Force and compliance: rethinking morphogenesis in walled cells

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Biophysics
• Microbiology

Background:

• Cell walls in diverse organisms (plants, protists, fungi, bacteria) provide structural integrity and shape.
• Cellular morphogenesis relies on wall deformation and new wall deposition, driven by turgor pressure.
• Traditional understanding emphasizes 'localized compliance with global turgor pressure' for cell expansion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent discoveries impacting the established framework of cell wall function and morphogenesis.
• To explore new findings in bacterial cytoskeleton, yeast budding, fungal hyphal extension, and plant cell growth.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and synthesis of recent research findings.
• Focus on key cellular processes: bacterial cytoskeleton, yeast budding, hyphal tip growth, and higher plant cell expansion.

Main Results:

• Recognition of cytoskeleton in bacteria offers new perspectives on cell shape.
• Advances in understanding yeast budding and fungal Spitzenkörper function in hyphal extension.
• Elucidation of the roles of calcium ions, actin dynamics, protons, expansins, and cellulose fibrils in plant cell morphogenesis.

Conclusions:

• Recent discoveries necessitate an updated conceptual framework for cell wall function and morphogenesis.
• Interdisciplinary insights from various organisms highlight conserved and divergent mechanisms of cell shape determination and expansion.