Nuclear positioning and cell division site specification in plants.

Abstract

The nucleus is a signature organelle of eukaryotic cells, present in plants to humans. Like any other organelle in the cell, the nucleus is dynamic and constantly moving. Nuclear movement can be directional depending on the cell type, and its spatial and temporal function in the cell. During asymmetric cell division, the pre-mitotic nucleus moves directionally. A long-standing question in biology has been whether the nucleus determines the future cell division site, or if the future cell division site dictates the nuclear position. Plant cell biologists did a fantastic job in answering this question over the years using classic genetic and cell biology approaches. Unfortunately, many classic experiments are fundamental for our understanding and not highlighted in recent literature. In this review, we covered classic experiments performed without novel molecular tools, and advance to recent experiments leveraging molecular and genetic tools. We provide a roadmap to understanding the importance of nuclear position in deciding the future cell division site.