Open AccessAutophagy promotes organelle clearance and organized cell separation of living root cap cells in Arabidopsis thaliana
Author(s) -
Tatsuaki Goh,
Kaoru Sakamoto,
Pengfei Wang,
Saki Kozono,
Koki Ueno,
Shunsuke Miyashima,
Koichi Toyokura,
Hidehiro Fukaki,
Byung-Ho Kang,
Keiji Nakajima
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.754
H-Index - 325
eISSN - 1477-9129
pISSN - 0950-1991
DOI - 10.1242/dev.200593
Subject(s) - biology , autophagy , microbiology and biotechnology , organelle , arabidopsis thaliana , root cap , programmed cell death , border cells , arabidopsis , vacuole , cell division , cell , meristem , botany , cytoplasm , biochemistry , apoptosis , gene , mutant , shoot
The root cap is a multi-layered tissue covering the tip of a plant root that directs root growth through its unique functions, such as gravity sensing and rhizosphere interaction. To maintain the structure and function of the root cap, its constituent cells are constantly turned over through balanced cell division and cell detachment in the inner and outer cell layers, respectively. Upon displacement toward the outermost layer, columella cells at the central root cap domain functionally transition from gravity-sensing cells to secretory cells, but the mechanisms underlying this drastic cell fate transition are largely unknown. Here, using live-cell tracking microscopy, we show that organelles in the outermost cell layer undergo dramatic rearrangements. This rearrangement at least partially depends on spatiotemporally regulated activation of autophagy. Notably, this root cap autophagy does not lead to immediate cell death, but rather is necessary for organized separation of living root cap cells, highlighting a previously undescribed role of developmentally regulated autophagy in plants.