PROFILIN AND ACTIN-DEPOLYMERIZING FACTOR - MODULATORS OF ACTIN ORGANIZATION IN PLANTS

A striking feature of the eukaryotic actin cytoskeleton is its ability to undergo dramatic reorganization in response to internal and enviro nmental stimuli, In plant cells, several cellular processes depend on, or are coincident with, reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton, inc luding division, differentiation, light-induced plastid migration, wou nd repair and response to pathogen attack, Understanding how the actin cytoskeleton responds to these internal and extracellular factors req uires a detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms that coordi nate actin polymerization and depolymerization, There is increasing ev idence that the small actin-binding proteins profilin and actin-depoly merizing factor regulate actin dynamics in plant cells, These proteins may serve to integrate signaling cues and translate this information to remodel the cytoplasmic architecture.