Higher plants represent a large group of eukaryotes where centrosomes are absent. The functions of γ-tubulin small complexes (γ-TuSCs) and γ-tubulin ring complexes (γ-TuRCs) in metazoans and fungi in microtubule nucleation are well established and the majority of components found in the complexes are present in plants. However, plant microtubules are also nucleated in a γ-tubulin-dependent but γ-TuRC-independent manner. There is growing evidence that γ-tubulin is a microtubule nucleator without being complexed in γ-TuRC. Fibrillar arrays of γ-tubulin were demonstrated in plant and animal cells and the ability of γ-tubulin to assemble into linear oligomers/polymers was confirmed in vitro for both native and recombinant γ-tubulin. The functions of γ-tubulin as a template for microtubule nucleation or in promoting spontaneous nucleation is outlined. Higher plants represent an excellent model for studies on the role of γ-tubulin in nucleation due to their acentrosomal nature and high abundancy and conservation of γ-tubulin including its intrinsic ability to assemble filaments. The defining scaffolding or sequestration functions of plant γ-tubulin in microtubule organization or in nuclear processes will help our understanding of its cellular roles in eukaryotes.

• Klíčová slova
• fibrillar arrays, gamma-tubulin, gamma-tubulin complexes, microtubules, nucleation, plants, sequestration, signaling,
• MeSH
• buňky metabolismus   MeSH
• centrozom metabolismus   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• rostliny metabolismus   MeSH
• sekvence aminokyselin MeSH
• tubulin chemie   metabolismus   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• tubulin MeSH

TPX2 (Targeting Protein for Xklp2) is an evolutionary conserved microtubule-associated protein important for microtubule nucleation and mitotic spindle assembly. The protein was described as an activator of the mitotic kinase Aurora A in humans and the Arabidopsis AURORA1 (AUR1) kinase. In contrast to animal genomes that encode only one TPX2 gene, higher plant genomes encode a family with several TPX2-LIKE gene members (TPXL). TPXL genes of Arabidopsis can be divided into two groups. Group A proteins (TPXL2, 3, 4, and 8) contain Aurora binding and TPX2_importin domains, while group B proteins (TPXL1, 5, 6, and 7) harbor an Xklp2 domain. Canonical TPX2 contains all the above-mentioned domains. We confirmed using in vitro kinase assays that the group A proteins contain a functional Aurora kinase binding domain. Transient expression of Arabidopsis TPX2-like proteins in Nicotiana benthamiana revealed preferential localization to microtubules and nuclei. Co-expression of AUR1 together with TPX2-like proteins changed the localization of AUR1, indicating that these proteins serve as targeting factors for Aurora kinases. Taken together, we visualize the various localizations of the TPX2-LIKE family in Arabidopsis as a proxy to their functional divergence and provide evidence of their role in the targeted regulation of AUR1 kinase activity.

• Klíčová slova
• Arabidopsis thaliana, aurora kinase 1, in vivo co-localization, kinase assay, phylogeny, targeting protein for Xklp2,
• MeSH
• Arabidopsis cytologie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• kinasy Aurora metabolismus   MeSH
• mikrotubuly metabolismus   MeSH
• proteinové domény MeSH
• proteiny asociované s mikrotubuly analýza   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• proteiny huseníčku analýza   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• rostlinné geny MeSH
• sekvence aminokyselin MeSH
• vazba proteinů MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• kinasy Aurora MeSH
• proteiny asociované s mikrotubuly MeSH
• proteiny huseníčku MeSH
• TPX2 protein, Arabidopsis MeSH Prohlížeč

Aurora kinases are key regulators of mitosis. Multicellular eukaryotes generally possess two functionally diverged types of Aurora kinases. In plants, including Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), these are termed α- and β-Auroras. As the functional specification of Aurora kinases is determined by their specific interaction partners, we initiated interactomics analyses using both Arabidopsis α-Aurora kinases (AUR1 and AUR2). Proteomics results revealed that TPX2-LIKE PROTEINS2 and 3 (TPXL2/3) prominently associated with α-Auroras, as did the conserved TPX2 to a lower degree. Like TPX2, TPXL2 and TPXL3 strongly activated the AUR1 kinase but exhibited cell-cycle-dependent localization differences on microtubule arrays. The separate functions of TPX2 and TPXL2/3 were also suggested by their different influences on AUR1 localization upon ectopic expressions. Furthermore, genetic analyses showed that TPXL3, but not TPX2 and TPXL2, acts nonredundantly to enable proper embryo development. In contrast to vertebrates, plants have an expanded TPX2 family and these family members have both redundant and unique functions. Moreover, as neither TPXL2 nor TPXL3 contains the C-terminal Kinesin-5 binding domain present in the canonical TPX2, the targeting and activity of this kinesin must be organized differently in plants.

