Augmin Antagonizes Katanin at Microtubule Crossovers to Control the Dynamic Organization of Plant Cortical Arrays

CAMSAP2 and CAMSAP3 localize at microtubule intersections to regulate the spatial distribution of microtubules

Microtubule networks support many cellular processes and exhibit a highly ordered architecture. However, due to the limited axial resolution of conventional light microscopy, the structural features of these networks cannot be resolved in three-dimensional (3D) space. Here, we used customized ultra-high-resolution interferometric single-molecule localization microscopy to characterize the microtubule networks in Caco2 cells. We found that the calmodulin-regulated spectrin-associated proteins (CAMSAPs) localize at a portion of microtubule intersections. Further investigation showed that depletion of CAMSAP2 and CAMSAP3 leads to the narrowing of the inter-microtubule distance. Mechanistically, CAMSAPs recognize microtubule defects, which often occur near microtubule intersections, and then recruit katanin to remove the damaged microtubules. Therefore, the CAMSAP-katanin complex is a regulatory module for the distance between microtubules. Taken together, our results characterize the architecture of cellular microtubule networks in high resolution and provide molecular insights into how the 3D structure of microtubule networks is controlled.

New insights into the functions and regulations of MAP215/MOR1 and katanin, two conserved microtubule-associated proteins in Arabidopsis

Plant microtubules (MTs) form highly dynamic and distinct arrays throughout the cell cycle and are essential for cell and organ morphogenesis. A plethora of microtubule associated-proteins (MAPs), both conserved and plant-specific, ensure the dynamic response of MTs to internal and external cues. The MAP215 family MT polymerase/nucleation factor and the MT severing enzyme katanin are among the most conserved MAPs in eukaryotes. Recent studies have revealed unexpected functional and physical interactions between MICROTUBULE ORGANIZATION 1 (MOR1), the Arabidopsis homolog of MAP215, and KATANIN 1 (KTN1), the catalytic subunit of katanin. In this minireview, we provide a short overview on current understanding of the functions and regulations of MOR1 and katanin in cell morphogenesis and plant growth and development.

CcNAC1 by Transcriptome Analysis Is Involved in Sudan Grass Secondary Cell Wall Formation as a Positive Regulator

Sudan grass is a high-quality forage of sorghum. The degree of lignification of Sudan grass is the main factor affecting its digestibility in ruminants such as cattle and sheep. Almost all lignocellulose in Sudan grass is stored in the secondary cell wall, but the mechanism and synthesis of the secondary cell wall in Sudan grass is still unclear. In order to study the mechanism of secondary cell wall synthesis in Sudan grass, we used an in vitro induction system of Sudan grass secondary cell wall. Through transcriptome sequencing, it was found that the NAC transcription factor CcNAC1 gene was related to the synthesis of the Sudan grass secondary cell wall. This study further generated CcNAC1 overexpression lines of Arabidopsis to study CcNAC1 gene function in secondary cell wall synthesis. It was shown that the overexpression of the CcNAC1 gene can significantly increase lignin content in Arabidopsis lines. Through subcellular localization analysis, CcNAC1 genes could be expressed in the nucleus of a plant. In addition, we used yeast two-hybrid screening to find 26 proteins interacting with CcNAC1. GO and KEGG analysis showed that CcNAC1 relates to the metabolic pathways and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. In summary, the synthesis of secondary cell wall of Sudan grass can be regulated by CcNAC1.

IQ67 DOMAIN protein 21 is critical for indentation formation in pavement cell morphogenesis

In plants, cortical microtubules anchor to the plasma membrane in arrays and play important roles in cell shape. However, the molecular mechanism of microtubule binding proteins, which connect the plasma membrane and cortical microtubules in cell morphology remains largely unknown. Here, we report that a plasma membrane and microtubule dual-localized IQ67 domain protein, IQD21, is critical for cotyledon pavement cell (PC) morphogenesis in Arabidopsis. iqd21 mutation caused increased indentation width, decreased lobe length, and similar lobe number of PCs, whereas IQD21 overexpression had a different effect on cotyledon PC shape. Weak overexpression led to increased lobe number, decreased indentation width, and similar lobe length, while moderate or great overexpression resulted in decreased lobe number, indentation width, and lobe length of PCs. Live-cell observations revealed that IQD21 accumulation at indentation regions correlates with lobe initiation and outgrowth during PC development. Cell biological and genetic approaches revealed that IQD21 promotes transfacial microtubules anchoring to the plasma membrane via its polybasic sites and bundling at the indentation regions in both periclinal and anticlinal walls. IQD21 controls cortical microtubule organization mainly through promoting Katanin 1-mediated microtubule severing during PC interdigitation. These findings provide the genetic evidence that transfacial microtubule arrays play a determinant role in lobe formation, and the insight into the molecular mechanism of IQD21 in transfacial microtubule organization at indentations and puzzle-shaped PC development.

