Understanding CrRLK1L Function: Cell Walls and Growth Control

To develop successfully in an ever-changing environment, it is essential for plants to monitor and control their growth. Therefore, cell expansion is carefully regulated to establish correct cell shape and size. In this review, we explore the role of the Catharanthus roseus receptor-like kinase (CrRLK1L) subfamily as regulators of cell expansion. Recently, the downstream signalling events of individual CrRLK1L pathways were discovered, implicating known modulators of cell expansion, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, Ca(2+) dynamics, and exocytosis of cell wall material. Based on these intriguing new insights, we propose a model for a common pathway of CrRLK1L signalling that enables spatial and temporal control of cell wall extensibility throughout the plant.