Isolation of a cotton RGP gene: a homolog of reversibly glycosylated polypeptide highly expressed during fiber development

A Novel Reversibly Glycosylated Polypeptide-2 of Bee Pollen from Rape (Brassica napus L.): Purification and Characterization

BACKGROUND

Reversibly glycosylated polypeptide (RGP), a kind of hydrosoluble and plasmodesmal-associated protein found in plants, plays a crucial role in the development of pollen.

OBJECTIVE

A novel RGP 2 was isolated and identified from rape (Brassica napus L.) bee pollen.

METHODS

RGP2 was isolated and purified by ion-exchange column and gel filtration chromatography, and characterized by MALDI-TOF-MS, LC-MS, immunological histological chemistry, and transmission electron microscope.

RESULTS

Our results indicated that the RGP2 is an acidic protein (pI=5.46) with the molecular weight 42388 Da. It contained 17 kinds of amino acids, among which aspartic acid had the highest amount (71.56 mg/g). Homologous alignment of amino acid sequence results showed that RGP2 was 80.33%, 85.02%, 86.06%, and 88.93% identical to Arabidopsis thaliana RGP2 (AtRGP2), Oryza sativa RGP (OsRGP), Triticum aestivum RGP (TaRGP), and Zea maize RGP (ZmRGP), respectively. The localization results showed that RGP2 in rape anther existed in exine and intine of anther cells of rape flower by immunological histological chemistry and the subcellular localization identified that RGP2 appeared around the Golgi apparatus in cytoplasm by transmission electron microscope.

CONCLUSION

RGP2 has a highly conserved sequence of amino acid residues and potential glycosylation sites.

A GPAT1 Mutation in Arabidopsis Enhances Plant Height but Impairs Seed Oil Biosynthesis

Glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferases (GPATs) play an important role in glycerolipid biosynthesis, and are mainly involved in oil production, flower development, and stress response. However, their roles in regulating plant height remain unreported. Here, we report that Arabidopsis GPAT1 is involved in the regulation of plant height. GUS assay and qRT-PCR analysis in Arabidopsis showed that GPAT1 is highly expressed in flowers, siliques, and seeds. A loss of function mutation in GPAT1 was shown to decrease seed yield but increase plant height through enhanced cell length. Transcriptomic and qRT-PCR data revealed that the expression levels of genes related to gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis and signaling, as well as those of cell wall organization and biogenesis, were significantly upregulated. These led to cell length elongation, and thus, an increase in plant height. Together, our data suggest that knockout of GPAT1 impairs glycerolipid metabolism in Arabidopsis, leading to reduced seed yield, but promotes the biosynthesis of GA, which ultimately enhances plant height. This study provides new evidence on the interplay between lipid and hormone metabolism in the regulation of plant height.

Genome-wide analysis of the RGP gene family in Populus trichocarpa and their expression under nitrogen treatment

Reversible glycosylation polypeptide (RGP) is a type of plant-specific protein, primarily involved in the biosynthesis of cell wall polysaccharides, which in turn changes the shape of the cell walls and affects the wood properties of plants. Poplar is a major industrial timber species, and the RGP gene has not been studied. This study uses bioinformatics methods to predict physical and chemical characters such as molecular weight, isoelectric point, and hydrophilicity; and fluorescent quantitative method to determine the effect of different forms of nitrogen on the transcription level of the gene family. The results showed that there are six RGP homologous genes in the Populus trichocarpa genome, which were distributed on the six chromosomes of P. trichocarpa. The family members have a simple gene structure and contain four exons and introns. Phylogenetic tree analysis showed that RGP genes all belong to Class I in P. trichocarpa. Tissue-specific expression analysis showed that PtRGP1 and PtRGP2 were highly expressed in the stems, PtRGP4 and PtRGP5 were highly expressed in the upper leaves, PtRGR3 and PtRGR6 were expressed in stems and internodes, but the relative expression is not high. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses revealed that PtRGP3 and 6 were up-regulated in the upper stem in response to the low ammonium and high nitrate treatments. The influence of nitrogen on the expression of PtRGP3 and 6 genes may affect the formation of the plant secondary cell wall. This study lays a foundation for further study on the function of RGP genes in P. trichocarpa.

