Molecular Plant Advance Access originally published online on August 20, 2009
Molecular Plant 2009 2(5):851-860; doi:10.1093/mp/ssp066
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Homogalacturonan Methyl-Esterification and Plant Development
a Heidelberg Institute for Plant Science, Im Neuenheimer Feld 360, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
b Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA Centre de Versailles-Grignon, Route de St Cyr, 78026 Versailles, France
c EA3900-BioPI Biologie des Plantes et contrôle des Insectes ravageurs, Université de Picardie, 33 Rue St Leu, 80039 Amiens, France
1 To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail gregory.mouille{at}versailles.inra.fr, fax 33 1 30 83 30 99.
The ability of a plant cell to expand is largely defined by the physical constraints imposed by its cell wall. Accordingly, cell wall properties have to be regulated during development. The pectic polysaccharide homogalacturonan is a major component of the plant primary walls. Biosynthesis and in muro modification of homogalacturonan have recently emerged as key determinants of plant development, controlling cell adhesion, organ development, and phyllotactic patterning. This review will focus on recent findings regarding impact of homogalacturonan content and methyl-esterification status of this polymer on plant life. De-methyl-esterification of homogalacturonan occurs through the action of the ubiquitous enzyme ‘pectin methyl-esterase’. We here describe various strategies developed by the plant to finely tune the methyl-esterification status of homogalacturonan along key events of the plant lifecycle.
Key Words: Carbohydrate metabolism • cell walls • Arabidopsis • Pectin