RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Requirement of Borate Cross-Linking of Cell Wall Rhamnogalacturonan II for <em>Arabidopsis</em> Growth
JF Science
JO Science
FD American Association for the Advancement of Science
SP 846
OP 849
DO 10.1126/science.1062319
VO 294
IS 5543
A1 O'Neill, Malcolm A.
A1 Eberhard, Stefan
A1 Albersheim, Peter
A1 Darvill, Alan G.
YR 2001
UL http://science.sciencemag.org/content/294/5543/846.abstract
AB Turgor-driven plant cell growth depends on wall structure. Two allelic l-fucose–deficient Arabidopsis thalianamutants (mur1-1 and 1-2) are dwarfed and their rosette leaves do not grow normally. mur1 leaf cell walls contain normal amounts of the cell wall pectic polysaccharide rhamnogalacturonan II (RG-II), but only half exists as a borate cross-linked dimer. The altered structure of mur1 RG-II reduces the rate of formation and stability of this cross-link. Exogenous aqueous borate rescues the defect. The reduced cross-linking of RG-II in dwarf mur1 plants indicates that plant growth depends on wall pectic polysaccharide organization.