Mitotic arrest by melatonin

Banerjee, Sourav; Margulis, Lynn

doi:10.1016/0014-4827(73)90074-8

Cited by 97 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…5. Melatonin has recently been shown to regulate gene expression [Steinhilber et al, 1995], and it was previously reported that melatonin interacts with the cell cycle even in plant cells [Jackson, 1969;Banerjee and Margulis, 1973], probably through its interactions with the cytoskeleton. Arrival of the floral stimulus at the vegetative apex results in changes both in gene expression and anatomy, including synchronization of cell cycles within the apex [Bernier, 1988].…”

Section: Possible Roles In Plantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Melatonin had a weak auxin-like activity in the inhibition of red light-induced lettuce seed germination [Van Tassel, 1997]. It is not clear whether this was attributable to the structural similarities between indoleacetic acid and melatonin or whether melatonin's effect was related to its interaction with aspects of cytoskeleton function, as manifested in root-growth inhibition in onions [Banerjee and Margulis, 1973].…”

Section: Substitutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Putative regulatory molecules in plants: evaluating melatonin

Tassel

O’Neill

2001

Journal of Pineal Research

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Numerous classes of chemicals have been considered as regulators of various aspects of plant growth and development. In evaluating these putative regulatory molecules, plant biologists have encountered a number of challenges, including: the problem of quantifying substances present at trace levels in extremely complex mixtures; difficulty in obtaining and interpreting phenotypic responses to exogenous applications; and, until recently, the inability to selectively alter endogenous levels of these substances. Melatonin (N-acetyl 5-methoxytryptamine), a methoxylated indoleamine, is a potential regulatory molecule found in plants. Although no specific phenotype is currently associated with melatonin or its analogs in higher plants, it has important and unique biological activity in many other taxa, from algae to primates. In these organisms, melatonin functions as a night signal, coordinating responses to diurnal and photoperiodic environmental cues. We assess the process by which melatonin has been evaluated in plants so far and find that many of the methods for melatonin analysis, which have been adopted from animal studies, are inappropriate for use with plant materials. Thus, despite some interesting preliminary reports, research supporting the case for melatonin as a plant regulator is still in its infancy.

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Section: Possible Roles In Plantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Substitutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Putative regulatory molecules in plants: evaluating melatonin

Tassel

O’Neill

2001

Journal of Pineal Research

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“…Melatonin binds to specific sites on microtubulin protein [6] which is important in several aspects of neuronal function [25], and exogenous melatonin influences several processes which are microtubulin-medi ated [8], Therefore, it has been hypothesized that pineal melatonin may act by inhibiting microtubulin assembly and thereby inhibiting mitosis, meiosis, axonal transport and neurotransmitter reuptake and release [2,8], However, several lines of evidence suggest that melatonin may also act in a more specific way. Melatonin blocks reuptake of norepinephrine, dopamine, y-ammo-butyric acid and 5HT and increases their release in synaptosome-rich homoge nates of rat hypothalamus at m M concentrations [7], How ever, when [melatonin] is decreased to physiological levels, its effects on reuptake and release are restricted to 5HT [5].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Melatonin-Induced Increases in Serotonin Concentrations in Specific Regions of the Chicken Brain

Cassone

Lane

Menaker³

1986

Neuroendocrinology

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Day-night differences in the concentrations of melatonin and serotonin (5HT) were measured in several regions of the chicken brain, pineal gland and serum. Melatonin concentrations are higher at midnight than at midday in 8 of the 10 tissues studied although the amplitudes of these rhythms varied greatly. Day-night differences in the pineal, hypothalamus, thalamus, retina and pons-midbrain regions had the highest amplitudes. 5HT concentrations were rhythmic in only 3 of the tissues studied: the hypothalamus, thalamus and retina. These were also the areas of highest 5HT concentration. Exogenous melatonin, injected at midday, was taken up with similar patterns; the pineal, hypothalamus, thalamus and pons-midbrain contained more melatonin 20 min after injection than did other tissues. The rate of decline of melatonin concentration varied little among all tissues studied, suggesting that the differences among tissue concentrations were due to selective uptake mechanisms rather than specialized degradation pathways. The effects of exogenous melatonin on 5HT concentration were restricted to hypothalamus, thalamus, pons-midbrain, retina and pineal. No effect was seen in cerebellum, optic tectum, neostriatum, hippocampus and medulla oblongata. Together, these data strongly suggest that pineal (and exogenous) melatonin is selectively taken up primarily by three brain regions, hypothalamus, thalamus and pons-midbrain, in which it produces increases in 5HT concentrations. Regional selectivity of uptake may be the mechanism by means of which the effects of melatonin on 5HT-mediated function are restricted to specific brain areas.

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“…Additional effects of melatonin on the cytoskeleton in plants were previously reported by Jackson (25) in the endosperm of the amaryllidacean Scadoxus multiflorus (syn. Haemanthus katherinae) and by Banerjee and Margulis (6) in the epidermal cells of Allium cepa.…”

Section: Sequence Analysis Of the Up-down Regulated Genesmentioning

confidence: 99%