PP2A interacts with KATANIN to promote microtubule organization and conical cell morphogenesis

The organization of the microtubule cytoskeleton is critical for cell and organ morphogenesis. The evolutionarily conserved microtubule-severing enzyme KATANIN plays critical roles in microtubule organization in the plant and animal kingdoms. We previously used conical cell of Arabidopsis thaliana petals as a model system to investigate cortical microtubule organization and cell morphogenesis and determined that KATANIN promotes the formation of circumferential cortical microtubule arrays in conical cells. Here, we demonstrate that the conserved protein phosphatase PP2A interacts with and dephosphorylates KATANIN to promote the formation of circumferential cortical microtubule arrays in conical cells. KATANIN undergoes cycles of phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. Using co-immunoprecipitation coupled with mass spectrometry, we identified PP2A subunits as KATANIN-interacting proteins. Further biochemical studies showed that PP2A interacts with and dephosphorylates KATANIN to stabilize its cellular abundance. Similar to the katanin mutant, mutants for genes encoding PP2A subunits showed disordered cortical microtubule arrays and defective conical cell shape. Taken together, these findings identify PP2A as a regulator of conical cell shape and suggest that PP2A mediates KATANIN phospho-regulation during plant cell morphogenesis.

MOR1/MAP215 acts synergistically with katanin to control cell division and anisotropic cell elongation in Arabidopsis

The MAP215 family of microtubule (MT) polymerase/nucleation factors and the MT severing enzyme katanin are widely conserved MT-associated proteins (MAPs) across the plant and animal kingdoms. However, how these two essential MAPs coordinate to regulate plant MT dynamics and development remains unknown. Here, we identified novel hypomorphic alleles of MICROTUBULE ORGANIZATION 1 (MOR1), encoding the Arabidopsis thaliana homolog of MAP215, in genetic screens for mutants oversensitive to the MT-destabilizing drug propyzamide. Live imaging in planta revealed that MOR1-green fluorescent protein predominantly tracks the plus-ends of cortical MTs (cMTs) in interphase cells and labels preprophase band, spindle and phragmoplast MT arrays in dividing cells. Remarkably, MOR1 and KATANIN 1 (KTN1), the p60 subunit of Arabidopsis katanin, act synergistically to control the proper formation of plant-specific MT arrays, and consequently, cell division and anisotropic cell expansion. Moreover, MOR1 physically interacts with KTN1 and promotes KTN1-mediated severing of cMTs. Our work establishes the Arabidopsis MOR1-KTN1 interaction as a central functional node dictating MT dynamics and plant growth and development.

Cell biology of primary cell wall synthesis in plants

Building a complex structure such as the cell wall, with many individual parts that need to be assembled correctly from distinct sources within the cell, is a well-orchestrated process. Additional complexity is required to mediate dynamic responses to environmental and developmental cues. Enzymes, sugars, and other cell wall components are constantly and actively transported to and from the plasma membrane during diffuse growth. Cell wall components are transported in vesicles on cytoskeletal tracks composed of microtubules and actin filaments. Many of these components, and additional proteins, vesicles, and lipids are trafficked to and from the cell plate during cytokinesis. In this review, we first discuss how the cytoskeleton is initially organized to add new cell wall material or to build a new cell wall, focusing on similarities during these processes. Next, we discuss how polysaccharides and enzymes that build the cell wall are trafficked to the correct location by motor proteins and through other interactions with the cytoskeleton. Finally, we discuss some of the special features of newly formed cell walls generated during cytokinesis.

