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Updated: Jul 26, 2025

Live Cell Imaging of Microtubule Cytoskeleton and Micromechanical Manipulation of the Arabidopsis Shoot Apical Meristem
Published on: May 23, 2020
The class VIII myosin ATM1 is required for root apical meristem function.
Damilola Olatunji1, Natalie M Clark2, Dior R Kelley1
1Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
Arabidopsis thaliana MYOSIN 1 (ATM1) influences root growth by regulating cell proliferation. This plant myosin is essential for auxin and sugar signaling, impacting root apical meristem size.
Area of Science:
- Plant molecular biology
- Cellular and developmental biology
Background:
- Myosins are motor proteins crucial for cellular processes.
- Plant-specific class VIII myosins, unlike class XI, have roles in growth that are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the function of Arabidopsis thaliana MYOSIN 1 (ATM1), an auxin-regulated class VIII myosin, in plant growth and development.
Main Methods:
- Genetics, transcriptomics, and live-cell microscopy were employed.
- Analysis involved studying the atm1-1 mutant, complementation, and genetic interactions with HXK1 and TORC1.
Main Results:
- ATM1 localizes to the plasma membrane and plasmodesmata in the root apical meristem.
- Loss of ATM1 function reduced root apical meristem size and cell proliferation, dependent on sugar availability.
- ATM1 influences auxin signaling and transcriptional responses, and acts downstream of TORC1.
Conclusions:
- ATM1 is critical for cell proliferation in primary roots, responding to auxin and sugar cues.
- This study elucidates a novel role for class VIII myosins in plant development.
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