Calcium regulation of tip growth: new genes for old mechanisms

We review the recent advances on Ca(2+) in tip-growing cells, with a special focus on pollen tubes. New genes for Ca(2+) pumps, channels and sensing proteins have been recently described, with special emphasis on cyclic nucleotide gated channels (CNGCs) and glutamate receptor-like channels (GLRs). We also review the current state of knowledge in what concerns Ca(2+) sensor and relay proteins, where the knowledge of the cell models is less advanced. While these newly described genes offer promise to a better understanding of the spatial and temporal patterns of Ca(2+) signalling that may be relevant for the formation of the phenotype, we discuss the necessity to investigate further links in the network downstream of the Ca(2+) signature, with a special need for mechanisms of feed-back that might render functional feed-back loops approachable by modelling and genetics. Given the available literature, we conclude on the need to investigate more on the role of two specific classes of proteins, the calcium binding protein kinases (CPKs) and the Calcineurin B-like proteins (CBLs) and their regulatory relationships to ion channels (summarized in Figure 3b).