Finding a right place to cut: How katanin is targeted to cellular severing sites

Microtubule severing by katanin plays key roles in generating various array patterns of dynamic microtubules, while also responding to developmental and environmental stimuli. Quantitative imaging and molecular genetic analyses have uncovered that dysfunction of microtubule severing in plant cells leads to defects in anisotropic growth, division and other cell processes. Katanin is targeted to several subcellular severing sites. Intersections of two crossing cortical microtubules attract katanin, possibly by using local lattice deformation as a landmark. Cortical microtubule nucleation sites on preexisting microtubules are targeted for katanin-mediated severing. An evolutionary conserved microtubule anchoring complex not only stabilises the nucleated site, but also subsequently recruits katanin for timely release of a daughter microtubule. During cytokinesis, phragmoplast microtubules are severed at distal zones by katanin, which is tethered there by plant-specific microtubule-associated proteins. Recruitment and activation of katanin are essential for maintenance and reorganisation of plant microtubule arrays.

Solving the Puzzle of Shape Regulation in Plant Epidermal Pavement Cells

The plant epidermis serves many essential functions, including interactions with the environment, protection, mechanical strength, and regulation of tissue and organ growth. To achieve these functions, specialized epidermal cells develop into particular shapes. These include the intriguing interdigitated jigsaw puzzle shape of cotyledon and leaf pavement cells seen in many species, the precise functions of which remain rather obscure. Although pavement cell shape regulation is complex and still a long way from being fully understood, the roles of the cell wall, mechanical stresses, cytoskeleton, cytoskeletal regulatory proteins, and phytohormones are becoming clearer. Here, we provide a review of this current knowledge of pavement cell morphogenesis, generated from a wealth of experimental evidence and assisted by computational modeling approaches. We also discuss the evolution and potential functions of pavement cell interdigitation. Throughout the review, we highlight some of the thought-provoking controversies and creative theories surrounding the formation of the curious puzzle shape of these cells.

Prometaphase

The establishment of a metaphase plate in which all chromosomes are attached to mitotic spindle microtubules and aligned at the cell equator is required for faithful chromosome segregation in metazoans. The achievement of this configuration relies on the precise coordination between several concurrent mechanisms that start upon nuclear envelope breakdown, mediate chromosome capture at their kinetochores during mitotic spindle assembly and culminate with the congression of all chromosomes to the spindle equator. This period is called 'prometaphase'. Because the nature of chromosome capture by mitotic spindle microtubules is error prone, the cell is provided of error correction mechanisms that sense and correct most erroneous kinetochore-microtubule attachments before committing to separate sister chromatids in anaphase. In this review, aimed for newcomers in the field, more than providing an exhaustive mechanistic coverage of each and every concurrent mechanism taking place during prometaphase, we provide an integrative overview of these processes that ultimately promote the subsequent faithful segregation of chromosomes during mitosis.

ABNORMAL SHOOT 6 interacts with KATANIN 1 and SHADE AVOIDANCE 4 to promote cortical microtubule severing and ordering in Arabidopsis

Plant interphase cortical microtubules (cMTs) mediate anisotropic cell expansion in response to environmental and developmental cues. In Arabidopsis thaliana, KATANIN 1 (KTN1), the p60 catalytic subunit of the conserved MT-severing enzyme katanin, is essential for cMT ordering and anisotropic cell expansion. However, the regulation of KTN1-mediated cMT severing and ordering remains unclear. In this work, we report that the Arabidopsis IQ67 DOMAIN (IQD) family gene ABNORMAL SHOOT 6 (ABS6) encodes a MT-associated protein. Overexpression of ABS6 leads to elongated cotyledons, directional pavement cell expansion, and highly ordered transverse cMT arrays. Genetic suppressor analysis revealed that ABS6-mediated cMT ordering is dependent on KTN1 and SHADE AVOIDANCE 4 (SAV4). Live imaging of cMT dynamics showed that both ABS6 and SAV4 function as positive regulators of cMT severing. Furthermore, ABS6 directly interacts with KTN1 and SAV4 and promotes their recruitment to the cMTs. Finally, analysis of loss-of-function mutant combinations showed that ABS6, SAV4, and KTN1 work together to ensure the robust ethylene response in the apical hook of dark-grown seedlings. Together, our findings establish ABS6 and SAV4 as positive regulators of cMT severing and ordering, and highlight the role of cMT dynamics in fine-tuning differential growth in plants.

