The mechanism and regulation of cellulose synthesis in primary walls: lessons from cellulose-deficient Arabidopsis mutants

Cellulose-deficient Arabidopsis mutants were identified using FT-IR microspectroscopy. The study of these mutants not only led to the identification of actors in cellulose synthesis, but also provided insights in the organization of the hexameric terminal complex from CESA mutants and identified unsuspected accessory proteins with so far unknown roles in the synthesis and/or assembly of cellulose microfibrils. Finally, mutant analysis established a role for protein glycosylation in cellulose synthesis and provided new perspectives on the developmental regulation of cell wall synthesis and the role that cellulose synthesis plays in the control of cell elongation.