Genetic and cell biological dissection of pectin production in the mucilage secretory cells of Arabidopsis thaliana

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Plant cells are surrounded by a semi-rigid wall. This cell wall plays a critical role in almost all aspects of plant existence, ranging from plant growth, to cell and tissue cohesion, to interactions between cells and their environment. Thus, it is critical to understand the structure, production and modification of cell walls. Plant cell walls are primarily composed of polysaccharides: cellulose microfibrils are crosslinked via hemicellulose chains and embedded in a stiff gel of pectins. While cellulose is well-known for its structural role in determining the strength of the wall, pectins play key roles in cell-cell adhesion and modulating the fluidity and porosity of the wall. My long-term objective is to understand not only how pectins are synthesized and transported to the cell exterior, but also how these processes are regulated at the cellular level. Insight from my research provides valuable information that will contribute to the Canadian bio-based economy, particularly plant cell wall-based industrial, energy and agricultural products (e.g. wood, fibres, paper).