Plant cortical microtubule dynamics and cell division plane orientation

Abstract

This thesis work aimed at a better understanding of the molecular basis of oriented cell division in plant cell. As, the efficiency of plant morphogenesis depends on oriented cell division, this work should contribute towards a fundamental understanding of the molecular basis of efficient plant morphogenesis. We describe a modelling framework that allows us to simulate microtubule dynamics on the surface of arbitrary shapes. We further explored the generic role of microtubule regulatory effects such as shape anisotropy, edge-catastrophe and enhanced microtubule stabilization on the orientation of the microtubule array. Through a combined approach of experimental observations of cell division patterns and simulation of microtubule dynamics, we describe a possible molecular basis of oriented cell division during Arabidopsis early embryogenesis. We also infer the necessity of incorporating anisotropic growth/stress response of microtubules towards understanding division plane orientation in the growing epidermal root cells of Arabidopsis.