MICROTUBULE ORIENTATION AND DYNAMICS IN ELONGATING CHARACEAN INTERNODAL CELLS FOLLOWING CYTOSOLIC ACIDIFICATION, INDUCTION OF PH BANDS, OR PREMATURE GROWTH ARREST
Dl. Kropf et al., MICROTUBULE ORIENTATION AND DYNAMICS IN ELONGATING CHARACEAN INTERNODAL CELLS FOLLOWING CYTOSOLIC ACIDIFICATION, INDUCTION OF PH BANDS, OR PREMATURE GROWTH ARREST, Protoplasma, 197(3-4), 1997, pp. 188-198
Cortical microtubules (MTs) at indifferent zones in immature Nitella i
nternodes were investigated by injection of fluorescently tagged sheep
brain tubulin into living cells and by immunofluorescence on fixed ma
terial. Nearly identical MT patterns and numbers were detected with th
e two techniques, indicating that sheep brain tubulin incorporated int
o all cortical MTs. MTs were aligned transversely to the long axis of
the cell and approximately one MT was present every micrometer of long
itudinal cell distance. Treatment of internodes with propionic acid to
acidify cytosolic pH caused depolymerization of MTs and an increase i
n the unpolymerized tubulin pool. Transfer of young, vigorously elonga
ting cells to media inducing premature growth cessation resulted in a
slight decrease in microtubule numbers but did not significantly alter
microtubule orientation patterns or microtubule lifespans. MTs remain
ed transverse for days following growth cessation before finally assum
ing a more random alignment characteristic of mature, non-growing inte
rnodes. No differences in MT numbers, orientation, or dynamics were de
tected between acid and alkaline bands in internodes incubated in a ba
nd-inducing medium. Thus, properties of cortical MT arrays were not cl
osely coupled to growth status or to regional differences in cellular
physiology associated with pH banding.