Keynote Speaker

Communication Within and Between Plant Cells

---

Abstract

Intercellular communication is critical for proper differentiation, growth, and defense in all multicellular organisms. For plant cells surrounded by cellulosic cell walls, direct membrane contact between adjacent cells is restricted, limiting opportunities for intercellular communication. Plants have evolved alternative mechanisms to transmit signals to neighboring cells and one of the most efficient forms of communication in plants occurs via plasmodesmata (PD). PD are small, membrane-bound pores that span the cell wall and result in cytosolic and membrane continuities between adjacent cells. Molecules ranging in size from single atoms to small RNAs and transcription factors can traffic through PD, eventually entering the vasculature for systemic communication, signaling, and resource allocation between above-and below-ground systems. One aspect of PD biology that remains poorly understood is the cellular mechanisms and factors that control PD form and function. We have found that communication between organelles produces signals that impact PD and intercellular communication. This talk will discuss how intracellular signaling impacts intercellular communication, highlighting the integration of various signals and how these may produce coordinated responses.