Non-transcriptional gibberellin DELLA signalling for microtubule dynamics

Plant cell growth is associated with changes in the dynamics and orientation of the microtubule (MT) cytoskeleton. The plant hormone Gibberellic acid (GA), a central regulator of growth also has an impact on MT arrangements, however the causal relationship between these processes and underlying molecular mechanism remain unclear. Here, examining the Arabidopsis thaliana root elongation zone, we show that MT reorientation occurs as a consequence of GA-induced cell elongation and that GA has also a direct effect on the rate of MT polymerization via a non-transcriptional mechanism. Preventing cell elongation blocked GA-induced MT reorganization, whereas GA still promoted elongation in the absence of intact MTs. On the other hand, GA promoted MT dynamics as revealed by the recovery of MTs following depolymerization or photobleaching. Live imaging revealed that GA directly promotes MT polymerization at their plus ends. This GA effect persists even when transcription or translation are inhibited, but still requires the DELLA canonical components of GA signalling and their interactors, the prefoldins (PFDs). Our results support a model where GA-induced DELLA degradation releases ‘in nucleus’ sequestrated PFDs, enhancing their cytoplasmic function to promote MT polymerization. Hence, GA signalling branches into two mechanistically distinct modules: (i) canonical transcriptional pathway that promotes growth and indirectly drives MT reorientation; and (ii) the non-transcriptional DELLA-PFD axis that directly promotes MT polymerization. Such a dual mechanism enables plants to synchronize growth with cytoskeletal remodelling by coupling rapid, cytoplasmic responses to slower transcriptional programs.