Cellulose synthesis: a complex complex

Cellulose is the world's most abundant biopolymer and a key structural component of the plant cell wall. Cellulose is comprised of hydrogen-bonded β-1,4-linked glucan chains that are synthesized at the plasma membrane by large cellulose synthase (CESA) complexes. Recent advances in visualizatio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current opinion in plant biology 2008-06, Vol.11 (3), p.252-257
Main Authors: Mutwil, Marek, Debolt, Seth, Persson, Staffan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
biosynthesis
carbohydrate metabolism
Cell Wall - chemistry
Cell Wall - metabolism
cellulose
Cellulose - biosynthesis
cellulose synthase
Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
Glucosyltransferases - genetics
Glucosyltransferases - metabolism
hexosyltransferases
literature reviews
Models, Biological
plant physiology
Plant Proteins - genetics
Plant Proteins - metabolism
plants
Plants - enzymology
Plants - genetics
Plants - metabolism
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Summary:Cellulose is the world's most abundant biopolymer and a key structural component of the plant cell wall. Cellulose is comprised of hydrogen-bonded β-1,4-linked glucan chains that are synthesized at the plasma membrane by large cellulose synthase (CESA) complexes. Recent advances in visualization of fluorescently labelled complexes have facilitated exploration of regulatory modes of cellulose production. For example, several herbicides, such as isoxaben and 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile that inhibit cellulose production appear to affect different aspects of synthesis. Dual-labelling of cytoskeletal components and CESAs has revealed dynamic feedback regulation between cellulose synthesis and microtubule orientation and organization. In addition, fluorescently tagged CESA2 subunits may substitute for another subunit, CESA6, which suggests both plasticity and specificity for one of the components of the CESA complex.
ISSN:1369-5266
1879-0356
DOI:10.1016/j.pbi.2008.03.007