Detection of a homologue of bcl-2 in plant cells.
An emerging family of bcl-2-like genes has been identified from nematode to humans. These genes play a role in the maintenance of homeostasis. Its members have highly conserved domains that are important for their dimerization. Since nothing is known about the importance of these genes in plant cells, we have investigated their presence in an alga as well as in three higher plants both by Western analysis and by immunocytochemistry. Immunoblots revealed the presence of a protein immunoreacting with the anti-bcl-2 polyclonal antibody in leaves of tobacco plants. Furthermore, immunocytochemical localization has shown that this protein is mainly associated with mitochondria, plastids, and nuclei of plant cells. Taken together, our results suggest that bcl-2 is a protein highly conserved throughout evolution.
Dion
M
M
Department of Biochemistry, Laval University, Québec, QC, Canada.
Chamberland
H
H
St-Michel
C
C
Plante
M
M
Darveau
A
A
Lafontaine
J G
JG
Brisson
L F
LF
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000378:metabolism; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001937:Brassica; D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016825:Chlamydomonas reinhardtii; D019254:Genes, bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D008214:Lymphocytes; D051379:Mice; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D051381:Rats; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014026:Nicotiana; D003313:Zea mays
D000906:Antibodies; D010940:Plant Proteins