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Publications - Molecular Signal Processing

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Books and chapters

Klemm, S.; Buhl, J.; Möller, B.; Bürstenbinder, K.; Quantitative analysis of microtubule organization in leaf epidermis pavement cells (Hussey, P.J., Wang, P.). The Plant Cytoskeleton 2604, 43-61, (2023) ISBN: 978-1-0716-2866-9 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2867-6_4

Leaf epidermis pavement cells form highly complex shapes with interlocking lobes and necks at their anticlinal walls. The microtubule cytoskeleton plays essential roles in pavement cell morphogenesis, in particular at necks. Vice versa, shape generates stress patterns that regulate microtubule organization. Genetic or pharmacological perturbations that affect pavement cell shape often affect microtubule organization. Pavement cell shape and microtubule organization are therefore closely interconnected. Here, we present commonly used approaches for the quantitative analysis of pavement cell shape characteristics and of microtubule organization. In combination with ablation experiments, these methods can be applied to investigate how different genotypes (or treatments) affect the organization and stress responsiveness of the microtubule cytoskeleton.
Publications

Zang, J.; Klemm, S.; Pain, C.; Duckney, P.; Bao, Z.; Stamm, G.; Kriechbaumer, V.; Bürstenbinder, K.; Hussey, P. J.; Wang, P.; A novel plant actin-microtubule bridging complex regulates cytoskeletal and ER structure at ER-PM contact sites Curr. Biol. 31, 1251-1260, (2021) DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.12.009

In plants, the cortical endoplasmic reticulum (ER) network is connected to the plasma membrane (PM) through the ER-PM contact sites (EPCSs), whose structures are maintained by EPCS resident proteins and the cytoskeleton.1-7 Strong co-alignment between EPCSs and the cytoskeleton is observed in plants,1,8 but little is known of how the cytoskeleton is maintained and regulated at the EPCS. Here, we have used a yeast-two-hybrid screen and subsequent in vivo interaction studies in plants by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) analysis to identify two microtubule binding proteins, KLCR1 (kinesin-light-chain-related protein 1) and IQD2 (IQ67-domain 2), that interact with the actin binding protein NET3C and form a component of plant EPCS that mediates the link between the actin and microtubule networks. The NET3C-KLCR1-IQD2 module, acting as an actin-microtubule bridging complex, has a direct influence on ER morphology and EPCS structure. Their loss-of-function mutants, net3a/NET3C RNAi, klcr1, or iqd2, exhibit defects in pavement cell morphology, which we suggest is linked to the disorganization of both actin filaments and microtubules. In conclusion, our results reveal a novel cytoskeletal-associated complex, which is essential for the maintenance and organization of cytoskeletal structure and ER morphology at the EPCS and for normal plant cell morphogenesis.
Preprints

Zang, J.; Klemm, S.; Pain, C.; Duckney, P.; Bao, Z.; Stamm, G.; Kriechbaumer, V.; Bürstenbinder, K.; Hussey, P. J.; Wang, P.; A Novel Plant Actin-Microtubule Bridging Complex Regulates Cytoskeletal and ER Structure at Endoplasmic Reticulum-Plasma Membrane Contact Sites (EPCS) SSRN Electronic Journal (2020) DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.3581370

In plants, the cortical ER network is connected to the plasma membrane through the ER-PM contact sites (EPCS), whose structures are maintained by EPCS resident proteins and the cytoskeleton. Strong co-alignment between EPCS and the cytoskeleton is observed in plants, but little is known of how the cytoskeleton is maintained and regulated at the EPCS. Here we have used a yeast-two-hybrid screen and subsequent in vivo interaction studies in plants by FRET-FLIM analysis, to identify two microtubule binding proteins, KLCR1 (Kinesin Light Chain Related protein 1) and IQD2 (IQ67-Domain 2) that interact with the actin binding protein NET3C and form a component of plant EPCS, that mediates the link between the actin and microtubule networks. The NET3C-KLCR1-IQD2 module, acting as an actin-microtubule bridging complex, has a direct influence on ER morphology. Their loss of function mutants, net3a/NET3C RNAi, 0klcr1 or iqd2, exhibit defects in pavement cell morphology which we suggest is linked to the disorganization of both actin filaments and microtubules. In conclusion, our results reveal a novel cytoskeletal associated complex, which is essential for the maintenance and organization of both cytoskeletal structure and ER morphology at the EPCS, and for normal plant cell morphogenesis.
Publications

Mitra, D.; Klemm, S.; Kumari, P.; Quegwer, J.; Möller, B.; Poeschl, Y.; Pflug, P.; Stamm, G.; Abel, S.; Bürstenbinder, K.; Microtubule-associated protein IQ67 DOMAIN5 regulates morphogenesis of leaf pavement cells in Arabidopsis thaliana J. Exp. Bot. 70, 529-543, (2019) DOI: 10.1093/jxb/ery395

