mitotic cell cycle is central for growth and development of plant organs. Many cell types in plants also enter an alternative cell cycle called the endoreduplication cycle or endocycle in which cells increase their ploidy through repeated rounds of chromosomal replication without cell divisions. The transition from the mitotic cycle into the endocycle often coincides with the initiation of cell expansion and cell differentiation, and strong correlations between final ploidy level and cell size have been reported in many plant species. Recent studies have begun to unveil how developmental signals modulate entry and exit of the endocycle through both transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. An increase in ploidy by endocycles is not an ultimate determinant of plant cell size and it is likely that it sets the maximum capacity for future cellular growth.

Genomic evolution and complexity of the Anaphase-promoting Complex (APC) in land plants

BACKGROUND

The orderly progression through mitosis is regulated by the Anaphase-Promoting Complex (APC), a large multiprotein E3 ubiquitin ligase that targets key cell-cycle regulators for destruction by the 26 S proteasome. The APC is composed of at least 11 subunits and associates with additional regulatory activators during mitosis and interphase cycles. Despite extensive research on APC and activator functions in the cell cycle, only a few components have been functionally characterized in plants.

RESULTS

Here, we describe an in-depth search for APC subunits and activator genes in the Arabidopsis, rice and poplar genomes. Also, searches in other genomes that are not completely sequenced were performed. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that some APC subunits and activator genes have experienced gene duplication events in plants, in contrast to animals. Expression patterns of paralog subunits and activators in rice could indicate that this duplication, rather than complete redundancy, could reflect initial specialization steps. The absence of subunit APC7 from the genome of some green algae species and as well as from early metazoan lineages, could mean that APC7 is not required for APC function in unicellular organisms and it may be a result of duplication of another tetratricopeptide (TPR) subunit. Analyses of TPR evolution suggest that duplications of subunits started from the central domains.

CONCLUSIONS

The increased complexity of the APC gene structure, tied to the diversification of expression paths, suggests that land plants developed sophisticated mechanisms of APC regulation to cope with the sedentary life style and its associated environmental exposures.

Arabidopsis Tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase acts in the auxin/PLETHORA pathway in regulating postembryonic maintenance of the root stem cell niche

Recent identification of the Arabidopsis thaliana tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase (TPST) and a group of Tyr-sulfated peptides known as root meristem growth factors (RGFs) highlights the importance of protein Tyr sulfation in plant growth and development. Here, we report the action mechanism of TPST in maintenance of the root stem cell niche, which in the Arabidopsis root meristem is an area of four mitotically inactive quiescent cells plus the surrounding mitotically active stem cells. Mutation of TPST leads to defective maintenance of the root stem cell niche, decreased meristematic activity, and stunted root growth. We show that TPST expression is positively regulated by auxin and that mutation of this gene affects auxin distribution by reducing local expression levels of several PIN genes and auxin biosynthetic genes in the stem cell niche region. We also show that mutation of TPST impairs basal- and auxin-induced expression of the PLETHORA (PLT) stem cell transcription factor genes and that overexpression of PLT2 rescues the root meristem defects of the loss-of-function mutant of TPST. Together, these results support that TPST acts to maintain root stem cell niche by regulating basal- and auxin-induced expression of PLT1 and PLT2. TPST-dependent sulfation of RGFs provides a link between auxin and PLTs in regulating root stem cell niche maintenance.

Distinct roles of the ATR kinase and the Mre11-Rad50-Nbs1 complex in the maintenance of chromosomal stability in Arabidopsis

Signaling of chromosomal DNA breaks is of primary importance for initiation of repair and, thus, for global genomic stability. Although the Mre11-Rad50-Nbs1 (MRN) complex is the first sensor of double-strand breaks, its role in double-strand break (DSB) signaling is not fully understood. We report the absence of γ-ray-induced, ATM/ATR-dependent histone H2AX phosphorylation in Arabidopsis thaliana rad50 and mre11 mutants, confirming that the MRN complex is required for H2AX phosphorylation by the ATM and ATR kinases in response to irradiation-induced DSB in Arabidopsis. rad50 and mre11 mutants spontaneously activate a DNA damage response, as shown by the presence of γ-H2AX foci and activation of cell cycle arrest in nonirradiated plants. This response is ATR dependent as shown both by the absence of these spontaneous foci and by the wild-type mitotic indices of double rad50 atr and mre11 atr plants. EdU S-phase labeling and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis using specific subtelomeric probes point to a replicative S-phase origin of this chromosome damage in the double mutants and not to telomere destabilization. Thus, the data presented here show the exclusive involvement of ATR in DNA damage signaling in MRN mutants and provide evidence for a role for ATR in the avoidance of S-phase DNA damage.

