Abstract.
Mesophyll cells of Zinnia elegans L., cultured in the presence of phytohormones, will transdifferentiate and undergo programmed cell death to become tracheary elements, thick-walled cells of the xylem. This system is a model system for study of plant cell development and differentiation. We report that a high concentration of extracellular Ca2+ is necessary during the first 6 h of culturing for tracheary elements to form. Extracellular Ca2+ is still required at later times, but at a much lower concentration. When cells transdifferentiate in adequate Ca2+, microsomal phospholipase C activity increases and levels of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate rise at about hour 4 of culturing. The production of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate appears to be important for tracheary element formation, since inhibitors of phospholipase C inhibit both inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate production and tracheary element formation. Pertussis toxin, an inhibitor of GTP-binding proteins, inhibits transdifferentiation and eliminates inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate production. Tracheary element formation was not completely abolished by inhibitors that eliminated inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate production, suggesting the involvement of other pathways in regulating transdifferentiation.
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Zhang, X.G., Coté, G.G. & Crain, R.C. Involvement of phosphoinositide turnover in tracheary element differentiation in Zinnia elegans L. cells. Planta 215, 312–318 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-002-0739-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-002-0739-z