title: Differential and developmental expression of beta-tubulins in a higher plant.
abstract: By using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting, we have analyzed the expression of beta-tubulin isotypes in the higher plant, carrot. We report a complex expression of beta-tubulins that is dependent on the developmental stage of the tissues analyzed. Consequently, each tissue examined can be identified by its unique composition of beta-tubulins. In total, there are six electrophoretically separable beta-tubulins. In no tissue, however, is there less than two or more than five beta-tubulins. Within this framework we have detected a beta-tubulin specific to seedling tissue beta 6, and a beta-tubulin, beta 5, that is found only in the vegetative tissues of the mature plant. Traced from stem to midrib to leaf lamina, the beta 5 isotype becomes progressively dominant relative to beta 1. Another beta-tubulin isotype, beta 4, appears in marked abundance in immature and mature stamens. In isolated mature pollen the beta 4-tubulin overwhelmingly predominates the ubiquitously expressed beta 2-tubulin isotype. The remaining beta-tubulin isotypes also have specific expression programs with beta 1 present in all tissues except pollen and beta 3 absent only from pollen and leafy tissues.
authors.affiliation: Biological Laboratory, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Hussey
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Lloyd
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gull
mesh_terms: D007163:Immunosorbent Techniques; D010944:Plants / Q000032:analysis*; D014404:Tubulin / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D014404:Tubulin