The Anaphase Promoting Complex activator CCS52A, a key factor for fruit growth and endoreduplication in Tomato

Tomato fruit growth is characterized by the occurrence of numerous rounds of DNA endoreduplication in connection to cell expansion and final fruit size determination. Endoreduplication occurs as an impairment of mitosis, which can originate from the selective degradation of M-phase-specific cyclins via the ubiquitin-mediated proteolytic pathway, requiring the E3 ubiquitin ligase Anaphase Promoting Complex/Cyclosome (APC/C). In plants CCS52A is the ortholog of CDH1/FZR proteins from yeast, drosophila and human, belonging to the WD40-repeat protein family. During fruit development, the SlCCS52A gene expression is specifically associated to endoreduplication in tomato. Altering SlCCS52A expression in either negative or positive manner impacts the extent of endoreduplication in fruit and affects fruit size. When SlCCS52A is down-expressed endoreduplication is impaired during fruit growth leading to reduced fruit growth. However when SlCCS52A is over-expressed, endoreduplication is initially delayed, accounting for the altered final fruit size, but resumes and is even enhanced leading to fruit growth recovery, pointing at the physiological role of endoreduplication in growth induction during tomato fruit development.

Functional analysis of the anaphase promoting complex activator CCS52A highlights the crucial role of endo-reduplication for fruit growth in tomato

Tomato fruit growth is characterized by the occurrence of numerous rounds of DNA endo-reduplication in connection with cell expansion and final fruit size determination. Endo-reduplication is an impairment of mitosis that originates from the selective degradation of M phase-specific cyclins via the ubiquitin-mediated proteolytic pathway, requiring the E3 ubiquitin ligase anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C). Two types of APC/C activators, namely CCS52 and CDC20 proteins, exist in plants. We report here the molecular characterization of such APC/C activators during fruit development, and provide an in planta functional analysis of SlCCS52A, a gene that is specifically associated with endo-reduplication in tomato. Altering SlCCS52A expression in either a negative or positive manner had an impact on the extent of endo-reduplication in fruit, and fruit size was reduced in both cases. In SlCCS52A over-expressing fruits, endo-reduplication was initially delayed, accounting for the altered final fruit size, but resumed and was even enhanced at 15 days post anthesis (dpa), leading to fruit growth recovery. This induction of growth mediated by endo-reduplication had a considerable impact on nitrogen metabolism in developing fruits. Our data contribute to unravelling of the physiological role of endo-reduplication in growth induction during tomato fruit development.

Redox regulation of root apical meristem organization: connecting root development to its environment

Post-embryonic root growth relies on the proliferative activity of the root apical meristem (RAM), consisting, in part, of cells with juvenile characteristics (stem cells). It is generally, but erroneously held that the RAM indefinitely produces new cells throughout the lifespan of a plant, resulting in indeterminate root growth. On the contrary, convincing data, mainly from the lab of Thomas L. Rost, show in all species analyzed so far, including Arabidopsis, that RAM organization changes over time in parallel with both a cessation of the production of new cells, and a consequent reduction in root growth, even under optimal conditions. In addition, RAM organization evolved to become highly plastic and dynamic in response to environmental triggers (e.g. water and nutrient availability, pollutants). Under unfavourable conditions, the RAM is rapidly reorganized, and, as a result of the cessation of new cell production at the root tip, root growth is altered, and lateral root production is enhanced, thus providing the plant additional strategies to overcome the stress. It is now becoming increasingly clear that this environment-responsive developmental plasticity is linked to reactive oxygen/nitrogen species, antioxidants, and related enzymes, which form part of a complex signalling module specifically operating in the regulation of RAM functioning, in strict relationship with hormonal control of root development exerted by auxin, gibberellins and cytokinins. In turn, such redox/hormone crosstalk regulates gene expression.

SIAMESE cooperates with the CDH1-like protein CCS52A1 to establish endoreplication in Arabidopsis thaliana trichomes