• MeSH
• aktivace enzymů genetika   MeSH
• Arabidopsis embryologie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• geneticky modifikované rostliny MeSH
• konfokální mikroskopie MeSH
• protein-serin-threoninkinasy genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• proteiny asociované s mikrotubuly genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• proteiny buněčného cyklu genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• proteiny huseníčku genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• proteomika metody   MeSH
• regulace genové exprese u rostlin MeSH
• sekvence aminokyselin MeSH
• sekvenční homologie aminokyselin MeSH
• semena rostlinná embryologie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• vazba proteinů MeSH
• vývojová regulace genové exprese MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. MeSH
• Názvy látek
• AT4G22860 protein, Arabidopsis MeSH Prohlížeč
• AUR1 protein, Arabidopsis MeSH Prohlížeč
• AUR2 protein, Arabidopsis MeSH Prohlížeč
• protein-serin-threoninkinasy MeSH
• proteiny asociované s mikrotubuly MeSH
• proteiny buněčného cyklu MeSH
• proteiny huseníčku MeSH

γ-Tubulin is a conserved member of the tubulin superfamily with a function in microtubule nucleation. Proteins of γ-tubulin complexes serve as nucleation templates as well as a majority of other proteins contributing to centrosomal and non-centrosomal nucleation, conserved across eukaryotes. There is a growing amount of evidence of γ-tubulin functions besides microtubule nucleation in transcription, DNA damage response, chromatin remodeling, and on its interactions with tumor suppressors. However, the molecular mechanisms are not well understood. Furthermore, interactions with lamin and SUN proteins of the LINC complex suggest the role of γ-tubulin in the coupling of nuclear organization with cytoskeletons. γ-Tubulin that belongs to the clade of eukaryotic tubulins shows characteristics of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic tubulins. Both human and plant γ-tubulins preserve the ability of prokaryotic tubulins to assemble filaments and higher-order fibrillar networks. γ-Tubulin filaments, with bundling and aggregating capacity, are suggested to perform complex scaffolding and sequestration functions. In this review, we discuss a plethora of γ-tubulin molecular interactions and cellular functions, as well as recent advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms behind them.

• Klíčová slova
• SUN proteins, filaments, gamma-tubulin, lamins, mechanosensing, nuclear functions, nucleation,
• MeSH
• buněčné jádro metabolismus   MeSH
• buněčný cyklus MeSH
• jaderné proteiny metabolismus   MeSH
• jaderný obal metabolismus   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mikrotubuly metabolismus   MeSH
• tubulin metabolismus   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• jaderné proteiny MeSH
• tubulin MeSH

Progression of mitosis and cytokinesis depends on the reorganization of cytoskeleton, with microtubules driving the segregation of chromosomes and their partitioning to two daughter cells. In dividing plant cells, microtubules undergo global reorganization throughout mitosis and cytokinesis, and with the aid of various microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs), they form unique systems such as the preprophase band (PPB), the acentrosomal mitotic spindle, and the phragmoplast. Such proteins include nucleators of de novo microtubule formation, plus end binding proteins involved in the regulation of microtubule dynamics, crosslinking proteins underlying microtubule bundle formation and members of the kinesin superfamily with microtubule-dependent motor activities. The coordinated function of such proteins not only drives the continuous remodeling of microtubules during mitosis and cytokinesis but also assists the positioning of the PPB, the mitotic spindle, and the phragmoplast, affecting tissue patterning by controlling cell division plane (CDP) orientation. The affinity and the function of such proteins is variably regulated by reversible phosphorylation of serine and threonine residues within the microtubule binding domain through a number of protein kinases and phosphatases which are differentially involved throughout cell division. The purpose of the present review is to provide an overview of the function of protein kinases and protein phosphatases involved in cell division regulation and to identify cytoskeletal substrates relevant to the progression of mitosis and cytokinesis and the regulation of CDP orientation.

• Klíčová slova
• microtubule-associated proteins, microtubules, mitotic spindle, phragmoplast, protein kinase, protein phosphatase,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH