The functions of the cytoskeleton and associated proteins during mitosis and cytokinesis in plant cells.

Shanwei Li,Tiantian Sun,Haiyun Ren

doi:10.3389/fpls.2015.00282

Abstract

In higher plants, microtubule (MT)-based, and actin filament (AF)-based structures play important roles in mitosis and cytokinesis. Besides the mitotic spindle, the evolution of a band comprising cortical MTs and AFs, namely, the preprophase band (PPB), is evident in plant cells. This band forecasts a specific division plane before the initiation of mitosis. During cytokinesis, another plant-specific cytoskeletal structure called the phragmoplast guides vesicles in the creation of a new cell wall. In addition, a number of cytoskeleton-associated proteins are reportedly involved in the formation and function of the PPB, mitotic spindle, and phragmoplast. This review summarizes current knowledge on the cytoskeleton-associated proteins that mediate the cytoskeletal arrays during mitosis and cytokinesis in plant cells and discusses the interaction between MTs and AFs involved in mitosis and cytokinesis.

Highlights

In plants, microtubules (MTs) and actin filaments (AFs) are essential components of the basic machineries required for cell division and expansion
These results show that different kinds of proteins mediate MTs, AFs, or both MTs and AFs in the preprophase band (PPB), thereby indicating a variety of interactions between AFs and MTs, which participate in PPB formation
In AFH14-overexpressing cells, the AFs and MTs co-localize in spindles (Li et al, 2010). These results suggest that proteins that interact with MTs and AFs link spindle MTs to the surrounding actin cage to regulate the spindle formation and position during mitosis

Summary

Introduction

Microtubules (MTs) and actin filaments (AFs) are essential components of the basic machineries required for cell division and expansion. The MTs and AFs are involved in the selection of the division plane in preprophase cells and in the formation of the cell plate during cytokinesis (Muller et al, 2009; Liu et al, 2011b; Rasmussen et al, 2013). When the phragmoplast reaches the cortical site formerly marked by the PPB, the cell plate, and parental membranes fuse, thereby completing cytokinesis (Smith, 2001; Van Damme et al, 2007). Both MT and AF structures play essential roles in cell division because the cell plate does not form in the absence of MTs (Clayton and Lloyd, 1985; Kakimoto and Shibaoka, 1987), and the. We summarize the current findings on the cytoskeleton-associated proteins that mediate the cytoskeletal arrays during mitosis and cytokinesis in plant cells and focus on the MT and AF interactions involved in mitosis and cytokinesis

PPB Formation

Spindle Formation and Position

The Phragmoplast Establishment and Configuration

Conclusion and Perspectives

Nuclear envelope