Plant microtubules form a highly dynamic intracellular network with important roles for regulating cell division, cell proliferation and cell morphology. Its organization and dynamics are coordinated by various microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) that integrate environmental and developmental stimuli to fine-tune and adjust cytoskeletal arrays. IQ67 DOMAIN (IQD) proteins recently emerged as a class of plant-specific MAPs with largely unknown functions. Here, using a reverse genetics approach, we characterize Arabidopsis IQD5 in terms of its expression domains, subcellular localization and biological functions. We show that IQD5 is expressed mostly in vegetative tissues, where it localizes to cortical microtubule arrays. Our phenotypic analysis of iqd5 loss-of-function lines reveals functions of IQD5 in pavement cell (PC) shape morphogenesis. Histochemical analysis of cell wall composition further suggests reduced rates of cellulose deposition in anticlinal cell walls, which correlate with reduced anisotropic expansion. Lastly, we demonstrate IQD5-dependent recruitment of calmodulin calcium sensors to cortical microtubule arrays and provide first evidence for important roles of calcium in regulation of PC morphogenesis. Our work thus identifies IQD5 as a novel player in PC shape regulation, and, for the first time, links calcium signaling to developmental processes that regulate anisotropic growth in PCs.
Books and chapters

Möller, B.; Poeschl, Y.; Klemm, S.; Bürstenbinder, K.; Morphological Analysis of Leaf Epidermis Pavement Cells with PaCeQuant (Cvrčková, F. & Žárský, V., eds.). Methods Mol. Biol. 1992, 329-349, (2019) ISBN: 978-1-4939-9469-4 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9469-4_22

Morphological analysis of cell shapes requires segmentation of cell contours from input images and subsequent extraction of meaningful shape descriptors that provide the basis for qualitative and quantitative assessment of shape characteristics. Here, we describe the publicly available ImageJ plugin PaCeQuant and its associated R package PaCeQuantAna, which provides a pipeline for fully automatic segmentation, feature extraction, statistical analysis, and graphical visualization of cell shape properties. PaCeQuant is specifically well suited for analysis of jigsaw puzzle-like leaf epidermis pavement cells from 2D input images and supports the quantification of global, contour-based, skeleton-based, and pavement cell-specific shape descriptors.
Preprints

Mitra, D.; Kumari, P.; Quegwer, J.; Klemm, S.; Möller, B.; Poeschl, Y.; Pflug, P.; Stamm, G.; Abel, S.; Bürstenbinder, K.; Microtubule-associated protein IQ67 DOMAIN5 regulates interdigitation of leaf pavement cells in Arabidopsis thaliana bioRxiv (2018) DOI: 10.1101/268466

Plant microtubules form a highly dynamic intracellular network with important roles for regulating cell division, cell proliferation and cell morphology. Its organization and dynamics are coordinated by various microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) that integrate environmental and developmental stimuli to fine-tune and adjust cytoskeletal arrays. IQ67 DOMAIN (IQD) proteins recently emerged as a class of plant-specific MAPs with largely unknown functions. Here, using a reverse genetics approach, we characterize Arabidopsis IQD5 in terms of its expression domains, subcellular localization and biological functions. We show that IQD5 is expressed mostly in vegetative tissues, where it localizes to cortical microtubule arrays. Our phenotypic analysis of iqd5 loss-of-function lines reveals functions of IQD5 in pavement cell (PC) shape morphogenesis, as indicated by reduced interdigitation of neighboring cells in the leaf epidermis of iqd5 mutants. Histochemical analysis of cell wall composition further suggests reduced rates of cellulose deposition in anticlinal cell walls, which correlate with reduced asymmetric expansion. Lastly, we provide evidence for IQD5-dependent recruitment of calmodulin calcium sensors to cortical microtubule arrays. Our work thus identifies IQD5 as a novel player in PC shape regulation, and, for the first time, links calcium signaling to developmental processes that regulate multi-polar growth in PCs.
Publications

Reginato, M.; Abdala, G.; Miersch, O.; Ruiz, O.; Moschetti, E.; Luna, V.; Changes in the levels of jasmonates and free polyamines induced by Na2SO4 and NaCl in roots and leaves of the halophyte Prosopis strombulifera Biologia 67, 689-697, (2012) DOI: 10.2478/s11756-012-0052-7

Prosopis strombulifera, a common legume in high-salinity soils of Argentina, is a useful model for elucidation of salt tolerance mechanisms and specific biochemical pathways in halophytes, since its NaCl tolerance exceeds the limit described for most halophytic plants. We analyzed the effects of the increasing concentration of two main soil salts, Na2SO4 and NaCl, on growth parameters of P. strombulifera, chlorophyll levels, and content of jasmonates (JAs) and polyamines (PAs), which are key molecules involved in stress responses. P. strombulifera showed a halophytic response (growth promotion) to NaCl, but strong growth inhibition by iso-osmotic solutions of Na2SO4. Chlorophyll levels, number of leaves and leaf area were also differentially affected. An important finding was the partial alleviation of SO42− toxicity by treatment with two-salt mixture. JAs are not directly involved in salt tolerance in this species since its levels decrease under all salt treatments. Beneficial effects of Putrescine (Put) accumulation in NaCl treated plants maybe inferred probably associated with the antioxidative defense system. Another novel finding is the accumulation of the uncommon PA cadaverine in roots under high Na2SO4, which may be related to SO42− toxicity.
Publications

