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A minus-end directed kinesin motor directs gravitropism in Physcomitrella patens

Author

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  • Yufan Li

    (State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences and School of Life Sciences, Peking University)

  • Zhaoguo Deng

    (Center for Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University)

  • Yasuko Kamisugi

    (Centre for Plant Sciences, University of Leeds)

  • Zhiren Chen

    (Center for Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University
    Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences)

  • Jiajun Wang

    (State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences and School of Life Sciences, Peking University)

  • Xue Han

    (State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences and School of Life Sciences, Peking University)

  • Yuxiao Wei

    (State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences and School of Life Sciences, Peking University
    Center for Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University)

  • Hang He

    (State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences and School of Life Sciences, Peking University)

  • William Terzaghi

    (Wilkes University)

  • David J. Cove

    (Centre for Plant Sciences, University of Leeds)

  • Andrew C. Cuming

    (Centre for Plant Sciences, University of Leeds)

  • Haodong Chen

    (Center for Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University
    Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences)

Abstract

Gravity is a critical environmental factor regulating directional growth and morphogenesis in plants, and gravitropism is the process by which plants perceive and respond to the gravity vector. The cytoskeleton is proposed to play important roles in gravitropism, but the underlying mechanisms are obscure. Here we use genetic screening in Physcomitrella patens, to identify a locus GTRC, that when mutated, reverses the direction of protonemal gravitropism. GTRC encodes a processive minus-end-directed KCHb kinesin, and its N-terminal, C-terminal and motor domains are all essential for transducing the gravity signal. Chimeric analysis between GTRC/KCHb and KCHa reveal a unique role for the N-terminus of GTRC in gravitropism. Further study shows that gravity-triggered normal asymmetric distribution of actin filaments in the tip of protonema is dependent on GTRC. Thus, our work identifies a microtubule-based cellular motor that determines the direction of plant gravitropism via mediating the asymmetric distribution of actin filaments.

Suggested Citation

  • Yufan Li & Zhaoguo Deng & Yasuko Kamisugi & Zhiren Chen & Jiajun Wang & Xue Han & Yuxiao Wei & Hang He & William Terzaghi & David J. Cove & Andrew C. Cuming & Haodong Chen, 2021. "A minus-end directed kinesin motor directs gravitropism in Physcomitrella patens," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-24546-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24546-2
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