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Increased symplasmic permeability in barley root epidermal cells correlates with defects in root hair development
M Marzec1, A Muszynska, M Melzer
1Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
Plant Biology (Stuttgart, Germany)
|August 10, 2013
Summary
Plant cell differentiation requires symplasmic isolation. In barley, root hairless mutants show failed symplasmic isolation during root hair differentiation, impacting cell development.
Area of Science:
- Plant Biology
- Cell Biology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Plant cell differentiation is crucial for development.
- Symplasmic isolation, restricting cell-to-cell communication, is a known prerequisite for differentiation.
- The role of symplasmic isolation in barley root development, particularly in root hair formation, is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of symplasmic isolation in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) root cell differentiation.
- To compare symplasmic communication in epidermal cells of wild-type barley with root hairless mutants (rhl1.a and rhl1.b) across different root zones.
Main Methods:
- Assessed symplasmic communication between epidermal cells in various root zones.
- Utilized wild-type barley (cv. 'Karat') and two distinct root hairless mutants (rhl1.a and rhl1.b).
- Microscopic analysis of intercellular communication patterns.
Main Results:
- Symplasmic communication was significantly limited in epidermal cells during root hair differentiation in the wild-type barley.
- In contrast, epidermal cells in both root hairless mutants remained symplasmically connected in the corresponding root zones.
- This indicates a failure in establishing symplasmic isolation in the mutants.
Conclusions:
- Symplasmic isolation is essential for normal root hair differentiation in barley.
- Root hairless mutants exhibit a defect in restricting symplasmic communication during this process.
- This study provides the first evidence for the role of symplasmic isolation in barley root cell differentiation and identifies a potential molecular basis for root hair defects.
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