Microtubule dynamics in plants

Abstract

Plant cells form a highly dynamic microtubule network organized into different arrays that are essential for many important cellular activities. A key feature of microtubules is their dynamic behaviour in which individual microtubules stochastically switch between periods of growth and disassembly. This feature contributes substantially to the rapid reorganization of the microtubule system in response to environmental and developmental stimuli. In this review we highlight recent developments on the dynamic behaviour of microtubules in plant cells and discuss some of the mechanisms responsible for the regulation of microtubule turnover. We also include an outline of the contribution of the dynamics toward the overall arrangement of the plant microtubule network. Special attention is given to the spatiotemporal changes in the microtubule configuration and dynamics during the establishment of the relationships between plants and other organisms. Copyright © 2005 The Japanese Society for Plant Cell and Molecular Biology.