UDP-arabinopyranose mutase gene expressions are required for the biosynthesis of the arabinose side chain of both pectin and arabinoxyloglucan, and normal leaf expansion in Nicotiana tabacum

Plant cell walls are composed of polysaccharides such as cellulose, hemicelluloses, and pectins, whose location and function differ depending on plant type. Arabinose is a constituent of many different cell wall components, including pectic rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I) and II (RG-II), glucuronoarabinoxylans (GAX), and arabinoxyloglucan (AXG). Arabinose is found predominantly in the furanose rather than in the thermodynamically more stable pyranose form. The UDP-arabinopyranose mutases (UAMs) have been demonstrated to convert UDP-arabinopyranose (UDP-Arap) to UDP-arabinofuranose (UDP-Araf) in rice (Oryza sativa L.). The UAMs have been implicated in polysaccharide biosynthesis and developmental processes. Arabinose residues could be a component of many polysaccharides, including branched (1→5)-α-arabinans, arabinogalactans in pectic polysaccharides, and arabinoxyloglucans, which are abundant in the cell walls of solanaceous plants. Therefore, to elucidate the role of UAMs and arabinan side chains, we analyzed the UAM RNA interference transformants in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.). The tobacco UAM gene family consists of four members. We generated RNAi transformants (NtUAM-KD) to down-regulate all four of the UAM members. The NtUAM-KD showed abnormal leaf development in the form of a callus-like structure and many holes in the leaf epidermis. A clear reduction in the pectic arabinan content was observed in the tissue of the NtUAM-KD leaf. The arabinose/xylose ratio in the xyloglucan-rich cell wall fraction was drastically reduced in NtUAM-KD. These results suggest that UAMs are required for Ara side chain biosynthesis in both RG-I and AXG in Solanaceae plants, and that arabinan-mediated cell wall networks might be important for normal leaf expansion.

X-ray diffraction analysis and in vitro characterization of the UAM2 protein from Oryza sativa

The role of seemingly non-enzymatic proteins in complexes interconverting UDP-arabinopyranose and UDP-arabinofuranose (UDP-arabinosemutases; UAMs) in the plant cytosol remains unknown. To shed light on their function, crystallographic and functional studies of the seemingly non-enzymatic UAM2 protein from Oryza sativa (OsUAM2) were undertaken. Here, X-ray diffraction data are reported, as well as analysis of the oligomeric state in the crystal and in solution. OsUAM2 crystallizes readily but forms highly radiation-sensitive crystals with limited diffraction power, requiring careful low-dose vector data acquisition. Using size-exclusion chromatography, it is shown that the protein is monomeric in solution. Finally, limited proteolysis was employed to demonstrate DTT-enhanced proteolytic digestion, indicating the existence of at least one intramolecular disulfide bridge or, alternatively, a requirement for a structural metal ion.

Transcriptomic Profiling Analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana Treated with Exogenous Myo-Inositol

Myo-insositol (MI) is a crucial substance in the growth and developmental processes in plants. It is commonly added to the culture medium to promote adventitious shoot development. In our previous work, MI was found in influencing Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. In this report, a high-throughput RNA sequencing technique (RNA-Seq) was used to investigate differently expressed genes in one-month-old Arabidopsis seedling grown on MI free or MI supplemented culture medium. The results showed that 21,288 and 21,299 genes were detected with and without MI treatment, respectively. The detected genes included 184 new genes that were not annotated in the Arabidopsis thaliana reference genome. Additionally, 183 differentially expressed genes were identified (DEGs, FDR ≤0.05, log2 FC≥1), including 93 up-regulated genes and 90 down-regulated genes. The DEGs were involved in multiple pathways, such as cell wall biosynthesis, biotic and abiotic stress response, chromosome modification, and substrate transportation. Some significantly differently expressed genes provided us with valuable information for exploring the functions of exogenous MI. RNA-Seq results showed that exogenous MI could alter gene expression and signaling transduction in plant cells. These results provided a systematic understanding of the functions of exogenous MI in detail and provided a foundation for future studies.

