The microtubular cytoskeleton during development of the zygote, proemhryo and free-nuclear endosperm in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh.

The microtubular cytoskeleton has been studied during development of the zygote, proembryo and free-nuclear endosperm in A. thaliana using immunofluorescence localization of tubulin in enzymatically isolated material. Abundant micro tubules (MTs) are found throughout proembryogenesis. Microtubules in the coenocytic endosperm are mainly internal. By contrast, there is a re-orientation of MTs to a transverse cortical distribution during zygote development, predominantly in a subapical band which accompanies a phase of apical extension. The presence of these cortical arrays coincides with the elongation of the zygote. Cortical arrays also accompany elongation of the cylindrical suspensor. Extensive networks of MTs ramify throughout the cytoplasm of cells in the proembryo proper. Perinuclear arrays are detected in a number of cell types and MTs contribute to typical mitotic configurations during nuclear divisions. Preprophase bands of MTs are absent throughout megasporogenesis and embryo-sac development and do not occur in endosperm cell divisions. We have observed MTs throughout the first division cycle of the zygote. By placing the observed stages in a most probable sequence, we have identified this cell cycle as the point during embryogenesis at which a preprophase band is reinstated as a regular feature of cell division. Preprophase bands were observed to predict planes of cytokinesis in cell divisions up to the octant stage.