Arabidopsis Villin4 Is Involved in Root Hair Growth Through Regulating Actin Organization in a Ca2+-Dependent Manner

    January 2011 in “ New Phytologist ”
    Yi Zhang, Yingyu Xiao, Fei Du, Lijuan Cao, Huaijian Dong, Haiyun Ren
    TLDR VILLIN4 helps root hair growth by organizing actin with calcium.
    The study investigated the role of Arabidopsis VILLIN4 (AtVLN4) in root hair growth by examining its biochemical activity and cellular function. AtVLN4 was found to have multiple effects on actin, including bundling, Ca(2+)-dependent severing, and barbed end capping. When expressed in tobacco pollen, AtVLN4 led to the formation of extra actin cables and reduced pollen tube growth. Loss of AtVLN4 function in plants resulted in slower root hair growth, changes in cytoplasmic streaming, and fewer actin bundles. These findings indicated that AtVLN4 played a crucial role in root hair growth by regulating actin organization in a calcium-dependent manner.
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