Characterization of a novel regulation pathway involved in cytoskeleton re-organization during G2/M transition in plant cells

The set up of the diverse microtubule arrays accompanying the plant cell cycle is intimately connected to the core cell cycle machinery. The activities and molecular partners which establish this coordination and regulate transitions betweens arrays are currently largely unknown.
Recent results of the group have revealed a large regulatory complex (TTP) composed of several protein partners. The recruitment of the TTP complex to the cytoskeleton, and its activity at the G2/M transition are necessary for division plane determination and PPB formation in Arabidopsis and moss. This complex also plays a pivotal role in the organization of the interphase array during diffuse growth.
The PhD project is focused on the study of the composition, localization, activity and targets of the TTP complex during the plant cell cycle. In a first part, we'll initiate functional characterization of proteins engaged in this complex which are required for preprophase band formation at the onset of mitosis. A second part will be devoted to the study of the formation od the TTP complex during the cell cycle. Finally, a characterization for new interaction partners will be conducted.

PhD subject IJPB 2010 from research group Organisation & dynamics of the cytoskeleton in Arabidopsis thaliana