Search

Abstract: Seed plants and algae have two distinct FtsZ protein families, FtsZ1 and FtsZ2, involved in plastid division. Distinctively, seed plants and mosses contain two FtsZ2 family members (FtsZ2-1 and FtsZ2-2) thus raising the question of the role of these FtsZ2 paralogs in plants. We show that both FtsZ2 paralogs, in addition to being present in the stroma, are associated with the thylakoid membranes and that association is developmentally regulated. We also show that several FtsZ2-1 isoforms are present with distinct intra-plastidial localization. Mutant analyses show that FtsZ2-1 is essential for chloroplast division and that FtsZ2-2 plays a specific role in chloroplast morphology and internal organisation in addition to participating in chloroplast partition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Using a polyclonal antibody (P23) generated against the human platelet integrin αIIbβ3 and a FITC-conjugate secondary antibody, fluorescence is observed at the surface of protoplasts isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana and Rubus fruticosus. Arabidopsis thaliana cells grown in suspension culture containing P23 and glycylarginylglycylaspartylserine (GRGDS), a synthetic peptide containing the RGD sequence found in many extracellular matrix adhesive proteins demonstrated aberrant cell wall/plasma membrane interactions and organization. When glycoproteins from these plants, purified on a concanavalin A Sepharose 4B, were subjected to SDS/PAGE and Western blotting, under reduced and non-reduced conditions, immunoblots probed with P23 revealed bands in both species. A shift in electrophoretic mobility is observed to different apparent molecular mass when no reducing agent is present. When purified by immunoaffinity chromatography on anti-αIIbβ3 Sepharose or Sepharose linked to the synthetic peptide D-Arg-Gly-Asp-Trp, the major antigenic components detected migrate at 30 kDa and 60 kDa in the first experiment and 60 kDa in the second one. Only the 60-kDa component is immunodetected with antibodies specific for either the β3 platelet chain or the αIIb polypeptide, suggesting the presence of two polypeptides co-migrating. To address more precisely the structure of this complex in plants, competition assays were performed. A significant inhibition is observed with CS3 a monoclonal antibody that interacts with the complexed form αIIbβ3 but not the dissociated subunits. Further structural similarities with the animal αIIbβ3 complex is demonstrated with Western blotting detection after plant glycoproteins immunoprecipitation with CS3 in absence or presence of 5 mM EDTA to dissociate the complex. We also present data on the characterization of a polyclonal antibody, named AcAt2, raised against Arabidopsis glycocoproteins... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]