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Control of the Response to Low Temperatures

  • Chapter
Plant Microtubules

Part of the book series: Plant Cell Monographs ((CELLMONO,volume 11))

Summary

Low temperatures limit the productivity of a number of cultivated plant species especially in temperate regions. Microtubules seem to play a dual role in this response —on the one hand, they depolymerize in response to low, non-freezing temperatures and this is correlated with corresponding changes of cell growth; on the other hand, there is evidence for a role of microtubule depolymerization in the sensing process itself, an aspect that is relevant to cryopreservation of tissue and seeds in gene banks. The cold stability of microtubules varies between species and can be regulated by hormones such as abscisic acid and by physiological responses such as cold acclimation. The tubulin domains that are responsible for the microtubular response to low temperature can be inferred from a comparison of tubulin isotypes with inherent differences in cold stability. The mediating signal chains seem to involve calcium and calmodulin. This chapter concludes with an outlook on biotechnological strategies to manipulate the cold response of microtubules and thus the cold resistance of plant organs or developmental processes.

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  1. Institut für Biologie II, Schänzlestr. 1, D-79104, Freiburg, Germany

    Peter Nick

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  1. Institute for Biology II, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 1, 79104, Freiburg, Germany

    Peter Nick

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© 2000 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Nick, P. (2000). Control of the Response to Low Temperatures. In: Nick, P. (eds) Plant Microtubules. Plant Cell Monographs, vol 11. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-22300-0_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-22300-0_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-22302-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-22300-0

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