New Insights Into Functions of IQ67-Domain Proteins

IQ67-domain (IQD) proteins, first identified in Arabidopsis and rice, are plant-specific calmodulin-binding proteins containing highly conserved motifs. They play a critical role in plant defenses, organ development and shape, and drought tolerance. Driven by comprehensive genome identification and analysis efforts, IQDs have now been characterized in several species and have been shown to act as microtubule-associated proteins, participating in microtubule-related signaling pathways. However, the precise molecular mechanisms underpinning their biological functions remain incompletely understood. Here we review current knowledge on how IQD family members are thought to regulate plant growth and development by affecting microtubule dynamics or participating in microtubule-related signaling pathways in different plant species and propose some new insights.

Cutting, Amplifying, and Aligning Microtubules with Severing Enzymes

Microtubule-severing enzymes - katanin, spastin, fidgetin - are related AAA-ATPases that cut microtubules into shorter filaments. These proteins, also called severases, are involved in a wide range of cellular processes including cell division, neuronal development, and tissue morphogenesis. Paradoxically, severases can amplify the microtubule cytoskeleton and not just destroy it. Recent work on spastin and katanin has partially resolved this paradox by showing that these enzymes are strong promoters of microtubule growth. Here, we review recent structural and biophysical advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms of severing and growth promotion that provide insight into how severing enzymes shape microtubule networks.

Microtubule-Mediated Wall Anisotropy Contributes to Leaf Blade Flattening

Plant organs can adopt a wide range of shapes, resulting from highly directional cell growth and divisions. We focus here on leaves and leaf-like organs in Arabidopsis and tomato, characterized by the formation of thin, flat laminae. Combining experimental approaches with 3D mechanical modeling, we provide evidence that leaf shape depends on cortical microtubule mediated cellulose deposition along the main predicted stress orientations, in particular, along the adaxial-abaxial axis in internal cell walls. This behavior can be explained by a mechanical feedback and has the potential to sustain and even amplify a preexisting degree of flatness, which in turn depends on genes involved in the control of organ polarity and leaf margin formation.

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Microtubules and cellulose microfibrils align along the ad-abaxial direction

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Microtubule-mediated cell growth anisotropy contributes to leaf flattening

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Mechanical feedback accounts for microtubule alignments in the ad-abaxial direction

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Final organ shape depends on the degree of initial asymmetry of primordia

AtKATANIN1 Modulates Microtubule Depolymerization and Reorganization in Response to Salt Stress in Arabidopsis

The microtubule cytoskeleton is a dynamic system that plays vital roles in fundamental cellular processes and in responses to environmental stumili. Salt stress induced depolymerization and reorganization of microtubules are believed to function in the promotion of survival in Arabidopsis. Microtubule-severing enzyme ATKATANIN1 (AtKTN1) is recognized as a MAP that help to maintain organized microtubule structure. To date, whether AtKTN1 is involved in response to salt stress in Arabidopsis remains unknown. Here, our phenotypic analysis showed that the overexpression of AtKTN1 decreased tolerance to salt stress, whereas the knock-out of AtKTN1 increased salt tolerance in the early stage but decreased salt tolerance in the later stage. Microscopic analysis revealed that microtubule organization and dynamics are distorted in both overexpression and mutant cells which, in turn, resulted in an abnormal disassembly and reorganization under salt stress. Moreover, qRT analysis revealed that stress-responsive genes were down-regulated in overexpression and mutant cells compared to WT cells under salt stress. Taken together, our results indicated roles of AtKTN1 in modulating microtubule organization, salt-stress induced microtubule disruption and recovery, and its involvement in stress-related signaling pathways.

Plant Cell Biology: Shifting CORDs to Fine-Tune Phragmoplast Microtubule Turnover

A new study provides insight into microtubule turnover during plant cell division. Using clever molecular-genetic and imaging strategies, the authors demonstrate that the recently discovered CORD4 and 5 proteins associate with phragmoplast microtubules and control recruitment and activity of the microtubule-severing protein katanin.

