Expression of a mutant form of cellulose synthase AtCesA7 causes dominant negative effect on cellulose biosynthesis

Cellulose synthase catalytic subunits (CesAs) have been implicated in catalyzing the biosynthesis of cellulose, the major component of plant cell walls. Interactions between CesA subunits are thought to be required for normal cellulose synthesis, which suggests that incorporation of defective CesA subunits into cellulose synthase complex could potentially cause a dominant effect on cellulose synthesis. However, all CesA mutants so far reported have been shown to be recessive in terms of cellulose synthesis. In the course of studying the molecular mechanisms regulating secondary wall formation in fibers, we have found that a mutant allele of AtCesA7 gene in the fra5 (fragile fiber 5) mutant causes a semidominant phenotype in the reduction of fiber cell wall thickness and cellulose content. The fra5 missense mutation occurred in a conserved amino acid located in the second cytoplasmic domain of AtCesA7. Overexpression of the fra5 mutant cDNA in wild-type plants not only reduced secondary wall thickness and cellulose content but also decreased primary wall thickness and cell elongation. In contrast, overexpression of the fra6 mutant form of AtCesA8 did not cause any reduction in cell wall thickness and cellulose content. These results suggest that the fra5 mutant protein may interfere with the function of endogenous wild-type CesA proteins, thus resulting in a dominant negative effect on cellulose biosynthesis.