Comparative proteomic and biochemical analyses reveal different molecular events occurring in the process of fiber initiation between wild-type allotetraploid cotton and its fuzzless-lintless mutant

To explore lint fiber initiation-related proteins in allotetraploid cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), a comparative proteomic analysis was performed between wild-type cotton (Xu-142) and its fuzzless-lintless mutant (Xu-142-fl) at five developmental time points for lint fiber initiation from -3 to +3 days post-anthesis (dpa). Using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) combined with mass spectrometry (MS) analyses, 91 differentially accumulated protein (DAP) species that are related to fiber initiation were successfully identified, of which 58 preferentially accumulated in the wild-type and 33 species in the fl mutant. These DAPs are involved in various cellular and metabolic processes, mainly including important energy/carbohydrate metabolism, redox homeostasis, amino acid and fatty acid biosynthesis, protein quality control, cytoskeleton dynamics, and anthocyanidin metabolism. Further physiological and biochemical experiments revealed dynamic changes in the carbohydrate flux and H₂O₂ levels in the cotton fiber initiation process. Compared with those in the fl mutant, the contents of glucose and fructose in wild-type ovules sharply increased after anthesis with a relatively higher rate of amino acid biosynthesis. The relative sugar starvation and lower rate of amino acid biosynthesis in the fl mutant ovules may impede the carbohydrate/energy supply and cell wall synthesis, which is consistent with the proteomic results. However, the H₂O₂ burst was only observed in the wild-type ovules on the day of anthesis. Cotton boll injection experiments in combination with electron microscope observation collectively indicated that H₂O₂ burst, which is negatively regulated by ascorbate peroxidases (APx), plays an important role in the fiber initiation process. Taken together, our study demonstrates a putative network of DAP species related to fiber initiation in cotton ovules and provides a foundation for future studies on the specific functions of these proteins in fiber development.

UDP-arabinopyranose mutase 3 is required for pollen wall morphogenesis in rice (Oryza sativa)

l-Arabinose is one of the main constituents of cell wall polysaccharides such as pectic rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I), glucuronoarabinoxylans and other glycoproteins. It is found predominantly in the furanose form rather than in the thermodynamically more stable pyranose form. UDP-L-arabinofuranose (UDP-Araf), rather than UDP-L-arabinopyranose (UDP-Arap), is a sugar donor for the biosynthesis of arabinofuranosyl (Araf) residues. UDP-arabinopyranose mutases (UAMs) have been shown to interconvert UDP-Araf and UDP-Arap and are involved in the biosynthesis of polysaccharides including Araf. The UAM gene family has three members in Oryza sativa. Co-expression network in silico analysis showed that OsUAM3 expression was independent from OsUAM1 and OsUAM2 co-expression networks. OsUAM1 and OsUAM2 were expressed ubiquitously throughout plant development, but OsUAM3 was expressed primarily in reproductive tissue, particularly at the pollen cell wall formation developmental stage. OsUAM3 co-expression networks include pectin catabolic enzymes. To determine the function of OsUAMs in reproductive tissues, we analyzed RNA interference (RNAi)-knockdown transformants (OsUAM3-KD) specific for OsUAM3. OsUAM3-KD plants grew normally and showed abnormal phenotypes in reproductive tissues, especially in terms of the pollen cell wall and exine. In addition, we examined modifications of cell wall polysaccharides at the cellular level using antibodies against polysaccharides including Araf. Immunolocalization of arabinan using the LM6 antibody showed low levels of arabinan in OsUAM3-KD pollen grains. Our results suggest that the function of OsUAM3 is important for synthesis of arabinan side chains of RG-I and is required for reproductive developmental processes, especially the formation of the cell wall in pollen.

