Plant cell biology articles from across Nature Portfolio

Arabidopsis α-Aurora kinase regulates plant cytokinesis by phosphorylating the microtubule-associated protein MAP65-3, which controls the dynamic organization of the phragmoplast structure essential for cytokinesis completion.

Triacylglycerol remodeling in Physaria fendleri changes the seed oil fatty acid composition after initial synthesis to overcome metabolic bottlenecks in the accumulation of valuable unusual fatty acids. This process enhances designer oil engineering.

RinRK1 interacts with NFR1 and NFR5 through their extracellular domains, facilitating a complex with Flot1. This interaction promotes their localization at root hair tip nanodomains, crucial for mediating the rhizobial infection.

Thylakoid K⁺/H⁺ exchange by KEA3 optimizes photosynthesis during light fluctuations. Here, the authors show that a combination of stromal pH, ATP, ADP and NADP⁺, NADPH induces structural re-arrangements required for KEA3 regulation in vivo.

Compartmentalization of specialized compounds in glandular trichomes is essential for plant protection against stresses and attraction of pollinators. This compartmentalization is achieved by the establishment of a lignin-based apoplastic barrier named ‘neck strip’, which is present in trichomes of diverse plant species.

Cell edges are part of a coordinate system used by the cell to direct three-dimensional growth in an organized manner. They emerge as signalling hubs with unique composition, capable of sensing mechanical stresses derived from neighbouring cells, to negotiate and harmonize individual cellular growth rates, therefore avoiding mechanical conflict.

Glandular trichomes on plant leaves and stems synthesize and store specialized compounds. We identified a novel lignin-based structure (which we named the neck strip) required for storage of compounds in cucumber glandular trichomes and demonstrated the mechanism of specialized compound accumulation in glandular trichomes.

The generation of clathrin-coated vesicles during endocytosis requires the co-ordinated recruitment of dozens of proteins to the plasma membrane. We discovered that the plant TPLATE (or TSET) complex (TPC) undergoes biomolecular condensation through interactions with plasma membrane phospholipids and, via weak multivalent interactions, recruits clathrin and other endocytic proteins to facilitate the efficient progression of endocytosis.