Callose deposition is essential for the completion of cytokinesis in the unicellular alga Penium margaritaceum.

Destiny J Davis, Minmin Wang, Iben Sørensen, Jocelyn K C Rose, David S Domozych, Georgia Drakakaki

Journal of cell science 2020 Oct 12

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Cytokinesis in land plants involves the formation of a cell plate that develops into the new cell wall. Callose, a β-1,3 glucan, accumulates at later stages of cell plate development, presumably to stabilize this delicate membrane network during expansion. Cytokinetic callose is considered specific to multicellular plant species, because it has not been detected in unicellular algae. Here we present callose at the cytokinesis junction of the unicellular charophyte, Penium margaritaceum Callose deposition at the division plane of P. margaritaceum showed distinct, spatiotemporal patterns likely representing distinct roles of this polymer in cytokinesis. Pharmacological inhibition of callose deposition by endosidin 7 resulted in cytokinesis defects, consistent with the essential role for this polymer in P. margaritaceum cell division. Cell wall deposition at the isthmus zone was also affected by the absence of callose, demonstrating the dynamic nature of new wall assembly in P. margaritaceum The identification of candidate callose synthase genes provides molecular evidence for callose biosynthesis in P. margaritaceum The evolutionary implications of cytokinetic callose in this unicellular zygnematopycean alga is discussed in the context of the conquest of land by plants.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. © 2020. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Citation

Destiny J Davis, Minmin Wang, Iben Sørensen, Jocelyn K C Rose, David S Domozych, Georgia Drakakaki. Callose deposition is essential for the completion of cytokinesis in the unicellular alga Penium margaritaceum. Journal of cell science. 2020 Oct 12;133(19)