Interrelation between microtubules and microfilaments in the elongation zone of Arabidopsis root under clinorotation

Arabidopsis thaliana plants stably transformed with a MAP4-GFP construct were grown under slow clinorotation to characterize the role of tubulin microtubules in cell growth and gravisensing in the distal elongation zone (DEZ) of the root. Plants were treated with actin and tubulin disrupting drugs to investigate the changes in microtubule distribution and orientation between clinostat grown and control plants. It has been shown that organization of microtubules in the meristem and DEZ of Arabidopsis seedling root is interrelated with the organization of microfilaments. Cooperation between cytoskeleton elements is dependent upon the type of cell differential growth and aimed to provide the stabilization of cell growth on earth. In contrast, under clinorotation the cross-talk between microtubules and microfilaments was less pronounced. This phenomenon suggests the existence of complex mechanism for regulation of microtubules and microfilaments which is probably, unmasked in simulated microgravity.