Articles
ROLES OF PECTINS IN CELL WALLS
Article number
326_9
Pages
93 – 104
Language
Abstract
Pectins of plant cell walls contain largely methylesterified homopolygalacturonic acid sequences.
After deesterification by plant or pathogen pectin-methylesterases, these sequences can cross-link through calcium bridges to form "egg boxes", but they are also subject to degradation by polygalacturonases.
The released fragments are elicitors of defence reactions and act on morphogenesis.
The size-dependency of most responses is probably due to the fact that the activity of the fragments depends on their ability to adopt the "egg box" conformation.
In a limited number of cases, steps of the signal transduction chain have been studied: cytosolic calcium increase, protein phosphorylation, DNA transcription … The involvement of pectic fragments in ripening is discussed from the point of view of wall softening.
After deesterification by plant or pathogen pectin-methylesterases, these sequences can cross-link through calcium bridges to form "egg boxes", but they are also subject to degradation by polygalacturonases.
The released fragments are elicitors of defence reactions and act on morphogenesis.
The size-dependency of most responses is probably due to the fact that the activity of the fragments depends on their ability to adopt the "egg box" conformation.
In a limited number of cases, steps of the signal transduction chain have been studied: cytosolic calcium increase, protein phosphorylation, DNA transcription … The involvement of pectic fragments in ripening is discussed from the point of view of wall softening.
Authors
P. Van Cutsem, J. Messiaen
Keywords
pectin, cell wall, egg-box, elicitation, morphogenesis, ripening
Online Articles (36)