Cotton proteomics for deciphering the mechanism of environment stress response and fiber development

Cotton fiber is considered as the backbone of the textile industry. The productivity of cotton crop is severely hampered by the occurrence of pathogens, pests, and various environmental factors. Nevertheless, cotton plant has developed sophisticated mechanisms to respond to environment stresses to avoid detrimental effects on its growth and development. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms of cotton fiber development and environment stress response is of considerable interest for designing agriculture breeding strategies to ensure sustainable productivity. The application of proteomics technologies to advance our knowledge in cotton fiber development and abiotic/biotic stress tolerance has increased dramatically in the last 5years as evidenced by the large amount of publications in this area. This review summarizes the work which has been reported for cotton proteomics and evaluates the findings in context of the approaches that are widely employed with the aim to generate novel insight useful for cotton improvement.

BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is considered as the foremost commercially important fiber crop grown all over the world and is deemed as the backbone of the textile industry. Cotton is also an important source of edible oil seed and a nutrient-rich food crop as cottonseed contains high-quality protein and oil. The growth and productivity of cotton crop are often hampered by various biotic stress factors, such as insect pests and pathogens. In addition, cotton plants are frequently subjected to unavoidable environmental factors that cause abiotic stress, such as salt, heat and drought. Proteomic techniques provide one of the best options for understanding the gene function and phenotypic changes during cotton fiber development and stress response. This review first summarizes the work which has been reported for cotton proteomics about cotton fiber development and abiotic/biotic stress tolerance, and also evaluates the findings in context of the approaches that are widely employed during last 5years, with the aim to generate novel insight useful for cotton improvement. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Proteomics of non-model organisms.

Contribution of proteomics in the identification of novel proteins associated with plant growth

The epidermis is not only the interphase between the plant and the environment but also a growth-limiting tissue. Understanding the initiation and regulation of its expansion growth is essential for addressing the need for more food and fuel. We used mass spectrometry to identify proteins from auxin (indole-3-acetic acid; IAA)-induced rapidly growing corn (Zea mays) coleoptiles to find possible candidates controlling this growth as well as the underlying cell wall and cuticle biosynthesis. Excised sections were incubated for 4 h in the absence or presence of IAA, protein extracted, and analyzed using LC-ESI-MS/MS. Of 86 proteins identified, 15 showed a predicted association with cell wall/cuticle biosynthesis or trafficking machinery; four identifications revealed novel proteins of unknown function. In parallel, real-time PCR indicated that the steady-state mRNA levels of genes with a known or predicted role in cell-wall biosynthesis increase upon treatment with auxin. Importantly, genes encoding two of the hypothetical proteins also show higher levels of mRNA; additionally, their gene expression is down-regulated as coleoptile growth ceases and up-regulated in expanding leaves. This suggests a major role of those novel proteins in the regulation of processes related to cell and organ expansion and thus plant growth.

The interconversion of UDP-arabinopyranose and UDP-arabinofuranose is indispensable for plant development in Arabidopsis

L-Ara, an important constituent of plant cell walls, is found predominantly in the furanose rather than in the thermodynamically more stable pyranose form. Nucleotide sugar mutases have been demonstrated to interconvert UDP-Larabinopyranose (UDP-Arap) and UDP-L-arabinofuranose (UDP-Araf) in rice (Oryza sativa). These enzymes belong to a small gene family encoding the previously named Reversibly Glycosylated Proteins (RGPs). RGPs are plant-specific cytosolic proteins that tend to associate with the endomembrane system. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the RGP protein family consists of five closely related members. We characterized all five RGPs regarding their expression pattern and subcellular localizations in transgenic Arabidopsis plants. Enzymatic activity assays of recombinant proteins expressed in Escherichia coli identified three of the Arabidopsis RGP protein family members as UDP-L-Ara mutases that catalyze the formation of UDP-Araf from UDP-Arap. Coimmunoprecipitation and subsequent liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry analysis revealed a distinct interaction network between RGPs in different Arabidopsis organs. Examination of cell wall polysaccharide preparations from RGP1 and RGP2 knockout mutants showed a significant reduction in total L-Ara content (12–31%) compared with wild-type plants. Concomitant downregulation of RGP1 and RGP2 expression results in plants almost completely deficient in cell wall–derived L-Ara and exhibiting severe developmental defects.

