In situ architecture of plasmodesmata in Physcomitrium patens resolved by cryo-electron tomography
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Plasmodesmata are nanoscopic channels that traverse plant cell walls, enabling direct intercellular exchange through membrane and cytosolic continuity. Although numerous plasmodesmal components have been identified, their molecular organization remains poorly defined. Here we used cryo-electron tomography to resolve the in situ architecture of plasmodesmata in Physcomitrium patens across tissues and physiological states. We show how callose-related cell wall remodelling shapes pore architecture to modulate permeability, including a previously undescribed fully sealed state, and resolve helical protein assemblies scaffolding the central, endoplasmic-reticulum-derived desmotubule. Candidate screening via proteomics and structure prediction indicates Multiple C2 Domain and Transmembrane Proteins (MCTPs) as key constituents of these assemblies. In this model, MCTPs tether the desmotubule to the plasma membrane, while their disordered linker regions with polyampholyte charge patterning may populate the cytosolic sleeve. These findings define core architectural features of plasmodesmata and provide a structural framework for understanding how membrane, protein and cell wall components coordinate intercellular connectivity in plants.
Source: Nature Plants
Institutions: Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, University of Hohenheim, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules, Nagoya University
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $12,690
OpenAlex ID: W7161157937