β-galactosidases and cell wall dynamics

Abstract:

The cell wall is the major determinant of plant cell growth and development. Upon a framework of cellulose, in most flowering plants, there are many cross-linking glycans and pectins whose composition and interactions are involved in wall dynamics during growth. The monosaccharide galactose is a key constituent of major non-cellulosic polysaccharides in most plant cell walls: fucogalacto-xyloglucans, (1→3), (1→6)β-D-galactan chains of the type II arabinogalactan-proteins, (1→4)βD-galactans and related type I arabinogalactans. Each of them exhibits a different turnover at specific stages of cell growth and development. For instance, alterations in cell wall assembly or remodeling through hydrolysis of galactosides and galactans in the cell wall, pre-stages certain developmental events, such as the onset of fruit ripening and the initiation of fiber bundles in flax. No endo-galactanases have been found in plants; therefore, exo-galactanases/β-galactosidases are held responsible for the hydrolysis of all cell-wall galactose-containing polymers. The purpose of this paper is to review cell wall galactose-containing polymers and to better understand the biological role of the plant β-galactosidases in the context of the dynamics during cell growth.

Año de publicación:

2006

Keywords:

Fuente:

scopus