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SUMMARY:Plasmodesmata mediated cell-to-cell transport during Arabidopsis e
 mbryogenesis - Patricia Zambryski
DTSTART:20091023T120000Z
DTEND:20091023T123000Z
UID:TALK20705@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:15560
DESCRIPTION: Plant cells are surrounded by cell walls so individual cells 
 do not touch. Besides receptor mediated intercellular signaling\, plants h
 ave evolved unique channels\, called plasmodesmata\, that span the cell wa
 ll and enable direct cytoplasmic continuity between adjacent cells. We uti
 lize Arabidopsis embryogenesis as a model system to study the structure an
 d function of these channels. Protein and gene silencing signals of differ
 ing sizes are transported between cells in particular regions of the devel
 oping embryo corresponding to the major organ types.  A genetic screen ide
 ntified several mutants that affect plasmodesmata structure and function. 
 To date\, two mutants have been characterized in detail. Both encode RNA h
 elicases that localize to different cellular compartments\, mitochondria a
 nd cytoplasmic RNA granules. Both genes are essential as null mutants are 
 lethal. These data imply that global cell autonomous homeostasis is critic
 al to regulate the cell-non-autonomous function of plasmodesmata.
LOCATION:Department of Plant Sciences\, Large Lecture Theatre
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