An arginyl residue in rice UDP-arabinopyranose mutase is required for catalytic activity and autoglycosylation

Plants use UDP-arabinofuranose (UDP-Araf) to donate Araf residues in the biosynthesis of Araf-containing complex carbohydrates. UDP-Araf itself is formed from UDP-arabinopyranose (UDP-Arap) by UDP-arabinopyranose mutase (UAM). However, the mechanism by which this enzyme catalyzes the interconversion of UDP-Arap and UDP-Araf has not been determined. To gain insight into this reaction, functionally recombinant rUAMs were reacted with UDP-Glc or UDP-Araf. The glycosylated recombinant UAMs were fragmented with trypsin, and the glycopeptides formed were then identified and sequenced by LC-MS/MS. The results of these experiments, together with site-directed mutagenesis studies, suggest that in functional UAMs an arginyl residue is reversibly glycosylated with a single glycosyl residue, and that this residue is required for mutase activity. We also provide evidence that a DXD motif is required for catalytic activity.

A plant mutase that interconverts UDP-arabinofuranose and UDP-arabinopyranose

Plant cell walls constitute the bulk of the earth renewable source of energy and are a component in the diet of humans and herbivores. l-Arabinofuranosyl (Araf) residues are a quantifiably important constituent of these walls. Plants use uridine diphosphate (UDP)-l-arabinofuranose (UDP-Araf) to donate Araf residues in the biosynthesis of Araf-containing polysaccharides, proteoglycans, and glycoproteins. However, little is known about the formation of UDP-Araf. We now describe the purification and partial characterization of a rice UDP-arabinopyranose mutase (UAM) that catalyzes the formation of UDP-Araf from UDP-arabinopyranose (UDP-Arap). The reaction is reversible and at thermodynamic equilibrium the pyranose form is favored over the furanose form (90 : 10). Three related proteins that are encoded by rice gene loci Os03g40270, Os04g56520, and Os07g41360 were identified from partial amino acid sequences of UAM. These proteins have >80% sequence identity with polypeptides that are reversibly glycosylated in the presence of UDP-sugars. The rice mutase and two functionally active recombinant mutases were shown to be reversibly glycosylated in the presence of UDP-Glc. The cofactor, flavin-adenine-dinucleotide (FAD), is required for the catalytic activity of UDP-galactose mutases of prokaryotes, fungi, and protozoa. The plant mutases, which do not require a cofactor, must therefore have a different catalytic mechanism. Putative UAM-encoding genes are present in the green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, the moss Physcomitrella patens, the gymnosperm Pinus taeda (loblolly pine), and in numerous dicots and monocots, indicating that UAMs are widespread in green plants.

Isolation of a cotton reversibly glycosylated polypeptide (GhRGP1) promoter and its expression activity in transgenic tobacco

