Regulation of Cell Wall Thickening by a Medley of Mechanisms

To provide physical support for developing structures and to withstand the pressures associated with water and nutrient transport, some cells deposit a secondary cell wall, a rigid matrix of polysaccharide and phenolic biopolymers. The biosynthesis and deposition of these materials and the patterning of secondary wall-forming cells is controlled by a network of transcription factors. However, recent work suggests that this network forms the core of a more complex, multilevel regulatory system. This expanded system includes epigenetic, post-transcriptional, and post-translational regulation, and is coordinated with other pathways controlling primary growth and responses to environmental stimuli. New findings expand the set of transcription factors identified as secondary cell wall regulators and reveal novel regulatory processes that further govern secondary wall biogenesis.