Fig. 3. Enhanced HG methylesterification due to reduced endoreplication results in defective apical hook development.

(A) A schematic apical hook in the WT showing high ratio of methylesterified HG (detected by LM20 antibody) to demethylesterified HG (detected by LM19 antibody) on the inner side (with stiffer walls) and the opposite on the fast-growing outer side (with softer walls). (B) Maintenance period of apical hook in WT (mock, n = 15; EGCG, n = 15) and ccs52a2 (mock, n = 15; EGCG, n = 16) after EGCG treatment. (C) LM20/LM19 immunolabeling ratios of longitudinal walls of epidermal cells in the WT (n = 8; outer, 90 cells; inner, 103 cells) and ccs52a2 (n = 6; outer, 95 cells; inner, 87 cells) at 0 to 400 μm from the shoot apical meristem (SAM) (n ≥ 7). (D) Maintenance period of apical hook in WT (n = 15), ccs52a2 (n = 15), rlp44^cnu2 (n = 15), and rlp44^cnu2 ccs52a2 (n = 16). Thick lines in the boxes indicate medians. Statistical significance was calculated using Student’s t test (unpaired, two-tailed) and is indicated as follows: ns, **P < 0.01, and ***P < 0.001.