Reversibly glycosylated polypeptides (RGPs) are thought to be involved in polysaccharide metabolism. A cDNA of the cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) RGP gene, designated GhRGP1, has previously been characterized, and is preferentially expressed in fiber cells. In order to investigate its temporal and spatial control, we isolated a 624bp fragment upstream of the GhRGP1 coding sequence using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based genomic walking method, transcriptionally fused the 624bp promoter sequence to the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) gene, and analyzed the stable gene expression in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). In 4-week-old transgenic tobacco plants, the highest expression level was observed in roots, and the GUS activity was 1.13- and 6.65-fold higher than that in stems and leaves, respectively. In the reproductive growth stage, the GUS expression level was highest in the pistils and the GUS activity in the stigmas and styles were 17.6-fold higher than that in the ovaries. High GUS activity was also detected in the anthers. In addition, histochemical staining for GUS activity on transgenic tobacco plants further indicated a higher expression in the trichomes, seeds and vascular tissues of stems. Abiotic stress treatments on transgenic tobacco plants showed that wounding and dehydration induced GUS expression. These results demonstrated the spatial and temporal regulation of a cotton RGP promoter in a model plant, and provided an important insight into the factors that control the fiber development and stress responses of the gene.

A global assembly of cotton ESTs

Approximately 185,000 Gossypium EST sequences comprising >94,800,000 nucleotides were amassed from 30 cDNA libraries constructed from a variety of tissues and organs under a range of conditions, including drought stress and pathogen challenges. These libraries were derived from allopolyploid cotton (Gossypium hirsutum; A(T) and D(T) genomes) as well as its two diploid progenitors, Gossypium arboreum (A genome) and Gossypium raimondii (D genome). ESTs were assembled using the Program for Assembling and Viewing ESTs (PAVE), resulting in 22,030 contigs and 29,077 singletons (51,107 unigenes). Further comparisons among the singletons and contigs led to recognition of 33,665 exemplar sequences that represent a nonredundant set of putative Gossypium genes containing partial or full-length coding regions and usually one or two UTRs. The assembly, along with their UniProt BLASTX hits, GO annotation, and Pfam analysis results, are freely accessible as a public resource for cotton genomics. Because ESTs from diploid and allotetraploid Gossypium were combined in a single assembly, we were in many cases able to bioinformatically distinguish duplicated genes in allotetraploid cotton and assign them to either the A or D genome. The assembly and associated information provide a framework for future investigation of cotton functional and evolutionary genomics.

A proteomic approach to analysing responses of Arabidopsis thaliana callus cells to clinostat rotation

Callus cells of Arabidopsis thaliana (cv. Landsberg erecta) were exposed for 8 h to a horizontal clinostat rotation (H, simulated weightlessness), a vertical clinostat rotation (V, clinostat control), or a stationary control (S) growth condition. The amount of glucose and fructose apparently decreased, while starch content increased in the H compared with the V- and S-treated cells. In order to investigate the influences of clinostat rotation on the cellular proteome further, the proteome alterations induced by horizontal and vertical clinostat rotation have been comparatively analysed by high-resolution two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. Image analysis of silver-stained 2-D gels revealed that 80 protein spots showed quantitative and qualitative variations that were significantly (P <0.01) and reproducibly different between the clinorotated (H or V) and the stationary control samples. Protein spots excised from 2-D gels were analysed by microbe high performance liquid chromatography-ion trap-mass spectrometry (LC-IT-MS) to obtain the tandem mass (MS/MS) spectra. 18 protein spots, which showed significant expression alteration only under the H condition compared with those under V and S conditions, were identified. Of these proteins, seven were involved in stress responses, and four protein spots were identified as key enzymes in carbohydrate metabolism and lipid biosynthesis. Two reversibly glycosylated cell wall proteins were down-regulated in the H samples. Other proteins such as protein disulphide isomerase, transcription initiation factor IIF, and two ribosomal proteins also exhibited altered expression under the H condition. The data presented in this study illustrate that clinostat rotation of Arabidopsis callus cells has a significant impact on the expression of proteins involved in general stress responses, metabolic pathways, gene activation/transcription, protein synthesis, and cell wall biosynthesis.