Endoreplication, also known as endoreduplication, is a phyogenetically widespread modified version of the cell cycle in which DNA replication is not followed by cell division. The SIAMESE (SIM) gene of Arabidopsis thaliana encodes the founding member of a novel class of plant-specific cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors and is a key regulator of endoreplication during the development of trichomes (shoot epidermal hairs). Here, we have identified mutations in the CCS52A1 gene as genetic modifiers of the multicellular trichome phenotype of sim mutants. Loss-of-function ccs52A1 mutations dramatically enhance the multicellularity of sim mutants trichomes in double mutants, whereas overexpression of CCS52A1 completely suppresses the sim mutant phenotype. CCS52A1 encodes a CDH1/FZR-like protein, a class of proteins that function as activators of the anaphase-promoting complex. Unicellular ccs52A1 trichomes become multicellular upon overexpression of B-type cyclin, consistent with repression of the accumulation of mitotic cyclins in the developing trichome by CCS52A1. As these M-phase-specific cyclins are known to accumulate in sim mutant trichomes, our data suggest that CCS52A1 and SIM cooperate in repressing accumulation of mitotic cyclins to establish the trichome endocycle. Comparison with endoreplication pathways in Drosophila and mammals indicates that while these organisms all use similar components to initiate endoreplication, the components are deployed differently in each organism.

APC-targeted RAA1 degradation mediates the cell cycle and root development in plants

Protein degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome system is necessary for a normal cell cycle. As compared with knowledge of the mechanism in animals and yeast, that in plants is less known. Here we summarize research into the regulatory mechanism of protein degradation in the cell cycle in plants. Anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC), in the E3 family of enzymes, plays an important role in maintaining normal mitosis. APC activation and substrate specificity is determined by its activators, which can recognize the destruction box (D-box) in APC target proteins. Oryza sativa root architecture-associated 1 (OsRAA1) with GTP-binding activity was originally cloned from rice. Overexpression of of OsRAA1 inhibits the growth of primary roots in rice. Knockdown lines showed reduced height of seedlings because of abnormal cell division. OsRAA1 transgenic rice and fission yeast show a higher proportion of metaphase cells than that of controls, which suggests a blocked transition from metaphase to anaphase during mitosis. OsRAA1 co-localizes with spindle tubulin. It contains the D-box motif and interacts with OsRPT4 of the regulatory particle of 26S proteasome. OsRAA1 may be a cell cycle inhibitor that can be degraded by the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and its disruption is necessary for the transition from metaphase to anaphase during root growth in rice.

Systematic localization of the Arabidopsis core cell cycle proteins reveals novel cell division complexes

Cell division depends on the correct localization of the cyclin-dependent kinases that are regulated by phosphorylation, cyclin proteolysis, and protein-protein interactions. Although immunological assays can define cell cycle protein abundance and localization, they are not suitable for detecting the dynamic rearrangements of molecular components during cell division. Here, we applied an in vivo approach to trace the subcellular localization of 60 Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) core cell cycle proteins fused to green fluorescent proteins during cell division in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) and Arabidopsis. Several cell cycle proteins showed a dynamic association with mitotic structures, such as condensed chromosomes and the preprophase band in both species, suggesting a strong conservation of targeting mechanisms. Furthermore, colocalized proteins were shown to bind in vivo, strengthening their localization-function connection. Thus, we identified unknown spatiotemporal territories where functional cell cycle protein interactions are most likely to occur.

A rapid and robust assay for detection of S-phase cell cycle progression in plant cells and tissues by using ethynyl deoxyuridine

BACKGROUND

Progress in plant cell cycle research is highly dependent on reliable methods for detection of cells replicating DNA. Frequency of S-phase cells (cells in DNA synthesis phase) is a basic parameter in studies on the control of cell division cycle and the developmental events of plant cells. Here we extend the microscopy and flow cytometry applications of the recently developed EdU (5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine)-based S-phase assay to various plant species and tissues. We demonstrate that the presented protocols insure the improved preservation of cell and tissue structure and allow significant reduction in assay duration. In comparison with the frequently used detection of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and tritiated-thymidine incorporation, this new methodology offers several advantages as we discuss here.

RESULTS

Applications of EdU-based S-phase assay in microscopy and flow cytometry are presented by using cultured cells of alfalfa, Arabidopsis, grape, maize, rice and tobacco. We present the advantages of EdU assay as compared to BrdU-based replication assay and demonstrate that EdU assay -which does not require plant cell wall digestion or DNA denaturation steps, offers reduced assay duration and better preservation of cellular, nuclear and chromosomal morphologies. We have also shown that fast and efficient EdU assay can also be an efficient tool for dual parameter flow cytometry analysis and for quantitative assessment of replication in thick root samples of rice.

CONCLUSIONS

In plant cell cycle studies, EdU-based S-phase detection offers a superior alternative to the existing S-phase assays. EdU method is reliable, versatile, fast, simple and non-radioactive and it can be readily applied to many different plant systems.

Root development-two meristems for the price of one?

