Cell-death mechanisms in maize

doi:10.1016/S1360-1385(98)01254-0

Trends in Plant Science

Volume 3, Issue 6, 1 June 1998, Pages 218-223

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1360-1385(98)01254-0 Get rights and content

Abstract

Development and differentiation in plants requires that specific cells be eliminated by cell-death mechanisms. Structural and ultrastructural observations demonstrate that cells or groups of cells in numerous maize tissues undergo cell death at predictable times. A vast collection of maize mutants exists, and many of these mutants show phenotypes that suggest aberrant cell-death mechanisms. The agent responsible for these mutations is often a characterized transposable element, making it possible to isolate the genes involved using transposon-tagging strategies. Thus, maize is developing into an excellent model system for the study of cell-death mechanisms in plants.

Section snippets

From mutant morphology to gene function

Maize morphology and ultrastructure indicates that cell-death events occur throughout the sporophyte (Fig. 1). In addition, cell death occurs within both sporophytic and gametophytic cells during the generation of the female gametophyte (Fig. 1). Mutant analysis can be used to bridge the gap between morphological observation and the elucidation of biochemical processes. In transposon-tagging studies, large numbers of mutagenized plants are screened for phenotypes that are predicted to occur if

The hypersensitive response and disease-lesion mimics

An example of PCD in plants is the hypersensitive response (HR), which is characterized by a rapid cell death within a limited number of cells at the site of pathogen entry. The genetically controlled induction of the HR involves the interaction of a disease-resistance protein from the host with the corresponding avirulence protein from the pathogen. This interaction appears to initiate a signal transduction pathway leading to the HR. The molecular mechanisms of HR cell death involve ion

Beyond the mutants

The identification of a putative cell-death mutant, the isolation of the gene involved and the prediction of its general function based on sequence comparison falls far short of the goal of understanding the role that gene plays in cell death. Nevertheless, with the gene in hand, expression can be assessed, and the expressed polypeptide can be used to produce antibodies, permitting immunolocalization of the protein. It is also likely that the tentative identification of gene function will

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Trends in Plant Science

Cell-death mechanisms in maize

Abstract

Section snippets

From mutant morphology to gene function

The hypersensitive response and disease-lesion mimics

Beyond the mutants

Trends Plant Sci.

Cell

Cell

Cell

Cell

Cell

Programmed cell death: a way of life for plants

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A.

Programmed cell death in plants

Plant Cell

Caspases: killer proteases

Trends Biochem. Sci.

A caspase-activated DNase that degrades DNA during apoptosis, and its inhibitor ICAD

Nature

Bax inhibitor-1, a mammalian apoptosis suppressor identified by functional screening in yeast

Mol. Cell

An Arabidopsis thaliana cDNA complementing a hamster apoptosis suppressor mutant

Plant J.

Disease lesions mimics of maize: a model for cell death in plants

BioEssays

Disease lesion mimicry caused by mutations in the rust resistance gene rp1

Plant Cell

Arabinogalactin proteins in maize coleoptiles: developmental relationship to cell death during xylem differentiation but not to extension growth

Plant J.

Leaf vasculature in Zea mays L.

Planta

Two new male-sterile mutants of Zea mays (Poaceae) with abnormal tapetal cell morphology

Am. J. Bot.

The rf2 nuclear restorer gene of male-sterile T-cytoplasm maize

Science