Vigliocco, A.; Alemano, S.; Miersch, O.; Alvarez, D.; Abdala, G.; Endogenous jasmonates in dry and imbibed sunflower seeds from plants grown at different soil moisture contents Seed Sci. Res. 17, 91-98, (2007) DOI: 10.1017/S0960258507708371

In this study, we characterized two sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) lines with differential sensitivity to drought, the sensitive line B59 and the tolerant line B71. Using both lines, we compared the content of endogenous jasmonates (JAs) in dry and imbibed seeds from plants grown under irrigation and drought. Jasmonic acid (JA), 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA), 11-hydroxyjasmonate (11-OH-JA) and 12-hydroxyjasmonate (12-OH-JA) were detected in dry and imbibed sunflower seeds. Seeds from plants grown under drought had a lower content of total JAs and exhibited higher germination percentages than seeds from irrigated plants, demonstrating that environmental conditions have a strong influence on the progeny. OPDA and 12-OH-JA were the main compounds found in dry seeds of both lines. Imbibed seeds showed an enhanced amount of total JAs with respect to dry seeds produced by plants grown in both soil moisture conditions. Imbibition triggered a dramatic OPDA increase in the embryo, suggesting a role of this compound in germination. We conclude that JAs patterns vary during sunflower germination and that the environmental conditions experienced by the mother plant modify the hormonal content of the seed progeny.
Publications

Pedranzani, H.; Sierra-de-Grado, R.; Vigliocco, A.; Miersch, O.; Abdala, G.; Cold and water stresses produce changes in endogenous jasmonates in two populations of Pinus pinaster Ait Plant Growth Regul. 52, 111-116, (2007) DOI: 10.1007/s10725-007-9166-2

There is considerable evidence suggesting that jasmonates (JAs) play a role in plant resistance against abiotic stress. It is well known that in Angiosperms JAs are involved in the defense response, however there is little information about their role in Gymnosperms. Our proposal was to study the involvement of JAs in Pinus pinaster Ait. reaction to cold and water stress, and to compare the response of two populations of different provenances (Gredos and Bajo Tiétar) to these stresses. We detected 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA), jasmonic acid (JA), and the hydroxylates 11-hydroxyjasmonate and 12-hydroxyjasmonate in foliage and shoots of P. pinaster plants. The response of the Gredos population to cold stress differed from that of Bajo Tiétar. Gredos plants showed a lower JA-basal level than Bajo Tiétar; under cold stress JA increased twofold at 72 h, while it decreased in Bajo Tiétar plants. The hydroxylates slightly increased in both populations due to cold stress treatment. Under water stress, plants from Gredos showed a remarkable JA-increase; thus the JA-response was much more prominent under water stress than under cold stress. In contrast, no change was found in JA-level in Bajo Tiétar plants under water stress. The level of JA-precursor, OPDA, was very low in control plants from Gredos and Bajo Tiétar. Under water stress OPDA increased only in plants from Bajo Tiétar. Therefore, we inform here of a different JAs-accumulation pattern after the stress treatment in P. pinaster from two provenances, and suggest a possible correlation with adaptations to diverse ecological conditions.
Publications

Cenzano, A.; Vigliocc, A.; Miersch, O.; Abdala, G.; Hydroxylated jasmonate levels during stolon to tuber transition in Solarium tuberosum L Potato Res. 48, 107, (2005) DOI: 10.1007/BF02742370

Various octadecanoids and derived compounds have been identified in potato leaves. However, information regarding jasmonate hydroxylated forms in stolons or tubers is scarce. We investigated endogenous jasmonates in stolon material ofSolarium tuberosum cv. Spunta. Stolons and incipient tubers were collected from 8 weeks old plants. The material was cut into apical regions and stolons. We identified jasmonic acid (JA), methyl jasmonate, 11-OH-JA, 12-OH-JA, 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA) and a conjugate. The content of JA and 12OH-JA decreased in the apical region but remained high in stolons during tuberization. Thus the apical region might be a site of JAs-utilization or metabolization and stolons might supply JAs to that region. The content of 12-OH-JA was higher than that of 11-OH-JA in all stages analyzed, both in apical regions and stolons. However, these compounds showed a different time-course in the apical region: while 11-OH-JA increased, 12-OH-JA decreased. Thus, JA from leaves or roots could be transported as 12-OH-JA to the apical region, stimulating tuber formation.
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