Elicitor-Induced Cell Cycle Arrest and Programmed Cell Death in Tobacco BY-2 Cells.

Abstract

A proteinacious elicitor from a pathogenic fungus, cryptogein, induced hypersensitive cell death in suspension-cultured tobacco BY-2 cells. The elicitor also inhibited cell growth, suggesting that cell cycle arrest is induced prior to PCD. To elucidate the relationship between cell cycle regulation and PCD, we synchronously cultured BY-2 cells. Cell cycle arrest at specific checkpoint(s) was observed. Possible roles of cell cycle regulation on PCD, as well as possible molecular mechanisms for the elicitor-induced cell cycle arrest will be discussed.