A Novel Katanin-Tethering Machinery Accelerates Cytokinesis

Cytokinesis is fundamental for cell proliferation [1, 2]. In plants, a bipolar short-microtubule array forms the phragmoplast, which mediates vesicle transport to the midzone and guides the formation of cell walls that separate the mother cell into two daughter cells [2]. The phragmoplast centrifugally expands toward the cell cortex to guide cell-plate formation at the cortical division site [3, 4]. Several proteins in the phragmoplast midzone facilitate the anti-parallel bundling of microtubules and vesicle accumulation [5]. However, the mechanisms by which short microtubules are maintained during phragmoplast development, in particular, the behavior of microtubules at the distal zone of phragmoplasts, are poorly understood. Here, we show that a plant-specific protein, CORTICAL MICROTUBULE DISORDERING 4 (CORD4), tethers the conserved microtubule-severing protein katanin to facilitate formation of the short-microtubule array in phragmoplasts. CORD4 was specifically expressed during mitosis and localized to preprophase bands and phragmoplast microtubules. Custom-made two-photon spinning disk confocal microscopy revealed that CORD4 rapidly localized to microtubules in the distal phragmoplast zone during phragmoplast assembly at late anaphase and persisted throughout phragmoplast expansion. Loss of CORD4 caused abnormally long and oblique phragmoplast microtubules and slow expansion of phragmoplasts. The p60 katanin subunit, KTN1, localized to the distal phragmoplast zone in a CORD4-dependent manner. These results suggest that CORD4 tethers KTN1 at phragmoplasts to modulate microtubule length, thereby accelerating phragmoplast growth. This reveals the presence of a distinct machinery to accelerate cytokinesis by regulating the action of katanin.

Direct observation of branching MT nucleation in living animal cells

Branching microtubule nucleation by its molecular mediators has never been directly observed in animal cells. By imaging augmin, γ-TuRC, and microtubules with high spatiotemporal resolution, Verma and Maresca quantitatively define the sequential steps of augmin-mediated branching microtubule nucleation in dividing Drosophila cells.

Centrosome-mediated microtubule (MT) nucleation has been well characterized; however, numerous noncentrosomal MT nucleation mechanisms exist. The branching MT nucleation pathway envisages that the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC) is recruited to MTs by the augmin complex to initiate nucleation of new MTs. While the pathway is well conserved at a molecular and functional level, branching MT nucleation by core constituents has never been directly observed in animal cells. Here, multicolor TIRF microscopy was applied to visualize and quantitatively define the entire process of branching MT nucleation in dividing Drosophila cells during anaphase. The steps of a stereotypical branching nucleation event entailed augmin binding to a mother MT and recruitment of γ-TuRC after 15 s, followed by nucleation 16 s later of a daughter MT at a 36° branch angle. Daughters typically remained attached throughout their ∼40-s lifetime unless the mother depolymerized past the branch point. Assembly of branched MT arrays, which did not require Drosophila TPX2, enhanced localized RhoA activation during cytokinesis.

OsMTOPVIB is required for meiotic bipolar spindle assembly

The organization of microtubules into a bipolar spindle is essential for chromosome segregation. Both centrosome and chromatin-dependent spindle assembly mechanisms are well studied in mouse, Drosophila melanogaster, and Xenopus oocytes; however, the mechanism of bipolar spindle assembly in plant meiosis remains elusive. According to our observations of microtubule assembly in Oryza sativa, Zea mays, Arabidopsis thaliana, and Solanum lycopersicum, we propose that a key step of plant bipolar spindle assembly is the correction of the multipolar spindle into a bipolar spindle at metaphase I. The multipolar spindles failed to transition into bipolar ones in OsmtopVIB with the defect in double-strand break (DSB) formation. However, bipolar spindles were normally assembled in several other mutants lacking DSB formation, such as Osspo11-1, pair2, and crc1, indicating that bipolar spindle assembly is independent of DSB formation. We further revealed that the mono-orientation of sister kinetochores was prevalent in OsmtopVIB, whereas biorientation of sister kinetochores was frequently observed in Osspo11-1, pair2, and crc1 In addition, mutations of the cohesion subunit OsREC8 resulted in biorientation of sister kinetochores as well as bipolar spindles even in the background of OsmtopVIB Therefore, we propose that biorientation of the kinetochore is required for bipolar spindle assembly in the absence of homologous recombination.

