[5]

Approaches towards understanding the functional architecture of the plant cell wall.  M.C. McCann, D. Milioni, K. Sugimoto, N.J. Stacey, M. Bush, P. Dahiya, D. Fulton, P. Sado, M. Mourelatou, P. Derbyshire, J. Corsar and K. Roberts.  Department of Cell Biology, John Innes Centre UK.

     A paradigm shift towards systems biology, defined by a combination of high through-put analysis and data collection with information processing, is accelerating progress in all areas of plant biology. The initial impact of these new technologies will be illustrated with reference to cell wall biology. The plant cell wall constrains the final size and shape that plant cells achieve and is therefore a key determinant of the final stature and form of plants. The cell wall is a highly organized composite of many different polysaccharides, proteins, and aromatic substances that undergo dynamic changes during cell division, expansion and differentiation. However, it has been difficult to ascribe specific functions to these molecules. Advances in imaging methods have allowed direct visualisation of the molecular architecture of cell walls and the modifications that occur to polymers during growth and development. To address the structural and functional relationships of individual cell wall components, we need to identify a broad range of structural and architectural alterations in cell walls, most usefully through the generation of transgenic and mutant plant materials. Using a combination of genetic, molecular biological and cell biological approaches, we are engaged in identifying candidate genes and studying the consequences of their mis-expression in order to understand polysaccharide and protein functions in cell wall architecture and in plant development.  (Supported by The Royal Society, Leverhulme Trust and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council).