In this review, we analyze progress in understanding the mechanisms of root meristem development and function. The formation of embryonic and lateral roots, together with the remarkable regenerative ability of roots, seems to be linked to an auxin-dependent patterning mechanism, the "reflux loop," that can act at least partly independently of cellular context. A major feature of root formation is the production of the "structural initials," the center of the developing root. These cells form an organizing center (OC), the quiescent center (QC), which is needed for meristem activity. The exact role of the QC remains somewhat unclear, though it maintains a stem cell (SC) state in adjacent cells and acts as a long-term SC pool itself. SCs in the root can be defined on an operational basis, but a molecular definition for SC identity remains elusive. Instead, the behavior of cells in the proximal root might better be understood as the result of a "potential" gradient in the meristem, which confers cellular characteristics with respect to proximity to the QC. This potential gradient also seems to be auxin-dependent, possibly as a result of the effect of auxin on the expression of PLETHORA genes, key regulators of meristem function. Only in the root cap (RC) has distinct SC identity been proposed; but increasingly, evidence suggests that regulation of RC development is rather different from that in the proximal meristem; interestingly, a similar dichotomy can also be observed in the shoot meristem. Cell cycle progression must lie at the core of meristematic activity, and recent work has begun to uncover how hormonal regulation feeds forward into various aspects of the cell cycle. The emergent picture is one of coordinate regulation of cell division and elongation by a hormonal signaling network that is integrated by the auxin reflux loop to control root growth.

Knockdown of CELL DIVISION CYCLE16 reveals an inverse relationship between lateral root and nodule numbers and a link to auxin in Medicago truncatula

The postembryonic development of lateral roots and nodules is a highly regulated process. Recent studies suggest the existence of cross talk and interdependency in the growth of these two organs. Although plant hormones, including auxin and cytokinin, appear to be key players in coordinating this cross talk, very few genes that cross-regulate root and nodule development have been uncovered so far. This study reports that a homolog of CELL DIVISION CYCLE16 (CDC16), a core component of the Anaphase Promoting Complex, is one of the key mediators in controlling the overall number of lateral roots and nodules. A partial suppression of this gene in Medicago truncatula leads to a decrease in number of lateral roots and a 4-fold increase in number of nodules. The roots showing lowered expression of MtCDC16 also show reduced sensitivity to phytohormone auxin, thus providing a potential function of CDC16 in auxin signaling.

Control of division and differentiation of plant stem cells and their derivatives

The core mechanism of the plant cell cycle is conserved with all other eukaryotes but several aspects are unique to plant cells. Key characteristics of plant development include indeterminate growth and repetitive organogenesis derived from stem cell pools and they may explain the existence of the high number of cell cycle regulators in plants. In this review, we give an overview of the plant cell cycle and its regulatory components. Furthermore, we discuss the cell cycle aspects of plant stem cell maintenance and how the cell cycle relates to cellular differentiation during development. We exemplify this transition by focusing on organ initiation in the shoot.

Stem cells: The root of all cells

The plant basic body plan is laid down during embryogenesis. All post-embryonic development has its origin in the stem cells located in niches in the heart of the shoot and root meristems. Creating the root niche requires auxin dependent patterning cues that provide positional information in combination with parallel inputs to specify and maintain the root stem cell niche from embryogenesis onwards. Once established, the architecture of the root niche differs from that in the shoot but recent findings reveal a conserved module for stem cell control. Important for stem cell maintenance is the balance between cell division and differentiation. Dealing with the environment is the biggest challenge for plants and that includes complete regeneration of stem cell systems upon damage. Here we will address these issues as we follow the formation, function and maintenance of the root stem cell niche during development.

The trihelix transcription factor GTL1 regulates ploidy-dependent cell growth in the Arabidopsis trichome

Leaf trichomes in Arabidopsis thaliana develop through several distinct cellular processes, such as patterning, differentiation, and growth. Although recent studies have identified several key transcription factors as regulating early patterning and differentiation steps, it is still largely unknown how these regulatory proteins mediate subsequent trichome development, which is accompanied by rapid cell growth and branching. Here, we report a novel trichome mutation in Arabidopsis, which in contrast with previously identified mutants, increases trichome cell size without altering its overall patterning or branching. We show that the corresponding gene encodes a GT-2-LIKE1 (GTL1) protein, a member of the trihelix transcription factor family. GTL1 is present within the nucleus during the postbranching stages of trichome development, and its loss of function leads to an increase in the nuclear DNA content only in trichomes that have completed branching. Our data further demonstrate that the gtl1 mutation modifies the expression of several cell cycle genes and partially rescues the ploidy defects in the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor mutant siamese. Taken together, this study provides the genetic evidence for the requirement of transcriptional regulation in the repression of ploidy-dependent plant cell growth as well as for an involvement of GTL trihelix proteins in this regulation.