The role of the augmin complex in establishing microtubule arrays

Microtubule-dependent microtubule nucleation occurs on the lateral surface of pre-existing microtubules and provides a highly efficient means of amplifying their populations and reorganizing their architectures. The γ‑tubulin ring complex serves as the template to initiate nascent microtubule polymerization. Augmin, a hetero-octameric protein complex, acts as a recruiting factor to target the γ‑tubulin ring complex to pre-existing microtubules and trigger new microtubule growth. Although microtubule-dependent microtubule nucleation has been extensively studied in both animal and plant cells, it remains unclear how the augmin complex assembles in plant cells, especially in cell-cycle-specific and cell-type-specific manners, and how its spatial structure orchestrates the nucleation geometry. In this review, we summarize the advances in knowledge of augmin-dependent microtubule nucleation and the regulation of its geometry, and highlight recent findings and emerging questions concerning the role of the augmin complex in establishing microtubule arrays and the cell-cycle-specific composition of augmin in plant cells.

Microtubule nucleation for the assembly of acentrosomal microtubule arrays in plant cells

Contents Summary I. Introduction II. MT arrays in plant cells III. γ-Tubulin and MT nucleation IV. MT nucleation sites or flexible MTOCs in plant cells V. MT-dependent MT nucleation VI. Generating new MTs for spindle assembly VII. Generation of MTs for phragmoplast expansion during cytokinesis VIII. MT generation for the cortical MT array IX. MT nucleation: looking forward Acknowledgements References SUMMARY: Cytoskeletal microtubules (MTs) have a multitude of functions including intracellular distribution of molecules and organelles, cell morphogenesis, as well as segregation of the genetic material and separation of the cytoplasm during cell division among eukaryotic organisms. In response to internal and external cues, eukaryotic cells remodel their MT network in a regulated manner in order to assemble physiologically important arrays for cell growth, cell proliferation, or for cells to cope with biotic or abiotic stresses. Nucleation of new MTs is a critical step for MT remodeling. Although many key factors contributing to MT nucleation and organization are well conserved in different kingdoms, the centrosome, representing the most prominent microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs), disappeared during plant evolution as angiosperms lack the structure. Instead, flexible MTOCs may emerge on the plasma membrane, the nuclear envelope, and even organelles depending on types of cells and organisms and/or physiological conditions. MT-dependent MT nucleation is particularly noticeable in plant cells because it accounts for the primary source of MT generation for assembling spindle, phragmoplast, and cortical arrays when the γ-tubulin ring complex is anchored and activated by the augmin complex. It is intriguing what proteins are associated with plant-specific MTOCs and how plant cells activate or inactivate MT nucleation activities in spatiotemporally regulated manners.

Microtubule reorientation in the blue spotlight: Cutting and CLASPing at dynamic hot spots

Microtubule reorientation into a longitudinal network during the phototropic response in Arabidopsis thaliana depends on their severing by katanin at crossovers. Lindeboom et al. (2019. J. Cell Biol. https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201805047) show that at newly generated plus ends, the anti-catastrophe activity of CLASP is essential for further growth.

Microtubule nucleation and organization without centrosomes

Centrosomes play various critical roles in animal cells such as microtubule nucleation and stabilization, mitotic spindle morphogenesis, and spindle orientation. Land plants have lost centrosomes and yet must execute many of these functions. Recent studies have revealed the crucial roles played by morphologically distinct cytoplasmic microtubule-organizing centers (MTOCs) in initiating spindle bipolarity and maintaining spindle orientation robustness. These MTOCs resemble centrosomes in many aspects, implying an evolutionary divergence of MT-organizing structures in plants. However, their functions rely on conserved nucleation and amplification mechanisms, indicating a similarity in MT network establishment between animals and plants. Moreover, recent characterization of a plant-specific MT minus-end tracking protein suggests that plants have developed functionally equivalent modules to stabilize and organize MTs at minus ends. These findings support the theory that plants overcome centrosome loss by utilizing modified but substantially conserved mechanisms to organize MT networks.