Golgi-localized STELLO proteins regulate the assembly and trafficking of cellulose synthase complexes in Arabidopsis

• Published in: Nature communications 2016-06, Vol.7 (1), p.11656-11656, Article 11656
• Main Authors: Zhang, Yi, Nikolovski, Nino, Sorieul, Mathias, Vellosillo, Tamara, McFarlane, Heather E., Dupree, Ray, Kesten, Christopher, Schneider, René, Driemeier, Carlos, Lathe, Rahul, Lampugnani, Edwin, Yu, Xiaolan, Ivakov, Alexander, Doblin, Monika S., Mortimer, Jenny C., Brown, Steven P., Persson, Staffan, Dupree, Paul
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 14/19; 14/28; 14/63; 631/449/448/2024; 631/45/607/1172; 631/80/313/1525; 82/111; 82/6; Arabidopsis - enzymology; Arabidopsis - ultrastructure; Arabidopsis Proteins - metabolism; Biopolymers; Cellulose; Cellulose - biosynthesis; Glucosyltransferases - metabolism; Glycosyltransferases - metabolism; Golgi Apparatus - enzymology; Humanities and Social Sciences; multidisciplinary; Mutation; Phenotype; Plasma; Proteins; Science; Science (multidisciplinary)
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11656

As the most abundant biopolymer on Earth, cellulose is a key structural component of the plant cell wall. Cellulose is produced at the plasma membrane by cellulose synthase (CesA) complexes (CSCs), which are assembled in the endomembrane system and trafficked to the plasma membrane. While several proteins that affect CesA activity have been identified, components that regulate CSC assembly and trafficking remain unknown. Here we show that STELLO1 and 2 are Golgi-localized proteins that can interact with CesAs and control cellulose quantity. In the absence of STELLO function, the spatial distribution within the Golgi, secretion and activity of the CSCs are impaired indicating a central role of the STELLO proteins in CSC assembly. Point mutations in the predicted catalytic domains of the STELLO proteins indicate that they are glycosyltransferases facing the Golgi lumen. Hence, we have uncovered proteins that regulate CSC assembly in the plant Golgi apparatus. Cellulose is produced in plants by cellulose synthase complexes (CSCs) that are assembled in the endomembrane system and then trafficked to the plasma membrane. Here Zhang et al . show that the Golgi-localized STELLO1 and 2 proteins are required for the proper assembly and distribution of CSCs in plant cells.