The role of actin filaments in the gravitropic response of snapdragon flowering shoots

• Published in: Planta Vol. 216; no. 6; pp. 1034 - 1042
• Main Authors: Friedman, Haya, Vos, Jan W., Hepler, Peter K., Meir, Shimon, Halevy, Abraham H., Philosoph-Hadas, Sonia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer-Verlag 01.04.2003; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Actins; Actins - metabolism; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Amyloplasts; Antirrhinum - cytology; Antirrhinum - drug effects; Antirrhinum - metabolism; Bending; Biological and medical sciences; Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic - pharmacology; Chlorpropham - pharmacology; Cytochalasin B - pharmacology; Cytochalasin D - pharmacology; Cytochalasins; Cytoskeleton; Cytoskeleton - drug effects; Cytoskeleton - metabolism; Dimethyl Sulfoxide - pharmacology; Economic plant physiology; Flowers - cytology; Flowers - drug effects; Flowers - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gravitropism - drug effects; Gravity perception; Methylmethacrylates - pharmacology; Microfilaments; Microtubules; Movements; Plant cells; Plant physiology and development; Plant Shoots - cytology; Plant Shoots - drug effects; Plant Shoots - metabolism; Plants; Space life sciences; Thiazoles - pharmacology; Thiazolidines; Time Factors; Tropism and nastic movements; Actin and microtubule cytoskeleton; Growth; Antirrhinum majus; Microfilament; Amyloplast; Cytochalasin D; Regulation(control); Latrunculin B; Cytochalasin; Antirrhinum; Shoot gravitropism; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Scrophulariaceae; Cytoskeleton; Gravitropism; Above ground plant part; Spermatophyta; Microtubule; Gravity
• ISSN: 0032-0935; 1432-2048
• DOI: 10.1007/s00425-002-0957-4

The involvement of the actin and the microtubule cytoskeleton networks in the gravitropic response of snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus L.) flowering shoots was studied using various specific cytoskeleton modulators. The microtubule-depolymerizing drugs tested had no effect on gravitropic bending. In contrast, the actin-modulating drugs, cytochalasin D (CD), cytochalasin B (CB) and latrunculin B (Lat B) significantly inhibited the gravitropic response. CB completely inhibited shoot bending via inhibiting general growth, whereas CD completely inhibited bending via specific inhibition of the differential flank growth in the shoot bending zone. Surprisingly, Lat B had only a partial inhibitory effect on shoot bending as compared to CD. This probably resulted from the different effects of these two drugs on the actin cytoskeleton, as was seen in cortical cells. CD caused fragmentation of the actin cytoskeleton and delayed amyloplast displacement following gravistimulation. In contrast, Lat B caused a complete depolymerization of the actin filaments in the shoot bending zone, but only slightly reduced the amyloplast sedimentation rate following gravistimulation. Taken together, our results suggest that the actin cytoskeleton is involved in the gravitropic response of snapdragon shoots. The actin cytoskeleton within the shoot cells is necessary for normal amyloplast displacement upon gravistimulation, which leads to the gravitropic bending.