Indomethacin-induced G1/S phase arrest of the plant cell cycle

In animal systems, indomethacin inhibits cAMP production via a prostaglandi n-adenylyl cyclase pathway. To examine the possibility that a similar mecha nism occurs in plants, the effect of indomethacin on the cell cycle of a to bacco bright yellow 2 (TBY-2) cell suspension was studied. Application of i ndomethacin during mitosis did not interfere with the M/G1 progression in s ynchronized BY-2 cells but it inhibited cAMP production at the beginning of the G1 phase and arrested the cell cycle progression at G1/S. These observ ations are discussed in relation to the putative involvement of cAMP biosyn thesis in the cell cycle progression in TBY-2 cells. (C) 1999 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.