Class 1 reversibly glycosylated polypeptides are plasmodesmal-associated proteins delivered to plasmodesmata via the golgi apparatus

SE-WAP41, a salt-extractable 41-kD wall-associated protein that is associated with walls of etiolated maize (Zea mays) seedlings and is recognized by an antiserum previously reported to label plasmodesmata and the Golgi, was cloned, sequenced, and found to be a class 1 reversibly glycosylated polypeptide ((C1)RGP). Protein gel blot analysis of cell fractions with an antiserum against recombinant SE-WAP41 showed it to be enriched in the wall fraction. RNA gel blot analysis along the mesocotyl developmental axis and during deetiolation demonstrates that high SE-WAP41 transcript levels correlate spatially and temporally with primary and secondary plasmodesmata (Pd) formation. All four of the Arabidopsis thaliana (C1)RGP proteins, when fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP) and transiently expressed in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) epidermal cells, display fluorescence patterns indicating they are Golgi- and plasmodesmal-associated proteins. Localization to the Golgi apparatus was verified by colocalization of transiently expressed AtRGP2 fused to cyan fluorescence protein together with a known Golgi marker, Golgi Nucleotide Sugar Transporter 1 fused to yellow fluorescent protein (GONST1:YFP). In transgenic tobacco, AtRGP2:GFP fluorescence is punctate, is present only in contact walls between cells, and colocalizes with aniline blue-stained callose present around Pd. In plasmolyzed cells, AtRGP2:GFP remains wall embedded, whereas GONST1:YFP cannot be found embedded in cell walls. This result implies that the targeting to Pd is not due to a default pathway for Golgi-localized fusion proteins but is specific to (C1)RGPs. Treatment with the Golgi disrupting drug Brefeldin A inhibits Pd labeling by AtRGP2:GFP. Integrating these data, we conclude that (C1)RGPs are plasmodesmal-associated proteins delivered to plasmodesmata via the Golgi apparatus.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a cotton glucuronosyltranferase gene

A glucuronosyltranferase gene has been isolated from cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) fiber cells using rapid amplification of the cDNA ends. The full-length cDNA, designated GhGlcAT1, is 1400 bp in length (AY346330) and contains an open reading frame of 1107 bp encoding a protein of 368 amino acids. Alignment of the GhGlcAT1 predicted amino acid sequence was shown to have high sequence similarity with animal glucuronosyltranferases. A phylogenic tree generated by the PHYLIP program package showed that GhGlcAT1 is clustered into the plant glucuronosyltranferase proteins and is distinct from those of other species. Homology modeling of the GhGlcAT1 structure using Homo sapiens native glucuronosyltranferase (1 kws and 1 fgg) structure as a template strongly suggests that the main-chain conformation and the folding patterns were similar to structural features characteristic of animal glucuronosyltranferases. Northern blot analysis showed that the transcripts of GhGlcAT1 were abundant in fiber cells, moderate in stem, but not detected in ovule, flower, seed, root and leaf. Transcripts were most abundant at 15dpa fiber. The transcription occurred at both the primary wall elongation stage and former stage of secondary cell thickening, suggesting that GhGLcAT1 may be involved in non-cellulose polysacchrides biosynthesis of the cotton cell wall.

Identification of GhMYB109 encoding a R2R3 MYB transcription factor that expressed specifically in fiber initials and elongating fibers of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) fibers are derived from ovule epidermis, which are developmentally similar to Arabidopsis trichome where several MYB transcription factors have been shown to control their formation. However, little is known about the molecular control of cotton fiber initiation. Here we isolated 55 cotton MYB domain-containing sequences expressed in ovules during fiber initiation. Among them, GhMYB109, encoding a R2R3 MYB transcription factor of 234 amino acids, was found to be structurally related to AtMYBGL1 and AtWER controlling the trichome initiation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Southern blot hybridization revealed that GhMYB109 is present as a unique-copy gene in cotton genome. RNA expression analysis showed that it is specifically expressed in cotton fiber initial cells as well as elongating fibers. These results suggested that GhMYB109 likely plays a direct role in the initiation and elongation of cotton fiber cells.